Community

What is it about the human species that makes us long for community, especially a faith based community. I remember growing up my mother regretted not taking my sister and I to church because we were not part of a youth group where we could meet other kids. Even as an adult, I wonder where people meet each other and the church idea always pops into my head. But I cant go to a place to be singled out by a bunch of believers, I wont meet the kinds of people that I have something in common with. Then I think, "maybe I can join some kind of atheist group." I think that and then I feel like we are stealing the idea of a non-faith based community from the theists. It gets a bit confusing. Can there really be a church for atheists? I know there are groups out there, but are we copying them because we want something they have? I like meeting and talking to other atheists, but amongst ourselves we have so many different beliefs. Would there be service type non-worship? Or would we just sit around talking about how the christians are wrong? That seems so negative. Maybe we could just sit in each others company knowing that we have this one thing in common. I dont know, but being the only person in town with a Darwin Fish on the back of my car makes me feel strange. I do long for a community of atheists, I just have to find the right group.

The Purpose of Prayer

So I think I am beginning to understand the reason that people believe in god and prayer. I mean, I always knew why, but now I am starting to know why. Bad shit happens to people and they, and their friends and family, feel helpless. There is nothing they can do to help. At least when you say a little prayer it is an action you can take. When you believe that there is a reason that bad shit happens it makes life a little less depressing. Now...do I think that praying does anything? No, not in the respect that god answers a prayer. If praying does anything it makes the one praying feel better and less helpless. It is taking the blame and the work out of the hands of the prayer and putting into someone else's hands. It is a relief. How relieving is it to know that the bad things that happen aren't just random and can be aided with a few words?

I like knowing that it is random. Me, and my friends and family didn't do anything to deserve the bad things that happen to us. It just happens, it happens to everyone. But as an atheist, what can we do to not feel so helpless?

Ethics

It was recently my last day of work. I am in sales and here is a question of ethics for you. The last day that I worked was on Sunday the 25th. I took the next week off as vacation making my official last day the 1st of this month. I was working with a couple on an $11,000 deal. I didn't close the deal because it was my last day of work. The couple proceeded to close the deal with the owner of the company's wife. She didn't split the deal with me like you are supposed to when you know you are closing someone else's deal. I can understand her being confused about the split if she thought I was no longer with the company. But when my Director called the office about it and even when I e-mailed her about it they all refused. You split a deal with other consultants when they take a vacation...I just took mine for my very last week. Am I wrong??This is a question of the ethical thing to do. These people were raised with "Christian" values. Some values! What ever makes us money and screws the little people is what these people do. I have better ethics than they do and I am the dirty atheist. Do what is right. Is that so hard?