fremenist's recent activity
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Comment on I'm interested in attempting to talk about your beliefs and opinions surrounding religion, spirituality, and "God" in ~talk
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Comment on Fallout 76 | Teaser trailer in ~games
fremenist Link ParentI agree with this. I'm so bad at video games I usually don't enjoy multiplayer because I just get slaughtered. I enjoy long form single player games.I agree with this. I'm so bad at video games I usually don't enjoy multiplayer because I just get slaughtered. I enjoy long form single player games.
I was raised in a church (maybe more of a cult) in the western United States. The church I was a part of was profoundly into the supernatural. They believed in and practiced faith healings, speaking in tongues, exorcisms, being “slain in the spirit”, prophecies and all the like. “Jesus Camp” is a decent example of what it was like.
I was homeschooled for my whole life until I went to college. I had always been interested in science so naturally that’s what I studied. I had been taught about a 6,000 year old earth with an intelligent designer for my whole life.
In my first year I was taking a cell biology course. A key concept in this course was evolution. After much wrestling with myself I came to really appreciate evolution and how obvious and beautiful it was. I came to the conclusion that god created and facilitated evolution.
A few months later, Ken Ham was going to debate Bill Nye. Not knowing who Ken Ham was, I was expecting a Christian who would intelligently, rationally and scientifically defend creationism. Anyone who has seen the debate can tell you that that is not what I got. The debate left me confused, a little angry and desperately wanting more. It was the catalyst that lead to a years long journey for truth and peace.
I discovered that I am an atheist and can’t really say that I ever truly believed in God or Christianity. Coming out as an atheist ruined my life. My parents don’t speak to me. Siblings don’t speak to me. Many friends don’t speak to me. I’m not allowed to see my niece.
At the same time, I find the world to be a much more beautiful place than it was when I was a “believer”. I find I’m happier and more at peace.
Some books that helped me along the way in case anyone who reads this is also struggling with deconversion/doubt: Cat’s Cradle -Kurt Vonnegut, Undeinable - Bill Nye, Siddartha - Hesse, The Bible, Waking Up - Sam Harris and many more.