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My URL: http://rationalist-ruminations.blogspot.com/

About Me: I was raised in the fundamentalist denomination known as the Church Of Christ. I was baptized in 1972, and was an active member of every congregation I was a member of until I left the Church Of Christ in 1983.

Though I didn't realize where my path was taking me at the time, my exit from the church really began in 1980 when, after having studied it for a few years, I came to fully realize that the young earth creationism doctrine was completely bogus. Ironically, this was the result of my taking an Astronomy class my freshman year at Abilene Christian University (Abilene, Texas) as part of fulfilling my science elective requirements. (Incidentally, my declared major at the time was Biblical Studies.)

Over three years later, after reading all kinds of articles and books about creationism and evolution (remember, I had by that time already passed the geology/astronomy hurdle and had rejected young earth creationism, so now the issue I had to deal with was evolution), many of which had been prompted by the creationism case in Arkansas in 1981 (McLean v. Arkansas Board of Education), I also came to realize that the anti-evolution rhetoric of creationism was just as bogus. (To this day, I still peg two of the books I read, one by philosopher Philip Kitcher and one by biologist Douglas Futuyma, as being the best and the most influential, of what I read.) I could see clearly how the anti-evolution arguments by creationists just didn't hold up under critical analysis, and how time and time and time again the creationist arguments were filled with fallacious arguments (e.g., emotional appeals to anti-atheist bigotry), misinformation (scientific illiteracy and pseudoscience claims), misrepresentation, and so on.

Now, some people might say (and have said) that it was my study of science that caused me to become an atheist, but there was more to it. My belief in and then critical study of creationism, and dedication to seeking out the truth of the matter, lead me down a path of discovering that the religious doctrines I was raised to believe in my particular Christian denomination, and the literature written to prop it up, were just a complex framework woven out of with shoddy thinking and very careless and sometimes deliberate lack of attention to the factual details. Of course, there are many other Christian denominations in which accepting evolutionary science is not a problem. But the process of my studying the creationism issues also gave me a self-education, so to speak, in the flaws of fallacious argument in general. It equipped me for the third and last step of my path.

Recall I mentioned that my major at the Christian university was Biblical Studies. So in 1983 when I realized that the church I grew up in was simply not compatible with people serious about the truth, I left that one and began visiting various other denominations. At the same time I was now also revisiting and questioning some of my more fundamental religious beliefs, concerned now that there might be a bigger problem here than just with certain religious doctrines about creationism. My education in fallacious forms of creationism rhetoric opened my eyes so to speak to seeing how such aspects of fallacious rhetoric were used in all sorts of other religious arguments in general - such as in arguments used to justify belief in God.

To make a longer story shorter, somewhere in the middle of 1984 it quickly dawned on me that my analysis of my own religious beliefs had left me without a rational leg to stand on, and my belief in God quickly collapsed.

Profession: Computer programmer

Age Group: 41-50

City and State (For Member Searching): Grand Rapids, Michigan

Country (For Member Searching): United States

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At 12:22pm on February 4, 2009, Randy Long said…: I spent a year at ACU, myself. That alone is enough to make an atheist out of anyone with two brain cells to rub together.

At 3:57am on January 19, 2009, Dr. Terence Meaden said…: Thanks for joining the ORIGINS group. Follow the discussions and join in as you wish. Terry Meaden

At 1:28am on January 19, 2009, HotMess said…: Welcome to "Are You Experienced?" We look forward to getting to know you!

At 11:54pm on January 18, 2009, Ian Mason said…: Welcome to AN and The Brights. This is a good place with good people.

At 11:34pm on January 18, 2009, Rosemary LYNDALL WEMM said…: That sounds a little like my story, except that I began studying for the ministry. It was the drive towards intellectual integrity that got me, too. It's a one way street, isn't it? Once you see how you have been duped you cannot go back unless you acquire some brain damage.
Fortunately the world gets better, not worse, as things settle down. Then you wonder how you could ever have thought that there would be a "hole" to fill if you lost your religious beliefs. What hole?

At 10:26pm on December 30, 2008, Pat said…: Hi Steve. Good to see you. Are you still attending the Mid Mich. Atheist?

At 3:05pm on December 20, 2008, Dallas Gaytheist said…: Welcome to Atheist Nexus. Don't be shy about the "About Me" section. That's how we'll get to know you. Be sure to check out the Groups section to find like-minded people.