Deprogramming : I Might Be Wrong

One question most Christians aren’t prepared to answer is, “What would it take for you to change your mind?”

As a Christian, I was always ready to share my testimony, my favorite scriptures or worship songs, my reasons for following Jesus, but for many years I was simply closed to the possibility of being wrong. I had been coached, and had even coached others, to walk away whenever conversations took this turn.

That’s a mistake I don’t intend to repeat. If there’s one thing I learned a little late in my faith but now maintain as a free thinker, it’s that I could always be wrong. Now, it takes more than authority claims or veiled threats of eternal punishment to get my attention. I require sound reasoning and, when available, verifiable proof. Continue reading…

Video on Boy Scouts and discrimination

Here is an extremely articulate explanation of what is wrong with the Boy Scouts of America:

Any person who is atheist, agnostic, or homosexual may not be a member or leader of the Boy Scouts of America”

via Reddit

Aren’t atheists just as bad as theists?

Aren’t atheists just as bad as religious people in telling people what to think? Atheists criticize religions for shoving their ideas down other people’s throats and at the very core of the New Atheism movement is the same arguments rehashed but with a more caustic tone coupled with forcefulness. How can you criticize people for spreading their religious ideas when you are doing the exact same thing?

The danger of this perspective is similar to that of many other theistic perspectives. On the surface, this perspective sounds reasonable and good. Similarly, it sounds reasonable and fair to say we should “respect everyone’s beliefs.” I find it morally degrading to even say that I respect, for example, the opinions of a homophobe regarding homosexuals. Beliefs are not inherently worthy of respect; respect must be earned. Continue reading…