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Ex Catholic
#1
Ex Catholic
Greetings All!

Glad I have stumbled across this forum! Thought I might share my story with you.

I was brought up in an Irish Catholic household with a devout father and grandparents. I went to catholic school, and believed whole heartedly in what I was taught (brainwashed!). My first inklings that I didn't fit into this lifestyle came about after my aunt committed suicide - I was about 9 at the time. I simply could not believe that the person who I loved and who was always very kind to me was going to hell, and could not be saved. Either way, I continued to say my prayers and go to church for the next few years, however, as my critical thinking and logic began to grow I became more and more skeptical. When I was about 13 and ready to make my confirmation, there were several tenets of catholicism that I couldn't rectify in my head:

1) An all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving god, omnipotent and omniscient. This is not supported by any reality. Why would an all-powerful, all-loving god allow his "children" to suffer horrid circumstances such as those found in third world countries - what about the holocaust - the crusade, etc? In addition one only has to read the bible to know that Abraham's god was jealous, vengeful, and intolerant of others.

2) Original Sin - Just....what?

3) The continuous denial of logic and science throughout history on everything from evolution to the age of the cosmos. Each position the catholic church (and all the other theistic religions) has taken throughout history is simply to defend their ancient belief system and perpetuate a myth.

4) Circular logic - god exists because the bible says so, god wrote the bible, so therefore the bible is the word of god. I can't do it, the wool won't pull down over my eyes that far!

Either way, my agnostic atheism has simply grown since then to my realisation that organised religion is like a cancer on the world. I find myself wondering what position the world would be in if we instead focused time, energy and money on the betterment of our species, our earth, and the continued exploration of nature and science - we have so much still to learn! Of course this has created some friction between myself and more religious members of my family, but I can't simply ignore logic and reason just to trick myself into believing in an eternal afterlife and being part of a group. Anyway, thanks for reading my (somewhat long) story, hope I can contribute here and glad I have found this site.
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#2
RE: Ex Catholic
Welcome From Portugal. Enjoy the forum.

Ex cathoholic here too, I started asking too many questions after my first communion, fought with myself for what it is an untenable belief. Eventually came to accept that there isn't any reason to believe there are gods, the definition of the word itself is sketchy.
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#3
RE: Ex Catholic
Welcome jmc. Thanks for sharing your story Smile
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#4
RE: Ex Catholic
Welcome
"The Universe is run by the complex interweaving of three elements: energy, matter, and enlightened self-interest." G'Kar-B5
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#5
RE: Ex Catholic
Welcome fellow ex-catholic. That's a great club to be out of!
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#6
RE: Ex Catholic
Hello. Hope you enjoy the forum.
Badger Badger Badger Badger Where are the snake and mushroom smilies?
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#7
RE: Ex Catholic
Welcome aboard!

(don't eat the cookies)
I'm a bitch, I'm a lover
I'm a goddess, I'm a mother
I'm a sinner, I'm a saint
I do not feel ashamed
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#8
RE: Ex Catholic
Matt nails it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-8kRvPeYRo

Welcome
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#9
RE: Ex Catholic
(June 16, 2014 at 3:39 am)jmccool80 Wrote: I find myself wondering what position the world would be in if we instead focused time, energy and money on the betterment of our species, our earth, and the continued exploration of nature and science - we have so much still to learn!

Real love for our fellow human beings would help a lot. Welcome to the forum.
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#10
RE: Ex Catholic
(June 17, 2014 at 1:05 am)Lek Wrote:
(June 16, 2014 at 3:39 am)jmccool80 Wrote: I find myself wondering what position the world would be in if we instead focused time, energy and money on the betterment of our species, our earth, and the continued exploration of nature and science - we have so much still to learn!

Real love for our fellow human beings would help a lot. Welcome to the forum.

Lek is right for a change.
Mind you jmccool, REAL love, not that phony conditional shit that his god offers.

Welcome to our little corner of the world wide web. Make yourself at home sir!
[Image: Evolution.png]

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