Possible Breakthrough

McQ · June 21, 2007, 03:37:39 AM

OK, it took a stupid piece of crap book, The Secret, to do it. But my wife is having serious doubts about catholicism and standard christianity. I may have had some influence too, but I'm sure I'll never get the credit!

Something in the book finally made her see that there is more than just the dogmatic christian faith to go by in life. So as much as I railed against the plagiarizing harpie that wrote it, I have to give her credit for making my wife think about something for a change.

We had a good talk regarding her realizing that the church isn't the be-all, end-all of life.

I just may make an agnostic out of her yet!

tacoma_kyle · June 21, 2007, 06:43:35 AM

Haha nice!

It was kinda funny, I converted one of my friends kinda accidentally. I listened to TOOL like crazy for a start and he hated it...now he likes them and hes a atheist, lol

. No I dont deserve full credit in any way, but I know I ha da little influence.

TOOL can be sorta blasphamous (spelling?) at times...

SteveS · June 21, 2007, 04:07:52 PM

Sweet turn of events, McQ. Also, props for "plagiarizing harpie" - that's awesome!

Eclecticsaturn · June 22, 2007, 07:24:23 AM

haha. congrats. i wish my wife would wake up but shes to far into the matrix of religion unfortunately.

SteveS · June 23, 2007, 03:05:13 AM

In related news, I convinced my wife to watch part of "Way of the Master" with me (what can I say, maybe I am a masochist), and she now understands why I dislike Comfort/Cameron so much. Her jaw was slack while she watched the program, then she got up and left the room uttering "you can watch this crap if you want".

So, I guess the dynamic duo screwed up that conversion attempt. My wife remains a firm ..... whatever she is. Ex-catholic I guess.

skeptigirl · June 25, 2007, 04:51:08 AM

Has she seen "The God Who Wasn't There" yet, Glenn?

http://www.thegodmovie.com/

Buy or rent the DVD. Now's the time to show it to her.

Myth_Drannor · July 02, 2007, 09:45:16 PM

It took me about 3 years to convert my fiance from a non-practicing catholic to a semi-non believing person like me. She still won't outright say the bible is bs, but some people think it's unlucky to break a mirror.

McQ · July 02, 2007, 11:21:33 PM

Quote from: "skeptigirl"Has she seen "The God Who Wasn't There" yet, Glenn?

http://www.thegodmovie.com/

Buy or rent the DVD. Now's the time to show it to her.

Damn, how'd I miss this reply?

She hasn't seen it, but it would be worth looking into. I just need to be careful not to "push" her too much. Thanks for the info.

donkeyhoty · July 12, 2007, 04:18:00 AM

McQ, perhaps it was your positive thinking and visualization that finally brought about your wife's skepticism.

McQ · July 12, 2007, 04:31:30 AM

Quote from: "donkeyhoty"McQ, perhaps it was your positive thinking and visualization that finally brought about your wife's skepticism.

I hadn't considered that. Good point.

All that Norman Vincent Peale I read must have rubbed off!

cthulhuguru · August 09, 2007, 05:15:24 AM

Quote from: "Myth_Drannor"It took me about 3 years to convert my fiance from a non-practicing catholic to a semi-non believing person like me. She still won't outright say the bible is bs, but some people think it's unlucky to break a mirror.

Hear hear.. The little battles aren't so important - It's "getting" the jist of it that matters.

tigerlily46514 · August 24, 2007, 06:30:54 AM

Congradulations McQ! What a moment for ya! I am new here, but for some reason, after reading so many of YOUR brilliant posts, for some reason i was stunned that you are married to a theist!!! wow. I don't know why it does, but it does. Maybe it is because YOU are so eloquent and intelligent and probably persuasive if you set your mind ot it as well. McQ, can i be nosy? How long have you been atheist?
You two must have some fascinating conversations!!!!

Also, have hope, some times with religion, it's all so built on sand, a chip in the wall, and boom, it can all come down fast....

McQ · August 24, 2007, 03:04:57 PM

Quote from: "tigerlily46514"Congradulations McQ! What a moment for ya! I am new here, but for some reason, after reading so many of YOUR brilliant posts, for some reason i was stunned that you are married to a theist!!! wow. I don't know why it does, but it does. Maybe it is because YOU are so eloquent and intelligent and probably persuasive if you set your mind ot it as well. McQ, can i be nosy? How long have you been atheist?
You two must have some fascinating conversations!!!!

Also, have hope, some times with religion, it's all so built on sand, a chip in the wall, and boom, it can all come down fast....

Thanks, Tigerlily. You are too kind.

My wife and I are starting to have more and more interesting conversations, but to steal a phrase from the bible, "A prophet is not without honor, except in his own town."

So much of what I have to say to my wife is not received so well. It's part of her job to automatically take the opposite position of whatever I say. LOL!

As for my time as a non-believer. How to make this brief? I wanted to believe in god my whole life, but always found him to be not much more than a fictional character. I really tried hard in college, leaving the catholic church to become a born-again christian. I felt in my heart all the things that you're supposed to as a christian.

Over a period of a few years though, I knew it was still just a fairytale. I have a very strong science background and that forced me to be intellectually honest with myself, something that believers have to not do to maintain their beliefs. So, I've been a pretty strong non-believer for at least fifteen years or more.

More to it, but that's it in brief.

tigerlily46514 · August 24, 2007, 05:18:50 PM

FAscinating! Thank you so much for the info!! Enjoyed reading it. I must admit, i find YOU a very interesting character. LOVE YOUR POSTS!!!!!
Good luck with the breakthrough, hope you find more to come!! It must have been interesting for you to hear how she began to question it all. I had never heard of this book, i googled it, and thought about how THAT might have chipped into her faith, it must have been an interesting journey.....

..... "There are many paths to atheism" ha ha!!!

If you are ever bored, and wanted to explain YOUR deconversion story, I for one, would be interested. But you might not feel this urge to do so, and it might feel like an invasion of your privacy, etc.

I myself, can understand the the search you described...i tried really hard to be at least an agnostic, in my 30s, i had a boyfriend and many close friends who were agnostic, who i very much admired, and i listened with respect, and kinda got caught up in it...i did enjoy the feeling while it lasted...made the world a little spicier, to imagine there was some god/love/force running through all of us, uniting us, etc....it was even kind of a fun change for me, to halfway fit in spititually.

...but like you,over time, i questioned it all, and i had to admit to myself, it was all pretend...

The whole experience did give me insight into the theists' mindset, tho.

Also- got a chuckle out of the quote you inserted in your post, cute enuff!!!

shoruke · August 25, 2007, 01:55:39 AM

DUDE... congratulations on causing a theist to consider atheism more strongly. For my english final (grade 10, it was 2 months ago) I was bashing christianity, I actually did that for my report in front of the whole class. I didn't get to talk to most of them since then, though, but I met one guy on the bus home, he said "everyone's kinda pissed at you". I hope I get back to school okay, but I live with freedom of speech, and I'm proud of what I've done: forcing people to hear why I think god isn't worth praising.

And congrats to everyone who manages to cause theists to reconsider their faith, it makes me happy to hear when that happens.

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Possible Breakthrough