Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?
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Agreed, Alice. There is a trick to posting images. You can't simply paste into the text box anymore. You have to upload the image. And only certain formats are allowed - .jpg, .gif, and the more basic ones.
Here is the James Webb Telescope site, with absolutely gorgeous images. https://www.nasa.gov/webbfirstimages
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Nope, it won't even let me upload jpegs, which is how I've always done it.
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Geh, this site. I swear.
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Thanks for the link. The images from the James Webb telescope are stunning. My 90-year-old father passed away yesterday. It was time and it was okay. The tough part is dealing with so many family members and Friends who are demanding prayer circles. I simply walk away. One of my sisters informed me I should just hold hands and pretend. F that. My mother said "you don't believe in God, that's fine with me and it was fine with your daddy." Don't worry about what other people think. For the most part my immediate family is respectful of my atheism but distant relatives think they have the right to patronize me because I don't share their beliefs. Just venting a little bit. Time to go back in.
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I'm sorry for your loss, Jo, even if it was expected. I hope you and your family finds comfort and peace.
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jo6359, I'm sorry about your father, and about your crappy relatives. Sometimes I'm really glad that I have very few relatives to deal with. Once my Mom died four years ago, I felt free to disown one cousin (her nephew) because I no longer had to play nice with a human turd "for family's sake." But Mom couldn't stand him, either! She just never could break that good manners wall. I can and did!
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Jo, my condolences on the loss of your father. Ninety years is an impressive long life.
I don't agree with “faking" the prayer in a circle thing, either. In my opinion, choosing not to pray is a boundary set in place. When someone suggests you “fake it”, they are pushing that boundary. I recently read about the difference between “belonging" to a group as opposed to “fitting in". When you “belong" to a group, you are accepted for what and who you are and they don't try to change you. “Fitting in" requires you to change who you are to become acceptable to the group. I've felt pressured to “fit in” many times in my life. I'm finally learning to stand my ground and live by my own convictions and not caving to the attempted control of others. The more I do it, the better I feel!
This week at the pool, a woman I met last year invited me to movie night at her church. They're showing some “chosen" series for the next x number of weeks. I told her thanks but I would not be going. She smiled and said, “one of these days I'll get you there." I smiled and said, “don't count on it." She knows I'm not religious and that I don't attend church. She has seen me not join prayer circles at our line dance class. Yet she persists.
I severely dislike when church goers see me as some kind of conquest where they can high five themselves if they get me to attend church. I am very much against their pressure tactics and not recognizing that no means no.
I will, at some point, explain to her that I’d like her to respect that I have my own views on religion. I know my own mind, I've had my own experiences in life and I don't need “led" to any truth. I’m not broken. I've uncovered my own truths, and am not blindly following what others tell me to follow.
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Maybe invite her over to watch a movie some Sunday morning. Then when she begs off because that's when church services are held, say, "One of these days, I'll get you there."
But then you'd have to tolerate her as a captured audience for a few hours.
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That's right up there with "I'll pray for you," which too many christians say as a threat to induce you to join their cult. But if we say "Please don't" or "No thank you," WE'RE the villains. I take it out on random FB people since I've gotten a ton of church spam ads lately.
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This needed to be shared!
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Poor Bjorn!
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That was great 😆
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I always tire of the carte blanche way most people approach religion. Not to mention that the Bible says nothing about abortion.
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I have to say when someone says “they’ll pray for me” I don’t take offense to that. That’s what they believe will help me, and even though I don’t believe that I take it with gratitude. If someone says they’re going to light a candle for me or chant around a statue, go for it. Who really knows and if it will make them feel like they are helping me then why should it bother me?
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trippositive, I don't care if they do it, but why the need to tell the person about it? They're bragging about interceding on your behalf with their invisible BFF. In other words, doing nothing. But they want you to THINK they're doing something, AND be grateful for it!. How would you feel if someone said "I'll talk to the Easter Bunny about you?" Or "I'll put in a good word with my garden gnome?" Most people would roll their eyes and say "Whatever" and mumble about nutters under their breath. Or ask what they're smoking and if they'd share. Now THAT might be helpful!
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One side of my family is very devoutly Catholic. Growing up, my mom tried all kinds of forms of Christianity, so I had a different view of what it meant to be devoted to a religion. Catholicism by far is the most ritualistic, a little creepy if removing oneself to observe during a service. Although I truly respect that side of my family for being devoted to something and using that to be devoted to each other, I can't shake the creepiness. So I mostly described myself as agnostic. Now I think I am an atheist. I don't believe in anything anymore, other than what is going on at the moment, especially since no amount of prayer results in quantifiable amounts for everyone equally. It makes no sense that some people have it harder while others don't and they have the same God.
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You made my day, too, Alice!!!
Hahahahaha! Garden gnome…..
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It makes no sense that some people have it harder while others don't and they have the same God
So well stated, alwaysmec.
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alwaysmec, it's like when there's a disaster and people say "The Looord saved me!" while dead bodies float by in the background, poor unsaved suckers.
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Alicebastable, yeah... suckers like the rest of us I guess. But yeah sounds about right!
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Alice - I actually, really do have a picture of me sitting on the Easter Bunny's lap when I was about 6 or 7 years old. I guess I was telling him what I wanted for Easter. Hmmm - if you don't get it from Santa, try the bunny. Or try the gnome!!!
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I really dislike when religious people act like some terrible fate befell a person because they didn't believe or turned their back on God, yet when something similar happens to a believer they will say, “God was with *name of person* and never left their side." What?
Earlier this year, a woman I know tripped and fell down steps on her way out of church. She was badly injured, torn ligaments in one arm, shattered elbow on the other and has since had three surgeries on it, a banged up face with a chipped tooth. Had to spend a month at a skilled care facility. Still in pain from the elbow and going to physical therapy. She 's giving the glory to God, of all things. The day of the fall, as parishioners rushed to her aid, she said one told her later they saw an angel beside her. Geez, couldn't the angel have shown up a minute or two earlier and spared her the fall? (I shoulda been cute and said, “Was the parishioner sure it was an angel and not a garden gnome?)
Her friend, who is also an acquaintance of mine, recently had her wallet stolen while at the cinema with the above woman. Upsetting and a huge inconvenience. She's spent many days having to cancel her driver's license, credit cards, replace her medical cards, concealed carry permit and so on. Plus the yucky feeling of knowing someone stole something from you. I felt awful for her. But then she turns around and tries to get me to attend their church. Like I'm broke and I need fixing. I like them both and am sorry for their difficulties, but with their track record, I think I'm better off doing my own thing. Their God doesn't seem to be sparing them from troubles.
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Wrenn, Oh, did that make my day!
divinemrsm, It's so tempting to tell people that any god who's that incompetent and has such a shitty attitude should be fired. It's pretty much what we all did, except for the lucky ones who were raised right.
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Very funny, Wrenn!
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Good to catch up on the posts. I've come back to the fold with an interesting article!!
Prayers can't cure breast cancer – Professor of Nursing
"It was realised that the many months of prayer did not cure the breast cancer but rather contributed to spread of the cancer cells," she said."
https://newsghana.com.gh/prayers-cant-cure-breast-...0 -
I like Professor Aviato!
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I especially hate the "God never sends you anything you can't handle"
Dear God: You are sadly wrong in overstating my ability to handle things.
Don't thank God for healing you. If you believe in God then thank God He gave us brilliant doctors and researchers.
I waiver between agnosticism and atheism. It would be comforting to believe in a Higher Power. I just can't.
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Hi! Another atheist with breast cancer here. I'm the only atheist I know though so pretty much everyone has been comforting me with "I'm praying for you" and such. Which honestly is comforting in the sense that I get that they're saying that they're thinking of me and wishing me good results. Luckily no one has blamed me for my own illness though at least not to my face. Even if God exists he obviously doesn't care if people get cancer. Those who believe in a God and live what one would consider a spiritually correct life get cancer just as much as us heathens.
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katynotrealname: Hi. I had a few Christians offering up prayers, my Muslim dentist saying he'd mention me to Allah (I guess he has a personal connection?) and a witch offering candle magic. All of it is meant well. Just don't try getting me to converting or "getting there sometime" Maybe witchcraft. At least it is natured based, attuned to the seasons and has "and it harm none"
edited to add: Katy, check out Mel's living room. "My Husband, My LIfe...." welcome to all who want to come in, to share, laugh, rant, support.
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I'm atheist, my oncologist it's very, very, very religious. And a bunch of friends drop off and send religious frames, artwork, statues...... it's all fine with me.
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