http://www.ravingatheist.com/
When I studied abroad this summer, I worked as an intern for a non-profit organization in the heart of downtown London. From the moment I stepped through the front door, I could feel uncomfortable tone of the office. My future co-workers were all staring at the cross worn around my neck. I was in a room full of atheists.
My inexperience to blogging has given me the opportunity to provide an outsider’s perspective on a particular blog that I stumbled across called “The Raving Atheist”.
Toleration is key. I find it quite ironic that I traveled overseas with the intent to expand my academic education, but ironically, in turn I feel I was handed more of a life-lesson than anything else.
In this blog, a “Raving Atheist”, as he likes to call himself, hunts for injustices and wrong-doings committed towards his beliefs. He posts his discoveries on the blog and then sits back and waits for ticked-off people to start commenting on his page. It’s hilarious!
In my opinion, the blog should be titled "The Craving Atheist", because that's basically the theme. All he does is crave for attention.
Please don't mistake my views. I absolutely do not agree with his snide remarks aimed toward religions (Christians particularly), but the fact that there are people in the world who allow him to get a rise out of posting these ridiculous remarks is quite amusing.
You’re doing exactly what you want him to do! Why are you letting the atheist be your puppet master?
This man appears to be somewhat credible. He seems to have no huge grammatical errors on his posts, and he receives a substantial amount of comments on his page every week.
However, this whole blog is based off of insecurity. The choices made to believe or to not believe in a higher being will never be fully answered until . . . well, you know. Because there is uncertainty in a decision, insecurity can creep out like the weeds that grow in sidewalk cracks. They are an annoying bother, inevitable but something we are all able to deal with.
This summer I was approached by one of my atheist co-workers in the office with this absurd question:
“Kaci, you’re religious. Maybe you can answer this. What did God feed all of the carnivorous animals on Noah’s Ark?”
At that moment, I realized just how apprehensive these people truly were. He didn’t care about the answer I gave him, he just wanted to see my reaction to such an insulting and insignificant question.
I simply responded, “God took care of it,” and then left for my lunch break.
This summer, I never tried to force my beliefs on my co-workers, and they returned the same favor. I knew I wasn’t going to be able to change their mind, and they knew the same thing about me. Toleration is key.
This blog “The Raving Atheist” is pointless if you’re looking for answers about your faith, or if you’re searching for a sign from God to help guide you in the right direction. However, it does provide mindless entertainment for someone who likes to hear bickering about religious viewpoints from close-minded people, but don’t family reunions already provide just that?
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4 comments:
Number one, props for staying strong this summer at your job and not letting them get you. I know that must have been hard!
It upsets me that people let this blog get to them, I wish they would ignore and not feed him exactly what he wants...attention. I must say that I will now probably read the blog myself and maybe end up commenting...hopefully not.
Good Post!
I think I would have done the same thing as you if I had been asked such a dumb question. Your strong religious convictions probably threatened your atheist coworkers.
I believe that you have to know both sides to everything, especially when it comes to religion and politics. I think that, by choosing an atheist blog to read, it shows that you're someone who has an open mind.
Nice job!
Kaci,
In June 2006 I vowed to never criticize God, Jesus or religion again. But even before that time, I regularly invited religious people to guest post on my blog, and I still regularly post on Catholic and other Christian sites. These days, I am primarily engaged in pro-life advocacy and promoting a book offering treatment options for a debilitating pregnancy-related disease called hyperemesis gravidarum.
I don't know what comments on my blog you considered snide or disrespectful, but after 1000+ posts on the topic of religion you're bound to offend someone. I'm not sure why simply stating one's view is considered craving attention, or why seeking attention is considered a bad thing -- the whole point of a blog is to get oneself read by others, which necessarily requires that they give you their attention.
Good luck with your blogging!
Good post. You did an excellent job of balancing your personal voice with an external application. Perhaps the best in the class.
I hope future posts go so well. Keep up the good work.
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