Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?
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Usha, Yes, with regard to some doctors voicing their personal views and using those views to influence others: it surely cannot be called professionalism!
Charles--Thanks; that was great!
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Charles - fantastic
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I'm so relieved to see the last many posts . . . when I first saw this thread I was "excited" about likeminded folks . . . then it did get "kinda religious" so I dropped off . . . then, a few minutes ago, I decided to check it out again . . . ahhhhhhh, the voice of reason!!!!!!
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VeganGal - this is definitely a thread that meanders, sometimes I skim and sometimes I read in depth. There was a spirituality discussion, some think of that as not atheistic and others do not. Pick and choose what to read that's what works well for me.
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Or pop in and start a new subject ... that works too ... we are easily led astray
I guess I was lucky but I didn't encounter any medical personnel who attempted to get all religious on me. Thankfully!
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oooohhh...ahhh. LOVE wabbits new avatar ;-) Spring Happy Dancing. warms my heart.
This thread is often on the active list, VeganGal, and some peope can't resist "stopping by" and trying to steer u, ah, let us say, another way - to a particular "imaginary friend"
I'm one who finds comfort in the "spirituality" aspect, when it's Buddhist, Nature, Pagan, Kindness, and is given as a "gift" from the heart..
As WR says - LEAD US ASTRAY ;-))) btw, in the mid 80's in western MA - just strange, wonderful in it's way - but very, very strange - this is usually SNOW TIME!
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I found this very interesting: "Woodstock for Atheists..."--a story reported by NPR about the upcoming Reason Rally.
http://m.npr.org/news/front/149021993
Sorry if that is not immediately accessible; I tried!0 -
This might work.
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Oh yes please....let us be led astray...always more fun!
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Good Morning!
Charles ... love the cartoon.
Rabbit .. your new avatar is a hoot. I love springtime the most of all the seasons. Everything here is turning a gorgeous lime green and my dogwoods are getting ready to bloom.
Welcome to all the new folks to this thread!
hugs,
Bren
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What a wonderful refuge this thread is! So calm and sane (usually, when it's just us...) Welcome to all the new posters who have joined us!
I'm loving what nature is presenting to me today--sunny, in the 70s, no wind. My daffodils are starting to pop, planted greens in the garden yesterday. Bike ride later today. So incredibly abnormal for March. It's normally our snowiest month here in the Rockies, and we've gotten nary a flake. Which though enjoyable for the cyclist is a scary proposition for the home-owner. Fire danger will be quite high if we don't get snow. Or rain.
And, one more week of college basketball!! I am a happy camper these days.
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Anybody read about the atheist rally featuring Richard Dawkins where he encouraged the attendees to show "comtempt of faith"? Why can't it all be about tolerance? I don't like having people push (or flaunt) their faith on me; why would it be ok for me to push my atheism on believers? I think this rally makes it even harder for atheists to be open about not believing. We're already considered godless heathens by many.
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Gah. My sil is very religious. She is a dear person and I love her, but if she doesn't stop popping up on my fb to tell me something inspirational I'm gonna do something I'll regret later.
Sigh. I'd block her but then I'd lose all track of what my brother, and the kids are up to.
I'm glad I found you folks, This journy is difficult enough without having to always clamp down on my urge to explain that I think any God who inflicts such suffering and hardship on his creation is pretty much a waste.
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Marilyn,
I saw Dawkins' comments. I think the guy is quite bright, but he's almost as dogmatic about being an atheist as some fundamentalists are about their schtick. Of course, I am more inclined to believe that Dawkins is right and they aren't. I prefer to call myself an agnostic, because I don't have answers to life, the universe and everything (well, we Douglas Adams fans do know the answer is "42").Cindy
I have the same problem, not with relatives, but with a couple of clients who are doing their best to convert me. It drives me nuts, especially since one of them came to defend against a drug charge, which reminds me of the old George Carlin line about hippy jesus freaks: "I used to be all @#%$ed up on drugs; now I'm all @#%$ed up on religion."
The thing that makes me crazy is that my cancer diagnosis seems to give people the impression that they have free rein to try and "save" me and regale me with tales of their particular brand of pretend friend.0 -
Charles - If there was a loving god, there would be no cancer.
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Marilyn,
I'm not all that sure that our particular plight is proof of the absence or existence of God. Bottom line for me is that we're talking monkeys on a rock orbiting a hydrogen fusion reactor and still have a lot to learn about existence. I could no more declare with certainty the meaning of life than could an ant walking across my keyboard explain the processing capacity of my computer.0 -
Charles... I love that "talking monkeys..." Mind if I steal it?
So how's spring in Wy? Here in SD it's getting scary. If we don't get some rain we are going to burn... There've been 3 grass fires here in town just this last week.
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It's dry here, too. Add to that the fact that a huge percentage of the pine trees around here are now beetle kill and we might have a tough summer. I think I am going to spend a lot of time at the cabin, clearing brush and hoping that we don't get a wildfire.
Where are you in South Dakota?0 -
Rapid City. We've got major pine beetle losses here too. I'm very afraid we're going to be fighting fires all summer.
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What a shame about the trees. I have seen pine trees infected with beetles and it is so sad. Trees weakened by drought are especially vulnerable.
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Wonder if those are the beetles that have ravaged New Mexico Pinons.
When we first bought our house, we tried to have a fire in the fireplace. It smoked terribly. We had someone come look at the thing, and his comment when he happened to see our woodpile was "THAT's not pinon!" As if people here don't expect anything else to burn right. But it truly is a smell that will always to me mean a New Mexico winter's night.
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YEAH, CHARLES " I could no more declare with certainty the meaning of life than could an ant walking across my keyboard explain the processing capacity of my computer." I love this..really...find it so boring when someone confronts me with "the answer" esp. to questions I just don't ask...
Learning to live with the mystery, the unknowingness of life is much more interesting for me...so much we can learn & understand, and appreciate - but "answers" ...no thank you.
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If one gardens then one knows the meaning of life is to live. Weeds will grow anywhere to live. Life demands life. It struggles to live.
If a person needs a "higher purpose" then that purpose should be kindness towards all of life.
If one needs to worship something then one should consider worshipping the Universe and one's part in it.
Just some thoughts
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Sunflowers: I have to agree. Like I said earlier, I have one client with a particularly annoying habit of trying to convert me. I've repeatedly been told to "read the Bible," to which I respond "I have! Have you read some of the crazy @#$% those people did?" to which I get the sage advice to "read it with an open heart." Anyway, I'm fine with others being mired in "faith," but I still think its mostly we "talking monkeys" trying to make sense of existence.
Notself: I agree. One thing my recent brush with my own mortality has taught me is to appreciate the time I have. I try to live each day as if it were my last, because some day, I'm gonna be right.
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I've been thinking I should do that "live each day as if it were my last," but I've been having real trouble with that lately... I'm still a "deer in the headlights" I guess. I do try to take a picture that's somehow "life affirming" everyday. That seems to help.
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Charles,
I read this excellent response for those who intrude with religion and prayers. Perhaps you have read it as well. Unfortunately I can not give attribution because it has been so long.
When in a situation with an insistent religious, "You pray for me and I will think for you." I think that sums up how to read the bible. Whenever anyone actually reads the bible cover to cover as one reads a book there is a good chance that person will leave religion as just another myth system and a rather mean and violent one.
Cindyl,
Your pictures aren't loading.
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I do like that response, NotSelf.
Usually, I smile and say thank you and let it go. I do a lot of writing out there and I have a number of readers who have become friends over the years, including a fellow who is a monsignor in the Vatican. Indeed, while I was working my way through law school, he would often light a candle for me in St. Peter's Basilica, especially when I had a big final - or the big one, the Bar Exam. I never asked him to do, but what the heck, the results were good. If it took candles in Italy, I ain't complainin'.
When I developed cancer, he again offered to light a candle and to say prayers and I finally had to say something. "You know, Father, I am not a man of faith...."
"Of course, Charles, I know that. Remember, we're Facebook friends. I see your posts ... I know you're not a man of faith. It's no problem. I am."
He's a sweet man and has always been there to discuss things, even though I've been open about my agnosticism, which borders on atheism. I am still happy to call him a friend.0 -
My whole family except for my DH are believers and most are very devout. They are good people and I love them.
I did have to end a friendship with an old High School buddy because she wouldn't stop proselytizing (via email thank goodness). She actually remarked that she was surprised on how much time I spent thinking.
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"She actually remarked that she was surprised on how much time I spent thinking." EYE ROLL!!
I think that's what we have to do is show people that while we don't believe, we won't tell others that they're bad people because they do believe. If someone wants to believe, I have no problem with that, as long as they don't force their views upon me. I feel the same way about sexual orientation etc... As long as you're not trying to sleep with me, I should have no say in who you do sleep with and furthermore, I don't care, I also think it shouldn't affect other aspects of our lives, it's private and should stay private. And that's that. Just my opinion, of course. HA!
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Sad to say, this is probably the tone of most theological debate in the world these days. No one seems willing to admit that none of us knows what we're talking about.
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I've been thinking I should do that "live each day as if it were my last," but I've been having real trouble with that lately... I'm still a "deer in the headlights" I guess. I do try to take a 