Breaking Prejudice on Atheists

Atheists are more compassionate, if you compare them to highly religious people.

Photo from Kevin Dooley’s flickr

Atheists and religious people both engage in charitable acts. The difference is what drives them. While religious people refer to the doctrine, atheists rely more on their emotional relevance (if I may say empathy) to another person/s.

People with no belief of God may be thought as self-centered. But a study at the University of California suggests that atheists are more emotionally dependent, that they feel the need of the other person in helping out. I argue that some religious people heed to the teachings without any inkling why. It’s faith and religiosity and that’s a good thing.

Another study surveyed people. Given a scenario: a driver damaged a car and took the money from a found wallet, who was the driver? Teacher, atheist teacher or rapist teacher?

People’s responses reveal that they distrust atheists as much as rapists. This blatant prejudice made atheists an instant suspect.

There are differences. A rapist is called as such because of his wretched crime, and thus the basis of the distrust. An atheist did not commit any crime. They just have a different view. I think that choice should be respected. Yeah, they don’t have morality written on book to guide them, but they have themselves to guide them.

Would you thrash out this prejudice?

Sources:
Studies say atheists, believers both do good, but for different reasons; The Washington Post
Study: Atheists distrusted as much as rapists; USA Today 

Never make a Decision, and Never make a Promise

Never make a decision when you’re angry, and never make a promise when you’re happy.
by Keyyth G. of whataboutkeyyth

Photo from Grand Canyon NPS’s flickr

I find anger and happiness are the two emotions that are simultaneously polar opposites and identically the same. On the one hand anger is spawned in the pit of upset, and it feeds off of negativity. While happiness emerges from a joyous place and grows from positivity. Yet on the other hand they both share the quality to induce reactions instantly be it good or bad; also they both have the nerve striking ability to make us cry, but I’m sure that I’m not telling you anything you haven’t heard before. I ran across a little word of good advice and felt the need to share it. “Never make a decision when you are angry and never make a promise when you are happy.”

Now how can those two emotions be the worst in assisting you in a decision or making a promise?

It’s simple in those moments we are at our weakest as people. Be it with anger; we are mentally weak and sometimes unable to clearly think things through. When angry we may make rushed decisions and that rushed decision could have lasting consequences.

Or take happiness, in our happiest moments we are so full of such a glad soul, that we are almost willing to give away everything we own, or make a promise to someone; say that you’ll work on your snappiness or your patience with very little intent of actually doing such a thing. Doing so gives someone hope only to have it taken away.

Address them differently, but do address them. With anger step away and give yourself time to clearly think it though before you are able to do something you may regret. With happiness; simply enjoy the moment don’t go looking for a cherry topper for your happiness, that way you avoid a disappointing counterpart.

What decisions did you make based on emotions?

I’m a 22 year old college student currently pursuing my associates degree in computer science. I’m an artist, well I am whenever I get a chance to be which is far and in between here lately.