Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?
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Hi everyone;
You've probably heard about the controversial bus advertising in London UK, stating "There's probably No God -- Now Stop Worrying and Enjoy Your Life".
Well, the Toronto Transit Commission has just approved the ads, which will be placed on buses and in subway cars! Several clergy (Christian, Jewish, Muslim) were asked their thoughts. The only one who objected was an evangelical, calling them "attack ads". The others said that open discussion and debate were good.
The ads may also be approved by the city transportaion authorities in Calgary and Halifax. There's an article in today's paper (www.theglobeandmail.com) about it. Look under "religion".
Cheers!
Linda
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UK, Canada, so much more progressive than the US. I swear, we've regressed 50 years in the past eight.
I can't imagine these bus ads being approved in the U.S.
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You guys rock. Love the discussion and the open mindedness! I can relate to nearly everything said. Happy days....
GG
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Athiest here. I depend on me and my doctors and I do just fine. I've never felt the need to pray or whatever. I agree with Zap. Instead of religion I support and participate in the Susan G. Komen Runs, Relay for Life, Run for Women's Wellness and the American Cancer Foundation.
Great thread Dudess
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How did I miss this post?!! Great thread. After my diagnosis I was bombarded by people praying for me - family, friends and complete strangers. I appreciated the thought behind the praying and it made me feel good to know people cared, but am pretty sure it did not contribute one way or another towards a cure. Who knows why we are here, where we came from and where we go afterwards? Of course I would like to believe that somehow our "essence" continues on and that we connect again with our loved ones, but I am not counting on it. We have the now and the now includes Neopolitan ice cream and facials, so life as we know it is good.
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I belong to this club too (atheist and bc). I have to confess though that when my brother died five years ago and my son (then 6) wanted to believe that he has gone to heaven I did not argue. Does that make me a hypocrite?
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AT -- it doesn't make you a hypocrite any more than telling your son that Santa Claus (or Father Christmas) will be visiting Christmas Eve and leaving gifts under the tree -- or the tooth fairy -- or the Easter Bunny! "Make believe" is part of childhood.
Your son will make his own decisions as an adult about what to believe, just as we have done. At the age of 6, he probably just wants to believe the same things as his friends, from whom he no doubt heard about heaven!
Hugs from across the pond!
Linda
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What happened to this thread??
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Lisa--Thanks for reviving this thread. I actually can respond to an earlier post.
Analemma--The Freedom from Religion foundation sponsored bus ads. If my memory is correct, they are (were?) on buses in Madison, Wisconsin. I will try to post a link if I can find additional information.
Sue
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The signs were in buses in Madison, WI from Feb to May 2009. http://ffrf.org/news/2009/madison_buscampaign.php0
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Who knew?
Thanks for t he info sushanna
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Lisa - I have "met" you on another thread. I did wonder if there was a non religious thread around. I am new to this and already tired of people praying for me whether I like it or not!
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Oh bother!
I got thrown out of the country club for less on my t-shirt!
It is okay, it was casual Friday, t-shirts were okay, just not mine
Thanks, sushanna.
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Gill, I know that feeling...welcome to the thread
sushanna, now you have me wondering what was on your t shirt
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Sorry, Lisa, I am Dawn, I was thanking sashanna for the link to the bus posters.
My shirt was a gift from my oldest daughter.
It said "Get a taste of religion, lick a witch."
If that offends anyone, I am sorry.
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Dawnn, thanks for the laugh of the day, so had to chime in with the bumper sticker DH saw:
Sorry I missed church today, I was busy practicing witchcraft, and learning to be a lesbian.
Hope it doesn't offend any of you, my BF who is a lesbian aethist wanted one.
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Love the shirt Dawn!
New to this thread, but wondered about others traveling this journey without religion. I am a Geologist and have long questioned religion - read - Creation vs Evolution Debates.
I am afraid that I am at a loss right now for much else to say but today has been a tough one. Most of my thoughts are tied up in my own pain.
Since chemo brain, I have not been able to hold my own well in debates over religion. I really miss them. In a good debate, a lot of enlightening ideas can be discussed. I have always tolerated religious people and tried to understand their thought process. It hasn't always been easy.
Hope that everyone is doing well today
C
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When I was younger, and folks would ask me what I did on Sunday, I would tell them that I had a great day listening to Black Sabbath.
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I am so happy to see this thread. I am agnostic as well but in many peoples eyes I am an atheist.
When I am really afraid I imagine traveling thought he universe....passing planets in our solar system and then other galaxies. For some reason it is really comforting. In spite of knowing I am/we are really small it makes me feel a part of the whole. It also connects me to the knowledge that death is imminent and life is short but the universe is long lasting. Wow I cannot believe I put that into words and it makes sense!
XX Shirley
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Hi,I do not have BC however I just lost my mother in March due to BC so I guess I'm "searching"for a better insight as to how my mother my have felt.I am a Christian and have read the posts in this thread.Very interesting.I just wonder if anyone here has read the bible and if so,what makes someone choose not to take the chance and believe?There are so many wonderful things that are promised to us so what harm would it do to believe? I do not like to make anyone feel uncomfortable but I will pray for you.I do wish everyone on here the very best outcome.Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.(Hebrews 11:1) So my thought is we all have faith.
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msmistya - it does no harm to believe at all if it helps you. However, when I look at the strife and war that has engulfed our world for centuries, it is shocking to see how much is caused by religion. How can there be an all powerful god and allow all this to go on? If there were a god, wouldn't it be a benevelant loving entity, wanting to protect us? This is a bit of a simplistic writing, but just to give you an idea. I feel we have one chance on this earth, and our job is to leave it a better place than we found it for future generations to thrive and enjoy.
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Forgot to say - yes I grew up on the bible and am familiar with it. But it does nothing for me. Yes it is easier to "believe", just put it in god's hands as it were, but that seems a very non active approach to dealing with life.
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Dawnn...love the t-shirt! I have a magnet on my fridge that says:
"Sorry I missed church...I was busy studying witchcraft and becoming a lesbian"
I am both *chuckle*
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msmistya-
Not only have I read the bible, but I used to teach it to little kids in bible studies. As for "not believing" I do believe, just not the way you do. I am very spiritual and I do have faith.
Personally, thank you for your prayers...to me prayer is a form of magick and I accept prayers with thanks. I figure I'll take whatever positive energy I can get!
I am wondering how you would feel if I were to say "I did a magick spell to help heal you" ...not that I would, just curious...?
Peggy
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Hey Liz - good idea starting this up again. How is everyone doing?
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Hi back guitar girl,..good to see you...
I firmly believe in the "soap opera" theory of life...
no matter when we stop watching there will be another episode.......
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Another athiest after 12 years of Catholic schools, a religious family and an evangelical Baptist in laws. I can't tell you how many times both sides of my family tried to drag us off to church over the years as if that would yield an instant conversion.
I really don't understand why some hyper religious people care so much about what I believe, especially the anti abortion faction. I figure those people praying for me have found something that comforts them and are trying to comfort me so I accept it for that. A simple thank you is all I can say especially since most of these folks are aware of my beliefs or lack of.....
Still, what does it take to be a believer, some religious gene or willingness to accept what we're taught? Why the unwavering faith in the Bible which was a composite 400 years after the fact and rejection of the Torah or Koran or the other ancient holy books? I can respect the beliefs other people hold without feeling the need to participate but there is a lot about the whole thing I just don't get.
Bc is what it is, an equal oportunity disease rooted in our genes the experience of which I agree is completely swampy. I like Peggy's magick cure but I think it works about as well as prayer. I have faith in science and my docs expertise.0 -
Way back in 1960 one of the required books that we read for a freshman college course
was "Magic, Science and Religion" by Malinowski...good read...
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I am a lapsed Catholic by choice. I go by no organized religion. I prefer to think of myself as a "spiritual" person and live my life so that I bring no pain to others that may cross my path (except that this dang cancer has caused all my loved ones much pain). I would never turn anyone's prayers for me away, as I figure, in the end, we are all going to the same station, just taking different trains to get there.
Linda
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I wish there was an adequate substitute for 'pray' vs 'hope' (or some other word). When someone is in agony waiting for results, or got bad news, 'I pray things go well for you' sounds stronger than 'hope'. But maybe that's reflecting my Christian upbringing.
For me, I think that 'faith' is not a virtue. To me, faith (in a belief) means that you believe something despite the scientific evidence. Why should I believe the Bible, or Torah, or Koran, or any other belief? How do we know that God is not a pink and purple polkadotted something that no one has described?
If you have strong faith, does that mean you find it valuable to not be logical?
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