Atheists want freedom. They want to live their life the way they want to live it, and this is how they define happiness.
Of course, *all* people want to live their lives the way they want to. This is freedom. Happiness, even.
This freedom costs them everything, but they refuse to see the expense.
What, the loss of restrictive and overly-rigid doctrine? If that's the cost, so be it.
Like an alcoholic bum pushing a shopping cart down the street, they want what they want when they want it no matter if it is destroying their life or not.
We want what we want, yes. But we *work* for what we want, and we strive to live in harmony with each other -- how will the actions of one affect the whole of the community? Am I, in taking this action [whatever the action at hand may be], harming another? If it is, is there a way to accomplish the same goal with lesser harm? We work to *improve* our lives. By "We", I mean atheists, pagans, and all the other "Satanic" groups.
In one case it’s the freedom to get loaded any time of the day or night, in the other it’s to do whatever sin they want, often sexual in nature or centering on abortion or rebelling against societal mores, and doing so without guilt.
What I *choose* put into *my* body is between me, and my gods. What I do in bed, and who I do it with is between me, my partner, and our gods. If I should *choose* to terminate a pregnancy, it would *not* be a decision made lightly, and would be between me, my doctor, and my gods. I defy society's "conventions" because most of them are silly little rules from the Victorian and Puritan eras -- for example: Nudity is *bad*, or, sex is *dirty* and shouldn't be enjoyed.
But is that really freedom? Is it freedom to be turned loose to do whatever you will when no matter what you do in that state leads to your destruction?
What I do leads to my growth as a person. I revel in my *freedom* to commune with the gods, and not be burned at the stake. This leads only to growth and prosperity... and I don't mean money. How, exactly, is this destructive?
In the case of sexual sin there is the inevitable destruction of human relationships.
Uh, no... it strengthens the bond between my mate and I.
In the case of abortion there is the guilt of child murder
The "pre-born" aren't children. Up to the point of viability, it's not murder.
in the case of rebelling against societal norms there is the lack of success that invariably follows.
...and there goes my Irony Meter. I'm not sure what society this guy lives in, but in human history, the most successful people have often been the unconventional, rebellious, or just plain out-there individuals. Especially in the case of artists.
Think about it: unless you can clearly see exactly what the future will be, how can you handle freedom?
How can I learn to handle freedom, if I can't experience it, and actually *learn* from my experiences? I don't need to know *exactly* what the future holds, the mystery is part of the greater Mystery of life itself. I will take what comes my way, as it comes to me.
That’s no different than dashing barefoot into a strange building full of furniture and turning out the lights so you can be free to run wherever you want.
Far better than freedom un-distilled is finding a leader who does know the future, is of superior moral character, is infinitely wise, can never die, and when you do die, he can bring you into life with him. Better to purchase such leadership with your unrestrained freedom than to long for the freedom to jump off a cliff just to see how it feels on the way down. Better than freedom is following Christ. Who can dispute this?
It's better to be a mindless drone than to be free?
