de-conversion

You Know What They Say About Assumptions…

Christian Commentary

Can you smell that? Smells good doesn’t it? Yes, it’s the political season in the States, and there could be nothing sweeter! I understand that some of you here may not be as much as a “political junkie” as me, but don’t worry, I’m not going to get into the nitty-gritty of everything. Although if I may…Obama ‘08!! Okay, it’s out of my system, let us continue.

Now as sweet as the political season smells, at times it can be a bit too bitter; a little hard to swallow; downright sickening. Why? Well, the natural reasons of course (mud-slinging ads, shady practices, and my favorite: never answering a question directly!) Personally though, I am disgusted at the way contemporary politics bundles groups of people together as if they are a prize to be won. Case-in-point: the “evangelical” vote.

Pundits talk about “winning the votes” of evangelicals all the time. Sadly, when they say this they are making gross assumptions about Christianity - in particular, that all Christians think and believe the same way. They then “target” these individuals like they are some kind of wild game. What a shame (not to mention insulting)…

Continue Reading 18 comments February 1, 2008

Atheist Feelings Toward Death

Christian Commentary

This post is somewhat atypical in that it is not meant to present arguments “for” or “against” religion. Instead, it is more of an inquiry from a curious Christian. As many De-Conversion readers know, Christian theology is full of text regarding the afterlife, Kingdom of God, and so on. Many Christians find it comforting in knowing that death has been conquered, relieving humanity from guilt and fear. But what does the Atheist think?

No, I am not wondering about what the Atheist thinks about the Christian view of death. I am curious to know the thoughts and feelings Atheists have regarding it. This can be hard to do (for Christians and Atheists alike) in that we often talk about death philisophically. In other words, we often forget that we will die. Reflecting on that very notion and making it a reality can be troublesome…

Continue Reading 65 comments September 4, 2007

A Christian on the Sidelines

Christian Commentary

Well I have a bit of a confession to make to this website…I have been struggling as of late as to what to contribute (especially since traffic has exploded the past couple weeks). During my time on the sidelines, I have enjoyed reading the various posts and people’s reactions to them. I admit that I have not jumped in as frequently as I once did due to an upcoming move I am preparing for.

It was during my time on the outskirts of this forum that I began to ponder the (for lack of a more sensitive term) “point” of agnostic/atheist websites such as de-conversion. Now this is not meant to be an insult, but maybe more of a sociological question and hypothesis. To do a comprehensive study on the posts of this blog would take a substantial amount of time. However, in my informal examination, I came to a few conclusions…

Continue Reading 57 comments July 23, 2007

Science’s Overlooked Problem

Christian Commentary

The other contributors on this website do a great job offering ideas and concepts they find regarding religion, God, atheism, and the like. In lieu of this, I would like to share some wisdom from theologian Huston Smith. Smith is Thomas J. Watson Professor of Religion and Distinguished Adjunct Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, of Syracuse University (to learn more, visit his website).

For fifteen years he was Professor of Philosophy at M.I.T. and for a decade before that he taught at Washington University in St. Louis. Most recently he has served as Visiting Professor of Religious Studies, University of California, Berkeley. In addition, Smith holds 12 honorary degrees and has written 14 books (some titles include: Why Religion Matters, The World’s Religions, and The Soul of Christianity). That being said, it is from some of Smith’s writings that I base this post.

Continue Reading 16 comments June 25, 2007

God and Science: Oil and Water?

Christian Commentary

In a few replies on this website (for which I am a theist contributor), I find myself telling participants that we must use the scientific method correctly. In other words, the scientific method is a great tool to understanding the world around us, but it is horrible in regards to learning about God. Unfortunately, we live in a society where perception has an uncharacteristic “trump card” over philosophy and proclamation of religious faith. Many believe that the only way to perceive the world around them is with the five senses. Yet, I tell you that no one has ever seen a thought. No one has ever seen a feeling and we still believe them to exist (no, seeing neuron activity doesn’t count). Scientific method can’t explain existential meanings. Individuals try to use scientific method to learn more about faith and God. I will tell you right now that if you are waiting to physically see, touch, smell, taste, or hear God, He will never be revealed to you.

The skeptic will say, “Why not use the scientific method? The scientific method teaches us about everything we know. It is the ultimate tool for knowledge.” Well, there are a variety of reasons. Consider that God exists outside of the physical world that we know; He is outside of time. This is a hard concept to grasp for many, but you actually deal with this concept all the time…

Continue Reading 13 comments May 28, 2007

Christian response to the Atheist vs. Christian Debate

Christian Commentary

First let me say that I was disappointed in the documentary. It wasn’t nearly long enough and didn’t do justice to the event - But on to some thoughts.

Granted, I have a bias (like everyone does) on this issue, and mine happens to be a Christian one. Yet, before any tenets of the arguments were discussed, the first thing I noticed was the anger - and this theme continued throughout the whole documentary. Perhaps they caught the atheists on a rough day, but I have never seen a group of people so consumed by anger. I truly feel bad for them. Unfortunately, this anger led to disrespect. Interestingly, the atheists were the ones sporting the “Holier than thou” attitude as it was evident through their remarks, reactions, and body language. The Christian debaters trumped the atheists in regards to civility.

Continue Reading 21 comments May 11, 2007