# A new atheist's regrets **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 16, 2011, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626 "2011-04-16T17:30:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/21 "2011-04-17T00:17:30Z")
> [@Lobsang](#): > > You’re a redditer aren’t you. Maybe he can celebrate his new-found freedom by teaching his son about hard-boiled eggs or something. Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/22 "2011-04-17T00:19:43Z")
> [@newcrasher](#): > > I am 38 and have been really involved in my Christian faith since about the age of 28. In those years I have studied and read volumes on Christianity. When it comes to religion and Christianity, I may not be the best-read Doper, but I am head and shoulders above the average theist. > > I have been solidly atheist for about 6 months now. My greatest regret is that I have not spent these last 10 years studying physics, astronomy, or music. I am wondering what kinds of books you read on Christianity. And why you spent so much time reading them if you didn’t find them as interesting or helpful or worthwhile as reading about physics or astronomy or music. As a theist and as someone who has read a lot about Christianity and about science and music and lots of other subjects, I believe that studying or reading a lot _about_ Christianity is only worth doing if you, personally, find it interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/23 "2011-04-17T00:22:48Z")
I know how you feel. If they only taught me how to change the frickin’ oil and not how much a sky murderer loves me back in catholic school, I’d be more fulfilled. There’s a bright side though. With all the christianity you’ve studied over the past years, your atheism, your rationale and your reason and knowledge are stronger. I’ve always said that the first step to reason and rational thinking is to read the bible in full. If you get by the book of Joshua still thinking this invisible jerk loves you, than you’re simply not reasonable or you’re still a scared child. Kudos to you! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/24 "2011-04-17T00:24:53Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > As a theist and as someone who has read a lot about Christianity and about science and music and lots of other subjects, I believe that studying or reading a lot _about_ Christianity is only worth doing if you, personally, find it interesting. Agreed. Crusades, holy wars, blocking knowledge about the universe is VERY interesting. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/25 "2011-04-17T07:19:07Z")
> [@lavenderviolet](#): > > Think of all the great minds who have wasted some of their precious intellectual capacity on learning the rules of D&D or attending gaming conventions. ☹ I’ll take that as a compliment. 😛 * * * And, well said **Diogenes**. Humanity is like a celestial Reeses peanut butter cup. ---
**Author:** ![Nancarrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c37758/32.png) [@Nancarrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nancarrow)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 10:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/26 "2011-04-17T10:18:12Z")
> [@newcrasher](#): > > I have been solidly atheist for about 6 months now. Good for you. > [@](#): > > My greatest regret is that I have not spent these last 10 years studying physics, astronomy, or music. So? Start studying them now. You won’t learn everything there is to learn about them, but since no one else can either, no great loss. > [@](#): > > Imagine all of the highly intelligent people in the world who are face down in some religious text, trying to make sense of it. The brain-drain religion inflicts on the world is immense. Whilst I agree with this, I am also becoming increasingly obsessed with the game of contract bridge. We can’t all spend every moment of our waking lives on the really important stuff. ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/27 "2011-04-17T12:16:03Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Maybe he can celebrate his new-found freedom by teaching his son about hard-boiled eggs or something. Just a thought. This is evidence that we both spend entirely too much time online… ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/28 "2011-04-17T16:03:12Z")
Maybe spend some of your free time looking up the meaning of ‘humility’. ( You’d think all that religious studying might have touched on it, but somehow you didn’t get that. ) My experience is that people who start by telling you how much smarter than the average they are, usually aren’t. Prefaced by the words, ‘in all humility’, made me laugh out loud. Thanks for that. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/29 "2011-04-17T16:12:01Z")
Isaac Newton wasted a good amount of study on alchemy, yet gravity uses ideas he probably picked up from alchemy. Maybe he didn’t waste so much time after all. The study of alchemy its self lead to chemistry. As astrology lead to astronomy. What enabled their growth was not people going on about waste from delusions, but people finding and testing what was and wasn’t truth to them. Maybe we’d be in the stars by now if people didn’t waste so much time lamenting about what they don’t have, and should have did, and acting all superior, and instead started investing what they do have into personal growth for themselves, and their fellows. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/30 "2011-04-17T16:24:39Z")
> [@newcrasher](#): > > I have been solidly atheist for about 6 months now. My greatest regret is that I have not spent these last 10 years studying physics, astronomy, or music. > > Imagine all of the highly intelligent people in the world who are face down in some religious text, trying to make sense of it. The brain-drain religion inflicts on the world is immense. Without religion I think we would be living among the stars by now. My friend, as another atheist, I’ve sometimes worried and wondered about the lives and manhours lost on purely religious pursuits…but then, I realize that people spend just as much time obsessively studying points of canon and dressing in silly costumes for avowed works of fiction, too. People were probably just going to geekily waste their time on things, no matter what. We probably wouldn’t be among the stars by now; we’d just [have a lot more RPG](http://xkcd.com/593/)s. 🙂 (You can always count on me to counter misanthropy by using…even more misanthropy. 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/31 "2011-04-17T18:15:16Z")
> [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](#): > > Isaac Newton wasted a good amount of study on alchemy, yet gravity uses ideas he probably picked up from alchemy. Maybe he didn’t waste so much time after all. > > The study of alchemy its self lead to chemistry. As astrology lead to astronomy. What enabled their growth was not people going on about waste from delusions, but people finding and testing what was and wasn’t truth to them. > > Maybe we’d be in the stars by now if people didn’t waste so much time lamenting about what they don’t have, and should have did, and acting all superior, and instead started investing what they do have into personal growth for themselves, and their fellows. **newcrasher** , happening to remember another thread you started I feel like a heel for posting this. You’re already doing that and way more. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/32 "2011-04-17T21:06:24Z")
Newcrasher, good for you. Welcome to sanity. I’m sorry you misspent so much of your study but happy to consider the potential before you. Theism is dishonest and a shame. Your potential to do good for the world has just improved tremendously, as has your potential to make the most of life. MonkeyWithGun, what is the matter with you? ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/33 "2011-04-17T21:33:43Z")
> [@elbows](#): > > Maybe spend some of your free time looking up the meaning of ‘humility’. ( You’d think all that religious studying might have touched on it, but somehow you didn’t get that. ) > > My experience is that people who start by telling you how much smarter than the average they are, usually aren’t. Prefaced by the words, ‘in all humility’, made me laugh out loud. Thanks for that. Yeah I did come off as a prick. Didn’t mean too. I can always count on Dopers to keep each other honest. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/34 "2011-04-17T21:55:03Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > If nothing else, the study of religion gives you an insight into humanity. The study of ANYTHING also develops your brain, your critical thinking skills, your ability to undertstand arguments of any sort. Thinking is never time wasted. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/35 "2011-04-17T22:04:28Z")
Great. Another holier than thou atheist. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/36 "2011-04-17T23:43:29Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > Great. Another holier than thou atheist. > :rolleyes: Who is holier than thou? ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/37 "2011-04-17T23:57:14Z")
> [@newcrasher](#): > > Who is holier than thou? ahem… > [@newcrasher](#): > > In all humility, I am more intelligent than most…\<\\>…I am head and shoulders above the average theist…\<\\>…Without religion I think we would be living among the stars by now. OK, so you found a new path in life. That’s cool. But you have fallen into the recent convert - true believer trap in that you think that you have found THE WAY. You ever talk to a recently converted vegetarian? One who believes that if only we were all vegetarians than all the world’s environmental problems would be solved? Vegetarianism is the only intelligent way. Or a recently converted communist? One who believes that there would be no injustice if the world if governments converted to communism? Communism is the only intelligent way. It’s tiresome. “I’m smarter than most, and if everybody would just follow THE WAY that I have recently found, the world would be so much better” is an attitude that is not only naive - it’s not going to earn you any friends or respect. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/38 "2011-04-18T00:01:57Z")
**Monkey** , you conflated two statements with different contexts there. **Newcrasher** did not say he was “head and shoulders above the average theist” in terms of basic intelligence, but in terms of how much he has studied about religion. That’s not particularly arrogant (certainly not “holier than thou”), and is frankly not a very high bar. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/39 "2011-04-18T00:14:27Z")
> [@newcrasher](#): > > In all humility, I am more intelligent than most. I think the majority of Dopers would know what I mean. I think we trend a little towards the egghead end of the spectrum. Here on the Dope, I am just an average shmo. > > I am 38 and have been really involved in my Christian faith since about the age of 28. In those years I have studied and read volumes on Christianity. When it comes to religion and Christianity, I may not be the best-read Doper, but I am head and shoulders above the average theist. > > I have been solidly atheist for about 6 months now. My greatest regret is that I have not spent these last 10 years studying physics, astronomy, or music. > > Imagine all of the highly intelligent people in the world who are face down in some religious text, trying to make sense of it. The brain-drain religion inflicts on the world is immense. Without religion I think we would be living among the stars by now. It was study like that that made me an agnostic, not an atheist. Atheists are just as wrong as believers, just 180 degrees opposed. No one knows if a god of any kind exists. Period. Those who say they do are lying if they cannot provide conclusive proof of that existence. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@The\_Tao\_s\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tao_s_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2011, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626/40 "2011-04-18T00:21:59Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > It was study like that that made me an agnostic, not an atheist. Atheists are just as wrong as believers, just 180 degrees opposed. > > No one knows if a god of any kind exists. Period. Those who say they do are lying if they cannot provide conclusive proof of that existence. Now you see I’m agnostic, and yet I can recognize atheism simply represents a different philosophic argument without calling them liars, or insulting their integrity over a difference of opinion. It’d be nice to live in world where that was shared, and we could demonize each other over important things, like choice of soft drink. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-new-atheists-regrets/578626.md?page=3)