Happy Atheist Forum

Getting To Know You => Introductions => Topic started by: Elizabeth on May 05, 2009, 11:50:06 PM

Title: Hello
Post by: Elizabeth on May 05, 2009, 11:50:06 PM
Hi! I'm Elizabeth. I'm 29, wife and mother of two. I grew up Christian. I am now an atheist. I LOVE talking about religion. It's my favorite topic. I hope to learn more from all of you. I'm looking forward to getting more acquainted. Thanks!
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: McQ on May 06, 2009, 01:02:45 AM
Quote from: "Elizabeth"Hi! I'm Elizabeth. I'm 29, wife and mother of two. I grew up Christian. I am now an atheist. I LOVE talking about religion. It's my favorite topic. I hope to learn more from all of you. I'm looking forward to getting more acquainted. Thanks!

Welcome, Elizabeth. I've read your email post with the pastor, etc., and found it a bit sad. They really are at a loss to explain creationism/evolution. I thought it was particularly ironic that your pastor said this:

See from a Biblical point of view there is no question whatsoever, but when we come to another source, then we both find ourselves talking about information that we know very little about and therefore have to rely on other people's information. To do that we will both find ourselves quoting people we don't even know, let alone how credible they are etc. You have to do that and I have to do that, since neither of us have done the research ourselves.

What is he doing when he quotes the bible? He's quoting other peoples' information, people he doesn't know, and cannot verify their credibility! They're all dead, some of them didn't even exist (lots of ghost writing in the bible), and most of it cannot be verified with historical information. I also doubt that he did the research himself for that particular book.

So, you will have a tough one with that whole email situation. It will come down to them not budging (due to dogma), hopefully you not budging (due to your rationality), and people will be upset. I was once a firm believer. However, it was precisely the creationist and them pushing it as science thinking by my old church that got me to realize what a bunch of garbage it all is.

Unless those folks you're debating with value honesty over dogma, you will not make a dent in their irrational beliefs. But I wish you the best in that debate. You have some good resources here at HAF, so I hope we can help.
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: PipeBox on May 06, 2009, 01:25:47 AM
Welcome Elizabeth, hope you enjoy it here.   :D
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: Elizabeth on May 06, 2009, 09:36:10 PM
I agree McQ. But I'm having a blast with just the idea of a debate with them.

Thank you all for such a warm welcome!!
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: McQ on May 06, 2009, 10:52:57 PM
Quote from: "Elizabeth"I agree McQ. But I'm having a blast with just the idea of a debate with them.

Thank you all for such a warm welcome!!

It's good to know that you're at least having some fun with it. I'm so accustomed to people being fed up with it, that it's rare to have anyone say they're enjoying a debate like that. Keep us posted on it.
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: quizlixx on May 07, 2009, 03:54:43 AM
howdy there, welcome to the HAF!  :D
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: Elizabeth on May 07, 2009, 08:55:33 PM
Quote from: "McQ"
Quote from: "Elizabeth"I agree McQ. But I'm having a blast with just the idea of a debate with them.

Thank you all for such a warm welcome!!

It's good to know that you're at least having some fun with it. I'm so accustomed to people being fed up with it, that it's rare to have anyone say they're enjoying a debate like that. Keep us posted on it.
Is it weird? My husband thinks it's such a waste of time. But I'm so happy during that time, how could that be a waste?

Glad to be here.
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: Whitney on May 07, 2009, 08:59:46 PM
Hi elizabeth, welcome to the forum.
Title: Re: Hello
Post by: ACSlater on May 08, 2009, 09:49:57 PM
Hi Elizabeth!

I read your post with the emails before, so I decided to check out your intro. Hope you like it here as much as I do!  :D