Question with 3 notes
Anonymous asked: Someone very near to my heard has told me he believes in the Armageddon. He's afraid to do many things in his life because his family and friends want to see him "after" and he will be disobeying. I can't wrap my head around this concept, to give up what you want in this life for something like that. I don't know how to help him realize..
It can be very difficult to watch, family makes situations particularly difficult. Most everyone feels some level of responsibility towards their family, which is part of the reason many people accept religion so eagerly when it is presented to them by a loved one. I can understand your friend wanting to obey the wishes of his family, and if that is his choice sadly there is little that can be done about it, but you can always at least attempt to appeal to reason.
Sometimes we unfortunately have to sit by and watch people make their own bad decisions. You can want your friend to change out of love and compassion but it is not something that can be forced. I think the best thing you can do for your friend is let them know you are their for them, that you want to support them and help them, you can use those opportunities to hopefully enlighten them as well. If you can find a way to reach your friend, even a small opening, it will be a sign that he can be helped.
Armageddon is a genuinely frightening topic to me, there is a good portion of the world that would happily embrace our entire annihilation because they would see it as a sign that they are “right”. Nearly as long as we have been able to record history people have felt like they are living near the end of time. They will always say “look at the signs, it all makes sense” yet they are always wrong. The only reason to live as if we are all going to die tomorrow is so that we do not waste today, that is the entire point. If someone believes their life will be cut short, why waste it shamelessly prostrating yourself before an absent god? I hope you are able to reach your friend, unfortunately sometimes the Stockholm syndrome takes hold too strongly and those that are imprisoned truly convince themselves they are “saved”.
Video reblogged from Divine Irony with 382 notes
Wolf Blitzer Asks Tornado Survivor If She Thanked the Lord; Tells Him She’s an Atheist
There was a moment of levity in Oklahoma Tuesday when CNN host Wolf Blitzer, concluding an interview with a woman named Rebecca and her 19-month-old son Anders who survived the devastating tornado, asked her if she thanked the Lord for a decision that saved her life.“I’m actually an atheist,” she replied, laughing.
She added she wouldn’t blame other people for thanking the Lord, though.
Rebecca said she decided to leave her house with Anders, a fateful move as it was later destroyed by the tornado. She returned after it hit to see her husband Brian searching the remains of the home for her and their son, leading to a tearful reunion.
I heard about this story this morning, and I love seeing this. I have to say that her awkwardness in being asked the question was obvious, but she was honest and spoke how she truly feels. That is brave, so often Atheists put in to that situation will simply go along with what is being said to not rock the boat. Bravo to this woman!
Question with 10 notes
Anonymous asked: Hah nice analogy, next time someone tells me "I'll pray for you" I'll answer "I'll masturbate to you"
It really can creep religious people out of you point to that comparison. They’ll be sitting alone, talking to themselves, thinking about you. They’ll be thinking about how “evil” you are and the things about you that they want to change. It sounds very intimate in a very creepy way. I point out to the religious people that means I will be in their mind, that who and what I am will linger with them and carry on, they’ll have a reminder that someone out there laughs at the “beliefs” they most hold dear. They’ll bringing me in to their intimate prayers, to join in on a mental three-way of sort. Usually that causes the religious person to get frustrated and thankfully since I’ve started pointing that out I’ve had to suffer far less condescending “I’ll pray for you” comments. It stops being such a zinger for the religious once we encourage them to do it because we know it doesn’t matter and only makes them think of non-believers more.
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Saying “I’m praying for Oklahoma” is essentially the same thing as saying “I’m masturbating for Oklahoma”. It doesn’t accomplish anything and the only one who might feel better because of it is the one doing it, except no one wants to post “I’m masturbating for Oklahoma” on their Facebook page. It was a real tragedy, it was devastating, so please if you are really concerned for the people of Oklahoma, do something, anything, whatever you can, but don’t just sit around and say “I know someone is watching over us.” That just makes you sound like an asshole.
Photo with 22 notes
There are a lot of reasons any religion shouldn’t be taught to children too young to comprehend it, but this is also a good one.
Question with 4 notes
Anonymous asked: My boyfriend is a Jehovah's Witness. I'm not religious & do not believe in a higher power, but I have not let this get in the way of our relationship. I told him I support him and will listen when he tries to explain certain things to me (even though I really don't want to) and I can't help but cringe because he has such an incredible mind and an even bigger heart. He's second guessing himself, his dreams, because these people say he's not 'allowed' to. I don't know how to bring him out of this.
That definitely does sound like a difficult situation to be put in. With Jehovah’s witness especially they are a rather extreme sect of Christianity. In some ways it is a little surprising that a relationship would be able to take hold at all in that kind of situation. I can definitely understand having altruistic reasons for wanting him to distance himself from his religion.
In short though it may be next to impossible. He likely didn’t arrive at his position through reason or logic, so it will be very hard to get him to accept any form of logic or reason to distance himself. If he truly is an intelligent person there is at least a chance that he could see the light, so to speak, but he would need to be so compelled that he has to overcome what has taken likely a lifetime to be trained in to. He would have to care about what is truth and what is right more than something he has always been told to hold so close to him.
When you discuss with him does he seem to have any questioning or doubt? Or does he feel so assured by his faith that he finds it impossible to question or doubt? If you don’t see any signs of him questioning, doubting, or possibly wanting to change his views chances are he won’t. In that type of situation even though you may care for him it will be best for you to recognize if the situation has no hope of changing. There are some religious people that simply will never change their point of view, regardless of evidence or reasoning, if he feels that way you’ll likely only find yourself further frustrated by the situation. I wish you look, every mind we are able to save from the prison of religion gives us a chance for a brighter future.
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