And the Winner Is …..

Jumping on a trampoline
makes everyone happy.
So Chill Out and Enjoy Yourself!

Hemant Mehta over at FriendlyAtheist.com ran a contest to win a copy of my new book last week. Since my book includes practical advice, he asked his readers to provide practical advice to someone who has just realized they are an atheist. It was very difficult to decide which answer was the best. But I am happy to announce the winner!

Lore from St. Louis won a copy of my new book. I liked her answer because her advice is good for anyone who has just learned something new that they are excited about, not just for those who are breaking free of their old theologies. Here is what she said, “I wish someone had told me that just because I had recently figured out my own beliefs didn’t mean that everyone else was ready or trying to do the same. It was all well and good that I had rationalized my way through the troubling bits of theology I had been taught growing up, but not everybody was ready to confront those inconsistencies and me trying to force the conversation made me seem like a jerkass. If I could talk to former me I would say ‘Chill out and wait, you will find people who want to have this conversation eventually, but this person is not them.’” Congrats Lore - I hope you enjoy my book.

The runner up was Tim. I liked Tim’s answer precisely because it mirrors my own personal feelings about life, the universe and everything. It encapsulates so much of what makes the Humanist philosophy such a wonderful way to view your place in the grand universe we live in while simultaneously putting to rest the pain of an existential depression. Tim’s answer is as follows, “I think everyone one should be told how awesome they are when throwing off the faith shackles, because it is a tough and sometimes heart breaking thing to do. They should be told that they are part of the cosmic potluck that is everything, which is more amazing than only being part of a very small part of the universe that their faith said they were. We are cousins of stars and siblings of all life and that is pretty damn amazing if you ask me. They should be told that they’re still extremely special because they are unique and smart enough to realize this. That they have the capacity to learn mysteries their faith can’t even imagine and a body that can feel and experience the world around them that can bring more joy than any prayer ever could. And if they don’t believe it they should just try to jump on a trampoline without smiling.”

Lessons learned? Chill out and enjoy yourself!