Comments on: Atheists Turning to Christianity http://www.godlessgirl.com/2009/10/atheists-turning-to-christianity/ ... and her adventures in Atheism Fri, 10 Feb 2012 00:32:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Julian http://www.godlessgirl.com/2009/10/atheists-turning-to-christianity/comment-page-1/#comment-19855 Julian Mon, 19 Sep 2011 05:27:17 +0000 http://www.godlessgirl.com/?p=1202#comment-19855 It's funny, I'm a person who, until very recently, identified as not just an atheist but anti-theistic. I've undergone (am undergoing?) a conversion experience, but "rational" and "reasonable" are not words that I would use to describe the experience. I would argue that the process actually involves abandoning reason and logic, not willingly, but out of compulsion, and that it is decidedly *unreasonable* and *irrational*. Every minute reason I've ever had for not believing is still present; I'm hyper-aware of the hypocrisy involved and there is no small amount of intellectual shame involved. And yet... The idea that someone could or would choose this process is absurd to me. I would suggest that those who claim to have reasoned their way to faith either have none, or are lying about the process by which they came to it. It’s funny, I’m a person who, until very recently, identified as not just an atheist but anti-theistic. I’ve undergone (am undergoing?) a conversion experience, but “rational” and “reasonable” are not words that I would use to describe the experience.

I would argue that the process actually involves abandoning reason and logic, not willingly, but out of compulsion, and that it is decidedly *unreasonable* and *irrational*. Every minute reason I’ve ever had for not believing is still present; I’m hyper-aware of the hypocrisy involved and there is no small amount of intellectual shame involved.

And yet…

The idea that someone could or would choose this process is absurd to me. I would suggest that those who claim to have reasoned their way to faith either have none, or are lying about the process by which they came to it.

]]> By: Isabel http://www.godlessgirl.com/2009/10/atheists-turning-to-christianity/comment-page-1/#comment-19841 Isabel Sun, 18 Sep 2011 14:53:26 +0000 http://www.godlessgirl.com/?p=1202#comment-19841 Again I can't help but notice above yet another objection to the theoretical God for not preventing human suffering, and this I just can't understand. If a god were to exist, changing natural to non-natural phenomena - i.e. diverting hurricanes and putting signs up in earthquake zones - would not be part of that god's "job," it would be OURS - to use our evolved reasoning skills, which agnostics and atheists have supposedly have such a healthy respect for, to make preparations and decisions in order to avoid the effects of those disasters as much as possible, since according to the laws of physics/nature they are inevitable. I really wish atheists would stop using this weak rhetoric, that there is no god because humans suffer and have made each other suffer. It's just as bad as saying there must be god because that sunset was beautiful, or that poem made me cry, or I felt raptured while I was praying... Again I can’t help but notice above yet another objection to the theoretical God for not preventing human suffering, and this I just can’t understand. If a god were to exist, changing natural to non-natural phenomena – i.e. diverting hurricanes and putting signs up in earthquake zones – would not be part of that god’s “job,” it would be OURS – to use our evolved reasoning skills, which agnostics and atheists have supposedly have such a healthy respect for, to make preparations and decisions in order to avoid the effects of those disasters as much as possible, since according to the laws of physics/nature they are inevitable. I really wish atheists would stop using this weak rhetoric, that there is no god because humans suffer and have made each other suffer. It’s just as bad as saying there must be god because that sunset was beautiful, or that poem made me cry, or I felt raptured while I was praying…

]]> By: Veronica http://www.godlessgirl.com/2009/10/atheists-turning-to-christianity/comment-page-1/#comment-16053 Veronica Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:14:02 +0000 http://www.godlessgirl.com/?p=1202#comment-16053 (really like your page and spamming it with comments YAY!) Just read an interview in my local paper with a young man, 20s?, who had found Christ. Don't remember if he was an atheist beforehand or just "standard christian" (most Norwegians are baptised as a child and confirmated as 14-15 years, but never attend sunday service, never pray, never do anything. Oh, except church at christmas. Yeah. Hypocrites I call that.) Anyway, he said things like "I am so happy to have this force in my life. I am so happy HE will show me the way" and yeah, guess you know. And I'm like WTF?! Everything good in my life I made with MY own hands, everything that ever happened I thank ME for getting of my ass and DOING MYSELF. I and am PROUD of the fact that I found strenght within ME. Why would I want to suddenly start "blaming" God for that? God didn't do anything, never saw God anywhere when my life was hard!! To put your life, your talents, your self-taught skills, everything, in the hands of something "invisible", why, why, why?! I don't understand that. I understand growing up thinking everything came from somewhere, but not the opposite! Should've we thank ourselves for what we have achived? I got that feeling from him, that "the great lord" did everything suddenly. Didn't seem like the old "a miracle happended so I became religious"-story, but just I don't know.. he woke up one day and went religious?! (really like your page and spamming it with comments YAY!)

Just read an interview in my local paper with a young man, 20s?, who had found Christ. Don’t remember if he was an atheist beforehand or just “standard christian” (most Norwegians are baptised as a child and confirmated as 14-15 years, but never attend sunday service, never pray, never do anything. Oh, except church at christmas. Yeah. Hypocrites I call that.)

Anyway, he said things like “I am so happy to have this force in my life. I am so happy HE will show me the way” and yeah, guess you know.

And I’m like WTF?! Everything good in my life I made with MY own hands, everything that ever happened I thank ME for getting of my ass and DOING MYSELF. I and am PROUD of the fact that I found strenght within ME. Why would I want to suddenly start “blaming” God for that? God didn’t do anything, never saw God anywhere when my life was hard!!

To put your life, your talents, your self-taught skills, everything, in the hands of something “invisible”, why, why, why?! I don’t understand that. I understand growing up thinking everything came from somewhere, but not the opposite!

Should’ve we thank ourselves for what we have achived? I got that feeling from him, that “the great lord” did everything suddenly. Didn’t seem like the old “a miracle happended so I became religious”-story, but just I don’t know.. he woke up one day and went religious?!

]]> By: Sexism in the Bible | Godless Girl http://www.godlessgirl.com/2009/10/atheists-turning-to-christianity/comment-page-1/#comment-4104 Sexism in the Bible | Godless Girl Thu, 05 Aug 2010 22:10:28 +0000 http://www.godlessgirl.com/?p=1202#comment-4104 [...] evangelical magazine Christianity Today (which I’ve mentioned quite a bit) published an article titled “Woman As Folly” about the many [...] [...] evangelical magazine Christianity Today (which I’ve mentioned quite a bit) published an article titled “Woman As Folly” about the many [...]

]]> By: Beechbum http://www.godlessgirl.com/2009/10/atheists-turning-to-christianity/comment-page-1/#comment-1002 Beechbum Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:59:02 +0000 http://www.godlessgirl.com/?p=1202#comment-1002 Pascal's Wager is, if one thinks about it, which they never seem to do, the 'inverse of a good argument' for believing in god(s), that is to say, the strength with which one feels that "Pascal's Wager" is in fact, a good argument for believing, is inversely proportional to the viability, effectiveness, or the benefit of believing. Allow me to reiterate, would god(s) worth the trouble be more respectful of honest skepticism, or maybe moderate belief? Or, would 'they' appreciate the hypocrisy? Easy one, hypocrisy only exists in human constructs. Now, the inversion, if god(s) do appreciate the hypocritical worship, adherence amounts to servitude or slavery. If, they are not omniscient and don't know of the hypocrisy, how can they be the god(s) of biblical mythology, hearing prayers and all? So, from my point of view, proportional to the conviction with which one holds "Pascal's Wager" as an argument for believing, the weaker the case for god(s) of biblical lore. In fact, the death bell for theism tolls as this argument becomes the last stand of the apologist. Pascal's Wager is, if one thinks about it, which they never seem to do, the 'inverse of a good argument' for believing in god(s), that is to say, the strength with which one feels that "Pascal's Wager" is in fact, a good argument for believing, is inversely proportional to the viability, effectiveness, or the benefit of believing. Allow me to reiterate, would god(s) worth the trouble be more respectful of honest skepticism, or maybe moderate belief? Or, would 'they' appreciate the hypocrisy? Easy one, hypocrisy only exists in human constructs. Now, the inversion, if god(s) do appreciate the hypocritical worship, adherence amounts to servitude or slavery. If, they are not omniscient and don't know of the hypocrisy, how can they be the god(s) of biblical mythology, hearing prayers and all? So, from my point of view, proportional to the conviction with which one holds "Pascal's Wager" as an argument for believing, the weaker the case for god(s) of biblical lore. In fact, the death bell for theism tolls as this argument becomes the last stand of the apologist.

]]> By: Beechbum http://www.godlessgirl.com/2009/10/atheists-turning-to-christianity/comment-page-1/#comment-1000 Beechbum Sat, 24 Oct 2009 23:45:54 +0000 http://www.godlessgirl.com/?p=1202#comment-1000 My point was not to 'blame' religion (or its mythical hero) for the atrocities or to say it was the cause of them, but in as much as parents are responsible for the care and security of their children, the multitude of human catastrophes has marched through history unimpeded. It is more a statement in regard to the ineffectualness of having a "skydaddy", or in the same light, the ineffectiveness of prayer. Therefore, the history of life on this planet has progressed in exactly the manner one would expect, if, there were no god(s), except for the atrocities perpetrated as a direct result of religious fever, bigotry, fear, superstition, ignorance and the arrogance of ignorance. Also, when I wrote ALL, I meant to include cataclysms of non-human origin as well. I mean, their invisible friend created the universe, right, what would be the big deal in diverting a hurricane or two, or maybe plopping down a couple of signs in an earthquake zone? My point was not to 'blame' religion (or its mythical hero) for the atrocities or to say it was the cause of them, but in as much as parents are responsible for the care and security of their children, the multitude of human catastrophes has marched through history unimpeded. It is more a statement in regard to the ineffectualness of having a "skydaddy", or in the same light, the ineffectiveness of prayer. Therefore, the history of life on this planet has progressed in exactly the manner one would expect, if, there were no god(s), except for the atrocities perpetrated as a direct result of religious fever, bigotry, fear, superstition, ignorance and the arrogance of ignorance. Also, when I wrote ALL, I meant to include cataclysms of non-human origin as well. I mean, their invisible friend created the universe, right, what would be the big deal in diverting a hurricane or two, or maybe plopping down a couple of signs in an earthquake zone?

]]> By: Tweets that mention Atheists Convert to Christianity Because It's Reasonable | Godless Girl -- Topsy.com http://www.godlessgirl.com/2009/10/atheists-turning-to-christianity/comment-page-1/#comment-992 Tweets that mention Atheists Convert to Christianity Because It's Reasonable | Godless Girl -- Topsy.com Fri, 23 Oct 2009 21:37:49 +0000 http://www.godlessgirl.com/?p=1202#comment-992 [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by GG and GG, Vizhnet!. Vizhnet! said: RT @godlessgirl: New blog! Atheists Turning to Christianity http://tr.im/CPgM [...] [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by GG and GG, Vizhnet!. Vizhnet! said: RT @godlessgirl: New blog! Atheists Turning to Christianity http://tr.im/CPgM [...]

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