Influence of the Holy Spirit

[Mythra]

Actually, there are lots of people here who are extremely bright. You included Hans. I feel like a complete dunce trying to read some of the stuff here. (like spooky's or neil's)

 

I'd like to read or listen to one of their debates, but I never would be able to figure out who won. I can't figure out what the fuck they're saying. I never took philosophy in college, and I don't have a good understanding of evolution, so maybe that's why.

 

But just let em try and rip off a scripture at me. I'll think of a contradicting scripture lickety-split.

 

When I was a christian, I used to read lots of apologetics stuff, and the explanations that they used were so phony and stupid sometimes. I was thinking, man, who's gonna buy THIS explanation? Then I'd look it up in Matthew Henry's commentaries, and he couldn't explain it any better. That was the beginning of the end.

[dogmatically_challenged]

I think our philosophers here at X-C are very sexy, but all knowlege and skills are good. Character traits are very important as well.

 

The more you read the more things will fall together and it is no ones right to criticize were you are. You have knowlege and skills and Character that complement this forum.

[Mythra]

thanks, dc.

 

This forum has been the best thing for me. It would be so tough to reject Christianity thinking that you were the only one who didn't get it. You'd always think that the problem was you and not the religion itself. It is wonderful beyond description to find out that there are others, and that they have experienced the exact same shit, and had the exact same conflicts.

[Ouroboros]

Actually, there are lots of people here who are extremely bright.  You included Hans.  I feel like a complete dunce trying to read some of the stuff here.  (like spooky's or neil's) 

Don’t feel like that. We have all different background and different skills. Spooky and Neil have a lot of knowledge in science and philosophy. I don’t have any higher education except for life itself. You’re very kind saying things like that, but I consider it very important to listen to different people, and different views. In my eyes no one is stupid or smarter than the other. Sometimes a person without education or background can bring up the cleverest thoughts.

 

Besides, I can tell you think and reason, and want to know how things work and are connected. So you are by definition already a philosopher. So just feel the warm welcome to that club! Welcome to the crazy people that talk seriously about nothings!

 

I'd like to read or listen to one of their debates, but I never would be able to figure out who won.  I can't figure out what the fuck they're saying.  I never took philosophy in college, and I don't have a good understanding of evolution, so maybe that's why.

Just read and use Google for concepts and words you don’t understand. Or Dictionary.com is a good source for explanation of words. After a while you will increase your ability to follow and also to reason. You have it, so just start digging. And Spooky and Neil always win, by default, that’s the rules here.

 

But just let em try and rip off a scripture at me.  I'll think of a contradicting scripture lickety-split. 

 

When I was a christian, I used to read lots of apologetics stuff, and the explanations that they used were so phony and stupid sometimes.  I was thinking, man, who's gonna buy THIS explanation?  Then I'd look it up in Matthew Henry's commentaries, and he couldn't explain it any better.  That was the beginning of the end.

That’s because apologetics always go back to the foundation of faith. You can’t use logic and reason the whole way if you somewhere in the middle make jumps to the left or right because of your opinion. Faith is nothing by political opinions; people put a spin to their arguments instead of follow through.

[dogmatically_challenged]

thanks, dc. 

 

This forum has been the best thing for me.  It would be so tough to reject Christianity thinking that you were the only one who didn't get it.  You'd always think that the problem was you and not the religion itself.  It is wonderful beyond description to find out that there are others, and that they have experienced the exact same shit, and had the exact same conflicts.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Me too. I love you guys. I don't have to guard what I say, and can relate to others who have been hurt, character assinated, and abandoned.

[dogmatically_challenged]

Don’t feel like that. We have all different background and different skills. Spooky and Neil have a lot of knowledge in science and philosophy. I don’t have any higher education except for life itself. You’re very kind saying things like that, but I consider it very important to listen to different people, and different views. In my eyes no one is stupid or smarter than the other. Sometimes a person without education or background can bring up the cleverest thoughts.

 

Besides, I can tell you think and reason, and want to know how things work and are connected. So you are by definition already a philosopher. So just feel the warm welcome to that club! Welcome to the crazy people that talk seriously about nothings!

Just read and use Google for concepts and words you don’t understand. Or Dictionary.com is a good source for explanation of words. After a while you will increase your ability to follow and also to reason. You have it, so just start digging. And Spooky and Neil always win, by default, that’s the rules here.

That’s because apologetics always go back to the foundation of faith. You can’t use logic and reason the whole way if you somewhere in the middle make jumps to the left or right because of your opinion. Faith is nothing by political opinions; people put a spin to their arguments instead of follow through.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

[Mythra]

notice how all of the terms for leaving christianity are negative? walking away, turn your back, reject christ, fall away.

 

There's got to be a better way to say it. Maybe say, well, "once the light bulb came on",

[Ouroboros]

thanks, dc. 

 

This forum has been the best thing for me.  It would be so tough to reject Christianity thinking that you were the only one who didn't get it.  You'd always think that the problem was you and not the religion itself.  It is wonderful beyond description to find out that there are others, and that they have experienced the exact same shit, and had the exact same conflicts.

 

I had the same feeling. When de-converted, was I alone doing this? Maybe that part scared me most, that maybe no one else had done it. Then I researched the web, and found thousands of people; it was several years ago. But I didn't join any forum until recently, and it was this one. I love it. This is my church.

[Ouroboros]

notice how all of the terms for leaving christianity are negative?  walking away, turn your back, reject christ, fall away. 

 

There's got to be a better way to say it.  Maybe say, well, "once the light bulb came on",

 

Once in a while I say things like that, or born-again-again, or when I got free.

 

[edit]

Rejecting or walking away is not negative, depending on what you reject.

 

Abused women walk away, and that's damn good that they do!

[dogmatically_challenged]

We are free to be us. Thats why we say it in a negative way. People and family wanted us to agree with them, and for some, thier families chose religion over them. We only express leaving the fold the way we do because of the negative experiences as you have pointed out. We've been hurt. Let down.

[Mythra]

Yeah, it's very very cool here. People can be who they are. No pretenses. No trying to impress anyone. If you say something stupid, (like trying to defend the Santa Claus doctrine) who gives a shit?

 

A hell of a lot more honesty and sharing of thoughts here than I ever saw in any church. I mean, you don't agree with someone here, you just tell em they're full of shit.

 

I just keep waiting for someone here to pass the collection plate.

[dogmatically_challenged]

Hhaha! Church can be such a scam when run by some pastors.

 

 

 

ExChristian.net is a place to heal. No one believes the same things and can agree to disagree without the nasty certitude that we see in organized religion.

 

FreeThought is Freedom.

[Ouroboros]

You got it Mythra.

 

It struck me today, that so many people with so different backgrounds actually co-exists in this site and argue, get upset, make up, move on and argue again, and the more I talk to people the more they become my friends. In Church you blended in with the groups that fit your profile. Rarely would you step outside, because it was too personal I guess. This medium, a forum on internet, is emotionally disassociated but yet so very close. You can be honest to say things you wouldn’t dare saying in real, and you learn things you never would learn in a face-to-face conversation. And also when you talk to people at a real/live party, only one can talk at one time, and people loose interest quickly. But here people write day and night on the same threads. That’s information interchange at its best.

[Mythra]

of course, christians see this place as the pit of hell. I can just imagine the shock when they read some of the jokes.

 

You know how I found this? I googled "fundamentalists anonymous", looking for a milder version of christianity, something that I could not become a full time missionary and still believe.

 

I was SHOCKED when I first read "ex-christian". I thought, holy shit, who would ever admit to THAT? That's like just fucking beggin God to fry ya.

 

Then I started doing lots and lots of reading, and I have no problem calling myself an atheist. God (at least YHWH) is bunk. I am sure of it.

 

(Or else He is absolutely real, completely schizophrenic and I'm totally screwed)

[dogmatically_challenged]

Funny how things just kinda fall sometimes. The song " I can't get no satisfaction" comes to mind when I think about how some of us broke free.

[Ouroboros]

When it comes to God, I maintain the position that I'm an atheist. Currently I don't believe there is a God.

 

But at the same time, there could be some super-power that we can't explain beyond the knowable. But regardless of that, he's unknown to us now, and if he would be known, he is DEFINITELY NOT a Christian or Muslim or Jewish version.

 

Faith is personal, and personal it should stay. Make a proof for one God and Faith is gone the next second. And then without Faith, no God is needed. Many people need faith, and I used too, but not anymore, and I'm finally free.

[Mythra]

FreeThought is Freedom.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

See, there ya go. Absolute brilliance.

 

FreeThought is Freedom.

 

This thing has my wife completely scratching her head. She keeps waiting for me to head into a deep depression or something, or to sprint into deep sin. I've just been in a good mood, friendly. I just owe this place so much.

[Ouroboros]

Funny how things just kinda fall sometimes. The song " I can't get no satisfaction" comes to mind when I think about how some of us broke free.

 

Yes, you're right. I couldn't stop searching. I was Christian, but it wasn't enough. Had to find the answer to this question or that one. But now, I'm not worried about the answers, I just keep on asking because Is So Friggin Fun!

[Ouroboros]

See, there ya go.  Absolute brilliance. 

 

FreeThought is Freedom.

 

This thing has my wife completely scratching her head.  She keeps waiting for me to head into a deep depression or something, or to sprint into deep sin.  I've just been in a good mood, friendly.  I just owe this place so much.

 

That was one of the (excuse my language) fucking best thing someone have said here.

 

And I must agree. This place Rox Big Time!

[dogmatically_challenged]

See, there ya go.  Absolute brilliance. 

 

FreeThought is Freedom.

 

This thing has my wife completely scratching her head.  She keeps waiting for me to head into a deep depression or something, or to sprint into deep sin.  I've just been in a good mood, friendly.  I just owe this place so much.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

The thing about Free Thought is we can reject or ACCEPT ideas from religion based on reason. They will never truly understand us and will always fear us or for us at leats a little bit because we are not afraid to say "I don't know" or " This is what I think so far based on.." This thinking is alien to the religionists when applied to values and god.

[Mythra]

I'm opting for complete materialist right now, until someone convinces me otherwise. Until someone can explain to me why the soul goes to sleep when you're under anesthesia. You ARE your brain as far as I'm concerned. No more brain, no more you. And that works for me.

 

It's just kind of a shame that Timothy McVeigh and Mother Theresa both go nighty night in exactly the same way.

 

Come to think of it, that's a pretty good rationale behind man-made religion. To help mankind think that there is some justice, that all is rewarded or punished in the end..

[Ouroboros]

Free Thought is one of the most dangerous powers in the world. That's why many philosophers have been persecuted. They speak up against suppressing rulers of their time. And that scares people, if they’re challenged to think. People like TV dinners and remote controls for everything in their life. They don’t want to think, they want to be server what to think. It’s sad, but that’s human nature.

[dogmatically_challenged]

I'm opting for complete materialist right now, until someone convinces me otherwise.  Until someone can explain to me why the soul goes to sleep when you're under anesthesia.  You ARE your brain as far as I'm concerned.  No more brain, no more you.  And that works for me.

 

It's just kind of a shame that Timothy McVeigh and Mother Theresa both go nighty night in exactly the same way.

 

Come to think of it, that's a pretty good rationale behind man-made religion.  To help mankind think that there is some justice, that all is rewarded or punished in the end..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Very empathic. I think some of the bible writers really had a heart sometimes, but not always. But religion is a tool to keep people in line. The bible writers do insult the human spirit. No confidence in people.

[dogmatically_challenged]

Free Thought is one of the most dangerous powers in the world. That's why many philosophers have been persecuted. They speak up against suppressing rulers of their time. And that scares people, if they’re challenged to think. People like TV dinners and remote controls for everything in their life. They don’t want to think, they want to be server what to think. It’s sad, but that’s human nature.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I think it is human psychology that can be overcome with the right experiences.

I don't think these traits are hard wired per say. I am only making a biased guess though. I am in love with humanity despite the ugliness.

[Ouroboros]

Come to think of it, that's a pretty good rationale behind man-made religion.  To help mankind think that there is some justice, that all is rewarded or punished in the end..

 

That's correct. Consider that you have people that are totally anarchistic, and without control, and you are the soon to be dictator.

 

You gain control and make people behave; you need a punishment that works better than just death, the eternal punishment works well for this. So now they behave a little better in fear of the greater punishment.

 

Then you have the people that are poor and doesn’t get food and see the rich people live in wealth, you tell them that they will go to heaven, so they will accept their miserable life, in expectance to the reward at the end. So they keep calm too.