DECONSTRUCTING DUALITY

When did atheism become the new theism? I swear I can’t even say something remotely positive, affirming or uplifting without having it slapped down by some narrow-minded, bitter atheist trying to justify and reinforce their own belief system. It’s been a recurring issue lately. The most recent example I can think of involves a time when I was offering love and prayers to victims of the Boston marathon bombing, and an acquaintance of mine had to chime in with the snarky remark, “PRAYERS?!”

Yes, prayers! My definition of prayer encompasses a much broader, all-encompassing form of thought that serves to detach from ego. Contrary to popular belief, it’s some not bargaining chip you make with a guy in the sky. And when you’re faced with something as devastating as terrorism, do you really need to open up a discussion about the validity of prayer? Wrong time, wrong place, not funny.

Then today, I ‘liked’ a status update from a spiritual guru I follow, and not even 2 minutes later this same person writes a passive aggressive status update: “when i read an inspirational post about how we are in control of our destiny, our stress, our problems… i just want to say… SHUT UP. what an ignorant thing to say. you’re taking your privilege for granted.”

What the fuck does my privilege have to do with taking responsibility for my life and how I choose to perceive it? Someone needs to read Viktor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning and figure out that regardless of privilege or not, we all remain responsible for our own perceptions - even in the face of absolute horror. 

We can have different viewpoints without identifying with them so strongly to the point of shoving them down each others throats. Oddly enough, this kind of behavior is something theists and atheists can’t stand about each other, and yet in my experience it seems both of them are guilty of perpetuating this constant need to be right.

Geeze. Just smoke a J and chillax man!