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Atheists lose friends and make foes like a piece of cake - he or she has to only speak about being a faithless heathen or post something related to atheism to make quick detractors.
I have experienced it hands on and I am sure atheists out there can relate to me.
I am quite knowledgeable about Hinduism, the religion I was born into, a choice someone else made for me. I was posting on Facebook my inference about the connection between dasavatar and evolution and Lord Ram's exile with life today and I was admired by the new friends I made.
And, then I started posting about atheism (I was trying to be rounded and be honest to myself) and then saw the colors of my friends change. And, it was nothing short of drastic.
Some of them went to extreme lengths - ridiculing me publicly with screenshots, calling me brainless atheist and other pejoratives.
My every post was besieged - regardless of it being relating to atheism or not. I was criticized for my every move and it was no longer about my belief - it turned into my individuality, culture and language and character. My atheism just became a means to an end for theists to have a field day denouncing somebody who refuses to buy religion.
I was asked why the hell I wear 'bindi' (a small dot in between eyebrows worn by Indian women) when I am atheist and it struck me on how culture is mistaken for religion. Indian women of Christianity wear bindi and all Indian women wear saree, immaterial of their religion. Cultural attributes are detached from atheism and theism - it is a wholly different league.
My friends now turned enemies now go out of their way to wrong me in the most disrespectful way possible; using curse words to put their points across. I wonder if God would approve them spitting, calling me b*tch, sl*t etc to defend the omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent One.. I am really lost here, to say the least.
The dust has settled now, after I blocked and deleted those of my friends who were way too profane. But, a cold war remains - none of the remaining friends still in my friend list 'like' or 'comment' on my general activities in Facebook. Previously, there was a very good rapport and currently there is a subtle boycott.
But, I don't follow their line - I still 'like' and 'comment' on their activities in Facebook. I don't have ego issues and that is what atheism taught me - don't hate anyone blindly.
I write stuff regarding how some religious practices should be renounced to better humanity and I tend to be satirical to drive my point home and theists see it as a grave insult to their religion. And, they avenge by indulging in ad hominem liberally instead arguing cogently, what more professionally.
Some bruised in the brain guy shared my article on a Facebook page that has nothing got to do with atheism whatsoever and they were abusing me. I knew none of this until I got a friend request from a person who read my article and agreed that it is not blasphemous like they made it seem.
He egged me to counter the abusive remarks but I said that it is a waste of time because they will only hear what they want to hear.
Days later, the page's admin wrote that atheists are not allowed in that page and that I should slipper myself for not believing in god. Another guy poked fire and said that he could sense frustration in my articles and that it is appalling how many youngsters are being misled by atheism nowadays - he drew a parallel between atheism and criminal activity.
I entered into the fray and defended myself with valid points and the admin of the page cravenly deleted the post. Speaks volumes about how blind faith won't stand the test of reason and the articulation employed to deliver the reason.
One more thing that I need to clarify is atheists don't hate god - they are just pretty sure that god doesn't exist. How can anyone hate something that they believe don't exist? It's as ridiculous as hating the abominable snowman. And, contrary to popular theist belief that atheists are the incarnations of the devil, atheists are actually good, open minded people. If you equate atheists being close minded for not believing in god then theists are in the same equation - for believing in god. There are always two sides to a story.
I am a sweet atheist! <GRINS>
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