Why do you hate God?

[Brian37]

As long as there are evolution deniers, it is relevant. As long as there are people who want to use law to control the bodies of females, it is relevant. As long as humans are willing to kill in the name of their god, it is relevant.

And we are not talking about historians. Historians don't get political, right wing religious leaders DO. 

And read your own words "modern historians". 

BACK when the first books were written, the INTENT of the writers was to draw the reader in to gain more club members. That was the intent back then, and it is still the intent today.

The two statements you made about literal interpretations are not true. 

But I understand that you feel strongly about this and don't worry too much about truth.

TRUTH

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN THE BULLSHIT FANTASTIC CLAIMS, REGARDLESS OF THE WRITERS INTENT.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO INJECT RELIGION INTO LAW BASED ON WHAT THEY READ IN HOLY WRITINGS

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO KILL OVER THE WORDS IN HOLY BOOKS.

Nobody is talking about neutral academics accept you.

Are there neutral historians? YES.

But that does not change the intent of holy books. The intent of a holy book is to draw the reader in, it is a sales manual, an advertisement.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

The two statements you made about literal interpretations are not true. 

But I understand that you feel strongly about this and don't worry too much about truth.

TRUTH

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN THE BULLSHIT FANTASTIC CLAIMS, REGARDLESS OF THE WRITERS INTENT.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO INJECT RELIGION INTO LAW BASED ON WHAT THEY READ IN HOLY WRITINGS

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO KILL OVER THE WORDS IN HOLY BOOKS.

Nobody is talking about neutral academics accept you.

Are there neutral historians? YES.

But that does not change the intent of holy books. The intent of a holy book is to draw the reader in, it is a sales manual, an advertisement.

There's a key near your left hand that reads 'Caps Lock'. Give it a wee poke, there's a good lad.

Boru

[Belacqua]

TRUTH

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN THE BULLSHIT FANTASTIC CLAIMS, REGARDLESS OF THE WRITERS INTENT.

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO INJECT RELIGION INTO LAW BASED ON WHAT THEY READ IN HOLY WRITINGS

THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE WILLING TO KILL OVER THE WORDS IN HOLY BOOKS.

Nobody is talking about neutral academics accept you.

Are there neutral historians? YES.

But that does not change the intent of holy books. The intent of a holy book is to draw the reader in, it is a sales manual, an advertisement.

I understand your feelings.

[Mister Agenda]

Thank you for sharing your story Mister Agenda. I have a question if I may. How does your family feel about you being an atheist? Do they know now and if so do you still have a relationship with them?

You are welcome. My family is aware, although I didn't bring it up, I never lied about it, so eventually it got around. My mother and stepfather had already passed before it got to their side. Her sister and nieces and nephews know but don't mention it, I think they're all Assembly of God. On my dad's side I'm a popular topic of conversation, I think my preacher uncle is aiming to convert me at the next family reunion. My dad thinks I'll be part of the Tribulation Force when the antichrist comes because I was properly baptized and will be able to discern the probably gay Catholic so-and-so for what he is.

Frankly, I don't visit my dad much, he's far away, doesn't do Facebook, pretty much doesn't do phones, and preaches at me the whole tie I'm there. I bring DVDs of movies he finds acceptable (Christian-themed, war, or westerns) to keep him quiet while we hang out.

---

Good evening Nomad,

So, you have on here that I wrote 
<snipping the bull@#$% and snide personal attacks>

I am not sure where you got that from, but I have never spoken like that to anybody in here at all nor do I speak like that to anybody in my personal life so please do not attribute such things to me. 

Nomad was probably responding to your initial post, which seems out of character for you compared to your other posts.

---

Thank you for sharing your story with us I appreciate it very much! Question if I may. You say you are an atheist and are a part of a UU church? Can you please elaborate more on that so that I understand what you mean by UU church?

I'm associated with a Unitarian Universalist Congregation myself, although I haven't visited one in over a year. It's a liberal religion that doesn't assert any creed but focuses on the common search for meaning in life. The Universalists are one of the roots, they couldn't believe a just God would condemn people to hell. Congregations with 'All Souls' in the name were usually originally Universalist churches. The Unitarians are the other root, they were basically non-trinitarians. There are still congregations that are Unitarian alone, but most Unitarians joined with the Universalists in the late 1950s-early 1960s.

Today, UUism is essentially pluralistic. All faiths or none are welcome. They've got everything from disaffected Baptists to Muslims without a mosque to attend to Jews who don't agree with their rabbi, to atheistic humanists.

In my experience services are like interesting lectures with hymns. My local congregation isn't very good at those so I would usually time my arrival to coincide with the last hymn before the speaker. I sometimes miss out on good musical guests that way. There's a share the plate offering at mine where half goes to the UU and half goes to a charity. As a member I get to use an activity room for the meetings of my Freethought Society group.

You could think of them as a hippie church. One of the jokes about them is Universalists think God is too good to keep them in hell and Unitarians think they're too good for God to send to hell. There used to be a Unitarian joke about Unitarians believing in one God...at most. Nowadays they have pagans so that joke doesn't fly anymore.

I hope this was helpful.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unitarian_...%80%931961

[HappySkeptic]

Thank you for sharing your story with us I appreciate it very much! Question if I may. You say you are an atheist and are a part of a UU church? Can you please elaborate more on that so that I understand what you mean by UU church?

I mentioned in the post that UU is short for Unitarian Universalist.  You can google it if you like.

It is a set of self-governing liberal congregations with no creed or required beliefs.  Instead, we follow a set of 7 principles, of which most religions and humanists wouldn't find objectionable.  The UU church does not give out answers -- it merely provides a framework for people to ask questions and find their own beliefs.

The church was created in the 1960s as a merger of the Universalist and Unitarian churches in the U.S.  Both these churches had mostly grown beyond their (heretical) Christian roots, and were friendly to a variety of beliefs and non-beliefs.

Half of UU members identify as atheist or agnostic (though I dislike that word on its own -- as if someone can be half-way between believing and not believing).  My minister is an atheist.  Most other members are liberal versions of Buddhist, Christian, Deist, New Age or Pantheist.  Almost none have a traditional belief in God.

So, as an atheist, do I want to congregate with others who might have some sort of supernatural belief?  Sure.  I don't share any god belief, but most UU people think a lot about philosophy, cosmology, ethics, and whether anything mystical exists.  I can learn both tolerance and new ideas by having rational discussions with others.

[Pat Mustard]

Now with that being said it is now out in a public forum for all to see, I ask you this one time and one time only please leave me alone.

Pity about you, you tried to attack us and found you brought a rubber duckie to a gun fight. Don't worry I'll leave you alone, you have nothing worthwhile to say.

[johndoe122931]

Thank you for sharing your story with us I appreciate it very much! Question if I may. You say you are an atheist and are a part of a UU church? Can you please elaborate more on that so that I understand what you mean by UU church?

I mentioned in the post that UU is short for Unitarian Universalist.  You can google it if you like.

It is a set of self-governing liberal congregations with no creed or required beliefs.  Instead, we follow a set of 7 principles, of which most religions and humanists wouldn't find objectionable.  The UU church does not give out answers -- it merely provides a framework for people to ask questions and find their own beliefs.

The church was created in the 1960s as a merger of the Universalist and Unitarian churches in the U.S.  Both these churches had mostly grown beyond their (heretical) Christian roots, and were friendly to a variety of beliefs and non-beliefs.

Half of UU members identify as atheist or agnostic (though I dislike that word on its own -- as if someone can be half-way between believing and not believing).  My minister is an atheist.  Most other members are liberal versions of Buddhist, Christian, Deist, New Age or Pantheist.  Almost none have a traditional belief in God.

So, as an atheist, do I want to congregate with others who might have some sort of supernatural belief?  Sure.  I don't share any god belief, but most UU people think a lot about philosophy, cosmology, ethics, and whether anything mystical exists.  I can learn both tolerance and new ideas by having rational discussions with others.

Ok cool I understand, well I am happy you can find a place to peacefully congregate with like-minded individuals, that's awesome!

[Abaddon_ire]

I mentioned in the post that UU is short for Unitarian Universalist.  You can google it if you like.

It is a set of self-governing liberal congregations with no creed or required beliefs.  Instead, we follow a set of 7 principles, of which most religions and humanists wouldn't find objectionable.  The UU church does not give out answers -- it merely provides a framework for people to ask questions and find their own beliefs.

The church was created in the 1960s as a merger of the Universalist and Unitarian churches in the U.S.  Both these churches had mostly grown beyond their (heretical) Christian roots, and were friendly to a variety of beliefs and non-beliefs.

Half of UU members identify as atheist or agnostic (though I dislike that word on its own -- as if someone can be half-way between believing and not believing).  My minister is an atheist.  Most other members are liberal versions of Buddhist, Christian, Deist, New Age or Pantheist.  Almost none have a traditional belief in God.

So, as an atheist, do I want to congregate with others who might have some sort of supernatural belief?  Sure.  I don't share any god belief, but most UU people think a lot about philosophy, cosmology, ethics, and whether anything mystical exists.  I can learn both tolerance and new ideas by having rational discussions with others.

Ok cool I understand, well I am happy you can find a place to peacefully congregate with like-minded individuals, that's awesome!

UU is quite a nice bunch of people. My nearest UU "church" will let any random pair of atheists use their facilities for their wedding ceremony. Same sex couples too. You can bring your own official celebrant, or they can recommend a humanist "minister" to officiate if you wish.

You will not find ANY religious church doing that.

[Mister Agenda]

They will also give you a funeral with any kind of service you request within the bounds of ethics and finances.

[Abaddon_ire]

They will also give you a funeral with any kind of service you request within the bounds of ethics and finances.

I find it amusing that they are far closer to the supposed christian ideal than any christian denomination. How ironic is that?

I have already told my own kids that when I pop my clogs, it matters not a whit whatever you believe, when I die my "immortal soul" is not resting in some gently cooling meat, it has gone someplace else or nowhere. Put me in a cardboard box, pour on the petrol and light a match for all I care. Because atheist or theist, both accept that I am not present in some corpse. A viking funeral might be a larf, but I really can't work up any reason to give a flying <reason> to care about my mortal remains.