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Permalink Reply by Gerry Berard on January 17, 2012 at 9:13pm

I was a devout believer for many years. I watched Zeitgeist and started thinking. :) Then I saw a funny George Carlin video (Religion is Bullshit) and started to realize how silly many of my beliefs were.

The other big factor: All of the suffering and disasters around the world. If there is a god, He is not a loving Father, at best he just doesn't care.

Finally I read Hitchens, Dawkins and Sam Harris: My mind was made up. I'd been duped for 40 years and I'm glad I finally saw the light.

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Permalink Reply by Blake Herrington on January 17, 2012 at 9:18pm

What aspects of Christianity do you find "silly" ?

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Permalink Reply by Dustin on January 17, 2012 at 9:30pm

I think a better way to phrase the question is: 

"What aspects of Christianity do you NOT find to be silly?"

I would have an extremely difficult time answering this question.  The only thing I can think of off the top of my head is a sense of community.  Most Everything else is basically silly.

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Permalink Reply by Blake Herrington on January 17, 2012 at 9:34pm

Please elaborate if you feel so strongly on the matter.

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Permalink Reply by Dustin on January 17, 2012 at 9:41pm

Just because you believe something as 'factual' doesn't mean you 'feel strongly' about it.  

Some people don't argue their points based off how strongly they 'feel', but how rational and justified their position is.   

What you could do is list 10 things that you find to be not silly about Christianity and then I would tell you if I think any are not silly, how about that?  

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Permalink Reply by Dave Mann on January 17, 2012 at 9:17pm

I've been an atheist since the second grade, which is when I first considered whether or not god existed. The only "shifting" I've done is between Marxism and Existentialism. I don't understand why Objectivism gets dismissed so easily by so many Atheists; Objectivist arguements seem strong to me, I disagree with Objectivists but I'm afraid they may be correct.

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Permalink Reply by Blake Herrington on January 17, 2012 at 9:19pm

Would you care to elaborate upon your views?

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Permalink Reply by Dave Mann on January 17, 2012 at 9:50pm

Elaborate? Atheists are concerned with the real world, which inevitably leads to discusions of politics (but not just politics). I suggest you look up:

Marxism: Platypus1917.org, the Socialist International, Democratic Socialist of America, Max Shachtman: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shachtmanism , New Democratic Party of Canada, Euston Manifesto, Martin Glabermann http://marx.org/archive/glaberman/index.htm

Existentialism: Simone de Beauvoir (more important than Sartre IMHO), Jean Paul Sartre

others: Christopher Hitchens, Bertrand Russel, Bernard Sanders ("Independent" Senator for Vermont), Victor Serge, In Defense of Politics by Bernard Crick.

That's all the elaboration I am prepared for today. Get to work and read.

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Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on January 17, 2012 at 10:10pm

My brain wouldn't let me be otherwise!

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Permalink Reply by Ron V on January 17, 2012 at 10:17pm

Inconsistencies in religious dogma, no evidence for god, no need for a god, etc.

It is sad, to me, that people believe and continue to perpetuate these, and similar ideas, once they become adults and can think for themselves.  I "believed" such nonsense because I was force fed this crap my whole life - I am so happy to be free from these ideas that I think are completely delusional in hindsight. 

• The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church I-IV
• Article I—Of Faith in the Holy Trinity

  There is but one living and true God, everlasting, without body or parts, of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness; the maker and preserver of all things, both visible and invisible. And in unity of this Godhead there are three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.

• The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church V-VIII

• Article V—Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation

  The Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary to salvation.

• The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church IX-XV

• Article IX—Of the Justification of Man

  We are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, by faith, and not for our own works or deservings. Wherefore, that we are justified by faith, only, is a most wholesome doctrine, and very full of comfort.

• The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church XVI-XVIII

• Article XVI—Of the Sacraments

  Sacraments ordained of Christ are not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they are certain signs of grace, and God's good will toward us, by which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm, our faith in him.

• The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church XIX-XXIII
• Article XIX—Of Both Kinds

  The cup of the Lord is not to be denied to the lay people; for both the parts of the Lord's Supper, by Christ's ordinance and commandment, ought to be administered to all Christians alike.

• The Articles of Religion of the Methodist Church XXIV-XXV

• Article XXIV—Of Christian Men's Goods

  The riches and goods of Christians are not common as touching the right, title, and possession of the same, as some do falsely boast. Notwithstanding, every man ought, of such things as he possesseth, liberally to give alms to the poor, according to his ability.

• The Confession of Faith of The Evangelical United Brethren Church I-V
• Article I—God

  We believe in the one true, holy and living God, Eternal Spirit, who is Creator, Sovereign and Preserver of all things visible and invisible.

• The Confession of Faith of The Evangelical United Brethren Church V...

• Article VI—The Sacraments

  We believe the Sacraments, ordained by Christ, are symbols and pledges of the Christian's profession and of God's love toward us.

• The Confession of Faith of The Evangelical United Brethren Church I...

• Article IX—Justification and Regeneration

  We believe we are never accounted righteous before God through our works or merit, but that penitent sinners are justified or accounted righteous before God only by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

• The Confession of Faith of The Evangelical United Brethren Church X...

• Article XIII—Public Worship

  We believe divine worship is the duty and privilege of man who, in the presence of God, bows in adoration, humility and dedication.

 

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Permalink Reply by Steve on January 17, 2012 at 10:30pm

My (very mild) childhood indoctrination never took. Thankfully I've never been forced to believe like many children are - particularly in the US as far as Christianity is concerned (those stories are just pure horror). But I've learned the theology and the stories when I was young. I went through the motions, but none of it ever really made sense to me. I could never conceptualize what god is supposed to be. The doctrine of the Trinity certainly didn't help. The holy ghost just turned everything into complete gibberish. So things like praying were pretty absurd. And all the rituals in church were meaningless to me. I only did it because that's what you were expected to do.

I also learned a lot about paleontology and astronomy at an early age. So when being confronted with the idea that god created Earth, I knew even at age 8 or so that it wasn't true. It's only been recently though that I've become more serious about this and really identified as an atheist. Much of that has to do with religion's disgusting involvement in politics and education. Before that I didn't really give it much thought.

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Permalink Reply by Barry Eckert on January 17, 2012 at 11:57pm

The most convincing argument I have ever seen for atheism is a careful reading of the Bible. After that particular indoctrination was torn down, it was a short trip to rejecting all religions.

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