Category Archives: Atheism

Story highlights A new helpline is believed to be the first for people suffering from a loss of faith Founded by the group Recovering From Religion, 1-84-I-DOUBT-IT launched on Friday.

He's been a Christian for 20 years but can't believe in the Bible anymore. He hasn't told his friends or family and still sits, uneasy, in church each Sunday.

"I feel like I'm lying," he tells the woman on the other end of the phone. "I'm pretending to be a person that I'm not.

"But what if I'm wrong?" he asks. "Will I go to hell?"

"Hmmm..." the woman says, after stumbling through an awkward answer. "I thought you weren't going to make this hard."

If this call had been real, the woman says, she would have dissuaded the man from falling for Pascal's Wager, the argument that it's better to believe in God because -- well, hell is an awfully hot place to spend eternity.

But the call wasn't real. The man and woman are volunteers training for 1-84-I-DOUBT-IT, believed to be the country's first helpline for people wrestling with religion, suffering from a loss of faith, or confused about why their son or wife seems to have suddenly embraced atheism.

Founded by the group Recovering From Religion and cobbled together with a small budget, the helpline launched on Friday. Nearly 100 volunteers are ready to field calls 24/7 on the weekends and from 6-12 Central Time on weeknights.

Calls will be kept confidential and the callers can remain anonymous, said Sarah Morehead, Recovering From Religion's executive director. There's no physical call center; instead volunteers and callers are connected through a virtual private network

The volunteer agents, who are not licensed counselors or therapists, will not steer callers toward atheism, Morehead said. Rather, they will offer a sympathetic ear and practical tips for finding secular or religious communities. One script they can use, for example, asks callers about their beliefs and matches them with local congregations. Other guidelines direct callers with serious problems to secular therapists or, if necessary, a suicide hotline.

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Losing my religion: Hotline helps would-be atheists

Story highlights A new helpline is believed to be the first for people suffering from a loss of faith Founded by the group Recovering From Religion, 1-84-I-DOUBT-IT launched on Friday.

He's been a Christian for 20 years but can't believe in the Bible anymore. He hasn't told his friends or family and still sits, uneasy, in church each Sunday.

"I feel like I'm lying," he tells the woman on the other end of the phone. "I'm pretending to be a person that I'm not.

"But what if I'm wrong?" he asks. "Will I go to hell?"

"Hmmm..." the woman says, after stumbling through an awkward answer. "I thought you weren't going to make this hard."

If this call had been real, the woman says, she would have dissuaded the man from falling for Pascal's Wager, the argument that it's better to believe in God because -- well, hell is an awfully hot place to spend eternity.

But the call wasn't real. The man and woman are volunteers training for 1-84-I-DOUBT-IT, believed to be the country's first helpline for people wrestling with religion, suffering from a loss of faith, or confused about why their son or wife seems to have suddenly embraced atheism.

Founded by the group Recovering From Religion and cobbled together with a small budget, the helpline launched on Friday. Nearly 100 volunteers are ready to field calls 24/7 on the weekends and from 6-12 Central Time on weeknights.

Calls will be kept confidential and the callers can remain anonymous, said Sarah Morehead, Recovering From Religion's executive director. There's no physical call center; instead volunteers and callers are connected through a virtual private network

The volunteer agents, who are not licensed counselors or therapists, will not steer callers toward atheism, Morehead said. Rather, they will offer a sympathetic ear and practical tips for finding secular or religious communities. One script they can use, for example, asks callers about their beliefs and matches them with local congregations. Other guidelines direct callers with serious problems to secular therapists or, if necessary, a suicide hotline.

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1-800-DOUBTS: New helpline for troubled atheists

Atheism Explained
Atheism has always been a "religion" that does not want to be defined or classified as a #39;religion. #39; In this video, I will explain what Atheism is in basic t...

By: Tallandlightify

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Atheism Explained - Video

Atheism Is Money - A Response To Brett Keane
Brett Keane is a hypocritical, lying idiot and today I intend to prove it. Brett #39;s video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3x0RUE2f9b0 Dendrophilian #39;s video: ...

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Atheism Is Money - A Response To Brett Keane - Video

Editor: I cannot sit idly by while a belief system gets completely misrepresented in The Times opinion section. The response from James Paulgaard (The Times, Feb. 17) brings into the debate a completely debunked point of atheistic governments committing atrocities, when those governments are wedded to no religion.

I must clarify this point, although it digresses from Robert Rocks original letter (The Times, Feb. 12). Atheism is simply a lack of belief.

Totalitarian regimes like the USSR and Cambodia of the 20th century simply replaced religion with leader worship. They still included faith in the dear leader and an unquestioning attitude towards their governments. A little critical thinking and a good look at their policies and practices clears this right up.

Until a society or country decides to raise their young for generations with an enlightenment attitude among the works of great thinkers like Spinoza, Einstein, Thomas Paine, Bertrand Russell, Phillip Larkin, Richard Dawkins, and Christopher Hitchens, just to name a few, you cannot even know how a true atheistic society would be put into practice.

When you have rational thought and reasonable thinking combined with literature, science, philosophy and critical thinking put into place, you might have a good start. Even then, atheism is simply a lack of belief. Stalin and Hitler both had moustaches, but this doesnt mean than moustaches caused the genocide of millions of innocents.

This gets away from the debate of what right and influence does a private university have over its students sexual preferences and conduct? I for one am in favour of human rights for all. That being said, I dont believe a private university should be forced to hold views contrary to their belief doctrine.

While I am conflicted, in the end I do believe in basic human rights trumping discrimination. I respect a persons right to believe in whatever religion they happen to practise, just so long as it doesnt hurt others.

I would expect the same courtesies for those who lack belief, but I will not stand silent while certain people conflate and misrepresent a position I am proud to hold.

Zak Graham,

Langley

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Atheism is simply a lack of belief

Chapel H Shooting Atheism to blame? Sam Harris GlennGreenwald
Podcast/Page: Sam Harris http://www.samharris.org/blog/item/the-chapel-hill-murders-and-militant-atheism.

By: PondWalden

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Chapel H Shooting Atheism to blame? Sam Harris & GlennGreenwald - Video

Not content with the Communist Partys Marxist atheism, many officials in the Chinese regime seek out the friendship and services of Buddhist monks and Daoist mystics to help them through their tumultuous careers. The officials are in it for advice, good fortune, and even clemency for misdeeds.

While monks and Daoist cultivators of antiquity may have kept away from the chaos of the secular world, their modern counterparts, branded by official Communist ideology as superstitious, have turned the position into a profitable line of work.

According to the Hong Kong-based Phoenix magazine, Yang Weize, the ousted municipal Communist Party secretary in eastern Chinas city of Nanjing, maintained a close relationship with Buddhist abbot Shi Chuanzhen. Following Yangs downfall at the hands of the regimes disciplinary agency, Phoenix released a number of photos showing the party boss and Buddhist monk together.

Shi told the Southern Weekly, a Chinese newspaper, that officials would come to him for consultation about their troubled careers or lives, or seek advice for the auspicious scheduling of events such as weddings.

Other communist officials donated large sums of money to Xuanzang Temple, which Shi Chuanzhen heads, hoping to gain clemency for committing sinful deeds.

In Shis reception room at the Xuanzang Temple, photographs showing the abbot with local and central high-ranking Communist Party officials were hung up all over the walls, according to the Southern Weekly report. Yang Weize had also visited the temple.

Other officials who had made friends with Shi were also sacked, including former Nanjing Mayor Ji Jiangye and Feng Yajun, a member of a municipal committee.

Shi Chuanzhen is not just an abbot. He also serves as the deupty president of the regime-approved Nanjing Buddhist Association and is a member of the citys Political Consultative Conference.

Some famous Chinese monks have become key networkers among high officials, according to overseas Chinese language online media Duowei on Feb. 18. Many officials seek those famous monks to make connections with other high officials, seeking opportunities of promotion and wealth, the report said.

Qigong master Wang Lin, known for his magic power of producing snakes from empty washbasins, has been active in business and entertainment circles, according to mainland Chinese media.

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Chinese Communist Officials Turn to Monks for Advice

Scripture Discussion EP.1 Addressing Atheism
Welcome to the first Scripture Discussion video in this new series. I will be covering a new topic each week. If you have a question you would like me to dis...

By: 7 TRUMPETS PREPPER

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Scripture Discussion EP.1 Addressing Atheism - Video

Understanding Atheism | Session 4 | Asadullah Ali
A two day lecture presented by Asadullah Ali al-Andalusi on the subject of Understanding Atheism. Session 1: Introduction to Atheism Session 2: The Rise an...

By: Asadullah Ali al-Andalusi

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Understanding Atheism | Session 4 | Asadullah Ali - Video

Christianity vs. Atheism - Dinesh D`Souza vs. Dan Bark
Eli Jafe conducts the JSO, Alex Ansky narrates with Baritone Colin Schachat, Tenor Avreimi Kirschenboim, the Zimrati`a and the Main Jerusalem Synagogue choir... Satan`s Counterfeit Christianit...

By: Morii Hadso

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Christianity vs. Atheism - Dinesh D`Souza vs. Dan Bark - Video