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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: E who wrote (25137)	10/2/1998 4:56:00 AM
From: Dayuhan	Respond to of 108807

E, My own conversion to atheism came about differently (while I do occasionally refer to God in religious discussions, and identify myself as a pagan to irritate the Christians, I really don't believe). I was raised in a Catholic family, with all the trappings, and it was really not a negative experience. All the religious people around me were quite kind and loving, though I do not for a moment suppose that this was a consequence of their religiosity. It's just that the more I was exposed to the dogma, the less I believed it. Original sin seemed absurd to me, even as a child of tender years, and the smiting and slaying of the old testament I thought downright despicable. The more they talked the less I listened, until my parents, who were essentially fair-minded, gave it up and stopped dragging me to church. Nothing has changed. I don't much care how the world came to exist; it is enough to know that it exists, and I live in it. I certainly don't care to speculate over what will happen after I die. I don't know, neither does anyone else. We'll all find out sooner or later. It is clearly impossible to draw any connection - at least on the basis of empirical evidence - between religiosity and ethical behavior, and the notion that religion is necessary to stop people from behaving badly seems to me too perverse to entertain. All of which you've already said as well, but I thought I might as well concur, even if George does think me autocratic (to which I've already pleaded guilty). Aside from suggesting H.L. Mencken for additional reading (he once said of Mozart that "he sweated beauty as naturally as a Christian sweats hate), I have little more to add to your admirable posts on the subject. I don't mind the impolite jabs, at others or at me. If we're big enough to be here we're big enough to take them. And I know damned well that we're big enough to give them back. Steve