Atheist group at Dartmouth plans anti Mother Teresa event

[sigmasix]

42. thanks for the welcome

I spent the better part of my post adolescence and adulthood as a confirmed Atheist with an almost militant attitude towards religious thinking- I still abhore religiosity- but about 10 years ago I had an experience that answered many questions for me in a way that has brought me a great deal of intellectual satisfaction, while also making me aware of a side to my existence that I used to disregard as meaningless and a product of my environment. I know that the answers that work for me aren't the same that work for others, so I'm not much for evangelism. I find that this change was fueled by what I can only describe as an aesthetic sense of a type of beauty that comes from a life that aknowledges a faith in something that is unrestrained by the natural laws and other limits of this existence. Of course I dont expect anyone else to see my experience as proof for or against the existence of a supernatural, benign entity- but these experiences and answers are enough for me to feel sure that I am being honest with myself and not wasting effort or time on attempting to construct an intellectual circus of excuses to make inconsistencies within my world view match reality.
As I said; I used to be an Atheist, but this change in my belief structure did not entail deconstruction of my ability to recognize the intellectual pit-falls and moral conundrums presented by belief in an invisible good guy. I just require less specificity from my faithful side than from my secular side when it comes to questions about this particular natural expression of existence. I lower my expectations for specificity from my secular side and increase demands on my faithful side when I deal with questions that appear to have the supernatural realm in mind.
I am a real fan and follower of Jesus and His teachings in regards to the revolutionary act of love. I know it sounds hokey to some, but His message pierced my entire being as if I were a butterfly in a pan of wax. I disregard most religious tracts as sales brochures, but if one were to read the new testament and pay close attention to the things Jesus says, while disregarding all the bullshit written by the early church founders, it is difficult to gainsay His teachings as anything other than a revolution in human understanding and love. In fact you might say Jesus let's us know that our next stage of evolution as a species is upon us- and it is the most important one of all. We are the first creatures on earth with the ability to control our own evolution- and through the realization of revolutionary love we can control it for the better-ment of mankind.