Prominent Athiest Blogger converts to Christianity

[Tater]

I was raised Roman Catholic, was an altar boy (no, i was never touched or abused), went through all of the RC things: CCD, Confirmation and the rest. Through my own studies that started in 7th or 8th grade, thanks to an awesome social studies teacher, I began to see that the idea of organized religion was just a sham. Man from the very beginning has always used the idea of a god or gods to explain what they couldn't. Same idea as using a boogey man to scare children into doing right. If you dont act good God will damn you.



Religion/faith to me isnt about the number of times you pray, or the number of times you go to church, synagoge or a mosque, it's about the life you live. Because you are the only ****** standing there in front of whatever god you believe in explaining to it why you think you should get into heaven, valhalla or wherever the **** it is.

Ditto here BHC minus the alter boy part. Totally agree with the bolded.

 

[winos5]

Wow, a religion thread, 4-5 days old, 2 pages of thoughtful discussion without devolving into name calling and insults. What the **** is wrong with IHN



Seriously though, I've waivered back and forth between faith and a lack there of. I've always thought the draw of religion/church for most people was the social experieince and networking and had little or nothing to do with actual faith. I've seen little to change my mind regarding that over the years.



Anyway, just posted this because it approaches the subject from a perspective we don't see in the news often.

 

[roshinaya]

Was never a believer. Was baptized as is custom, did the whole confirmation summer camp thing, because you get presents and all the friends went there too, never bought into the stuff that was talked about there. Parents aren't of the religious kind and we've never went to church during holidays either so this religious thing was pretty foreign to me. Resigned from the church a couple of years ago, been meaning to do so for some time but never got round to it before then even if it was simply to fill out a form online. Consider myself an agnostic atheist and think that all conflicts based on religious dogma is just dumb and would hope that we as a human race could get over it already. Believe whatever you want as long as you keep it to yourself and don't hurt others because of it.

 

[IceHogsFan]

Ever notice the lack of commentary from those who do have a religious faith in these threads?

 

[supraman]

You are all retards (happy wino).

 

[roshinaya]

Ever notice the lack of commentary from those who do have a religious faith in these threads?

Is this again one of your posts where you are trying to put yourself above everyone else? If not, then I don't know what you are trying to say.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Actually, as a believer I fully understand the difference. I don't have any factual data to back up why I believe. That is why I have Faith, not Fact. I am also not insulted by those who do not believe, for whatever reason. I'm more of a "you do what is right for you" kinda guy.

Fair enough.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

Ever notice the lack of commentary from those who do have a religious faith in these threads?

1. What's your point?

2. I read a couple of posts within this thread from those that have faith.



Would you like this thread to hit the side of a mountain to appease you?



It is quite possible to engage this subject without feathers getting ruffled.



[font='Helvetica Neue', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]

Anyway, just posted this because it approaches the subject from a perspective we don't see in the news often.

I never heard of that blogger featured in the article you cited in the OP.

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[winos5]

1. What's your point?

2. I read a couple of posts within this thread from those that have faith.



Would you like this thread to hit the side of a mountain to appease you?



It is quite possible to engage this subject without feathers getting ruffled.









[font=Helvetica Neue', Arial, Verdana, sans-serif][background=rgb(255, 255, 255)]I never heard of that blogger featured in the article you cited in the OP.[/background][/font]

Neither had I, CNN claims she was a "prominent atheist blogger", what ever that means. I wonder if she she had to register or got membership benefits. The story is still on the home page, so it must be generating some interest.

 

[jakobeast]

I don't follow a particular religion, and for the most part, the reasons above are why.



I don't mind others who have faith. If that is what gets you through, or you feel you owe it, then you do your thing. I am glad you have a thing that gets you through. The problem arises when you try to make me believe what you do. I don't proselytize to you about what my beliefs are, and i wouldn't expect you to do that either.



I love talking religion with the faithful and faithless. To hear different reasons why they do what they do, you hear great ideas and reasons. You also hear some of the most amazing bullshit as to belief systems, on both sides.

 

[TSD]

And even then if Dawkins were to convert, it doesn't really mean that much, at least not to me. Atheism, at least I guess what could be called "stronger" atheism, I've always found to be flawed in the same kind of way religion is. Too much of a closed book, limited set of beliefs. That you know for sure either way. I used to always go back and forth about religion and god, until I finally realized I was asking myself the wrong questions and looking for proof of things I'll never know, or at least we don't yet know, exist or not.



So it came down to this (I was a Christian): knowing all you know now, if that god is indeed real, would you worship him? And the answer was no. And it was the easiest thing. No more doubt, no more internal struggle over whether or not he's real or not, that no longer even mattered. For all the reasons and arguments I had used to believe that there was no god, that's it was simply a man made myth, there's no way a higher being would do things like that, it made the answer to the question that if somehow it was indeed all true, why would I love or respect or pray or ask for forgiveness of all things to that god all the more easier. I wouldn't. Take the question of existence out of it. It's existence wouldn't change my feelings over it, in fact it probably would only make them stronger.

Thats kind of the way I think. I don't think evidence supports God, on the same token, if God is real, He or she sucks, and isnt worthy of my praise anyway, so problem solved. Christianity at least in my opinion is no different than someone holding a Gun to your head to get you to act they way they want you to.



There are many things that warrant punishment, that I actually agree with because they involve harming other people (stealing, murder etc). The things that get you "damned to hell" that don't hurt anyone (including yourself) are the things I can't wrap my head around getting you a one way ticket to eternal torment it seems so damn petty, like a child is running the universe.

 

[LordKOTL]

Actually, as a believer I fully understand the difference. I don't have any factual data to back up why I believe. That is why I have Faith, not Fact. I am also not insulted by those who do not believe, for whatever reason. I'm more of a "you do what is right for you" kinda guy.

As cool and correct as this statement is, the isue goes tits-up whem people pass of faith as fact.



Faith is faith and it's personal; there's nothing wrong with it--it's like the way you wipe your ass. No one really cares how you do it, and how someone else does it doesn't matter as long as they completely polish the quiot.

 

[IceHogsFan]

1. What's your point?

2. I read a couple of posts within this thread from those that have faith.



Would you like this thread to hit the side of a mountain to appease you?



It is quite possible to engage this subject without feathers getting ruffled.

My point is that is exactly what I stated. You will not find much discussion from those who do have a religious faith on IHN.



As far as engaging in without ruffled feathers (nice pun BTW) that is not true. I have yet to see a religious discussion on this board that does not belittle those who do have a faith in God. It may not be a direct comment by name but it is there. I often see these threads becoming a way for those who atheist or agnostic to have a group hug. In other words you will have for the most part those that agree with each other while the rest choose not to engage.



I have never singled anyone out in this thread so for someone to say I think I am above others is pretty pathetic. I just have a difference of opinion.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

My point is that is exactly what I stated. You will not find much discussion from those who do have a religious faith on IHN.



As far as engaging in without ruffled feathers (nice pun BTW) that is not true. I have yet to see a religious discussion on this board that does not belittle those who do have a faith in God. It may not be a direct comment by name but it is there. I often see these threads becoming a way for those who atheist or agnostic to have a group hug. In other words you will have for the most part those that agree with each other while the rest choose not to engage.



I have never singled anyone out in this thread so for someone to say I think I am above others is pretty pathetic. I just have a difference of opinion.

I feel that this thread is about one person's non-faith, as mentioned in the article by Wino.

As far as a group hug, many threads can fall into that category. I for one don't need a group of non-believers to brighten my day by supporting a particular view I have concerning the absence of faith.



There are many ways I can view the woman that we're discussing:

1. She can believe what she wants, and if that's her feelings-- so be it

2. She's crazy and delusional

3. What revelation suddenly changed her stance? Was she blogging while she was making this decision?



If she finds the "correct" truths in Catholicism, I would hope that she continues to blog and support her views from that side of the fence. She'll have detractors, but it's one sect out of many faiths that she is deciding to be a part of.



I'm always curious to ask people why they believe what they do when it comes to religion-- and it's not in a condescending snarky way-- I'm truly interested. You never get the same answer twice. I would live to make a film about the broad subject, and remove the Bill Maher aspect from it.

 

[BigPete]

I've always thought the draw of religion/church for most people was the social experience and networking and had little or nothing to do with actual faith. I've seen little to change my mind regarding that over the years.

I think that holds true in a lot of rural areas and definitely in the south. In Chicago and a lot of northern cities church attendance was a family matter but more so an obligation. It was not an opportunity to visit with people, it was something that you had to do if you expected things from that deity. That is not my biggest reason for choosing not to have faith in a deity, but it ranks pretty high. If 'He' is truly benevolent then he wouldn't expect obedience and servitude in exchange for 'His' graces. That is too often how the obligation to attend and give back is couched, most certainly in the Catholic faith anyways.

These are my opinions of organized religion, take them with a grain of salt.

 

[BigPete]

I love talking religion with the faithful and faithless. To hear different reasons why they do what they do, you hear great ideas and reasons. You also hear some of the most amazing bullshit as to belief systems, on both sides.

I would love if more people could do this openly and honestly. Too many people think you are going to use their words against them or try to convert you into a non-believer. I just want a better understanding of why people choose to believe what they believe or how they could have faith in something they can't see, feel, smell, or taste...or why they even need that faith in the first place. It would be nice if some people took responsibility for their actions and didn't try to put it all on something else, but that is a whole other part of the human condition that is unfortunate to me.

 

[LordKOTL]

I think that holds true in a lot of rural areas and definitely in the south. In Chicago and a lot of northern cities church attendance was a family matter but more so an obligation. It was not an opportunity to visit with people, it was something that you had to do if you expected things from that deity. That is not my biggest reason for choosing not to have faith in a deity, but it ranks pretty high. If 'He' is truly benevolent then he wouldn't expect obedience and servitude in exchange for 'His' graces. That is too often how the obligation to attend and give back is couched, most certainly in the Catholic faith anyways.

These are my opinions of organized religion, take them with a grain of salt.

I think it's multifaceted. On one hand there is that social aspect and solidarity aspect to religious services. There's also the public appearance aspect to it (even though in recent years people as a rule care far less about what others think of them).



I think ultimately it is a "walk a mile in your shoes" sort of thing; it's all perception. There are things in life (good, bad, and neutral) that you can't explain through fact or logic that have to be taken on some faith in how you think the universe operates. Whether that be based upon as yet unproven science (which may be proven wrong), or a deity of some sort, it's only relevant to you, not to anyone else.

 

[BlackHawkPaul]

I would love if more people could do this openly and honestly. Too many people think you are going to use their words against them or try to convert you into a non-believer. I just want a better understanding of why people choose to believe what they believe or how they could have faith in something they can't see, feel, smell, or taste...or why they even need that faith in the first place. It would be nice if some people took responsibility for their actions and didn't try to put it all on something else, but that is a whole other part of the human condition that is unfortunate to me.

This is a conversation that requires a 6 pack of good beer, fine meats and baked potatoes.

 

[roshinaya]

Personally I believe religions and belief in the supernatural is a side-product of evolution and the human ability to think in abstractions, need to find causal links and patterns and the tendency to anthropomorphize nature and the surrounding world. Later on this tendency turned out to be a good way to control populations and create power structures. It's a pretty reductionist view, but the whole phenomenon of religion and superstition has caused a wealth of interesting things that we'll probably never figure out when we come down to the nitty gritty of it all.

 

[BigPete]

This is a conversation that requires a 6 pack of good beer, fine meats and baked potatoes.

I'll bring the meat!