Here's the thing: One of the biggest questions I see leveled at Atheists is, "Why do you people always act like you're so damned intelligent?" This inquiry is usually shouted, typed in all caps, or in some other way inflected with sarcasm and disdain. The fact is, intelligence is a measurement of ones understanding and synthesis of known facts. The short answer, therefore, is "because we are." Call it arrogant all you want, but when you bleed all the humanity out of it, the truth of the matter is that if I know and understand something that is scientifically provable, and is backed up by a wealth of evidence, and you either don't, or intentionally deny it, then from a definitive angle, I'm more intelligent. Sure, it sounds pompous, but it's true.
It astonished me that in every other area, if someone believes and is adamant about something that has no basis in fact, they are clinically insane, but with religion, it's acceptable. If you insist that the sky is a polka dotted blanket, you're clearly a nutjob. If you go around trying to convince people that your imaginary friend not only bore the weight of the all the sins of humanity on his shoulders, but simultaneously absolved the world of them, yet demands unquestioning fealty in exchange for his unconditional love or he'll throw you into a fiery septic tank for all of eternity... well, that's okay, you're perfectly normal. You're just expressing your religion. Okay, fine.
Why? Why is this okay? Why is it arrogant to think about what you read? Why is it evil to question? Why is it wrong to demand proof? The world in which we live is profound and awesome in the truest sense of the word. Why is curiosity shunned? Why is it okay for people to blindly shuffle through life assuming an invisible sky wizard made everything from dust, rather than celebrate the amazing and elegant triumph that is humanity?
When you go through this infinitesimally short time period called life, and don't stop to wonder at anything because "god musta done it," and you don't bother thinking about the incredible intricacies of life because it's "his will," you become complacent. You stagnate, and when you operate under the assumption that everything is taken care of for you, in addition to walking around with a sense of entitlement, you slough off accountability. That is truly arrogant, and that is why, while I respect your constitutional right to have and express your religion, I do not, nor am I required to respect the religion itself anymore than I am obligated to revere the ramblings of schizophrenic and hold them as gospel.
