Atheists: Toe the line, or else!

8/14/2008 | 5:20 PM | Evolved Rationalist

After this hyped-up piece of media sensationalism appeared on the RD.net site, I started getting frantic calls and e-mails from so-called skeptics who, being gullible enough to swallow every word of that article hook, line. and sinker, decided that I am now 'evil' for having anything to do with /b/. One even went so far as to say "Don't call yourself a humanist as long as you post on /b/ and enjoy lulz.", another said "You are making atheism look bad!", while another accused me of aiding 'criminals'.

I am serious, folks. Some of our fellow 'skeptics' have decided that I am basically scum (in their own words) for, posting on an imageboard. Let that sink in: They are actually claiming, with straight faces, that I am dragging the name of atheism through the mud by admitting that I am a /b/tard.

If you think that this whole scenario is absurd enough, another incident that happened recently takes the delicious cake. Members of a new group freethought site that I was involved with decided, without notifying me or even discussing the issue with me, to simply remove me from the project, for - you've guessed it - posting on /b/ and openly supporting Anonymous. (I support Anonymous, not the people jumping on the streets spouting internet memes and looking like complete idiots to passers-by.)

Not a word, folks. Not a single e-mail, explanation or prior discussion with me before being unceremoniously booted off the site. One moment I was posting on the site, the next moment I find my account BAAAAALLLLEEETED and my posts gone. Before you claim that I am merely butthurt over the whole incident, let me clarify. I am not angry over the fact that they removed me from the project - hell, if it was a majority decision I would totally abide by it. In my opinion, the fact that people who claim to be freethinkers and skeptics would not investigate an issue or seek clarification from the person involved makes our cause look worse than a random atheist blogger admitting that she posts on a fucking imageboard, for Xenu's sake!

For the people who claimed that I can't be a humanist while enjoying the lulz, I call bullshit. Lulz is merely laughter at someone else's expense. So, oh-so-holy humanists, what do you think laughter at a clueless creationist actually is? Are you aware of the fact that when you laugh at Dembski's latest blunder or two, you are truly enjoying the lulz? Did you know that as a little child, you had lulz watching someone else trip over/make a fool out of himself/etc?

That laughter you have when you watch idiots make fools out of themselves on reality television is also lulz. Laughter at someone else's expense - plain, simple and a part of the human experience.

Therefore, don't be too quick to judge and claim that someone is less of a humanist simply for being human. The irony!

As for the 'making atheists look bad' claim, are you shitting me? If atheism is now a godless church where everyone must now adhere to an imaginary standard of what makes us atheists look 'good' or 'bad', I must have missed the memo. Atheism is simply the lack of belief in a god/gods. Nothing more, nothing less. The claim that an atheist blogger posting on a imageboard makes atheism look bad is an absurd claim that lacks any justification. Who made you the judge of what looks good and what looks bad for atheism, anyway?

On top of that, when did being an atheist mean that every act done by a person is somehow linked to or reflects upon atheism? When did being a /b/tard have anything to do with atheism/humanism/skepticism? When did supporting Anonymous have anything to do with my atheist stand? I am an atheist, but my life is not defined by my lack of faith any more than the color of my hair defines my life.

When something defines your whole life and everything you do is somehow hysterically linked to that particular thing; and on top of that you start making absurd claims that someone else's personal activities simply do not 'toe the line'....doesn't that remind you of, not skepticism, but religion?

Seriously, get a grip.Look at yourself in the mirror before making wild-eyed, holier-than-thou pronouncements on someone else's personal life. If I wanted that shit, I would have chosen fundamentalist religion.

(As of today, I continue to post at Chan imageboards, be a moderator at a certain Chan, and contribute to Encyclopedia Dramatica. Shock! Horror! BAWWWWW!)