Atheism at last

Thank heavens we finally talked about atheism! In a class about religion, many people take it for granted that atheism need not be discussed. After all, many see it as religion's antithesis- the absence of God must mean an absence of religion. And don’t all atheists proudly and adamantly declare themselves religion free? There are so many misconceptions about atheism, that it is often completely excluded from the realm of belief. I'm hoping with this blog, not necessarily to explore what atheism is, because that is different for everyone, but to solidify what I believe it is not.
Atheism is not something you believe because you are afraid of to believe in God or because you don’t have the faith to believe in a God. Atheism is not a fall back or an act of cowardice. Atheism, like every religion, requires strength of conviction, faith and inner reflection. It isn't easy to believe we're alone in this universe, that there is no loving entity watching out for us all. It isn't easy, when faced with troublesome times, to have to rely on your own strength and the love of friends and family. And it isn't easy having to believe that some things happen without a purpose and without an explanation- that sometimes things just happen for absolutely no reason. None of that is easy. But as an atheist I face those difficulties because my beliefs require them. Every religion comes with its corresponding trials and tribulations, but people pull through them because they are dedicated to their beliefs, and find the fulfillment that provides to overcome the discomfort they may feel.
Also, the idea that atheists don’t believe in a god because they want to escape moral judgment is, to me, completely false. If I wanted to be immoral, I could do it just as easily as a Christian as I could an atheist, because whichever belief I subscribe to, I will have the same sense of guilt knowing I'm doing wrong. Atheists are just as moral as anyone else, but we have to monitor ourselves. Our motivation to behave morally must come from an inner desire to behave, not a fear of punishment from God. For example, in many small shops on College Ave, there are signs saying "these dressing rooms are monitored by God" or something along those line. Clearly, they are reminding people to behave morally by invoking the guilt associated with disobeying the bible. The same approach is used in court (so help me God) etc. As an atheist, I don’t have this omnipresent reminder to behave, with role models, stories, punishments and reward all laid out for me. I have to rely on my own strength of will.
It is not true that atheists have no metaphysical beliefs or that they only believe in proven scientific facts. While I don’t see the world as created by or controlled by a god, my entire creation story and my ideas on how the world continues to function is based on blind faith. Almost none of the theories I support are or ever can be proven, and most of them are just as awe-inspiring, beautiful and utterly impossible to ever fully comprehend as is an idea of a god. For example, the idea of other dimensions or string theory. Both are possible and could help explain the world as we see it, but they are so wonderfully complex that I can sit for hours just trying to wrap my mind around them and finish with no more certainty of their truth, but feeling as if the world is a more beautiful place and that I am more fulfilled for attempting to understand it. For me, thinking about the universe and the very fact that I will never fully understand it is like meditation, prayer and study all in one.
Atheism is not an escape from belief, but an alternative one. I find my religious satisfaction in observing and contemplating the world I see around me and the world I can imagine instead of a world of God. I suppose you could say that the world is my God, and my morals and metaphysical needs are fulfilled by exploring it.