BookOfRuthless Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Hi everyone! I feel like I already know so many of you, I've been lurking here for almost three weeks! (Actually, lurking is barely accurate... Stalking? Voraciously consuming? At any rate, this whole time my phone has been lugging around 30+ open internet tabs like a little Hydra in my pocket.) I don't know when I'll have time to write out my rather unexciting testimony or contribute to any other posts, but right now I just had to say - to shout: This is the kindest, most caring group of people! Earlier today I read through several old threads started by someone recanting their atheism, even trying to preach to and reconvert the rest of you. And your responses literally brought tears to my eyes. Instead of scorning the OP, teasing them, or immediately blocking them, you all expressed honest concern for their mental well-being and total acceptance of them, even if they ultimately would choose to reconvert. Further, someone who did scorn them even retracted that post, apologizing profusely for being rude. It was one of the gentlest, most compassionate online conversations I've ever witnessed. And not one loving word was said out of a desire to prove your worth for an eternal reward, but out of a genuine desire to make life as pleasant as possible for as many people as possible. Nothing could be more pure, more GOOD, than that. Thanks, guys. I'm excited to finally join 2 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator Joshpantera Posted August 1, 2018 Moderator Share Posted August 1, 2018 1 hour ago, BookOfRuthless said: I don't know when I'll have time to write out my rather unexciting testimony or contribute to any other posts, but right now I just had to say - to shout: This is the kindest, most caring group of people! Earlier today I read through several old threads started by someone recanting their atheism, even trying to preach to and reconvert the rest of you. And your responses literally brought tears to my eyes. Instead of scorning the OP, teasing them, or immediately blocking them, you all expressed honest concern for their mental well-being and total acceptance of them, even if they ultimately would choose to reconvert. Further, someone who did scorn them even retracted that post, apologizing profusely for being rude. It was one of the gentlest, most compassionate online conversations I've ever witnessed. The poor guy's been open about having struggles. It's not the usual dialogue with bullheaded apologists, that's not really who he is. That's a case in point where helping struggling ex christians is working out in real time. Welcome aboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrailBlazer Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Welcome thanks for your kind hearted words and for being brave enough to step out of the lurking shadows. I agree- Life is difficult enough already, why would we need to make it harder on others? Let’s all enjoy sharing in this beautiful thing called life together! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanForsman Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Hello Book of Ruthless and welcome! Thanks so much for all those nice words and thoughts. It feels like you're already one of us. I think I lurked for over a year so a couple of even intense weeks hardly seems like lurking in my mind. You have things to say and I think from time to time you see deconverting ExCs that you'll want to share a thought or two with so hopefully we'll be hearing more from you, hopefully for a long time to come. You are a very kind and thoughtful person; we're lucky to have you with us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MOHO Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Welcome to Ex-C, @BookOfRuthless. We're excited to have you join! We'd like to hear your extimony if you have one. - MOHO (Mind Of His Own) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Welcome aboard! I'm looking forward to reading some of your thoughts and perspectives. I note you're interested in anthropology. Me too along with ancient history and archaeology. I can't get enough of that stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
◊ DestinyTurtle ◊ Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Welcome, @DanForsman! I actually lurked around here a while before I finally made an account, too. I forgot how long, though? At one point when I was struggling particularly hard my girlfriend made the suggestion I start communicating with other X-Xians here, and it turned out to be an excellent idea. I suspect you'll find the same~! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Intheory Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Hello and welcome @BookOfRuthless Loooooove the name!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ag_NO_stic Posted August 2, 2018 Share Posted August 2, 2018 Welcome!! I'm thrilled to see you made the leap to join us, I hope you find community and a sense of belonging here. Looking forward to your viewpoint moving forward! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookOfRuthless Posted August 3, 2018 Author Share Posted August 3, 2018 @JoshpanteraYeah, I'm just so moved by everyone's patience and compassion. (I work in mental health care, so I've been particularly interested in his story and the reactions.) @Geezer I can't get enough of it either! I fully regret my degree in psychology instead of anthropology @IntheoryThanks, I spent a good while trying to come up with a new pun since @duderonomy already took the best one! Working on my ex-timony today! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RealityCheck Posted August 4, 2018 Share Posted August 4, 2018 On 7/31/2018 at 9:32 PM, BookOfRuthless said: Hi everyone! I feel like I already know so many of you, I've been lurking here for almost three weeks! (Actually, lurking is barely accurate... Stalking? Voraciously consuming? At any rate, this whole time my phone has been lugging around 30+ open internet tabs like a little Hydra in my pocket.) I don't know when I'll have time to write out my rather unexciting testimony or contribute to any other posts, but right now I just had to say - to shout: This is the kindest, most caring group of people! Earlier today I read through several old threads started by someone recanting their atheism, even trying to preach to and reconvert the rest of you. And your responses literally brought tears to my eyes. Instead of scorning the OP, teasing them, or immediately blocking them, you all expressed honest concern for their mental well-being and total acceptance of them, even if they ultimately would choose to reconvert. Further, someone who did scorn them even retracted that post, apologizing profusely for being rude. It was one of the gentlest, most compassionate online conversations I've ever witnessed. And not one loving word was said out of a desire to prove your worth for an eternal reward, but out of a genuine desire to make life as pleasant as possible for as many people as possible. Nothing could be more pure, more GOOD, than that. Thanks, guys. I'm excited to finally join Greetings. I stalked this site for years before deconverting. I wish I would have taken the plunge sooner. You will find that sometimes we don't always agree here but generally have each others back. It feels liberating doesn't it? You have a sense that you can be altruistic just for the sake of it. You don't have to worry about eternal rewards or punishment, you don't have to worry about "doing something to glorify God". I look forward to seeing more posts from you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duderonomy Posted August 5, 2018 Share Posted August 5, 2018 On 8/3/2018 at 4:36 PM, BookOfRuthless said: @JoshpanteraYeah, I'm just so moved by everyone's patience and compassion. (I work in mental health care, so I've been particularly interested in his story and the reactions.) @Geezer I can't get enough of it either! I fully regret my degree in psychology instead of anthropology @IntheoryThanks, I spent a good while trying to come up with a new pun since @duderonomy already took the best one! Working on my ex-timony today! Hello and welcome BookofRuthless! It was very gracious of you to say that I took the best nick-name, but really "BookofRuthless" is just as good. Either one will make the little people wonder why they didn't think of it first (but you didn't hear that from me so just between us, ok?). You said some good and glowing things about the compassion of some of us so I have to assume that in your three weeks of lurking/voraciously consuming you didn't dip your toes into the Totally Off Topic sub-forum? Just joking, but I've found in all the years I've been here that we can fight among each other tooth and nail over politics and other things but when someone needs help, those of us that become aware of it come together and drop the petty stuff. Also, I see that you regret your degree in Psychology. Would you like to discuss your regret? I hope you like it here and stick around. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookOfRuthless Posted August 5, 2018 Author Share Posted August 5, 2018 I don't regret learning psychology so much as I regret the degree itself. Like lots of other similar people, once I started working in the field I discovered that I don't actually like it all that much, but there's not really any other career path for someone with a BS in psychology and eight years of experience caring for schizophrenic children... Even Starbucks and Barnes and Noble turned me down for jobs! I love all the concepts in psychology and really should have gone the experimental route, but being an optimistic, "must save everyone" type of girl I went clinical. So now I'm stuck working in a psychiatric residential facility for children - the very place that made me realize I no longer want a career in mental health. I got a minor in anthropology and once strongly considered that route instead, but I felt I wouldn't be helping people enough and, at the time, I really wanted kids and was worried about a career that would make me travel too much. Now I don't care about any of that anymore; in fact my idol is Steven Pinker and if I could do anything I'd be an evolutionary psychologist and study the Yanomamo or something. But since I already graduated I can't easily get scholarships to go back to school, and tuition is just way too expensive for me. Oh well, it's a super nerdy hobby of mine now lol 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ nivek ♦ Posted August 6, 2018 Share Posted August 6, 2018 BookofRuthless, Feel welcome to find your place here rather than being fitted into just the correct clothes, proper thunkin', best open seat for AM Sunday meetin's... You made it here. Been said that if one is surfing Ex-C and is still clothed in street clothing your ar overdressed.. "So I heard!" Ths place exists just for you along with we many others who cast off safe harbors into uncharted for us waters. Here you'll find quite a few fellow travelers who while not on the SAME journey will have something more akin to practical advice that THE WURD.. In hairy-assed mankee-ness, kevinL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
older Posted August 6, 2018 Share Posted August 6, 2018 2 hours ago, SkipNChurch said: Been said that if one is surfing Ex-C and is still clothed in street clothing your ar overdressed.. "So I heard!" Yeah! Surf naked! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now