Isn’t it surprising enough – without me having to exclaim about it – that people have finally started to opine about their views on theology (forgive my incorrect orthography) after years of contemplating about who should get the upper hand – God or Satan? Nevertheless, I exclaim, twice!! Every second profile on a social networking site proudly, or perhaps predictably – if you know what signs to look out for - displays this once accursed term, Atheist, somewhere. The sect of people, who once embellished supposed insolence of the innocuous non-believers to the extent of publicly flogging them to near death, today exist as dormant toads ready to spring into action even on the slightest suspicion of an inopportune excuse. They may be, perhaps, justified in their work as servants of the omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient being, the One, Brahma, the Father, Yahweh, Judas, Allah and many more. (Sometimes, I wonder, are He/She really only one?)
What surprises me more than these faithful believers, are the new generation of unbelievers. According to Richard Dawkins in his book The God Delusion, "the Darwinian Theory of natural selection is the only plausible alternative to intelligent design." I cannot agree with it more than I already do. However, not many of the pious believers can take this down with a sip of wine and, in fact, they continue to strengthen their faith. But for those lurking on the border between belief and unbelief, I choose to call it uncertain belief, rise to the occasion and disown their kind and benevolent God whom they have pledged their lifelong devotion to, until, of course, now. The easiest way to spot individuals of this breed is a peek into their photo albums, or even the music they listen to. One can draw easy parallels between such kind of behavior and their interest – natural or even acquired – towards a specific genre of music. For instance the following comparison is most probable*
Type 1 - Backstreet Boys
These are the ones who, most probably would be strictly religious, surviving without a hint of disbelief.
Type 2 - Linkin' Park
These are moderately religious, praying daily types, but a little belligerent
Type 3 - Metallica
These are characterized by being rarely pious and having unpredictable mood swings between the extremes (Agnostic)
Type 4 - Iron Maiden
They are almost never pious, beginning to suspect foul play of religion, perhaps seeking an anti – God
Type 5 - Slayer
These individuals are totally atheistic, consider themselves out of sync even at the slightest mention of God, almost Satan preferring ones
Type 6 - Cannibal Corpse
God – haters, and hence Atheist, these are firm believers in the dictum that Cruelty is what drives subcutaneous human behavior. They almost border on Paganism.
Type 7 - Mayhem/Burzum
These creatures are totally vindictive (Pagan), accepting the authority of Satan without question.
* This, of course, has exceptions as any observable and probable event. However, a majority of people fall into the above-mentioned categories. The bands have a representational value. Hence CC can be well replaced with any other Death Metal band.
What surprises me here, is that an individual starts showing signs of intellect by questioning the obvious, moves on to a state of pseudo understanding and treads further to fall into the same trap as our religious believers have fallen into centuries ago. They start disbelieving in God, hence Atheist, at the same time when they move towards an equally fictitious counterpart, Satan. This cannot be explained any better than Professor Nash’s Game Theory. Is this not blindly following your illusions, just as the disillusioned propagators of theism did? Is this what their imaginations come to a halt to? An omnipresent diabolical being who has the same credibility as that of a seemingly pusillanimous, but benevolent, God? Well, perhaps the sunshine has stopped shining on God – I wonder if it ever did. If God denounces the unbelievers and casts them to eternal sufferings, then well be it. Satan waits with open arms. How could Hell be different than the hell-hole we already live in? Isn’t there much more freedom of thought, expression out there? God forbids those who sin. Hell is for sinners, isn’t it? Who does not like to break rules? Wouldn’t life - again I fail to understand how you could live after you die – be cooler in Hell than in Heaven? Anyway, we are condemned to eternal damnation. How worse could it get?
This figment of imagination does exactly the same work as some other did two thousand years ago. There is an anti-Christ for every Christ. There is a dark church for every ‘home of God that spreads light’. People have died in the name of God, countless many. They do so in the name of Satan. What is the difference then, between the two? They are exactly the opposite poles of a magnet, fictitious but always seeking the other. Thus, the unnerving question of ‘righteous belief’ does have a not so unnervingly trivial solution.
God = Satan = Imagination
Then who imagines better? Douglas Adams could go as far as Eccentrica Gallumbits, the triple breasted whore of Eroticon VI. Why worship God, when Satan is cooler? As for the second part of the question, it is just a personal opinion.
As a footnote to the above essay, I'd like to clear some misgivings regarding what exactly am I trying to say here as pointed out by my thoughtful dear friends. Am I advocating the case of Satan here? The answer, painfully for all my unbeliever readers, is no. I have no reason to advocate something that is a terribly imagined fable (precisely the reason why I can't even think of advocating god). What I intended to do, was, to point a scathing (rather humorous) finger at the acceptance of the existence of Satan "just to be in vogue" by a few, rather than standing ground to deny the existence of god, to be called an Atheist. I, rather clumsily tried to poke fun at these unbelievers; in reality I have nothing against them. The title of this post seems to naturally indicate my proclivity towards the authority of the devil. But I need to assure you, that I have thought over it more than what it may seem I did. Thus I say, for the last time, that I do not accept the authority of any god or devil over science. As an atheist, I do not believe that there is no god just because I am supposed to do so. I do so, because I have found no evidence, whatsoever, to make me accept it. I hope this clears the air a little.
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