Former Religionists and Ritualists

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a beka, american atheists, apologetics, atheists, BJU, christian, church, CPAC, criticism, david silverman, deconversion, earth, healthcare, heretical, homosexuality, islamic, japanese, JT eberhard, leo igwe, LGBTQ, medical board, morals, mythology, ohio, okami, oklahoma, pastor, philosophy, prison, religion, republic, science, testimonies, textbook, word of god, yemisi ilesanmi

You Can’t Be Serious…Really?

I was just about to leave my brother’s wedding reception held at a local banquet/dance hall when one of his friends called me over to talk. He had been trying to convince the bartender to give me a shot of his choice all night and asked why I wouldn’t “loosen up a bit.” All I said was I just didn’t want a drink and that was a good enough reason for me. Besides, I’m only 20 (even if I live in WI) and I’ve got better things to worry about than how much I can drink. Then quickly they changed the subject and asked me if I liked going to church since his family goes to the same one I do. [Read more]

Unbelievable Belief

I read apologetics occasionally, to learn, to discover strengths in the writers’ reasoning and weaknesses in my own. I have no fear of having my head turned, unlike the typical Christian. My reading makes me ever more convinced of my tentative conclusions (and all conclusions in such matters should be tentative). I think it’s truly unfortunate that Christians are advised to avoid heretical material; there’s so much they could learn. [Read more]

Unveiling the Great and Powerful Oz

It’s been a year since my first journal entry, chronicling my rather surprising and unanticipated de-conversion. Since then, I have continued attending church out of respect for my believing husband. Yet, philosophically, intellectually, scientifically, and morally, I find the teachings frustrating at best. Even the most benign of passages tend to ruffle my agnostic feathers. [Read more]

The Word of God Hoax

There is NO Word of God; ONLY the Words of Men. It‘s that simple. Get over it. Now go in peace and get on with your life. The greatest hoax ever perpetuated on the human race: this ”Word of God. “We can guarantee that men wrote those words. From the very start, “In the beginning…,” it’s obvious. Writers would need a language and the means to impart it in order to write such a statement. [Read more]

If You’re Going to be Christian, Do it for a “Good” Reason

I’m constantly reminded of how religion works with my family being the primary reason. However, the thing that had helped me see religion in a more positive light is the game known as Okami (if you like Japanese mythology or would like to play a game with an amazing story, this is the game for you). With the use of Okami, I was able to take one of my biggest pet peeves for religion and turn it into a moral lesson for myself as well as those who don’t believe in “God”. [Read more]

. . . and some views and news . . .

Two Pictures that Summarize the Islamic Republic

I originally posted this on the anniversary of the Iranian Islamic Revolution, on my personal (secret and private) Facebook page, which is some time ago, but I loved it and I thought I’d share it with you even though it’s a bit outdated. [Read more]

Adventures in Christianist Earth Science Education IIIb: In Which BJU Goes Yellow-Green

After A Beka’s nonsense about humans being able to do anything they want to the earth’s atmosphere because God will save it, it’s a bit of a shock to open to the Earth’s Atmosphere chapter of our BJU ES4 textbook and see, before anything else, a bit about “Killer Air.” Sure, they talk about how God wants to fill the earth right up with people. But they admit air pollution is a problem. [Read more]

Pastor Under Fire for Pro-LGBTQ Stance

Leo Igwe and Yemisi Ilesanmi have both written about this “homosexuality is un-African” bullshit. Props to Sikivu for doing what she can to support Pastor Seth Pickens. [Read more]

Which Atheists Get Exemption From Criticism?

Some people are really unhappy that some of us disagree strongly with David Silverman’s CPAC strategy. JT Eberhard has invented a series of rationales for why people had the temerity to question the president of American Atheists (and he didn’t call me up to ask if any of them were valid!). [Read more]

Jesus shot! Get Yer Jesus Shot Right Here!

Dr. John Michael Lonergan spent time in prison in Ohio for tax evasion, mail fraud, and healthcare fraud in Ohio and lost his license to practice medicine in 2005. But the forgiving people of Oklahoma decided in 2012 to let him practice in their state ‘under state supervision’ and in March 2013, the state medical board released him from the supervision and he was free to do what he wanted. [Read more]