Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?
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Goodness gracious, it took me a long time to find this thread. Rather be in this forum than the Prayers and Spirituality one. Too many trolls will find us there and feel it is their responsibility to convert us all...
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what Bren said. That wonderful sense of feeling in the right place, at the right time, and trusting it will continue, for as long as it does, or doesn't. Impermanence. Years, and years ago, I think it was in the late 1980's, lamas from HHthe Dalai Lama's home in Darmasala, India, were in New York City for an exhibition going on in a museum, and they were making a Sand Mandala - and when it was finished, as per custom, it was "offered" by sweeping up the sand, and putting it in the East River. Just before HHtDalai Lama began a large teaching.
There was quite a todo, many people wanted it to remain, as a sand mandala, not swept away. I was very interesting to hear people of Western traditions, arguing against "wasting" such a work of art, with no understanding of the purpose, meaning of the entire effort as an offering. Impermanence.
I feel grateful to understand, and experience more and more of what Bren speaks of as I get older.
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AnneW == LOL, LOL, LOL just what I was thinking...
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Re: My previous post....
I wanted to express how I felt about putting a thread for people who were atheists into a forum dealing with "Spirituality". With that in mind, it didn't really matter who had suggested the "Spirituality Forum." (Actually, C-S had suggested it a few posts earlier than Maya2 did, and, IIRC, the Mods had put this thread in the Spirituality Form for awhile yesterday.) My post was a reaction to the general idea that atheism is presumed to be "spiritual". I also believe that, however the word "spiritual" might be defined on a thread by and for atheists, that word is likely to be defined quite differently by people with strong ties to traditional religions -- i.e., the other people posting in threads on the "Spirituality Forum."
I am sorry if anyone "has an issue" with me because of what I said and how I said it. It was never my intent to start an argument or offend anyone here.
otter
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otter, I at least wasn't offended and I found the conversation most thoughtful and though provoking. . . . I do find that it can be challenging to figure out how I would describe certain feelings that a more traditional religous person would ascribe/attribute to god. I think we have been having an interesting conversation.
thank you to you and to Maya for raising the issue, however inadvertant!
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Hi everyone,
I've been at work and have really missed alot of this discussion. I've read through every ones posts and really believe we are, in our own way, all on the same page. Whether we feel "spiritual", ''at one with the world", "in tune with nature", or just plan content with our beliefs, it all smacks the same within the context of this thread. I think we can all agree that none of us are religious in the conventional sense of the word. Maya please don't leave, TMC like you I'm agnostic. So, that means I don't know what the bleep is going on either but you can show me something awesome and I can appreciate it. Like Bren and 3Mons I love to walk out in nature and enjoy the soothing sounds, scents, and visuals that are a product of the evolution of this planet. It's simply beautiful in itself without any sort of "divine intervention". Otter, let's have another abalone and I'll join you and TMC for a feast of the senses. I agree that we could be made a target for the religious right but that could happen no matter where we go. So, "Moving On" is what I will do and I hope we can all huddle together like Emperor penguins in the storm and keep our identity and thread free with only the best of intentions. ((((group hug)))), Kitty
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(Where's that darn "like" button???)
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Me too
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Is anyone having problems with this page loading? Mine's keeps loading on page 114.
Kittygirl, RIGHT ON!!!
Let's all stay together. Reminds me of a song...
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Kittygirl, I also wish there was a like button.
TMC mine keeps loading on page 114 too.
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TMC ... mine keeps bringing me in on page 111 ... I have no idea why.
Interesting discussion. I think it would be just asking for trouble if we were listed in the spirituality forum. This spot seems as good as any. Although the original motivation to start the thread was the question of how others were dealing with their diagnosis and treatment without reliance on a God which doesn't totally fit with Moving Beyond. Whatever ... as long as we can find each other it will work and I don't have any better ideas.
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Mine is stuck on page 111..........nice to know I'm not alone. . . .oh wait, you guys are on page 114. . . .guess I am alone in the universe!!!!!!!!!!!!
editted to note that I now realize I am not alone--theres a whiterabbit in here with me
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I agree - very interesting, and I hope and believe we can communicate past our differences. That's what I see going on right now.
I have no problem in principle with being included in a "spirituality" forum, since the original motivation for this thread was precisely how people who don't believe in god can find the kind of sustenance (spiritual, emotional, whatever you want to call it) that people who do believe in god find in religion. But I do think that in practice, housing this thread next to prayer threads and threads for the devout of various religions would lead to problems.
And while I'm really (really, really!) glad that KittyGirl found the thread because it popped up in the "newly diagnosed" section, most of the posters here are long-ago diagnosed. So "moving beyond" seems appropriate. (In fact, we discussed that at one point way back in 2008 or 2009, IIRC! At the time, moving it seemed like too much trouble.)
I'm actually not wild about "Moving Beyond" as a forum heading for this and other friendship/affinity threads, since there are a number of Stage IV posters who can't "move beyond." But I don't know what to suggest as an alternative.
I agree with WR - put this hard-to-categorize thread wherever, as long as we can all still find it!
L
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I keep coming in on page 114. Weird! If we all make sure we have this thread in our favorites like WR suggested, it won't matter where they ship us to. I'm sooooooooo glad I found this thread! Kitty
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Interestingly, this thread was loading on page 114 for me, now it's loading on page 111.
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And for me it just loaded at page 113! Very strange.
L
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I seem to be a member of the 111 club! I thought it was the iPad, but apparently not! Glad I'm not all alone on page 111 or page 116.
I, too, think that being in spirituality would be more than problematic. I think the title of the thread would prove irresistible to some. I think we're good here.
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Well, just to be like lewing, I guess... my computer opens this thread to page 113. Go figure.
otter
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Oh Happy Libby, I'm glad you are here with us but sorry you have to be back in the BC club. Your 2nd dx is my greatest fear now. Just when you think you have it kicked to the curb, BANG, its back. Maybe I'm being paranoid but its hard not to jump ahead with this bugger. Okay....I'm trying to come back but can't help feeling some pain in my heart for you.
Kitty 0 -
me too otter
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hmmmm.... could it be a tech issue, I wonder?! Let us know if it persists. Since we currently don't have a "like" button, add it to your favorites!
The Mods
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Opens on 114 for me.
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Greetings all - was just a bit freaked when I went on Just Diagnosed and couldn't find this thread. Kept going back & back & finally, back to May, then knew we must have been moved. Thanks for remembering me, CS.
I was totally involved in a Humane society project - I hosted a 50's garden Tea - fun, fun, fun except for me with so litle energy I just wanted to fall down and stay there. We had pink & green rolled sandwiches, rolled asparagus sandwiches, cucumber sandwiches. Tiny little lemon and buttertarts on shortcrust pastry. Jellied salads! lots of white bread. pineapple upside down cake. Scotch eggs. What I learned forf sure is that I can no longer multitask - don't want to anyway. The most fun was watching people arrive in 50's dresses. I wore my mom's brooch and earrings and a hat and a big circle skirt and the most hilarious part was seeing a pic of me into the party, sweating like a pig, hair wet, lipstick gone, hat gone, big huge skirt - I looked like a Ukrainian baba, which I actually am!
I'm an atheist ( no creator god watching us), but I do have to say, my work for the Humane (we are no kill) is a big part of my "spiritual" life. The joy of service in connecting with something much larger than oneself. All comes down to love. What is that impulse to love? "something there is that doesn't want a wall, that wants it down....?"- just popped into my head
Arlene
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Interesting thought Flannelette- I understand that there is a very strong human drive to create a community. We, like most primates, are social animals and communities bind through common actions, interractions and philosophies. Acceptance into the group is necessary for survival.
This is what makes religions, no matter how bizarre their customs, so attractive to humans and probably why they will never be absent from human culture. Altruism is also a a very strong drive in humans linked to cooperation being an evolutionary advantage.
As a biologist one of my first text books was 'the web of life' and I marvel every day when I consider the interconnectedness of every lifeform on earth - I feel awe and appreciation and very lucky to be aware!
Maria - Hello!! I hope you are doing well - last taxotere for me too coming up! I read a few pages back that you were swimming in Malta (winter here in Oz!) and it brought back the wonderful memories from the trip where we spent many days at the beach on Golden Bay.. and our trip to the Blue lagoon....Bliss!!!
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hello all, on my way out for a quick swim... just to add to discussion above, the point about not being put into a spirituality slot is precisely that I think we shouldn't be pigeon-holed in one place..NOT that we cannot be spiritual, which we evidently can, but because we are so many other things as well (or at least i hope so!)..ie critical, interested in science, and above all with a sense of HUMOUR...which reminds me have any of you ladies looked up Flight of the Conchords 'Business Time' on You Tube?? Please do, it's worth it I promise!
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Oh and Robyn btw, does my chemo befuddled brain remember correctly that you are married to a Maltese? When were you here last?0
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Hey Maria! - yes my DH is Maltese ... And very much a cultural catholic so we have many spirited conversations but I go easy on him as he is a dear man who has been my steadfast rock through this BC journey. His family are from Rabat
A lovely day in oz - can feel an early spring it actually got to 22 degrees this week! Not quite swimming temp yet! I went to my DDs ultrasound appointment today and met my next lil grandbaby!! She has an 8 month boy and is 12 weeks now and will have her hands full come february! Life is good!!0 -
Hi Robyn - I have a friend who left Canada with her partner to go live in Oz (he had been educated there & loved it). Just as they moved he was dx with liver cancer. He got great medical treatment there, but he died. she tried to stay on, but was lured by england her birthplace, thinking the culture, architecture etc. was all so civilized. Put in 5 yrs of sheer loneliness, freezing in porly heated but beautiful old stone homes, tried to and failed to meet a good man, managed to sell her house & go back to Oz where she is happily building her new (forever) home - she's 73. And surrounded by a bunch of fun-loving, down-to-earth women friends, who do stuff togehter, all the time.
And most hilarious, she met a local farmer almost her age (she alwys has them 15 yrs younger) right at her own pub, and now has the kind of relationship she hoped to find in england, where the well-educated looked down on her peculiar accent, and the others were cheap. I can't wait to get enough airmile points to visit! near Coff's harbour - Corindi Beach, NSW.
My sense is that Australia's new world, has the same kind of feel, socially, as Canada & the US - an openness -but with - at least for Canadians - MUCH better weather. Who wouldn't want to live there??
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Lewing - your post got Hugged by my Like Button.
Flannel - so good to hear form you, purr, purr, and LOVED your story about your friend, I think the creation of community, is a basic "drive" - and inclusion ( diversity) makes it ( IMHO) a growing one. Think it's quite wonderful this thread "rejects" a label. Labels have always felt like "boxes" to me, means sometimes being "lonely" but usually "whole."
thanks for being such a wonderful community - sunflowers
eta: have gone from page 114, to 113...oops, wrong direction
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Hi Flannelette! Yes I think that the only difference is that Australians have a dry sense of humour and are quite happy to laugh at themselves - I have travelled a bit in the last few years and think that we do live in a lucky country. That said I went to the US (Boston, NY, LA) in 2009 and cant wait to take the kid & DH there for a holiday - loved it- the people, the shopping and the sights! I must admit though like your friend, I think Aussie men are great value even though my aussie man was born in Malta! the weather is mostly mild too.
Havent been to Canada yet but on the cards in 4 years time. My dream is a RV travelling holiday around the US (and Europe) when we retire eventually.
Your tea party menu is making me crave asparagus sandwiches now.....yum!
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