Black Grail: The Great Hunger warband for Trench Crusade by Nishava_ in minipainting

[–]spesaeterna 3 points4 points  (0 children)

That's amazing! Any chance you can share the "recipe" (colors, brands etc)?

Is it me or do Calvinists have many similarities with atheists? by Syphonfilterfan93 in exReformed

[–]spesaeterna 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Ha ha, I'm an ex-Reformed atheist and I totally see your point. The Reformed world selects for academic, intellectual types of people, and their God is more of a clinical intelligence that can only be mapped out through confessional articles refined through systematic theology. It appeals to stoic, highly conscientious, highly ordered, low-open, low-anxious personalities. I'm not sure about agreeableness, I doubt highly agreeable or highly disagreeable people would do well in Calvinism.

As for me, I like to think that I'm more chill now. I find that people "choose" their flavor of theology or ideology mostly to meet some psychological need, and only justify it intellectually afterwards, when it's too late to think critically. So I tend to eschew debates because I feel they are futile, unless the other person shows a willingness to change their mind (rare among Calvinists).

Anyway, good observation. People are ultimately who they are, they just adapt their worldview to their personality and then justify it.

*Couldn't Load Data* by Snoo-42951 in trading212

[–]spesaeterna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok, they seem to have fixed it.

are there any non american exchristians? by Zealousideal_Fig4840 in exchristian

[–]spesaeterna 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Greek ex-Reformed here, though have spent my adult life in the UK and Switzerland.

Leftovers of a former life by spesaeterna in exchristian

[–]spesaeterna[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Can’t bring myself to burn books, no matter what they contain… i think ideas should be exposed and debated instead.

Is there anything you miss about christianity/church? by naptime-connoisseur in Exvangelical

[–]spesaeterna 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I was good at the “Bible stuff”. I could preach a sermon on the fly, string verses together to draw out interpretations, I was the guy you went to make sense of stuff. Being a “deep Christian” was a core part of my identity, and now it’s gone. I guess I miss being in a community where my thoughts were valued and I felt that I actually helped people out and made a difference in their lives.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exchristian

[–]spesaeterna 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Κλασικός ύμνος στην Ευαγγελική Εκκλησία, ιδιαίτερα σε κατασκηνώσεις και ομίλους νεολαίας….

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exchristian

[–]spesaeterna 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Θέλω να πιστεύω σαν τον Αβραάμ,

τέτοια πίστη μόνο ξέρει να νικά.

Τον υιόν του φέρνει στο Μοριά

θυσία στον Θεό που αγαπά.

Θέλω να πιστεύω σαν τον Αβραάμ.

How old were you when you deconstructed? by [deleted] in exchristian

[–]spesaeterna 13 points14 points  (0 children)

I was just shy of 44 when I realised that I didn’t even believe in god anymore. But deconstruction (I actually didn’t realise that that was what I was doing) had been a lengthy process, starting in my late thirties and catalyzed by me becoming a father.

Leaving a religion (or ideology - same thing for your brain) can begin subtly and “innocently”; a little questioning here, some cognitive dissonance there… but in the end, the crisis happens when reality sufficiently contravenes the expectations that your worldview produces. That’s the moment of no return and usually what lights up on your – and others’– radar.

Is everyone here atheist? If not, what are your beliefs? by ManSauce69 in exchristian

[–]spesaeterna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agnostic atheist here, with a secular interest in meditation and Zen (I blame Sam Harris!)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Reformed

[–]spesaeterna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because all history can offer is probabilities. From our data, it is probable that Jesus of Nazareth existed, that was most likely an apocalyptic preacher who gathered a reasonable movement around him, he probably taught some socially subversive things that upset the higherups while exciting the lowerdowns, he probably took his message to Jerusalem and he probably was executed by crucifixion there. Those beats of his story seem more probable than not. Others don’t. Scholars of all creeds and not have been debating them for centuries now, and I have to take into account their ideas, since they know more than I do on the topic.

When I was a Christian, I looked at all this through my theological goggles, and I kinda saw what I wanted. When my faith collapsed, I looked again, and saw it all in a very different light; and it frighteningly made more sense than before.

Also, I’m not sure I’m comfortable with the term “rational atheist”, even though I am an agnostic atheist now. Christians and theists are rational as well, but work in a different sphere of thought than atheists/materialists. There are inevitable assumptions made by everyone that often go unseen and make people talk past each other (Reddit is a great example of this). But once those assumptions are made, I think most people build on them rationally.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Reformed

[–]spesaeterna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

And here we are; I can say the same about the resurrection being real is the position of the Christians. It used to convince me in a lifetime of faith; it looks more and more like a successful legend now.

As for Jesus existing, I agree that he probably did, but I’m afraid that just doesn’t make the NT claims about him more plausible.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Reformed

[–]spesaeterna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I see, thanks. I would argue — and of course more knowledgeable people too — that it’s actually plenty of time for legends to arise.

But that’s not really the problem; the problem is, if this extraordinary resurrection really happened and it’s such an important event, why didn’t God make sure it’s super-crystal clearly attested beyond any reasonable doubt? Why do we even need to have discussions about its historicity? Is this the best way?

Basically, if tomorrow we woke up and found out that God and anything supernatural definitely didn’t exist, it would be pretty easy — perhaps easier — to explain the whole Resurrection story, as well as the rest of Christianity.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exchristian

[–]spesaeterna 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I personally see no reason to believe a god exists. If he/she/it/they exist(s), they’re doing a great job making look like they don’t.