They're praying for us
Tek I just checked it out. This is REALLY not cool. We have written about religion in general, they are writing specifically about us and accusing us of "hatred." Well, what I HATE is being accused of this crap.
I have had posts of mine to this board be deleted because supposedly I was insulting a specific person (I'd written posts about 9-11). I suggest that we all write to the OH moderators and request that the sentiments of these "good Christians" be removed. Would Amy Williams be the person to contact? I wish I had saved any of the emails I was sent informing me that my posts to this board were being removed. I'm going to start by writing Amy Williams.
I went to their board and aside from the first post that they put about this board...I didn't see what they were saying concerning us. Did it already get deleted?
So...a few notes. I don't care what others think, believe or feel...as long as they don't prosthelytize or disturb me with their beliefs. I would no sooner go un-prodded to a Christianity board (since I'm MORE than bored by anything Christian) than I would one for, oh...entymology. I don't know if there IS an entymology board...that's what I mean. Why on earth would god-fearing Christians go looking for an A&A board...unless they meant to convert us or just have another thing to gripe about?
If we want a safe place to talk about the nonsense invoked upon us by the immoral majority, why would they violate that sanctity? Is it fear, or just your everyday busy-bodyness?
Just another story to share. As I told in another post, I joined the Peace Corps and headed to West Africa to teach art. Why? Because something in me tells me to help others...and something else in me says "travel the world, learn about other cultures and humble yourself enough to recognize that just because you're an American doesn't make you better. Learn from them as much as you expect them to learn from you." So there I am. I am surrounded by American men. And Asian men. And Indian men. And African men. Was I looking to get married? Not by a longshot. I had a job to do and wasn't interested in someone else getting in the way of it. But that crazy little thing called love got in the way. Well, that and a set of drop-dead gorgeous dreadlocks...but once again...that's another story. We 'went out' for a long time. My school hired him (he was also an artist) and he came out the my village for a while to teach batik (we had a batik cottage industry for a while there). I fell in love. That's all. After Peace Corps, I went to the city to work for the Embassy. I had nowhere else to live, so we lived together in his workshop. Without indoor plumbing. Just a plywood shack with 2 bedrooms. Why? Because I wasn't proud at that point, and because I just plain old felt love for him. So, after 2 1/2 years of being away, I went back to NJ (WASP town where I grew up) and tried to make sure that I wanted to marry this guy...based on my own reality. I did. My WASP parents did not. Why? Because he was black. Because he had dreads. Probably many more reasons, but those were the most prominent. These are Christians, folks. Those god-fearing individuals who are supposed to treat their neighbors as themselves...as long as their neighbors look, act and believe exactly as they do. Racist, biggoted hate-mongers. Just like the rest of their church community. And this is what my childish eyes saw as I was growing up. the 'we'll tolerate you to your face with a painted-on smile, but we'll hate you behind your back because you're simply not as good as us' attitude. My mother actually said this statement to me when I told her that I was returning to Ghana to get married; "Well, what about an Asian? Couldn't you find a nice Korean or Japanese man to marry if you're so desperate to find another race?" I'm not kidding. In their world, there are levels of racism...which to me just equals ignorance and fear. They (my parents) told me that if we ever had children, those children would never be accepted. BY WHOM?!? I told them right there that if I had children, and they EVER visited their racism, hatred and fear upon them, that I would forever seperate myself from them. My mother starts crying and asks "Do you think I'm a monster?" Well, if the shoe fits... That's just one of my life-altering experiences at the hands of my Christian family.
Another--when I was pregnant with my first. I work for a major corporation. Let's just say that we're the largest semiconductor manufacturer on the market. Let's also say that I make a very decent living. I have an MBA. I own a house. I 'was' married. American dream, huh? Well...not if you're my parents and your daughter is married to a non-white, long-haired *cough* individual. I thought that I'd be clever and send a "Happy father's day Grandpa" card from Baby K. This sent my parents into a tailspin. You'd think that I was a 15 year old, crack addict single mother on welfare who didn't know who the father was, living on the street. I couldn't imagine a less enthusiastic set of grandparents...Again...there's that Christian love for ya...
Once again, more than enough words comin' at ya from one post. Like I said, I just don't understand why Christians or other organized religious zealots feel the need to undermine our beliefs because they don't happen to be their own...
Hey Cyn--- Yes the thread in question has been removed per board rules. We all need to be sure that in our discussions we do not specifically reference members of other boards or their topics of conversation. I'd say that how we as atheists are treated by religious people is a serious issue for discussion but we'd have to tread lightly I'm sure.
Hey look how my comments from this thread were rather prophetic: http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/atheismagnostic/postdetail/148.html?vc=0
Oh, just one more thing.
I'm adopted. Nature vs. nurture...Nature wins hands down.
For as long as I can remember, I've know that I was adopted...and wanted to find my birth mother. My family (the ones that raised me...I DO consider them my family and forgive them their heinous fears and subsequent actions) looks NOTHING like me. My father is about 6 foot, dark brown hair, bright blue eyes. My mother is about 5 foot 2, olive skin and dark brown hair...weighed 98 lbs. until she got pregnant. Nobody in my family ever had a weight problem. My brother is, understandably, somewhere in between. And then there's me. A visual artist before Corporate America got its golden handcuffs on me. Roly-poly blonde with one blue eye, one brown... that's the only part of me that ever fit them. They're very religious. They're very Republican. Their every move is very much governed by their insurmountable fear.
5 1/2 years ago, I finally tracked down my birth mother. She and my two half-bros are about the coolest, most intelligent, worldly individuals one could ever hope to meet. They face new challenges not with fear and anger, but with acceptance and hope. They (well, some of them that physically can) travel the world and learn from other cultures. The rest try and make positive changes in the community around them. As a family, they all took dj positions at the local college radio station...all shows from folk to punk and everywhere in between...and they all loved and respected each other's tastes, chalking it up to the beauty that makes each person an individual.
Nature vs. nurture...Nature wins hands down.
Well, I've certainly had my share to share these past few days...
I'll agree with you there Cyn. I think the AWFUL TRUTH is that we become more like our parents than we might think we want to be. After going away to college at 18 I never really lived at home again. Yet as I got older I found myself exhibiting little behaviors that were just like my mom or dad. It freaked me out!!! Fortunately I think my parents are the coolest and I'm quite happy to be like them! I see so many traits of various family members, good and bad, in my brother and myself. I also think my family is proof positive that there's a gay gene. We've got MANY gay family members on both sides!
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