tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post3367905391573275357..comments2023-04-29T08:43:21.426-07:00Comments on freetothink: Atheism Won't Heal YouUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post-78692561990976771112011-07-25T00:39:49.532-07:002011-07-25T00:39:49.532-07:00I wouldn't consider myself an atheist, though ...I wouldn't consider myself an atheist, though I often question the validity of God and other such matters on a regular basis. It's very difficult to trust when you have been lied to on various occasions by other people.Violethttp://mostly-violet.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post-78560339354639992832011-07-23T09:39:14.999-07:002011-07-23T09:39:14.999-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Deb Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05924884316858785359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post-61783490125441187042011-07-23T09:39:08.450-07:002011-07-23T09:39:08.450-07:00Cindy, thank you for validating my point. And tel...Cindy, thank you for validating my point. And tell us, too, how involved you have been in seeing this type of occurence in the IFB circles. Post your blog here, too. I know you have a story to tell in which you may have experienced yourself that would shed some light on this subject. I would love to host your post here on my blog. Let me know if you would like to contribute. Thanks for stopping by, Cindy. You don't know what it means to have validation in this area.Deb Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05924884316858785359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post-73662100530049866572011-07-22T15:39:36.259-07:002011-07-22T15:39:36.259-07:00"I truly believe that many atheists throw off..."I truly believe that many atheists throw off anything God or Jesus because they have been invloved in some seriously tainted versions of who God and Jesus really are."<br /><br />I absolutely agree. Not perhaps the people like LJS who commented above, but many of those who have turned to atheism after being severely wounded by religion.<br /><br />And since I do believe in God, I believe those who have abused these injured ones will have to answer to Him someday for their misguided and and damaging actions.Cindy Swansonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14090693362997103412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post-38861252243705762182011-07-13T22:24:00.954-07:002011-07-13T22:24:00.954-07:00Thank you Deb. I am struggling through some really...Thank you Deb. I am struggling through some really tough questions raised by patriocentricity [and by the Bible] and it was good to hear this. I don't think I could ever believe that God doesn't exist, or isn't good, but there are just some things that don't sit right with me [ie, commanded Old Testament genocide, the laws governing rape, etc]. It's a very scary place to be, sometimes, when I think that I am actually doubting the infallibility of the Bible.Bethanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14791763524324073873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post-87059334603799776572011-07-13T16:42:42.988-07:002011-07-13T16:42:42.988-07:00:)
Thank you for your acceptance.
For what it&...:) <br /><br />Thank you for your acceptance. <br /><br />For what it's worth (now that I understand that you had a specific sub-set targeted), I do think your target audience could benefit greatly from finding out there are people like you who recognize what drove them away in the first place. The few people I've met in that mind-set could stand to have their anger eased by people like you. If only there were more of you around.LJShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12129638979474830050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post-5791253077136479732011-07-13T16:28:28.135-07:002011-07-13T16:28:28.135-07:00I hear you loud and clear, LJS. You have made you...I hear you loud and clear, LJS. You have made your particular stance very clear and yes, I still don't agree, but you surely are freetochoose what you believe or what you don't because you are freetothink. I guess I should have clarified that I surely don't believe that all atheists form their views only from being spurned or burned in an ultra-religious or "Christian", spiritually abusive environment. I was speaking more to those who have become atheists as a direct result of being thrown into these environments or raised in them. LJS, I have no doubt that you are what you say you are, a morally conscientious person, leading what you perceive to be a completely fulfilled life. I personally would feel amiss dismissing the one who I believe made me. I do believe all mankind are sinners in need of remission of their own sin. I believe for myself that Jesus offers the ability through His Spirit to attain a morality that I may not obtain on my own, a guidance not previously afforded me in and of myself, a comfort to me when noone can comfort me and a friend when I feel a soul is nowhere to be seen for me. But yes, we may choose to agree to disagree, and your comments are always welcome here and were very insightful. Thanks for stopping by, LJS.Deb Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05924884316858785359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post-2691348504713202602011-07-13T16:03:06.576-07:002011-07-13T16:03:06.576-07:00I think you may have atheism all wrong. I don'...I think you may have atheism all wrong. I don't feel cheated in any way or wronged in any way. I don't feel lied to or like punishment is all Christianity has to offer. I'm not angry at religious people or at religion in general (my best friend is vehemently Christian), but I do often see this line of explanation. It seems to be a common mischaracterization of atheists used often to attempt to find common ground. (Not to imply that we don't have any. I think most of our common ground can be found in general moral principles.) As a philosopher, I've studied religion and metaphysics extensively, and I don't feel I have any misconceptions about who God and Jesus really are. It is my understanding that they really are often-but-not-always admirable characters who exist in a book. (And please don't take offense to that. Some of the people I respect the most are fictional.) <br /><br />I simply do not believe any of the supernatural phenomena associated with religion. I do not believe in a creator, savior, or "higher power" of any kind. It just isn't something I find plausible. I don't outright reject the importance of (most of) the moral code put forth by Christianity; there just is nothing in me that believes the story itself is factual in nature.<br /><br />Most importantly, what prompted me to post a reply at all is the notion that something can or cannot "save" or "heal" me. From what? What I'd really like people to recognize is that I'm not in need of rescue or repair from anything simply because I don't believe in a god. I'm not suffering. I'm not unhappy. I'm not missing anything. I'm not a bad person (unfortunately, another common misconception of atheists). <br /><br />Please don't feel sorry for me. I'm no more pitiful than any other random stranger. Can't we just agree to disagree?LJShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12129638979474830050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post-26452966186506742972011-07-13T15:34:46.940-07:002011-07-13T15:34:46.940-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.LJShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12129638979474830050noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1802474194961847860.post-26738732220286615852011-07-13T05:13:06.785-07:002011-07-13T05:13:06.785-07:00I hear ya. I don't blame the atheists either b...I hear ya. I don't blame the atheists either but true freedom is only in Christ. For some reason, no matter how many things about Christianity I question I always come back to this fact: God is good.Beckyhttp://www.createdtobehis.comnoreply@blogger.com