It's Like Group Therapy For Atheists

I want to help, in whatever small way I can, so I'm very curious to hear your thoughts, especially in video responses, and ESPECIALLY especially, if that makes sense, from those of you that have never talked about your experiences! I know lots of ex-theists have some interesting stories, and I'd like to hear them. Talking about it would probably be cathartic. I encourage the rest of the Crocoduck Army to watch and comment on the video responses, as well, if you're interested. None of you are alone on the intertubes... Check back later to see who else has posted responses!

BornWithoutReligion's video I refer to (have a few minor quibbles with it, but it's interesting overall):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUWf-m-pakI

BlogTV: http://www.blogtv.com/people/Zaunstar
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Outro royalty-free music license info:
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode
Song URL for Dvorak Polka:
http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/index.html?genre=Polka
Artist: Kevin MacLeod

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• atheism
• ex-theist
• never-theist
• group
• therapy
• bornwithoutreligion
• belief
• persistence
• jesus
• camp
• christianity

[troother777]

Deconversion therapy is a hot topic in my community, where over the past year alone seven new atheists didn't prepare them for the change and ended up committing suicide over it. Two of them were actually lambasted on YouTube when they were simply looking for help in trying to curb their regret after losing the social life they once had as a believer / church member. We now have signs up urging people to avoid YouTube like the plague for this topic because it can get really nasty here.

[Zaunstar]

@troother777 Yes, sometimes churches can be extremely cruel when members leave. I have witnessed that too. Getting them connected to people in the Youtube community could actually be HELPFUL though, because you are getting them in contact with potential friends and new social connections. Just have to direct them to the right people that you know are caring and compassionate. I can't be everyone's counselor individually, but I'm always good for a some words of encouragement.

[meteeples]

I have very recently deconverted, and it has been very difficult. After my son died 5 years ago, I clung to religion as a way to cope. It became my crutch. I was comforted by the idea that "everything happens for a reason", "it's part of God's plan", and that I would "see him again". When I finally realized a couple of months ago that I cannot believe in God, that it just didn't add up, I had to find a new way to make sense of what happened to my son, on top of realizing I have been lied to.

[Zaunstar]

@meteeples That's sad that you lost your son. Tragic events often figure prominently in changing one's beliefs, even if they aren't directly an indication of the correctness or evidence for those beliefs. 

[TeamMuffinFTW1]

I was raised in a catholic family and they seem to kind of pretend I never said I was an atheist when I told them (Shortly before they forced me to be confirmed) My mom even went into a rage when I expressed my opinion. Also my beliefs on politics etc... usually tie into religion somewhere and I get my opinions ridiculed in my household. It's also hard to sit by and watch my parents indoctrinate my brother and sister who are only 5. Anyway...was that a reaper picture at 2:20?

[Zaunstar]

@TeamMuffinFTW1 That must be hard to watch happen. Maybe you can find ways to subvert it.

[njrosatoii]

My deconversion really wasn't a painful experience. It happened only a few months ago (I'm 16). I became good friends with an atheist and we got to talking one day (I was Catholic). After that, we had quite a few debates on the subject and I couldn't deny that he out-reasoned me. But, I still held on to my religion. Then, one day, I was inspired to do my own research on God. I found nothing but logical arguments for atheism and nothing but blind faith for theism. I dropped theism the next day.

[Zaunstar]

@superdave3408 Perhaps you can give me some specific suggestions, instead of an unhelpful general disagreement.

[hanspeterpitsch]

@troother777 Of course science can be wrong on occasion. And if it is, it corrects itself. The thing about evolution is that if you look at the evidence, it is pretty much 100% true. The DNA evidence alone would be enough to prove it, if there weren't any fossiles. The process of evolution is even used in medical science. How could we use something to our advantage if it isn't true? That would be like constructing a flying machine even though the laws of gravity wouldn't be true. Not possible.

[troother777]

@hanspeterpitsch Science gave us "olestra" and that was fun... Science permitted a lot of really stupid army training exercises-- lookup strontium-39... Orginally, smal yeild bombs were to be followed by infantry-- the idea was to do little structure damage but enough to send troops in and round up combatants and in effect stun the enemy but not make it so devastating as it had in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I know an engineer who worked with stuff like that and he died YOUNG.

[troother777]

@hanspeterpitsch I argue on both sides of the evolution arguement: science, by and large, has failed in some very surprising ways: scientists barely saved us from WWIII in 1953 when EMP from the Big Bang was discovered and at first was thought to have orginated from nuclear explosions in Russia-- this is well known. Yet the US powergrid is only 2% proteced from what is considered to be certain: a solar flare that could easily wipe it out like in Canada in 1989... 2%. WFT?!

[hanspeterpitsch]

@troother777 Yeah it's weird in the US. I mean here we have a western nation, supposedly one of the leading ones, yet about 60% of the population don't except evolution, because it contradicts a story in an ancient book which they think holds the truth about anything. I almost cannot believe that.

People respect science as long as it helps them and doesn't contradict their preconceived notions about life. Medical science, electricity etc. is fine, but evolution? No no that can't be. It's insane

[TheMightyTed]

@DefensiveChristian It is no longer relevant by our scientific standards, and is riddled with harmful ideology, there are a few good philosophical points on love and forgiveness, but the main idea of a human sacrifice scapegoat for human sin in the form of jesus is a particularly grizzly and irresponsible belief, however none of this matters really, the fact is there is no reason to believe in a being with no evidence to support its existence.

[troother777]

@hanspeterpitsch I'm with you on that, but at least here in the US religion has a stranglehold and it's odd... It's almost like US doesn't respect scientists and doctors-- c'mon! So much potential laying completely to waste... makes me wish I could have delayed my birth... ah.. oh well.

[hanspeterpitsch]

@troother777 I guess, but what are you trying to say? I did myself some research and I'm pretty much disgusted by what religion teaches and does.

Btw what does the billboard have to do with the other guy? I myself find that billboard to be quite silly, not every atheist agrees on everything, the only thing we have in common is that we don't believe there is a god.

[troother777]

@TheMightyTed So I guess the billboards for the annual Atheists of America which said, "You know there is no god!" was a typo? When an atheists does make a claim that there is no god, I send them a Carl Sagan quote which basically says for anyone to claim they know god does not exist is foolish.

[troother777]

@hanspeterpitsch That's actually very common and a way to tell if an atheist had been a deist is to listen to their criticisms about their former belief... a former believer is more apt to use an argument related to their reasons for deconversion and what they say is very polished and well-researched. Atheists who are lying about their former belief voice the same canned arguments that a non-believer uses. Their emotion toward religion is quite different as well.