Athiesm - The worlds dullest religion

"The world is full of crashing bores" - So wrote Morrissey. Cards on table, I'm a rather bad Roman Catholic, so yup, I'm probably biased. Am I full of doubts? Yep, riddled with them. Why did I decide that this was the religion for me? Three  reasons - firstly because it is the tradition I was brought up in, secondly because after years of soul searching, it seems to be the one which suits me best and thirdly, because it is full of cynics and other like minded people who don't perpetually seek you validition in their own beliefs.

Now there was a time in my mid twenties, when I'd probably have described myself as an athiest or an agnostic. Why? Because at the time, I guess it seemed as if common sense dictated that Athiesm was probably a rather sensible approach to faith. God is unprovable, so he can't possibly exist can he? So what made me change my mind? I woke up one day, thought about it and realised that of all the possible religious beliefs (which  Athiesm surely is, as it cannot be proven) Athiesm is the least logical and dullest. Wheras aa group of Roman Catholics on a night out will hit the bar and have a fantastic time (not mentioning religion at all), an Atheist shindig will always end in hours of ernest discussion as to "why we are so right".

I've searched the planet looking at the way people venerate what Athiests call "The big imaginary friend in the sky". I've marvelled at the sun setting behind the Blue Mosque in Istambul. I've gloried at the art in the Sistine Chapel. I've soaked up the beauty of Buddist Palaces in China and Shambala. I've been overawed at the beauty of the churches of the Kremlin, so beautiful that the Architects eyes were pulled out so he couldn't design a more lovely church for anyone else. I've enjoyed the stark serenity of Glastonbury Tor. I've marvelled at the sheer immensity of Stonehenge.

Take away our belief in God and none of these would exist. The divine inspires us. Where are the great buildings inspired by Athiesm? If God inspires us to build beautiful structures, what does Athiesm inspire? Of course there is the old chestnut about religious wars, but to my mind this is human nature. If we don't have a reason to have a fight, we'll invent one. I can remember a couple of mates in 1977 having a punch up over who was the first one to wear bondage trousers in Mill Hill.  If we look at the most murderous regimes in history, did they need religion? Pol Pot did fairly well on a communist/athiest ethos as did Mao and Stalin. Now of course I don't think the vast majority of middle class Hampstead trendies who are Athiests intend mass murder and genocide. In fact I suspect that most Athiests are, well rather like the rest of us. I just think that subscribing to a religion with no stories, no miracles, no wonder and no hope is rather dull. Every now and then at this time of year, I make my way to the Mill Field in Mill Hill at sunset. As the sun sets over St Josephs college, you get treated to one of the seven wonders of the world. I love to sit there on my own and soak up the moment. One time I was spotted by a mate, who happens to be an athiest who saw me sitting on my own watching the beauty of a brilliant sunset. I said "Have you ever seen a more beautiful sight in the world?". His response was "It's just the defraction of light over a few geological features".

Each to his or her own, I just wish we could all accept each others viewpoint and not feel threatened by it. We've all got the right to our own views, however odd they may seem. For me, I happen to think that it is no accident that if you take a piece of wood, put a couple of coils with magnets in the middle, stretch six thin pieces of wire over it and give it to Jimi Hendrix, you get the most beautiful sound in the world. I can accept some things are cosmic accidents, but whoever wrote the laws of physics to include that as part of the rules must be pretty divine. I guess that I personally can't live in a world with no place for beauty, wonder and mystery, but if we were all the same what a dull place it would be. I'm sure my beliefs seem completely bonkers to many people reading this. I'm sure a few people will tell me why. That's the great thing about a free society and freedom of speech.

If you've read all the way down to here, you'll probably be rather surprised at the point I'm trying to make, which is actually not about religion at all (the preamble was just to get you thinking). In Egypt today, a despot and dictator has gone. A new dawn emerges. I sincerely hope that whoever or whatever replaces Mubarak, a blog such as this is tolerated. One of the key moments of the revolution was the moment when a blogger was murdered by the police. I've written all manner of things about religion, politics and life. I've never once worried about the police killing me for what I wrote. In many countries, I'd have been toast long ago. I specifically wrote about something fairly random and off the wall, to illustrate the point that in some places even this would be a criminal activity. Whatever you think of me, my views and my blog, please join me in expressing your solidarity with the people of Egypt today and lets hope (and pray if that's your thing) that whoever replaces Mubarak allows a Society to flourish where writing a blog is not a dangerous activity.

Whatever your religion (or lack of it) have a great Saturday night.