Finding comfort without Jesus during a pandemic

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Hey, if you ever hit the magic 800, you'll get more goddamn junk mail from everybank and credit card in the world. Both the wife and I hit it bout 8 months ago....throw away damn near a trashcan a month.

I have a rolly cart outside the house, sort the mail before I leave the mail box. Good citizen me recycles.

[aitm]

I have a rolly cart outside the house, sort the mail before I leave the mail box. Good citizen me recycles.

I recycle as well....I’m a good citizen of the world...mostly

[aitm]

I assume 800 must be the perfect credit score.

No, but it apparently is the start of the onslaught.

[Baruch]

Hey, if you ever hit the magic 800, you'll get more goddamn junk mail from everybank and credit card in the world. Both the wife and I hit it bout 8 months ago....throw away damn near a trashcan a month.

I once got an offer of a credit card from Barclays Bank (British) because I often watch British Youtube channels.  Only $400 per year annual fee, for the privilege.  Should I have also ordered a bowler hat? ;-)

[trdsf]

Still amazingly stupid. Excuses or not.

We're not talking about logic, we're talking about emotional responses.  Knowing intellectually that with rare exceptions spiders are completely harmless does absolutely nothing to alleviate my severe arachnophobia.  Humans aren't robots.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

We're not talking about logic, we're talking about emotional responses.  Knowing intellectually that with rare exceptions spiders are completely harmless does absolutely nothing to alleviate my severe arachnophobia.  Humans aren't robots.

You said nothing about not being stupid. I agree with that.

[trdsf]

You said nothing about not being stupid. I agree with that.

'Stupid' implies being unable to know better.  It is not stupid, it is a difficult to overcome, deeply rooted emotional response -- this is why Dawkins likens religious indoctrination to child abuse: it creates psychological damage that lasts into adulthood.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

'Stupid' implies being unable to know better.  It is not stupid, it is a difficult to overcome, deeply rooted emotional response -- this is why Dawkins likens religious indoctrination to child abuse: it creates psychological damage that lasts into adulthood.

And that's stupid.

[trdsf]

And that's stupid.

Fine, be an asshole.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Fine, be an asshole.

Ooh, that hurt. I am wounded to the quick. Romeo, call the EMTs!

[Sal1981]

I had, for at least 5 years, a lingering fear of Hell after I deconverted, even though I knew in my conscious mind that it was baloney. It was like my emotional state was battling my reasoning abilities on this point. When I finally did get out of that emotional state I felt a sense of joy and relief that's hard to describe. Now I see that negative emotional states isn't something you can reason yourself out of, but something you have to work with to overcome.

[SGOS]

I had, for at least 5 years, a lingering fear of Hell after I deconverted, even though I knew in my conscious mind that it was baloney. It was like my emotional state was battling my reasoning abilities on this point. When I finally did get out of that emotional state I felt a sense of joy and relief that's hard to describe. Now I see that negative emotional states isn't something you can reason yourself out of, but something you have to work with to overcome.

That is what I experienced.  It really drives home the difference between emotion and logic, and how much our emotion affects behavior and thoughts.

[trdsf]

Ooh, that hurt. I am wounded to the quick. Romeo, call the EMTs!

Well, let me ask you just how the fuck you think it's helpful to someone trying to get out from under the crush of unwarranted guilt and pre-adolescent programming by just standing there waving your middle finger going "You're stupid, you're stupid, you're stupid?"

Whence, you're an asshole.  Or if you prefer, you're being an asshole.  Personally, I don't see a lot of difference.

[aitm]

I never had that experience. I don’t think I ever bought into it.watching the behavior of the congregation and being from a small town I knew everyone so I was never impressed with the “Christian” behavior. I went to church for the girls plain and simple.
Mom and Dad were not great church goers so they kind of set the bar for need and necessity pretty low. Walking away was more like leaving a bad class, very easy.

I really didn’t even get interested in “studying” religion until my daughter was born. I bought a set of Funk and Wagner encyclopedias and read A to Z...well pretty much and then started writing a book about why I didn’t believes so I could  give it to my daughter when she got older. The more I found myself making “factual” statements the more I found myself researching to make sure I was right...wow..was I wrong on a lot of things. That was the beginning of my real education...and the book. Atheist In The Midst..hence  my nic.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Well, let me ask you just how the fuck you think it's helpful to someone trying to get out from under the crush of unwarranted guilt and pre-adolescent programming by just standing there waving your middle finger going "You're stupid, you're stupid, you're stupid?"

Whence, you're an asshole.  Or if you prefer, you're being an asshole.  Personally, I don't see a lot of difference.

Poor dear, been burned by reality yourself I see.