The Ten Commandments of Atheism/Guest Author

by Raven Burnes

Last night I went to my very first Atheist gathering.  It was with Atheists United, San Fernando Valley Meetup in Los Angeles County. I really didn’t know what to expect, but it was great. The discussion was intelligent and everyone there had an amazing sense of humor. Before the meeting ended, we voted on the topic for the next meeting. One of the ideas, which got rejected, was “what would the 10 commandments of atheism be?” Since the idea intrigues me, I’ve decided throw my hat in the ring and offer the following.

The Ten Commandments of Atheism

• Thou shalt have no God, gods, nor woo-woo superstitious clap-trap before thee, as thou hast a brain.
• Thou shalt accept nothing on faith, nor hope, nor desire alone.
• Thou shalt think for thyself, relying not upon the inherited beliefs, nor the cultural superstitions, of thy kinsmen.
• Thou shalt subject all manner of statement and belief to rigorous contemplation, testing all things with logic, evidence, and clarity of thought.
• Thou shalt love, honor, and care for all human, animal, and plant life – and all that which dost support it – if thou dost desire peace, joy, and longevity in the land.
• Thou shalt balance the desires of thy animal flesh with the longings of the elevated consciousness which thou hast acquired – for thou art an evolved and evolving being.
• Thou shalt enjoy and honor every day as a day to sanctify it, as thy days are surely numbered.
• Thou shalt respect the laws of the land in which thou dwelst, unless such laws do violence to the freedom, happiness, and honor of any living creature, and until such time as such offending laws be discarded through legal process.
• Thou shalt speak not of a literal hell, nor inflict such primitive and shameless implements of fear upon thy fellow creatures – especially thine own young – lest thou be thought a fool, yes, even a manipulative twit.
• Verily I say unto thee: thou shalt respect all manner of diversity among thee, as such behavior is the mark of intelligent beings.

So, those are mine. What would your “ten commandments” be?