HOW THE ATHEIST GETS STRENGTH TO FACE REALITY IN ITS BEAUTY AND IN ITS DANGERS

Atheism recognises that no magic is going to help me cope with harm or do something about the harm itself. It is clear, “No God or magic is going to help me so I have to help myself.” No maybes. Luck is only pure chance so I cannot pin much on it either.

Just because it is a cannot it does not follow I cannot own this cannot by making it a will not. Own it to affirm that you own your life.

I am on my own. I cannot assume that God might help when I have an unwanted pregnancy, when my programming does not accept my body's gender or my terminal illness. Nature is a disaster so I must have and claim the right to end a pregnancy, have body integrity affirmative treatment (eg gender affirmation surgery) or avail of assisted suicide. If these things are prone to abuse I must remember that that has nothing to do with my situation for it is up to me to make it the right choice for me.

All objections to these things really come back to faith:

God has a plan.

God made me and so God owns me.

I have faith that my perception of this plan and of God is correct so I enslave myself to this faith I have made.

I reject those things. I own myself and that is the limit of my faith.

What does owning myself mean?

That I have the right to be what I want to be and who I want to be and what I have is mine and it's that simple – it's not mine for some God or law says so. That is not ownership. God and law have to discover my ownership not give it. Ownership has to feel like ownership. That is why being given ownership of something soon leads to you not caring who gives the ownership. You just make it about yourself and no other authority.

Everybody has to think about moral rules. Is morality to reflect what seems to be probably for the best? Or is it a fashion so things are only right or wrong if you want them to be. Morality – right and wrong behaviour - is considered to be based more in unbreakable principles as opposed to unbreakable rules. We agree on the value of justice and compassion but it is hard to know at times what rules serve them best. Morality has one unbreakable rule – to be fair you must line up to your best ability to the truth. That is a positive thing for it is part of what owning yourself is all about.

You can change your perception of the uncontrollable as if it were controllable so that way it does not scare you. Take away its power by saying, “Come and get me.”.

Trying to force yourself not to think something terrible will happen is making yourself think it will. If you really thought it was wrong you would not need to try and force yourself.

Be conscious of the following.

Not every negative thought is correct. Some are.

Not every negative thought is important. Some are.

Not every negative thought is going to help. Some help. Some help a lot and some help a little.

Do not force negative thoughts to go away. Let them speak to you and challenge what they say. If they are not important don’t make them important by worrying.

Own morality, own yourself, own your thoughts, own your path, In the small space you take up you are God.