My Final Conclusion about Science and Religion

[aeroz19]

Don't feel bad, US. The Christian faith is overrated anyway.

Whoa that's a first.

 

[aeroz19]

Congratulations for your conversations with God. To me, they sound as likely as people conversing with aliens through the micro-chip in their head. Why should we view your claim differently?

Yeah, many of the x-Christians here who know they were genuine Christians before just get a chuckle out of this. He has no idea...

Were the courses from Bob Jones?

I am so embarassed to admit this...but...they were ACE...Accelerated Christian Education.

You have a very good story, Aeroz. It can be very difficult when you lose your faith, internally and in your dealings with other people. You may find out that some of your friends will no longer be interested in associating with a godless heathen. Best of luck, and stay strong.

Oh, I had very few friends before, and I dropped them all like a rock when I left the Baptist church and denomination months ago. I debated them a little bit before and during the transition while I was in the process of leaving, but they made it clear that they were unable to use one ounce of their reasoning. Never have I heard or read such poor and inconsistent logic, on this website or anywhere else.

They have since tried to harass me back in (one of them came to my house; I didn't let her in), but I have blocked their email addresses, added them to ignore lists, and refrained from all communication. I decided, at that time, that I needed to move on from anything Baptist. I wasn't great friends with them anyway; I honestly do not miss them.

 

[aeroz19]

As an atheist and evilutionist, I feel like I've done my job.

Do'h! I said too much.

Ha!!!! You didn't have anything to do with it; sorry.

 

[And-U-Say]

I know you think I am lost. I know exactly why you think so, and I know what you are thinking.

Having been a devout xtian for 30+ years, I find this to be a very true statement. I remember exactly what I thought and felt. Exactly what I believed. So its true, we do know their arguements, their thinking, their feelings, their beliefs.

 

[Lucubratus]

If most of the folks on this site would put as much energy into whatever their belief system is as they do trying to defend it, they could CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!!!!!

Actually I think if people put as much energy into their every day life's interaction with all walks of people as they do on this board (in the sense of how much time it takes for some of these posts to be written) THAT would change the world. Keeping religion out of it verbally to everybody and doing something actively in accordance to your faith or moral upringing causes many nicer effects. ( show don't tell, is what I mean)


Aeroz19: Read your beginning post, and that was unfortanate you "grew up" in that YEC stuff and had to go through so much turmoil to get to where you are now. Keep seeking truths of any sort (personal or whatever) come to light when its time for that happen. I don't take that to mean just religion either - people learn and discover things on their own pace, no matter what society, science, or religion tries to cram into our brains.

Be well

 

[aeroz19]

I wasted 19 years of Sundays and a few more Wednesdays (here and there) in church...wow...that comes to, lets see...

(3 hours / sunday) * (365 / 7 sundays per year) * (19 years) = 2,972 hours of my life in church. That would be 1.8% of my total life thus far only counting Sundays.

Never again!!!!! No more!

 

[mikeynov]

I just can't believe some of the stuff I read in here. I mean I really just sit here and shake my head sometimes. How you peple can be so blahze` about God and whether or not He exists... You wanna know if He is real, I just spent 30 minutes speaking to Him, and Him to me. He is with me, now. I have this amazing relationship with Him. And then a few days ago I log onto the "Christian" website and all you people wanna do is debate. Yes, No, Maybe, Is He there, Is He not there, Is He real, do you know Him, creation, evolution, big bang, six days, WHATEVER!!

If most of the folks on this site would put as much energy into whatever their belief system is as they do trying to defend it, they could CHANGE THE WORLD!!!!!!!!

God literally and audibly speaks to you?

 

[Dark_Lite]

I've noted an interesting change in your thought processes as you have. To be honest, I'm not sure if it's a good thing.

And before you think this comment is about being damned to Hell, think again.

 

[mikeynov]

I've noted an interesting change in your thought processes as you have. To be honest, I'm not sure if it's a good thing.

And before you think this comment is about being damned to Hell, think again.

If her thought processes changed from "dogmatic YEC-ist" to inquisitive rationalist, how could that not be a good thing?

 

[Dark_Lite]

If her thought processes changed from "dogmatic YEC-ist" to inquisitive rationalist, how could that not be a good thing?

It's not about that either.

 

[Dark_Lite]

Of course, the observation I've noted may be a slight over-reaction... But I suppose we'll have to see.

 

[aeroz19]

Perhaps you think I have come to hate Christianity. Nope. I think it's irrational now, but I don't hate it. It's a waste of time to attend church and learn dogmas when one can think for one's self. I am not saying that church-goers cannot think for themselves, or that they do not think for themselves. What I am saying is that it's just a waste of time, for the most part, to attend church due to the nature of the services. Once is expected to learn about God through the opinions/teachings of one or a few select people, as though they have special access to God or information that we do not have. It used to be so, but now that we live in the information age and have immediate access to information, there is no point--except to be coerced into one way of thinking without free inquiry.

As I look back on my time spent in church, I can only think of a few times when it benefited me. And none of those times involved learning something from the preacher. In fact, I never learned anything new in church. It was just the same things regurgitated back over and over and over. Once I turned 14 I stopped hearing anything new and began to get bored and frustrated. There was nothing I learned in church that I could not have found out more perfectly on my own. But there was much that I learned outside of church that I could never have learned in it; this includes things learned about religion, Christianity, and the history of the church.

 

[Tomk80]

I know you think I am lost. I know exactly why you think so, and I know what you are thinking.

Cue music from "The Twilight Zone"

 

[Dark_Lite]

Perhaps you think I have come to hate Christianity.

That was the one. Just remember that hatred of one's previous religion (in cases like this) doesn't do too much good for anyone.

 

[USincognito]

Whoa that's a first.

Heh. That said, I think you know where I was coming from with my comments. Maybe it's just me and my age and wisdom that leads me to differentiate between a crisis of faith in general, and a conflict with a particularly (and ironically) soul deadening denomination. Either that or I'm full of atheist you know what.

I wasted 19 years of Sundays and a few more Wednesdays (here and there) in church...wow...that comes to, lets see...

(3 hours / sunday) * (365 / 7 sundays per year) * (19 years) = 2,972 hours of my life in church. That would be 1.8% of my total life thus far only counting Sundays.

Never again!!!!! No more!

Bahahahahahahahahaha!

Two, make that three comments on this. Third one first:

The irony of yesterdays Foxtrot comic as ubernerd Jason tries to become a Regular Joe is absolutely priceless.

The first regards you, your intellect and your future. I'm guessing you don't read Dilbert, but even engineers, especially once they attain management (as I don't doubt you will) spend a lot of time in meetings. Trust me hon, by the time you're 30, you'll wish you could be in church compared to the time you'll spend in meetings, seminars, and "break out" sessions.

Since the second requires a bit of background, I've saved it for last. On an episode of Friends one of the characters discovers that someone has stolen her identity and is using her credit cards to take all sorts of interesting classes and she wishes she was. When she confronts the identity thief, the latter asks if she's seen the supposedly inspiring movie Dead Poets Society with it's tag line "Carpe Deim." In a twist, the identity thief thought the movie was garbage and vowed to never waste two hours of her life again.

The point I'm trying to make is that sometimes, sitting somewhere you don't want to be and realizing you could be somewhere else, is a learning experience on how to avoid such situtations in the future. You won't always be successful and will find yourself watching movies you hate, dates you don't enjoy, seminars you find boring, but each time hones the edge of your discernment that much more to the time isn't truly wasted.

At least that's how I see it...

(Oh, and if you catch this, I'll be on YM tonight around 6-7pm your time).

 

[aeroz19]

Heh. That said, I think you know where I was coming from with my comments. Maybe it's just me and my age and wisdom that leads me to differentiate between a crisis of faith in general, and a conflict with a particularly (and ironically) soul deadening denomination. Either that or I'm full of atheist you know what.



Bahahahahahahahahaha!

Two, make that three comments on this. Third one first:

The irony of yesterdays Foxtrot comic as ubernerd Jason tries to become a Regular Joe is absolutely priceless.

The first regards you, your intellect and your future. I'm guessing you don't read Dilbert, but even engineers, especially once they attain management (as I don't doubt you will) spend a lot of time in meetings. Trust me hon, by the time you're 30, you'll wish you could be in church compared to the time you'll spend in meetings, seminars, and "break out" sessions.

Since the second requires a bit of background, I've saved it for last. On an episode of Friends one of the characters discovers that someone has stolen her identity and is using her credit cards to take all sorts of interesting classes and she wishes she was. When she confronts the identity thief, the latter asks if she's seen the supposedly inspiring movie Dead Poets Society with it's tag line "Carpe Deim." In a twist, the identity thief thought the movie was garbage and vowed to never waste two hours of her life again.

The point I'm trying to make is that sometimes, sitting somewhere you don't want to be and realizing you could be somewhere else, is a learning experience on how to avoid such situtations in the future. You won't always be successful and will find yourself watching movies you hate, dates you don't enjoy, seminars you find boring, but each time hones the edge of your discernment that much more to the time isn't truly wasted.

At least that's how I see it...

That doesn't make me feel any better...lol

(Oh, and if you catch this, I'll be on YM tonight around 6-7pm your time).

Gotchya.

 

[HRE]

aeroz19, you might find it helpful to maintain connections to your church.

I left my church politely, and they are well aware of my theological position. They still, however, contact me when they are in need of an extra volunteer or so forth, and I always oblige them. I feel that it shows that just because I am an atheist, it doesn't mean I'm self-centered or that I hate Christianity. I feel that they do good works, and I am more than happy to participate and help when they need it.

They actually just called and asked me to help them with a skit for VBS next week. Let's see how many minds I can corrupt with five minutes on stage...

Just Kidding! Just Kidding!

 

[maha]

Aeroz19, I just read your story...it was inspirational. I'm glad that there are actually christians who eventually decide to seek out the truth and not just continuing to surround themselves with ignorance (which so many do). This site is a great place for people like that (people like you) to come. That's part of the reason why I am here. Although there are so many people here that can convince others of the truth that my personal involvement in that task seems miniscule. I'm just glad that people like you do eventually yearn for real answers, however.

If you're willing to see the truth, it's pretty easy to find. There are so many resources out there: books, websites, people--that it is nearly impossible to not find the true answers about the origins of humans and the (non)existence of god. I think religion does a good job of preventing people from learning the truth. After all, if they allowed people to see the prevailing reality, then there would be many more folks like you. Also, it takes a certain level of intelligence to a) want to learn more, and b) to actually be able to understand it. Religion preys on the weak and feeble minded. They are susceptible to believing illogical and irrational concepts. That's why christianity is so prevalent in third world countries--people are generally uneducated there. It doesn't mean that you have to be stupid in order to believe in god, but it certainly helps.

Learning about Freethinking is a good way to prevent the spread of religion...as you already know. Hopefully, in years to come, the Freethinkers movement will be even bigger than Christianity--and then people will be able to discover the REAL truth behind things.

 

[Talking Rain]

Hey aeroz,
I just wanted to tell you that I greatly admire the courage required for you to post this here. It was very cool of you to do. I think it is very good fro people to be exposed to this kind of thing. Whether they deconvert or not they will gain a better appreciation and understanding of what nonbelievers think and feel.

Also the courage it took for you to honestly inquire into the truth of your beliefs and face and overcome the struggles involved in such a huge change in worldview. I always enjoy reading such stories and it always improves my opinion of humanity in general.

I deconverted at a very young age, with little struggle and without the deep indoctrination you received.

I wish you well in your future endeavors.

 

[Dark_Lite]

Aeroz19, I just read your story...it was inspirational. I'm glad that there are actually christians who eventually decide to seek out the truth and not just continuing to surround themselves with ignorance (which so many do). This site is a great place for people like that (people like you) to come. That's part of the reason why I am here. Although there are so many people here that can convince others of the truth that my personal involvement in that task seems miniscule. I'm just glad that people like you do eventually yearn for real answers, however.

If you're willing to see the truth, it's pretty easy to find. There are so many resources out there: books, websites, people--that it is nearly impossible to not find the true answers about the origins of humans and the (non)existence of god. I think religion does a good job of preventing people from learning the truth. After all, if they allowed people to see the prevailing reality, then there would be many more folks like you. Also, it takes a certain level of intelligence to a) want to learn more, and b) to actually be able to understand it. Religion preys on the weak and feeble minded. They are susceptible to believing illogical and irrational concepts. That's why christianity is so prevalent in third world countries--people are generally uneducated there. It doesn't mean that you have to be stupid in order to believe in god, but it certainly helps.

Learning about Freethinking is a good way to prevent the spread of religion...as you already know. Hopefully, in years to come, the Freethinkers movement will be even bigger than Christianity--and then people will be able to discover the REAL truth behind things.

Hmmm.

Well that's fun.

I'm weak-minded! YES!

This is what not to become... Militantness is a BAD thing.