By Johan ~
First, a bit of info about me:
I am a divorced father of two sons (12 going on 13, and 7). My kids live about 500 miles away with their mom, and I only have them during school holidays. I have been living with the most perfect woman ever the past 4 years, and I'm planning on marrying her soon.
My awakening
I used to be a devout christian, but during a very turbulent time in my life, I couldn't understand why God was doing the things he was doing. Things that bothered me most was how he could allow people I know to do the horrible things they were doing, coupled with the whole "only baptized persons go to heaven" statement. This particularly was a big issue for me, since there are millions of people who never even heard of Jesus.
I then set on a quest to really get to know him, and come closer to God. Ultimately, the more I searched and researched, the more I realized that I have been believing in a something that made absolutely no sense. Needles to say, it was really tough realizing I had been worshiping a myth, and that I was all alone.
I became more and more appalled at the very core of the religion.
Nonetheless, it was liberating at the same time to realize that a it wasn't a big guy in the sky who carried me through all my toughest times, but that I was the one who did it.
This piece however, is not about my life as a parent, or about my journey to the light.
Whilst I know for a fact that Christianity is impossible, I do want some people to be Christians. This piece is about attempting to explain to the people who shuns me for it, why I want those people to believe in something so obviously false.
Santa Claus
I first heard about Santa when I was 3 years old. My parents told me to behave throughout the year, and that he would bring me nice presents the next Christmas if I did. For the next 4 years, I was an exceptionally good boy from the middle of November each year.
As per tradition, I have taught my kids about Santa, and saw the exact same result in them as well. Whilst it is more convenient with the older one (since he found out both Santa and Grandpa were in the habit of kissing Grandma), I find that having the younger one still believe in the myth of Santa, makes the world more beautiful to him.
The older one have learned to try and manipulate me into buying him what he wants for Christmas, but seeing that wonder in my younger son's eyes, and how he behaves because "Santa will see" if he's bad, is just priceless.
The older one knows when I'm watching, but the younger one is still in the wonder world of a big man watching to see if he's good or bad. And if I could have my way, I would make them both believe in Santa a little while longer. The world is such a brutal and rough place.
Am I wrong for wanting them to still believe in the magic a little while longer?
Jesus Kids
Am I wrong for wanting my mother to believe in the myth of a god, just so she can have piece and closure in her heart, and sleep good?They also believe in the other big myth -Jesus -and see themselves as Christians (I will explain in the next paragraph), and them going to church have provided them with a good support network. The type of support that I cannot provide from 500 miles away.
I will tell and teach them that they've been indoctrinated on a myth, but for now, I need them to have this one.
Am I wrong for wanting them to believe in something that will instill good moral values (not steal, not murder, honor etc.)in them?
{And yes, I have read the research that found there is no prove Christianity improves moral values, but in our case, it does give them a better guideline.)
My ex-wife (aka Satan's Sister)
Likewise, their mother have done some pretty horrible things, but due to our country's crooked laws (South Africa, and no I'm white not black), she still ended up having custody. So, in order to get her to be a better person, I appealed to her Christian values. The result: She stopped abusing recreational drugs, quit drinking, and generally started to be a better mother. I am in constant contact with her preacher, boss, and sister without her knowing it, and I can honestly say that her being "born again" have really turned things around.
Am I wrong for wanting my children's mother be a Christian just so that she can be a better mother to them?
My Mother
My mother have been a devout Christian all her life. Her life over the past 10 years have been all but easy. She has gone through some very bad times. She's a non-judgmental person, who will not shun you for not believing, but who will pray for you.
Her one hope in all this time, is that she will one day be awarded for staying strong in her faith, despite all the bad things that have happened.
She finds solace in the myth that the bad people will one day be punished before God.
She stays about 200 miles away from me, and she worries all the time. It makes her sleep at night when she prays to God to protect me, and feel that he will.
Am I wrong for wanting my mother to believe in the myth of a god, just so she can have piece and closure in her heart, and sleep good?
Death and sorrow
I was planning on starting to convert one of my closest friends to see the truth about the myth of Christianity. This would have been the first time ever I would've done that since I realized the truth.
This Friday however, his father passed away. He finds comfort in the myth that his father "is in a better place now", "with God", and "smiling down on us all."
I can't find it in my heart to tell him it's all a lie, and that his father is simply gone.
I can't take away that comfort that carries him through this very sad time.
Am I wrong to want one of my best friends to believe in the myth, just so he can find comfort during an extremely painful time?
So, it has been established that the myth of a "Jesus" or any "God" for that matter, is complete hogwash. To be honest, I sometimes wish I didn't know the truth, but I do, and I can't believe in it anymore.
The question however, is this: Am I wrong for wanting some people to keep on believing in the myth?
First, a bit of info about me:
My awakening
I used to be a devout christian, but during a very turbulent time in my life, I couldn't understand why God was doing the things he was doing. Things that bothered me most was how he could allow people I know to do the horrible things they were doing, coupled with the whole "only baptized persons go to heaven" statement. This particularly was a big issue for me, since there are millions of people who never even heard of Jesus.
I then set on a quest to really get to know him, and come closer to God. Ultimately, the more I searched and researched, the more I realized that I have been believing in a something that made absolutely no sense. Needles to say, it was really tough realizing I had been worshiping a myth, and that I was all alone.
I became more and more appalled at the very core of the religion.
Nonetheless, it was liberating at the same time to realize that a it wasn't a big guy in the sky who carried me through all my toughest times, but that I was the one who did it.
This piece however, is not about my life as a parent, or about my journey to the light.
Whilst I know for a fact that Christianity is impossible, I do want some people to be Christians. This piece is about attempting to explain to the people who shuns me for it, why I want those people to believe in something so obviously false.
Santa Claus
I first heard about Santa when I was 3 years old. My parents told me to behave throughout the year, and that he would bring me nice presents the next Christmas if I did. For the next 4 years, I was an exceptionally good boy from the middle of November each year.
As per tradition, I have taught my kids about Santa, and saw the exact same result in them as well. Whilst it is more convenient with the older one (since he found out both Santa and Grandpa were in the habit of kissing Grandma), I find that having the younger one still believe in the myth of Santa, makes the world more beautiful to him.
The older one have learned to try and manipulate me into buying him what he wants for Christmas, but seeing that wonder in my younger son's eyes, and how he behaves because "Santa will see" if he's bad, is just priceless.
The older one knows when I'm watching, but the younger one is still in the wonder world of a big man watching to see if he's good or bad. And if I could have my way, I would make them both believe in Santa a little while longer. The world is such a brutal and rough place.
Am I wrong for wanting them to still believe in the magic a little while longer?
Jesus Kids
Am I wrong for wanting my mother to believe in the myth of a god, just so she can have piece and closure in her heart, and sleep good?They also believe in the other big myth -Jesus -and see themselves as Christians (I will explain in the next paragraph), and them going to church have provided them with a good support network. The type of support that I cannot provide from 500 miles away.
I will tell and teach them that they've been indoctrinated on a myth, but for now, I need them to have this one.
Am I wrong for wanting them to believe in something that will instill good moral values (not steal, not murder, honor etc.)in them?
{And yes, I have read the research that found there is no prove Christianity improves moral values, but in our case, it does give them a better guideline.)
My ex-wife (aka Satan's Sister)
Likewise, their mother have done some pretty horrible things, but due to our country's crooked laws (South Africa, and no I'm white not black), she still ended up having custody. So, in order to get her to be a better person, I appealed to her Christian values. The result: She stopped abusing recreational drugs, quit drinking, and generally started to be a better mother. I am in constant contact with her preacher, boss, and sister without her knowing it, and I can honestly say that her being "born again" have really turned things around.
Am I wrong for wanting my children's mother be a Christian just so that she can be a better mother to them?
My Mother
My mother have been a devout Christian all her life. Her life over the past 10 years have been all but easy. She has gone through some very bad times. She's a non-judgmental person, who will not shun you for not believing, but who will pray for you.
Her one hope in all this time, is that she will one day be awarded for staying strong in her faith, despite all the bad things that have happened.
She finds solace in the myth that the bad people will one day be punished before God.
She stays about 200 miles away from me, and she worries all the time. It makes her sleep at night when she prays to God to protect me, and feel that he will.
Am I wrong for wanting my mother to believe in the myth of a god, just so she can have piece and closure in her heart, and sleep good?
Death and sorrow
I was planning on starting to convert one of my closest friends to see the truth about the myth of Christianity. This would have been the first time ever I would've done that since I realized the truth.
This Friday however, his father passed away. He finds comfort in the myth that his father "is in a better place now", "with God", and "smiling down on us all."
I can't find it in my heart to tell him it's all a lie, and that his father is simply gone.
I can't take away that comfort that carries him through this very sad time.
Am I wrong to want one of my best friends to believe in the myth, just so he can find comfort during an extremely painful time?
So, it has been established that the myth of a "Jesus" or any "God" for that matter, is complete hogwash. To be honest, I sometimes wish I didn't know the truth, but I do, and I can't believe in it anymore.
The question however, is this: Am I wrong for wanting some people to keep on believing in the myth?
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