"Living forever is not what it's cracked up to be. I'm not sad, but I do get tired more often. Imagine how sad and tired you would be after a few hundred years of singing praises and hosannas with God. Maybe it wouldn't even take that…"
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Communicating to Christians
If you've read my info section, you'll know that I have to be careful about content I put on Facebook. I go to a bible college and it wouldn't be enough to delete all the staff (I already had when they asked me to take my theology off of it) - I have to be careful with what I say around most of my friends (apparently Facebook friends of mine reported my 'heretical beliefs' to the dean of students). It should go without saying that I know all about religious manipulation.
I find it very difficult to communicate to a lot of my friends. I've had every abusive argument under the sun thrown at me (hyperbole). But I'm not going to stop trying. Even though I recently had to take 30,000 words worth of notes off of Facebook (which will go right back on as soon as I receive my BA), I am going to keep trying, because I know I'm not the only one like me. Seeing other people stand for what they believe despite their friends and family trying to change it gives me hope, and I know I can give others the same hope if I do too.
So... how to begin? My first move is going to be to communicate to Christians what their God looks like from the viewpoint of a non-Christian. I'd love anyone's input. I've asked people to submit their concept of God on my blog and a few Christians and atheists have already contributed. I'd love to have more atheists/nontheists contribute (I don't have many atheist friends on Facebook). All posts to my blog will be submitted to my Facebook page, which has about 250 Christians that pay attention to me, many of them waiting for me to say something heretical that they can ridicule. But because these posts aren't mine but are other people's views, they can't attack them; they can only pay attention to someone else opinion. For many of you, this might be a great way to communicate your opinion to the 'opponent' in a civil, constructive manner. I'll tell you if any of your posts get any feedback on my Facebook page.
If you choose to contribute, thank you :) Just one thing - please don't mention this site in your post, because most of my college community doesn't know I'm on it.
My blog (you can read other people's answers here) - http://bizley.tumblr.com
Submit your post here - http://bizley.tumblr.com/submit
Comment
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Comment by Joshua Bizley on April 12, 2010 at 12:56pm
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They don't seem particularly aware of what they can and cannot do, but I'm pretty sure that's one thing they can't, and I'd be able to appeal to the University of Wales if they did.
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In my opinion, that's a better place to be than to have them set in stone (for which atheists/nontheists can be just as bad).
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Comment by Jaime Miller on April 10, 2010 at 9:33pm -
I was curious, as my background is one from a very religious family, who still does not know my views. So you could say that I am experiencing duality as a result.
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I use the term 'God' when talking to Christians because its a way of relating to their spirituality, while substituting their concept of an evil dictator with, essentially, ethics.
I loved your poem by the way :)
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I wasn't forced to go to bible college - I went because my beliefs were cracking and I hoped to repair them. After a year they had completely collapsed. I'm finishing my BA in theology this June then will go into teaching English. I majored in English for my GCSE (equivalent - I was home-schooled) so it should be all fine.
Am I experiencing duality? It's true that I'm forced to present a suppressed version of myself on Facebook, but I am also very spiritual, and some would say I'm something of a hippie. I don't believe in a static consciousness floating above us/imaginary friend that talks to me, but neither am I a materialist. I don't think this reality is as hopeless and pointless as some atheists might propose, and I can't account for my experience of love and beauty if it is. My belief right now is essentially a pragmatic commitment to selfless love, since that's the only experience/essence I've encountered that's worth living for.
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Comment by Jaime Miller on April 10, 2010 at 9:02pm
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I added my thoughts, but I was just wondering about the comment that you made about believing that god is love. Are you experiencing duality because you are going to a bible college, and intend to be fully "out" once you graduate? Is this a project you are doing for a class? What is your major? Were you forced to go to a bible college by your family?
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