Comments on: Making New Friends: My back-to-back On-Air Discussions with the Head of the United Church of Canada http://atheistbus.ca/2009/02/06/making-new-friends-my-back-to-back-on-air-discussions-with-the-head-of-the-united-church-of-canada/ There is no god anymore divine than Yourself - Walt Whitman Sun, 03 Apr 2011 01:46:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: SkepticaLynda http://atheistbus.ca/2009/02/06/making-new-friends-my-back-to-back-on-air-discussions-with-the-head-of-the-united-church-of-canada/comment-page-1/#comment-1068 SkepticaLynda Mon, 09 Feb 2009 04:06:56 +0000 http://atheistbus.ca/?p=547#comment-1068 <i>"precedents such as these are moving atheism into the mainstream."</i> When I was young and a Christian I use to think that atheism was all too prominent in society. It seemed to me then that it was mainstream. Most of my public school friends didn't go to church and certainly were not particularly religious. I remember when I started working and discussing with non-religious co-workers issues I was dealing with in my church that the typical response was that they didn't go to church and thought I should just quit going. Now that I'm an atheist the tables seem to have turned and my beliefs have dropped out of the mainstream. How did this happen? It almost seems like I finally got with the program and the program changed. Honestly, if it wasn't for the few fundamentalists out there who want to make the rest of the world slaves to their dogma, the rest of the world doesn't give a damn what we believe. They may answer polls with tick marks indicating that they are Roman Catholic or Jewish or whatever, but in their hearts they are much more irreligious. Have the attacks of 9/11 by a handful of Muslim extremists made the Christian world become more protective to the point that atheism is seen as more of a threat? Or has the last couple of generations with its movement toward greater freedoms and equality for minorities brought about this increased irritability towards free-thinkers? Maybe its just that planet Earth appears to be sinking and the passengers on this boat are looking for someone to blame and toss overboard. "Hey, look at those atheists over there doing all their god-denying. Could be they're to blame for god turning his back on us. Let's lynch them!" “precedents such as these are moving atheism into the mainstream.”

When I was young and a Christian I use to think that atheism was all too prominent in society. It seemed to me then that it was mainstream. Most of my public school friends didn’t go to church and certainly were not particularly religious.
I remember when I started working and discussing with non-religious co-workers issues I was dealing with in my church that the typical response was that they didn’t go to church and thought I should just quit going.
Now that I’m an atheist the tables seem to have turned and my beliefs have dropped out of the mainstream.
How did this happen? It almost seems like I finally got with the program and the program changed.
Honestly, if it wasn’t for the few fundamentalists out there who want to make the rest of the world slaves to their dogma, the rest of the world doesn’t give a damn what we believe. They may answer polls with tick marks indicating that they are Roman Catholic or Jewish or whatever, but in their hearts they are much more irreligious.
Have the attacks of 9/11 by a handful of Muslim extremists made the Christian world become more protective to the point that atheism is seen as more of a threat? Or has the last couple of generations with its movement toward greater freedoms and equality for minorities brought about this increased irritability towards free-thinkers?
Maybe its just that planet Earth appears to be sinking and the passengers on this boat are looking for someone to blame and toss overboard. “Hey, look at those atheists over there doing all their god-denying. Could be they’re to blame for god turning his back on us. Let’s lynch them!”

]]> By: SkepticaLynda http://atheistbus.ca/2009/02/06/making-new-friends-my-back-to-back-on-air-discussions-with-the-head-of-the-united-church-of-canada/comment-page-1/#comment-1066 SkepticaLynda Mon, 09 Feb 2009 03:40:23 +0000 http://atheistbus.ca/?p=547#comment-1066 In the article at the link posted by Inannawhimsey it states: "B.C. transit authorities have long-standing policies against religious advertising, pro or con." This is a good policy for any government agency to uphold. It maintains separation of church and state. I applaud the decision, as long as they are consistent in this regard and do indeed remain free of all religious advertising. In the article at the link posted by Inannawhimsey it states:
“B.C. transit authorities have long-standing policies against religious advertising, pro or con.”

This is a good policy for any government agency to uphold. It maintains separation of church and state. I applaud the decision, as long as they are consistent in this regard and do indeed remain free of all religious advertising.

]]> By: Inannawhimsey http://atheistbus.ca/2009/02/06/making-new-friends-my-back-to-back-on-air-discussions-with-the-head-of-the-united-church-of-canada/comment-page-1/#comment-1030 Inannawhimsey Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:48:53 +0000 http://atheistbus.ca/?p=547#comment-1030 Stu: you might want to look at this: http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/thesearch/archive/2009/02/04/bring-on-the-atheist-ads.aspx Stu: you might want to look at this:

http://communities.canada.com/vancouversun/blogs/thesearch/archive/2009/02/04/bring-on-the-atheist-ads.aspx

]]> By: Inannawhimsey http://atheistbus.ca/2009/02/06/making-new-friends-my-back-to-back-on-air-discussions-with-the-head-of-the-united-church-of-canada/comment-page-1/#comment-1026 Inannawhimsey Sat, 07 Feb 2009 23:18:34 +0000 http://atheistbus.ca/?p=547#comment-1026 Justin and Chris: heya, that must be a heady feeling, being on such a public program. I wish I could have heard it :3 Stu: and that is just bizarre. I guess it makes sense (as well as the invention of the gun-totin skycops) because the CEO is American. Justin and Chris: heya, that must be a heady feeling, being on such a public program. I wish I could have heard it :3

Stu: and that is just bizarre. I guess it makes sense (as well as the invention of the gun-totin skycops) because the CEO is American.

]]> By: Richard http://atheistbus.ca/2009/02/06/making-new-friends-my-back-to-back-on-air-discussions-with-the-head-of-the-united-church-of-canada/comment-page-1/#comment-1011 Richard Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:22:26 +0000 http://atheistbus.ca/?p=547#comment-1011 Stu...prbably has to do with not alienating the Americans before the upcoming olympics...It's about the cash Stu…prbably has to do with not alienating the Americans before the upcoming olympics…It’s about the cash

]]> By: stu http://atheistbus.ca/2009/02/06/making-new-friends-my-back-to-back-on-air-discussions-with-the-head-of-the-united-church-of-canada/comment-page-1/#comment-1008 stu Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:51:00 +0000 http://atheistbus.ca/?p=547#comment-1008 vancouver canada transit just announced it will NOT allow the ads on buses or transit shelters vancouver canada transit just announced it will NOT allow the ads on buses or transit shelters

]]> By: Offgrid http://atheistbus.ca/2009/02/06/making-new-friends-my-back-to-back-on-air-discussions-with-the-head-of-the-united-church-of-canada/comment-page-1/#comment-1006 Offgrid Sat, 07 Feb 2009 17:31:07 +0000 http://atheistbus.ca/?p=547#comment-1006 Good discussion. I think that the main reason many people fall away from a belief in G-d is because of how he is depicted in the story of Genesis, and other places in the Bible. There is very much in this story that is confusing and upsetting to all people. The idea that G-d would create us and then tempt us with a Tree of Knowledge and then banish us from paradise is very upsetting. How is this Love ? I think the problem with the story is in how we read it. If the term "Fall of Man" is taken as the creation of our souls in our bodies at birth the story is a metaphor for how man's divine spirit is formed in our bodies when we are born. If the Garden of Eden is here on earth -where is it ? I think the entire story takes place before we arrive here on earth. It teaches of the necessity of our birth and the need to acquire knowledge. The serpent is our instinct to learn about good and evil. Who made the serpent into satan ? "Nachash"also means "shiney one" in hebrew. In all other cultures save Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the serpent is a divine being that teaches mankind about resurrection. The Serpent is a symbol of rebirth, and new life (shedding of our skin) Our earthly body. Look up " Hindu and Buddhist Nagas" on Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nāga Also the Mayan Quetzalcoatl is often referred to as The Feathered Serpent and was connected to the planet Venus. He was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood, of learning and knowledge" The Egyptian "Atum" is also a Serpent God, that symbolized resurrection. The bible and all these stories give us symbols and signs of what we can become - if we seek a "divine knowldege" Good discussion. I think that the main reason many people fall away from a belief in G-d is because of how he is depicted in the story of Genesis, and other places in the Bible. There is very much in this story that is confusing and upsetting to all people. The idea that G-d would create us and then tempt us with a Tree of Knowledge and then banish us from paradise is very upsetting. How is this Love ? I think the problem with the story is in how we read it. If the term “Fall of Man” is taken as the creation of our souls in our bodies at birth the story is a metaphor for how man’s divine spirit is formed in our bodies when we are born. If the Garden of Eden is here on earth -where is it ? I think the entire story takes place before we arrive here on earth. It teaches of the necessity of our birth and the need to acquire knowledge. The serpent is our instinct to learn about good and evil. Who made the serpent into satan ? “Nachash”also means “shiney one” in hebrew. In all other cultures save Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the serpent is a divine being that teaches mankind about resurrection. The Serpent is a symbol of rebirth, and new life (shedding of our skin) Our earthly body. Look up ” Hindu and Buddhist Nagas” on Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nāga

Also the Mayan Quetzalcoatl is often referred to as The Feathered Serpent and was connected to the planet Venus. He was also the patron god of the Aztec priesthood, of learning and knowledge” The Egyptian “Atum” is also a Serpent God, that symbolized resurrection. The bible and all these stories give us symbols and signs of what we can become – if we seek a “divine knowldege”

]]> By: Mat http://atheistbus.ca/2009/02/06/making-new-friends-my-back-to-back-on-air-discussions-with-the-head-of-the-united-church-of-canada/comment-page-1/#comment-969 Mat Sat, 07 Feb 2009 07:42:58 +0000 http://atheistbus.ca/?p=547#comment-969 Great Job! Great Job!

]]>