REYMARCK ESAGUIRRE makes their first writing foray as an atheist. 

As my first blog, I want to create a motivation to those who were new to the Atheist belief system. I will tell you my story and opinions on how to face your fears of joining Atheism such as: why do you feel such strange feelings when you are a first-timer, how to deal with it, and what are the other fears that an Atheist possesses.

Just because we don’t believe in a deity who is in control from above, it doesn’t mean that we are not scared of anything. First, I want to discuss the reason why people think that we are fearless. For me, they think that Atheists are fearless because we don’t have a God to be afraid of. They think that one of the reason for us to feel fear is God. That extremist imaginary writer high-above has the power to control our failures, emotions, fate, death, life, and other things that a normal person fears. This might be that reason why they think that God is one of people’s greatest dreads, which I agree. I know that God is one of the reasons why people are frightened. From the great doctrine of Hell, which I mostly refer to as “Blackmail Doctrine”, to the belief in “God’s Wrath”, the religious were taught of fear rather than of love. And since that we are Atheists, we don’t have a god, no deity to fear, no doctrine of hell that makes our mind frightened. But is it enough for us not to feel fear?

According to some sources, we feel fear because it is already programmed into our nervous system. It is like an instinct attached to our mind when we are just infants. You cannot get rid out of it. Fear is a feeling or state of being frightened about something, it can be a misfortune, death, depression, failure at school, etc.

Let me add some more definition of what “Fear of Atheism” is. For me, I subscribe to the belief that “Atheophobia” is what we experience when we are not atheists yet. Do you remember that moment when you were just thinking of joining atheism after your waking point? If you were a devout Christian, you might feel that strange feeling. This feeling is what the Christians called “Holy Spirit”. This can make you cry, turn your anxiety on, and also, feel confused. It is one of the most confusing feelings that I ever felt. For me, this disturbing feeling is caused by the lifestyle that we are used to. Maybe it is because we are not inclined to the belief that there is no God. Some refer to this as conscience since our mind is already programmed to believe that rejecting God’s existence is a sin. But I am telling you this, it is not a great issue. It is normal, since you were new to the world of Atheism.

Another fear that an atheist may experience, within relation to his belief, is the fear of being discriminated against.

The United States of America, Mexico, Philippines, Brazil, Italy, Poland, etc. have the highest number of Christians around the world. So it is not a surprise if I hear a story from an atheist saying that he/she feels discriminated against. In fact, there are some countries where Atheism is illegal and considered punishable to death, i.e. Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and others. It makes me sob whenever I hear and watched videos from Atheists who are pleading for help. It seems like this is not a battle anymore against religion, but rather a battle against politics. I am not opposing those powerful nations, but I am just explaining my part. Most of the Islamic countries ban atheism.

When I approached a friend of mine and talked about religion, she asked me what my religious views are. I answered her, saying that I am an Atheist. She looks very puzzled, confused, baffled of what Atheism means. So she asked me, “What is Atheist? Is it like Illuminati stuff?” I was shocked from her response. She didn’t know about Atheism, so I answered her question, explaining everything I know about the definition of being an Atheist.

I live in the Philippines, the world’s third country with the most number of devout Roman Catholics. Here, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam are so famous. Some church leaders are well-known, and the Church is considered a sacred place. But I know that Atheism is a popular belief spreading slowly throughout the whole country. It is a fact that only the educated or religion fanatics are the ones who truly understand the word “Atheism”. This made me feel like I am alone. I am enrolled in a public high-school run by the government but it is surrounded by a lot of religious structures. My classmates were Catholics and Protestants. So when I told them that I oppose religion, they treat me as if I am a clown dancing in front of people to cause laughter. This is another fear of mine: being discriminated against by those religious people just because I am a non-believer. And it feels like a shit, trust me, it doesn’t feel good. This is another form of bullying. I get bullied about the belief system that I follow. When my classmates and I are talking about religion, they always make a joke just to insult me. When our teacher asks us to stand up and pray, “atheist jokes” arises. I cannot fight back, I guess, it is what religion is made of: to discriminate against those who oppose what they believe.

So why do we need to experience such kind of fear? Those disturbing, and sometimes became traumatic, experiences are required? Just a simple answer. We are living in a sleeping world of religion that will never wake up to the truth.

So, my first step on being an atheist is to remember that fear is the reason why the word courage was invented. Don’t let your fears tyrannize you, overcome it! You’re a human; it is normal for you to experience those. I hope I helped.






Follow Atheist Republic on Twitter @AtheistRepublic


Two Fears That Atheists Have


REYMARCK ESAGUIRRE makes their first writing foray as an atheist. 

As my first blog, I want to create a motivation to those who were new to the Atheist belief system. I will tell you my story and opinions on how to face your fears of joining Atheism such as: why do you feel such strange feelings when you are a first-timer, how to deal with it, and what are the other fears that an Atheist possesses.

Just because we don’t believe in a deity who is in control from above, it doesn’t mean that we are not scared of anything. First, I want to discuss the reason why people think that we are fearless. For me, they think that Atheists are fearless because we don’t have a God to be afraid of. They think that one of the reason for us to feel fear is God. That extremist imaginary writer high-above has the power to control our failures, emotions, fate, death, life, and other things that a normal person fears. This might be that reason why they think that God is one of people’s greatest dreads, which I agree. I know that God is one of the reasons why people are frightened. From the great doctrine of Hell, which I mostly refer to as “Blackmail Doctrine”, to the belief in “God’s Wrath”, the religious were taught of fear rather than of love. And since that we are Atheists, we don’t have a god, no deity to fear, no doctrine of hell that makes our mind frightened. But is it enough for us not to feel fear?

According to some sources, we feel fear because it is already programmed into our nervous system. It is like an instinct attached to our mind when we are just infants. You cannot get rid out of it. Fear is a feeling or state of being frightened about something, it can be a misfortune, death, depression, failure at school, etc.

Let me add some more definition of what “Fear of Atheism” is. For me, I subscribe to the belief that “Atheophobia” is what we experience when we are not atheists yet. Do you remember that moment when you were just thinking of joining atheism after your waking point? If you were a devout Christian, you might feel that strange feeling. This feeling is what the Christians called “Holy Spirit”. This can make you cry, turn your anxiety on, and also, feel confused. It is one of the most confusing feelings that I ever felt. For me, this disturbing feeling is caused by the lifestyle that we are used to. Maybe it is because we are not inclined to the belief that there is no God. Some refer to this as conscience since our mind is already programmed to believe that rejecting God’s existence is a sin. But I am telling you this, it is not a great issue. It is normal, since you were new to the world of Atheism.

Another fear that an atheist may experience, within relation to his belief, is the fear of being discriminated against.

The United States of America, Mexico, Philippines, Brazil, Italy, Poland, etc. have the highest number of Christians around the world. So it is not a surprise if I hear a story from an atheist saying that he/she feels discriminated against. In fact, there are some countries where Atheism is illegal and considered punishable to death, i.e. Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Afghanistan, and others. It makes me sob whenever I hear and watched videos from Atheists who are pleading for help. It seems like this is not a battle anymore against religion, but rather a battle against politics. I am not opposing those powerful nations, but I am just explaining my part. Most of the Islamic countries ban atheism.

When I approached a friend of mine and talked about religion, she asked me what my religious views are. I answered her, saying that I am an Atheist. She looks very puzzled, confused, baffled of what Atheism means. So she asked me, “What is Atheist? Is it like Illuminati stuff?” I was shocked from her response. She didn’t know about Atheism, so I answered her question, explaining everything I know about the definition of being an Atheist.

I live in the Philippines, the world’s third country with the most number of devout Roman Catholics. Here, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam are so famous. Some church leaders are well-known, and the Church is considered a sacred place. But I know that Atheism is a popular belief spreading slowly throughout the whole country. It is a fact that only the educated or religion fanatics are the ones who truly understand the word “Atheism”. This made me feel like I am alone. I am enrolled in a public high-school run by the government but it is surrounded by a lot of religious structures. My classmates were Catholics and Protestants. So when I told them that I oppose religion, they treat me as if I am a clown dancing in front of people to cause laughter. This is another fear of mine: being discriminated against by those religious people just because I am a non-believer. And it feels like a shit, trust me, it doesn’t feel good. This is another form of bullying. I get bullied about the belief system that I follow. When my classmates and I are talking about religion, they always make a joke just to insult me. When our teacher asks us to stand up and pray, “atheist jokes” arises. I cannot fight back, I guess, it is what religion is made of: to discriminate against those who oppose what they believe.

So why do we need to experience such kind of fear? Those disturbing, and sometimes became traumatic, experiences are required? Just a simple answer. We are living in a sleeping world of religion that will never wake up to the truth.

So, my first step on being an atheist is to remember that fear is the reason why the word courage was invented. Don’t let your fears tyrannize you, overcome it! You’re a human; it is normal for you to experience those. I hope I helped.






Follow Atheist Republic on Twitter @AtheistRepublic


15 comments:

  1. Hi, Reymarck.

    I'm sorry you face ridicule and rejection because of your beliefs. Multitudes of Christians share that with you. As you know, many have been murdered in the Philippines as well as other parts of the world. Today as in many times in history.

    But if I may suggest, your biggest threat in this life comes from Muslims and other atheists, not Christians. The former two groups, when in power especially, seek to stamp out opposing beliefs. In that the gulags and re-education camps of atheism have been more effective than has been Islam.

    The greatest threat you face is not in this life, however. It is the threat that your conscience has flagged up - your Creator will bring you to answer for everything you have thought, said and did that was evil. Your very sense of good and evil testifies to an Authority beyond yourself. You may write it off as an evolutionary detail that has helped mankind to survive, but if that is so then those who realise that can feel free to do whatever they like, if they can avoid being punished by their fellowman. All grounds for condemning oppression of others has gone.

    I commend to you the gospel of Jesus Christ, His call to all who are troubled by their sinful nature to come to Him for forgiveness and a new nature. He is able to save completely all who call on Him.

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  2. "your Creator will bring you to answer for everything you have thought, said and did that was evil. "

    The ultimate thought police eh Wolfie?

    "In that the gulags and re-education camps of atheism"

    I'm sorry, what? I must have missed this...what atheist gulags? Don't even try your nonsense about Stalin with me, he was a totalitarian mass murderer who did what he did for political means, and that had nothing to do with his professed atheism else he would have mentioned it.

    We are Risen Apes not 'Fallen Angels'. Your world to us seems like you are living a Harry Potter mindscape of 'good and evil'.

    And Christianity brought us some of the absolute worst episodes in human history so fuck knows why you think you particular flavour of madness is better than others.

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  3. Yes, God is the ultimate thought police. Policing evil is a good thing,not the suppression of good that we find in human thought policing.

    You cannot deny that atheism was a fundamental policy of Soviet, Maoist and all Marxist regimes. The purification of the people from the heresy of theism.

    Your optimism on human nature is foolish. The logic of an atheist worldview leaves no moral imperatives, only best policies for survival. Those vary with the power possessed by the individual.

    Yes, the power institutions that came to represent Christianity were evil in many cases. Operating contrary to Christian fundamentals, not for them.

    True Christianity has the NT as its law, and though its members live it out imperfectly, it is distinguishable from the false.

    So back to the conscience that warns us all of the eternal consequences of our thoughts, words and actions. And the knowledge that we are more than risen apes - we are made in the image of God, moral beings, sacred even in our fallen state. Any oppression by us of a man/woman/child is a heinous crime in God's eyes. So we are all guilty and in need of a Saviour who will rescue us from our sin and the wrath it deserves. Jesus, the Son of God, is that Man.

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  4. Wolfsbane,

    Reymarch is getting bullied/lent on in school so leave the kid alone. and stop filling his head with crap.

    When are you going to wake up and accept that we are either a complete freak of nature or somewhere north of Kenya and south of Egypt an advanced civilization paid this rock a visit, tweaked monkey DNA and made us. We have had Dolly the sheep and don't forget in December 2018 a Chinese doctor gave a talk to his peers how he gene edited a human. If we can tweak DNA today, why can't it have been done to us just north of Kenya 200,000 yrs ago? Doesn't the story of how God made Eve smack of DNA tweaking? Virgin birth...test tube....

    All the ancient texts that all religions are based on all talk about Gods from the heavens paying this rock a visit and what they got up to apart from tweaking monkeys was mine the fcuk out of this place for the same reasons as we mine today..minerals, for exactly the same reasons, powering communication devices, power up nuclear reactors.Watch the first few minutes of this video wolfsbane (anyone), it starts of with film of modern day quarrying and the machines used. The first minute show the scars left in the rock during mining. It then shows various mountains and valleys from every part of this rock that have the same scaring, only the formations are 10's of thousands of years old...Everyone (scientists) know they weren't all caused by erosion...And the only explanation is some sort of advanced cutting was used even though humans didn't know about fire when the rock scaring happened never mind inventing a wheel.


    If you want to know what very basic DNA tweaking looks like wolfsbane...Look at your thumb It was made that way so we could use the tools better that they made for us to mine minerals they needed.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "Yes, God is the ultimate thought police. Policing evil is a good thing,not the suppression of good that we find in human thought policing."

    Then say goodbye to Free Will.

    "You cannot deny that atheism was a fundamental policy of Soviet, Maoist and all Marxist regimes. The purification of the people from the heresy of theism."

    I cannot deny that Christians have persecuted other religions for years either, particularly those of a Jewish faith."

    "Your optimism on human nature is foolish. The logic of an atheist worldview leaves no moral imperatives, only best policies for survival. Those vary with the power possessed by the individual."

    Lack of a belief in a diety doesn't NOT mean atheists lack morals wolfie, do you do good deeds because you fear a god's retribution?

    "True Christianity has the NT as its law, and though its members live it out imperfectly, it is distinguishable from the false"

    Have you even the remotest idea of the number of times the Bible and by extension the New Testament has been rewritten, edited, changed and translated from at least 3 different original language texts Wolfie?

    "... we are made in the image of God, moral beings, sacred even in our fallen state"

    A diety who's kill count puts generals to shame, has no issues with slavery, orders the slaughter of babies, hates women, and is generally an egomanical dictator who's insane preoccupation with his own creation must surely be driven by sadism....

    Thanks Wolfie, but I'll pass...







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  6. frankie said:

    'Reymarch is getting bullied/lent on in school so leave the kid alone. and stop filling his head with crap.'

    Sounds to me like he is being laughed at - something many Christian kids face in school in our secular society. Disrespectful, but hardly persecution.

    'When are you going to wake up and accept that we are either a complete freak of nature or somewhere north of Kenya and south of Egypt an advanced civilization paid this rock a visit, tweaked monkey DNA and made us.'

    Neither. Man was not the result of materialistic evolution nor theistic evolution, but made directly by God.

    'We have had Dolly the sheep and don't forget in December 2018 a Chinese doctor gave a talk to his peers how he gene edited a human. If we can tweak DNA today, why can't it have been done to us just north of Kenya 200,000 yrs ago?'

    I can edit an encyclopedia on my PC. Marvellous technology we have - but what does that tell us about the origins of my encyclopedia? How much more then the origins of our genome?

    'Doesn't the story of how God made Eve smack of DNA tweaking? Virgin birth...test tube....'

    No. A direct use of existing body to make another body instantly. The virgin conception of Jesus did involve the implanting of a male genome.

    'All the ancient texts that all religions are based on all talk about Gods from the heavens paying this rock a visit and what they got up to apart from tweaking monkeys was mine the fcuk out of this place for the same reasons as we mine today..minerals, for exactly the same reasons, powering communication devices, power up nuclear reactors.'

    I know respected scientists have concluded that earth must have been seeded from space - panspermia - since they considered abiogenesis and evolution too far-fetched. Hoyle and Wickramasinghe, I think.

    'Watch the first few minutes of this video wolfsbane (anyone), it starts of with film of modern day quarrying and the machines used. The first minute show the scars left in the rock during mining. It then shows various mountains and valleys from every part of this rock that have the same scaring, only the formations are 10's of thousands of years old...Everyone (scientists) know they weren't all caused by erosion...And the only explanation is some sort of advanced cutting was used even though humans didn't know about fire when the rock scaring happened never mind inventing a wheel.'

    Don't see a link. But I do see the worldwide technology that built pyramids. That is in keeping with the Biblical account of man very soon after creation developing great skills.

    'If you want to know what very basic DNA tweaking looks like wolfsbane...Look at your thumb It was made that way so we could use the tools better that they made for us to mine minerals they needed.'

    Our bodies were designed by God, not your gods from space.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Steve R said:

    '"Yes, God is the ultimate thought police. Policing evil is a good thing,not the suppression of good that we find in human thought policing."
    Then say goodbye to Free Will.'

    I agree. Our 'freewill' is bound to our sinful nature. We act on its desires - unless God intervenes to restrict that ( as He often does). He even intervenes to change some sinful natures - we call that spiritual conversion.

    'I cannot deny that Christians have persecuted other religions for years either, particularly those of a Jewish faith.'

    Indeed - corrupt religion has its history of evil too. But Christianity's foundation document, the New Testament, condemns all that. Does Marxism have a peaceful doctrine regards religion?

    '"Your optimism on human nature is foolish. The logic of an atheist worldview leaves no moral imperatives, only best policies for survival. Those vary with the power possessed by the individual."
    Lack of a belief in a diety doesn't NOT mean atheists lack morals wolfie,'

    Quite so - but it means their morals are without foundation, illogical if they do not advantage the individual who imagines them. The rational atheist would be amoral, serving only his own interests. Maybe pretending to be altruistic and caring, but only for advantage.

    'do you do good deeds because you fear a god's retribution?'

    No, I do them primarily because I love God and want to behave as He wills. But I also have fear of retribution to restrain me if I begin to love my selfish desires more than God.

    '"True Christianity has the NT as its law, and though its members live it out imperfectly, it is distinguishable from the false"
    Have you even the remotest idea of the number of times the Bible and by extension the New Testament has been rewritten, edited, changed and translated from at least 3 different original language texts Wolfie?'

    The copying and translations have yielded an accurate book, as far as its message goes. The differences in the Hebrew and Greek texts and the differences in the translations of those text are insubstantial. The more ancient documents we find, the more evident it is that we have substantially the same text the writers put down.

    '"... we are made in the image of God, moral beings, sacred even in our fallen state"
    A diety who's kill count puts generals to shame, has no issues with slavery, orders the slaughter of babies, hates women, and is generally an egomanical dictator who's insane preoccupation with his own creation must surely be driven by sadism....'

    That is a caricature of God. He does not hate women, and He does have issues with slavery, but He does indeed take life back as and when He sees fit - for He gave it to us in the first place. And of course there would be no death had man not rebelled and brought death to all, man and animal. We live after the Fall, and inherit its price.

    ReplyDelete
  8. "Quite so - but it means their morals are without foundation, illogical if they do not advantage the individual who imagines them. The rational atheist would be amoral, serving only his own interests. Maybe pretending to be altruistic and caring, but only for advantage."

    When you cut through all your guff Wolfie, this paragraph you write says absolutely everything we need to know about you. You have absolutely nothing to offer but your arrogant judgement and pontification.

    Sadly, you remind me of too many evangelical Prods when I was growing up. When you quote scripture I count my sheep. Enjoy living in your fantasy world, I'm sure it's comforting.

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  9. OK, Steve - but tell me how your morals are right and those of someone you consider an evil person are wrong. If we are super-sophisticated chemical reactions, self-aware and all that - but still only matter, are our feelings of right and wrong not just a combination of genetic inheritance for survival and social conditioning? Are you saying those who have a different morality are scientifically defective? That your genes and conditioning are the norm/optimum and the others are the result of bad mutations?

    Or do you really think there is right and wrong, good and evil?

    It looks to me like most atheists have to pop into the theist store and borrow a concept of good and evil to make their lives work.

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  10. 'Good and Evil' are the concepts of those who believe in magic Wolfie.

    When exactly do you think humankind was bestowed these great gifts of morality Wolfie?

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  11. Steve, my apologies for not getting back sooner. For some reason I'm not getting notifications lately.

    Mankind was made with innate moral sense. We all have it still, however badly distorted.

    Atheists have to say that moral sense is just a feeling, an emotion, evolved over millions of years because it gave mankind an edge on the rest of the animals, or at least shared with them an emotion that restrained conduct likely to limit the survival of the species.

    Nothing more - a general genetic conditioning, not the identification of actual good and evil. That being so, it is perfectly sensible for those who realise that there is no good and evil, that we are merely sophisticated chemical reactions, to step outside those emotions when it suits. Leave morality for the little people, the masses, and do whatever it takes to please and prosper oneself. And of course, encourage religion in the masses as it restrains them from following your example and society descending into anarchy - not a safe place for enlightened elites like oneself!

    Thankfully, most of the atheists I have encountered don't feel free of their genetic conditioning towards basic moral behaviour. They really would be emotionally/mentally distressed if they stole my money, raped my wife, or killed me. Silly old atheists, but I'm glad that is so.

    The reality is that their innate moral conscience warns them against actual good and evil to a significant extent. God is real, and will bring all into judgement. That's why He gave us conscience, to warn us not only of the reality of good and evil, but of the necessity to be reconciled to Him.



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  12. No worries Wolfie, you avoided answering my question and instead waffled on about something else entirely. So I will ask it again..

    When exactly do you think humans acquired these gifts of morality?

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  13. Steve R, I thought I was clear - but here goes again:

    'Mankind was made with innate moral sense. We all have it still, however badly distorted.' We did not gradually evolve from the simplest molecules, through countless stages, until an ape got moral sense. Man was created a fully fledged moral being.

    That is, from the moment of Adam's creation. Man was made by God a moral being, in His likeness. There was no time in which man had not that moral sense.

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  14. Wolfie,

    So you really do believe in the creation myth don't you? Even despite science completely destroying it by every yardstick imaginable?

    If you believe that you believe in talking snakes, undead Jew-Zombies who demand psychic servility under threat of eternal damnation of as yet unproven self-essence, mammalian parthenogenesis in the genus Homo for the one and only time in recorded history, and all this for a supernatural celestial cop who murdered his own progeny for crimes others committed...but he didn't really as he wasn't really dead (of course)...which makes the sacrifice not really a sacrifice but lets not dwell on the minutae!

    Not hard to work out why for so long it was a death sentence to question religion!

    If that kind of story convinces you Wolfie, you are most welcome to it. It doesn't convince me for a moment however.

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  15. Steve R,

    Yes, I believe the Biblical account of Creation. And the scientific case has problems for both sides, and seeming supportive information for both sides.

    The other stuff you list is supernatural in origin, so science is not able to comment on that.

    Your caricature of God's gift of His Son for the rescue of His enemies is hardly fair. Jesus bore the punishment due to all of those who will trust in Him - that is the significance of His suffering and death as a criminal. That suffering was really a sacrifice, a substitutionary atonement for His people.

    You may be happy now with your belief in a material universe in which life came from non-life, and evolved into increasingly complex forms by scientifically inexplicable massive complexity additions. And that morality is just an illusion generated by genetics.

    But you know that is no credible explanation - just an excuse to avoid the thought that there is a God to whom you must give account. When you have a moment for serious reflection, have a read of John's Gospel. A great place to start if you are looking for Truth.

    ReplyDelete