How is everyone?
I have been floating somewhere between a full blown atheist and someone who had a vague belief in some organizing, cognitive force since I was a young kid, but over the past few years I’ve really become more solidified in my atheistic views. I work as a lab technician in a research laboratory, focusing mainly on inflammatory pathways. Over the 7 year stint at my job, I have seen first hand many mysteries, and witnessed that if we take the time, effort and brainpower, suddenly the mysteries vanish and scientific results blossom.
I’m not outspoken about my atheism, but I also don’t hide my beliefs. I come from a Jewish household, have had a bar mitzvah, and although I don’t believe in a god, I do love the community and culture from whence I came. My oldest nephew (12) recently decided not to have a bar mitzvah since he too is an atheist. A very smart kid, he came to this conclusion on his own, and it’s been a pleasure to sit down with him recently and discuss the topic and let him know he’s not alone.
That’s enough for now, I’ll go check out some threads now,
Peace,
Eli
Don’t be shy about posting, Portland. We can really use some fresh blood just now.
How do you define atheism for your purposes?
Welcome Portland.
Portland, we’re dying over here ! ! ! You are the hope of the future of CFI.
Here’s your chance to shine.
Start an interesting post - tell us a story, challenge us, piss us off, anything buddy, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
No one wants to hear anything I got to offer, so its on your shoulders.
That’s not true CC. I look forward to you pissing me off! (Kidding, I’m a kidder, ask anyone)
hehehe (as one semi kidder to another) [I miss the smilies]
Lausten hows your blog doing? Maybe you can add a link if you have anything interesting of late you’d like to share.
I thought you’d never ask.
My focus lately has been on my atheist Lectionary helper. I’m down to the final countdown for completing 156 weekly entries. I’ve achieved at least a couple of my goals: To find inspiring passages in the Bible (like believers say there are). I found 10. Don’t forget each week contains at least passages. Are there universal values expressed? Well, yes, but by definition they aren’t unique, and they are surrounded by how you have to love Jesus or submit to God, etc.
Also, to answer the question of why Christianity is still hanging around. I just found a good entry that explains that, and you see this in a few other key places going back to Abram; they keep updating the theology to patch over the big questions about why we are here. Do we need a god connected to our land? No, it can move with you. Are we here to do human sacrifice? No, just goats and sheep. Do need a god to tell us what to do every day? No, a king can do that. What if the kingdom falls apart? Then it was the fault of the sinners. Make some new laws, and keep atoning annually. What if we are still miserable slaves? Make one final sacrifice, absolving all sins, but keep the thing about faith, you have to go “through” the one who made the sacrifice. What does that mean? Don’t ask so many questions.
Milepost 100 C Lent 4 2 Corinthians
The blog is still up Religious Deviant: Immigration
I recently entered this into a contest put on by Richard Carrier. It was for tickets to Mythicist Milwaukee, which had the theme this year of listening to all sides of the big debates going on. The contest was to “steel man” all sides of a political topic of my choice. I won. I was the only entry. I donated the prize as a scholarship.
looked at it.
Why does the bible fascinate you so much?
What are you learning from your efforts?
… about individuals?
… about society?
… about humanity?