“Curious how many of you out there have had a similar experience. Any things you would now like to claim as your own, and not as a result of God randomly choosing to make it happen for you?”

I’m curious to know why you are curious about this. Are you seeking validation?

Also, now that you are an atheist, are you still going to take Christmas day off this year? What about the exchanging of gifts? Are you still going to have a tree and all, or are you in boycott mode? Just curious

Mark

This is a comment I received, and it got me thinking about why people seem to think that having a tree is solely a Christian tradition, and why taking Christmas Day off is considered celebrating the Christian religion.  So, let me answer the comment above point by point.

1. I’m curious, because I’m sure there are others out there who have gone through the same thing I have and have stories to share.  I’ve been proven correct.  I don’t need validation for what I think about things coming together as I’ve been on both sides of the fence and have hard proof through my own experience.
2. I’m not an atheist.  I have been decently clear on this point on this blog.  I don’t believe there is one guy in the sky, nor do I believe the Bible is the perfect word from this guy in the sky.  I believe the Bible is a historical text, at best.  Now, that being said, I’m not sure that there is nothing out there either.  I’m not convinced that there isn’t some sort of energy that connects all of us.  I’m not convinced there is, either.
3. Yes, I will be taking Christmas Day off this year… it is a nationwide holiday… one that my Company pays me to take off.  It is a great time to spend with family and friends, and I treat it as such.
4. Again, yes, I will have a tree.  Trees and evergreen and holly, etc. are NOT just Christian traditions and in fact many started well before Christianity as a celebration of the winter solstice.  Many pagan religions also used evergreen trimmings.  The Romans used holly wreaths and evergreen clippings in a ritual to celebrate Saturn. (http://www.religioustolerance.org/xmas_tree.htm)
5. Yes, I will exchange gifts, meaningful gifts.  I like to give gifts all year round, I find that at this time of year, I’m able to see members of my family that I don’t see any other time and it is a great time to give them gifts in person.  Giving gifts is not something that is just for Christians, you know.

So, I’m curious Mark (and any others who feel the same way he does about this topic), do you know that you aren’t even celebrating Christ’s birthday in December… as it has been pretty well agreed that he was most likely born in the spring?  Will you admit that there are MANY celebrations that take place this time of year that started well before Christmas that are as celebratory as Christmas is?

Why are some Christians so up tight about other celebrations taking place?  They have been going on for many centuries… before Christ was on the planet.  Let everyone celebrate, enjoy their families, enjoy the turn of the season, enjoy their religious traditions.  I see the joy that my Christian friends get from the holiday, and it is equal to the joy I get from the holiday.  Why is it that some Christians think they are the only people on the planet who get to celebrate something in the winter?  Get over yourselves… maybe you’ll be able to celebrate more if you just focus on what it is you’re doing, and not so much on what others are doing.

1. Questioned the church leaders a LOT more, and made them actually answer my questions
2. Stopped being friends with people just because I thought I had to be (even though I didn’t like them!)
3. Told that church going asshole that he WAS an ASSHOLE
4. Dated that nice non-christian guy who was “bad” for me
5. Stopped trying to make everybody happy
6. Taken that christian fish off my car
7. Had a beer on the mission trip in that country that would serve us (with the others who were already doing it)
8. Cared more about how my extreme views affected others
9. Cared less about being right and more about listening to what others had to say
10. Done what I wanted, and not what the christian group leaders wanted me to do
11. Told that youth pastor I worked for in college what an ignorant, self-serving, non caring person he really was
12. Told the youth I worked with to continue questioning so they could come to their own truth… rather than just the opposite
13. Stopped going to prayer circles that were just about hearing everyone’s gossip so we could pray for all of the ‘problems’ we all had
14. Stopped whining in the form of praying and started doing to make things happen
15. Stopped the brainwashing at  younger age
16. Stopped feeling guilty for stupid shit

Yep that’s what I would have done…. and this is the short list.

So, it one Sunday, there was a pro-life ‘rally’ where a whole bunch of people I knew were going to stand on the street and hold signs that said ‘Abortion is Murder’ and signs with horrible pictures on them.  So, when I was asked if I was going to go, every fiber of my being said no, but the ego that wanted acceptance with this group, that said yes.  So there I was, holding this sign on a street corner hoping nobody would recognize me.  It was a horrible moment.

It’s been a long time since that time, but I still think about that moment some times.  I think about the fact that there may have been a woman or a teenage girl who was already in the midst of making the hardest decision they may ever make… and here I was judging them with a horrible sign on the side of the street.  I hope they looked at me and my friends and knew how foolish we were… I hope they weren’t more burdened because of our foolishness.  I hope they did whatever was best for them in spite of our stupidity.

Yep… I help one of those signs… and am not proud of it.

Found this funny… especially after I read the article about promoting marriages at a young age.  The fact is, most don’t wait, and those that do can have just as many issues as those that don’t.  It’s hard to believe that this is considered an answer to the failing abstinence message.  How about you tell kids to treat sex with respect, and to marry someone they love, can talk to, respect, etc.  How about the church stops making marriage about sex… that would be a step in the right direction.

Apparently this person turned to alternative medicine, in addition to modern medicine. They got better. They made the unfortunate mistake of telling these women that their medical choices had worked. What did these women tell her? Take a guess.

They told her (very proudly I might add, which I know because they said this while discussing) that it most certainly was not the meds she chose… It was God! How could she not see this. Then another woman in the group recounting this story says, “I was SO glad you said that!”

This is so unbelievably ridiculous. Their friend is better and they aren’t happy or congratulatory. They are telling her that it is God who saved her. What a ridiculous reaction.

It is moments like this that remind me I have not let go of all of the anger I have about the religion I left. I still get pissed off at it and want to punch it in the face sometimes.

Focus on the Family has a new leader, Jim Daly.  He’s alraedy making changes and making statements.  Statements like, “he wishes more families were more like the Obama’s.”  What??  This, from the organization who personally tried to drive Obama into the ground during the election?  Well, there is some kind of change.  My favorite thing is the visual of Dobson in the crowd listening to this guy say the exact opposite of what Dobson would say.  That. is. just. too. good.  Now, of course, this guy manages to bring it back to getting all sides to come back to agreeing to be pro-life… so there hasn’t been that much change.

But, then… as if he’s trying to give all those old guys strokes and heart attacks, he goes and eases the dress code for those who work at Focus on the Family.  Men no longer need to wear suits and ties… and get this ladies… no more skirts, dresses and hosiery required.  Hosiery, skirts, dresses… everyday… what??  I haven’t worn hosiery since my Jr. High graduation, and that was only because I was forced to.

Now, none of this changes my opinion of this organization.  I just found this to be an interesting event, given how much I had to hear about how great Dobson and Focus on the Family were when I was in the church.

In case you are wondering, this change in events seems to have some of the ultra conservatives very angry and upset.  So… how long do you think this guy will last?

The Matthew Shephard Act is close to getting through and becoming a law.  This has some Conservative Christian’s panties in a bunch. They claim we don’t need any hate crime laws.  None. at. all.  One of the reasons they give for opposing the Matthew Shephard Law… get ready for it… they fear that Pastor’s may be considered going against the law if they preach against homosexuality.  Yes… I’m serious.  From the article referenced:

“The entire notion of hate-crimes legislation is extraneous and obsolete,” said Matt Barber, director of cultural affairs with the conservative nonprofit Liberty Counsel, adding that he believes hate-crimes laws are unconstitutional.

In addition, a number of Christian conservatives have raised fears that pastors would be prosecuted for inciting hate crimes if they had preached against homosexuality, despite assurances that the law only targets physical violence.

I’m not sure that a person could be more out of touch.  Could not see that hate crimes are real, they affect real people and families, and that laws against it are absolutely necessary.  The article goes on to provide examples that should hit home with the conservative right.

“If you burn a cross on someone’s lawn, or put a swastika on a synagogue, the intent is not just vandalism,” said David Stacy, senior public policy advocate of the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign, a strong backer of the bill. “It’s to send a message to intimidate the community.”

Good point, but one that I’m sure is missed on those opposed to this bill.  Just look at the following:

Hate crimes often go underreported. FBI statistics show annual hate crimes number around 7,000. However, a 2005 study done by Department of Justice provided victim numbers as high as 190,000.

Conservative groups said that proves local law enforcement officials are already doing the job without need of additional legislation.

Dumb asses.  Seriously.

Apparently, this concept of separation of church and state has been completely lost on Josh Freshwater.  A teacher in Ohio, who was part of such a group (no problem with that for me, honestly), but went beyond just meeting with the group.  He chose to speak about Christianity and his beliefs in the classroom, and that is where the problem lies.  He was (thankfully) fired for this, but is fighting it by pulling the ‘religious freedom’ card.  The executive director of an organization that Freshwater is a member of had this to say (see my post on forefathers and religion to see how I feel about them being used, once again, in a case they abhorrently oppose):

Finn Laursen is executive director of Christian Educators Association International, of which Freshwater is a member.

“I am pleased to see a public school teacher like John Freshwater willing to go outside his comfort zone and fight for the religious freedoms our forefathers guaranteed is through the U.S. Constitution,” says Laursen. “It is imperative that all Christian educators, students, and parents be willing to step forward to insist on their rights — or those rights will slowly be forfeited.

“John is proving to be a hero of the faith,” he adds.

Well, I’d like to know whta would happen if a teacher who were Muslim, Jewish, HIndu, etc. started ‘preaching’ their beliefs in the classroom.  Don’t you know that all of these Christians yelling about ‘religious freedom’ would be the same people looking for these teachers to be fired, immediately.  They already yell about the teaching of SCIENCE, so just imagine if a religion they aren’t fond of were being discussed.  I do believe there would be riots at the school.

I for one am happy to see that this pubic school took the stance it did.  I do hope they win the lawsuit, and that the teacher is forced to pay their legal fees (i.e. the tax payers dollars at work for something that never should have been questioned to begin with).  I hope this is a lesson to all teachers out there… that it is not. okay. to. preach. in. the. public. school. classroom.  I pay for those classrooms, and would appreciate your religion staying out of it.

Latest ramblings from our friend Newt Gingrich are so far from right, they are laughable.  Although, they’re not laughable, becuase this is how many politicians and voters from the religious right feel.  Here is what he said:

“I think this is one of the most critical moments in American history,” Mr. Gingrich said in a speech broadcast live over God TV, an evangelical Web site. “We are living in a period where we are surrounded by paganism.”

As I laid out in detail, this country was NOT founded on Christianity.  It wasn’t, never has been.  Why people must insist on twisting the truth is beyond me.  The forefathers would turn in their grave today if they saw how much religion has infiltrated our Government and laws.  It would sicken them, because this is the very thing they were leaving behind and faught a war to gain freedom from.