been borg again Posted June 19, 2005 Share Posted June 19, 2005 You guys have any NON threatening media, books, movies, ect. that would help my wife? Example, she is too uncomfortable with books by Dan Barker, they accually make her angry. HOWEVER she loves comedians like Bill Hicks and George Carlin, and we watch Futurama all the time, which is filled with anti- religous thoughts. We saw the "God Fellows" episode the other day ( Bender is drifting thru space and meets God). And episodes like this and people like Bill Hicks is a good medium to introduce her to critical thinking.. Sometimes she will just get " AHA, I get it now" look on her face when Bill Hicks talks about a concept or philosphy that is critical of faith. Maybe she doesnt realize it, but it has a huge impact on her way of thinking, and as a result she has drifted from fundyism ( HURRAH) to a liberal tolerant form of christianity over the past 5 years.. So you guys have any suggestions of other authors, movies, comedians, books? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fallenleaf Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Hmm, Life of Brian by Monty Python. That's a good one. For books, I might recommend Slaughter House V by Vonnegut, and I highly recommend, Stranger from a Strange Land by Heinlein... if that doesn't get her thinking without opening enraging her then few things will. Hmm, I'm sure there are other suggestions I can think of but that's a start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilith Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 I'm facinated in any responses too. I love the "Life of Brian" suggestion. We have that and when my husband watched it for the first time, he couldn't help but laugh (even though I could tell he was grumbling just a bit under his breath here and there). I watch a lot of Science and History Channel stuff too. He seems much more open to evolution and old earth than he was just a year ago. I think it may slowly be etching away at the dogma that has been fed to him over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dio Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Perhaps books about mythology along the lines of Joseph Campbell, which analyze religious beliefs for what they really are - myths, without ridiculing or demeaning their relevance. Or Carl Jung and Mircea Eliade and their analyses of archetypes, etc. I haven't read extensively in these areas, but have sampled some of each of the above authors. Jung's 'Answer to Job' was particularly interesting to me, but that's because I was semi-obsessed with the book of Job during my deconversion process. Maybe others here could suggest specific titles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 You guys have any NON threatening media, books, movies, ect. that wouldhelp my wife? Example, she is too uncomfortable with books by Dan Barker, they accually make her angry. HOWEVER she loves comedians like Bill Hicks and George Carlin, and we watch Futurama all the time, which is filled with anti- religous thoughts. We saw the "God Fellows" episode the other day ( Bender is drifting thru space and meets God). And episodes like this and people like Bill Hicks is a good medium to introduce her to critical thinking.. Sometimes she will just get " AHA, I get it now" look on her face when Bill Hicks talks about a concept or philosphy that is critical of faith. Maybe she doesnt realize it, but it has a huge impact on her way of thinking, and as a result she has drifted from fundyism ( HURRAH) to a liberal tolerant form of christianity over the past 5 years.. So you guys have any suggestions of other authors, movies, comedians, books? Borg, Introduce her to the wonderful world of critical thinking. This is something that should be non offensive to anyone, christian and not, and will give her the tools to make her own evaluation. I suggest the following book. I'm sure that she could keep it under her arm as she sings her Sunday morning hymns and no one would blink: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=books Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dio Posted June 21, 2005 Share Posted June 21, 2005 Borg, Introduce her to the wonderful world of critical thinking. This is something that should be non offensive to anyone, christian and not, and will give her the tools to make her own evaluation. I suggest the following book. I'm sure that she could keep it under her arm as she sings her Sunday morning hymns and no one would blink: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detai...=glance&s=books <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Good suggestion, Vdf. One of the co-authors (Browne) was my undergrad Economics prof - best teacher I ever had. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fweethawt Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 BBA, Does your wife have a good sense of humor? Also, does she mind reading online materials? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Neil Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 I watch a lot of Science and History Channel stuff too. He seems much more open to evolution and old earth than he was just a year ago. I think it may slowly be etching away at the dogma that has been fed to him over the years.Science Channel is an excellent resource to kind of gently push someone toward deconversion. You don't even have to start out with the Monday night lineup of evolution science. The Tuesday space line-up should be a good enough start. For one thing, there's nothing about space that immediately seems threatening, but a thinking person cannot honestly look at astronomy without noticing some problems with Christianity. For one thing, the whole idea that the stars were made to fill our night sky gets scrapped when you learn that there are entire galaxies that cannot be seen with the naked eye. I was watching something just the other day about the Hubble telescope finding a "peephole" near the handle of the big dipper, through which it gazed into the far distances of the universe. What it saw were literally tons of galaxies. And they did the same thing later on by pointing the telescope in the opposite direction. Again, a small space between stars through which the telescope could take pictures showed distant galaxies that could not possibly have been put there for our benefit. While this is not a direct contradiction of Genesis, it will effectively unshackle the mind from the sort of intense human arrogance that most fundies suffer from when they see that the universe was not made for humans. There's literally something like that in pretty much every astronomy program I've seen on that channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imageownershipproblem Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 If you can find a copy of the book cited in my signature, it is an absolutely beautiful and nonmathematical survey of Physics that could not possibly offend anyone who didn't know about my little play on words. Mr. Hewitt was my professor in the '80s, but I have seen his book in print in homeschooling catalogues in the not-too-distant past. I'm sure the current edition lacks the optimism of my own copy, which reflects the age in which it was written. Even so, it would still show her that there is plenty of beauty in the world without having to rely on imaginary friends. More than likely, it would pique her interest in Einstein, Hawking, etc. as it has my own, my children's, and my guy's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilith Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Science Channel is an excellent resource to kind of gently push someone toward deconversion. You don't even have to start out with the Monday night lineup of evolution science. The Tuesday space line-up should be a good enough start. For one thing, there's nothing about space that immediately seems threatening, but a thinking person cannot honestly look at astronomy without noticing some problems with Christianity. For one thing, the whole idea that the stars were made to fill our night sky gets scrapped when you learn that there are entire galaxies that cannot be seen with the naked eye. I was watching something just the other day about the Hubble telescope finding a "peephole" near the handle of the big dipper, through which it gazed into the far distances of the universe. What it saw were literally tons of galaxies. And they did the same thing later on by pointing the telescope in the opposite direction. Again, a small space between stars through which the telescope could take pictures showed distant galaxies that could not possibly have been put there for our benefit. While this is not a direct contradiction of Genesis, it will effectively unshackle the mind from the sort of intense human arrogance that most fundies suffer from when they see that the universe was not made for humans. There's literally something like that in pretty much every astronomy program I've seen on that channel. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> All very good points, unless you are a WoF'r. Kenneth Copeland once said something to the effect of, "God said 'Go' and never told creation to stop." This was his explanation of why the universe was so expansive. I will find the exact quote if anyone is interested, because I think I've managed to explain it rather poorly here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 All very good points, unless you are a WoF'r. Kenneth Copeland once said something to the effect of, "God said 'Go' and never told creation to stop." This was his explanation of why the universe was so expansive. I will find the exact quote if anyone is interested, because I think I've managed to explain it rather poorly here. Ya gotta give him props for creativity, that Copeland guy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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