Mike D Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 I don't know about other people but I find the fact that Bro Jeff reconverted back to Christianity to be distrubing. And no I do not mean his reconversion makes me question my own beliefs as an atheist, and that disturbs me - I left Christanity and disbelieve in god for about a thousand irreconciliable issues and those issues would still be there if I went back. What disturbs me is that other than initial beliefs that are programmed by our parents, how people can change their beliefs from one extreme to the other, like it's a flavor of the month rather than a quest for truth. Why does this happen? HOW can this happen? If someone asserts on Monday that god exists, then on Tuesday they assert that God does not exist, then on Wednesday they assert once again that god exists, where is the truth in that? I don't get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 I completely understand. I am perturbed as well. It makes me wonder what would happen if I immersed myself again in Christian thinking and doctrine and people all over again. Are what we read and spend our spare time doing much more important than what we actually know? Are we that gullible? Is what I "believe" primarily dependent on my influences, even after I have sifted through them? Or was there just some major something that people who convert back don't get about the falsehood of Christianity? I personally could never see myself going back, but I do wonder if this is just because I don't go to church and surround myself with Christian ideas and explanations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 Too freakin weird. Not only a member here, but had his own site. Religion is Bullshit. Religion is Bullshit. Religion is Bullshit. switch. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is Lord. Brother Jeff is mental. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofia Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 And I'm thinking............Why the heck does it matter? You have your beliefs and other people have theirs. Who gives a rip? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 What disturbs me is that, from reading his posts in the debates here, he seems to have forgotten (not just rejected, but forgotten) the reasons why someone would disbelieve Christianity which he himself used to espouse. But maybe that's a premature assumption, since he hasn't posted that much. The whole situation is kind of sad (in the sense of dissapointment, not patheticness). I never talked to him much or anything before but I miss reading the way Brother Jeff used to cut through Christian rhetoric so easily simply by rewording it from Christianeze. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 I don't think anyone should ridicule him personally either. Let him live his life. Having family members with bipolar, I do think it has to do with that.... in general... but that is just my opinion. Regardless, the whole thing causes me to pause and think. This is the first time as an Ex-C that I have witnessed another ex-c convert back. What kinds of things could cause this? Why? etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 And I'm thinking............Why the heck does it matter? You have your beliefs and other people have theirs. Who gives a rip? It doesn't matter. He could go pray to Tinkerbell for all I care. It's just weird to flip-flop that drastically that fast. Maybe he'll be back in two weeks saying he found out it's all a sham. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 What disturbs me is that, from reading his posts in the debates here, he seems to have forgotten (not just rejected, but forgotten) the reasons why someone would disbelieve Christianity which he himself used to espouse. But maybe that's a premature assumption, since he hasn't posted that much. The whole situation is kind of sad (in the sense of dissapointment, not patheticness). I never talked to him much or anything before but I miss reading the way Brother Jeff used to cut through Christian rhetoric so easily simply by rewording it from Christianeze. Seems to me he "forgot" on his website too... but I need to read it more to say for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofia Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 Yeah......and here's the really cool thing. As a Christian, I never ridiculed him because he didn't believe. There's something wrong with this picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 What disturbs me is that, from reading his posts in the debates here, he seems to have forgotten (not just rejected, but forgotten) the reasons why someone would disbelieve Christianity which he himself used to espouse. But maybe that's a premature assumption, since he hasn't posted that much. The whole situation is kind of sad (in the sense of dissapointment, not patheticness). I never talked to him much or anything before but I miss reading the way Brother Jeff used to cut through Christian rhetoric so easily simply by rewording it from Christianeze. Seems to me he "forgot" on his website too... but I need to read it more to say for sure. I just checked his site, and I see what you mean. A quote: "Skeptics who [say Jesus preached hate] do nothing but demonstrate their ignorance, not to mention their own hatred of Jesus." Sofia: Who's ridiculing? Just discussing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pandora Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 They are just afraid it will happen to them too, sofia... or embarrassed that the evidence against Christianity isn't enough to keep everyone away forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vixentrox Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 He's free to go back to his invisible friend. A number of us it took more than one try to finally put that emotional need for an invisible friend behind us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sofia Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 They are just afraid it will happen to them too, sofia... or embarrassed that the evidence against Christianity isn't enough to keep everyone away forever. Good night, Pandora. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 Freedom of speech, brothers and sisters! Everyone's a free man and woman. Why not worship any gods you like? I'm not going to stand in your way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asimov Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 If someone asserts on Monday that god exists, then on Tuesday they assert that God does not exist, then on Wednesday they assert once again that god exists, where is the truth in that? I don't get it. I'm not gonna make any assertions regarding anyones choice to reconvert. Whether it's fear, ignorance, multiple personalities, or just plain ol' stupidity makes no difference to me. It shouldn't disturb you, though, Mike. It happens all the time, and I've noticed that there is no greater fanatic than a convert. Remember a great rule that applies to all of us: People will believe anything if they fear it is true, or if they want it to be true. Freedom of speech, brothers and sisters! Everyone's a free man and woman. Why not worship any gods you like? I'm not going to stand in your way. Ok...then don't....I don't see anyone standing in anyones way here, silly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnosis of Disbelief Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 Honestly, I don't give a damn what he does or doesn't believe. I've known people who flip-flop like this, it doesn't really phase me.....However, if he comes back in 2 weeks/2 months/2 years/ whatever and says that he isn't a christian any more, I won't take him seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onyx Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 I was merely stating my opinion on religious freedom. I like freedom. Just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 A quote:"Skeptics who [say Jesus preached hate] do nothing but demonstrate their ignorance, not to mention their own hatred of Jesus." How can you hate something that doesn't exist? Does any rational adult hate Santa Claus? Probably not. Then why should they assume we hate Jesus? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnosis of Disbelief Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 I was merely stating my opinion on religious freedom. I like freedom. Just me. Silly, nobody is saying that he can't post here. He just isn't going to have any credibility any more. At least, not with me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amethyst Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 I spent about a week at my mother's church. It affected me. I was helping her with her Xmas program. Thing is...it reconfirmed my decision to leave. Being around the people and that church made me anxious. And not in a "I think I might reconvert, save me horus" kind of way...more in a "Oh my god, these people are fucking crazy and all their emotional shit is rubbing off on me." kind of way. Being at my grandma's Methodist church on Christmas pretty much reconfirmed my decision also. The pastor came across like a used car salesman in a skit where he pretended to be a shepherd. (The band was mostly off-key as well, which drove me up the wall.) Anyway, it made me reaffirm just how much of a cult it really was and I felt so sorry for the people who didn't realize that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pariah Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 A quote:"Skeptics who [say Jesus preached hate] do nothing but demonstrate their ignorance, not to mention their own hatred of Jesus." How can you hate something that doesn't exist? Does any rational adult hate Santa Claus? Probably not. Then why should they assume we hate Jesus? Exactly. You would think Brother Jeff would know the problems with that arguement from years of atheism, and yet there he is using it himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbolt Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 I don't know "brother" Jeff, and for that matter most of you (yet), but something smells OFF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Challenger Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 If it brings him happiness, I'm all for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Asimov Posted December 31, 2005 Share Posted December 31, 2005 If it brings him happiness, I'm all for it. If it brings him a penis? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike D Posted December 31, 2005 Author Share Posted December 31, 2005 And I'm thinking............Why the heck does it matter? You have your beliefs and other people have theirs. Who gives a rip? Does it matter? No at the end of the day it does not matter, I could really give a rats ass which sky faries you or anyone else chooses to believe in. What does matter to me is that someone who I respected intellectually did something that does not make intellectual "sense", and I would like to understand why. Is that ok with you? Jeff is suffers from Bipolar disorder. He's reconverted two or three times since I first joined Ex-C. He'll be back. He reconverted 2 or 3 times already? Hmm, I did not know that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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