You + Your Life = Take It and Move On!

I AGREE. !

indeed. something that bothers me though, is that i have a hard time finding an atheist who is making a big deal about any other religion. ya know? like its all about christianity. well im sorry! ive met some pretty out there people of other religion too, and have yet to hear an atheists point of view on them. ya know what i mean? O.o

on one hand, i understand where you’re coming from and even agree with some of what you wrote, but i also try to put myself in the other shoe too. like you, i’m christian and if i need or want to talk about that or my beliefs, there is always someone ready and available to talk to because christianity is so widespread. then i think about what it must be like to be atheist and one of my favorite faves happens to be one and then i see things from her perspective too. she lives in a small town, in the south, everyone around her is christian, they talk about church socials and send emails with christian themes and she’s probably the only atheist for miles around and i think that must be pretty lonely sometimes. so when she chooses to use the internet to connect and find some comraderie and validation, i guess i don’t mind it so much even if her beliefs are widely different from my own. i just hope they are able to find some comfort in each other because even if they don’t realize it for what it is, in MY belief, that in itself is an act of God.

I think the reason so many people are really talking about it is because the country is shifting. For a long time the majority of the people running the country were Christian and it was the “acceptable” thing to be. Think about how important it was for politicians to be Christian and let people know. But I also believe an awakening of the soul is happening now, and a lot of people aren’t turningto Christianity, but instead questioning this entity that has restricted them in so many ways for so long. I think the people are just stretching their newly found wings now that they feel confident enough questioning something that was forced on them for so long by people not as understanding and humble as you. Unfortunately, the majority of Christian encounters I’ve had are bad. And I think when people wear their Christian Badge they set themself up for a higher standard of behaviour as opposed to those who are humbly christian. My grandmothers are Christian and are good people. I know they exist. But like everything else there are always a few who ruin the rep for everyone. Things always ebb and flow. Perhaps Christianity will ebb again soon.

ryn: thanks. my mom, and my grandmother both are always telling me the same thing. they are always telling me to “give it to God” and I admit when I do, things always seem to turn around. It must be so sad to be an atheist and believe it nothing. To have no hope.

I bet the atheist nominate themselves with other ods they own. Then again maybe people really do nominate them.

RYN: She was DEFINITELY set up by Hilton, and it shouldn’t have been permitted. As I said, I don’t agree with her, but I applaud her.

Ooh. Don’t hate me because I’m an atheist (and–oy!–I was nominated for Reader’s Choice once!) I don’t think you’re a whack job (actually, I’M a whack job!) and I really, truly don’t think of you as a judgmental hypocrite. And anyway, if you truly follow your faith, how could you be hypocritical? Anyway, I may not believe in God, but I believe in many FRIENDS who believe in God. I promise not toput you in a box! Are we still pals?

“Go on about your life already!” I tried that for many years before I started my diary. It didn’t work. Christians (and other theists) were making my country and my world much worse places while I wasn’t paying attention. As much as Christians like you may prefer that I shut up, stop exposing the daily crimes and fundamental errors of Christians, and distract myself with less important matters, sorry – that’s a mistake I have no intention of repeating.

If you’re at all interested in learning more about why your request isn’t likely to be meet with a positive response from the atheists I know, go here: http://www.opendiary.com/entryview.asp?authorcode=C101953&entry=10760

RYN: “You can’t tell me that there aren’t daily occurences involving atheists that just are wrong in general. Give it a rest already.” I just posted an entry about two Christian pastors charged with a shocking crime. I’ve previously posted the names of hundreds of other prominent Christians whose crimes were severe enough to make their way into the news sources I check. I challenge you to give me the name of one atheist or humanist who has committed a crime that’s merited the same coverage.

Just thought I’d add another note from an atheist. I would agree to exactly what you propose, live and let live, if theists would do the same to me and everyone else. TBC…

Just thought I’d add another note from an atheist. I would agree to exactly what you propose, live and let live, if theists would do the same to me and everyone else. Errr, I’m not so very eloquent right now but I think you misunderstand atheists and why we’re so complainy about religion.

RYN: Well, people who devote their lives to stereotyping are people who need simple questions and simple answers—in short, simple people.

RYN: When you write, you are being creative. Being descriptive is simply looking, hearing, tasting, smelling, and feeling and then putting into words the input of your senses.

Thanks for your recent notes. I enjoyed learning more about your thoughts and beliefs. I hope we can continue discussing things in the future. 🙂

For right now, however, I’d like to just follow up on the thought-thread we started above – to which you responded with a note that included this comment: “I’m not going to play your game of seeing who can find the worst criminals out of the theists or the atheists.”

I assure you, it is not a game – it’s an attempt to learn the truth. I can’t begin tell you the number of times I’ve been told in my life that reading the Bible, going to church, believing in gOd, etc., makes one a better person while rejecting the Bible, not going to church, and rejecting gOd makes one a worse person. Whenever I’ve tried to test those claims empirically, I’ve discoveredjust the opposite to be the case.

I’ve been sharing what I’ve found for years now in my diary. Despite this, Christians (among others) have been unable or unwilling to do either of the two things that I think is required: Refute my evidence or revise their claims. Instead, they seem to close their eyes to the evidence I present and say and believe what they always have. This would be troubling regardless of the subject. (In fact, it reminds me of nothing so much as the smokers in my family who steadfastly refused to believe that smoking kills.)

Although you insist that atheists like me are unfairly stereotyping Christians like you, I think you unknowingly confirmed one stereotype in spades when I asked you for the name of a single atheist criminal to back up your claim of widespread atheist misbehavior to balance the hundreds of very specific Christian names that I’ve posted and you didn’t respond with a single name but an unfortunate dismissal of the request….

Do you see the problem here? It’s as if one of my smoking relatives told me that just as many non-smokers as smokers die of lung cancer and when I present them with a stack of medical reports giving the names of hundreds of smokers who have died of lung cancer and asked them to name a single non-smoker who has died of lung cancer, they either couldn’t or wouldn’t but chose to hold on to what seems to me to be a very irrational and self-serving prejudice instead….

Now, on the basis of the past experiences I’ve had with Christians to whom I’ve basically said all this before, I have certain expectations as to how you may respond. Now’s your chance to upset those expectations/stereotypes by surprising me with something new and convincing. (I really hope you will!) 🙂

What is horrible is the Christians who represented Christianity wrong. I mean we all have heard tales about them. The ones who proved themselves to be hypocritical, and made unbelievers feel judged and like they are lower than Christians. That isn’t our job as believers! True Christians never hit anyone over the head with a bible, or judge or try to make others feel lower than them. When we share

our faith it is out of love, and a sincere desire for others to know the Truth so that they can experience what we experience! And be saved! Lately, I seem to have a lot of close people in my life who do not believe. And although Christ has spoken through me to them they don’t seem to budge in their beliefs. But the seed has been planted… And all we can do is be *witnesses*. Continue to read the

Word, fellowship, and pray. And through this, we will be at one with the Triune God and therefore will have grace. And then others will look at us and think, “I want what she has!”. Just continue to be a witness sister. In the past they may have seen hypocritical, judgemental ‘Christians’, but their is still time for them to find Truth! Take care and grace be with you!

RyN: It’s not about the people, it’s about the ideas and the flaws in those ideas that lead to Really Bad Things. Also I find your sentiment that atheists are “putting down a whole group of people” amusing compared to what christianity has done. If you ally yourself with christianity you unfortunately are stuck with the history of that system, just sayin’…

at the end of the day atheism is about “you” being right and Christianity is about “you” being wrong – and atheists simply put cannot get over themselves – its all about God not being able to meet their demands (proof, “fairness”, their definitions of love) – the whole idea that they are “good” and theists are “bad” is beside the point

then they’ll go on and on about how God can’t be proven and with a straight face use “love” as if it has ever been proven (or recreated in a lab or dug up by archaeologists) not only with each other but to demonstrate that God cannot exist.

the atheists here on OD at least will also say see what this theists has done? it shows how bad they are or how lousy their ideas are, but ask one of them anything they have done and its all, oh my ideas are whats important, my actions cannot cloud my ideas or represent them – so they are unable to take as well as they give

put another way they are admitting it is not a belief that kills, or steals or abuses or whatever, but rather the human person who did those things – but with their mouth they still claim that religion kills

MANY thanks for your latest note and the link it included. I apologize for missing that link the first time you shared it. Now that I’ve followed it and read the story about Kevin McKeither I can say that you have indeed apparently pointed me to the name of an atheist who has been convicted of a terrible crime. VERY impressive! That McKeither is still alive, an American, and recently convictedearns you three bonus points. Congratulations and MANY cookies! 🙂

I hope to be able to share more of my thoughts about McKeither’s case and its significance, implications, etc., in an entry today or tomorrow. In the meantime, thanks again for providing me with actual evidence in support of your point of view. 🙂

ryn: i don’t need to wonder really. common sense and sitemeter help me narrow things down quite nicely. i hurt someone’s feelings a while back apparently.

RYN: “Working on” descriptive writing isn’t difficult. Take paper and pen (or a Blackberry or some other input device) outside. Write down everything you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. Do NOT think about wording. Just scribble what your senses are feeding you. Then, later, work these impressions into an OD entry, or a personal journal entry, or whatever.

Hi. I saw your notes on Auub’s diary. I’m a Christian too. I’m not fanatical. Sometimes I do or say things that aren’t right. I find it quite interesting about others beliefs. Some people have had very bad experiences with religion and God. I believe in God and the bible myself. I think when someone constantly tries to find the wrong in God, really if you think about it….the more that is writtenabout it, the more exposure God gets. And he can use all things to his glory. I personally would like to see Atheist diaries write about more personal, every day stuff than just putting God down….BUT….there are a LOT of religious diaries on here where it’s quite overwhelming and bit of a turn off as well. I sometimes wish they’d lay off of the preaching and talk about regular stuff as well. I just don’t think a diary should turn into an agenda. I think it should be about you, and you can express your feelings, desires, beliefs and personality all in one without concentrating on one certain subject day in and day out. :)) Take care!!

You know I wish I could remember the exact quote because it said it so perfectly, but i’ll try and recall the jist… some people have made religion into an organisation, a lifestyle, entertainment, a culture, a government… but really it is about having a loving relationship with God. That’s it. Simple really. Just like you said. What I dislike about the approach of some athiests… is the negetivity and hate in their words all the time, with sarcasm and patronising attitudes. I wish some would just talk straight and simply, conversationally, rather than always looking for an arguement or debate. It comes across like a competition, or a way to point fingers. And it certainly doesn’t do them any favours for me to understand thier point of view. xox