(May 7, 2014 at 12:12 pm)DeistPaladin Wrote:(May 7, 2014 at 6:31 am)Hoopington Wrote: Hi there, Andy here, you may refer to me as Hoopington, Hoopy or Hoopmeister, whichever you prefer.
I've been reading the boards for a while now, found them really informative and, rather than sitting on the sidelines and being the voyeur, thought 'd join up and contribute.
A little about me, English, mid-30's, devastatingly handsome and an unashamed Dawkins/Hitchens fan. I grew up CofE, went to church whilst at School, believed as a kid, but it was never forced on me. Early to mid teens was the period when I first started to question what I'd been told. I attended an "Alpha-Course" on the recommendation of a Christian friend who wanted to save my soul. I was in my early 20's and, far from the course converting me, it merely served to cement my scepticism and from then on my "belief" was Atheist on any form I had to fill out.
Thanks for reading, I look forward to infuriating and amusing you all.
Welcome. Apologetics is pretty weak stuff, isn't it? It never, to the best of my knowledge, convinces an atheist and is only designed to keep the wavering Christian in the fold. Eventually, as in your case, it often fails at that.
Congratulations on breaking free. As one who was never indoctrinated, raised by atheist parents, I have tremendous respect for ex-Christians. Breaking that early indoctrination can't be easy.
Why thank you Mr Paladin, but I fear you're overstating my "indoctrination." Like I said, it was never forced on me at all, father is a lapsed Catholic and mother is a Northern Irish protestant married in secret in the 70's amid the troubles, so religion was pretty absent, aside from the odd carol service.
