Michelle- welcome, and thanks for the kind words. But, alas, ubi is correct; there hasn’t been activity (new posts) here in a long time. Feel free to look around , though, of course! To your specific comment: ubi is, as usual, dead on: making one’s peace with uncertainty means accepting that you do not- and never did- have access to perfect answers. It may be tragic, perhaps, buts it’s life. And it ain’t so bad, once you get used to it. So, yeah: what do *you* think is important? (Show your work) — and then live your life accordingly. That’s as good as it gets, and despite what fundys often say, it’s pretty good. we don’t *need* perfect answers. So if you think love is the basis on which we should make such a decision as we are discussing, then do so.

For me, yes, what I do, I want to do out of love, or at least not hate, or anger, but there are other values, too (honesty, keeping the peace, being a good model, etc), and it’s not always clear to me how they balance out. But that’s okay! That’s why we talking.

…Who says love is the purpose? Me? If I’m not God, how can I subjectively choose what’s important? I’m trying to embrace uncertainty, but you’ve written about how hard that is!

Yes, you are the one to say what’s important for your life. As de-converts, meaning is not something we are handed, it’s not something we have to search for, it’s something that we make for ourselves. Only you can decide what the meaning of your life should be, and isn’t that wonderfully freeing!

(This website been pretty inactive lately. I recomment you visit exchristian.net for a really active community of deconverts, including quite a few formal biblical literalists.)

Now, I’m probably very much still talking like a Christian, but perhaps your last paragraph is part of the key. It’s about motives and why we do what we do. At this point in my life, I feel love should be our motive. You can choose to put it all out there on FB out of love or hate. You can choose to refrain out of love or hate. And probably there’s a mixture of both. You’re just human. And some will love and some will hate you for choosing either option. They’re just human too. We’re all on a journey. We all influence each other.

But maybe that’s too agnostic of an answer. Who says love is the purpose? Me? If I’m not God, how can I subjectively choose what’s important? I’m trying to embrace uncertainty, but you’ve written about how hard that is!

As you could guess, I’m a nut job right now. Just trying to find my way and be open to it all.

Thanks again!

First, I must say I’m new to all the deconversion stuff. I’m only in my first month or so. Your posts are of help to me, as I only have devout, unwavering Christians and entirely “unbelieving” but absolutely beautiful and accepting people who do not understand the ins and outs and Bible-literal Christians. I am always seeking out deconverts

And that’s why I decided not to hold back. I’m asked to pray every day. I’m told what God wants me to know. I’m told tragic stories of an Iranian pastor sentenced to death for teaching Christianity and asked again to pray. Miracles are related to me all the time. I’m told in many different ways clever stories that relate mundane events to the wondrous workings of a personal God.

So when I recently deconverted and started my blog to explore what that means, I thought “screw it.” We’ll just throw it out there and let the discussion begin. Defriend me, if you like. Post cute fables designed to enlighten me on all the basic truths you think I don’t know but I actually know better than you know them yourself. Go for it. Let’s rumble. I’ll still love ya, and hopefully you me…

They post and speak so because they have no faith. The completely faith-filled man is indistinguishable from the atheist (example: Fred Rogers). They replace faith with pointless noise and pointless activity in the hope of filling the void.

Quote: “I don’t pray, go to church or do any similar things because I have complete faith in god. I assume that things are proceeding as god wishes and she has no need of input from me. I don’t seek god anywhere because clearly she doesn’t want to be observed or found and I respect her wishes”.