Ask Andrew W.K.: As an Atheist, How Do I Handle Religious People?

[rug]

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By Andrew W.K.
Wed., Nov. 19 2014 at 3:10 PM

Hi Andrew,

I'm hoping you can help me. I'm a passionate atheist and one of my best friends is too. I've known him since we were six years old and I love him like a brother. Just last week, he got married. He hired a non-denominational minister to conduct his ceremony. Everything was going fine until the minister said, "We are gathered here today, in the presence of God, to unite these two people in matrimony." I tensed up as soon as I heard the word "god" and basically spent the rest of the ceremony fuming over the fact that this minister snuck the god thing into my friend's special day. The whole thing was tarnished. I never really mentioned how upset I was to my friend or anyone else, but I can't stop thinking about it and feeling like I should've spoken up. I really hate religion and that religious people always need to force their dogma into everyone's lives. Just because they think everything's being controlled by some bearded sky-daddy doesn't mean they need to insert their faith into otherwise beautiful parts of my life. I'm the kind of person who stands up for atheism. I've made a commitment to fight against religion whenever I can. I'm most upset that my friend allowed this minister to say the word "god" during such an important moment in his life and then didn't say anything back or even seem to care. My question is: Should I mention this to my friend, or do I just let it go?

Kind regards,
Anonymous Atheist

Dear Anonymous Atheist,

Thank you for asking about this. You definitely shouldn't feel bad for caring. The fact that you're thinking a lot about this situation shows you have a thoughtful and strong character. It's natural for us to encounter moments which challenge us. Having the capacity to question our most deeply held opinions is not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. Especially when we have the composure to resist our immediate emotional reactions and let our common sense lead us toward a more dignified type of contemplation.

Keeping an open mind and an open heart requires an incredible amount of determined effort. The act of questioning and the search for truth demands the utmost courage and discipline. And it's not a discipline built around staunch and unwavering adherence to one's beliefs, but an unwavering commitment to the quest for honesty, integrity, and discovery, even at the expense of one's own beliefs. This is to ensure that new insights and opportunities for enlightened growth aren't dismissed simply because they conflict with previously held opinions.

In our collective struggle toward truth, it's required that we maintain a true openness -- an openness so vast that it's difficult to define. The only word approaching a description of this infinite openness is the word "love." And with that in mind, maybe the word "God" is also attempting to describe this incredible openness.

http://blogs.villagevoice.com/music/2014/11/ask_andrew_wk_god_is_love.php

Poor Anonymous. The things he has to put up with.

I wonder who he made this commitment to:

I'm the kind of person who stands up for atheism. I've made a commitment to fight against religion whenever I can.

[cbayer]

1. He's sounds like an atheist poe to me.

[rug]

5. Are you sure?

And there is nothing wrong with commiting to fight against religion. Religion is the darkest evil ever to manifest itself on humankind.

[cbayer]

7. My point exactly. I wondered if he might not be the one who submitted the question.

[Cartoonist]

9. Name a darker evil.

The genocide of two continents is pretty hard to top.

[cbayer]

12. Panda don't go!

[rug]

13. Let's see now . . . .

Off the top of my head,

The killing fields;

The Holocaust;

Nuking two cities;

Ayn Rand;

The Roman Empire;

The Aztec Empire;

The Mayan Empire;

The British Empire;

The suppression of Bela Kun;

Oh, and the spread of ignorant intolerance over the internet.

Edit: I see you answered the question, in a fashion, below.

[Cartoonist]

15. Sorry, but those are amateurs compared to the Christain Army

Wanna try again? Also, many of those are defunct. The Christain Army continues to murder and oppress to this day with no sign of slowing down.

[rug]

16. Lol, "those are defunct." Okey dokey then. Glad we don't have to think about them anymore.

Meanwhile, where is this?

The Christain Army continues to murder and oppress to this day with no sign of slowing down.

The government needs to know about this.

[cbayer]

19. This is a fiction. There is no basis in reality for this schtick.

But he is pretty good at it.

[Cartoonist]

21. The government is "this"

Do you think our invasion of Iraq was secular? This was the modern Crusade. Bush even called it that, and Jesus whispered in his ear.

?itok=nV0pkxQc

Another telling sign of Mr Bush's religion was his answer to Mr Woodward's question on whether he had asked his father - the former president who refused to launch a full-scale invasion of Iraq after driving Saddam Hussein from Kuwait in 1991 - for advice on what to do. The current President replied that his earthly father was "the wrong father to appeal to for advice ... there is a higher father that I appeal to".

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/1007-03.htm

[cbayer]

22. Bush was a tool of the neocons.

He and others on the religious right were used.

The invasion was about oil and revenge.

Even the children I talk to understand that.

[Cartoonist]

23. Nice apology - FAIL

And the genocide of the Americas was just a land grab. You fail to make a point. The driving force in both cases was religious contempt for the enemy. The American public and media that supported the Iraq war made no claims that it was about oil. Those who opposed the war knew it was about oil, but they couldn't overcome the Islamaphobia that cheered the warmongers.

[cbayer]

24. BTW, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you on behalf

of all of those that support religious tolerance and are able to see both the good and the bad that comes from religion.

I don't think an overt advocate could make the inroads that you are making in marginalizing those who are prejudiced against, or even bigoted towards, all things religious.

Your service has not gone unnoticed nor is it unappreciated.

Now let's see what we can do about getting you that bully pulpit!

[Cartoonist]

25. When the bad is greater then the good

tolerance is aiding the enemy. Are you tolerant of the KKK? Why not? Those that call for tolerance of evil are themselves evil. How much good does it take to make up for evil? Does serving free soup forgive murder? You probably conseider yourself an Angel of Peace, when in fact you are nothing more than an enabler of oppression.

[cbayer]

27. Yes, yes, that is it exactly!

And we need to keep spreading the word.

Religious believers are just like the KKK (nod, nod). No , actually i think they are even more evil (wink, wink).

We must continue the crusade and make the world safe from religion. There is no time to lose. There are people to save, murders to prevent (and perfectly normal non-believers to embarrass).

Calling me the enabler of oppression is a really good one. I knew you wouldn't disappoint. Can I adopt that as my secret handle in our collaboration? And I do mean collaboration literally.

It is you that is the Angel of Peace and I am again thanking you for your service.

[rug]

26. Now I know why you called him Edgar.

[cbayer]

28. He even gives that other guy a run for his money.

You know the one.



Where has he been lately anyway?

[rug]

30. He's just marking time.

[Cartoonist]

35. A great American writer

I give him respect. Something I give neither of you.

[rug]

36. Well, I guess we're even then.

[cbayer]

17. And the clothes they make are hideous.

[Ink Man]

2. AA should

forgive the friend. It's the Christian thing to do.



I think a Bible will be a great wedding gift.

[Cartoonist]

3. BIG fail by Andrew

Once again the religious apologists show they just don't get it. How about this for someone's next Christian wedding: instead of God, substitute Allah. I bet there would be an uproar then.

His answer should have been: You are 100% right to be outraged, however, it wasn't your wedding. If your atheist friend wasn't outraged, then let it go. By all means, talk about it with your friend, but don't berate him.

And there is nothing wrong with commiting to fight against religion. Religion is the darkest evil ever to manifest itself on humankind.

[cbayer]

4. Go Giants!

[rug]

6. Ok, I'll just ask you then.

Who are you making the commitment to? Is there a ceremony?

[Cartoonist]

8. Wha?

At the risk of sounding overly lofty, One can make a commitment to himself, or to the benefit of humanity.

com·mit·ment
kəˈmitmənt/
noun
noun: commitment; plural noun: commitments

1.
the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, etc.

-
Perhaps you have a different definition of commitment. I see no need for a ceremony.

[rug]

10. So you made a commitment to yourself "to fight against religion".

How exactly are you doing that besides posting on the internet?

[Cartoonist]

11. I carry it over to my private life as well.

Apparently you do have a different definition of Commitment. One can be committed to a cause without having it take over their entire life. I do what I can. I stop short of violence, so obviously I am not as commited as some religious folks.

[rug]

14. "I do what I can."

Don't we all. Can you be a bit more specific? It is after all, the darkest evil ever to tread the earth. One must not be complacent.

[Cartoonist]

18. I would like to do more

There is only so much a single person can do. If I had a bully pulpit, I would be more outspoken, like Bill Maher or "DAWKINS!". I learned from doing my political cartoons that I have little influence on events, or even on the public discussion. I conduct myself according to my beliefs and try to improve the human condition. But like my commitment to helping the planet, I can only control my own carbon footprint.

[AtheistCrusader]

20. I use chemical-resistant gloves.

Edit: especially around Andrew WK's sexist and misogynistic music.
I was always disappointed by Hitchens' sexism and warmongering, and it bothers me you seem to have found a replacement torchbearer for at least one of those character flaws, in an outspoken atheist.

[rug]

29. That's thoughtful of you. Can't be too careful when it comes to toxicity.

Andrew W.K. is responsible for Andrew W.K.

[AtheistCrusader]

31. But you are responsible for citing him in this venue.

[rug]

32. And?

[immoderate]

33. Filler. I bet they have recipes too.

Flame bait. Therapy, if needed, should be private. Unless you don't really need it. Color me dubious.

--imm

[rug]

34. No, he's not a filler. He's written for The Voice since January.

Making waves along the way.

http://chrisstedman.religionnews.com/2014/09/18/can-atheists-pray-gretta-vosper-andrew-w-k-sam-harris-praying-beyond-belief/

[cbayer]

43. I also think the letter is a fake.

Either written by the guy who does the column or by an atheist Poe.

That he would choose something so inflammatory to print indicates to me that he only wants to increase readership.

Also dubious, but rather taken aback that some would side with the letter writer here.

[immoderate]

45. Yeah, it gives W.K. a good chance to sound condescending.

--imm

[cbayer]

46. He didn't sound condescending to me at all.

In fact, I think he was pretty kind, considering what an ass this guy appears to be.

[Prophet 451]

37. Not sure I believe it

The letter sounds like how a fundie imagines atheists think. It's like if a conservative said "I spoke to a black guy and he said he hates lefties because they all patronise him and welfare harms black families". When people in these just-so stories talk in talking points, they're usually bullshit stories.

On the off chance it's real, he should just get over it. It was his friend's day, not his and if his friend wanted a religious service (or just didn't care), it's not the writer's place to protest it.

[rug]

38. Feel free to browse this thread.

[Prophet 451]

40. I have

I know full well that there are people who have a real animus against religion (I was once attacked in the street because someone overheard me discussing my faith, although I think that was a problem with my faith specifically, rather than faith in general) but the word choice and the self-centredness (is that a word?) of the letter strike me as false. As I said, it sounds like a fundie caricature of how atheists think and I've gotten pretty good at internet cold-reading over the years.

I could be wrong, of course. There is someone at the far end of every statistical curve (as I say so often my SO wants it on my tombstone).

[cbayer]

44. You are describing an atheist Poe and I agree with you.

It is meant to discredit and caricature atheists. They are also among us,

[stone space]

39. Dude! If you don't like your friend's wedding, then stay home.

Nobody cares how pissed you were.

It just wasn't your day.

It was your friend's day.

If he wants to get pissed, that's fine, but I see no evidence of that in your letter, so I feel like I should remind you again.

It just wasn't your day.

[okasha]

42. What an utter, self-centered ass.

Definitely a Z-list guest.