Why I won’t be going to Skeptic or Atheist meetings anymore

[turtlerescue1]

56. Lord be with me as I stupidly repond to this thread.

BUT first a dot of humor. About nine years old my dad makes me an offer that just couldn't be refused; he would pay me $2 a week to laugh at his jokes, two conditions: 1) have to laugh at all of his jokes, EVERY time he told them and 2) could never let mom know. So being the greedy child in love with the entire penny and nickel candy counter at the corner store.... Still especially "So I said to the lady with the wooden leg, "Peg.", it did get to be a challenge to respond with an actual LAUGH. To THIS day every time I hear myself or someone else say "On the other hand" automatically come the words"She had a wart". The results were an adult life where one is easily amused- of course the downside is being easily amused is only happy for me personally.

That said, and this is offered as sincerely as possible AND if I can actually manage to get the link posted here. If you can't laugh at yourself, then who is worth laughing at. At the site go to wherever it says lutheran humor.
http://www.oldlutheran.com/oldlutheran/page.php

As to this thread:

The truth is I find the comments and even barbs of atheists and skeptics less inflammatory as compared to the destruction and belittling done by the Fundies! I did not know this would be so, but this is most certainly true.

Don't look for me to attack you or your beliefs. Science can explain much, give us security about when and how and perhaps why. We know that different areas of the brain implement specific activities...but we cannot know what the precise thought is, it just comes across as "activity". Where does inspiration come from? How did Pachelbel get those notes to his music? The problem with too many of my species is the inability to see or taste or hear and remaining untouched. Some of us see that American Flag go by in a parade and tears run down our cheeks. The taste of the perfect peach, I grew up amid orchards, and each summer sought that perfect peach, the color, the softness, the juiciness, the size and of course its sweetness. Guess am trying to get to the individuality.
It is my belief that each of us comes with a soul, belonging to no one else to control or manipulate, we use our reasonings to grow it- or give into it. The ONE fallacy is the rediculous belief we have the right to impact the soul of another life.

Spirituality isn't the source of the problem, its the fools that interpret and demand to be in control in Religion.These folks have little sense of humor. What would have been the reason for turning water into wine? No one asks that. Why did Nimrod want to build his Tower so he could be eye-to-eye with God? Why did the Jewish people wander so any decades in the desert, when it should only have been a six month walk at most? IF there is an afterlife, I dunno this one takes up most of my focus. Yet if there is a chance to ask questions, whether my judgement is up or down, I've a LOT of questions first. Someone told me that at the moment of death, there's this AHA, "so that's what it meant", moment.
Took on hospice cases, my rent demanded it, and not one of them writhed in anguish, dying is a lot of physical work, systems have to shut down, etc. BUT in "natural death" there is this time of quiet tranquility. Dunno where that comes from.

Likely due to being paid to laugh at dad's jokes influenced my concept of Deity, mine has a sense of humor, a sense of compassion, and that overused word love. Artist, poet and genius. yeah, that's the one! Respect and FEAR are not necessarily the same. Worse, personally there are have too many instances where after a while "coincidence" quits working. I call these miracles, they were out of nowhere, small, significant only to my personal existence. They are like the time I climbed a massive rock to watch the sunset on the Pacific, the crashing of the waves was overwhelming, the taste of the mist all over your face. Then out of nowhere, that ebb tide, that small time period where it was the silence that was deafening-not what the physical and senses were used to. My greatest flaw is my idea that I have some great RIGHT to independence, the pride and vanity that I can do this all and all by myself. So being sustained was quite the shock, and repeatedly makes it a definite impact.
Humility.
Yeah, I'll be working on that one quite a while.

When a commonality becomes organized, that seems to be when there is bruising. Like that perfect peach, you can't find it in the produce aisle for all the reasons its perfect.

Peace be with you, your minds may not believe, but your actions are decent and honorable. UNLIKE some that claim to be of my Beliefs.

okay the old broad did not manage to get the link to appear...another DUH? moment