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Donating = Loving
Bringing you atheist articles and building active godless communities takes hundreds of hours and resources each month. If you find any joy or stimulation at Atheist Republic, please consider becoming a Supporting Member with a recurring monthly donation of your choosing, between a cup of tea and a good dinner.
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Bringing you atheist articles and building active godless communities takes hundreds of hours and resources each month. If you find any joy or stimulation at Atheist Republic, please consider becoming a Supporting Member with a recurring monthly donation of your choosing, between a cup of tea and a good dinner.
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Hi Pitar,
I wish that I had had the fortitude to stand firm on my doubts the way that you describe. My confidence was too fragile and I believed that there was something wrong with me rather than something wrong with my religion.
When people you love and respect believe something so fervently, and give a (seemingly) reasoned argument for their faith... well... at least in my case my own convictions weren't enough. It saddens me. Sometimes enrages me. Indoctrination (even as kind and loving and hippie-ish an indoctrination as I had (except for the hell part)) steals choice from a person. Or at least it makes it very hard to exercise your own choice. Props to you for being able to stand up and call bullshit so early on.
@Algebe, re: Speaking in tongues
Many many years ago my younger brother joined a church (a Pentecostal, I think) that practiced speaking in tongues. I went with him to a meeting there one evening. Don't remember exactly what they were there to discuss, but it ended up in a full-blown "praying session" over some sort of ailment one of the members had. And by "praying session" I mean they all (about 8 or 10 people) clustered together and began shouting and yelling "in tongues". Suffice it to say, I was more than a little uncomfortable at that point. Asked my bro about it on the way home. He explained only certain people can speak, but only if there is another person around to translate, or something like that. (Anybody who knows the actual specifics please feel free to chime in, by the way.) Anyway, as far as why the members do not question the anomalies you mentioned, I'm placing my bet on group psychosis. I'm no expert on the subject by any stretch of the imagine, but I have definitely had to deal with that and related psychological problems over a long and hazardous career. Peer pressure and people wanting so badly to be part of something "meaningful" often tends to block the logic circuits, as we are all well aware.
Glad you like the shows, Dark. And I understand what you mean by being sad about those callers who make their lame (but in their minds sincere) arguments. I've heard some of them that I just want to shake at the shoulders and scream, "WAKE UP! How can you NOT see how ridiculous you sound?" So, yeah, those tend to put a touch of pity in my heart, because I know I was once the same. Still, you have to admit, some of those calls can be quite humorous. *chuckle*
My younger brother I spoke of earlier... He is slowly dying of lung and heart problems as a result of his military deployment to Iraq several years ago. (He is waiting to be put on a list for a lung transplant, to be exact. Honestly, I will be amazed if he is still around this time next year.) Anyway, he is 110% Christian faith and even conducts live Facebook testimonials regularly whenever he has the strenght to talk enough. Despite my views and beliefs, he and I are still close, oddly enough. Still, there is always a heaviness in my heart when he praises God for his condition and acts as though his illness is one of the best things to ever happen to him. Sorta pictures himself as something of a modern-day Job. I get so frustrated and angry it just makes me want to scream sometimes. But he is my baby brother, so I do my best not to let him see that from me.
Now, here's the thing.... My brother is a highly intelligent dude, and a fantastic out-going guy. Never meets a stranger, and he is happy to chat with anybody of any faith about any topic, and he does so without any judgement toward the other person. I've seen him do it. It's amazing. And interestingly enough, he is also a very logical thinker. AND practical. So, yeah, his cling to faith in the bible truly does baffle me at times.
So, yeah, I feel your pain, Dark. The way I see it, though, we sometimes just have to accept the ones we love for who they are. I love my little brother, and I always will. Doesn't matter to me what he believes. Willing to bet you feel the same for your parents. Sometimes life is tough, my brother. It is our attitude toward it and how we handle it that makes the difference, though.
Apost, you da man!
Well, thank you tin man.
De nada, Apost. It's always good to hear reasoned advice on here. And I do believe our Dark friend can use all he can get right now. I know I can definitely relate to his guilt, doubts, and frustrations. All the support really helps.
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