I always find it funny when religious people bash on Mormons, Catholics, Muslims, Scientologists, etc. for how crazy their story is while they themselves choose to believe some bizarre tale spun by a science fiction writer, a con man from Chicago, or some asshole a few thousand years ago claiming he is the son of God himself.
[/quote]
I remember when the 39 heaven’s gate cult members killed themselves in order to catch a ride on the spaceship that was hidden behind a passing comet. So many people were saying, “how could they actually believe that.” I remember thinking (but not saying out loud) what you’re saying. Funny that all these religious are people shaking their heads in disgust at those people for believing that story, when the story they believe is at least as ludicrous.
Most of my friends, and most of the people I know, are christians, and many of the rest are some other religion. I don’t have the social skills to bring this kind of thing up to my religious friends and not sound like an asshole. So I don’t say anything. (In fact, a lot of them probably don’t even know that I’m essentially an atheist.) It’s easy here on a blog, to discuss these things, but not so much in real life. For me, anyway.
Any of you non-believers bring this stuff up in real-life conversations with religious friends?[/quote]
no fucking way. i tend to think I have a sense of humor about the whole thing; i mean, if i felt ridiculed for what i know to be true, I wouldn’t get pissed; because i view the whole debate as slightly absurd.
on the other hand, the other side is serious. not funny…not open…desperately closed…
so no conversations! no one in the known universe has the necessary conversational skills, except psychologists specializing in cult debriefing.
actually, i take that back.. in 1981, freshman year…long conversations with a born again superhot girl till late at night in the ivy league dorm..the arguemtns for and against the existence of G-d. for me the sexual tension was pretty high (i cant speak for her, but I suspect it was quite a bit lower)…
she was so unbelievably sweet and beautiful, breasts that almost proved the existence of a G-d ( i certainly would’ve sworn my allegiance to any deity and fought on His behalf for Them), but theologically we didn’t seem to get anywhere..a few years later, she dropped the born again thing. I’m sure her parents blamed the liberal college scene…in a way they were right…such a smart beautiful girl…just thinking about how delicate and lovely and kind and sincere she was makes me feel liek the world is a good place…
