Just A Quick Note To All

[Military Mom]

I didn't compose my last post here to offend anyone or start any arguements. I cannot help that my view of the world isn't the same as most other people's here, and I'm not sorry for the way I feel. It gets really frustrating when all I wanted to do was have someone listen to what I have to say - to just hear me. It would be even better to see someone agree with me now and then too, but the older I get I realize that that is a rare find.

When I saw James close the last thread, I almost left this forum. Unseen2 told me not to take everything so personally, but I did. So, from now on, I am just going to avoid certain topics since I am clearly a minority as an agnostic. I don't have a problem with following the same rules everyone else here has to, but I do feel like I have been silenced at this point - not just here but on other threads. More threads with my comments on them have been closed.

I only aim to open minds. And to express my feelings.

Carrieann

[jamesglewisf]

I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings Military Mom. That was not my intent. Far from it.

Actually, I felt like you were sharing, not looking for a debate. I closed the thread because I didn't want someone to come along and pick apart everything you said in your post. I really closed it for you, not because I disagreed with anything you said. I thought I communicated that in my closing post. I'm sorry that I didn't.

You should feel free to post your feelings or your doubts about religion at FrappyDoo. Both blinc and karenluvs6 did exactly the same thing.

[jamesglewisf]

We close threads for several reasons, but the two primary reasons are: Too long (5+ pages)
Controversial topics that aren't going anywhereYou participate in a lot controversial topics. They are not closed because of you or your opinions, but because they aren't going anywhere.

The problem with threads that aren't going anywhere is that they usually degenerate into flame wars. We take preemptive measures so that instead of treating the wounded, we prevent the war. We close the thread.

[nb]

Military Mom: Don't feel alone.........I've gone beyond agnostic and found myself an atheist. 'Course, I've had about 38 years to get used to it! *s*

[nb]

MM: I just found your post about your journey to agnosticism and others who have journeyed there and back to christianity. My experience is totally different.......I was never really aware of religion until I found myself all alone in 2nd grade when every other kid went to religion class. This was in a public school...........we all took home papers from school to get permission and I remember my mother asking me if I wanted to go; I said no. It never dawned on me until that first day of religion class that I was any different than anyone else. It took me another 6 or 7 years before I took the plunge and acknowledged to myself that I didn't believe in god. Some religionists laugh when I say this, but I spent a lot of time during my 13th & 14th years reading the Bible cover-to-cover, trying to find something in there that made sense. Obviously, I didn't.

The final decision hit me one day when I realized that there was no "god" to punish me for my disbelief. It happened on a Tuesday at 14-1/2 minutes after 9:00 AM in Mr. Hruby's 8th grade English class; what a sense of freedom I experienced!

[jamesglewisf]

Thanks for the post NB.

Agnostic, atheist, Christian, Jew, Buddhist, whatever--we're all welcome at FrappyDoo.

FrappyDoo isn't a Christian website. There are only two forums out of 25 that are related to Christianity, and they are just there for people who are interested.

[Military Mom]

James,

Never worry about anyone 'picking my post apart' - I have been known to hold my own in that dept. It just isn't the time or place for it. There is plenty I see to pick apart in what has been posted. But the point isn't doing that here.

I am very accustomed to explaing and defending my point of view. I am used to being the odd man out.

NB, I actually figured myself as an atheist first. But then I realized that for me, it cannot be proven either way. It is complex and simple at the same time. When I finally admitted to myself that I just didn't believe anymore, I experienced a run of conflicting emotions. I greived, I rejoiced, I cried myself silly. I laughed at myself. I stopped saying stuff like "Oh my God" and "Bless you" lol. Most of all, I tried with all of my might to come back to God, and Chrisitanity - many times. It's not like I just decided one day, oh that's it,I quit this God thing. I truly felt lost and lonely and BAD. BUt I just couldn't think that way anymore - I just saw things differently. I actually stopped believing in the Devil first, of all places to start. (Although I am beginning to more firmly grasp the concept of evil.)

Some may beg to differ, but I feel confident in my view of things metaphysical, and I feel wiser. I no longer am stuck to a mold someone else carved out for me to think in. Unless you have been there, you won't understand.

NB thank you for sharing your story with me. I'm sure there is more to it (like mine) but I get the gist. It is a rare treat to find someone who has been down the same path. Once I had a patient who was an Atheist. When I sneezed (which I do quite a bit sometimes) he would say "Bless you." I teased him about that. He has passed away now. If my theory is correct, then he knows now whether he was right or wrong about God. All the questions we had, he has the answers now in some way, doesn't he?

Ok well, I think I have said enough now, if not too much. I just ask one thing - please do not look at me as a poor misguided soul who needs prayer, or a sheep lost from His flock. If I am wrong, I get what I get in the end. But I don't think I am.

mm

[nb]

MM- there is a different chemistry at work in "our" brains compared to "believers"; I don't claim to know what it is, but I sometimes feel it is genetically programmed. I'm sure you understand my statement that "I cannot believe, it isn't a decision". Many people at other (christian) sites accuse me of "choosing" not to believe and all I have to do is "decide" to believe. They don't understand how impossible that is.

[Military Mom]

Roger that, NB. Once you stay up late on Christmas Eve and watch your mom put out the presents, you can't go back to believing in Santa Clause or the Easter Bunny ever again. But somehow, you find yourself trying to convince your own kids twenty years down the line... because everyone else does it and you don't have the heart NOT to.

I think George Carlin nails so much of what I feel - only he says it better, lol. He says it, no holds barred, except I just can't see myself praying to Joe Pesci.

Ok that's enough. My vanilla ice cream is turning into a banana split - eeek lol

mm

[PsalmReader]

LOL I thought I was the reason the thread was closed. Oh well. :) I have emailed nb and talked to him on another site. I have discussed religion with a witch at a different site. We all have our own views and beliefs. We all believe what we belive and that we won't be sorry at the end of this life on earth. If we didn't think that... why would be believe what we do profess to believe?! {toothy} Can you catch that too? :) I think it makes sense. I understand what you are saying too nb. You can't choose to believe just like I can't choose not to believe. :)

So... happy posting at FrappyDoo in other topics. I love this place! It's great to discuss Christianity and then still talk about current events and just anything else that seems worth typing. I really enjoy reading the differing views here without the "flames" that I have read at other boards.

[Military Mom]

Well put, Psalm. Exactly - most of us are secure enough in our beliefs that we don't worry too much about consequences at the end of life. I think it just helps and if nothing else is interesting to be aware of why people may think differently.

Ofcourse we could find all sorts of major and minor points in each other's thinking to pick at and dispute. But we also are intelligent to know that this is the unarguable argument. No one comes ot the winner here. No one gets any smarter either - I used to think they did, but, I know now - no one is ever swayed unless he wants to be for the very reason we have already mentioned.

So, in a way we honestly DO understand one another! lol


mm

[keithster]

It seems to me that just being at this site gives us a lot in common.

It's like the coffee shops of old. Everyone gathered to drink a cup of coffee (they only served one type of coffee back then, LOL), chew the fat, comment on the days events, and debate the age-old topics.

Only here, we don't have to be up at 6:00am and we don't have to drive anywhere.

Everyone tells me to stay away from politics and religion, but to me, those are the most interesting topics. :)

The tone here, even in the face of disagreement, has been terrific. I've been on so many sites (and newsgroups) where things degrade to name calling within a couple of posts. You can't have a civil discussion. This place is a gem.

[blinc]

Keithster... thank you so much for saying that. :) We really do put an effort to keep things on an even keel, to keep this forum a nice site. Like a lot of others here, most of us have belonged to other forums and have seen what can happen when things turn nasty. I love the atmosphere here of being able to speak our minds, without the fear of being jumped on and insulted. Thanks again, it's nice to know the time we put in is worth the effort. :)

[PsalmReader]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! :)

In case you didn't notice (lol!) several of us came from a different place that had gotten very negative. I'm so thankful that you guys don't allow that here. :)

[momofnine]

Amen to that !!!