Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?
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Hi PlantLover and CLC...just chipping in to confirm that you are definitely not flying the world solo and there are like-minded people about. I know exactly what it is like to be surrounded by people who keep coming out with the usual platitudes (Malta is VERY Catholic!)..... We need special ear muffs to filter out such comments...
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Thanks for the understanding! Seriously, can you imagine what it would be like if we professed our lack of belief as much as folks throw around their belief?
I know there must be a lot more people in the world like me but I hardly ever meet any. I'm very fortunate that I have a lot of great friends, but of all of them, only one is agnostic & one has committed (read atheist ;-)). I often feel like I'm the lone survivor on some desolate island ... gets kinda lonely.
It's funny, however, that when I went to the library to reserve the Hitchens book, God Is Not Great, there were 15 holds in front of me. Hmmm, wonder if I could get the library to give out names *wink*.
Hey, CLC, I've been meaning to tell you, I love your sig line. I'd never heard it before. I'm actually in the process of making some mosaic stepping stones for my yard and I'm planning to split the phrase in half and carve it in two stones.
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I HEAR YOU, Plant Lover. What makes it worse for me, is so many who "profess" their faith think they're doing something GOOD by "sharing the Good News" with you ( or heaven forbid, me
)I live in a very VERY rural area, houses sometimes many acres away from each other. We STILL get people who ring the doorbell and ask if they can "share the Good News" - I feel sorry for them, cuz I know it's a part of their religion they HAVE TO DO THIS - but it still gives me the willies.
I would like to PRAISE you for not biting the hygenist's hand if it was still in your mouth.
CLC - I've shared your tagline with many, each person LOVES it.
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It is wonderful to know that others enjoy the Maori proverb as much as I do. (Truth is, I am not entirely sure of the attribution to the Maori, since I found it on a website with unknown authority)...
I think it is wonderful that it will find a home on your stepping stones, PlantLover
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Compared to living in the Bible belt (why is it called that?!) it is a relief to live in ordinary Ontario. It would be highly unusual for anyone to ask what church I attend or even expect me to have a belief system that matches theirs. Still, people will offer to pray for me and I accept that as their way of saying that I matter to them and they wish me well.
A car shop that went on about religion probably wouldn't get much business here. I hope.
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I too lived in the bible belt and wow I hated it when they want everyone to believe
as they do...come on now...live and let live....secular law is the only way to fly
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Lassie ... This is from Wikipedia:
Bible Belt is an informal term for a region in the southeastern and south-central United States in which socially conservative evangelical Protestantism is a significant part of the culture and Christian church attendance across the denominations is generally higher than the nation's average.
The Bible Belt consists of much of the Southern United States extending west into Texas and Oklahoma. During the colonial period (1607–1776), the South was a stronghold of the Anglican church. Its transition to a stronghold of non-Anglican Protestantism occurred gradually over the next century as a series of religious revival movements, many associated with the Baptist denomination, gained great popularity in the region.
I've often said if "so and so" is elected President, a good example would be Sarah Palin, lol, I'm moving to Canada. Now you've given me another reason. I think it would be very nice to live in a place where people were not so "in your face" with religion.
Sunflower ... Yes, I know it's a part of the religion ... to witness to others. I sure do wish it would just come in the form of actions instead of words, know what I mean?
SoCalLisa ... I agree. I have a Coexist bumper sticker and a pin. I started to wear the pin at Christmas but I was afraid it would offend too many people.
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Thanks Plantlover. Isn't interesting that the people who want to push their religion on you have no worries about offending people as you did?
I was watching the show 19 Children and Counting (like watching a crash, I can't stop myself). The family were in the UK, maybe Scotland, watching a busker. The father went up to the busker to talk about religion and got mostly amazed staring as a response. The father seemed to have no idea that he was being incredibly rude, was making himself look quite foolish and certainly was learning nothing about the culture where he was visiting.
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Plant Lover
actions instad of words - now wouldn't THAT be a perfect way to go. Alas, very few seem to agree with us. Still, I don't mind being in the minority.
Live and LET live - works for me....too.
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PlantLover - Now I am venting - I can relate to what you are saying about the constant interjections about "their god". When a previous colleague of mine heard the bank tellers, (I live in a small community - the bank doubles as a social gathering spot - lol), congratulate me on my upcoming last day of rads (Monday), she caught up to me in the parking lot to ask me how long I had been "fighting" cancer. When I told her since last May, she looked up to the sky and spoke to her god - she asked him why he continues to give me so many challenges in life and doesn't he think I have handled enough. (She has always felt sorry for the "challenges", ie: death of my first child after 20 mins of life, two divorces, career loss at 57, etc....She always says how strong I am - I always want to tell her that I am not "strong" - It's just a matter of surviving all the crap!)
It was very uncomfortable to stand there while she scolded her god. I know what she was saying, and that perhaps she was just being dramatic to get her point across, but it was still annoying. She should have just talked to ME!!!
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Wow, Anandagram, that would have creeped me out completely!
I've lived in various small towns most of my life and I never felt comfortable "coming out" as an atheist. I honestly think it would have affected how people dealt with me at my work. Now I live in a larger city and my job doesn't have me dealing directly with the public, so I feel OK about it.
Small towns (at least in the US) are not a good place to be "different."
--CindyMN
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whew, glad that season is over
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The conversation about the "war" on Christmas came up at the dinner table and surprise, my niece pointed out that in the 1940's saying Happy Holidays was not considered a slur on Christianity. She then started to sing the song "Happy Holidays". Her sister, who believes everything FOX news says, tried to argue with her, but lost hands down.
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Who came up with this 'war on Christmas' foolishness anyway?? It's idiotic. If there was a 'war' for ownership of the holiday I would have to say that Santa won it a long time ago.
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I say, let's put Saturn back into Saturnalia...
(I think they had a raucous time...lawlessness, switching roles of slave and master,
partying hard...!!
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CLC ... Did you realize that what you just wrote on this thread marked your 666 post?? Hmmm, maybe it's a sign. ;-)0
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tee hee hee...:)
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more giggles...Saturnalia...will there be potato chips?
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hi there ladies,
This sight is quite amusing and informative. I have not posted here yet because many of you have a much deeper perspective about your beliefs (or non-beliefs) than I do. I am amused and enlightened at the same time. Perhaps I will persue some sort of alter spiritulism when I figure out this BC thing.
Anyway, I have been an athiest for the past 40 years. Can't help it. I think. 90% of my friends are born again. Hipocrates. Not all of them, but many. They are always praying for me, trying to "heal me through laying hands on me". Hopefully they gave up???????????? They have no idea of my true feelings. I have never tried to talk to them about this. I'm going to hell and I must be evil! Really. OK. but I love them so.
The only people I have a conversation with about this are my children. OH no, I've ruined them. They came to their own conclusions, they think too. So, if you don't mind I'd like to hang out.
Maureen
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Welcome to the group although it's a shame you are part of the BC sisterhood. Your friends sound as though they care very much for you and you are wise to keep you non-belief to yourself. Why upset them?
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notself,
Thanx for the welcome. Yes they do love me, but if they knew how I really felt they most likely would blame my health issues on my lack of faith. They are really consumed by their walk with??
Your right why upset them. They would proberbly hit me even harder with their desire to save my soul. Don't think I could handle that.
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Hi there, chef!!
You are right, the folks here on this thread are great! I have been very happy to find them here just recently, too.
No sense in inciting a riot among your friends, or an exorcism, or something dreadful like that...
(Though, I must confess, that I occasionally do raise atheism because I just can't stand staying quiet anymore. However, I don't live in the bible belt anymore, so it isn't quite riot raising here in NY state).
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I'm having insomnia, so thought I'd take a peek. In Canada i don't think we have any bible belts, thank god hahahaha
ok back to bed, try to sleep....
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Is it insomnia when one wakes up at 4:00am and can't get back to sleep?
I hope you are in dream land as I write this.
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I hope you got back to sleep flann!
Welcome, chef! Sorry you're having to deal with stupid Cancer ... not the most eloquent way of putting it but better than what I really call it which is usually spiced with many four letter words. *wink*
I am also surrounded by many loving friends who are very religious & I won't say anything if they say they are praying for me other than "Thanks". I don't, however, have anyone trying to lay their hands on me, other than my husband, lol! I'm not sure I could tolerate that much attention from their faith. Although it is probably better to not come out of the closet to them, I think I'd have to say something like ... "Ummm, thanks but your prayers will be enough."
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notself - have you tried taking a Benadryl med? I wake up at least 3 times every night but with the help of Benadryl, I usually fall back to sleep fairly easily.0
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Hello Chef,
Welcome. It is so nice to have a place to share our somewhat controversial beliefs/non-beliefs!
I also have many religious friends - they do not push their religion on me, but do occassionally say they will pray for me - I just say thanks and let it go at that. I believe that most of them know I do not believe in their god, but we just do not talk about it. I am a really good person and so are they, so we just leave it at that.
My children went through years of chuch, confirmation, communion, etc., and so did I, due to their father's beliefs. They have a healthy respect for other's beliefs and I did not share my disbeliefs with them until they expressed theirs to me as adult children. I used to search for some kind of spirituality, but just decided to be the very best person I can and to help others when possible. I find that for me, nature, my family and good friends fuel my spiritual side.
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CLC - I also live in upstate NY and find that, in general, there is a lot of tolerance for different religions and for non-believers. Many people in my small community find their spirituality in the beautiful mountains and woods we live in.
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PlantLover,
Thanks, I have tried it. It doesn't work for me. I seem to go through periods of sleeplessness and if I take a sleeping pill every night for a couple of days, it breaks the sleepless pattern. I think I am starting one of the sleepless periods. I don't take sleeping pills regularly. A 30 day prescription will last 7-8 months.
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notself - Benadryl and Melatonin work for me, but leave me with a terrible hang-over. I find if I take a lot of short walks during the day, I can often sleep a bit better. Best wishes
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