We childish CC atheists have a question

[Neoteny]

Have you ever looked at your worldview, and, either on your accord, or with the help of another, changed your mind about a major aspect of your mindset? I look around at the arrogance that surrounds me and see that most atheists have had the humility and the courage to, not just alter a few doctrines of their life, but to toss out a worldview altogether. We have done this against the forces of social mores, familial obligations, and humble CC Christians who always have been perfectly upstanding, reasonable, and genial.

As a result of my change in worldview, my parents seriously think I am going to hell. The gravity of this thought process causes my heart to ache like nothing else I know. Yet I keep on, regardless of playground shouts of arrogance and illogic, because I know they are adults and need to handle their own opinions, just like I do mine. I'm sure many of you (including religious individuals) have had similar experiences with respect to changing your mind.

So, I ask more bluntly, "Have you ever changed your mind, or had your mind changed, about something as major as a worldview?"

[muy_thaiguy]

Actually, I was once about as liberal as one could be (my mom is very liberal in many aspects and my grandmother is about middle of the road(I was raised by my mother and grandmother)), but then I changed my views after having an epiphany of sorts in Junior High. I noticed (when I actually looked) that many of them were pompous, high strung, elitist, and yes, even quite childish. I thought to myself, "Wait, why are they like this, these people that claim to be so open minded towards the world? Why do they not see that they are being selfish and doing exactly what they accuse others of doing?" When I actually started looking and listening to what the Conservatives had to say, I was even more shocked. I had been taught (if indirectly) that these people are supposed to be selfish, racist, and mean. When in fact, they were quite the opposite. They didn't look at people as a group (which was one thing that had often troubled me) like what liberals did, they looked at people for who they were, as individuals. These were the people seen as racist bigots? These were people who looked down on others? If anything, these people looked at everyone as equals. Then a phrase really hit me and truly convinced me.

Give a man a fish, he eats for a day.
Teach a man to fish, he'll never go hungry.

Obviously going for personal responsibility and not having to continue like a child in order to live for the rest of one's life.

[btownmeggy]

Give a man a fish, he eats for a day.
Teach a man to fish, he'll never go hungry.

BUT DON'T INCREASE MY TAXES TO PAY FOR SCHOOLS!

[Gregrios]

Yes, I went from living a selfish, ignorant, and arrogent life to living as a believer in GOD THE ALMIGHTY!

I was in jail for a month when I made this life changing decision. It was due to clear thinking as it was the 1st time in 8 years previous that I was off the weed.

When I was on the weed lots of thoughts of our existence went through my head but all seemed ridiculas once my mind was cleared of the foggyness that weed so perfectly provides.

Does that answer your question?

PS: That achy feeling you get is called "GUILT". The thoughts that are going threw your head after you read this are "THOUGHTS OF DENIAL".

No one ever said the truth would be easy to accept.

[tzor]

First of all Neoteny, you're not one of the childish CC athiests, you are one of the nice athiests ... you haven't even mentioned the sky fairy insult once as far as I can recall.

I have to admit I'm not really into changing major mindsets and so most of my cases then to be mild at best. I've had a number of minor changes in my mindset, from how I view government, to my stand on the environment and technology. But none of these have been of such magnitude to cause friends to hate or disown me.

[Snorri1234]

I've decided to change the world in favour of changing my worldview.

[PLAYER57832]

So, I ask more bluntly, "Have you ever changed your mind, or had your mind changed, about something as major as a worldview?"

Absolutely ... and if you have not, I suspect you are under 30, more probably under 20.However, I would also distinguish between "world view" (politics, etc.) and "values" (your sense of right and wrong).  Religion is a little of each.

Most people's world view changes as they become more knowledgeable about the world.    Most people's values get more like those of their parent's as they get older, even if they disagree in how those values should be "played out". 

[Snorri1234]

So, I ask more bluntly, "Have you ever changed your mind, or had your mind changed, about something as major as a worldview?"

Absolutely ... and if you have not, I suspect you are under 30, more probably under 20

I am. And you're probably right about being young.

I can't wait to have my mind changed!

[bradleybadly]

Give a man a fish, he eats for a day.
Teach a man to fish, he'll never go hungry.

BUT DON'T INCREASE MY TAXES TO PAY FOR SCHOOLS!

Bullshit, funding increases and the results almost never get better. Nobody should keep receiving money when they don't do their fucking job in the first place. You don't fix problems by throwing money at it.

[bradleybadly]

Yes, I went from living a selfish, ignorant, and arrogent life to living as a believer in GOD THE ALMIGHTY!

I was in jail for a month when I made this life changing decision. It was due to clear thinking as it was the 1st time in 8 years previous that I was off the weed.

When I was on the weed lots of thoughts of our existence went through my head but all seemed ridiculas once my mind was cleared of the foggyness that weed so perfectly provides.

Does that answer your question?

PS: That achy feeling you get is called "GUILT". The thoughts that are going threw your head after you read this are "THOUGHTS OF DENIAL".

No one ever said the truth would be easy to accept.

while I don't share your faith I do congratulate you on trying to get your head right. That had to be tough. Keep up the good fight!

[InkL0sed]

Give a man a fish, he eats for a day.
Teach a man to fish, he'll never go hungry.

BUT DON'T INCREASE MY TAXES TO PAY FOR SCHOOLS!

Bullshit, funding increases and the results almost never get better. Nobody should keep receiving money when they don't do their fucking job in the first place. You don't fix problems by throwing money at it.

Actually... much of the time you can do just that.

[Snorri1234]

You don't fix problems by throwing money at it.

Well you don't fix problems by taking away money from it either. In fact, taking money away is a sure way to insure the problem is never solved.


However, using the money wisely (as opposed to the THROWING IT AWAY idea that some people seem to have) you can solve quite a lot of issues. Money is usefull, you just have to use it in a right way.

[InkL0sed]

You don't fix problems by throwing money at it.

Well you don't fix problems by taking away money from it either. In fact, taking money away is a sure way to insure the problem is never solved.


However, using the money wisely (as opposed to the THROWING IT AWAY idea that some people seem to have) you can solve quite a lot of issues. Money is usefull, you just have to use it in a right way.

The Marshall Plan is a prime example of successful throwings of moneys.

[bradleybadly]

Well you don't fix problems by taking away money from it either. In fact, taking money away is a sure way to insure the problem is never solved.

Not necessarily, the withdrawal of money is sometimes a message sent to those who would not spend it correctly that they had better get their act together if they want it in the future.

However, using the money wisely (as opposed to the THROWING IT AWAY idea that some people seem to have) you can solve quite a lot of issues. Money is usefull, you just have to use it in a right way.

I....I....I agree with you. Damn, that hurt to say it out loud.

[Snorri1234]

Not necessarily, the withdrawal of money is sometimes a message sent to those who would not spend it correctly that they had better get their act together if they want it in the future.

True, but often enough the people from who the money is taken away can't really change much. The teachers and stuff mostly try to do their best, and they're the ones losing money. (In real money or unpaid work.)

Ofcourse, that doesn't mean that more money is neccesarily the option. I'd say the solution is decreasing the amount the middlemen get. Or scrapping several middlemen, though that's harder.

[Neoteny]

Yes, I went from living a selfish, ignorant, and arrogent life to living as a believer in GOD THE ALMIGHTY!

I was in jail for a month when I made this life changing decision. It was due to clear thinking as it was the 1st time in 8 years previous that I was off the weed.

When I was on the weed lots of thoughts of our existence went through my head but all seemed ridiculas once my mind was cleared of the foggyness that weed so perfectly provides.

Does that answer your question?

PS: That achy feeling you get is called "GUILT". The thoughts that are going threw your head after you read this are "THOUGHTS OF DENIAL".

No one ever said the truth would be easy to accept.

While we are applying labels, I think "pretentious," would be clutch for describing this post.

Actually, I was once about as liberal as one could be (my mom is very liberal in many aspects and my grandmother is about middle of the road(I was raised by my mother and grandmother)), but then I changed my views after having an epiphany of sorts in Junior High. I noticed (when I actually looked) that many of them were pompous, high strung, elitist, and yes, even quite childish. I thought to myself, "Wait, why are they like this, these people that claim to be so open minded towards the world? Why do they not see that they are being selfish and doing exactly what they accuse others of doing?" When I actually started looking and listening to what the Conservatives had to say, I was even more shocked. I had been taught (if indirectly) that these people are supposed to be selfish, racist, and mean. When in fact, they were quite the opposite. They didn't look at people as a group (which was one thing that had often troubled me) like what liberals did, they looked at people for who they were, as individuals. These were the people seen as racist bigots? These were people who looked down on others? If anything, these people looked at everyone as equals. Then a phrase really hit me and truly convinced me.

Give a man a fish, he eats for a day.
Teach a man to fish, he'll never go hungry.

Obviously going for personal responsibility and not having to continue like a child in order to live for the rest of one's life.

I am slightly surprised by this, but your reasoning sounds logical to me. I disagree, of course.

First of all Neoteny, you're not one of the childish CC athiests, you are one of the nice athiests ... you haven't even mentioned the sky fairy insult once as far as I can recall.

I've probably used it when you weren't looking; I definitely wouldn't put it past me. But there's a sense of solidarity that comes out when individuals with similar thought processes as me are insulted. Surely that's understandable.

[joecoolfrog]

Yes, I went from living a selfish, ignorant, and arrogent life to living as a believer in GOD THE ALMIGHTY!

I was in jail for a month when I made this life changing decision. It was due to clear thinking as it was the 1st time in 8 years previous that I was off the weed.

When I was on the weed lots of thoughts of our existence went through my head but all seemed ridiculas once my mind was cleared of the foggyness that weed so perfectly provides.

Does that answer your question?

PS: That achy feeling you get is called "GUILT". The thoughts that are going threw your head after you read this are "THOUGHTS OF DENIAL".

No one ever said the truth would be easy to accept.

Ive done a lot of booze and drugs in my time , like religion they can be a useful emotional crutch , but in the end I just got bored with them. As I got older I simply learnt to chill a lot more and now find I dont need any form of stimulant, you however do so I win right !
I jest of course,each to his own is my motto, but am quite serious when I say your holier than thou attitude is utterly nauseating.

[Frigidus]

Yes, I went from living a selfish, ignorant, and arrogent life to living as a believer in GOD THE ALMIGHTY!

I was in jail for a month when I made this life changing decision. It was due to clear thinking as it was the 1st time in 8 years previous that I was off the weed.

When I was on the weed lots of thoughts of our existence went through my head but all seemed ridiculas once my mind was cleared of the foggyness that weed so perfectly provides.

Does that answer your question?

PS: That achy feeling you get is called "GUILT". The thoughts that are going threw your head after you read this are "THOUGHTS OF DENIAL".

No one ever said the truth would be easy to accept.

Hm...interesting. Anyone else getting an achy feeling? I'm just not feeling it. Anyways, why would it be guilt? I've never smoked weed and don't intend to, so I don't think it's about drugs. Wait, do you mean that I should feel guilty about my current world view? That seems odd, it's not like I've taken action on it or anything...

[Gregrios]

This is good stuff!

[got tonkaed]

This is good stuff!

I suppose where id comment is that you seem to be taking a very personal experience and generalizing it perhaps too far. while it sounds like experiencing faith and finding a version of truth that has worked for you, has ended up being a positive experience, it doesnt mean it would be for everyone. Again, the fact that you believe everyone must subscribe to this version of the truth, seems to be stretching the point too far.

[Frigidus]

This is good stuff!

I suppose where id comment is that you seem to be taking a very personal experience and generalizing it perhaps too far. while it sounds like experiencing faith and finding a version of truth that has worked for you, has ended up being a positive experience, it doesnt mean it would be for everyone. Again, the fact that you believe everyone must subscribe to this version of the truth, seems to be stretching the point too far.

Not when you know you're right, I'm sure.

[protectedbygold]

Have you ever looked at your worldview, and, either on your accord, or with the help of another, changed your mind about a major aspect of your mindset?

To be honest I think I'm going through that right now. I'm not sure where I'll end up in concluding the matter but it's a totally weird experience reversing the way I've thought for some time.

[Backglass]

you haven't even mentioned the sky fairy insult once as far as I can recall.

"Sky Daddy". Please, get it right or he will be very angry.

[PLAYER57832]

When I actually started looking and listening to what the Conservatives had to say, I was even more shocked. I had been taught (if indirectly) that these people are supposed to be selfish, racist, and mean. When in fact, they were quite the opposite. .

It is shocking to find that people with whom we disagree are not necessarily "mean and nasty people".   And, of course, many who agree ... are.

But this just means we are all human ... it does not change the right or wrong of the ideas.

[savant]

no one has ever imposed a specific belief system, with regards to religion, in me while i was going up. my parents were always keen on letting me decide for myself. they did once ask me to go to sunday school, and i went. afterwards, i told them it wasn't for me and they never brought up the idea again. subsequently, my belief in higher beings is lacking and i have adopted an existentialist way of living and thinking.

my studies in college have taught me to be open-minded about anything and everything, and to question everything without blindly accepting or rejecting an idea or concept. sure, i have certain standards i uphold to, but i try to make it a point never to insult another's beliefs or way of thinking. my girlfriend is very spiritual and has a bible study group thing every tuesday and sometimes over the weekend. if i'm around for it, i usually sit in and have respectful and meaningful conversation regarding their beliefs and why certain things in the world happen or don't happen. i find it to be a lot more constructive.