My Main Problems With Easter (And How I Became an Atheist)
I've decided I'm gonna share my thoughts on Easter as well as a story on how I became an atheist. With that said, let me first explain why I hate Easter.I don't really celebrate holidays that much to be honest, but if there's one holiday that I don't understand at all, it's Easter. I don't get Easter. Probably because I'm an atheist and I tend to think more logically, but there's no logic to Easter. I get holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving (Christmas where the three wise men gave Baby Jesus some presents and we converted that into bringing everyone presents, and Thanksgiving where the pilgrims invited the Native Americans over for dinner after the harvest and then later slaughtered them, and we invite our family and in-laws over for dinner as well), but I don't get Easter. First of all, the date changes every year. Like Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November in the US and it also happens earlier in Canada, but Easter changes months sometimes (in Western countries, Easter starts between March 22nd and April 25th, and in Eastern countries it starts between April 4th and May 8th). It commemorates the day they nailed Jesus up to the cross and three days later they checked to see if he was still in the cave they tossed him in and he wasn't there so clearly he must've been resurrected by God. Go ahead and believe it all you want, but does no one have any idea of when this happened?? They have a date for when he was born and even if they don't they were able to decide on one and say "close enough!" With Easter they can't even narrow it down to a week or so. Easter needs a proper date if people are gonna know when it starts.
Another thing that bothers me about Easter is that what does the story of Jesus have anything to do with eating ham and hiding chocolate eggs in your house? Since Jesus is considered king of the Jews I don't think he's gonna appreciate the ham aspect. And as the for the egg thing, you all know that the mascot for modern-day Easter is the Easter Bunny, a large rabbit that delivers chocolate eggs to your house. That's honestly one of the stupidest and most far-fetched things I've ever heard. I get Santa Claus, some could argue that they just mashed the three wise men together and had him delivering presents to everyone instead of just one baby (the reindeer subbing in for camels), but what the serious hell does a big rabbit have to do with Jesus being crucicified? And why eggs? Rabbits don't lay eggs. They're mammals, unless if they were monotremes (mammals that actually lay eggs) in which they're not.
Honestly, I think the Easter Bunny and the chocolate eggs were formed for children so that they can have an easier reason to celebrate Easter. I get that a guy with a spiky hat and holes in his hands and feet isn't too kid friendly but someone should've thought of something better (if they're ever thinking about actually replacing the Easter Bunny then they should definitely get an animal expert to make sure they don't screw up zoology). Either way, Easter should definitely work on some of its flaws like getting a proper date, replacing its mascot and getting rid of the egg thing that doesn't make sense.
You're all probably wondering why I'm so antagonistic towards religion anyway. Well if you really wanna know then get ready because I'm about to tell you all how I became an atheist in the first place.
I used to be a very good and pious Christian. The reason I started becoming religious is because my parents believed in it so I figured why don't I believe in it too? Things were going good for the years until I got older and entered middle school.
I met two boys who were Christian just like me. I figured we'd get along pretty good. But once I started to get to know them a lot more, they were just nasty. They were homophobic, anti-semitic and just unlikable. I tried to tell them that isn't wasn't really good to hate on people who are different but they just ended up beating the crap out of me, just for being accepting of others! They themselves told me that they use God to justify their thoughts and actions, and that is just awful. I couldn't believe that there are some Christians that actually think that. But that's not the only reason I started to question God. There's more....
Once I entered Sophmore year in high school, I had this English teacher. He looked very similar to Jesus (and I know it's odd of me saying that considering how we don't know what Jesus really looked like but I mean he looked like a more Arab version of the White Jesus that's commonly found in art and media). He was also Palestinian just like Jesus. It didn't help that he was extremely rude to me and the other students around me. He yelled at me, verbally abused me, and told me that he was smarter than me. It was just awful. But wait, it gets worse.
During Senior year my mother was diagnosed with brain cancer. It was only until last year that she died from it. I was heartbroken because she meant everything to me. I loved her a lot and I was devastated that God took her away from me. That's when I really started to question if God was good. I even started questioning some of the stories in Christianity and said "Is any of this even real?" I wanted to believe it was real but then I started doing some research behind it and I haven't even found any proof of it being real, just a bunch of speculation. I knew at that point that I couldn't be a Christian so I thought what Islam would be like (I didn't convert or anything. I just knew a person in high school who was Muslim). And then I said to myself "Islam isn't for me either." Then I decided to become a heathen because I became interested in Norse mythology at the time. I couldn't be a heathen either. I wanted God to be real and I went to different religions but none of them could do anything for me. And I was like "this is all stupid, I think I'm just gonna be an agnostic." So I became an agnostic for a short period of time. Then after a while, I sat down and told myself "If God was real and he really was loving, then why are there so many bad things going on in this world today? Why's there murder, hate, robbery, rape, slavery, hunger, suffering, pain, why is all of this happening and he's not doing anything about it?" and I also told myself "If God loved me so much then why did he have so much bad things happen to me like let people bully me or take my mom away?" So then I came to the realization that I'm just gonna be an atheist because I don't see any religion being real.
After a month of becoming an atheist, I decided to go for a walk and I ran into this Christian lady who was preaching I think (I can't exactly remember what she was doing). She told me if I had anytime to hear about Jesus and I told her that I didn't believe in him. Then like a complete moron she hit me over the head and yelled at me for not believing in her! I didn't hit her back or anything, I just flipped her off and walked away because she was so nasty. That's when I realized that most Christians out there are downright awful people (I'm not saying ALL of them are like this. Just some I've encountered in real life). And I was fed up with people using their beliefs to justify their sh*tty actions. I felt like I had to get back at them, but how? That's when I discovered this site and made a satanist troll account called FireOfHell666. I deleted it after a while because I realized it was a really stupid idea to fake being a satanist. So I decided to come straightforward with my beliefs and make an anti-religion account, where I mainly post lists stating all the problems with religion.
I know a lot of people will accuse me of being a bad atheist since I constantly criticize religion but I honestly couldn't care at all. Why? Because I'm not a role model. I'm not payed to teach your kids how to be better people. They don't even know me in real life! Celebrities and random online strangers SHOULDN'T be role models. The only role models you've got are your parents (the same people who raised you and taught you how the world works). But I will state this. I don't encourage anyone to bully or mistreat those who do hold religious beliefs, but that doesn't mean I won't stop rightfully criticizing it because of how much trouble it has truly caused over the years. If you have any problems with my lists then don't look at them because they're not for you. They're mainly here to point out all the flaws religion has and to promote atheism.
That's pretty much the end of my post. Now you all know who I am. If you had any problems with it or think that I'm stupid then I don't care because I feel like I have to destroy religion after all the crap I've been through.
Comments
Yes. This post is godly. - NightmareCinema
Ouch. I totally understand... - awesomedp900
This is one of several reasons why I am an atheist. There is a lot of suffering in the world, and it happens to people no matter what they believe. It happened to GodIsHell, in spite of his relentless efforts to be a good Christian. It happened to Syrian refugees, despite being faithful to their God. It goes to show that suffering doesn't depend on religions at all. But if God wanted the best for his followers and wanted to punish anyone who rejected Him, then Christianity would be utopian, and everyone else would be suffering. It doesn't make sense.
But if there's suffering in the name of an omnipotent, loving being, regardless of what good or evil they have done, then how do you justify what God is? If God is unable to prevent suffering, then God is not omnipotent. If God is able but unwilling to help His followers, then God is not loving. If God is both willing and able, then why is there suffering at all? And if everything that does happen is all part of God's final plan for the world, then of what use is committing oneself to God to change this? And why would the Bible cherish some people for their principles and condemn others if they were going to happen anyway?
It's easier to think things just happen. There's no supernatural consequence for one's actions. You don't get cancer for belief in the wrong God. You don't fall off a cliff for being gay. And the fact that these things happen regardless of one's principles and how strictly one abides to them, tells you that there is no God. And that is better for everyone, because we should not use the Bible to justify everything. We could just be decent human beings, and that philosophy is why, at least in the UK, people aren't forced to marry their rapists (Deut. 22:28-9), and crime and punishment has nothing to do with divine intervention. If we just live in a world where common sense tells us what is moral, we live in a more moral world. - PositronWildhawk
That's sad, but I totally understand why this would be your gateway to atheism - visitor
I love this post man, I'm glad you're putting these people in their place of how stupid and illogical their beliefs are. I became an atheist 9 years ago for the FACT That heaven and hell don't exist. I'm not gonna lie waste my life trying to get to place that has no proof of existing. Religion is the biggest brainwashing scam the world has ever known. - RustyNail
@RustyNail-I see what you mean. But let's not discriminate against them because that doesn't make us look any better. People are free to believe in what they want as long as they're not causing harm. Just saying. - visitor
@RustyNail-Please let people believe whatever they wanna believe. - visitor
I live in an islamic country...I completely understand how do you feel about religion and people who try to force their beliefs to you..Stay strong my friend! - Raven45
In my religion, we don’t celebrate Easter. It has pagan origins that go against our principles and laws. In all honesty though, it doesn’t make sense to me as well. I hate all the holidays and I hate birthdays. But you have a right to share your thoughts and opinions as much as I do, so I’ll respect that and keep this comment as it is - visitor
Yeah, Many agreeable paragraphs are present. Especially seeing a former troll explain themselves Not sure how an awful person that happens to be a look-a-like would support a main reason of becoming an atheist, but hey, it's outnumbered by the many other agreeable statements. - visitor
I mainly brought him up because he was Palestinian. I wanted to show people that not all Palestinians are as godly as Jesus was. - visitor
I would also say he was more brown-skinned, unlike the white Jesus. - visitor
A very interesting story, even heartbreaking at times - Metal_Treasure
Oh man, this is harsh...
I'm so sorry you had to go through all that Derrick. I just don't know why a loving God would have terrible things happen to his followers anyway. I honestly think that it really is better to think that things just happen and that not everything happens because of God. - visitor
Interesting story I'm an atheist myself but my only reason is there's no proof god exist you had a way better story on why you are then I did - visitor
I understand your notion Derrick. And damn, goes to show how damaging and detrimental alienation can really be.
Yeah, I'm a Muslim, but I've met and spoken to several Muslims who are jerks in their own right. Though its less on religion and more on society. But hey, I hope the best in you. - CrimsonShark
I feel so sorru for you and yes I agree with you religion is the worst indeed just nutcases who say a bunch of nonsense and have no brains at all They need redemption upon their egos without religion and if not they have no minds at all Great post by the way! - Kevinsidis
I enjoy the way you keep putting your thoughts on the matter in throughout your post. The best example of this is the one about your teacher looking like Jesus, where you then go ahead an explain your thoughts in the brackets. Your reasons for being an atheist are completely understandable and quite tragic. - visitor
That's what I thought (fo the 1st two paragraphs - visitor
That was a super interesting post. Here's how I became atheist.
I was raised Catholic all my life. I received all three sacraments of initiation (baptism, eucharist, and confirmation). I never thought that these or the rest of the sacraments meant anything. I was also told when I was in first grade that God was my ultimate hero. I never saw that. I never saw anyone as a hero to me or even my role model. That just never happened. When I got into eighth grade though, I was just questioning and arguing the existence of deities and the bible. I never thought any of the stories in the bible were possible. I was also debating whether I should tell anyone that I am atheist because they could probably get mad at me, even my parents, who are pretty religious. One night when I was at a restaurant eating dinner, I finally had the courage to tell my mom that I was atheist. I'll admit, telling someone, especially if they're religious, that I'm atheist sounds as hard as someone telling the same kind of person that they're gay (I'm neither gay nor straight; I'm asexual) I thought she was going to be enraged at me, but thank god she wasn't (I say that and "oh my god" even though I'm atheist). She wasn't super happy, but she wasn't mad. I was relieved and I also found out that some of my friends are atheist too, and we go to a Catholic school (I graduated the 8th grade there over a month ago). Now, even though I'm going to a Catholic high school, I won't ever stop trying to disprove the bible, other religious books, and the existence of deities. I also believe we should use science to understand how our world works instead of a deity creating it. The story in the bible where God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh in the book of Genesis is completely unrealistic to me, as well as the other stories. I also think heaven and hell aren't real. A lot of my favorite people are also atheist, like Richard Dawkins, Stephen Hawking, and Albert Einstein (agnostic). Daniel Radcliffe is also atheist. I think we'd get along really well politically. This is how I'm atheist, sorry I never used this as a post itself. - PhoenixAura81
Wow...I just want to say I'm so sorry about your mother, Derrick. It must be awful losing a parent at an age, and I'm really sorry that happened.
That teacher is a total rhymes-with-blunt, I can't believe he acted like such an a** to you. I hope he gets sent to one of those juvie schools where the students treat teachers like punching bags.
Anyway, kudos for being brave enough to say this, mate.
To me though, I don't care if your religious or atheist or whatever, I care if you're a good person. It doesn't matter what you believe as long as you have a good heart. - TwilightKitsune
I Want To Be An Atheist But Then I Wouldn't Celebrate Christmas. So I'm Staying Christian - Cartoonnetworkfan1990
I'm atheist but I still celebrate christmas. Just not the religious parts. - Solacress
This all still hurts me to this day... - visitor
I'm sorry you had to go through all that. You're free to believe what you want but I just hope you know that God isn't the reason for your suffering. Jesus would never appear as a douchey teacher or anything. He loves all no matter what. Like what Positron said, things just happen and there's no supernatural consequcne for one's own actions (well depedning on what actions you've committed. There's no consequence in being gay, but there are consequences in being pedophilic or zoophilic), and this is coming from a Christian. - visitor