On 7/19/15, Carl Jarvis <carjar82@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I think I've told the story before about our client who decided that
because her two huge dogs loved us, we had to be Christians. She was
mortified when I said I was Agnostic. Probably would have died of
heart failure if I'd said I was an Atheist.
"But my dogs love you and besides, you're doing the Lord's work". I
did not answer that comment, but rather asked her if she believed that
Adam and Eve really were created by God and lived in the Garden of
Eden.
"Yes", she said firmly.
"Then we have nothing to talk about," I told her as sweetly as I could.
She never asked us back.
Why is it that so many Believers feel that they must either convert
those of us who do not Believe, or put us behind them? I'm more than
willing to work with folks who hold different beliefs than mine. And
I do not feel the need to convert them. Trust me, from years of
attempting to change people's attitudes regarding Blindness, I know up
close and personal how difficult and time consuming making such basic
changes can be. So I do not choose to expend my energies on such a
futile effort. But they, on the other hand, feel driven to force some
sort of admission that I actually secretly believe in God or Jesus
Christ. Personally, and this is my own opinion, I believe that many
Believers secretly have doubts about the Hereafter. By bullying me
into agreeing with them, they gain some sort of reinsurance.
Anyway, I'm satisfied to be an Agnostic and let others think what they
will. At least I feel no urge to force others into my correct belief.
Saint Carl Jarvis
On 7/19/15, Abby Vincent <aevincent@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Here we have an interesting question to ponder. Atheists could easily be
possessed because there is no god to fight against the devil. On the
other
hand, they have no faith to be tested by temptation, so what's the point.
.
If there are any atheists or agnostics on the list who have ever been
possessed, let us know.
Abby
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2015 10:33 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Demon Possessed?
Miriam,
I don't think I'm Chicken...bruk bruk bruk, oops, excuse me.
Well, at least not because I refuse to embrace Atheism.
I don't hold any beliefs about a Here After, so my declaring to be an
Agnostic has no bearing on hedging my bets.
Being an Agnostic is comfortable. Being an Atheist puts me on the
defense.
Atheists are constantly being attacked for their lack of Faith.
Agnostics
are pretty much ignored. If I felt strongly about whether God exists or
not, I declare myself an Atheist. But I don't care to defend a
declaration
that something that does not exist, does not exist. Seriously, it's a
position that can't be defended because we're defending nothingness. Or
are
we attacking the existence of nothingness?
Anyway, there are real issues to settle. From time to time I do get out
the
soap box and rant about how religion builds prison cells and holds us
back
from creating a society that will protect Planet Earth, instead of
destroying it.
Right now we need to dash off to Gig Harbor and gather up our 8 year old
grand daughter. She will be with us through Wednesday. At the end of
the
stay, we expect to be well worn out.
Carl Jarvis
On 7/19/15, Miriam Vieni <miriamvieni@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Carl, You are an atheist, but too chicken too call yourself one. All
of us who do not believe that the world is operated by a God to whom
we can pray for special favors, all of us who say that we do not have
the answers to why things are as they are, we are atheists. Agnostics
are people who are not sure whether or not there is the kind of God
that the religions worship.
My
husband would never take a stand on the question because, he said, he
wanted to "hedge his bets". He didn't want to be kept out of heaven
just in case there might be one.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Sunday, July 19, 2015 1:28 AM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Demon Possessed?
Ah, those Atheists. Without Demons would indicate blamelessness.
Purity of heart. Strong and able to defend their Being from the
corruption of Demons.
As an Agnostic, I just can't say if I'm possessed or not.
Years ago I was at a gathering with my dad. A fellow came up to him
and they began talking. At some point the fellow asked dad if he knew
the phone number for a mutual friend. Dad pulled out his little
spiral notebook that he carried in his shirt pocket at all times. He
patted the book as he drew it out. "My brain," he told the man.
And so it is, in my humble opinion, with those who carry their Bible
everywhere they go. That book is their brain. If it isn't in that
book, or if they can't figure out how to "interpret" its words in a
way to prove their point, then it simply does not exist. You see,
Roger, the Bible thumpers will miss the point because they have
already concluded that Atheists themselves, are the Demons and Devils.
Carl Jarvis
On 7/18/15, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I just ran across this comment on Facebook. The bible thumpers will
without doubt miss the implications. The comment is, "Have you ever
noticed that if there is one group of people who are never possessed
by demons it is atheists?"
