TheTimeIsNow
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If you don't believe in God and you're not ashamed Tell your Testimony. Mine is interesting. My parents weren't religious either. However, in elementary school kids would sometimes talk about God and the devil. In day care the other kids said since I wasn't baptized I'd go to hell. I picked up all sorts of things, including the idea that the devil was real and that he was an angel that fought God. I also thought my parents were Christian just because we celebrated Christmas. So, I identified as a Christian during most of elementary school and in middle school. As I became aware of my bisexual feelings I started to talk about how wrong homosexuality was so no one would suspect. But my parents said I was wrong for hating gay people, and one day I grabbed the family Bible from the bookshelf in an argument and said "I think it's time we really start following the Bible." Then my dad said "it says to stone kids who curse their parents. do you want us to follow that?" Then I learned what the Bible really said, and that my parents weren't Christians just because we celebrate Christmas. With my intelligence and reason I figured out that the Bible was just a fairytale. I also figured out there was nothing wrong with being bisexual. Praise be to Reason. To start this page out right, I will open in a proclamation. People, I ask you today to please let this thread be clean and free from all who would like to abuse it. May we all that enter recieve great insights from the stories told. May believers stay clear from this thread. I hope that this will be an upbeat, believer-free place to discuss our independence from religion. I can't wait to hear from yall.
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Fish
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I'm agnostic. Can I stay? lol
I was raised Catholic and am now agnostic. While I can't prove the non-existence of some kind of deity, it's ludicrous for believers to expect atheists and agnostics to prove a negative, something fundies do all the time.
When I ask for evidence of the existence of their god, they typically respond with mindless and archaic biblical chant and often, they respond "prove he doesn't exist."
Another common answer I get is that the evidence is all around us: the sky, the birds, the stars, etc. This analyis is as childish and simplistic as suggesting that the presence of gifts under the tree is evidence of Santa's existence.
While I consider myself agnostic, I will clarify that I am an atheist when it comes to the gods of all the world's religions. I am quite certain those gods don't exist, as all religions are human constructs.
TheTimeIsNow, thanks for sharing your story. I will happily support your thread and I'll let my friends know about it.
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Writing in Paradise
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I'm a believer and I'm invading! Hah!
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Writing in Paradise
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Fish wrote: When I ask for evidence of the existence of their god, they typically respond with mindless and archaic biblical chant and often, they respond "prove he doesn't exist." Another common answer I get is that the evidence is all around us: the sky, the birds, the stars, etc. This analyis is as childish and simplistic as suggesting that the presence of gifts under the tree is evidence of Santa's existence. I'm proof of a creator. Nature couldn't possibly make someone as cool as me.
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“WTF?”
Joined: Mon May 5
Hammond Indiana
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Judged:
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There is no such thing as god. The whole concept is retardedc to say the least; The idea that mythical grandfather figure magically faqrted out the universe is one of the more insane beliefs I have ever had to deal with. You are going to die - nothing can stop that, not even simplistic belief in 1st century mythology. PS - I think that most people whom profess to believe REALLY don't - they just say they do to fit in with the other scared, stupid animals in their 'church'.
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“WTF?”
Joined: Mon May 5
Hammond Indiana
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I really need to learn to type BTW.
Or get a spell check.
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“kein Mitleid fur die Mehrheit”
Joined: Dec 11, 2006
Allen Park, Michigan
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Well, I didn't grow up with the church, but I suspect my parents did for a while.
I was 4ish and remember church officials coming to the house and giving my Dad an envelope. I remember him being quite angry. Turns out that the Presbyterian Church wanted their 10%. Dad was furious and that was the last time I remember church in my home life.
I was in the Boy Scouts and went to summer camp. I was forced to attend Catholic mass every Sunday during the camp. I was 11. I just thought it was a ridiculous aerobic routine. I refused to participate in any of the mass. To this day, I have a special dislike of Catholic mass.
I show respect during funerals and weddings, but I don't participate in any of the readings or songs.
From a young age, I saw the church demand money and then the absurdity of Catholic mass. This pretty much cemented my dislike of organized religion. It was not spirituality or worship, it was money and jumping jacks.
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not sure
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TheTimeIsNow wrote: If you don't believe in God and you're not ashamed Tell your Testimony. Mine is interesting. My parents weren't religious either. However, in elementary school kids would sometimes talk about God and the devil. In day care the other kids said since I wasn't baptized I'd go to hell. I picked up all sorts of things, including the idea that the devil was real and that he was an angel that fought God. I also thought my parents were Christian just because we celebrated Christmas. So, I identified as a Christian during most of elementary school and in middle school. As I became aware of my bisexual feelings I started to talk about how wrong homosexuality was so no one would suspect. But my parents said I was wrong for hating gay people, and one day I grabbed the family Bible from the bookshelf in an argument and said "I think it's time we really start following the Bible." Then my dad said "it says to stone kids who curse their parents. do you want us to follow that?" Then I learned what the Bible really said, and that my parents weren't Christians just because we celebrate Christmas. With my intelligence and reason I figured out that the Bible was just a fairytale. I also figured out there was nothing wrong with being bisexual. Praise be to Reason. To start this page out right, I will open in a proclamation. People, I ask you today to please let this thread be clean and free from all who would like to abuse it. May we all that enter recieve great insights from the stories told. May believers stay clear from this thread. I hope that this will be an upbeat, believer-free place to discuss our independence from religion. I can't wait to hear from yall. I dont understand why your family celebrated Christmas since they are not christians. I have never understood why people all over our country celebrate CHRISTmas who dont believe. Christmas is a Christian holiday. Why would people who dont believe not attend church but choose to celebrate Dec.25? I am not jewish and I dont celebrate or even acknowledge Hanukka. That is for the jews. Christmas is for the christians. 4/20 is for the atheists right? please enlighten me
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not sure
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Writing in Paradise wrote: <quoted text> I'm proof of a creator. Nature couldn't possibly make someone as cool as me. LOL, or as cool as myself!
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Writing in Paradise
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not sure wrote: <quoted text> I dont understand why your family celebrated Christmas since they are not christians. Show me Santa and reindeer in the bible. Til then, shut up.
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Joined: Yesterday
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Fish wrote: I'm agnostic. Can I stay? lol I was raised Catholic and am now agnostic. While I can't prove the non-existence of some kind of deity, it's ludicrous for believers to expect atheists and agnostics to prove a negative, something fundies do all the time. When I ask for evidence of the existence of their god, they typically respond with mindless and archaic biblical chant and often, they respond "prove he doesn't exist." Another common answer I get is that the evidence is all around us: the sky, the birds, the stars, etc. This analyis is as childish and simplistic as suggesting that the presence of gifts under the tree is evidence of Santa's existence. While I consider myself agnostic, I will clarify that I am an atheist when it comes to the gods of all the world's religions. I am quite certain those gods don't exist, as all religions are human constructs. TheTimeIsNow, thanks for sharing your story. I will happily support your thread and I'll let my friends know about it. I'm an agnostic, also. I resent when people think this means I want to be convinced of the existence of a god. I am perfectly comfortable with not knowing. Btw, I've never come across an atheist who stridently tried to convince me of the non-existence of a god.
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Writing in Paradise
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elise in the burque wrote: <quoted text> I'm an agnostic, also. I resent when people think this means I want to be convinced of the existence of a god. I am perfectly comfortable with not knowing. Btw, I've never come across an atheist who stridently tried to convince me of the non-existence of a god. God absolutely doesn't exist and if you don't agree to stop believing, you will go to hell.
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not sure
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Writing in Paradise wrote: <quoted text> Show me Santa and reindeer in the bible. Til then, shut up. what?
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Joined: Yesterday
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Writing in Paradise wrote: <quoted text> God absolutely doesn't exist and if you don't agree to stop believing, you will go to hell. LOL...I guess I spoke too soon. Now, leave me alone to sit on my fence, man. ;)
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“Saranac Otter”
Joined: Jan 10, 2007
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I believe in God but not man-made religion. Can I play here too?
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“Saranac Otter”
Joined: Jan 10, 2007
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Writing in Paradise wrote: <quoted text> God absolutely doesn't exist and if you don't agree to stop believing, you will go to hell. If the christian concept of God doesn't exist then neither does Hell. Maybe you could send them to Venezuela.
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Joined: Yesterday
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Saranacotter wrote: <quoted text>If the christian concept of God doesn't exist then neither does Hell. Maybe you could send them to Venezuela. What's wrong with Venezuela? Over my head,I'm afraid...
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“Saranac Otter”
Joined: Jan 10, 2007
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elise in the burque wrote: <quoted text> What's wrong with Venezuela? Over my head,I'm afraid... was an attempt at humor and France had already been used as an alternate to Hell. Besides their current regime is making the place a workers non-paradise.
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“Saranac Otter”
Joined: Jan 10, 2007
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elise in the burque wrote: <quoted text> I'm an agnostic, also. I resent when people think this means I want to be convinced of the existence of a god. I am perfectly comfortable with not knowing. Btw, I've never come across an atheist who stridently tried to convince me of the non-existence of a god. I have had such a meeting with an atheist - one who was giving a lecture I had to attend, and spent the whole time telling those there that anyone who believed in God had no IQ.
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Joined: Yesterday
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Saranacotter wrote: <quoted text>I have had such a meeting with an atheist - one who was giving a lecture I had to attend, and spent the whole time telling those there that anyone who believed in God had no IQ. You know, come to think of it, many atheists have do have an air of arrogance around them. Of course, the same can be said of many "believers." Me, I'm comfortably confident in the knowledge that I know nothing. Wait, I guess that's a little arrogant of me...never mind.
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