Comments on: A Church for Atheists http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/ by Hemant Mehta Tue, 14 Feb 2012 07:43:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: Christian Guy http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/#comment-158613 Christian Guy Tue, 29 Apr 2008 04:58:21 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/#comment-158613 I found your blog while looking for a completely different point of view. I am a Christian. I trust that by leaving my Email name it will NOT be listed next to this comment since I'd prefer not to be spammed. Also, emotion can be misunderstood in textual responses such as blogs or email. Please treat my response as though we're sitting in a local coffee house having a polite conversation. I attended Christian schools from 1st grade through college. I was never "indoctrinated". I was never told what to believe. I am aware that some Christians take this approach but it is certainly not the norm. In fact, we were encouraged to write papers that were critical of Christianity in order to get closer to the truth. The paragraph in the original post could be re-written and it would match the experience of many Christians that I know: - The parents and teachers can teach but they don’t indoctrinate. At no point, would they tell the children to believe in anything because they said so — or because the Bible said so. The children must discover these truths for themselves by asking questions. The parents and teachers teach the kids how to think critically; they teach them HOW to think, not what to think. Thank You. I found your blog while looking for a completely different point of view.

I am a Christian. I trust that by leaving my Email name it will NOT be listed next to this comment since I’d prefer not to be spammed.

Also, emotion can be misunderstood in textual responses such as blogs or email. Please treat my response as though we’re sitting in a local coffee house having a polite conversation.

I attended Christian schools from 1st grade through college. I was never “indoctrinated”. I was never told what to believe. I am aware that some Christians take this approach but it is certainly not the norm.

In fact, we were encouraged to write papers that were critical of Christianity in order to get closer to the truth.

The paragraph in the original post could be re-written and it would match the experience of many Christians that I know:

- The parents and teachers can teach but they don’t indoctrinate. At no point, would they tell the children to believe in anything because they said so — or because the Bible said so. The children must discover these truths for themselves by asking questions. The parents and teachers teach the kids how to think critically; they teach them HOW to think, not what to think.

Thank You.

]]> By: Freethinker http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/#comment-149700 Freethinker Sun, 06 Apr 2008 21:42:35 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/#comment-149700 Sounds like the perfect church Sounds like the perfect church

]]> By: Jen http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/#comment-147538 Jen Tue, 01 Apr 2008 23:45:10 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/#comment-147538 <blockquote>uh…UU?</blockquote> that's what I thought too

uh…UU?

that’s what I thought too

]]> By: Kate http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/#comment-146985 Kate Mon, 31 Mar 2008 22:39:26 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/#comment-146985 uh...UU? uh…UU?

]]> By: Zachary Moore http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/#comment-146904 Zachary Moore Mon, 31 Mar 2008 19:20:15 +0000 http://friendlyatheist.com/2008/03/31/a-church-for-atheists/#comment-146904 Of course, this is nothing new. The <a href="http://www.churchoffreethought.org" rel="nofollow">North Texas Church of Freethought</a> has been in operation for nearly 15 years. There's a sister church in <a href="http://www.hcof.org" rel="nofollow">Houston</a>, as well. The only thing wrong with traditional churches is their appeal to tradition and superstition. Once you remove that, it's actually a great social experience. Of course, this is nothing new. The North Texas Church of Freethought has been in operation for nearly 15 years. There’s a sister church in Houston, as well. The only thing wrong with traditional churches is their appeal to tradition and superstition. Once you remove that, it’s actually a great social experience.

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