THE UNFORGIVABLE SIN

But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin. - MARK 3:29

Back in the Winter of 2006 the Atheist site The Rational Response Squad issued a challenge to atheists everywhere to come out of the closet so to speak, and make a public affirmation of their beliefs by denouncing the "holy spirit" and thus committing the only unforgivable sin mentioned in the Bible. It was called "The Blasphemy Challenge" and soon after they threw down the proverbial gauntlet, You Tube was overwhelmed with video after video of people stating for all the interweb world to see that they denied the holy spirit. It even became national news on shows like Nightline and CNN. Videos are still being added to You Tube this day, as are the opposing Christian responses.

While I'd tell people I was an atheist if they asked, I had never made a point to tell anyone, especially those in my family that are still outspoken practicing evangelical christians. I never felt it was that big of a deal. I mean I've always enjoyed pushing boundaries and offending them to some degree. A Jesse Jackson for President T-shirt worn to a family reunion comes to mind. I'm not sure one of my Uncles ever got over that one. For the most part, these are very good people who I enjoy spending time with. It was the primary reason I had ignored the Facebook friend requests of an Aunt and Uncle. The very uncle that married my wife and I. I told myself it was because I didn't want them to be offended by anything I might say, and to some degree I suppose that it true. Then two days ago I was talking to my mother on the phone. My mother, to whom I've never said "I'm an atheist". Our conversation covered many things, but ultimately found it's way to a couple religious topics. There I found myself mentioning things like the Boy Scouts policy against atheists and my reading a book by noted Atheist Sam Harris, and I'll be dammed if I wasn't all of a sudden on the verge of a panic attack quickly changing the subject. What the fuck was that about? For all my rants on Facebook with old friends and my blog posts here I suddenly found myself feeling like that quiet boy that didn't ask questions and just followed her to church. I think at that moment it might have been easier to admit to her that I was gay.

I am an Atheist. I Believe there is no god. I no more believe in the Judeo-Christian god than I do Allah, Ra, Apollo, Quetzalcoatl, Santa Claus, The Easter Bunny, or Midi-Chlorians. I believe that faith is a intellectual cop out. I believe that it's a waste of my time to deal with people that say "Faith is all I have, and nothing you say will change my mind". That's fundamentalist for "shut up and go away". I believe that being an atheist frees me to share ideas with everyone rather than arrogantly dismissing everyone else's viewpoints because they don't match your own. I believe that being an atheist frees me to focus on those that I love rather than be afraid of some supreme being and his punishment/or reward of an afterlife. This is the one and only shot we get, so we need to make the most of it. I need to do a better job of doing that and stop being worried about what someone might think of me and my beliefs, Family or not.

Oh, and about that Blasphemy Challenge...



And if I'm wrong...In the Immortal words of Han Solo in the Empire Strikes Back "Then I'll see you in hell"