Can't you stop being an Atheist just for today?

[Duffy]

Can't you stop being an Athiest just for today?

This is my mother's cry after I told her I won't be coming to yet another silly family Christening. I relent and have to sit through the torturous rituals of the JICC (just in case christians) and give my gift...something that will be discarded within a week...while thinking the best gift would be to snatch the child from stupid parents and run from the church to a safe house, a place for the dear little thing to learn to think for itself.

I also had the occassion when a JICC friend asked me to be her newborn's Godmother. What? Was she nuts?

-oh come on, it doesn't mean anything, just if I died you would look after her.
-Well of course I would look after her(I thought the family would get first dibs though) but do you expect me to go through the ritual of promising to oversee the child's spiritual upbringing?
- oh come on. Can't you stop being an.......
-arhhhhhhh!!!!

I now only go to church weddings and Christenings if refusal would really offend. That's because I am inherently nice. What do others do? :o

[Chasly]

I rock up with 5 mins to go :)

[Godless Ray]

Always gridlocked. Even on Sundays.

Godless

[cheesesofnazereth]

I personally think it's good to sit thru the occasional service. If you leave having felt nothing but a range of feelings from deep depression thru to rage and not felt uplifted in any way surely that's an affirmation that you are an Aethist.

You also will have displayed a level of tolerance unobtainable for most church goers and true friends will respect you for that.

[Duffy]

I personally think it's good to sit thru the occasional service. If you leave having felt nothing but a range of feelings from deep depression thru to rage and not felt uplifted in any way surely that's an affirmation that you are an Aethist.

You also will have displayed a level of tolerance unobtainable for most church goers and true friends will respect you for that.

Yeah but I don't have to watch Benny Hill out of respect for comedy. Besides I would rather sit in on a church service of true believers than quasi-JICC-christains going through the motions of some out-dated ritual because either they like the attention or they fear being kept out of Grandmas will. No it's phoney and I hate it.:mad:

[cheesesofnazereth]

You obviously care a lot more passionately about this issue than I do but personally I wouldn’t give ‘em the satisfaction of knowing it was winding me up.

I reason that if there’s no such thing as a free lunch then enduring the church is the price you pay for the buffet or the free bar at the reception. Mind you I’d become a Mormon if there was a mushroom voulevent and a cheese and ham sandwich in it.:D

[Chasly]

I like the term JICC - it is quite apt. But why do people become JICC?

I am trying to come up with some adjectives that best describe people who have abundant intelligence but still believe.
Some people I know are so smart, university-educated, creative, clear-thinkers, lateral thinkers, sensible, can sort out the wheat from the chaff, can read people well, use a weight of evidence methodology to solve problems, etc, etc.......yet they BELIEVE!!!!!

Why does their brain fail them when it comes to theism?

Apart from 'Stupid', 'Dickheads', 'Ignorant', etc (because based on the rest of their lives they are none of these things)....please help me find a word/s that best describe this personality-type.

Admittedly I am amazed at how they can just switch the 'BS-deciphering' part of their brain on and off like that.

[Duffy]

But why do people become JICC?

Fear - one of the two basic emotions. It can't be out of love.

I am a rational person with an irrational fear of rats (ratphobia) due to a childhood experience. Unless you do some sort of deprogramming that stuff stays with you.

Don't believe and you go to hell...thats some scary stuff to a small child.

[Duffy]

Plus it's not always easy being an Atheist. I suspect that's why there are closets full of them all over the world.

[Chasly]

Don't believe and you go to hell...thats some scary stuff to a small child.

But these people are adults now. They have a choice and they choose to believe.

And in regards to the rats, you saw them, there is evidence they are ugly (your eyes), there is scientific evidence they can spread diseases, etc

Personally I think a lot of it has to do with having an innate ability for flexible thinking (which is a pretty rare commodity).
This abilty to be so fluid in their thinking is no doubt a contributing factor to their success in the other parts of their life.
This fluidity inturn enables them to be JICC.

If its not this, how can one possibly BS to themselves so much???

[Duffy]

This is perhaps a psychological conundrum beyond my understanding but the question is a good one. Why does someone, presented with the credible, still choose to believe in the incredible?

I still maintain that fear can be a strong motivator, even if its fear of rejection, fear of ridicule, fear of not belonging. Christian guilt is a mighty master.

[Converted]

Can't you stop being an Athiest just for today?

I now only go to church weddings and Christenings if refusal would really offend. That's because I am inherently nice. What do others do? :o

I have discovered that going to church (for weddings and christenings for friends and family that I like) is a great time to watch other people. Especially when almost everyone closes their eyes to have imaginary conversations.

You would be surprised how many use this time to pick their noses, re-arrange their clothing or even to look around to see who else is watching. I usually find that my fellow watchers are the most interesting people there so I try to have a chat at the receptions. Have met some cool people doing this.

[Chasly]

That's it I think - to 'Compartmentalize' - they are good at compartmentalizing.

Also from Wikipedia -
"... uses different thought processes for different ideas. This is a common way to explain how some scientists can believe in a god without any evidence, but then expect evidence for everything else in life."

"....to do with the way that somehow can split themselves into "two" people internally, such as in the movie Psycho, the way that the guy splits himself into the male and his dead mother."

So maybe these people actually don't feel like they're being dishonest to themselves at all. They simply have a skill that I don't - the abilty to compartmentalize.
This explains why its so hard to change their views and beliefs, despite the valiant attempts from the athiestic community. They are wired differently.

[Chasly]

I still maintain that fear can be a strong motivator, even if its fear of rejection, fear of ridicule, fear of not belonging. Christian guilt is a mighty master.

For sure - but this would apply to the other types I described - the 'Stupid', the 'Dickheads', the 'Ignorant'.
These types may come to their senses one day - there is hope.

But the ones who can compartmentalise - there is no hope whatsoever of enlightening them.

[Duffy]

But the ones who can compartmentalise - there is no hope whatsoever of enlightening them.

Agreed and not without serious psychiatric help;)

[davo]

My big one is the christmas table .. where everyone says grace, and I just sit there. Mum even asked me if I would 'just do it' this year, but I didn't ..

kinda awkward, and led to mum saying something later about it, and me then having to justify my beliefs ..

I mean, I'm going on 38, have been an atheist since my teens, she still hopes I will return.

Funny thing is she is not a hard core catholic, that's even worse, she will undyingly defend catholic, but not really question or think about her beliefs (it's just something she goes 'it's dealt with I can put aside) or actually do what the church 'requires'.

When I brought that up at the table started a &*$%# fight ;)

but hey we are a family that can discuss heatedly, but it doesn't effect us getting on as a family, a good thing.

[Duffy]

but hey we are a family that can discuss heatedly, but it doesn't effect us getting on as a family, a good thing.

Lol Davo, sound like most Aussie families re: 'Just in case' christianity. Only one in my immediate family goes to church but that wouldn't stop the others (except me) picking and choosing christians rituals that suit them i.e christening and church weddings. Typical!!!!:rolleyes:

[Godless Ray]

Davo,

Did you ever ask your mother what she is saying grace for exactly ?

Godless

Talking Compartmentalization etc, I wonder if you guys have approached all your decision making as independently as your atheism? By this I mean I find that people that are atheist have a strong resistance to herd mentality in all subject areas not just the religious.

[davo]

Davo,
Did you ever ask your mother what she is saying grace for exactly ?


Well I always _knew_ .. I did grow up with her in a 'Catholic' family ... it was giving thanks for the food and for our lives and fortune, speaking together to the great sky faerie, so that we'd go to heaven.

[Duffy]

Well I always _knew_ .. I did grow up with her in a 'Catholic' family ... it was giving thanks for the food and for our lives and fortune, speaking together to the great sky faerie, so that we'd go to heaven.

Do you remember the time will it all started feeling like BS to you? And how long did it take for you to start to challenge your family's beliefs? I can imagine them just thinking its that teenage rebellion thing. I never had to say grace but I've sat at a catholic table when it is said and it hard not to smirk.

[davo]

Duffy, it started in school, religion was compulsory, and I did systems of meaning and belief for HSC (what's now VCE).

Well before that I had started questioning, and was 'dispruptive' apparently at school as usually things would end with the 'Brothers' that were teaching me throwing me out of the classroom due to my questioning. I found this particularly interesting at the time, they were inable to approach the logic consistently, and became inflamed when I pointed out that they were spending their life following something they hadn't actually sat down and thought about .. they were basically accepting what their parents had put on them.

I remember discussions on choice, where I basically pointed out that I could not understand how an all-knowing being could give us choice. Sure to us it seemed like choice, but to a god, it would be just a machine it set in motion, with a known outcome. Except this machine created and condemned souls to burn for eternity.

I can remember the exact moment I came to question things leading to this, and it was when a friend just arrived at the school from England ~'82 gave me a tape recording of CRASS, an anacho-punk band from there, called 'CHRIST - The Album', which I then got sent over on LP (I still have it;)

It was the song Big A - Little A .. that sent my mind over the edge on a lot of things ;) here it is (Beware, it's _real_ punk (not sex pistols sold out punk) so MUST be negative and destructive (ahem))

Big A, little A, bouncing B
The system might have got you but it won't get me

1 - 2 - 3 - 4

External control are you gonna let them get you?
Do you wanna be a prisoner in the boundaries they set you?
You say you want to be yourself, by christ do you think they'll let you?
They're out to get you get you get you get you get you get you get you

Hello, hello, hello, this is the Lord God, can you hear?
Hellfire and damnation's what I've got for you down there
On earth I have ambassadors, archbishop, vicar, pope
We'll blind you with morality, you'd best abandon any hope,
We're telling you you'd better pray cos you were born in sin
Right from the start we'll build a cell and then we'll lock you in
We sit in holy judgement condemning those that stray
We offer our forgiveness, but first we'll make you pay

External control are you gonna let them get you?
Do you wanna be a prisoner in the boundaries they set you?
You say you want to be yourself, by christ do you think they'll let you?
They're out to get you get you get you get you get you get you get you

Hello, hello, hello, now here's a massage from your queen
As figurehead of the status quo I set the social scene
I'm most concerned about my people, I want to give them peace
So I'm making sure they stay in line with my army and police
My prisons and my mental homes have ever open doors
For those amongst my subjects who dare to ask for more
Unruliness and disrespect are things I can't allow
So I'll see the peasants grovel if they refuse to bow

External control are you gonna let them get you?
Do you wanna be a prisoner in the boundaries they set you?
You say you want to be yourself, by christ do you think they'll let you?
They're out to get you get you get you get you get you get you get you

Introducing the Prime Sinister, she's a mother to us all
Like the dutch boy's finger in the dyke her arse is in the wall
Holding back the future waiting for the seas to part
If Moses did it with is faith, she'll do it with an army
Who at times of threatened crisis are certain to be there
Guarding national heritage no matter what or where
Palaces for kings and queens, mansions for the rich
Protection for the wealthy, defence of privilege
They've learnt the ropes In Ireland, engaged in civil war
Fighting for the ruling classes in their battle against the poor
So Ireland's just an island? It's an island of the mind
Great Britain? Future? Bollocks, you'd better look behind
Round every other corner stands P.C. 1984
Guardian of the future, he'll implement the law
He's there as a grim reminder that no matter what you do
Big brothers system's always there with his beady eyes on you
From God to local bobby, in home and street and school
They've got your name and number while you've just got their rule
We've got to look for methods to undermine those powers
It's time to change the tables. The future must be ours

Big A, little A, bouncing B
The system might have got you but it won't get me

Be exactly who you want to be, do what you want to do
I am he and she is she but you're the only you
No one else has got your eyes, can see the things you see
It's up to you to change your life and my life's up to me
The problems that you suffer from are problems that you make
The shit we have to climb through is the shit we choose to take
If you don't like the life you live, change it now it's yours
Nothing has effects if you don't recognise the cause
If the programme's not the one you want, get up, turn off the set
It's only you that can decide what life you're gonna get
If you don't like religion you can be the antichrist
If your tired of politics you can be an anarchist
But no one ever changed the church by pulling down a steeple
And you'll never change the system by bombing number ten
Systems just aren't made of bricks they're mostly made of people
You may send them into hiding, but they'll be back again
If you don't like the rules they make, refuse to play their game
If you don't want to be a number, don't give them your name
If you don't want to be caught out, refuse to hear their question
Silence is a virtue, use it for your own protection
They'll try to make you play their game, refuse to show your face
If you don't want to be beaten down, refuse to join their race
Be exactly who you want to be, do what you want to do
I am he and she is she but you're they only you

----

Another song off the album was (and still is) considered extremely offensive for it's lyrics over religion. So I will link to it, rather than post it.

http://www.actionext.com/names_c/crass_lyrics/asylum.html

[Duffy]

But no one ever changed the church by pulling down a steeple
And you'll never change the system by bombing number ten
Systems just aren't made of bricks they're mostly made of people
You may send them into hiding, but they'll be back again


Wow I'm impressed...now could they sing it to Barry Manilow music so I can hear the lyrics? Only joking. I bet your mum was hoping it was only a phase and that you'll grow out of it. It is a generalisation I know, but antiestablishmentarianism (say that ten times fast) is often the domain of the young and passionate and views tend to become more moderate with age. Is this the case?

[davo]

Actually no, I think when I was younger I tried first anger at what was going on around me regarding ignorance, both religious and political, then I tried alternative lifestyles 'dropping out' and trying to create alternatives outside the mainstream in 'ghettos' (what I would call that action now), this basically extended into my actually trying to create real life alternatives without the 'badge' of my idealism getting in the way of the reality of my solutions.

Heading onto 40 now, I look at making 'alternatives in the mainstream' (for want of a way to explain), my workplace runs as a workers collective (we use consensus decision making, everyone earns the same amount of monies etc etc) and people see that it works. Changes in society by working examples is easy, compared to thry to make changes in religious ignorance. It's hard to show how an alternative works in that regard, the ignorance is just so much more heart-felt ;)

I am still as strong, if not stronger in my beliefs, however my focus has changed a lot to actually try and make a difference by example, as well as make alternatives that are feasible. I work with both local, national and international groups doing the same, and we work on changing the methodologies of the workplace, as that is where I now consider real change extending from. .... hard to quantify in a short space, and without really opening myself up on a forum to those that persecute rather than think ;) I'd much rather make progress than bog myself down dispelling myths ... basically I am an anarcho-syndicalist, if having a label makes it easier to spot me in a crowd ;)

Religion, I feel inundated with it, I feel threatened by it, I have had to fight it with past GF's kids public schools, I feel as tho I am held back from being able to say my thoughts over it, so much more than just political ideas (and I think religion has a massive input into politics). I work with alternative news outlets and information sources, as well as mainstream ones, and the amount of information I see every day, religious bigotry and ignorance plays a huge part in most all of the issues that fly past my screen.

So, how to combat it? in a progressive way? that's probably something I am still searching for ...

[Duffy]

Revolutionary thinking seems to be a common thread in atheists. I wish you well in your endeavors :)

[SchizoDeluxe]

I had the misfortune of attending 2 weddings and a christening (wait, wasn't that a movie? :D ) last year and it was painful having to sit through all that religious crap that goes on. Interesting though considering I hadn't been in a church since I was a little kid so it kinda gave me a new perspective on things and of course, reaffirmed my disbelief in any god even further. The crap people go through just to get married, I don't have any envy for those who are married hehe but I attend them purely because of family reasons, nothing more. Anything else and for any other reason I simply say no.

[Duffy]

Some years ago I refused to attend the funeral of man that was known to have molested two women in the family when they were young teenagers. The excuse for the large turn out was that he had confessed his sins on his deathbed and asked for Gods forgiveness. So of he went to the cemetary with his 'get out of hell' card and they wept his passing. The women molested turned up too as their Christian forgiveness was a vital part of the delusion. From my soapbox I see prison time and proper counselling by a professional. But I'm just a cranky old atheist...what would I know?

[Fiery]

Ah yes, the death bed conversion. Funny when an atheist says "that's the plan" fundies get all up in arms that "oh no!! God would see right through that". But you give a paedophile/molester a death bed conversion and zip zap all is forgiven. Blessed be the name of jesus.
http://www.normalbobsmith.com/hatemail282_contestcloud.jpg

[Duffy]

Ah yes, the death bed conversion. Funny when an atheist says "that's the plan" fundies get all up in arms that "oh no!! God would see right through that". But you give a paedophile/molester a death bed conversion and zip zap all is forgiven. Blessed be the name of jesus.

Yeah, this clowns (http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2007/10/14/illinois-christian-clown-busted-for-molestation-child-porn/)next magic trick is his absolution.

[matteovinci]

im sure with all the chlorine in our water, that any "holy magic" in the water i was christened with has long since departed :D

i live in a roman catholic family & one of them is about to have a baby, for which no doubt im sure there will be a christening

knowing my family, it may just be better to keep the peace & simply attend while remaining silent on any comment

[Duffy]

knowing my family, it may just be better to keep the peace & simply attend while remaining silent on any comment

Don't feel too bad, I'm sure there's plenty of atheists that have to sit thorugh these silly rituals to keep the peace. Me included. Sorry, I don't know your circumstances but will you feel pressured to be married in church or christen your kids. Will the family expect it out of loyalty or accept your free choice?

[matteovinci]

im sure they will expect it out of tradition/loyalty
its a small sacrifice i can make

to me, actions speak louder than words
i can speak words which i do not believe in to temporarily please others

however, i will do whatever i can to not take such action on those words, as to contradict my beliefs
but even i realise that sometimes a compromise must be made in the name of peace

[Duffy]

im sure they will expect it out of tradition/loyalty
its a small sacrifice i can make

to me, actions speak louder than words
i can speak words which i do not believe in to temporarily please others

however, i will do whatever i can to not take such action on those words, as to contradict my beliefs
but even i realise that sometimes a compromise must be made in the name of peace

I can empathise with the keeping of peace, it comes with territory in the family unit. However I did make sure I didn't marry a believer because I never wanted my kids sent to church. What do you think re this?

[matteovinci]

well, im sure life for an atheist would be less stressful without having to be joined in love with a "believer"

however, if the love is true, then what is in the best interests of a child's free thinking should be realised

there is one major thing with families & humanity as a whole that i try hard to keep myself away from & that is the concept of "honor"

you do your thing, i do mine
if i dont hurt you & you dont hurt me, then i care not for what it is you are doing unless it is of interest to myself

[Vonnie]

well, im sure life for an atheist would be less stressful without having to be joined in love with a "believer"

however, if the love is true, then what is in the best interests of a child's free thinking should be realised

It's a noble thought. I'm not sure that's how it would actually play out in real life, though...

Vonnie

[eclectic]

Churches mostly give me the giggles. We went to a church wedding recently and I found it very unmoving as a service, the vows and the babble about God was all just nonesense in my ears. So to me it was a shame that I couldn't feel much joy for them. If the church and religion didn't hold such sway over peoples minds, I would be happy for people to have religion - if they had a genuine choice and didn't inflict their beliefs on other people... so I guess in a perfect secular society I would be more than happy to see two people marry in whatever wacky ceremony they liked. As it is I tend to go along with it because I'm a rather polite, peace-keeping type of gal.

A christening would bother me more, as I am particularly angry about children being raised into religion and not given a chance for free thought. If it was a family member I would probably just go to be nice... although I might politely mention that I don't actually believe in God. I would certainly have to say no to becoming a godparent to anyone.

I think the fact that most of my close friends are atheist or at least agnostic helps - I am used to disagreeing with my redneck family, but it would be harder to upset a friend.

[Godless Ray]

Can someone give me a heads up.. a Christian couple who have been married a few times maybe due to death or the like, what is the plan when they get to heaven ? Do they all hang together in some kind of group? What is the spiritual etiquette here? Is there a pecking order?


Godless

[Fiery]

Well, if it's the Christian heaven, the promise is to spend an eternity glorifying god. Which means never ending church services. UGH!!! Can you imagine? One 20 minute sermon a week was more than I could stomach as a believer. Try 20 millennia long sermons. *GACK* The liturgy alone would take a million years.

[Duffy]

Can someone give me a heads up.. a Christian couple who have been married a few times maybe due to death or the like, what is the plan when they get to heaven ? Do they all hang together in some kind of group? What is the spiritual etiquette here? Is there a pecking order?


Godless

I have wondered the same thing Godless and I have never been able to pin a christian down and get an answer. Meeting my ex in heaven would be more like hell so how does that work for my experience of 'heaven'? I have also struggled with what bodily form I would take in heaven? What if I died as a frail old lady am I young again?

Do any of exChristians on the forum have any answers?

[His Noodly Appendage]

Wow I'm impressed...now could they sing it to Barry Manilow music so I can hear the lyrics? Only joking.


I couldn't help it...

fc-V3NYckOI

[davo]

I couldn't help it...


either could i ..

B1JqOv6PhW4

[Duffy]

I couldn't help it...

fc-V3NYckOI

Thanks so much Noodle, hahaha I'm a Chaser devotee and I remember this but you can never have too much of them, hahahah swallow your pus hahahaha.

PS This is my boys music of choice and I'll admit to getting the giggles at the t-shirts they wear when visiting. One t-shirt says 'Bleeding Through' and I can't help thinking of menstration when I see it :D, its the tatoos that make me cringe:o

[Duffy]

Okay, just for the sake of answering... (this makes me feel like I'm contributing to one of those would-Batman-beat-Spiderman discussions):

Matthew 22:30 -
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage,
but are as the angels of God in heaven.
Luke 20:35 -
But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world,
and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry,
nor are given in marriage:
Inference is, no sexual activity or partnerships.

Romans 7:2 - For the woman which hath an husband
is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth;
but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of
her husband.
Make sure your ex doesn't diet or go on the wagon, that's the ticket!

As far as the bodily change thing goes, there are endless realms of speculation.

Meanwhile, there's coffee to be made.

I think still think there too much ambiguity to the heaven thing...think I'd get my lawyer to go over the fine print before signing over my soul.

BTW I reckon Superman would beat Spiderman because Christopher Reid (pre accident) would be able to kick Tobey Maguire arse. And that's MY opinion after giving it exactly 3 seconds of thought. Where's that coffee?

[His Noodly Appendage]

Duffy:

Well, in THAT case...

F-VzJ1sSyLQ

ETA better version

[davo]

One t-shirt says 'Bleeding Through' and I can't help thinking of menstration when I see it :D, its the tatoos that make me cringe:o

oh, only people who don't understand commitment don't understand tattoos ;)

hehe

As the saying goes, the difference between people with them, and people without them, is those with tattoos don't care if you don't have them.

[Duffy]

As the saying goes, the difference between people with them, and people without them, is those with tattoos don't care if you don't have them.

Wonderful. But I'm not going to let my youngest read this. He's a clean skin:D It's not so much the tattoo but the choice of which one. If I had one in my youth it might read "Sherbert (http://www.milesago.com/Artists/sherbet.htm)" arhhhh.

I suggested something like this. (Imagine roll of son's eyes)

Where did my picture go?????

[Duffy]

Duffy:

Well, in THAT case...

F-VzJ1sSyLQ

ETA better version


Hahahaha, that's a crack up. Emailing that link to son's girlfriend.

[davo]

Wonderful. But I'm not going to let my youngest read this. He's a clean skin:D It's not so much the tattoo but the choice of which one. If I had one in my youth it might read "Sherbert (http://www.milesago.com/Artists/sherbet.htm)" arhhhh.

I suggested something like this. (Imagine roll of son's eyes)


he could get something like this :

http://www.thinkempire.com/blog/uploaded_images/face-tat-746937.jpg

[Duffy]

he could get something like this :

http://www.thinkempire.com/blog/uploaded_images/face-tat-746937.jpg

Jeebus, I hope that's texta. No? I would have a heart attack if my sons did that. Literally!!!:eek:

[davo]

this blokes a teacher :

http://cityrag.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/bruce_potts.jpg

you've probably seen the mother that got paid 10,000 for this one :

http://www.lolviral.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/tattoo10grand.png

but jokes aside, I really like one mentioned on richarddawkins.net :

by DNAtheist (http://richarddawkins.net/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=6126) » Sun Oct 14, 2007 6:37 pm
I'll offer up a design of my own.

http://www.geocities.com/dnatheist@att.net/ambigrams/ambigramb.jpg

It is a rotational ambigram so it looks exactly the same when upside down. This makes it a good arm tattoo since it is legible to both the wearer and viewers whether your arm is raised or down.

http://www.geocities.com/dnatheist@att.net/ambigrams/animatedred.gif

(I did this one in red as a reference to the OUT Campaign's scarlet A.)

If anyone decides to use this as a tattoo, I'd love to have a picture of it.

[Duffy]

The teacher has a nice smile :)

I actually don't mind the atheist one, it's very clever. Wonder what hubby would think about me getting a tattoo, hmmmm.

[davo]

he does yea, actually it suits him I think.

As with any commitment, you don't rush into it ;) an open mind then one day something may strike you. When you get a tattoo, you always remember when you got it, so even 'bad' tattoos are a bit of your history

[Fiery]

Duffy- is this what your tattoo was going to look like? Check out the strategically placed bubbles on the bloke on the left. Atttteeeeennnnnsshun!!!!!http://www.milesago.com/Artists/Images/sherbet-nude.jpg

[His Noodly Appendage]

http://cityrag.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/bruce_potts.jpg

This. Is. So. Fucking. Awesome.

Now THAT is a tattoo. It suits him, and the cheery smile, perfectly.

[Duffy]

Duffy- is this what your tattoo was going to look like? Check out the strategically placed bubbles on the bloke on the left. Atttteeeeennnnnsshun!!!!!http://www.milesago.com/Artists/Images/sherbet-nude.jpg

The 'bloke on the left' is Daryl Braithwaite, heart throb to thousand of Aussie teenage girls in the 70s. Ewww what were we thinking??????

[Godless Ray]

Mr Black having been married twice now and onto number 3 I was thnking that maybe next time Godless could try a young stripper. Maybe put that whole argument to some kind of test?

Godless Ray

[heartbomb]

Do something anti-Christian in front of her, and if she complains, say to her "Oh come on, can't you stop being a Christian just for today?" :P

[wolty]

Heh, with all the knowledge of scripture around here, we could probably out-christian the christians.

[Annie]

Stop it for a whole day? No way! :eek: I love my bees!!

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad95/beenak/IMG_14284.jpg

Uh wait..........:o:o

[Centauri]

If I could stop being an atheist for one day and be "christian", it would mean suspending my critical thinking faculties, while selfishly indulging in wishful thinking and immoral doctrines.

No deal.

[rayne]

"Could you stop being an atheist for one day?"
"Could you stop believing in invisible people for one day?"

My sister once asked me to be the Godmother of my eldest nephew. I said no. This followed:

Her: Why not? It's not like it means anything!
Me: Then why ask me?
Her: You get to look after him if I die!
Me: How is that a good thing?

I don't care for children.

[riddlemethis]

Not just that, she's talking rubbish. Custody of god children is not bestowed on god parents by fiat, should the parents die. This is a specific thing that must be provided for in ones Will & it's not necessary for the nominated person the be the child's god parent. Mind you, it's a common misunderstanding.

[FSM]

Can't you stop being an Athiest just for today?

This is my mother's cry after I told her I won't be coming to yet another silly family Christening.

You have it easy, I have to be a godparent this weekend :facepalm:

*remind myself*
Don't make a scene...
Don't make a scene...
Don't make a scene...

Dave.