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Religion

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cleanhippie

(19,705 posts)
Wed Apr 3, 2013, 11:04 AM Apr 2013

Deconverted: A Journey from Religion to Reason [View all]

"...and then Noah loaded the dinosaurs onto the ark." Assertions like these seem comical until you realize that many Christian parents aren't kidding when they teach them to their children as facts. Every day, impressionable young minds are conditioned to blindly accept wild biblical tales of floating zoos, talking shrubbery, 900-year-old humans, the undead, curses, levitation, demon/human hybrids and men who obtain super-human strength from the length of their hair. Allegiance to these teachings is expected, often demanded. Curiosity is muted. Doubt is frowned upon as a sin. And for those who dare to raise a dissenting hand, the threat of Hell looms ominously. A former religious radio host raised in the cradle of Christianity, Seth Andrews battled his own doubts for many years. His attempts to reconcile faith and the facts led him to a conclusion previously unthinkable, and this once-true believer ultimately became the founder of one of the most popular atheist communities on the internet.

http://www.amazon.com/Deconverted-A-Journey-Religion-Reason/dp/1478716568



Has anyone read this? From the many reviews I've seen (outside of Amazon) this is a great tale of a person who had an awakening when reason prevailed.
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I listened to the audiobook Brainstormy Apr 2013 #1
Thanks. Sounds like the same story many have told. cleanhippie Apr 2013 #2
As a listener to his podcast, I always associated his voice with a radio DJ brooklynite Apr 2013 #29
Fundamentalists are prone to shocking disillusionment. rug Apr 2013 #3
"...especially in regard to the indoctrination of children" cleanhippie Apr 2013 #4
And many more don't at all. rug Apr 2013 #5
Sunday school at a Christian church is indoctrination. cleanhippie Apr 2013 #6
No it isn't.. rug Apr 2013 #7
Uh, that's what I said. Didn't you read it? cleanhippie Apr 2013 #8
Teaching to believe isn't indoctrination either. rug Apr 2013 #9
Teaching to believe IS indoctrination. It's EXACTLY that. cleanhippie Apr 2013 #10
So, do you consider civics class to be indoctrination? rug Apr 2013 #11
That is not an apt comparison. Religion teaches WHAT to think and believe. cleanhippie Apr 2013 #16
No it doesn't. rug Apr 2013 #18
FFS, rug. If we're to have a meaningful conversation, please stop inferring things that aren't there cleanhippie Apr 2013 #19
Is that what you tell your children? rug Apr 2013 #20
Pretty much. cleanhippie Apr 2013 #21
Then you're "indoctrinating" her in your values. rug Apr 2013 #22
Oh, bother. cleanhippie Apr 2013 #23
So, your claim is that religion lacks values. rug Apr 2013 #24
Done. cleanhippie Apr 2013 #25
Ok, nice try. rug Apr 2013 #26
Wish I could say the same. cleanhippie Apr 2013 #27
"Teaching to believe isn't indoctrination either." Ron Obvious Apr 2013 #12
Do you indoctrinate your children in patriotism? rug Apr 2013 #13
I don't... Ron Obvious Apr 2013 #14
We probably are. rug Apr 2013 #15
We're in full agreement there. n/t Ron Obvious Apr 2013 #17
That's like saying gcomeau Apr 2013 #31
And the word itself is neutral. rug Apr 2013 #33
If you think so, then why did you try to redefine it? -eom gcomeau Apr 2013 #34
Mainly because it's being used as a synonym for "brainwash". rug Apr 2013 #35
It *is* a synonym for brainwash. Literally. -eom gcomeau Apr 2013 #36
Not according to synonym.com rug Apr 2013 #37
Oh? gcomeau Apr 2013 #38
If he - or you - want to say they're brainwashed, why don't you just say so? rug Apr 2013 #39
You get what two words being synonyms means right? gcomeau Apr 2013 #40
Of course I do. Do you get what broad brush means? rug Apr 2013 #41
No gcomeau Apr 2013 #42
The nuance of words eludes you. rug Apr 2013 #43
Sorry, I think you read my line in the script... -eom gcomeau Apr 2013 #44
I saw Pat Robertson said Carbon dating comes from the devil. hrmjustin Apr 2013 #28
Science is not the enemy of religion, but it does not support it at all. cleanhippie Apr 2013 #30
"Science is not the enemy of religion" gcomeau Apr 2013 #32
I have it in my library, but have not read it yet. Gore1FL Apr 2013 #45
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