Being an Atheist is Awesome

Contrary to popular belief, people don't become atheists overnight. It is not like waking up one day and deciding to become a non-believer - it is a gradual process, propelled by the hunger for reason and initiated by critical thinking.

I find being an atheist awesome for many reasons. I hope those reasons explain why I am steadfast with an atheistic lifestyle.

You pray and believe in God, ma. Why me?

One has to be a realist before becoming an atheist. So, an atheist is totally in touch with ever-changing reality. Atheists evolve; theists stay stationary. They are stuck in a time warp called religion and believe that their religion is the true religion. If they do progress, it's very selective. They also falsely attribute the progress to their religion, hijacking the long and laborious battle of modern movements like feminism and social justice that fought for equality and human rights. 

It is indeed brave of theists - they don't worry if they go to hell in afterlife for worshiping the wrong God. Atheists are even braver! They are not afraid of going to hell for not praying to any God. 

Nee dha dhairiyamana aal aache. 

An atheist's gamble is, "Since there is a 99% possibility of me praying to the wrong God, I might as well not pray to any God." Atheists are cool people - afterlife in heaven or hell, I will cross the bridge when I come to it. Yes, atheists live in the present. Afterlife isn't considered because we want to make things better for everyone right here, right now.

Atheists tend to develop extreme patience. They don't get offended when theists speak openly of their religion or god and follow their respective religions' conforms but, the minute an atheist profess his atheism openly, he or she is told to keep atheism to themselves and the aggression increases if the atheist is female. 

Almost always, atheists give theists their space. The same is not true for theists - they invade atheists' personal space and scorn and scoff. This ends up making the atheist insanely patient. The only times atheists can express themselves are when they are in the company of other atheists, most probably on social media. Nonetheless, atheists are subjected to vicious onslaught by theists on social media. They religiously report atheist pages and tirelessly condemn atheism. Atheist don't do it to religious pages. Atheists only condemn religion when it affects human rights and social justice. 

Atheists rely on themselves - they feel they are the cause of their own downfall and their own success. Atheists don't blame God for their failures and don't praise God for their victories. They tend to cultivate an in built life coach; they are able to motivate themselves when things don't go smoothly and thank and appreciate the people who work with them, the team players who gave a hand to make a feat come into being rather than thanking God. Atheists don't buy the adage, "If you help yourself, God will carry you the rest of the way." The motto is, "You have to help yourself and carry yourself the rest of  the way."

Atheism makes human relationship stronger. With divinity out of the picture, what is real remains and atheists thrive on realism. Atheists try to make the best of what they see in a person - their religion is the last thing on the atheist's mind - it is otherwise for theists. 

My family follows the Hindu religion. I have a religious aunt who is allergic to air condition; it triggers her headache. She is the only person I know who fully blankets herself during mid-day naps while the Equator sun scorches.

In air conditioned places, this aunt of mine wears a headscarf and it does looks like a hijab. She's a widow so she doesn't wear the pottu. The vibuthi streak on her forehead doesn't stay on for long either. 

So, one day, at a hospital, an Indian Muslim woman came to my aunt and initiated conversation. My aunt is a chatterbox and she was flapping her gums with the lady. Then, the lady asked what Islamic sect does my aunt belong to. My aunt promptly said that she isn't Muslim but a Hindu. The lady reacted by saying, "If you are a Hindu, why are you wearing the Islamic hijab?" and my aunt disclosed her 'allergy to air conditioning.' The lady was incensed and told my aunt that she shouldn't wear a scarf like a hijab and left.

I was watching the whole thing and thought to myself, "Religion makes humans petty and unempathetic." BJP and Hindus tell women to cover up - but they disapprove of the burqa. It's all fabric fashioned into various garments, likely in communist, atheist China, through the hands of beef and pork eating Chinese garment factory workers - what's your point?

Religion is so effortlessly politicized and religious people fall hook, line and sinker for it. Politicians know all too well that dealing the cards on religious sensitivity makes it easy for them to steal from the people. Atheists see this ruse right through- theists are blinded to this; all they want to do is defend their God and their religion and engage in protracted discords, demanding apology, justice, and punishment. 

Funny people - if you know that your religion is the right religion, why get insecure when others of a different religion ridicule your religion? Since your religion is the true religion, the criticizer will go to hell. So why push, fret and sweat and get antsy? 

Atheism is the embodiment of empathy and humanity. Although I don't pray, I get the ritualistic commodities for my mom's sanctimonious self - camphor, frankincense, joss sticks and whatnot. I wash the framed portraits of Hindu gods and dot mango leaves with sandalwood and vermillion. My mom is old and I'm just doing my job as a supportive adult daughter.

Me when celebrating Deepavali with my family as an atheist.

My lack of belief in the divine and celestial helps me to be a better person. That's why I think being an atheist is awesome.