Is the Pope a Catholic?

[jakelafortParticipant]

Reg, did you get any response?

It is amazing that anyone believes. It is just so painfully obvious that it is all man made and that the greater the power/influence of the church the greater the harm that results. Am tired of disputes with theists. Have had a few deconversions. You fight the good fight and enough Reg’s will make a difference.

[Jody LeeParticipant]

Don’t give up @ Jake. It took over four years for me to overcome the quilt I had been brainwashed to feel.

[Reg the Fronkey FarmerModerator]

I have being fighting them for years. I am more of an anti-theist than an atheist, if that makes sense. I think religions are a blight on mankind and have held us back for too long.

I have never received an answer. I regularly send them letters and sometimes have people send hundreds at the same time them regarding an apology on behalf of the thousands of people they have murdered or for those whose lives they ruined as children.

I have made a few small but important inroads into curtailing  their overstep into the secular sphere. I organized a campaign which almost led to my arrest which removed Bibles from public display in polling stations.  I notified the local police that if they got a call from a polling station tomorrow that it would be about me and that I would be of no threat so that they need not come charging in. I explained that as tomorrow’s vote was for marriage equality that I thought the Bible had the potential to influence people within the polling station as it called for the blood of gay people to be spilled. “In fact officer I might call you tomorrow if I see Bibles in the voting booth as it could incite people to commit violence.”  One of them offered me a crucifix from his desk when I told them I would continue to protest the “continued invasion of religion into public life”. He suggested that I say some “prayers tonight” and that maybe I contemplate on “our Lord on the cross”. I replied “that it was not wide enough and that I was out of KY jelly anyway”. He was furious and threatened me with arrest. I sat down and said “please do”.  He said he hated my attitude and that I better leave. I was disappointed with not getting arrested (Just to have such a cool story to tell!!).  “OK have a good night officer and just to let you know I too detest your attitude”. By 11:00 the next day (polling day) national radio was reporting that people all over the country were ringing local police stations to say that people were trying to influence their votes from within the polling station itself. This is a serious offense in Ireland. By 1pm they had been removed from all stations and have not re-appeared since. That evening I returned to the police station. He was there. “Can I buy a dog license here”? 🙂

Atheist Ireland do great work towards the separation of affairs between Church and State.

I have time for the average honest theist. Some people just don’t have the skills or time to question their doubts. Often just explaining what atheism is will register with them immediately. Now they have a name for it and start to realize that they have been one for a long time but just had not given it a name (boat drinks). That frees them from the magical thinking.

I do enjoy the debate and will endure the repetition if I think I can free them of the delusion. Especially JW’s and Evangelical speaking in tongues types. No one has ever come back and said that they wished they were back in prison once they figured out that that is where they were all along.

It’s a full time job for me but I guess you figured that out long ago 🙂

 

[Jody LeeParticipant]

By the way, I was not brainwashed to feel the quilt…though I imagine it feels warm and weighted. 😁 GUILT,  obviously.

[jakelafortParticipant]

Jody, without the clarification i would have pictured you in a metaphorical quilt of guilt.

[jakelafortParticipant]

Reg, your first paragraph might have been written by me. Precisely how i feel although my zeal in opposing theism has waned over the years.

Yes, i figured it out a while ago. You are a good man.

[_Robert_Participant]

The “Atheism” label is not ideal. Why do I need to define myself by what others believe? Why consider them the default?

[Reg the Fronkey FarmerModerator]

@jakelafort – thanks for the kinds words. But I ain’t no saint though J

@robert – Yes, a good point. I seldom use the word as a descriptor of myself. The default position is atheism as we are born without belief in any god. When people do become religious it is almost always via indoctrination into the beliefs of their community and whatever god they “find” is always based upon the geography of where they live or the cultural god of their parents.

I have yet to meet an Irishman from Boston tell me about Allah or a Hindu from Mumbai tell me about St. Paul. Both of these people are atheists towards each other’s god and we agree with both of them on that point.

I was a witness in a court case and automatically given the Bible to swear upon. I refused it claiming “I am not a Christian”. I could have said “atheist” but as the courthouse was packed so I knew it would have greater shock value. F**k ‘em.

[Reg the Fronkey FarmerModerator]

@jakelafort  – When I wrote “I think religions are a blight on mankind and have held us back for too long“, I was being extra polite just as you were when you replied to the sentiment 🙂 I would have written paragraphs if I had continued.

[jakelafortParticipant]

Were we to discover life on another planet and learn that some significant minority define themselves as A- we may conclude shit has gone terribly wrong there.

[jakelafortParticipant]

Jody’s typo intending guilt but writing quilt reminds me of an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Larry is charged with inditing an obituary for Cheryl’s aunt…the published version says…beloved cunt. One letter can change the meaning a whole lot.

[Reg the Fronkey FarmerModerator]

There was a line in the video “Weekend at Jesus’s” from the last Sunday School which highlighted the problem of interpretation of the written word. To paraphrase it:

“Vaginas make people stupid!!”

“I know vaginas make people”!” Stop calling me stupid!

It reminded me of a debate between some theologians.

“Today I say unto you that you will be with me in Paradise”.

Does that mean you will be in Paradise today or I am telling you today that at some future point you will be with me in paradise. This argument alone has spawned different Christian cults.

[jakelafortParticipant]

No circumlocution, obfuscation or ambiguity…me likey dat article from Smithsonian about the old believers lost in Siberia.
What an interesting story.

[_Robert_Participant]

jakelafort wrote:

No circumlocution, obfuscation or ambiguity…me likey dat article from Smithsonian about the old believers lost in Siberia. What an interesting story.

I’d say you have reached the pinochle of vocabulary as sure as good punctuation means not to be late. Did you know Norm Crosby is my uncle?

[jakelafortParticipant]

Norm Crosby ha?

The maladrop does not fall far from the tree.

Hope there is no schism using a neologism.

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