Being religious, (Catholic) now I see how hypocritical and One sided I was when I was an Pagan, Atheist and Satanist back in 2020—2023. However I don't blame myself for thinking that way, I grew up in my Grandparents Southern Baptist Church while living with them and they were very strict. They made us go to church every Sunday and would use belts against us if we messed up in school (at one point We went to Baptist School but I got kicked out). Since ten years old I was (what I think now) Agnostic. I didn't know if there was a God and I didn't care if there was one or not. I was like any other normal kid, I played outside with the other kids and did normal kid things.
But In 2020, I have changed. This was during the pandemic when I changed my identity rapidly and my opinions rapidly. I used to be Agnostic but In 2020 I began to be interested in my mother's practice which was Wicca or Witchcraft. I started worshipping Odin in 2021 and during that time I began to be critical of Christianity, why? Well, I think because of my Grandmother's church. The church isn't bad, I never had any beatings or negative experiences but living with your strict Southern Baptist Grandparents it makes you think that ALL of Christianity is like this and therefore bad. I Generalized all Christians to be these pushy, know it all, holier than thou people who wants YOU to be Christian. I stereotyped Christians to all be Homophobic , Transphobic, Racist, All the Bigoted things.
This view of Christians and Christianity blinded me, Yit made me one sided and Hypocritical. Because I was A Pagan, Defending Islam and Judaism but only Criticizing Christianity because of my bad experiences.
And I think this is a common problem on the Left among these progressive Atheists/Agnostics/Pagans, is they defend Islam, They speak out against this Hatred of Muslims and Jews but turn around and assume all Christians are These Evangelical Homophobic, Transphobic, Racist Bible Forcing Zealots.
Of course not all atheists Think like this, it's most, who criticize one religion but defend the other, Who, due to personal experiences will demonize and generalize a whole religion because of a small but loud minority.
But don't let your bad experiences become bias, don't let your bad experiences become hypocrisy like I let my bad experience become bias and hypocrisy.
Don't fall for the hive mind and don't let others think for you. Don't follow the herd, Be a Skeptic all you want but think for yourself, have your own thoughts and do your own thesis. Being a Skeptic is all about being a critical thinker, not about having a bias like everyone else.
This may not make sense for all, But some will understand.
When asked, im an atheist, but it feels so weird and vain to explain my worldview through wether I believe in deities or not when the possible existense of deities does not even cross my mind when I consider my belief system.
There's something about atheism that I've repeatedly tried and failed to put into words on several posts on this blog but I think I finally got it.
Atheists are the only religious minority who, even (or sometimes even *especially*) in ostensibly progressive spaces are not allowed to ever act like they're sure of their beliefs.