My Father was an Atheist

[J0E]

He did many wonderful things for me during his time on earth which I'm grateful for and I'll remember him kindly forever for that.



And yet he was an atheist and professed to neither believing in religion nor God.

He said that the Bible was just a fable.



Now I don't know if that's true or not.

But I never totally agreed with him about the existence of God or an Afterlife.

Nor that the Bible is totally untrue, as I've found some nuggets of wisdom in the Bible which I've at least partially agreed with.



Actually, I'd classify myself as 'agnostic'. Not totally sure who is correct and which faith is right.



I think whatever religion any of us chooses to follow seems merely to be a man-made framework which we have devised for ourselves to better understand the world and find meaning in our daily existence. In fact, those who follow a religion may in reality be worshipping the same spirits/gods/god. It may be just a different method of solving the same equation to achieve the exactly the same result. ie - 1+1=2 or 4-2=2 or 2 + 0=2 or 3-1=2 and so on.



Anyways, I thought at times his vision of the world and the afterlife seemed too stark and bleak. and it would surface at times, particularly at family gatherings. We'd all eat at what were essentially Christian holidays without paying deference to them in any way. But I didn't necessarily agree with it. Even if one doesn't pay tribute to a Christian God, then to a spirit would suffice. I know in many other religions/faiths they do.



So lately, I've thought about adopting a faith even though I'm firmly in the camp these days of 'Undecided or Not Sure.' Perhaps it could be thought of as 'an Assurance Marker'?



Is there anything wrong with the stance? What are its shortcomings or strengths? Or does it seem too flimsy and its underpinnings too loose?

[asal]

ac_smile



You won't be doing it sincerely for very long.  If you aren't that way already, you're going to end up being yourself in the end Frank.

[Anonymous]

Frank, were you lying about your Daddy passing away?

[cc]

At very least the "vote for me" was EXTREMELY questionable.



IF he did die, then Joe's  posting it / using it  over and over   over and over in multiple threads on multiple forums for attention-on-steroids was DESPICABLE



If he didn't, then it's just another Joe tale



He has done it to himself.

Joe is one of those slugs who make up so many things that even if they told a truth ...  absent of  absolute proof  no one can believe it

[J0E]

cc, I never mocked or desecrated the alleged passings of your mother or child whom you mentioned in other forums or threads. Nor have I done so to others.



I respect the deceased, including your own. I wish you would do the same.



But perhaps you're not capable of returning such courtesies.



In this regard, you preach and practise a double standard.



You damn yourself.



You want others to sympathize to you, but you show none to others.



Shame on you. But at least you've revealed yourself for who you truly are.

At very least the "vote for me" was EXTREMELY questionable.



IF he did die, then Joe's  posting it / using it  over and over   over and over in multiple threads on multiple forums for attention-on-steroids was DESPICABLE



If he didn't, then it's just another Joe tale



He has done it to himself.

Joe is one of those slugs who make up so many things that even if they told a truth ...  absent of  absolute proof  no one can believe it

[cc]

IF he did die, then Joe's posting it /



using it over and over over and over



in multiple threads



 on multiple forums



 for attention-on-steroids was DESPICABLE

You didn't MISS the point, you attempted (as always) to obfuSKATE around it





It's really quite simple Joe - consistent story manufacturers are not believed even IF they tell a truth, so ....



1. Stop making up stories all the time and people could believe you IF or WHEN you told a truth



2. Don't OVERPLAY  on steroids and people could believe you IF or WHEN you told a truth





OR just carry on carrying on ... but know that ...



A person who constantly makes up stories (lies) has no right to expect those familiar with his Modus Operandi to believe him even IF he does tell a truth



.

[J0E]

I offer my sympathies and condolences to your mother.

And I do so for a child of yours whom you mentioned in another thread.

And I will not cast doubt on your accounts nor aspersions on them.



Now will you do the same for me?

IF he did die, then Joe's posting it /



using it over and over over and over



in multiple threads



 on multiple forums



 for attention-on-steroids was DESPICABLE

You didn't MISS the point, you attempted (as always) to obfuSKATE around it





It's really quite simple Joe - consistent story manufacturers are not believed even IF they tell a truth, so ....



1. Stop making up stories all the time and people could believe you IF or WHEN you told a truth



2. Don't OVERPLAY  on steroids and people could believe you IF or WHEN you told a truth





OR just carry on carrying on ... but know that ...



A person who constantly makes up stories (lies) has no right to expect those familiar with his Modus Operandi to believe him even IF he does tell a truth



.

[the shark hunter]

... i thought you were joining the catholic church, Joe.  that didn't work out?  it would've perhaps been premature if you're unsure about god's existence ...



... my belated condolences on your father's passing by the way ...

[cc]

And I will not cast doubt on your accounts ....

 And why would I care whatever you might believe?

.... nor aspersions on them.

NOTE: Aspersions caste upon someone does not reflect on anyone other than the person "aspersed" (a new word created, lol)    



But, heh, that was one of your more innovative attempted ploys - and a bit interesting as to  why you feel the need to try to get such a ludicrous hokey ploy to fly



You didn't "miss the point" - You deliberately tried to divert with a false premise

Now will you do the same for me?

I already addressed that  

A person who constantly makes up stories (lies) has no right to expect those familiar with his Modus Operandi to believe him even IF he does tell a truth.

Do you have it straight now? Are we done with your hokey obvuSKATING?

[Anonymous]

... i thought you were joining the catholic church, Joe.  that didn't work out?  it would've perhaps been premature if you're unsure about god's existence ...



... my belated condolences on your father's passing by the way ...

Ha, I forgot about that one.  ac_toofunny  ac_lmfao

[J0E]

... i thought you were joining the catholic church, Joe.  that didn't work out?  it would've perhaps been premature if you're unsure about god's existence ...



... my belated condolences on your father's passing by the way ...

...still not sure, Sharkie.



Initially I thought Catholicism might be an option.

But the more I've looked into it, I have some reservations these days.

Y'know, Adolf Hitler was born and raised a Catholic and he later ushered in one of History's greatest maelstroms - the Holocaust.

Also, the Fascist movement has its roots in large part in the Catholic Church.

Not only are its methods such as the Spanish Inquisition deeply rooted in Catholic Orthodoxy, the Catholic Church itself may have facilitated the rise of dictators such as Mussolini and Hitler.

South America is Catholic, and also has a long tradition of totalitarian governments which tortured or killed their own peoples there. Again, these methods of governance may have their roots in the Spanish Inquisition, and the Jesuits, their soldiers of Christ were not unlike the SS troops of the Nazis in Europe.



So it's a mixed bag. I guess no faith/religion is perfect. They all have their deficits, past closet skeletons.



Anyways, I didn't create the thread to ask for sympathy for my father's passing. But thanks.



But I'm somewhat interested in pursuing a 'realistic' form of spiritualism. Not the hocus-pocus type, but one which has real meaning in our lives and connections with our surroundings. Someone in this forum commented that they were saved after they found Christianity/religion. Perhaps they were. But I'm more inclined to think that it was because they had found others - human beings on this earth - not someone in the Sky or Netherworld who helped them. In other words, religion has little meaning unless it's connected to a person's real situation, and there are others in a community/communal setting who can help them, offer them guidance. Likewise, if you put a person on a mountaintop alone, they could pray all day and night with a Bible or Koran clutched to their side, but would likely die of hunger or exposure by the time they got through the first verse.



In other words, the religion/faith has little meaning unless it has some connection to the person's surroundings. It has to have to be in touch with the reality of that moment or the totality of their existence.

[J0E]

Any event, you've revealed yourself to be quite a mean and spiteful person, cc.

This is a self-serving, craven me-firstism which you've allowed to govern your life.



You related incidents in your life in an effort to garner sympathy.

Yet offer none to others. I've never doubted your accounts of suffering or loss in your family.

Nor have I asked that you provide any evidence to substantiate those accounts.

I have just accepted them, believed them and left it at that.



Myself, I would never mock others in a less fortunate situation, or others in their care who are sick or who have passed on. That is why I have offered my condolences to you, and sympathies to Annie, who in this and the other forum related her family's health difficulties she had recently experienced.

And I will not cast doubt on your accounts ....

 And why would I care whatever you might believe?

.... nor aspersions on them.

NOTE: Aspersions caste upon someone does not reflect on anyone other than the person "aspersed" (a new word created, lol)    



But, heh, that was one of your more innovative attempted ploys - and a bit interesting as to  why you feel the need to try to get such a ludicrous hokey ploy to fly



You didn't "miss the point" - You deliberately tried to divert with a false premise

Now will you do the same for me?

I already addressed that  

A person who constantly makes up stories (lies) has no right to expect those familiar with his Modus Operandi to believe him even IF he does tell a truth.

Do you have it straight now? Are we done with your hokey obvuSKATING?

[RW]

Joe, it's rather simple to grok - cc has never been called out for weaving tall tales like you have.  That gives her a level of credibility that you just don't have.  When cc recounts stories of loss in her life, we have no reason to disbelieve the validity of her claims.  



You, on the other hand, have demonstrated trustworthiness.  Your stories are often unbelievable in that they do not stand up to scrutiny.  You only have yourself to blame for that.



At the same time, I want to remind posters that if you believe what a poster tells you, it doesn't make you look badly, it makes that person look badly.



In terms of religion Joe, I suggest you attend a few different services and see which one you enjoy.

[asal]

Frank, if you become catholic, use my avatar name so I get credit.  Thanks Frank.



(I'm not catholic, but I'd like the points).

[RW]

Sure.  Steal all my Catholic points.