Ito po ang Atheist.

Here in the Philippines, when we talked about atheism, we get different reactions. Some doesn't mind it while others are bothered that it exists. Just take this post  written by a certain "ragubalane" from the Definitely Filipino blog as an example (Sorry guys, this is written in Pilipino dialect).

atheist – (noun) someone who denies the existence of god. they believe in the doctrine that there is no god or gods.

atheists groups are now growing. nakakalungkot at nakakatakot isipin na sa pagbabago ng panahon, nagbabago na rin ang pananaw at paniniwala ng mga tao. marami na ang naniniwala or should i say marami na ang hindi naniniwalang may Diyos. Sa European countries malaking porsyento ng mga tao dito ay naniniwalang walang Diyos, maging sa bansang Amerika ay nadadagdagan sila ng nadadagdagan isama mo na rin ang Asia kabilang na ang bansang pilipinas (Philippine Atheist) although hindi pa ganon kapopular ang mga atheist sa atin the bottomline is: meron at may possibility na dumami din sila. May mga pondo rin sila para sa advertisement; sa buses, sa billboards, etc. hindi ko alam kung ano ang nasa isip nila kung bakit kailangang ipangalandakan pa nila na hindi sila naniniwalang may Diyos, bakit hindi na lang nila sarilihin ito? bakit kailangang kumbinsihin pa nila ang ibang tao na tularan sila?

Pinoy Atheist: Now...I've noticed that the first paragraph of his posts has this so-called meaning of the word "atheism" that says it is a 1.) denies and 2.) doctrine. So,let's play his game, shall we?

According to Mr. Webster, to deny means to "refuse to believe." So do atheists are just too stubborn to believe the irrefutable? Before, I accept this meaning, may I ask regubalane to give me the most irrefutable argument on the existence of God in his arsenal and...uh...wait...are you saying that what he will give me are just the same banana  apologists have been saying to us for the last hundred of years? You don't say...

OK...we atheist doesn't believe (not deny) your god because you guys still haven't gave us the best reason to believe its existence in the first place.

Is atheism a doctrine? Maybe regubalane doesn't understand what the word doctrine means. A doctrine can mean two things: 1. it is an affirmation of a truth and 2. it is a teaching. When a person says he doesn't believe in the existence of large-headed, green Martians, that's not a pronouncement of a truth, but rather a statement of disbelief. That is what atheism is. There is also no such thing as an "atheist teaching." Most atheists rely on arguments...they are not teaching. The Argument from Evil and The Argument from Disbelief are examples of arguments an atheist use. An atheist only argues for a point; why she doesn't believe a god exists.

So what is scary about atheism and atheists huh? OK...this guy is bothered on the growing number of people who have stopped believing in the existence of a god. He is also asking why an atheist can’t just keep her disbelief to herself. 

What makes people afraid of atheists?

Personally, I think the idea that morality came from a god is one factor. These people think that if a person stopped believing in God, he automatically becomes immoral. Looking at our history shows this is not true. When the Spaniards came to conquer our land, they've use the sword and the cross. Religious history is soaked in blood. So I guess a religious, god-fearing nation doesn't really make you morally upright.

Let us continue...

noong nag-aaral pa ako may isang tao na naniniwala na ang tao ay nagmula sa unggoy siya ay si charles darwin at ang paniniwala niyang ito ay tinawag na theory of evolution pero hanggang sa ngayon wala pang nakapagpapatunay at nagpapatotoo sa teyoryang ito. ang mga unggoy ba sa zoo o anumang uri ng ape sa kasalukuyan ay nag-evolve at naging tao? at sa panahong ito mas dumami na ang halos katulad ng paniniwala ni charles darwin.

Pinoy Atheist: I'm a little perplexed on what Darwin has to do with atheism? Some people are quite comfortable believing in God while also accepting Darwin's evolution as a fact. But OK...it seems that regubalane is the one having problems with Darwin and evolution.

There is a big difference between the word "unggoy" (monkeys) and "bakulaw" (apes) and it seems regubalane doesn't know the difference. Oh well...Darwin never said that humans came from monkeys (That's why there're still monkeys at the local zoo @ regubalane). Contrary to common Christian belief, according to Darwin, humans and apes have the same ancestor and that ancestors are not monkeys.

Is evolution not proven? Gosh...evolution is almost common with medicine and biology to say that it wasn't proven. It is already considered as a scientific fact. There are  branches in science and medicine that is being supported by evolution, just look on the issues of bacteria being immune with some antibiotics. That is a good example of evolution my theist friend. The problem here is not evolution...it's about not keeping your facts straight @ regubalane.

ang mga atheists ay hindi masasabing mga walang edukasyon dahil sa pagkakaalam ko karamihan sa kanila ay mga educated; degree holder persons, siguro nga sa pagiging well educated nila bigla nilang narealize na wala palang Diyos! should we pity them? should we be angry on them? or just completely ignore them? sabi nga eh, huwag kang manghusga para hindi ka husgahan pero hindi ko mapigilan na i-express ang opinyon ko sa kanila.

Pinoy Atheist: Not really @ regubalane. Just visit Luneta (Rizal Park) in a Sunday night. You see, there are also atheists (especially here in the Philippines) that are less educated. So I guess atheism is not only for the elites and the highly educated.

oo nga’t ang tao ay makasalanan, tayo ay makasalanan at madalas nga alam na nating kasalanan eh paulit-ulit pa rin natin itong ginagawa pero sa kabila nito humihingi tayo ng kapatawaran sa pagkakasalang ito at sa iba pa nating kasalanan dahil nga naniniwala tayong may Diyos. pero sa aking pananaw, at sa mga taong lubos na naniniwalang may Diyos, wala na yatang (opinyon ko lang po ito hindi judgement) hihigit pa sa kasalanang ikaw ay walang pinaniniwalaang Diyos. anyway, sa ngayon hindi nila alam na kasalanan ito dahil nga sa wala silang pinaniniwalaang Diyos at nabubuhay ang kanilang mortal na katawan base lamang sa pang-araw-araw at pangkaraniwang takbo ng buhay.

Pinoy Atheist: Hmmmmm...seems like regubalane's knowledge in the Holy Bible is inadequate. Disbelief is not the most horrible of sin (are you not reading your Bible?) it is blasphemy to the Holy Spirit. According to Mark 3:28-30, Matthew 12:30-32 and Luke 12:8-10 whoever blasphemed the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven. Now, is blasphemy synonymous with disbelief? Blasphemy is defined as impious utterance or action concerning God or sacred thing. That doesn't sound like disbelief to me.

sinasabi ng mga self-confessed atheist na sila ay hindi naniniwalang may Diyos pero hindi rin naman daw sila gumagawa ng kasamaan o evil things, na normal lang din sila katulad natin parang sa puntong ito jina-justify nila ang pagiging “godless” nila pero kahit saang anggulo ko man tingnan parang mali pa rin. tama bang i-deny mo ang existence and miracles of Jesus Christ? tama bang sabihin mo na prayer doesn’t work? 

Pinoy Atheist: I really don't know how to address this one, I never really see any connection...Woah...what does goodness has to do with the existence and miracle of Jesus Christ and prayers? A person can believe in prayers and Jesus but based on experience I never really find it as deterrents in doing evil. Just look at some of our Filipino politicians.

Kidding aside, a person can still be god without any Jesus belief. Look at a typical Buddhist monk for example. You know, Buddhism is known to be one of the most peaceful religion (compare to Christianity) yet they don't even care about believing in Jesus Christ.  

the mere fact na tayo’y nag-exist sa mundo ay isa ng patunay na may Diyos. ang simpleng pagsikat at paglubog ng araw at ng buwan ay isa ring patunay na nandyan si Lord. kailangan pa bang bumaba Siya galing sa langit at magpakita sa harap natin para lang makumbinsi ang bawat isa na may Diyos? ofcourse, choice nila yan kaya nga may kanya-kanya tayong pag-i-isip para gawin ang gusto natin, paniwalaan ang gusto natin, at pag-aralan ang anumang naisin natin. sana lang sa isang bansang kristyano at sa paglaganap ng atheism/atheist ay wala na sa ating matinag at magiba ng ating pananampalataya kay Bro. na kahit na sinner tayo ay hindi darating sa punto na ang mga kakilala, kaibigan, kamag-anak natin ay magiging atheist.

Pinoy Atheist: The mere fact that God doesn't exists in a place where humans don't exist is a proof that God doesn't. It only exist in our minds. We talk about it, we profess it exists and so on.VIOLA! It EXISTS!

And now you say that the typical sunrise and sunset is a proof that your god exists? The Earth revolves around the Sun...Damn! Even in planet Venus, the Sun rises and set...for what? Can you appreciate the sunset in a Venus landscape? Yet still the Sun rises and set in Venus...and other planets in this Solar System on that matter without any living being appreciating it. And now you tell me that sunrise and sunsets are proof of God's existence? Ay papaya!

Do you think we need to see God in order for us atheists to believe it exists? No...that's to shallow. Again, in order for us to believe, all you have to do @ regubalane is to give us a good reason to believe and that's not about choice @ regubalane , that's about having a good evidence to support your claim.

subalit muli kong sasabihin lahat tayo ay may “free will”; malaya nating magagawa ang anumang naisin at gustuhin natin at kung iyon ang kanilang kagustuhan at paniniwala, hayaan natin sila. wala tayong karapatan na sila’y husgahan and as the bible says:

Luke 6:37 “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;”

And I also pray that may God forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.

Peace and Love to all of us.

Pinoy Atheist: Only existing, sentient beings can forgive.

Until next time.