1. When people go out of their way to say, "I'm praying for you," to an atheist, do they realize it sounds pretty much like "F*** you," only with more syllables?
2. Are Jehovah's Witnesses now sending lots of households in Muhlenberg County handwritten letters in the mail, or is my family just lucky?
3. How would I look next month at Downtown Trick-or-Treat, standing on the corner near the Gideons, handing out little copies of the United States Constitution instead of those little orange bibles?
4. Does anyone know where I can get little copies of the Constitution--or even just the Bill of Rights--at a price that would allow me to purchase fifty or so copies?
I welcome your responses.
Its been instilled in us, like bless you when you sneeze. Really not more than a reflex for this old Catholic! #1
ReplyDeleteCheck with your local hostory center #2
And..... go for it #3
Thanks for the comment. I don't really have a problem with "Bless you!" for sneezes; I still find myself saying that sometimes, out of very old habit, as you said. When someone says, "I'll pray for you," and it's just because he or she assumes we share the same belief system, I'm likely to find it presumptuous but not mean. The kind of "I'm praying for you" that I'm talking about--and perhaps I should have made this clearer--is the kind that's said as a way of ending a message or conversation in which one has expressed disapproval of the other person's lack of faith. As in, "I heard from so-and-so that you're an atheist. I'm praying for you." Does that context make a difference?
DeleteIts a very assinine statement that YOU just made. When someone states that they will pray for you, they are in so many words letting you know that they wish the best for you. You athiests get your panties in a wad over the most ridiculous things. This country was founded on Christian morals and beliefs; you are the minority. Obviously, you have the freedom to believe what you want, but to blog about something so petty??? Give me a break. P.S. I will be praying for you.
ReplyDeleteI wish I was as brave as you. I'll never be able to stand proudly, with my head held high and say, "there is no god.". Thank you for doing it for me.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Thanks for visiting and commenting. Coming out of the atheist closet is not an easy decision. Look for a future post on the subject.
DeleteHeavens gates and Hells Flames tonight at Green River Chapel. Come on out. 630
ReplyDeleteHeavens gates and Hells Flames tonight at Green River Chapel. Come on out. 630
ReplyDeleteI think it interesting that you feel very threatened by the Gideon's handing small testaments out since you don't believe anything it says. There must be some small part of you that feels something towards it or you would not let it bother you so much, even if it is hatred that would prove my point.
ReplyDeleteI agree. It seems like a vendetta or something. Even though I don't understand, what you want to do in your own family is your business. Leave everyone else and their children alone. That is what is wrong in this town and the world: no one can mind their own business. Obviously, your inner self wants to portray some type of athiest heroine. It's one thing to exercise a freedom, but another to promote a community dedication to "getting the word out there to children." It seems like in the fight for "religious" freedom, you forget that Christians also have the right to exercise their beliefs. Rip the Jehovah Witness papers up and throw them in the trash. Shut the door on the Moorman vistors. You have the right to do that. Post on your athiest blog if you wish, you have the right to do so. However, the Gideons aren't doing anything that the other groups aren't. You or your children (if they were in public school) don't have to accept the bible. Have you set in on a classroom in which the Gideon's gave a speech? I think it would be safe to say, no. Finally, I will end my rant with this. I find it funny that you are threatening to hand out Freedom from religion papers at downtown trick or treating. You are doing exactly what you have been bitching about for the past four months on this blog. Throwing your literature upon "non-believing" people. Thank God we still have the right to throw that rubbish in the trash.
DeleteRight! She obviously doesn't believe the bible when it says:
DeleteUnruly and disobedient children should be STONED TO DEATH! Deuteronomy 21:18-21
or
If god commands it you must sacrifice your child as a BURNT OFFERING! Judges 11:29-40
or
You must HATE YOUR FAMILY to be a disciple of Jesus! Luke 14:25-27
or
You can BEAT the HELL out of your slaves! Luke 12:45-48
or
A rape victim must MARRY HER RAPIST! Deuteronomy 22:28-29
or
A woman who becomes pregnant not by her husband is forced to ingest an ABORTION CAUSING LIQUID! Numbers 5:11
or
The one I'm sure you're following, from the famous Sermon on the Mount, Sell your possessions and give the money to the poor! (You've done this already, right?) Luke 12:33
I could do this for hours. The horrors of the bible and the joke of redemption through accepting the scam of "Salvation".
What person can come to grips with the notion that God created man and woman with original sin and impregnated a woman with himself as her child so that he could be born and kill himself as a sacrifice to himself to save you from the sin that he originally condemned you to!
Mind-boggling.
Chris
I'm sorry, but these Bible passages referenced are extremely biased in their interpretations. I'm not big into religion, or Catholicism, but next time, be more open-minded and look at all aspects of what you're interpreting. Besides your bias, there's also the matter that this was a different time, a different culture. I'm not defending the Bible. But I am certainly don't appreciate it being bashed on false accounts.
Deletepossible interpretations:
--> The Bible says not to hate your family, but to put God above them.
--> A rapist and the victim shall not be forced to marry, but instead he shall be forced to take care of her needs forever, and prevent her from being "unmarriable" (men in this time wanted to marry virgins) ..
etc...
see what I mean?
1) Since you are wanting copies of the Constitution to hand out, I assume you are aware that the men who drafted this were Christians. It was drafted to allow freedom from religious PERSECUTION--not freedom from religion. How do you explain that in the final paragraph they mention "in the year of our LORD?" Will your copy of the constitution also include this--or will you just delete this to fit your cause?
ReplyDelete2) Since religious (or lack of religion) freedom is so important to you, if your children wanted to attend church--would this be a problem?
Wow. History books are freely available at the local library.
DeleteTo answer your queries in order.
1) I assume you are aware that the men who drafted this were Christians.
And your point would be what exactly? Obviously they didn't want a Christian Constitution.
If you did a little research you'd learn that there was outrage among Christian theologians in the 1800s who wanted to change the Constitution to include mention of the Christian god. On several occasions they attempted to have it amended to no avail.
2) If your children wanted to be Buddhists, or Muslims or atheists, would that be a problem?
This Christian martyrdom complex has to stop. It's really getting out of hand.
Chris
The ONLY (and I do mean ONLY) mention of god in the Constitution is in the DATE LINE. For Pete's sake, it's like saying BC or AD. It's a reference to the CALENDAR NOMENCLATURE.
For some reason my reply appeared jumbled.
DeleteThe last paragraph:
The ONLY (and I do mean ONLY) mention of god in the Constitution is in the DATE LINE. For Pete's sake, it's like saying BC or AD. It's a reference to the CALENDAR NOMENCLATURE.
...should appear as the last paragraph immediately before the number "2)".
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteIts pretty good when you post a blog and say that comments are welcome then when you get comments on your blog they are
ReplyDeletedeleted by an administrator when there was nothing derogatory in the comment, it just goes to show that you just want comments that support your cause. Well as a true southern woman and a Christian I say Bless your heart and I will pray for you so in other words rot in hell because as an atheist that is where your eternity will be spent.