I Converted A Catholic To Atheism

reply to post by vethumanbeing

Originally posted by vethumanbeing
I would like to hear your opinion on the OP Joe, as I know you and respect you; whether AfterInfinity does or does not.

Thanks…I have a mutual respect for your posts too Vet.

Originally posted by vethumanbeing
have been trying to peice A. Coopers spiritual journey together as well. That seems to be the most glaring omission. You would think the most important, at least to me, possibly insightful regarding how such a transformation takes place from a faith based ideology to entering as 3NLight said a potencial new episode of 'The Twilight Zone". I have heard of questioning faith, never altering (basically destroying) a TOTAL belief system so quickly and dramatically. Was he on the fence to begin with and just a few whispers (expertly exhaled breath knocked him off?).

Have you tried asking the OP lol (just joking)

Seriously though – It’s an important aspect of the discussion, without which, it’s difficult to really give an accurate evaluation.

And Yes, your absolutely correct, the insight/mechanics of his apparent transformation, is hidden from view, or should I say, kept deliberately out of our view, by the OP.

It’s appears from what I have managed to glean lol so far, that he (Mr Cooper) was studying other religions for many years, essentially searching, and partaking in other practices, Wicca and Druidism etc, which means he couldn’t really be considered, a fully blown theist IMO.

- JC

reply to post by Joecroft

And Yes, your absolutely correct, the insight/mechanics of his apparent transformation, is hidden from view, or should I say, kept deliberately out of our view, by the OP.

Like I'm physically preventing him from posting? What kind of fools are you guys? If he's not posting, it's because you are not important to him. It's difficult for him to formulate an informative and meaningful post, and it's not like you've made the experience particularly rewarding for him as a contributing member. Is that a hard truth to grasp? It shouldn't be.

It’s appears from what I have managed to glean lol so far, that he (Mr Cooper) was studying other religions for many years, essentially searching, and partaking in other practices, Wicca and Druidism etc, which means he couldn’t really be considered, a fully blown theist IMO.

Druids have gods. Wiccans have gods. And Catholics have a god. He dabbled in several different branches of theism.

reply to post by AfterInfinity

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
Like I'm physically preventing him from posting? What kind of fools are you guys? If he's not posting, it's because you are not important to him. It's difficult for him to formulate an informative and meaningful post, and it's not like you've made the experience particularly rewarding for him as a contributing member. Is that a hard truth to grasp? It shouldn't be.

I wasn’t talking about him…I was talking about YOU…can you not read or something…?

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
Druids have gods. Wiccans have gods. And Catholics have a god. He dabbled in several different branches of theism.

Yes, but he was searching and didn’t really know what he believed in. That’s the whole point. In short, he wasn’t really sure of his theistic stance, and therefore couldn’t really be said, to belong to any one of those groups.

Searching, means he was more agnostic, than anything else.

- JC

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by HarryTZ

 

oOoOooOoOh mYyYyYyyy GoOoOoOd its been nearly EIGHTY PAGES christ sake

You're still here? I thought you had other things to do. Or maybe you wanna be here to piss on this thread's grave when it finally dies.

YOU ONLY KNOW ITS OVER WHEN whitisms, irony, sardonisism, satire ceases; the only thing left is SARCASM, (which YOU CLAIMED to be brilliant in the use of)--HARSH OR BITTER DERISION, DISTAIN, TAUNTING, SNEERING OR USING CUTTING REMARKS. Id include this remark of yours but you wrote it and I only have the memory of it (scalding as in so revealing regarding your nature). Am I watching your self destruction, by your own words?

reply to post by Joecroft


Right, if searching in Wicca, Druidism was not of any faith to be converted from in the first place, as just a new age floater. Not serious really, why he was described as RCC except being possibly born into the faith by parentage. This type of "conversion" if you could call it that is MUTE/MOOT, and is of no consequence. A Mennonite or RosyCross/Templar (a you or a me) conversion another story.

Originally posted by charles1952
reply to post by AfterInfinity

 

I see more clearly now. I am the one to apologize to you. And I do so humbly.
Does one criticise a blind man for not appreciating a sunset? Is it fair to scold the deaf for not enjoying a symphony? A child for not understanding physics? No, and I had no business criticizing you.
You could not even see the insults you produced, or recognize them as such. It is not for me to fault your inability.
I would explain the goodness of Christianity, but it is unnecessary. You have destroyed Atheism by yourself.
You applaud the freedom of Atheism, and indeed you have much more freedom than I, but to what end?

I could break a thousand promises and come back with a new name and a new face and a new promise and I would be "honorable" because no one knows who anyone else is.

I do not have that freedom. I know who I am, God knows who I am. A broken promise is nothing to you, but it is disaster for me.

Eloquently spoken as usual charles. I have no idea why but my heart aches for this person, even if in buffoonery the underlying concept of this thread causes me to want a shower. The jabs at ATS and its being a basically 'conspiracy/lie' driven website was most amusing. BenReclused mentioned that the appropriate forum for this kind of thread would be the Atheist section. Perhaps AfterIinfinity will propell that Joyous excursion into real fruition, a forum all of its own. But as Ben said it would be a self stroking, maudlin kind of self identification, Im not sure Id participate; and without us, as within this thread IT WOULD NOT HAVE the opportunity to exist as in no real debate (evidenced here).

reply to post by AfterInfinity

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
Like I'm physically preventing him from posting?

Read what I wrote again, I said “kept deliberately out of our view, by the OP”

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
What kind of fools are you guys?

You’re the fool, for not reading my post correctly…

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
If he's not posting, it's because you are not important to him.

So you just decided for your friend, who’s important and who isn’t…shouldn't that be your friends decision…??? Sounds very controlling to me…

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
It's difficult for him to formulate an informative and meaningful post,

Yes, I’m aware of that…

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
and it's not like you've made the experience particularly rewarding for him as a contributing member. Is that a hard truth to grasp? It shouldn't be.

What do mean by that…?

I asked him 2 very important questions about his spiritual journey, (And no one else did) and so far, he hasn’t gotten back to me yet, (not that expecting him to rush his answer)…that’s what I call making a good contribution…


- JC

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by HarryTZ

HarryTZ My friend, it's already dead.
But there's a really long line of people so I have to wait my turn. My bladder's about to explode!

AfterInfinity
Probably will be soon. The authorities are on their way. Oh well, I've apparently "proven" myself to be a plethora of dark and unholy things, including unsociable, vain, narcissistic, arrogant, angry, bitter, manipulative, evil, etc.
Guess I couldn't be anything other than an atheist, really. What god would want me after all that?

THE ONE THAT WOULD EXPECT YOU TO Show up in time for 'retribution' I would imagine.

reply to post by Joecroft


As I said before he's a bit busy for attending conspiracy forms. The only reason he posted anything now is because I posted a thread relevant to him and asked him to participate. Clearly he has pushed it as far as he's willing to go and has no desire to say anything more on the matter.

reply to post by AfterInfinity

OKay, I'm ready to give the people what they want. Glory! Oh yeah! Honor! Oh yeah! Out of 8 posts by Mr. Cooper, I got one of them!

I hope you and Mr Cooper don't mind that I heap all the glory and honor for myself

But seriously, from the responses I've read, people seem to think that it's impossible for some one to convert from one belief system to another.

That's funny, because Christianity started out as nothing and ended up being 33% of World population. Yeah, I think conversion is a historically verifiable phenomenon. My daughter used to like to sit up in front of the Church congregation when I was preaching. Now she's an Atheist and I'm a heathen. Weird that is, if conversion is impossible!

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Well, technically nothing is "worthless", but some things are worth more than others.

Your replies are pretty snooty and arrogant 95% of the time. Arrogance isn't a very good quality to have, just so you know.

Originally posted by AfterInfinity
reply to post by Joecroft

 

As I said before he's a bit busy for attending conspiracy forms. The only reason he posted anything now is because I posted a thread relevant to him and asked him to participate. Clearly he has pushed it as far as he's willing to go and has no desire to say anything more on the matter.

So what was the point of him even signing up in the first place?! Just so he could come in and "verify" your story 6 months after-the-fact? How convenient for you.

Click here for more information.

reply to post by 3NL1GHT3N3D1

Well, technically nothing is "worthless", but some things are worth more than others.

Your replies are pretty snooty and arrogant 95% of the time. Arrogance isn't a very good quality to have, just so you know.

I give what I get. And I got a lot of it in this thread.

reply to post by pthena


It's okay. I'm doing my best to get this thread deleted because I would prefer to forget about this ugly side of some members I used to respect so much. Turns out, the respect was never mutual. Reminds me of why I'm sociopathic. I will never, ever be equal by society's standards, and all of my efforts to make a difference will be met with mockery and scorn. They will even pretend that I'm in the game to win, just to give themselves an excuse to rub my failures in.

I wish I could make a difference, but you can't fix stupid. And that's the truth of it.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


Well, After, I think that your thread here has done a LOT OF GOOD and a SERVICE to those who have participated.
I doubt they'll delete it, though. Out of respect for the other members who are getting something out of it.

I don't think you're a sociopath at all (and yes, I'm qualified to diagnose) - if anything, a disgruntled Misanthrope, and a disillusioned 'thinker.' You HAVE made a difference!! You DO make a difference.

I guess you could always abandon ship, though. I've done it with a few of my own threads that got out of hand and bummerish.

reply to post by wildtimes


It disappoints me. It really does. I got a rather unsettling look into the belly of the beast, and it seems there's a lot less integrity and *ahem* HONOR to this site than would be suggested by previous comments.

In short, it's a house of rogues dressed as gentlemen. I'm sad to discover this.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


It is disappointing and sad to hang out here for MANY of us - but we still do. Why? We are each trying, in our way, to make a difference, if only to the 'class' of ATS who attends regularly, or the unannounced lurkers and guests.

Never think that your efforts are wasted. All it takes is one small injection of a thought - to blossom into a revelation.
If SOME PEOPLE later on come to the same conclusion, they may not REMEMBER where the idea came from, but the idea is there - whether you are given credit or not is beside the point.

Hang in there, bro. We need you.

reply to post by Joecroft

Read what I wrote again, I said “kept deliberately out of our view, by the OP”

As in, physically restrained or psychologically manipulated. Read MY post again.

You’re the fool, for not reading my post correctly…

You're the fool for not being specific. This is all a game to you.

So you just decided for your friend, who’s important and who isn’t…shouldn't that be your friends decision…??? Sounds very controlling to me…

Read my post again, and quote the part where I decided for him. Quote me where I said that. Or are you putting words in my mouth AGAIN?

What do mean by that…?

I asked him 2 very important questions about his spiritual journey, (And no one else did) and so far, he hasn’t gotten back to me yet, (not that expecting him to rush his answer)…that’s what I call making a good contribution…

Two golden nuggets in a barrel of cow pies still equals a barrel of cow pies. I put the very useful and good quality barrel there and stood by as others dumped load after load after load of cow pies into it, and you drop a few coins in and consider yourself good? That's a pitiful effort. All you did was ask questions and trade jibes and accusations. No, the experience was not worthwhile to him. I talk to him, I discuss this thread with him, I know what he has to say. He's not very satisfied at all.

You want a reason he hasn't responded? I just gave it to you. It's just not worthwhile. I convinced him to give it a try and he did. And decided he didn't like it. Maybe you should have pulled together a more sincere welcoming committee for him. As it is, he no longer feels welcome. And that just takes all the fun right out of it, don't it?

Congratulations and goodbye. I'm heading out, because I don't feel like I care to watch this bullcrap go on anymore. You've all been a huge disappointment. This chance for you to show decorum and intelligence has turned into a poo-throwing contest the likes of which would have terrified King King. I'm ashamed to have witnessed it.

reply to post by wildtimes

Dear wildtimes,

As AfterInfinity has left us, may I turn to you as a relatively neutral observer?

I have two questions. One, did you get the impression that he wanted to talk about anything other than "Why Atheism is a better choice than Catholicism?" I understand there were sub-questions and alternate phrasings, but was that the root, the sum, of what he wanted to discuss?

Two, you mentioned that the ideas he planted might some day take root. This may be a result of some blindness on my part, but what were the positive ideas beyond "Atheism is better than Catholicism because . . .?"

I've tried, and I hope have succeeded in treating him well, but if you noticed a failing on my part, please mention it so I can avoid it in the future.

With respect,
Charles1952