When you write a religion column that is not really religion (i.e. Atheism) it tends to be boring occasionally as there is not much news. I mean I could put a local spin on the various lawsuits circulating the United States concerning Atheism, Creationism, Christianity, and more but, generally speaking I may not always agree with the lawsuits. Therefore, it is important to be able to submit local tidbits that may help others who have had the struggles through life that I have concerning acceptance from others and more. Personally, I love answering questions asked and statements made in the comments of the various articles I write. Therefore, here are a few questions and statements and my answers to them, or statements in response. All of the questions and statements were taken from the recent article, Calvinist to Atheist: Tucson Atheism Examiner Responds.
Terry Hurlbut - Creationism Examiner says: “Well, no wonder you made that transition. The movements you were involved in got more things wrong than I can recount in the short space of 1000 characters.
Anyway, now that you're looking at my articles, maybe you'd like to take a second look.”
First, thank you Terry for reading and commenting, I appreciate feedback regardless of how it may look (and yours is always very good at making me think and research!) It could be said that every religious approach to life gets things wrong at times, and in fact you would be right when you said, “The movements you were involved in got more things wrong…” However, who is to say they are wrong, and who is to say I am right or vice versa. Thankfully, the freedoms we are allowed in this great nation allow me to accept that while I may not have agreed with the teachings of my youth they are in fact able to have those beliefs (as long as they do not harm another.) Honestly, I agree with you regarding the first phase of my life, within the second I can honestly say that Calvinism is far more my speed than other approaches simply because it is a very literal approach. As for a second look, thank you and I currently enjoy reading your articles (may not comment on all but do read all) though to be honest unless someone an physically prove (not using biblical verses alone etc.) that a God exists I will continue where I am headed.
To Cynthia, as always thank you. Your comments and our back and forth email and message traffic has opened my mind to more than I ever thought possible!
Scott V says: “As logical creatures, we tend to try and justify our actions through rationalization. That is the trap. We can "rationalize" practically anything if we try hard enough.
What I found initially was that the "restrictions" of what God asked of me was "hard.” However, as I dedicate myself to pleasing God, the things He asks of me are very simple. I no longer try to fool myself”
I am a logical person, however, from a purely Sociological, Psychological perspective humans are generally not very logical, in fact they tend to be very animalistic (reacting, emotionally based, etc.) in their day to day approaches. As for “Gods” restrictions, there is nothing I can say to that, after all I do not even believe God as you see him exists.
Giselle Aguiar - Phoenix Unchurched Singles Examiner says: “I understand that you were never really a believer in the first place. God is out there and He loves you no matter what. When you're ready to come home, he'll accept you with loving arms. Luke 15:11-32”
You are correct, the fact is no one is born a believer and all most be coaxed to follow whichever deity they follow. For myself I would say I am “home,” and in a far more loving environment than I have ever experienced. (Moreover, I have visited hundreds of churches, and done years of research where I am is where I will likely remain.) Again, thank you, and as with Terry, I truly enjoy reading your articles!
Deanna Riverside New Age Examiner says: “As a New Age Examiner, it's pretty evident that I have a belief in a Divine Presence LOL... but I think we have a lot in common. When religion supports a view of hatred, judgment, and intolerance, it is not a religion that believes in the same Source that I do. Thanks for writing Jesse! I really enjoyed your article.”
I love writing these articles, and while they may not always be directly related to “Local Tucson Atheism” news, they can be and generally are informative. I have had the satisfaction to receive emails from people who like myself many years ago were unable to put into words the feeling regarding the “God” they had been and were being told was the “only” way for everything. Many times these people open up to me and I never hear from them again, however, it is satisfying to be able to help others maybe open that area of their mind that they never really looked at before. I too believe we have allot in common regardless of individual belief in a Deity etc. We can come together in our common belief that people must be allowed to be who they are.
Lastly, thank you to everyone who emails and or comments. I have only deleted one comment in my 7 years of writing for various internet publications that is something I can be proud of and you as the readers should be as well.
Feel free to subscribe via email or RSS for further updates; if you have questions, you can email me directly I will respond.
Comments
Like the New Age Examiner, I definitely do believe in a higher power, but yours is one of my favorite columns to read. I actually read a couple of atheist Examiners! I really appreciate getting another point of view that is respectful to mine. I've not met an atheist yet who tried to force their religious (nonreligious?) views on me (unlike many, if not most other religious writers).
In reply: the Bible itself says what is right and what is wrong. If you want to know what any religion teaches, always go to its founding documents--not to interpretations offered centuries or millennia after the fact.
Of course you want to know how the Bible itself can be trusted. Perhaps that will be the subject of my next column.
PS: I have as much difficulty, sometimes, creating newsworthy copy as you have. A good news tip for me is any political event involving a creationist, or a new scientific announcement that bears on the origins of life, the age of the universe, or an archaeological find.
I also recognize your unique distinction. You hold to atheism for its own sake. I strongly suspect that the ones filing those lawsuits you mentioned, hold to atheism because it served an ulterior agenda that neither one of us can agree with.
God or not God? That is the debate now isn't it? Well, here it is. After years of church life, numerous slanderings by that church, backbiting, lies, immorality, and much more, I still love God. Matter of fact, I love Him more for the experience of those years of heartache. Why? Because it has shown me how cruel we are to ourselves and how understanding and loving God is to us. We always have to "explain" everything or "rationalize" or "justify" everything we do. We do because we are so insecure without God at the healm. If you would put half as much effort into helping the poor or widows or hungry that you do trying to fabricate "facts" of no God, this world would be better off. Do you think that the needy in this world care about if there is a God, no they would like someone to just care for them, love them, feed them, humanize them. People are so hell-bent on proving everything that they miss what life is all about in the first place............LIVING!!! We will always need God!
You rant about how you are "understanding" of other beliefs, then why are you an atheist? What have you done recently to help your community? (it must be foot work and it must directly benefit the community) Who have you saved or given direction to who will benefit for eternity? Who have you healed, reached out to, talked to about living with a purpose, shown God's love by your own example? There are so many more but I cannot fit it all on this short space. I have a neighbor who, just yesterday, called me a second dad to him and is a struggling teenager who has flunked his grade twice already. He gets into fights regularily and hasn't even told his own father yet. He acts so tough but always wants my company. I havn't really talked "religion" yet, but he listens to everything else good I say. Or the bully on the school bus that my son has been riding for only a couple of months now. Because of my mentoring and guidance, my son turned the other cheek and now, that bully is a good friend
I have reached several transcients in and around my town, and given them basic amenities for hygene with a simple tract on believing in God stuck in the bottom of the bag. All of these true stories, all of them my life, none of them forced on any of the recipients. No cohercion, no deception, no trickery or flattery. Just love, pure, unadulterated love and compassion for people. God has given me so much, I figured I could give some back to the communiyt. He doesn't even ask for much, just a little here and there. But, you know something, the more I give, the more I get. It could be monetary or just simple satisfaction at the end of the day. But, I feel complete. Unlike when I was an "unbeliever." Unlike when I ran my own life and thought there was no God. Unlike when I thought I didn't need a God. Is that real enough for you? Will that work for "proof?"
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