At last an oasis of free thought.

[Raceace]

Hi I,m a new member.
Some what disillusioned that a great friend has found god and has decided that I am now an immoral person because of his own choices.

Is this a form of natural selection that god unwitting participates in by having all of his so called creations choose which side of the line they wish to stand?

[davo]

Firstly, great to meet you :)

Sorry to hear your copping the conversion too .. was it because of struggles they were having in their life?

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

Hi I,m a new member.
Some what disillusioned that a great friend has found god and has decided that I am now an immoral person because of his own choices.

Is this a form of natural selection that god unwitting participates in by having all of his so called creations choose which side of the line they wish to stand?Almost been there and done that. Except I note that many already religious people classify me as immoral and what not.

Personally I think that being "immoral" is better than being "moral" because a lot of "moral" people believe that poor starving people and raped women and innocent people killed in the name of God deserve "punishment" of some sort...

[Raceace]

I think my friend was never the most emotionally secure person and they have a newly acquired evangelical wife.
Previously this friend was a really smart cookie like top 2 percent smart.
Even with all the immorality and divisiveness of religion, it is so hard to understand how this illogial and flawed system of belief still manages to snare some of the best and brightest.

While trying not to appear like a irrational whinger, It feels like two friends have climbed a mountain suddenly to have one of them duck off to take a different route to the summit. Then that friend stands from above chuckings stones at me for not taking a religious path. I would really like my old version of friend 1.0 reinstalled over that virus called organised religion, one can only hope that he has a secular epiphany, if that is possible.

[wolty]

Greetings Raceace. I feel for you because it is annoying to lose a friend because of a god. I don't know if there is too much you can do. Just keep it real and point out logical inconsistencies. Sounds to me like he had a tenuous grip on things to start with and has decided with the help of the other person, to look for comfort in fairyland.

[davo]

I think my friend was never the most emotionally secure person and they have a newly acquired evangelical wife.

oh golly :( From what I have seen, that is not the best mix :\

Hopefully they will learn from the process, but the above can be a very good reason to avoid facing reason :(

[Unsacred Cow]

Hi Raceace,

Sorry to hear of your situation.

In my case I was the one who deviated down a religious deluded path while my hubby looked on. He just stayed persistent in keeping me grounded in reality when he could, encouraged me to question things. Even took an interest to a certain degree (but mostly to stay abreast of what I was involved in to make sure minimal harm was done). It worked. Eventually, I came out the other side and then on to this forum a non-believer.

It's a pity nobody has come up with some innoculating measure from these pesky viruses.

Welcome to the forums....hopefully we can infuse some humour into the situation, atleast help you to smile.

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

I think the problem here is that as you mentioned your friend was not the most emotionally secure person. So people turn to religion when they are not too secure in emotions because they see it as an easy way out.

[robertkd]

Hi I,m a new member.
Some what disillusioned that a great friend has found god and has decided that I am now an immoral person because of his own choices.

Is this a form of natural selection that god unwitting participates in by having all of his so called creations choose which side of the line they wish to stand?

What sort of friend is that, have you changed I think not, your friends outlook has changed, now that is really going to hurt for a while.

mm so called creations, indeed we, all of life on this planet are the Earths creations and we are here because conditions including the sun were right.

welcome

[atheist_angel]

Many of us have what you might call a similar problem...

For example, I stopped being religious and became atheistic. Now, my friends don't know how to handle the news and they can't understand why I see religion as immoral. I haven't even bothered to tell most of them, because I know they would shun me. To me, and others in similar circumstances, this forum has become a comforting emotional support system. I don't have to be afraid to just be myself, when I'm here.

Oh, and welcome to the forums raceace. ;)

[Raceace]

Thankyou to everyone who has given me such a warm welcome, I truly feel among kindred spirits(lol). Until now I have tried to be as unconfrontational as possible out of respect for those who go about their religious lives without impacting negatively on others. However after losing someone I consider an important friend to religion, I felt that inactivety or at least the lack of a prophylactic approach has allowed religion and errational motives to again take hold.

Very valid comments by Athiest Angel and Crocodile regarding the immorality of the Good Book. I wonder if the censors applied the same rules or principals to the bible as they do to any newly written childrens book, if the bible would ever grace a school library shelf again.:rolleyes:

[Fearless]

Welcome to the forums! :)

My 'best' mate has 'found' god recently and I have been unfortunate enough to receive sms's from him with 'god bless' tucked nicely into the message.

My partner is not sure why I growl under my breath when my phone beeps to me but it is really frustrating for me now, I hope he can respect my stance enough to remain a friend and not shove that nonsense in my face every chance he gets. He knows I am an Atheist but he hasn't said a word... I sense a quiet chat is on the way.

I also do wonder if he is going to get rid of all his violent movies and music which references not so godly like things... not so long ago I heard Cop Killer by Body Count playing on his sound system (I have NFI why)

I would hate to have to refer to my mate as a 'typical religious hypocrite' but he is certainly on that path already.

[Raceace]

[quote=Fearless;33166]Welcome to the forums! :)

My 'best' mate has 'found' god recently and I have been unfortunate enough to receive sms's from him with 'god bless' tucked nicely into the message.

I have had to deal with the Godbless issue too, and I am not completely sure I have been able to respond to it appropriately without at least some form of derision. I hope someone can come up with some response to the Godbless quip that at least makes the offending party take stock.

It is a difficult comment to respond to, while not trying to offend but still hoping they understand your displeasure.
There`s a thread all by itself.

[Sir Patrick Crocodile]

I am personally fed up with the God bless and the I will pray for you and God loves you and God made you and the God spared me and cured my hypochondria and other holy shit. It is getting a lot even though I have a small feeling they probably mean well it doesn't do any good to me.

The onl

[atheist_angel]

I have had to deal with the Godbless issue too, and I am not completely sure I have been able to respond to it appropriately without at least some form of derision. I hope someone can come up with some response to the Godbless quip that at least makes the offending party take stock.

It is a difficult comment to respond to, while not trying to offend but still hoping they understand your displeasure.
There`s a thread all by itself.Tucking in an occasional 'G-d B. Less' in your replies seems to to quite popular nowadays. ;)

[Raceace]

I am personally fed up with the God bless and the I will pray for you and God loves you and God made you and the God spared me and cured my hypochondria and other holy shit. It is getting a lot even though I have a small feeling they probably mean well it doesn't do any good to me.

The onl

I cant remember who said this, as I am new to the forum but it was in response to a someone who said they will pray for an atheist`s soul, with which the repsonse was "Yeah you continue with your praying and we`ll take care of the thinking" I thought that was a brilliant pary and I will use it in future. A slightly abrasive jib, but one that could cause some introspection.

[Life's Good]

Hi Raceace. Welcome to the forum.

It may be useful to put my 2 cents worth in about having friends and their wretched beliefs!

I was at a single's party recently and it was mentioned to a devout hillsong churcher who was present that I was an unbeliever. He felt it was his moral duty to help me 'see the light' and it took nothing less than threats to get him to back off. On another recent social occasion, the subject of discussion amongst my friends turned to psychic detectives and the presence of guiding spirits to help in one's life. If only we would listen to them, wouldn't our lives be better!! I really wonder about this city and being single, I seem to be surrounded by looney tunes!

My response? I don't argue or try to engage them in conversation. It is a hopeless cause and I only make enemies. You learn to agree to disagree and let it be. Real friends will respect your position and not try to convert, as I do with them. I have tried and tested other responses, it is the best method I have discovered thus far.

I was once given some very good advice. Never be upset about losing a friend, because they come and go all the time. My lack of belief in airy fairy rubbish and the fact I question subjects like religion has cost me a few friendships over the years, and I just accept that as a fact of life. But I pick up friends (and a certain respect) by being who I am, and this is kinda good too!

Wherever possible, I always have happy and positive people as close friends, because they always add value to my life. A good thing to remember, whether deciding to keep a friend or not.

[Raceace]

[quote=Life's Good;33469]Hi Raceace. Welcome to the forum.


I was at a single's party recently and it was mentioned to a devout hillsong churcher who was present that I was an unbeliever. He felt it was his moral duty to help me 'see the light' and it took nothing less than threats to get him to back off. On another recent social occasion, the subject of discussion amongst my friends turned to psychic detectives and the presence of guiding spirits to help in one's life. If only we would listen to them, wouldn't our lives be better!! I really wonder about this city and being single, I seem to be surrounded by looney tunes!


Hi LG,

I enjoyed your approach to the atheist being the meat in the BBQ sandwich scenario.

I have only recently started to become more of an advocate for non-belief as I have realised that inactivity has allowed the weeds back into fertile fields.

About a month a go, I was invited to my friend`s birthday BBQ well knowing that I would be going into an evangelical ambush. I have been very careful to keep a round in the chamber when debating my friend`s new found religious zeal.

I found that the guests divided into three groups, those who tested the waters to see if I was worthy of their company and those who looked on in horror when they realized a completely unsalvagable non-believer had been let into their midst. The third group was my wife and I, I thought strength in numbers was important.

I certainly did,nt feel threatened or scared. The Pentecostal guests started surgical searching for clues as to which ministry I was a member of and when they found none, reverted to blunt force trauma by asking "Are a religious person sir". I was very forthwith and stated "Absolutely not". You could have cut the air with knife.

For the first twenty minutes prior to my admission, the guests dropped blatant verbal cues, like some sort of secret handshake I was suppose return, oops. Then made a simple error and I was suddenly in the end game.
I mentioned my twin children which was naturally greeted with "Oh you have been blessed by god there sir".............................
I responded yes if mean by blessed you mean unwittingly became the recipients of bizygotic twins, to which they answered yes Identical twins are the most beautiful gift from heaven...........I thought to myself if this is the level of narrow mindedness I have to deal with straight off the bat then explaining her misunderstanding is not going to be possible.
So I went for the jugular and said I wonder where the second soul comes from with twins considering they start with only one egg.
My wife heard the exchange and went into damage control before the other guests could think over the comment.

I am still yet to be contacted by my friend. lol

[two dogs]

...
So I went for the jugular and said I wonder where the second soul comes from with twins considering they start with only one egg.

Brilliant! :D

My wife heard the exchange and went into damage control before the other guests could think over the comment.
...
Why? :confused:

[wolty]

In your situation Raceace, I am very happy to admit to being a heathen. Hopefully they will leave me alone then.

[Raceace]

Brilliant! :D
Why? :confused:

Although my wife is also a non-believer she is trying to make as many new friends in Australia as possible so she saw my aggressive approach as not being conducive to that goal.
She wants as many new friends as possible to help her learn english but she failed to see that most of those potential friends were speaking in tongues.

[Life's Good]

Hi again.

There is another approach I didn't mention. If you don't want friends, you can have a lot of fun by crossing swords with the righteous. There is no finer emotion than to get one's adversaries on the back foot and then putting the slipper in! Metaphorically speaking, that is, unless the argument gets really heated!

I have a lot of good memories of winning verbal battles with the 'logically challenged' in our society and I would recommend it to anyone.

Just don't expect to have friends at the end of the process! :)

And yes, it is worth it! Memories last, friends often don't.