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Original 'apatheist' article
Let It Be, by Jonathan Rauch [blog]
(excerpt - emphasis mine)
I BELIEVE that the rise of apatheism is to be celebrated as nothing less than a major civilizational advance. Religion, as the events of September 11 and after have so brutally underscored, remains the most divisive and volatile of social forces. To be in the grip of religious zeal is the natural state of human beings, or at least of a great many human beings; that is how much of the species seems to be wired. Apatheism, therefore, should not be assumed to represent a lazy recumbency, like my collapse into a soft chair after a long day. Just the opposite: it is the product of a determined cultural effort to discipline the religious mindset, and often of an equally determined personal effort to master the spiritual passions. It is not a lapse. It is an achievement.
It's interesting to note that Rauch thinks most apatheists are actually believers.
Come to think of it, I'm born in an apatheist family. My parents are apatheistic cultural Roman Catholic Christians, and my brother and sisters are apatheist agnostics (or atheists). I think. Since we never discuss religion (except for religious jokes), the only trait I'm confident I got right is the apatheism.
(excerpt - emphasis mine)
I BELIEVE that the rise of apatheism is to be celebrated as nothing less than a major civilizational advance. Religion, as the events of September 11 and after have so brutally underscored, remains the most divisive and volatile of social forces. To be in the grip of religious zeal is the natural state of human beings, or at least of a great many human beings; that is how much of the species seems to be wired. Apatheism, therefore, should not be assumed to represent a lazy recumbency, like my collapse into a soft chair after a long day. Just the opposite: it is the product of a determined cultural effort to discipline the religious mindset, and often of an equally determined personal effort to master the spiritual passions. It is not a lapse. It is an achievement.
It's interesting to note that Rauch thinks most apatheists are actually believers.
Come to think of it, I'm born in an apatheist family. My parents are apatheistic cultural Roman Catholic Christians, and my brother and sisters are apatheist agnostics (or atheists). I think. Since we never discuss religion (except for religious jokes), the only trait I'm confident I got right is the apatheism.
Tags: Jonathan Rauch, See, Jared, you were wrong, apatheism, let it be
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Edward Teach on -
After years of arguing with dullards... I'm lovin this apathy deal. Much more peaceful.
Although, I have to admit that my first impulse when I see a kid (Xian) burning ants (doing harm) with a magnifying glassn (religion), is to take away the magnifying glass. The average Xian will hang on to that glass for dear life even though it is covered in shit. -
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Permalink Reply by Jim DePaulo on -
I think apatheist would describe my family as well - we never talked about religion although my mother dragged my brother an me to church on rare occasion (always a contentious event).
I'm stupefied by the mountains of books that have been written, minds wasted and thousands dying over a fucking fairy tale (a really shitty fairy tale).
Pondering the existence of god is as much a waste of neural-connections as is pondering the sound of one hand clapping - time that could be more profitably used drinking, smoking and offending fundies. -
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