(September 5, 2022 at 4:56 pm)Duty Wrote: At work today I met a man who spent his whole childhood in care and later prison, including for murder. He is in his late sixties and his face and demeanour reflect his tragic and tortured life. He did not have to disclose this information to me but clearly felt he trusted me enough to be honest and open. He wears a crucifix around his neck and today I decided the LAST thing I'd want to do is proverbially "snatch that chain from around his neck" - the thought that he is forgiven for the "sins" of his youth/past and that salvation awaits is likely all that keeps him going. There are doubtless 100s of thousands of others like him in the same boat.
My outspoken atheism/anti-theism is a thing of the past. If anybody asks me from now on, my reply will simply be "I'm an agnostic."
I've never been an anti theist in the sense of simply because they are a theist, it's not the person I don't like it's their wanting to dump their beliefs on me, at which point I object.
My reply (if asked) as always will be 'I'm an atheist'
'Those who ask a lot of questions may seem stupid, but those who don't ask questions stay stupid'
