R. S. Martin Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 I'm beginning to think that is what rankles Christians, no matter how educated they are. They can't stand it when we think for ourselves and demand evidence to support the word of authority. I can't trust the word of unsupported authority for the life of me. Might as well jump off a cliff with the confidence that I'll sprout wings in the next two split seconds. (Maybe that is where faith comes in. If so, I'll opt out.) I begin with the presupposition that authority is supported and built upon logic, which corresponds directly with reality that can be tested in falsifiable methods. I assumed any educated person, and most uneducated people, do this. Perhaps I'm wrong. Perhaps many people think authority is a power and foundation in and of itself. If so, I can see why we get abuse of power from police, church leadership, national leaders, and law of the jungle behaviour among humans in general. The thing is, these liberal Christians had no problem with me, or I with them, so long as I identified as some brand of heretical Christian. The problem started when I announced my deconversion. It climaxed when I presented a reasoned discussion for thinking there is no god, and in the same paper regarding a different topic made the argument that the word of authority must be supported with evidence. Somehow, in the christian's distraught brain this all came together and Ruby was defying authority of the most high order and had to be "put in her place." God and his faithful followers could not be expected to hold their own with one little authority-defying atheist in their midst. Oh no! Thus, with all the gravity of his position and the bulk of his physical form, along with his booming voice, in the presence of three male colleagues behind closed boardroom doors, he needed to confront--let's be tactful here, right? and not say attack--this alien with all the psychological means at his disposal and put her in her place while yet there is time. Well, Ruby had done no wrong so there was no place to put her. So he did next best and washed his hands of her and said her paper was okay when it really wasn't--just to get rid of her as fast as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted April 17, 2008 Super Moderator Share Posted April 17, 2008 Wow! Relax, Ruby. It's over already! If you don't stop dwelling on the morons you'll never move on with real life. Relax. We love you. - Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted April 17, 2008 Author Share Posted April 17, 2008 Yup, thanks, Chris. I think I am moving on now. When feelings run this deep and this complex they gotta come out. When people go through a divorce or death of a loved one we don't expect them to get over it in a day or two, either. Well that's the kind of thing we're dealing with here. You'd probably have to know my entire history for that to make sense. I'm just trying to keep it contained to these forums as opposed to letting it spill into real life. This is not the kind of thing a counselor could help with because it concerns religion and authority and who knows what else that triggers counselors. But I've been able to focus on a few other topics today so I know I'm moving on. And I didn't have bad dreams last night so I know things are heading in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Moderator florduh Posted April 17, 2008 Super Moderator Share Posted April 17, 2008 Along with a lot of other people, I'm behind you 100%. Hang in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted April 17, 2008 Author Share Posted April 17, 2008 Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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