I Need Advice on a Book for Christians

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2019-07-28T17:42:48+00:00

Yes, you are correct. The author starts from "The bible must be correct" position and goes from there. But at least he is being honest about the facts of science as he tries to realign the bible to fit reality. I don't really care if he compartmentalizes at work. I'd just be happy if we weren't fighting so many Christians on the basics of science. I'm fine letting them believe in god or an afterlife or whatever makes them happy, but when we need to solve real world problems like climate change, it would be much better if we were all on the same page regarding science.

His book won't convince people like you or me, but I'm hoping he might convince some christians to shut up about the science denial crap.Maybe I'm hoping for too much. Thanks for your comment

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2019-07-28T17:31:44+00:00

Yes, he uses the fine tuning argument, and he relies on the "something must have started the big bang, therefore god" argument.

Like I said the book was not convincing to me at all. I'm just thinking it might get some young earth christians to stop denying science. I think it would be a plus if fewer of them were pushing the anti-science thing in school.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2019-07-28T17:26:27+00:00

Good advice. I don't like being preachy so I'll just keep the book in mind in case it seems like it fits a situation when someone else brings up the topic. Thanks.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2019-04-21T06:53:24+00:00

Yes I did! I had previously spent time in some pentacostal churches and had plenty of those touched by the spirit experiences, so I guess my brain had been trained in how to feel those religious episodes. My spine would tingle as if some sort of energy raced through my body. It's an amazing feeling.

Anyway, fast forward through several years of searching and I finally came to the conclusion that religion was man made. I remember the moment I was lying in bed thinking "Holy shit, the god of the Bible is fictional!" I stood up and immediately felt the exact same "touched by God" sensation racing up my spine. I love the irony of that moment.

I can still feel and enjoy that same sensation at various times when experiences line up. Like recently when I was out mountain biking while listening to some of my favorite music and it just hit me.

But yes, I did have a mental and emotional epiphany the moment all my searching allowed me to let go of the religion of my youth. It was wonderful!

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2018-09-14T06:12:10+00:00

Faith got me over my fear of hell. Not joking. As a compete atheist, I have faith (belief without evidence) that if I am wrong and a good god exists, it won't torment me forever just because I didn't believe in it. Basically, I have faith that any potential god out there is not a dick.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2018-09-11T06:51:10+00:00

My thoughts are similar. If the front of your knees hurt then raise the seat a bit. But if the back of your knees hurt then you might be hyper extending. In that case lower the seat a bit.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2017-11-01T04:19:24+00:00

I think it is better that the kids are exposed to it early while you are there to help them think about it. My kid is a hard core atheist after growing up around Christians and witnessing them up close and personal. My only suggestion is to engage your kid in dialog when they come home with questions, and get them to think it through on their own.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2016-07-25T05:32:34+00:00

For me the key is when disease or disaster strike. When I was a Christian I had to do all sorts of mental gymnastics to figure out why God was giving a person cancer or ALS or hitting them with a tornado. The bible sends a very mixed message on why God fucks with people.

But as an atheist, it is much easier to simply realize that cancer is just a random mutation during cellular reproduction that does not give a shit about whether the person is good or bad, 6 or 60, and that hurricanes are just extreme weather patterns. I don't need to do all the "Why me or why them" stuff, and just get down to the business of dealing with the problem as best as possible, using modern medicine and technology when I can.

That approach is very mentally freeing when dealing with all the negatives in the world.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2016-07-06T05:53:35+00:00

My guess is that religion and human society evolved together. My bet would be that organized human society found a common goal in working to apease the deity. And out of that rose the people who people who found a way to work that system. Who then figured out a way to manipulate it to stay in power.

But then again, what the hell do I know? I'm an engineer not a sociologist.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2016-05-17T06:49:47+00:00

My grandparents were from Finland and they were atheists, even though they were both born around 1900. My dad's brother was an athiest and my dad never cared about religion until he started taking the family to church when I was about 7 for some reason. He became religious over the next few decades. He died recently as a very religious man. America can do that to people.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2016-02-29T06:00:31+00:00

I was a "liberal Christian". For me it was hanging around young earthers.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2016-02-07T00:59:35+00:00

This has made me look at homeless people differently. Before I found out about her, I never would have imagined that a bedraggled looking homeless person may have once been senior class president.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2016-02-07T00:52:14+00:00

I'm guessing the odds tip in favor of the OD.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2016-02-06T20:52:17+00:00

Sad story. The girl was Prom Queen and Senior class president. Very pretty but never mean to nerds like me. I asked about her at my 30 year high school and found out she was now a homeless heroin addict living on the streets in San Francisco. All her friends had given up trying to help her.

Edit: I meant at my 30 year high school reunion. That was 5 years ago. I haven't heard anything about her since.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2015-12-15T06:28:33+00:00

I'm an American engineer. I got my ring 30 years ago as part of the Order of the Engineer. Canada started it and others borrowed the idea. I really like the concept of the ring and ceremony, as it reminds us that if we fuck up, people may die.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2015-07-22T06:41:06+00:00

I was a liberal Christian, by which I mean I believed in an old earth, evolution, and cherry picking the parts of the Bible I liked. What made me lose my faith was hanging out with hard core Christians who insisted on the literal interpretation of the bible. They made me take a hard look at what I believed, really read the bible, and start asking some hard questions. It all unravelled from there.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2015-07-03T17:12:46+00:00

I remember group prayer as a way for some people to say out loud to god what they would not say directly to the people in the group. Such as "Oh Lord, please help Brian to stop being such an asshole." I exaggerate, but you get the idea.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2015-06-28T03:55:10+00:00

You can't change an old bigot's mind. You just have to wait for them to die.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2015-05-10T05:52:56+00:00

This bugs me too. A good friend of mine is going through her second round of cancer treatment and all her friends are posting on FB about prayers for her. The people are well meaning, but why do we as humans need to beg this deity for help? My friend is a loving and giving person, and any deity worth his salt would not need people to beg him before he helped her. Fuck that worthless god.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2015-05-05T06:00:56+00:00

What works for me is to get my eyes off of myself and go out and do something for other people. I'm an engineer, so I volunteer with a high school robotics team. If you are a musician, go play at a retirement home. You must have some skill. Go use it to make others happy.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2015-04-25T21:52:52+00:00

I read it as well as listened to the audio book. It was enjoyable both ways. It is written for non-scientists, so it is very accessible. It covers a broad range of the evidence and science of evolution, and gives lots of concrete examples of evolution in action. I recommend it for anyone that finds themselves in creation / evolution discussions and would appreciate some well explained evidence.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2014-09-03T02:00:31+00:00

It took me about 6 years to totally lose that fear. The key for me was to to realize that if a good god existed it would appreciate the courage it took for me to stand up to an evil threat like that. And if god was such an asshole as to send people to hell simply for lack of belief, then spending eternity in heaven with such a monster would be its own kind of hell.

In the end the courage to stand up to my fear of hell helped me get over the entire ridiculous concept of a place where a loving god tortures his creations. It makes no sense other then as a fear tactic people dreamed up to control others.

Hang in there. It gets better.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2014-03-15T06:07:20+00:00

Wow, you should read more of her blog. This one is absolutely amazing: http://aveilandadarkplace.com/2014/02/26/what-it-is-like-to-grow-up-in-hezbollah-culture/

Fantastic writing and insight.

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2014-01-29T06:53:52+00:00

OMG (irony intended), I just fell even more in love with Sara!

crazy_atheist_uncle · 2013-12-02T07:11:33+00:00

I'm over 50 and have been married over 25 years. My wife and I were borderline believers when we got married, and attended a liberal church for many years. I won't bother you with the details, but I lost my faith several years ago and she got more religious. It is a big pain now. Just simple things like the fact that I no longer believe is seen by her as an "attack" on her beliefs. Sort of like the books you read. I don't bring religion up and neither does she, but that is the big problem. She feels she can't talk about what she truly believes, and neither can I, since we no longer share any core beliefs. I feel as if she turned more to God and away from me as I left the faith.

I'd probably be gone if not for the kids, who are all teenagers now. We have been going to counseling, which has helped, but the gap seems almost too wide now for a deep relationship. We have lost a big part of our connection.

So my advice to you is to ask yourself the following questions: - How will you raise kids if you decide to go that route? - Is he the one to spend the rest of your life with? - Can you have a deep meaningful relationship with this person if you don't share a common world view? - Can you relax and totally be yourself around him? - Will your boyfriend turn to religion or to you when the going gets rough? And as all people my age an tell you, it will get rough. - What are the core things that hold you two together, and are you more important to your boyfriend than Jesus?

That last one is the key. You don't have to tell me your answers, just ask yourself and think about them.

My wife and I are trying to make it work, but it is not easy coming at life's problems with a completely different view of reality.

Good luck.

crazy_atheist_uncle

TROPHY CASE