2nd CD -- Julia Sweeney, Letting Go of God -- Part 6 of 6

[SevSevenDotCom]

she dead yet?

[vincentsclone]

Legoland? I like the way Mulan thinks. :3

[xkcman]

thanks 4 the post

[scionicspectre]

You know, I think some of my family members should listen to this, just because it goes through the way I became an atheist so very well. Even that whole spaz episode after thinking 'there is no God'. What a priceless story!

You know, I think few fundamentalists would remain so ardently annoyed at atheists if they heard this.

[GarionML]

Thanks for the post. Richard Dawkins mentioned Ms. Sweeney in his lecture in Virginia in 2006 (which you can find here on YouTube) and this has certainly been a pleasure to listen to!

[GoldenCrusader93]

@GarionML

i already listen to her show beacause she was mentioned in dawkins book

[jackalvulture]

This is what I want from people talking about their understanding of their lives. It's not preachy, it's not trying to force people and it's what (imo) most of the people in the world go through. It was shown in such a humorous way that it was drawing me in rather than grate on me. Really appreciate this being up here.

[SmileyMcCrazy]

Thank you. thank you. thank you. thank you.

[MrBrent123t]

That was really good, thank you so much for uploading it. I actually broke down and cried when she talked about her fathers death, because I know what its like to lose your father. But I laughed out loud too, and that's what life is about, pleasure and pain...

[ytfarmer90]

THANK YOU

[Unbeginner]

That was really worth listening to. Thank you Julia Sweeney.

[redball81]

@Unbeginner i wonder if julia intended it that way :). i personally dont even know what legoland is but it sounds like maybe a theme park or something....

[virumoz]

Legoland? Leggoland... Let-Go land... letting go... of god. (Badum-tish)

[redball81]

@virumoz Wow I love double entendres (& I like to think I usually get them) but I totally missed that!!!

[Katalyzt]

An interesting journey. ★★★★★

Katalyzt

[carryall69]

wonderfull..

[biomanwin]

I know she can't hear me, but I was clapping as well.

[offwithurhead]

@botwindfish yeh right... sure if it makes you feel special

that's the problem with christians, you always try to "fix" or "enlighten" people when in reality you're a sad human being who loves to feed off all that crap just so you wouldn't be stuck with the idea that you don't matter and after you die you just... die

[ZachTHEeuphorian]

beautiful. simply amazing

[SuperArnie]

This is a truly fascinating, whole and touching story. I'm very glad Dawkins mentioned Julia Sweeney and pointed me to her. Her story covers personal doubt, rational thought and all those mixed emotions one experiences, when contemplating the existence of God, a God or any God for that matter. It touched me and came very close to many thoughts and feelings I've had in many years of atheism. Thoughts and feelings I had, but never was able to put in words. Thanks Julia, thanks magnusmentis

[spikutus]

I really enjoyed this monologue! I also was raised Catholic and am now religion free. Her experiences ring true. Especially the part about how much greater life seems when you let go of the idea of God. It's like someone takes the bag off of your head and you can see clearly for the first time. I remember that moment well.

[grauekatze]

@spikutus

While I was raised vaguely lutheran the same happened to me.. a great moment.

[caliche1985]

Thanks for posting this man. It's amazing.

I'm already an atheist, so it's not a conversion thing or anything, but as a narrative it's lovely and inspiring.

[colourfulwithaU]

This is great. I really hope you'll eventually post 'God Said Ha!'.

[binarysolo2]

so beautiful....

[vinniechan]

lol

She is good.

[t3tsuyaguy1]

@botwindfish How about you just share with the rest of us what you learned, or where to find it for ourselves?

[armenianweirdo]

I just listened to this whole beautiful monologue, and multiple times I thought "If only she discovered Alan Watts...". I guess in the back of my mind I thought she might at the end. She kind of did when she said something about Now being all there was, but there's so much more to get out of "Atheism" if you want to call it that. Alan Watts is not necessary to get a lot out of "Atheism", but I've enjoyed him thoroughly lately, and recommend him to everybody.

[mentat37]

I thank God every day that I'm an atheist.

[dsdougharty]

It seems to me that clearing her mind of god made her a better performer.

[IlseSparks]

I enjoyed listening to this very much. Having been raised as an atheist (it's more complicated that, but that's not relevant) I don't think I had ever grasped the struggle that came with the transition to changing views. Lovely monologue.

[Rambl3On]

I loved this monologue. It has a perfect balance of humor and poignancy. I can really relate it to my path to becoming an atheist. Although I'm now no longer a strict atheist, the struggle with faith/life is universal.

[reafdaw01]

@Rambl3On What are yyou then now?

And why? I'm really curious, for me it is impossible to ununders

[Rambl3On]

I'm still 100% atheist in the definition that i don't believe in god or deities.I also used to be very anti-theist, until recently.All my openly atheist friends are both.I guess I used to see them as the same.I practice Zen Buddhism, which is itself atheistic,but I guess I just don't feel like it fit in with the whole materialistic hard atheists that HATE anything "spiritual." I guess I just kinda said it weird in the last post,Its just a matter of semantics.Don't worry,I'm no backslider. lol

[reafdaw01]

@Rambl3On That's a relieve ;-)

Have you read sam Harris book? He is very spiritual and also practises budism. He also doesn't like the word atheism - might be interesting to read.

[Spiderwoman77]

I really loved Julia's story.

It reminded me a lot of certain struggles I went through when I was losing my belief in God.

I think it's great to see an example of someone who isn't just leaving the church because of rebellion and evil desires.

She's a person who genuinely cared about intimately knowing who God was and humble enough to see truth and examine it in a way she didn't plan on.

Reminds me of my path of not liking Christian god then trying other religions before final conclusion.

[Caesar512]

bravo!

[wilfredthebold]

Well, Pope Benedict did abolish limbo (the ethereal realm where unbaptized babies spend eternity for original sin) back in '07. They're on the right track.

Next comes original sin, then transubstantiation, hell, heaven, angels, saints, prophets, the holy spirit, Jesus, and God.

[kinabear]

Thumbs'd you up after some ignorant fuck tried to thumbs you down. I recommend everyone else thumbs up wilfredthebold to prevent the abolishment of truth.

[wilfredthebold]

Aww shucks, kinabear :)

[MrBrent123t]

@wilfredthebold Here's hoping...

[fruitofspirit]

Yes, thank you so much for adding this. ~I still believe that Christ is the Saviour of the world~ but I also believe Sweeney is aboslutely lovable, a comic genius, & a good mom...like me. LOL!

;)

[kinabear]

Sure you do.

[fruitofspirit]

LOL - "sure I do" what? Believe Christ is the Saviour or that Sweeney's loveable?

[weirdloopyloo]

Thank you so much for putting this up. I think I might buy this CD now it was so wonderful, I'd only ever heard excerpts before!

[Videocutus]

Thank you, Julia, for expressing not only your own evolutionary epiphany, but my own and countless others as well.

Another interesting little book is Scott Adam's, "God's Debris: A Thought Experiment."

That book entered into my mind a paradox I had never before considered: resolving the mutually exclusive ideas of "free will" with supernatural "omnipotence." I've yet to find anyone who can. No matter how hard they try, religionists cannot do it. Both cannot mutually exist.

[Domzdream]

FANTASTIC!

[WhiteDragon103]

It became very sad near the ending. When the subject became that of our meaning and what significance our existence has, that we die and we'll never our loved ones ever again when they die-- If I wasn't on antidepressants I'd probably be crying. My heartrate picked up and I felt a knot in my stomach. But I liked what she said, however melancholic - "Maybe by using fantasy we allow ourselves to glimpse something even greater than we'd otherwise be able to."

[jamespandavan]

I never thought I could bear a woman's monologue for 5 mins. Guess what, I listened both the CDs non-stop for 2 hrs. :)

[offwithurhead]

@jamespandavan me too:D intriguing...:D

[DazedConfused989]

I've been looking for this talk for about a year, Thank you for posting it. It was absolutely amazing.

[hkdtech]

Wow.

I think I'll be purchasing this post-haste.

Thank you for posting it, magnusmentis.

This has changed me - even if only a very small bit - in a good way, I think.

I am a relatively new atheist and listening to this was like breathing fresh air for the first time.

[magnusmentis]

Alphacause, your welcome! I listened to the whole thing through right away. It drew me to listen. I identified with her strongly with the experiences she had with her family, with catholism, mormonism. I'm Jewish, but I guess all religions have the same essense so that I could also identify.

[redlightklondike]

fantastic! loved every minute of it. felt like she described my life in many ways.

[alphacause]

magnusmentis, thank you so much for posting this entire talk of Julia Sweeney's. I have read and watched videos for years about the rational side of atheism and naturalism, which are replete with mostly logic arguments and evidence. I have completely ignored the emotional side of the journey from theism to atheism, which is just as important. Julia Sweeney has illuminated that very well. Thanks for sharing it with the YouTube community.

[Spiderwoman77]

I agree with the benefit of portraying the emotional side. Lots of atheists who grew up atheist kinda just don't understand what it's like to go from Christian to non Christian.

It's not an "oh wow science makes more sense let's move on" thing. It really is a struggle that often takes YEARS.

[dallased25]

Agreed. For myself and several atheists I know, it took several years. I was a Christian for the first 18 years of my life and declared myself an agnostic at 20 and finally accepted there was no god at 23. It was no easy journey. It took years of studying and debating and learning. Most Christians don't understand what a struggle it really is, or what we went through to get there.

[km6xz]

@dallased25 For me, I never knew any other way but naturalism so often overlooked how much of struggle it really is for people to face learning an entirely new concept of self, their relationship with nature and life. I've sat up many nights with friends and partners sharing those thoughts while they struggled but this monologue was really a revelation for me to see how deep that struggle is. The questioning is the first step and the hardest.

[dallased25]

Questioning is the first and hardest step, especially when you are taught to do the opposite. As a child, I remember specifically in Sunday school being told to be quiet when I wanted to ask questions. So it was hard to do that even being older. The most difficult part was dealing with everyone around me once they found out. For some it was frightening, for others it was enraging. I was the same person, just now without belief in a god, but they treated me as if I had committed murder.

[km6xz]

@dallased25 Since it seems so "normal" to be surrounded by other believers, believers can't "believe" someone is not.  In the 50s the Cub Scouts found out I did not believe so I was interrogated for an hour, and threatened to be kicked out The den mother tried to get me to lie and just tell the district head office that I was really a believer but was just joking with them. The 4 not-very-happy or kind adults browbeating a scared little boy of 7 is my most firm memory of the cub scouts.