Admitted to be being a non-believer.

[FLyellowdog]

My former high school friend and college roommate felt the need to warn me tonight about the "spirits" that may or may not be visiting me.

It seems that there used to be ghost stories repeated about the area where I'm visiting. Reports of ghosts on the mountain used to keep some young teenagers from parking in the apple orchards years ago(some,but not all :blush:). Well, someone reminded me of these on FaceBook which prompted lots of posts/comments from various people. Good times were had by all.

BUT, today I got a personal message warning me that there really are spirits out there, both good and bad and my roommate is concerned for my safety. She says to call for my guardian angel to help me when the spirits come around. She will pray for my safety. etc.etc.etc.

REALLY? This college educated, successful business woman...believes in "ghosts/spirits"? This blows my mind.

She's also waaaaaayyyyyy to the right in politics (you aren't surprised, are you?). She's a huge Beck/O'Reilly/Limbaugh Obama hater. It's just about more than i can bear.

So I had to reply that I'm not a believer in the hope that she won't feel the need to pass this information along to me unsolicited. It's really the first time I've ever actually told a friend that I don't believe in a god. I'm guessing she'll take me off her Christmas Card list. Oh well.....:shrug:

[demosincebirth]

1. Whats your point?

[FLyellowdog]

2. I don't think I have one....just sharing.

[pscot]

3. It's a little disconcerting

to learn that someone you know well believes in fairies.

[davidinalameda]

4. why?

[Arugula Latte]

8. Because this is the 21st century and we don't live in a medieval village?

:shrug:

[FLyellowdog]

21. "They" just seem to be everywhere

and poison everything around us. "They" being the more fanatic believers. I don't have a problem with anyone believing what they think they need to, but some of that stuff is just plain beyond the pale. And please, don't even think of pushing it on me. :hide:

[timtom]

83. What's really interesting about this thread:

"...don't even think of pushing it on me." Yet you, and others on this thread, are quite evangelical about your non-belief, thus pushing it off on others who might not share your world-view.

Evangelical.

[FLyellowdog]

85. I disagree.

I don't go around every nook and cranny asking people if they are atheist or try to turn them into non-believers or implying to them personally that I think they ought to believe any differently. I do not "witness" for atheism. It's quite a different story with believers who actively try to endoctrinate others to their religious beliefs.

[sufrommich]

34. +1 nt.

[NeedleCast]

50. For the same reason I'd be wary of an 35 year old who believes in Santa Clause

[GoneOffShore]

74. I'm 62 and I don't believe in Santa Claus but I DO believe in Santa Clause

He brings commas, colons and semi-colons!

Every year!

And the occasional pluperfect subjunctive!

[Manifestor_of_Light]

75. Don't forget the elves -- they are Subordinate Clauses.

:rofl:

[GoneOffShore]

78. Manifestor shoots and scores!

Crowd goes wild.


And what is your Unitiarian Jihad name?

Mine is Brother Nail Gun of Loving Kindness.

Of course, I'm a lapsed Unitarian.

[msanthrope]

80. Not if Santa files a 1099 on them--then they are Independent Clauses. n/t

[msanthrope]

81. Double post.

[FLyellowdog]

9. I know...sort of scary. nt

[AndrewP]

51. It's very troubling

[KansasVoter]

5. Nice post....

And I am shocked so many people believe in weird stuff!

[FLyellowdog]

11. ty.

[FLyellowdog]

12. ty.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. It is shocking for believers

To find a non believer in the flesh. Them fairies will get you now for sure...

Good for you by the way.

[FLyellowdog]

13. I wouldnd't mind a few fairies in my garden...

magic dust is so pretty at sunset. :silly:

[nadinbrzezinski]

15. Faerie meat... A gmae that drives

Them nuts. Of course nothing like DnD to drive some over the edge!

Hey my paladin just went to hell you know.

:hi:

[Dr.Phool]

35. If they would at least water my tomatoes and brocolli.

They'd be useful for something.

[Arugula Latte]

7. More of us need to "come out" so society can see how many of us there are.

Your friend's embrace of irrationality apparently extends into politics. It figures.

[tblue37]

56. Richard Dawkins has a website, where among other things, he

promotes his "Out" program for atheists to do just that: http://www.richarddawkins.net

Edited to fix link.

[FLyellowdog]

86. Thanks for the link. nt

[Luminous Animal]

10. A few years ago, my therapist dropped me because I admitted I was an atheist.

[FLyellowdog]

14. That's pretty bad....

I hope you found someone who was a real professional.

[Luminous Animal]

16. It was pretty bad. I had recently been diagnosed with cancer and she was

urging me to tap into greater power. Her dismissal really threw me for a loop and I felt rudderless for a while. I may not believe in god/s but I do believe in people.

[FLyellowdog]

18. When my son had a brain tumor,

someone asked "Don't you have faith in god?" My response was, "No, but I do have faith in the neurosurgeons."

I hope you are well and happy. :hi:

[Luminous Animal]

19. I am. It has been 9 years. (Wow!) I hope your son is doing well, too.

Thank you!!

[FLyellowdog]

23. Yes, he's 1 1/2 years after surgery

and almost 100% back to normal...even going to be new daddy in January. Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville was fantastic. And thank goodness he had good insurance! So glad you're a survivor...stay that way.
:hug:

[Greyhound]

22. I hope she sued the crap out of that charlatan. n/t

[jdp349]

61. sounds like a hack with a degree to me

[rucky]

70. That was probably for the best. n/t

[Luminous Animal]

71. It was.

[Solly Mack]

17. People around me have been known to go 'tharn' when told I'm an atheist.

I have to fight the giggles and the intense desire to say "Boo!" when they do....

[hatrack]

60. "Tharn"!

:rofl:

Thank you, that was refreshing!

:hi:

[Greyhound]

20. "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public"

H. L. Mencken

As true today as then.

[FLyellowdog]

24. The ignorance of our nation is mindboggling.

But it wouldn't be so bad if these people weren't trying to make our laws and run our country.

[orleans]

25. well, i guess you can chalk me up (to a degree) with your friend

i consider myself to be an atheist as i do not believe in a "god" or "deity" however i do believe in an "afterlife" and "ghosts" and "spirits." i attribute this in part to having seen a deceased relative when i was five or six years old--it scared the crap out of me--she looked just like she always had and was solid and not transparent, and she spoke to me. it frightened me so much i didn't remember the incident until i was twelve years old.

that, and the fact that my grandmother's side of the family were really into spiritualism. two of my cousins also saw "ghosts" when they were kids. we didn't learn about our grandmother & supernatural interests until we were in our teens--she was a "reader" and a "psychic" (locating lost children & such)

although i'm not a "Beck/O'Reilly/Limbaugh Obama hater" i am a college graduate and own my own business.

[Merlot]

26. An atheist who believes in an afterlife!

Nice. I'm sure that twists some religious peoples brains into little tiny knots. I was once told that atheists had no morals because they didn't have god to answer to.

[orleans]

28. well, i guess just because someone believes in an afterlife

doesn't mean they have to believe in a god. (take me for example)

and i have pretty good morals as well.

damn! i guess i'm just sooo complex...

;-) :D :7

[FLyellowdog]

38. I wish someone could do research on the % of atheists

who do bad things as contrasted to % of "believers" who do bad things. Guess that's an impossible task but seems like the churches are filled with a lot of immoral people.

[FLyellowdog]

37. Well, there's always another side to everything..

You've certainly had a weird experience and if I saw a "spirit" I'd probably change my mind too. No hard feelings though...I'm sorry if I offended you with my college/business owner comment. Sometimes I go a little overboard. :hi:

[Kind of Blue]

27. Well, consider yourself exposed to more diversity.

One exception though, many of us college educated people who own successful business and are believers are not waaay to the right politically. You obviously don't need it, want it nor care for the belief, but why the need to lump us all into the "huge Beck/O'Reilly/Limbaugh Obama hater" category :shrug:

[FLyellowdog]

39. I know, I know...I already apoligized to Orleans for the comment.

Please don't hate me :cry:....I think I was just mostly taken aback by my friend's belief in evil spirits/ghosts with which I have had no experience...not necessarily her belief in her god. Again, I offended where I shouldn't have gone. :hi:

[Kind of Blue]

67. Oh, No hate here!

:hi: I totally understand. I really wouldn't like repeatedly getting unsolicited stuff that I'm totally not into. :hug:

[apocalypsehow]

29. Blah, blah, blah...Look, if you're not a "believer," why don't you just BE one, and not believe?

:shrug:

Much protesting, too much. :eyes:

[Arugula Latte]

33. What, people aren't supposed to discuss issues and milestones?

This was a significant incident for the poster -- the first time they'd told a friend they weren't a believer. For a lot of people that actually takes courage, given our fanatically religious society. If you don't want to discuss it why even comment or click on the link? This is supposed to be a discussion board. But, I forgot, atheists are supposed to shut up at all times; meanwhile the religious can spout off at any time because that's their "faith" and we're "intolerant" if we don't just nod and go along with that 100 percent of the time.

[FLyellowdog]

42. Good on you. nt

[FLyellowdog]

40. Not at all.

When all (and I mean ALL) my friends are believers and Bible Belt believers at that, I feel a little isolated sometimes and I have to admit...a little afraid to admit that I'm not in that category. It was just a statement about a new step I'd taken. Nothing more, nothing less.

[hfojvt]

30. wait until you see her face

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfuBREMXxts

[FLyellowdog]

41. Thanks. I needed that. nt

[David Zephyr]

31. I think you did the right thing as long as you were polite about it.

:)

[FLyellowdog]

43. I was. Told her we could agree to disagree in certain areas

and appreciate the things that brought us together in the first place. I haven't heard back from her yet. I hope she understands. :hi:

[rasputin1952]

32. The question I have is, why even worry about it?

Every society has had such things; you can either accept or deny them. I've seen/heard things that were "unexplainable" at different times, usually an explanation was forthcoming after some investigating.

On the other hand, if you wake up w/the Burger King guy outside your window or offering you a sandwich in bed, I would say their is a very evil spirit out there.

[FLyellowdog]

46. I'm not quite sure

but for some reason, it makes me feel uneasy when discussions about such things come up within a group of friends. I don't know how to respond without sounding condescending which I really don't want to do. But I guess I can't help it sometimes. This is an area I'll work on.

Oh, and the Burger King guy....if he offers me a sandwich in bed, how can he be evil? :hi:

[rasputin1952]

54. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound condesceding myself...

I've done studies of the histories of such things, and have found that virtually every culture has had such "situations". Generally because of ignorance of what may be going on but also because, like all of us around a campfire...love to be scared...:)

Night time seems to bring out the worst in "fears", generally because many hunters are nocturnal. When we add that the rods and cones of the retina are far out of whack, it takes a long time to get fired up rods "back to normal".

Great Spirits, numerous and sundry gods, some quite bloodthirsty. ghosts, phantoms, abound throughout history. Galileo was lucky he didn't die because of hid heliocentric belief and proof. I've seen things I cannot explain, I've heard things I cannot explain.

I should say that these "reality" spook shows bug me to death. If they find something, fine, other than that, shut the junk down...:)

[RufusTFirefly]

55. Surely you still believe that eclipses occur when God is angry with us

Gosh, I hope so.

[rasputin1952]

58. But then he's happy again, so said eclipse vanishes...

:D

[RufusTFirefly]

59. Yup. That's all part of His plan.

These eclipses are shots across the Celestial Bow that are designed to make us all more virtuous.

[FLyellowdog]

64. Well, it worked for me one time.

Wait. No it didn't. Carry on.

[arbusto_baboso]

36. You've just made yourself your friend's "conversion project".

You do know that, don't you?

[FLyellowdog]

47. Oh gosh, I know!!!!!

She'll be praying for me and putting my name on every prayer list she knows. I don't mind that, but I'd really rather she do something for the poor invalid old man down the street or the sickly child next door or the homeless woman under the bridge. There are so many people who need tangible help...but that's just how I myself feel.

[NNN0LHI]

44. This area where your visiting has an old grain silo near it doesn't it?

[FLyellowdog]

48. No...not that I know of.

[ladywnch]

45. I had a friend (religious wacko) who started sending me

(unsolicited) 'left behind' videos.....with the notation "very powerful stuff". Uh huh..... powerful......

when I initially watched it I burst out laughing.... I couldn't figure out why the 'left behind' were crying and carrying on.... I thought they were upset their cohorts had 'disappeared'... it took me a while to realize they were upset because they didn't get taken..... I actually thought they were the lucky ones! LOL

And, I admit, I wasn't too tactful when I told her I was an atheist and to quit sending me this crap but I was sick and tired of her trying to shove religion down my throat....and yes, she is one of these fundies....

Finally after the 2008 elections and she sent me a link to her blog where she recounts how Obama is not legally able to be president (birther) and I told her to remove me from her blog mailings, I've never heard from her again..... we'd been friends for over 10 years......absolute proof religion is divisive. :sarcasm:

[FLyellowdog]

52. Sorry you lost your friend.

I simply don't have the "God Gene". I've read there is scientific research that demonstrates how "religious" experiences can be chemically produced in the brain by various stimuli.I found "The God Delusion" very interesting and read a lot about why humans create religious beliefs in the first place. Very interesting indeed.

Oh well, it's another day. :hi:

[Statistical]

49. What does ghosts have to do w/ God?

I saw a Ghost once on the movie Ghostbusters but I don't think it was a religious film. If it was then I guess I missed the message.

[FLyellowdog]

53. Maybe you just weren't paying attention!

I think my friend took my FaceBook posts too seriously when I said (now get this...) that someone had turned off my tv while I was watching it...friends started posting about the old ghost stories in the area and this particular friend felt the need to warn me that there really are evil spirits among us...Well, the truth is, this house is located somewhere near an electrical interfence that will trigger remote controlled devices. The ceiling fan, the table lamp, car alarm, the tv, etc.,and from time to time these things receive a signal and respond. No big deal...just a fun thing to post on FaceBook. But my friend thinks I really should be careful and call on my guardian angel when these things happen.

It was just more than I could fathom.

And by the way,"I ain't 'fraid of no ghosts." At least not until I actually see one. Then all bets are off!
:hide:

[orleans]

76. i have to tell you this--i think it's funny

when you said: "But my friend thinks I really should be careful and call on my guardian angel when these things happen" reminds me of a girl i met in high school who was told me she was a "born again" --which surprised me because, although she was very nice, she was a bit on the wild side and that's why we initially became friends. anyway, when i told her about how i saw one of my older relatives who had passed when i was only a little kid she told me it was the devil. i was a bit taken aback with that--the devil? why the fuck would the devil do something like that? and she said to try and trick me--then she went on and on about the devil luring little kids and whatever. i told her: "just because i saw a ghost and i believe in ghosts doesn't mean i believe in all that other shit."

i also bring this up because i read post 57 by nmmng and it reminded me of the girl from high school and her devil "explanation"

[NMMNG]

57. You might have lost a friend

I lost a long time friend when I came out as an atheist. All said I didn't really lose much (long story).

Then again she might look at you as a challenge. After all, Jesus said to preach the gospel to everyone, yadda yadda. So don't be at all surprised if she starts preaching at you left and right, praying for you more frequently, asking you to church, etc. She may even invite church friends to help her convert the evil out of you.



Frankly, you'd be better off with the former option.

[ladywnch]

63. oh, she did all those things...... harping on me to go to church with her

praying for my 'heathen soul'...etc.... the really funny thing is she does not believe herself to be 'religous'....she was totally gob smacked when I told her I thought she religious. When you can't go 5 minutes in a conversation without invoking god's name, make reference to praying, or what god did for you today, yeah, YOU'RE RELIGIOUS!!!!

[NMMNG]

69. You mean she didn't claim

"I'm not religious...I have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ". That's the latest technique of the fundies. Funny how they're not religious, yet they're the first to whine about how their "religious freedoms" are being trampled.

Don't even get me started how they're always whining about LGBT people "flaunting it" when they wear 100lbs of Jesus Bling and can't go five minutes without preaching their religion at people....

[Manifestor_of_Light]

77. I see women wearing big silver cross earrings.

Silver cross charm bracelets, silver cross necklaces.

Everytime I see that kind of advertising, I think, "Hmm, that lady must have a serious vampire problem."

[GoneOffShore]

79. You're on a roll!

I'm stealing that one.

[FLyellowdog]

87. One can never be too careful. nt

[ladywnch]

82. you've met her!!!!!! lol n/t

[FLyellowdog]

84. One would think so! nt

[FLyellowdog]

65. Please.....

the ghosts are scary enough. :hide:

[jdp349]

62. When people believe in stupid shit

you as a rational thinker are morally obligated to fuck with them using whatever nonsense they believe. Have fun!

[FLyellowdog]

66. But won't I go to hell?

:rofl:

[malaise]

68. I understand exactly how you feel

I run into people like that every day of the week.

[Curmudgeoness]

72. I have stopped keeping quiet about not believing in god.

Used to be easier to just sit with my mouth shut. But it has gotten out of hand with the god people and it is time to speak out. You will not be sorry, but be prepared for lots of people not believing you, or praying for your soul.

[FLyellowdog]

73. Thanks. nt

[mudplanet]

88. Time for a little payback

This woman isn't your "friend." Her "visions" and premonitions are her mind's way of expressing her malicious feelings and intent toward you. Ordinary, sane people call them dreams.

She probably isn't really in control of herself or capable of being responsible for her behavior but she ought to leave you alone.

I'd make up a story to send to her about how I was reading the bible the other night and suddenly an angel appeared and surrounded me with white light and told me that he was protecting me from all evil spirits but then went on the say that the old friend who sent him was in grave danger from satan and that I was afraid (pretty sure) the angel meant her.

She probably be so busy casting spells and chasing ghosts she'll leave you alone for awhile.

Or just send her this message in Hebrew and let her chew on it awhile. She'll probably think it's a curse: בבקשה ללכת ולהשאיר אותי לבד אתה אידיוט מטופש (please go away and leave me alone you silly twit)