Comments on: This is how it begins…

By: Metro

Metro — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 21:38:41 +0000

@Wazza:
Duuuuude. That was awesome.

@jonboy:
pwned.

By: wazza

wazza — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:09:06 +0000

jonboy: hmm… glossolalia, assault under the rubric of demon possession, schizotypy, impaired reason, insularity, discrimination based on religion, mutilation of children, poor family planning, guilt issues and trying to get more people into the same thing.

that’s what’s next when people join churches.

By: jonboy

jonboy — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 17:11:33 +0000

ZOMG!!!

People joining churches!?!?!?!
What next?

By: Daniel Florien

Daniel Florien — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:55:34 +0000

@privet: It’s scary because a feeling of acceptance and community can make us believe anything.

By: privet

privet — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 22:14:59 +0000

Daniel, I agree with what you wrote, except the last sentence. Why is it scary?

By: Brit

Brit — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 13:57:50 +0000

That’s exactly what happened to me. I was just going into high school and I had just moved to a new state. The Christian group with which I was affiliated for about 3 years was filled with charismatic, intelligent, loving people who, most disarmingly, wanted to be my friend. I was indeed surrounded by some of the smartest people I’d met up until that point. Nevertheless, they had a hang-up. In the end, what drove me out of the christian religion was largely my struggle to reconcile all the stories and truisms I’d been fed with the logic and reason that I had come to value through my studies. I’m quite glad I chose logic! In retrospect, I feel that I was preyed upon in the name of god. They saw my insecurity and need for community and sought to give me everything I desired plus one: god. Luckily now, I can look back objectively and can even laugh about it. Reading here, what I’ve already written, it seems like someone recovering from an addiction. Personally, I don’t think the comparison is unwarranted.

By: Ty

Ty — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 00:11:05 +0000

I would *love* to be asked to be a Cthulhuparent.

And, the truth is that this person was probably less and agnostic and more an apathyist. People are far more likely to be sucked in if they’ve never really thought about their reasons for believe/unbelief, and tested them out.

I’m immune to such tactics now, but only because I took the time to do a lot of research on the bible, history, and science. If you settle for agnosticism as a default because you just can’t get up the energy to look into anything, then you are vulnerable to this sort of slow indoctrination.

IMO.

By: Dave Bull

Dave Bull — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 17:41:06 +0000

I agree. The social bonds are what these organisations have always used to force compliance and retain membership. And then they can manipulate you with guilt. I speak from experience.

There’s a debate going on over on Richard Dawkins’ website about how atheists could create a similar community to support people that might have prevented your friend’s falling into the clutches of these morons.

What kind of agnostic agrees to be a godparent anyway?