On Atheism

I was in the midst of a half-hearted prayer, a bit frustrated with myself because I couldn't muster up some real motivation. I continued to pray anyway.

Suddenly, the thought strikes me: I'd rather be half-hearted and have my faith than be an atheist. I wondered where this thought came from, and prayed some more. Sometimes I can't help but think that random thoughts, especially during prayer, are not random at all.

So I begin to think, pray, and philosophize.

If I were to ask an atheist if he believed in anything spiritual, he would likely say no. Unless he was simply anti-Christ, which is different from being an atheist, who would be anti-god(s). If I were to ask if he believed in good and evil, or even in a primeval moral code - e.g. "You shouldn't do XYZ, because there are moral and physical consequences," etc.

And what if he said, as I've heard said before, "I don't believe that it's inherent, I believe it is learned." All the malarky about societal and cultural law. That does not negate the twinge in the conscience of the atheist. Can the atheist even explain a conscience, which is an involuntary emotional reaction? It's like the "ouch!" after stubbing the toe.

How do you learn something that is involuntary?

The conscience has been proven to be capable of abolition. This involuntary reaction, just as much as the toe-stubbed "ouch!" can be unlearned. We can train ourselves to ignore the twinge, ignore the pain, ignore even our own sense of compassion.

I argue, possibly very primitively, that the conscience is a created trait. Not by humans, but by a Being much smarter than our bull-headed selves who want to live without consequences, or at least who want to convince ourselves that nothing will happen to us if we decide to turn evil.

Even this thought, should it be conscious or sub-consciously thought by Mr. Atheist, proves that in his heart he is certain there is a God, doesn't it?