Going to Pieces then Coming to Peace

[adimagejim]

I'm new here and a former Catholic with a wife who still practices her Catholic faith. I still go to church with her and the kids who remain at home. Usually spend my time thinking about baseball (my favorite sport) or new ideas for my business whilst standing, kneeling, etc.

When I came to the realization that religions were a dangerous farce, I was so generally disappointed in the world I thought I lived in (as taught to me by the church) that I got incredibly angry. Really wanted to intellectually destroy the people and institutions I allowed to lead me into this false hazy fairyland of religious belief.

Hopefully, I've grown up a little since those angrier moments of logical revelation. My anger has turned to a kindly pity. I feel sorry for the people who don't have the intellectual, emotional or just plain guts to break free from religion. The faithful are more handicapped in my eyes than anything else.

The issue is a moot one in our house. She has her ways. I have mine. The twain shall never meet.

Very happy to have found you all online.

Jim

[Recusant]

Howdy, Jim, and welcome to Happy Atheist Forum.  Like you, my decision to renounce religion had a large element of anger, though in my case the anger came first.  (Rough times in Catholic grade school; "Whatever these people revere and worship, I want nothing to do with!")  And I've mellowed with age, as well.  I just want to say that I think attending church in the interest of domestic tranquility is quite understandable.

  I'm a National League (San Francisco Giants) man, myself;  you?

 Like many devotees of the quondam national pastime, I appreciate good writing about hijinks and heroics on the diamond.  The list of fine books is long, but  I think Lawrence  Ritter's The Glory of Their Times is one of the best books ever written about the sport.  A forgotten gem: Ring Lardner's You Know Me Al <~~~(free e-book) is outstanding too, even though it was written nearly a century ago.

[adimagejim]

Born and bred White Sox fan here. I was listening to Bob Elson do the games on the radio in utero (sp?). Naturally, the 2005 Championship season was great to watch.

As for the Giants, I love old time baseball a lot more than the present day. So the New York Giants are closer to my speed. I get chills watching Willie Mays' catch from 1954 every time I see it. Wow! He has to be one of the 3 greatest centerfielders ever. Or also love the Bobby Thompson call from 1951..."The Giants win the pennant!" Great stuff.

I also dig the 1962 S.F. Giants World Series team, McCovey, Davenport, Marichal, Mays, Pierce, et. al.

Love reading baseball stuff too, though never enough time to really get in as deep as I'd like.

Heck, I even play Strat-O-Matic baseball with their Hall of Fame card set. Makes me a total geek. But I love the beauty of baseball statistics and how comparable they are across the board (except for steroid era).

Thanks for your post. Nice to meet you.

Jim

[GodlessInND]

Welcome, Jim!  

I, too, started out angry at the people who forced me into religion.  Eventually, I came to pity those poor deluded folks who clung so tightly to their beliefs.  Now I see that pity isn't quite right, either.  Many of the believers I know (and love) are intelligent people--emotionally and intellectually--and have much more "guts" than I ever will.  Their religious faith gives them strength and comfort.  Their lives leave very little to be pitied by anyone, least of all me.  

I have settled into a mutually respectful existence with the believers around me.  Many atheists are not so fortunate, and I understand their anger when surrounded by mean-spirited and seemingly stupid and stubborn believers.  I'm not so naive as to think that all believers choose to believe, just as I chose not to, and that all are as accepting as my family and friends.  It seems I battle narrow-mindedness and blind belief just about every day, but if I dismiss them as intellectually or emotionally "handicapped," then I miss out on the opportunity to engage that person as a fellow human being.  Besides, we are not the sum of our beliefs.

[NearBr0ken]

Welcome Jim

[Recusant]

Naturally, the 2005 Championship season was great to watch.

Yes, I enjoyed the 2005 post-season as well, and congratulations on the long awaited victory of your team.   As I said, I'm a follower of the senior league, but I have a particular aversion to the Astros, so was happy to see the White Sox win that one. (I'm not too fond of Reinsdorf though.)

... I love old time baseball a lot more than the present day.

I agree whole-heartedly with you on this, which is why I think so highly of Ritter's book.  He went and interviewed players from the earlier days of 20th century baseball, and collected their reminiscence on the game of that era.  It really is an incredible book, for those of us who appreciate such things.

[joeactor]

Hi Jim - Welcome.

I'm another former Catholic, but without the angry ;-)

I like your use of time in church.
Meditation is a good idea, and useful for many things (brainstorming, relaxation, etc).
I also think it's good you go with your family, since that is important to them.  Shows a certain amount of respect for their beliefs.  I hope they are equally respectful of yours.

In any case, glad you're here, and looking forward to some good conversations,
JoeActor

[SallyMutant]

o dear. Sports team games. I can't get on that wavelength--I'm afraid I don't believe in them at all. I sure "believe" in freethought, though, so HI!

 

[adimagejim]

Let me clear one item up from my original post. In my mind the believers handicap themselves. I pity them for blinding themselves this way. And the self-blinding also has its emotional effects.

I do engage, interact and even passively respect their choices. It just seems a shame to me.

Jim