I have somewhat of an apology to make (or, Calling Sleeper to this thread)

[exactlythesame]

I've been a member of this community since 2007 and was once a regular poster here. Since being without a computer for a while, my post history has been erratic at best. With that being said, when I first started posting on the gen boards, I got into several debates with members of this community on the Christianity vs. Atheism subject, with me playing the role, basically, of an Christian apologist.

I am now, years later, obliged to make a retraction: after so much study, research, and deep meditation on the subject, I've all but renounced my faith in Christianity and God. What I was defending back then has become anathema to me, with it's logical fallacies, presuppositional arguments, circular reasoning, and all of the troublesome problems that plague modern religion.

Anyway, I called Sleeper out in particular because I remember him making some very important, well thought out, and patient arguments at the time of my debates and I feel a personal responsibility to thank him for that, since it stuck with me all these years and had a hand in me really searching for the truth of our existence here.

Let this serve as Netphoria's annual religion thread. Gogogogo!

[wHATcOLOR]

cool

[TuralyonW3]

Enjoy eternal damnation sucker

[Grayflower]

_|_ _|_

[slunken]

Originally Posted by exactlythesame

Let this serve as Netphoria's annual religion thread.

nope

[Order 66]

if we came from monkeys then why arent monkeys coming out of us

[Trotskilicious]

i keep it simple, i just cum in monkeys

[cocksure]

i was an atheist until i realised i'm god

[teh b0lly!!1]

cool story bro
i'll go think about it for a couple of years and get back to you on that!

[duovamp]

Takes a big man or woman to reason his or her deepest beliefs away.

Once you start questioning it, there's no turning back. Thanks for coming out. There are lots out here afraid to admit it.

[exactlythesame]

It's been a strange journey so far. I didn't realize the emotions that go along with the severing. Much like the death of a friend. All the classical stages of the grieving process have been present every step of the way. Guess I wasn't expecting it to be so traumatic, but duo is right: they were my deepest beliefs for so long.

Interested to hear others' stories while I'm at it here (and also to have a little circlejerking for the fun of it.)

[hnibos]

I remember in a biology class in high school a black girl that kind of looked like a baboon interrupted the teacher when talking about evolution with

"We ain't come from no damn monkeys."

[yo soy el mejor]

hiiiiiiiiiiii exactlythesame. i guess you can think about changing your name now, huh!

[yo soy el mejor]

[yo soy el mejor]

sorry. i just like that song.

[duovamp]

Originally Posted by exactlythesame

It's been a strange journey so far. I didn't realize the emotions that go along with the severing. Much like the death of a friend. All the classical stages of the grieving process have been present every step of the way. Guess I wasn't expecting it to be so traumatic, but duo is right: they were my deepest beliefs for so long.

Interested to hear others' stories while I'm at it here (and also to have a little circlejerking for the fun of it.)

That was a weird part, the feeling of loss. Like that Thing isn't there anymore. At the same time your sense of freedom explodes and the sky gets a lot further from the ground. It's so nice knowing there's nobody above you.

[Mayfuck]

One thing I've gone back on is the "people are born atheists" argument.

They are not, and studies have shown this. The brain is incredibly mysterious. Religion plays a valuable role in society. Atheism does not absolve people of racism and misogyny. I sympathize with people who are ostracized from religious communities for being non believers and some of the irreparable damage institutional religion has done to individuals, nations and societies, but atheism is unnecessary in recognizing this injustice though social activists atheists would have you believe otherwise. Atheism as a social justice movement is bunk and embarrassing. In this regard, sleeper sucks, and you should maybe hold onto a few of those humanist sentiments toward religion, exactlythesame.

[Mayfuck]

I remember when sleeper complained about his jamaican workers and called them lazy and made sure to point out they were jamaican. I remember when he said black names are 'grotesque' sleeper sucks, don't apologize to him.

[Future Boy]

i dont remember that

[reprise85]

welcome to the light my friend

[yo soy el mejor]

julio!

[Eulogy]

Originally Posted by Mayfuck

One thing I've gone back on is the "people are born atheists" argument.

They are not, and studies have shown this. The brain is incredibly mysterious. Religion plays a valuable role in society. Atheism does not absolve people of racism and misogyny. I sympathize with people who are ostracized from religious communities for being non believers and some of the irreparable damage institutional religion has done to individuals, nations and societies, but atheism is unnecessary in recognizing this injustice though social activists atheists would have you believe otherwise. Atheism as a social justice movement is bunk and embarrassing. In this regard, sleeper sucks, and you should maybe hold onto a few of those humanist sentiments toward religion, exactlythesame.

this is just typical nonsensical backlash against vocal atheists. religion in this country is fucking poisonous and it's not a bad thing to point out. atheism is unnecessary in recognizing the injustice? what the fuck does that even mean? just because it's not necessary doesn't mean it shouldn't exist or that it can't help move things in a better direction. (for the purposes of this conversation assume that when i say atheism i might technically mean agnosticism)

anyway, i grew up in a mildly religious household and always thought people just did it to do it. never believed in any of it and was shocked to encounter people who did in college. and since then i have realized that i underestimated the sincerity of it when i was younger.

[Order 66]

sleeper was a bitch. good riddance

[Order 66]

my problem with most atheists is i get a vibe they're just now discovering what i did when i was 15 and read a few carl sagan books and act like its something revolutionary. or they cant seem to get away from the concept of "god" being relegated to a judeo christian concept

[Charmbag]

Originally Posted by exactlythesame

It's been a strange journey so far. I didn't realize the emotions that go along with the severing. Much like the death of a friend. All the classical stages of the grieving process have been present every step of the way. Guess I wasn't expecting it to be so traumatic, but duo is right: they were my deepest beliefs for so long.

Interested to hear others' stories while I'm at it here (and also to have a little circlejerking for the fun of it.)

I didn't recognize this for what it was at the time because I was only 14, but losing belief in god fucked me up for years. Maybe it still does. It took me til I was 18-19 to finally really accept it. In the interim I accepted it intellectually, but emotionally still did not. After that the guilt/anxiety over it went away completely, but there is still kind of a psychological hole there that I haven't figured out. I was deeply religious when I was a Christian, which I think you were too. It's hard.

Also I remember you made fun of me for reasoning my way out of religion via internet debates.

[scottytheoneand]

grieving process?

I've never grieved. When I let go of all that ridiculous BS it felt great. Like a weight was off my shoulders.

[reprise85]

almost anything lost or over involves some kind of grief, however minor

like maybe you dont grieve the loss of it but you grieve the time you lost believing it, ya dig?

[reprise85]

i dunno i never believed in god and then someone tried to make me and i pretended for awhile

[reprise85]

my mom is basically a born again christian which is hilarious. thank you Al-anon

[Charmbag]

Well some of us are sensitive.