sent in by BeMuseMe

I was born in the peak year of the baby boom way down south and half way west in BIG D near ground zero of the Military Industrial Republic of Texas. My father was a Constable On Patrol from exactly the day before I was born. He was just a big ole country boy off the farm in the big bad sinful city with his sweetly naive teen bride at his side.

I am sure I was in church by the time I was a week old. In those early years church amounted to playing with others kids. I was exposed to both the city life and country life. My grand parents on both sides were southern baptist and there I got that old time bible thumpin off key singing fire and brimstone style religion. While back in the city it was a bit more laid back liberal free wheeling just say no gimme a hug see ya in church? kinda show. It was just a part of my life that I payed little attention to. I was loved and the wonderous world was mine.

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sent in by Maureen Perez

I hope I'm on the right site for me. I was baptized Methodist, spent childhood in Pentecostal faith, converted to Catholic as an adult, and now I consider myself to be spiritual but anti-religious.

Back in the '70's when I was 12, my mom got interested in Astrology and joined a psychic circle. She occasionally took me with her and I enjoyed it alot. I started reading a lot of books...Edgar Cayce and others based on reincarnation, etc.

Every week my and my girlfriend would scan the bible for scriptures that disagreed with our Youth Group discussions. We enjoyed asking forbidden questions. We were both kicked out of church by the pastor because we "dared" to question the sincerity of some idiot evangelist named Katherine Kuhlman that the church believed was legit. The paper said she was being investigated for tax evasion, lived in a mansion, had a fleet of rolls royces, etc.

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sent in by LostInTranslation

I actually left the church three years ago, but it is really only now that I am beginning to say that I am an ex-Christian.

I became saved at the end of my junior year at college. I had a traumatic break-up with my first boyfriend, and was comforted by my best friend, who over the past year had begun to hang out more and more with Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship. She prayed for me, her friends prayed for me. I was very moved by the experience. I also had very low self-esteem and experienced emotional neglect from my parents. I thought, “How could someone who doesn’t know me care that much to prayer for me, a stranger?” My heart, which was hardened by years of Catholic school, started to “soften”.

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Stephen Maguire is a true Christian - and our friend.

He wants us to know that he is very bored and lonely and seeks attention from us.

He also wants us all to know we are going to hell.

Click HERE to read more.


Please feel free to email him at smfm27@hotmail.com He swears this is his TRUE address, unlike the FAKE address he posted previously.

Hi !!! Webby, me again I KNOW !!!

I'm getting bored too !!! oh well the block didn't work, like I say i'm an Electronic Engineer, and now I fix PC'S and progrmme them as well, I have access to loads of pc's plus i'm using a proxy server and can change it as many times as there are stars in the sky.

Anyway have a nive day and sleep well.
Stephen, Michael Francis Maguire at your service ;-)

Oh, I was thinking of hacking your website and shutting you down...

email me at smfm27@hotmail.com

by A. Uiet Bhor

Religions claim to have many things to offer many virtues lacking from secular philosophy, I’m going to address this.

I recently read an interview with Richard “The Meam Man” Dawkins, he was going on about how truth was so important to him, and how he wanted others to see the world the way he did, but he admitted there was a vacuum when religion was removed. He said he was unable to fill it, that he could only speak for himself and how happy he was. Fair enough, but I reckon I can go one better.

I required the same conclusions as to the meaning of life, the nature of the universe, and the virtue of the scientific method, but from a completely different angle, that of morality. To me the inherent value of human life was self evident, and only philosophies that served life without subverting it through its own self interest were good enough to be considered applicable to answer the questions posed by sentient existence. Life is more important than truth, but if the quest to serve the former leads to the later all the better.


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sent in by BenjaminTC

A few months back, someone named James, a fundamental Xian, sent out a letter about 12 pages to a lot of people on the exchristian.com message boards. I don't know that many people took the time to read and respond to it, so here it is. The top half is the original letter. You don't really need to read this, because I quote it later in my response, but its there for reference. I'll put a break in so you know where my response begins. I still haven't gotten a response from James, but I got a half-assed response from "Dr." Kent Hovind. He basically said all my responses were just speculation. This makes me believe he didn't really read what I said, just assumed that since I wasn't Xian I was just making stuff up. I don't know, well, here it is:

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Columbia University prayer study author pleads guilty to felony charges

This important report from Skeptic Bruce L. Flamm, MD, Clinical Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California, Irvine, Bruceflamm at aol.com. Article reprinted here with permission of Skeptic.Com

In the horrible days following the destruction of the World Trade Center by Islamic zealots many Americans prayed for a miracle or a sign from God. Such a miracle apparently occurred and was widely documented in newspaper and magazine articles. On October 2, 2001 the New York Times reported that researchers at prestigious Columbia University in New York found that infertile women who were prayed for became pregnant twice as often as those who did not have people praying for them. The study's results were absolutely miraculous. In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is the most advanced form of infertility treatment currently available and represents the last hope for women with severe infertility. Therefore, any technique that could increase the efficacy of IVF by even a few percent would be a medical breakthrough. Yet the Columbia University study claimed to have demonstrated, in a carefully designed randomized controlled trial, that distant prayer by anonymous prayer groups increased the success rate of IVF by an astounding 100%. Days later an article published in newspapers around the nation stated that Rogerio Lobo, chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Columbia and the study's lead author, told Reuters Health that, "Essentially, there was a doubling of the pregnancy rate in the group that was prayed for." ABC News medical editor and Good Morning America commentator Dr. Timothy Johnson reported that, "A new study on the power of prayer over pregnancy reports surprising results; but many physicians remain skeptical."

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sent in by Kevin

I’ve been reading Marlene Winnell’s book “Leaving the Fold.” She makes a very good point, namely that the doctrine of original sin as taught by evangelicals/fundamentalists is a source of tremendous psychological harm. As a counseling intern, I could not agree more.

I had become a Christian at the age of 18 largely because of extreme psychological stress that I was experiencing in my life at the time. My parents had split up, I was living in a fifth wheel trailer while my dad was reliving a sort of second childhood, and my entry into active duty with the Air Force was on the horizon. My family life was at an all time low, and I now believe that I was searching for something to replace my family.

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sent in by Anonymous

I am not sure where to start this tale. Perhaps the best place to start should be around third grade. Although I went to a public elementary school, one night a week, I went to religious education at the local church. Many of my friends from school were there as well, so it wasn’t a very big deal. A few years of this, I was trying to stay home more and more. I would hide away, until it was too late to attend. The classes were taught my mean old church ladies (Dana Carvey’s impression was dead-on) and teenage boys from the local Catholic high school. We weren’t given bibles, instead we were given colored workbooks that paraphrased biblical stories (or so I thought) and showed pictures of Jesus and the apostles fishing, eating, having a good old time talking about their god. There were multiple choice questions at the end of each unit, such as:

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Excerpt out of a book written by Charles A. Weisman

BLASPHEMY:

The history of laws involving blasphemy in America reveals the intense desire of its Christian inhabitants to preserve, protect, and defend the sanctity of their faith, their Bible, and their God. One definition of blasphemy is:

To curse God means to scoff at God; to use profanely insolent and reproachful language against him. This is one form of blasphemy under the authority of standard lexicographers. To contumeliously reproach God, His Creation, government, final judgment of the world, Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, or the Holy Scriptures, is to charge Him or Them with fault, to rebuke, to censure, to upbraid, doing the same with scornful insolence, with contemptuousness in act or speech. This is another form of blasphemy (32)

Blasphemy was made a criminal act in every single colony in America with punishments that varied from fines to the death penalty. The bible was most often the subject of such legislation. In Massachusetts the General Court had enacted a law titled, "An Act Against Atheisme and Blasphemie," under its Province Laws of 1697 which declared:

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by A. Uiet Bhor

Some of my writings on faith are seen to be a bit harsh, I saw nothing wrong with this, then I read an extract from a book detailing the author’s views on humanism. I disagreed with them, but I decided to re-examine my attitudes, and to set out my new position in this essay.

This is just a brief sketch of my position, as a secular free thinker, and a critic of religion.

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From an Atheist to an Atheist
by A. Uiet Bohr

The following are my responses to a series of very good, basic questions from someone who felt unsure of his stance on faith. I answered him on the infidel forum, then came up with more additions, which I enclose in this set of his Qs in bold quotes and my As in plain.

Dylan…

“The issue arises in that I've read many studies indicating positive influences of religion on (mostly mental) health (happiness, less depression, more motivation, living longer, more harmonious relationship with one's spouse, quicker recovery when someone you are close to dies, etc). Most of the differences aren't incredibly large, but still substantial.”

Me…

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by Joel Atkinson

I wonder if one single fundamentalist even knows who Joseph Campbell was. Well, thanks to my atheistic best friend, I now do (and actually have for several years). Joseph Campbell was one of those pluralistic nuts (or so they would no doubt say) who dared to see the beauty in diversity of culture and mythology and went a step further to criticize the way in which Christians, Muslims, and Jewish people get caught up in the metaphors of their mythologies to a harmful extent. "A harmful extent?", some may ask.

Yeah, the extent to where the Jews of old invaded lands occupied by their native peoples only to slaughter them all, tear down their gods and sacred places, claim their land for themselves, and then stamp it with the always dependable "God said I could" bullshit excuse.

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by A. Uiet Bhor

Introspection is an untrustworthy guide, I’d rather look to what is real, nature, and out best model of understanding it, in order to build a moral philosophy.

Social Darwinism is disliked by evolutionists, it is too Malthusian, un-compassionate, so morality is created separately from the world of science, but there still is some pointers from Darwin’s work for the social engineer.

Evolution was seen by Wallace has having nothing to say on the subject of morals, however the process can guide a philosopher in how to ensure the survival of laws. They key lies in the parallel of the environment shaping the animal, and the culture shaping the laws. If a species cannot adapt to new conditions it goes extinct, if it can it becomes a new species, if a law cannot remain relevant or keep up with society’s overall moral level it becomes archaic, backward, a retarding factor that society will grow to resent.

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sent in by Sarah

My Story: I am the middle child of nine and was born into a strict Southern Baptist family. I attended church three times weekly (Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night), attended summer "revival meetings" that seemed endless (only made worse by the horrible potluck dinners), and attended private school (on church grounds).

We were not allowed to watch TV, go to the movies (even if it was G rated - simply because someone who sees you go into the theater has no idea if you're going to the Disney movie or the R-rated thriller), drink, smoke, wear large jewelry, wear jeans or shorts (women), dance - you get the idea. My parents did cheat sometimes and we were allowed restricted TV privileges and every once in a while we went to the movies. I used to put blank tapes in my boom box, put the volume all the way down, and record hours of regular radio. I would go for walks or go horseback riding and listen to the evil rock music on my headphones.

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Our own Tim Simmons has developed another quiz to test your knowledge of the true Gospel.

All answers are well referenced back to the book of "ultimate truth" and are therefore irrefutable.

Nothing is taken out of context, and should be an encouragement to any student of life who wants to know the "TRUTH" of Christianity.

Have fun, and please leave a comment when you complete the exercise!

(Click Here to begin)

by A Uiet Bhor

The three greatest events in recent western history was the English civil war, the American Revolution, and the French revolution, all three were sparked by ideals, eternal and great, without which the west would be a tyrannical hell, but idealism brings its own tyranny.

First off there was the English civil war, the first fought against an absolute monarch, for democracy and liberty, the Leveller ideals of equality and the parliamentary concept of no taxation without representation. This was however quickly engulfed by the tyrannical dictatorship of Cromwell’s Puritan party. The ideals were lost, but not forgotten and England learnt an important lesson, which is why it still has a monarchy, to prevent any party, from taking too much power. The Queen my never use her power, but the army, air force, navy, and even postal service all swear an oath to her, not the party in power. English democracy is unique, rather than coming into existence through the epiphany of Greece or the revolution of America, it grew through the slow gradual process of reform. We are the nation of the cautious tinkerer, and this has proven to be the best method, as sudden change has no control and no one can predict were it will end. The radical new ideal becomes the justification for many horrors. Moderation in all things.

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by Joel Atkinson

The high places will come back again. The sacred groves shall grow tall and strong and bloom golden in the sun. They tried to burn them down for their god. Their lord. Yet still they grow. Up. Up. Up and out and over and through and beyond, beyond, beyond. Where are the Canaanites? The First Men? The source that went boom and brought us forth in a spectacular scattering of star and sky? We've gone from the cave to the calf to the cross and we're way past due for getting back to the cave. Hell, even the calf would be better.

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sent in by Charles

This is a letter that I am sending to my Pastor.

Searching For Truth

Three months ago I was asked what I believed, but I did not get a chance to really answer you. I am writing this letter so I can fully describe the changes I have gone through. It is not enough to say that I am a struggling Christian, I need to share with you all the events this past year, which have shaped my views. I am a curious soul and have always been one. As a child I would take apart every mechanical toy I had to understand how things really worked. I have carried that pursuit with me throughout my life and not much has changed in that regard. My views have evolved more than once, and to some it may even appear as fickleness.

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I grew up in the Pentecostal church. Every day, no joke, every day I drove to church my stomach would have nasty butterflies in it as I pulled up into the parking lot.
I never figured out why.

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sent in by Marie

I grew up believing I was cursed because I didn't have faith. No matter how hard I tried to believe, no matter what I tried, my situation never improved. I envied those around me who could blindly put their faith in god. I wanted and needed someone or something to help me deal with my life.

My father, raised in a devout Catholic family, was a pedophile who made my life a living hell. I would tell people later that my father did not believe in god, he believed in hell. While he was engaged in his abuse he would often say he was going to hell anyhow, so he might as well have fun. My mother was not much better. British, and raised in the pseudo-catholic ambiance of the Anglican church, she was violent and given to jealous rages and psychotic breaks.

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sent in by Cameron Riddle

There has been no point in my life at which I would have called myself an atheist, but a seriously devout interest in all things spiritual is something that has only affected me for the past eight years. This initial interest in spirituality turned into a period of intensive questioning of the nature of God. At the end of 1997, when I was fourteen, and at boarding school, I was invited to attend school Christian Fellowship by some mates of mine. This became the highlight of my week – tea, biscuits, and cake at Bob the rev’s house after a walk across the Bigside playing fields. One would get out of prep early to get there for 9:00pm, and it was a relaxing and friendly way to end Wednesday, away from the institutional austerity of the boarding house.

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