Do Atheists Have More Freedom?

[Jeremiahcp]

Does their lack of religious beliefs allow them more freedom?

 

[Deidre]

More freedom to do what?

 

[Flame]

More freedom how? Examples please.

 

[Jeremiahcp]

More freedom to do what?

How about you tell me.

 

[Deidre]

How about you tell me.

With or without religion, there are consequences to everything we do, or don't do. So, as a former Christian, the consequences were different perhaps, in my mind. But, leaving religion doesn't stop consequences from happening. I don't suddenly lose my sense of conscience because I'm no longer religious. So, probably, there's more freedom to think for one's self, as opposed to have a line of thinking handed to you, by 'x' religion, but religious people think for themselves, too. I think it comes down to how consequences are viewed...with religion, you feel that the consequences might reach past this life, as opposed to only relegated to this life, if that makes sense.

 

[LuisDantas]

Does their lack of religious beliefs allow them more freedom?

One does not imply the other, but in any case, I would say that the difference comes far more in freedom from hypocrisy than in any other freedoms.

 

[Kuzcotopia]

Does their lack of religious beliefs allow them more freedom?

I think atheists have less freedom. We can't fall back on the "we're all sinners" excuse when we do something immoral.

We live with the consequences of our actions and don't hide our heads in the sand and appeal to mysterious forces to "cleanse" or "forgive" or "punish."

We recognize that it's only us, and what we think and what we do. It's a lot of responsibility.

 

[George-ananda]

I am not an atheist and I have 100% freedom.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I am not an atheist and I have 100% freedom.

I don't think so.

 

[Revoltingest]

Yes.
Example...
Bacon cheeseburger with a beer, but without guilt.

 

[George-ananda]

I don't think so.

Shucks, now what have I got to give up

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Shucks, now what have I got to give up

No-one has complete freedom. It's just not possible. I honestly don't know what it would even look like.
Perhaps living as a hermit?

 

[Jonathan Ainsley Bain]

Does their lack of religious beliefs allow them more freedom?

In the short term, the appear to have more options,
but the options they take that Theists are unlikely to take,
end up restricting them in the long term.

This makes them frustrated, and in those moments
where they contemplate the possibility of God,
they blame God for allowing them to make the restricting choices,
instead of just admitting their errors, and making amends,
and moving towards a more free state of mind.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

In the short term, the appear to have more options,
but the options they take that Theists are unlikely to take,
end up restricting them in the long term.

This makes them frustrated, and in those moments
where they contemplate the possibility of God,
they blame God for allowing them to make the restricting choices,
instead of just admitting their errors, and making amends,
and moving towards a more free state of mind.

I'm sure this narrative plays out fine in your head, but it appears to have no resemblance to life.
How many atheists have you actually been around on a personal level for 'the long term'?
What's your sample size?

 

[lewisnotmiller]

Yes.
Example...
Bacon cheeseburger with a beer, but without guilt.

I think depending on the religion, this is a great point. Were I a homosexual, for example, atheism and some religions offer freedom from guilt, whilst some other religions do not.

 

[George-ananda]

No-one has complete freedom. It's just not possible. I honestly don't know what it would even look like.
Perhaps living as a hermit?

OK, I may have been thinking of the question differently (as in religiously dictated rules restricting personal freedom).

As usual, the question can be torn apart....moving on

 

[Revoltingest]

In the short term, the appear to have more options,
but the options they take that Theists are unlikely to take,
end up restricting them in the long term.

This makes them frustrated, and in those moments
where they contemplate the possibility of God,
they blame God for allowing them to make the restricting choices,
instead of just admitting their errors, and making amends,
and moving towards a more free state of mind.

How on Earth can you reason that we'd blame
a god which doesn't exist for anything at all?
Oh, wait....you're joking. I get it now!

 

[ADigitalArtist]

I think it largely depends on context. An atheist living in a more religious world, politically, socially or within their household, may not feel like they have more freedom of expression. Whereas the opposite might feel true in places like China.

I think atheists have less freedom. We can't fall back on the "we're all sinners" excuse when we do something immoral.

We live with the consequences of our actions and don't hide our heads in the sand and appeal to mysterious forces to "cleanse" or "forgive" or "punish."

We recognize that it's only us, and what we think and what we do. It's a lot of responsibility.

I think that largely depends on the atheist and on the theist. Not all atheists have a strong sense of moral consequence, not all theists believe in sins, forgiveness, punishment, et al.

All in all I think the most freeing thing about my transition to atheism was freedom from pretending to be something I wasn't. No amount of self-chastisement or attempts of force made me have a view of the universe with gods in it. So I stopped trying to make myself believe in something I didn't.

 

[Nakosis]

I think atheists have less freedom. We can't fall back on the "we're all sinners" excuse when we do something immoral.

We live with the consequences of our actions and don't hide our heads in the sand and appeal to mysterious forces to "cleanse" or "forgive" or "punish."

We recognize that it's only us, and what we think and what we do. It's a lot of responsibility.

This is a good point. In some religions, like Christianity, the burden of responsibility is carried by the savior.

Wait, is Christianity the only religion that does this?

 

[Revoltingest]

I think depending on the religion, this is a great point. Were I a homosexual, for example, atheism and some religions offer freedom from guilt, whilst some other religions do not.

Perhaps I should broaden it.....
Sharing a bacon cheeseburger & beer with an unmarried gay lover on a Friday while collecting interest on a loan.