You’re referring to “Silenceofmind,” Paul, or as I call him, “SillinessOfMind.” He and I have gone toe-to-toe here in the past, though I haven’t seen much of him lately. Some say he’s incarcerated, using the prison computer – I don’t know, I just stay as far away from him as possible.
I’m not rushing off,
me, you , Carmen, Nan, Ruth and N℮üґ☼N☮☂℮ṧ are now officially “SoRaRa”
I very much enjoy reading your stuff. but I am going to try to spend a little less time on the computer,
the show is Dec 11th with the deadline for entry on the 6th.
I gotta get busy.
if rick scott is relected governor of fla again, I’m going to name my painting: “HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOVERNOR SCOTT”
his bday is dec 1st,
he is a slimy reptile
Sarasota is primarily republican.
it should get some people really pissed off.
tee hee hee
I have no regrets though. I can’t fathom being back in that life-style ever again. It’s like night and day and I’m in the daylight, mentally, now.
The entire comment was great, but I especially liked this part Victoria. I too was seemingly alone in my deconversion at first thinking that it was a revolutionary idea. It did not take long for me to realize that I was just one of many deconverts that left Christianity for intellectual reasons.
And I posted this quotation, immediately following Rautakyy’s comment:
“If you ask anyone, what is morality based on? These are the two factors that always come out: One is reciprocity, … a sense of fairness, and the other one is empathy and compassion.”
— Frans de Waal —
There’s a strong indication that empathy and compassion were hardwired into us long before we stood upright – no gods were required in the making of this species:
“There’s a strong indication that empathy and compassion were hardwired into us long before we stood upright – no gods were required in the making of this species:”
Indeed. Empathy and a moral compass have been discovered not only in chimps and monkeys, but dolphins, elephants, rodents, birds, dogs and cats, and we are just beginning to scratch the surface.
“The entire comment was great, but I especially liked this part Victoria. I too was seemingly alone in my deconversion at first thinking that it was a revolutionary idea. It did not take long for me to realize that I was just one of many deconverts that left Christianity for intellectual reasons.”
Thanks, Dave. I remember when I first started doing online research which was related to my neurotechnology business at the time. By accident I ran into a forum with skeptics vs religious. One of the things that really struck me was how compassionate and caring and yes, moral unbelievers were. I mean, I had never really met an atheist before. I was agnostic at the time, but still, I didn’t identify with any labels as I didn’t even know what they meant TBH.
But what struck me was that as I lurked on this forum, I saw skeptics – unbelievers acting civil and compassionate and the Christians were, for the most part, uncivil and aggressive. I don’t mean to generalize because I know there are kind and caring Christians. But on the forum, I was taken aback by what I observed.
I thought it was ironic that all my life I’d been told that nonbelievers were wicked, lawless, uncivilized, “evil”, and the list goes on. I was lied to. Pissed me off — mostly pissed at myself because I listened to the lies about unbelievers, believed what I was told and read in the bible even though I had never met an unbeliever, except for myself, a newbie at the time.
I left Christianity because the god of the bible was/is unethical, tribal and authoritarian. I did not experience that peace that so many people proclaimed, though I tried to convince myself that I had inner peace. No, I found that “peace beyond understanding” after I left Christianity.
I thought it was ironic that all my life I’d been told that nonbelievers were wicked, lawless, uncivilized, “evil”, and the list goes on.
Exactly. Non-believers were either ignorant of the “truth” or they were in direct defiance of the “truth”. This is an extremely arrogant position to hold. Soooo glad that way of thinking is behind me.
Sometime back there was some discussion on Mormonism. I just came across this article and video and thought some of you might find it interesting.
Also, I’m reading a book called Generation Atheist in which the author shares the stories of 25 atheists who all come from different backgrounds.
One of the contributors is an ex-Mormon. He goes into considerable detail about the special clothing and also treads on forbidden ground by writing about the temple rituals.
“There’s a strong indication that empathy and compassion were hardwired into us long before we stood upright – no gods were required in the making of this species:”
Well, thank you – I just made it up, but you are welcome to use it free of charge – not Ark though, when he plagiarizes the things I say, he must pay. One way or another.
LOL — Dusty is a trip. He doesn’t mince words. My friend, Charity, who used to blog here, introduced him to me with a video about religious oppression of women. Isn’t he originally from Mississippi?
Speaking of oppression, I posted a tune in one of my blogs which complimented the post I did about how it feels and the fallout I’ve experienced as an unbeliever in a very religious culture. Not the same video below but the same tune. It wasn’t until later, when I watched a John Grant interview, that I realize the song was about the pain and major depression he experienced in a religious, homophobic society. Powerful lyrics. So remember, Paul, when things get particularly rough, the pain is like a glacier moving through you — carving out valleys and creating spectacular landscapes — nursing the ground with precious minerals and other stuff. 🙂
You just want to live your life
The best way you know how
But they keep on telling you
That you are not allowed
They say that you are sick
That you should bend your head in shame
They are pointing fingers
And want you to take the blame
There are days when people are
So massive and convincing
They say things beyond belief
That sting and leave you wounded
And to group they say their words
And straight down from above
And they really seem to think
That what they’re doing counts as love
Don’t you pay them fuckers as they say no never mind
They don’t give 2 shits about you it’s the blinded and the blind
What they want is commonly referred to as theocracy
And what that boils down to is referred as hypocrisy
Don’t glimpse onto anyone, get answers on your own
Even if it means sometimes you feel quite alone
No one on this planet can tell you what to believe
People like to talk alot and they like to deceive
This pain it is a glacier moving through you
And carving out the valleys
And creating spectacular landscapes
Nursing the ground
With precious minerals and other stuff
So don’t you become paralyzed with fear
When things seem particularly rough
I’m going to re-post those lyrics. Good grief, I copied and pasted from a site whose author must have been smoking crack when he/she transposed. Let’s try this again.
“Glacier”
You just want to live your life
The best way you know how
But they keep on telling you
That you are not allowed
They say you are sick
That you should hang your head in shame
They are pointing fingers
And want you to take the blame
There are days when people are
So nasty and convincing
They say things beyond belief
That sting and leave you wincing
And to boot they say their words
Come straight down from above
And they really seem to think
That what they’re doing counts as love
This pain
It is a glacier moving through you
And carving out deep valleys
And creating spectacular landscapes
And nourishing the ground
With precious minerals and other stuff
So, don’t you become paralyzed with fear
When things seem particularly rough
Don’t you pay them fuckers as they say no never mind
They don’t give two shits about you. It’s the blind leading the blind
What they want is commonly referred to as theocracy
And what that boils down to is referred as hypocrisy
Don’t listen to anyone; get answers on your own
Even if it means that sometimes you feel quite alone
No one on this planet can tell you what to believe
People like to talk a lot, and they like to deceive
This pain
It is a glacier moving through you
And carving out deep valleys
And creating spectacular landscapes
And nourishing the ground
With precious minerals and other stuff
So, don’t you become paralyzed with fear
When things seem particularly rough
“BTW, you need to read the latest posting on my blog. There’s a comment that I think you’d like to offer some input on.”
Nan, I just popped over there and noticed that I had read your article and also commented. What comment is it that you think I’d like to offer some input too? Are you talking about the “Leaving Christianity” post?
Finding Truth 
arch, if you miss Kathy that much, I would suggest you find any website where a unarmed black teenager is shot to death.
for some reason, she loves that. George Zimmerman and that ferguson cop are big heroes of hers.
also you can find her sniffing up greg gutelds butt crack on twitter.
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“It has been enjoyable.” – that doesn’t mean you have to rush off, Paul —
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You’re referring to “Silenceofmind,” Paul, or as I call him, “SillinessOfMind.” He and I have gone toe-to-toe here in the past, though I haven’t seen much of him lately. Some say he’s incarcerated, using the prison computer – I don’t know, I just stay as far away from him as possible.
LikeLike
I’m not rushing off,
me, you , Carmen, Nan, Ruth and N℮üґ☼N☮☂℮ṧ are now officially “SoRaRa”
I very much enjoy reading your stuff. but I am going to try to spend a little less time on the computer,
the show is Dec 11th with the deadline for entry on the 6th.
I gotta get busy.
if rick scott is relected governor of fla again, I’m going to name my painting:
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOVERNOR SCOTT”
his bday is dec 1st,
he is a slimy reptile
Sarasota is primarily republican.
it should get some people really pissed off.
tee hee hee
LikeLike
The entire comment was great, but I especially liked this part Victoria. I too was seemingly alone in my deconversion at first thinking that it was a revolutionary idea. It did not take long for me to realize that I was just one of many deconverts that left Christianity for intellectual reasons.
LikeLike
And I posted this quotation, immediately following Rautakyy’s comment:
There’s a strong indication that empathy and compassion were hardwired into us long before we stood upright – no gods were required in the making of this species:
LikeLike
LikeLike
Great quote.
“There’s a strong indication that empathy and compassion were hardwired into us long before we stood upright – no gods were required in the making of this species:”
Indeed. Empathy and a moral compass have been discovered not only in chimps and monkeys, but dolphins, elephants, rodents, birds, dogs and cats, and we are just beginning to scratch the surface.
http://www.livescience.com/24800-animals-emotions-morality.html
LikeLike
“The entire comment was great, but I especially liked this part Victoria. I too was seemingly alone in my deconversion at first thinking that it was a revolutionary idea. It did not take long for me to realize that I was just one of many deconverts that left Christianity for intellectual reasons.”
Thanks, Dave. I remember when I first started doing online research which was related to my neurotechnology business at the time. By accident I ran into a forum with skeptics vs religious. One of the things that really struck me was how compassionate and caring and yes, moral unbelievers were. I mean, I had never really met an atheist before. I was agnostic at the time, but still, I didn’t identify with any labels as I didn’t even know what they meant TBH.
But what struck me was that as I lurked on this forum, I saw skeptics – unbelievers acting civil and compassionate and the Christians were, for the most part, uncivil and aggressive. I don’t mean to generalize because I know there are kind and caring Christians. But on the forum, I was taken aback by what I observed.
I thought it was ironic that all my life I’d been told that nonbelievers were wicked, lawless, uncivilized, “evil”, and the list goes on. I was lied to. Pissed me off — mostly pissed at myself because I listened to the lies about unbelievers, believed what I was told and read in the bible even though I had never met an unbeliever, except for myself, a newbie at the time.
I left Christianity because the god of the bible was/is unethical, tribal and authoritarian. I did not experience that peace that so many people proclaimed, though I tried to convince myself that I had inner peace. No, I found that “peace beyond understanding” after I left Christianity.
LikeLike
Exactly. Non-believers were either ignorant of the “truth” or they were in direct defiance of the “truth”. This is an extremely arrogant position to hold. Soooo glad that way of thinking is behind me.
LikeLike
As am I.
LikeLike
Sometime back there was some discussion on Mormonism. I just came across this article and video and thought some of you might find it interesting.
Also, I’m reading a book called Generation Atheist in which the author shares the stories of 25 atheists who all come from different backgrounds.
One of the contributors is an ex-Mormon. He goes into considerable detail about the special clothing and also treads on forbidden ground by writing about the temple rituals.
LikeLike
Well, thank you – I just made it up, but you are welcome to use it free of charge – not Ark though, when he plagiarizes the things I say, he must pay. One way or another.
LikeLike
I was referring to the Frans de Waal quote. *giggles*
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the “Cult of Dusty”
Dusty Smith is my favorite deconvert of all times. I love this guy.
a former youth pastor from the deep south, funny, smart, cute.
I totally relate to his message.
here Dusty takes on HBO’s “Questioning Darwin”,
the show I watched yesterday and got so bent out of shape about.
caution, strong language
enjoy
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Hey girlfriend(s),
Good videos – never heard of this guy before; I like his message about Robin Williams – he definitely seems like a cool fellow!
Great discussion on this thread today, eh? Such smarties! (using logic!)
LikeLike
LOL — Dusty is a trip. He doesn’t mince words. My friend, Charity, who used to blog here, introduced him to me with a video about religious oppression of women. Isn’t he originally from Mississippi?
Speaking of oppression, I posted a tune in one of my blogs which complimented the post I did about how it feels and the fallout I’ve experienced as an unbeliever in a very religious culture. Not the same video below but the same tune. It wasn’t until later, when I watched a John Grant interview, that I realize the song was about the pain and major depression he experienced in a religious, homophobic society. Powerful lyrics. So remember, Paul, when things get particularly rough, the pain is like a glacier moving through you — carving out valleys and creating spectacular landscapes — nursing the ground with precious minerals and other stuff. 🙂
You just want to live your life
The best way you know how
But they keep on telling you
That you are not allowed
They say that you are sick
That you should bend your head in shame
They are pointing fingers
And want you to take the blame
There are days when people are
So massive and convincing
They say things beyond belief
That sting and leave you wounded
And to group they say their words
And straight down from above
And they really seem to think
That what they’re doing counts as love
Don’t you pay them fuckers as they say no never mind
They don’t give 2 shits about you it’s the blinded and the blind
What they want is commonly referred to as theocracy
And what that boils down to is referred as hypocrisy
Don’t glimpse onto anyone, get answers on your own
Even if it means sometimes you feel quite alone
No one on this planet can tell you what to believe
People like to talk alot and they like to deceive
This pain it is a glacier moving through you
And carving out the valleys
And creating spectacular landscapes
Nursing the ground
With precious minerals and other stuff
So don’t you become paralyzed with fear
When things seem particularly rough
LikeLike
That should have read “nourishing the ground” not nursing, and “Don’t listen to anyone” not glimpse onto.
Waves to Nan and Carmen.
Nan, thanks for the articles.
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Wave to you as well, Neuro!
BTW, you need to read the latest posting on my blog. There’s a comment that I think you’d like to offer some input on.
LikeLike
Oh goodness, how did I mess your latest posting. I know how, I am subbed to so many great bloggers I can’t keep up. 😀 Thanks for letting me know.
LikeLike
I’m going to re-post those lyrics. Good grief, I copied and pasted from a site whose author must have been smoking crack when he/she transposed. Let’s try this again.
“Glacier”
You just want to live your life
The best way you know how
But they keep on telling you
That you are not allowed
They say you are sick
That you should hang your head in shame
They are pointing fingers
And want you to take the blame
There are days when people are
So nasty and convincing
They say things beyond belief
That sting and leave you wincing
And to boot they say their words
Come straight down from above
And they really seem to think
That what they’re doing counts as love
This pain
It is a glacier moving through you
And carving out deep valleys
And creating spectacular landscapes
And nourishing the ground
With precious minerals and other stuff
So, don’t you become paralyzed with fear
When things seem particularly rough
Don’t you pay them fuckers as they say no never mind
They don’t give two shits about you. It’s the blind leading the blind
What they want is commonly referred to as theocracy
And what that boils down to is referred as hypocrisy
Don’t listen to anyone; get answers on your own
Even if it means that sometimes you feel quite alone
No one on this planet can tell you what to believe
People like to talk a lot, and they like to deceive
This pain
It is a glacier moving through you
And carving out deep valleys
And creating spectacular landscapes
And nourishing the ground
With precious minerals and other stuff
So, don’t you become paralyzed with fear
When things seem particularly rough
LikeLike
“BTW, you need to read the latest posting on my blog. There’s a comment that I think you’d like to offer some input on.”
Nan, I just popped over there and noticed that I had read your article and also commented. What comment is it that you think I’d like to offer some input too? Are you talking about the “Leaving Christianity” post?
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thanks, Neuro, Carmen, all you girlfriends here. you are great!!!!
I got my painting started today, it’s going to be so aaaaawesooooooome.
i’ll keep you updated on the progress.
I’m in a super good mood tonite. back to work.
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Hi Victoria,
I think Nan is referring to this:
http://www.vox.com/2014/4/28/5659984/only-30-percent-of-kids-raised-as-atheists-stay-that-way-as-adults
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Good to know, Paul.
Powell Powers, thanks for the link. I just realize that Nan has a post pinned at the top so I assumed it was her last post.
@ Nan, I’m now reading the comments. After a quick read through I’m guessing you meant Federico’s comment.
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