Awesome. Sums up and encapsulates so much.
I never saw how the concept of no belief is seen by the religious as despair inducing. We have but one life to live. The improbability of our very existence is astounding. The elemenents that had to be put in place for us to have been born are insane. That chance encounter between your great great great great great grandarents. That soldier who died in The Great War would have married your great great grandmother instead and you'd never have been. Etc, etc.
There's enough wonder and amazement in this world without looking for a fantasy aspect. The real is more intriguing and awesome, in the true sense of the word, IMO.
When I look up to the sky I'm not dreaming up some fantasy heaven, I'm looking at the actual sky and imagining beyond that into space; realising how small we are and how lucky I am to even exist, and how lucky I am to exist as an atheist trans individual at this time of better acceptance. Sure, maybe a little later would have been good given advancements in acceptance but at least not earlier!
I can live life how I choose. I can do what needs done to satisfy my needs as a trans individual. I can not believe in mythology without fear of persecution. I can be my own man.
That buzz people seem to get from religious belief, I get it in cartoons like this that make you think, and, honestly, in scientific advancement. Space exploration especially. You don't need unfounded belief to get that buzz. If only more people knew that.
