I've considered myself an atheist for a while, for lack of a better term, really. I don't really believe in a creationist god, nor do I really understand people who do. However, there are
lots of things I don't understand, and far be it from me to question the ideas and faith someone else has in something that brings them comfort. As long as your beliefs don't infringe upon my liberties, then by all means celebrate your understanding of this world.
I grew up with a pretty religious upbringing though. Sometimes when I really feel in a bind or lost, I still think about a higher power, and how comforting it would be to put trust in that during those times. It's a feeling I get sometimes, but that's the closest I've been to seeking out a higher power in years. Most of organized religion, from what I've experienced, certainly isn't something I'm interested in; most religious writings I've read are clearly the product of man, not a deity. Just my thoughts.
Why do so many people think the term "atheist" is synonymous with "satanist"?
I don't think too many people truly believe that, do they? Maybe just the willingly misinformed. Being "a-theist" means being "without [a] god," which wouldn't make too much sense considering Satan in this circumstance would
be a
god. Though I've heard modern Satanism is more a way-of-life religion these days than a true theistic religion. I remember reading something about most modern Satanists just following the inverse of the golden rule, "Do unto others what they have done to you." I could just be making all that up though, I honestly have no idea where I got that from anymore. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯