The Atheist's Heart

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Aug 12
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On Emotions v. Rationality

I want to start off with my first (real) post by establishing one of my basic operating principles.  Emotions and rationality, as filters through which we perceive and interpret the world, are not polar opposites, are not incompatible, and are certainly not mutually exclusive.

They are – or should be – inextricably linked.  Suggesting otherwise is to create a false dichotomy, one that’s inherently detrimental to the progressive ideal.  To paraphrase Mr. Einstein: rationality without emotion is lame, emotion without rationality is blind.

As atheists, most of us are proud of our rationality.  We wear it like a badge: “I think, therefore I am”.   And this is a good thing: the weight of the world’s problems can only be borne by logic and reason.  If not, we will surely be crushed underneath them.

However, I want to propose a very simple argument:  rationality is boring.  It’s dry.  And while we wish for others to behave more rationally, this is the built-in hurdle we face.  The non-rational (in other words, true b’leevers) have no incentive to challenge the status quo of their worldview via rational arguments, because they’re playing with a different deck: emotion.  Strictly rational arguments just don’t carry any weight with them.

The greatest weapon in the theists arsenal?  Fear.   Perhaps the most virulent emotion of them all.  And the masters of the theist trade wield it well.  So, for the rational atheistic worldview to gain traction in our culture, we have to learn how to speak in their language, and use the tools that resonate with them.

Atheism needs to be more emotional.  We need not be afraid to show our passion.

Now, I want to be very careful here.  I‘m not talking about bombastic, unfounded emotional appeals, shouting and screaming our “message” from the rooftops.  This not only cheapens what we have to say, more importantly, uncontrolled emotion distorts decision-making and undermines critical thinking.  What I am saying is that we should be more passionate in expressing ourselves.  We all feel the emotions – the compassion, the anger, the love, the pain.  But so many atheists seem to want to repress that emotion, apparently concerned about these adverse impacts.

I want to see atheists channel that emotion,  to control it and use it to underline the importance of the many issues that we want to see resolved, and communicate our ideas in ways that resonate with true b’leevers.  I believe that this is the only way that we will be able to crack the impossibly thick wall of “nanny-nanny-boo-boo” theists have erected around their minds.  Does this make me a “militant” atheist?  Yeah, I suppose it does.

Many kudos – as an excellent case in point for this argument – to ZOMGitsCriss.

GO ATHEISTS! 

Hayden-panettiere-cheerleader

See what I did there?