Common sense vs Faith

I have a lot on my mind right now. My lecturer Gary, for media criticism has brought up some points that question my way of life.

I've always adhered to the notion 'I can do what ever I want'. As long as I put in as much effort as I can, nothing is beyond my reach. This is my belief and ideology. I am also an Atheist... or lately have become an Atheist... I do not believe in God... I do not believe in Satan and I do not believe in souls. Gary's arguement is that people with such beliefs should be incapable of feeling compassion for others. That they are purely selfish and and self indulgent.

I believe in free will as well as the ability to do what you want. There is always a choice. There is the correct choice and there is the wrong choice. The consequence of and action will always play a part in your decision making. Logic dictates what actions you choose to do or ignore.

This does not necessarilly limit the idea of 'I can do what ever I want', rather it provides you options you can choose from. You can choose to turn up to class naked and pay the price of being expelled and perhaps even jailed. Or you can choose to go to class clothed. Logic and my way of life dictates that I choose to go to class with clothes on. It is a conscious choice I make. It does not limit the arguement that I am capable of doing what ever I want to do. Nonsensical choices are always available. Logically in my way of life and ideology I would choose the logical choices.

His other arguement is that a person who doesn't believe in a soul should not feel compassionate towards others in society. To an extent, I am not compassionate. I firmly believe that each person works for his own benefits and push themselves to their limits. On the other hand, souless as I am, I also believe in the fact that certain people do deserve your help. It is a simple case of you scratch my back I scratch your back. Your family brought you up and care for you. You friends stick by you when you are down. Well mostly any way. Those who have been compassionate to you logically deserve compassion in return. It has nothing to do with a soul.

Also, compasion doesn't necessary come from the soul. We have mind and are capable of emotions. The human mind is a complex thing. There is no proof that what we feel comes from the soul. Therefore compassion among the souless is not a thing that definitely doesn't exist.

Compassion for strangers is not that impossible a thing either. Again the mind plays a role in this. You merely place yourself in their situation and feel sorry for them. What does the soul have to do with symphathy for those down in their luck.

Compassion is an emotion that everyone feels to an extent. A soul has nothing to do with it.

People can do what they want. Within limits of logic. It is not an impossible way of life. Nor is it a more difficult life than blind faith in a entity that there is no proof exists. Perhaps it requires you to be stronger. Religion is not a crutch you can lean on. Nonetheless it doesn't change a persons path in life. There will be ups and downs. As you face problems, you grow stronger emotionally. Blind faith doesn't do this for you. It makes you look for divine intervention which more than often doesn't occur.

I believe in fate. Making your own fate. Making your own decisions. All governed by logic and your own principles. Souless or not, I do not do things that I perceive is wrong. I do not harm people intentionally. And I do not make stupid choices.