Taking responsibility

[Ron Tocknell]

I stopped describing myself as an 'atheist' a little while ago. This isn't because my beliefs have changed but because I realised that, in putting a label to my belief (or lack thereof), I was setting myself in opposition to those who believe otherwise. This was not what I wanted. I didn't want to argue against the existence of God and I certainly didn't want to change anyone's beliefs and I very much doubt that I would have been able to do so if I did.

But I feel some argument needs to be presented here. While there is even a small percentage of people believing that it was right to invade Iraq purely on the acceptance of Bush's assertion that God told him to do so, I feel that religion is a very dangerous propaganda tool.

There are many misconceptions of what an atheist actually is and I think I should at least present a case in defense of simply not being convinced in the existence of God:

Atheist are not, by definition, evil. Yes, there are some pretty evil people who do not happen to believe in God but their atheism is not the root of their evil... any more than a belief in God is the root of the evil that led so many Catholic priests to sexually abuse children in their care. It works both ways. There is good and bad among the devout and the non-believers.

Atheists are not 'Satanists'. By definition, an atheist does not believe in any deity... including Satan. I have been told that, if I am not doing the work of God, I am doing the work of Satan. Well, actually, I am 'doing the work' (if simply being me could be described as 'work') of my own convictions and neither God nor Satan has anything to do with it. I have a strong moral code and adhere to what I believe is right... even if that is sometimes uncomfortable. I will not compromise my integrity for personal gain and have, on many occasions, been described as a 'fool' for passing up potentially lucrative opportunities because they require a degree of dishonesty or in some way conflict with my moral code. I have compassion for others and define no one as my enemy. I help others where I can and I will always stand up for what I believe is right. Although I do not believe in an 'Almighty God', I do believe that there is a pattern to the Cosmos; a pattern that can clearly be observed in Nature. I believe that the Unknown will always outweigh the known and I believe that we are involved in a 'spiritual' evolution.

If, despite this, the fact that I do not worship a God defines me as 'evil', I can live with this. However, I see a lot of evil being done in the name of God or Allah or Jehovah. Whereas I have no problem with others following a belief that differs from my own and would stand up for their right to do so, I do have a Big Problem with oppressing and exploiting weaker nations and the defense that it is in some way 'God's Work' is, to my mind, pure cowardice.

Humanity is now at a hugely important crossroad. What we do now will decide whether we evolve as enlightened beings or sink into a slavery of consumption to the point of the destruction of the world on which we live. We are at the apex of our social advancement.  Whatever we feel about the direction of Humanity to this point, it has been a continual process of physical, technological, intellectual, social and spiritual advancement. This path has been strewn with illusions, misconceptions, conflicts and abuses yet we have come this far. But we are at the tipping point. If we continue to follow the same path, it will not take us to further advancement but sink us into a world of pollution, greed, oppression and misery. The time has come to leap.

We must abandon the old illusions. God does not speak through our leaders. Greed and a lust for power speaks through our leaders. No. They are not 'evil'. They are as much a victim of the illusory 'power' we have bestowed upon them as the people they oppress. We must share responsibility for the wars, the exploitation of finite resources, the oppression of weaker nations, the abuses and the corruption because we continue to buy into the system that makes it all inevitable. It is not just a matter of 'freeing ourselves from evil masters'. It is also a matter of freeing the masters from this role. We have to follow what our hearts tell us is right and no longer blindly follow the path that we are told is 'God's Path' by those who stand to benefit the short-term gains.

God did not tell Bush and Blair to invade Iraq and share its oil resources among the top dogs in the US and UK petrochemical industries. That was greed. God did not decide that it was OK to drill for oil the the Gulf of Mexico. That was greed. God did not decide that it was 'evil' to attempt to make the truth of the extent of the resulting damage public. That was Obama and his motives were not in the interests of 'God's Work' but in the interests of greed.

We have got to stop believing the illusions. We have got to stop believing that money has any intrinsic value. It is an illusion. We have got to stop believing that anyone has any real power over another. It is an illusion. We have got to stop believing that we are powerless to prevent the corporate destruction of our planet. It is an illusion. We have got to stop believing that we have an obligation to God to abide by the dictates of our leaders. It is an illusion.

Our leaders do not fight wars; soldiers do. The general may give the command to shoot but the choice to pull the trigger remains with the infantryman. Our soldiers are not being killed in unjust wars because our leaders sent them out to do so. They are being killed because they submitted to go. People are not oppressed because a president or a Prime Minister or a dictator or a king has decided to oppress them; they are oppressed because individuals within their military forces choose to submit to their will. You are not funding wars through taxation because the government demands it. You are funding wars because you choose to submit to the will of the government.

We must now take full responsibility for all of our actions and stop pretending that we are at the mercy of others or at the mercy of a God. We do what we do because we choose to do so. We allow what we allow because we choose to allow it.

Whatever happens to Humanity, it will be with our consent and cannot be blamed on governments, corporations or God.

[Babs Henn]

Chapeau! Couldn't have put it better myself. Thanks for sharing deep and meaningful thoughts from the bottom of your heart. Looking forward to reading more of YOU and YOUR WORK ;-)

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
© Marianne Williamson, 1992
- an excerpt from the book, A Return To Love:
Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles

[Jeff Hutner]

The best writing and humanizing of an atheist I have read and I have not read much. Wisdom does not reside in labels but in individuals who can see clearly. Thanks for your clarity Ron! With your permission, I'd like to reprint as a post to my blog (www.newparadigmdigest.com)

[Ron Tocknell]

Me and my work? I don't really see my life as a 'work'. Even when my actions are to some end or other which may or may not benefit others, I act according to my own desires. Isn't this what we all do? Every act of kindness fulfills a desire in me. I want an unhappy person to feel happy so, if I do something to bring that about, I am ultimately doing it to make me feel better.

Not everyone feels this is OK. I don't eat purely to fulfill a duty to my body but also to satisfy my enjoyment of food. I wonder what our population figures would be if sex wasn't so pleasant. I think there is a tendency to revere self-denial and frown upon self-gratification and this leads us to believe that doing the things we want to do is somehow a selfless duty.

I certainly agree with the sentiments of the excerpt and I thank you for sharing that. Yes, we are afraid of our light more than our darkness. I would ask those who devoutly believe in God why they think that God wants to see them on their knees.

Babs Henn said:

Chapeau! Couldn't have put it better myself. Thanks for sharing deep and meaningful thoughts from the bottom of your heart. Looking forward to reading more of YOU and YOUR WORK ;-)

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
© Marianne Williamson, 1992
- an excerpt from the book, A Return To Love:
Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles

[Ron Tocknell]

Jeff, I would feel honoured. Thank you for your kind comments.

I try to avoid identifying with belief systems and atheism can be as much a belief system as any religion. Beliefs are fine. They can be reconsidered in the face of a sound opposing argument. Belief systems, on the other hand, have to be defended regardless of any rational argument to the contrary. I do want to make it clear that I am not declaring that there is no God. If I use the word 'atheism', it is only to express that I do not feel within my heart that there is a conscious God who can be offended or appeased. I'm also not entirely convinced of the existence of the Duck-Billed Platypus either so my views should be warranted no more credit than that deserves. The only thing I actually know is that I don't know anything.

Jeff Hutner said:

The best writing and humanizing of an atheist I have read and I have not read much. Wisdom does not reside in labels but in individuals who can see clearly. Thanks for your clarity Ron! With your permission, I'd like to reprint as a post to my blog (www.newparadigmdigest.com)

[mary rose]

Ron, You express this so very well. I have posted a lot on this subject on Facebook recently. IMHO one of the things that allows us to be irresponsible is the idea that we can always fall back on God or Jesus to forgive us when we do something wrong. We really are a very immature society and if we are going to grow up i feel it vital that we get rid of the "great father up in the sky" image.

One of the reasons i began research for my book, "The Sacred Quest for the Who of I Am," which is based in the biology of human consciousness, was because of my feelings that we had to find a common ground for our beliefs if we were ever going to have world peace. Caught in the crossfires and judged so many times i began to feel that atheism was the only "safe" stance to take although i am very attracted to some aspects of Buddhism -- one being that i have found it to be based in quantum physics, and that provides a lot of authenticity for me. The Dalai Lama's book: "The Whole World In An Atom" is very insightful.

It is my mission also to begin Future Dawning Centers for Self-Realization around the world -- we are each so very very powerful and yet the world's religions have suppressed this power that lies within us.

Also, i had been able to heal a young son of mine years ago by "laying on of hands" when i knew nothing about this, but did it intuitively. And after having experienced this, i found it to be a bit much when some "good Christians" intimated that i was not a worthwhile person since i did not believe in Jesus.

So, i thank you Ron, for bringing up this subject up and speaking clearly about how you feel.