Posted by Jim Henderson on: 03.12.2006 /
From Comment #20: An Atheist Pastor
Wow…I have to wake up at 9am (sunday morning, ironically) to go do some work in a lab, and yet I’ve spent the last 4 hours immersed in this website. I’m not very much into blogs/blog-reading/blog-posting either.
I can’t even remember the last time I posted on a public forum. That’s how captivating I found this website and these discussions to be. As someone who grew up with immigrant parents, an Asian male, an atheist, and a Buddhist, in a below-middle-class household, my experiences and outlook growing up (and still today) rarely if ever matched what I was led to believe was “normal.” Consequently, I grew up believing (and again, in many ways still do today) that I would always be a minority and foreigner in America.
That’s why when I stumbled on this website, I was so blown away. Open, frank, meaningful discussion with such little hostility and close-mindedness between two groups that I had always viewed as day-and-night different. To me it’s almost like finding a KKK website that asks for the point of view of Black Panther members.
There should be discussions like this on race, class, sexual orientation, etc. too. Anyways, religion is one topic that I’ve been fascinated with for awhile (despite…or likely because of the fact that I’m an atheist), and I look forward to reading more on this website and probably participating too. But labwork is still in 7 hours, so sleep for now.
Comment by: Ir
1Hi Denigma,
I hope you’ll be back later.
Are you still a Buddhist and an atheist, or have you moved away from Buddhism? If so, how did your family react to you rejecting Buddhism?
Comment by: Denigma
2Haha, my first online posting in months and it makes front page. Thnx Jim, you just made my day. I dont even care right now that I cant find the damn edrophonium bottle i jus put down. Though i will in a minute….
I want to offer my kudos again for what you’ve done. Maybe if my interactions with Christians (and what i see on TV and read in the papers/periodicals) had been more with those like you and the ones I’ve read on this blog, I wouldnt hav developd such a hostile n defensiv attitude towards it.
Ir, I put up a post answerin that under the topic of my original post. My parents didnt mind at all that I dont believe in many of the things they do (a Heaven that created the world, higher spiritual beings, etc). Its more important to them that I retain the philisophical aspects: find peace with myself, be a good person, empathize with others, etc. So i guess i got lucky they’re so laidback about it.
Comment by: Ir
3Haha, my first online posting in months and it makes front page.
Neat, huh? :)
I hope you’ll experience more positive interactions with Christians here than you’ve evidently experienced in other contexts.
Yes, I saw - thanks. Maybe I shouldn’t have reposted my question but I thought you might be more likely to see it up here.
I’m glad they don’t mind.
Thanks for the interesting answers and comments!
Comment by: Pam Hogeweide
4hey Denigma, welcome to the “diablog” as Jim calls it. yes, it’s astounding to me, too, a veteran woman of the Christian faith, that such a respectful and meaningful discussion is happening between two typically polarized groups.
I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts and what I can learn from you.
Comment by: Tom in Sacramento
5Oh, Denigma, are you ever in trouble. I’m just back from a week’s vacation in Disneyland. and all week I was thinking about the eBay Atheist and all the discussions going on here. You are going to be burning so much time. Be warned….and enjoy! ;-)
Tom in Sacramento
Comment by: Rick L in TX
6Welcome back, Bro. Hope you, L, and the kids and grandkids had a good time. We’ve had a pretty good ride here at OTM too. But I missed ya.
Comment by: Ir
7Welcome back, Tom! :)
Comment by: Tom in Sacramento
8Thanks, Rick, Ir. It was a good trip. I was overwhelmed at the volume of posts that occured last week. But, as usual, so much was salutary that it is hard to turn away to the chores that command my attention.
Comment by: skikid
9It does get a little out of control…I’ll admit staying up way later than I should reading posts… but really how much sleep does a person need? :)
Comment by: skikid
10Sorry for the second post
In addition to some of us becoming slightly sleep deprived :) I had a conversation with my younger bro. maybe a week ago about how cool I though the blog was and what Hemant was doing. I told him that at some point I wanted to go to an Non-denominational/Evangelical Church just because I had never been. I asked him if he would go with me, not as some odd attempt to convert him (he’s atheist) but b/c I really don’t want to go alone, I’m a chicken. He agreed as long as I a) bought him breakfast after, b) it was really just to go and see. So, I forgot completely about the entire conversation. I was talking to him this weekend and his first question to me was ’so when are we going. I talked to some x-ians and these are a couple of churches that I think would be good’. I had to do a quick reality check to make sure that I wasn’t in an alternate universe and pick my jaw up off the floor.
Comment by: Tom in Sacramento
11Awesome story skikid. I hope it is good for both of you. I know that sensation, though. On occasion my daughter will do something out of character. I grin and say, “Who are you really and what have you done with my daughter?” ;-)
Tom in Sacramento
Comment by: Cully
12Don’t forget to fill out Jim’s questionnaire!
Comment by: Lisa W.
13skikid -
Going to an Evangel/non-denom church is a great idea. My daughter and I (Xtians) call this activity “Taking a Field Trip” like in school. It’s sometimes like visiting another culture. We’ve attended a predominately black gospel church, a Unitarian and a Unity church. All very different. We consider it a form of ‘travel’, enlightening ourselves to the practices of others. Books by Laura Winner are a great reference to the Jewish faith. Bon voyage!