Atheists, Agnostics, and Sceptics http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120 Ophiucha Any and all non-believers, gather and chat about your lives and your writing here! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:12:05 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4065 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4065 Lectin Gaezat I'm back! And I'm currently shaking my fist at my screen cursing my lack of internet skills for a lousy DP that always turns out blurry. xD Tue, 11 Oct 2011 05:48:00 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4249 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4249 J.E.Blackworth A Finnish atheist represent! Gosh I'm all crazy about these forums now, I should be studying but I don't want toooooo... Tue, 11 Oct 2011 06:53:15 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4782 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4782 Bramblepath Anti-theistic Agnostic here... if that's even possible x3 Haha, same about the studying. Shiny new forums are way too distracting~ Tue, 11 Oct 2011 07:00:09 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4843 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_4843 SilentInsanity I'm watching cartoons on YouTube. At school. Life is good. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:13:47 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_5571 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_5571 Ophiucha Agnostic Atheist - accepts the possibility of a deist god, but wouldn't worship it if I'm given a reason to believe. I'm 20, from Canada, and a third generation atheist. Anyone deal with (or pointedly *not* deal with) religion in their stories? I write fantasy, and I must admit, I seem to pick modern-esque settings simply because it makes it easier to have atheist characters. :p Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:57:42 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6075 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6075 J.E.Blackworth I like to explore the Christian culture a lot, I like the stories of the Bible and its mythology overall, so I tend to include religious characters in my stories in one way or another. But my stories are never <em>about</em> religion itself. Last year I had a Catholic priest as one important side character, and this year I don't have anything like that almost at all. Maybe a bit of some crazily Christian buff going "WHAT IS THIS WITCHCRAFT??" if needed, but nothing else, really :D Tue, 11 Oct 2011 09:58:19 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6924 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_6924 Olivecloak I RETURN FROM BEYOND Upstate NY represented. :D Tue, 11 Oct 2011 13:50:30 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_10771 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_10771 koen3456 Atheist from the Netherlands present! Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:34:34 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12653 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_12653 lemming_the_lemming Atheist, Agnostic and Sceptic from England here! I will also be losing far too much studying time due to shiny new forums, which probably isn't good. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 17:02:09 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_14278 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_14278 Foxstar2000 Hmm, didn' t know there was a place for us... or you. Whatever. Um... I don't know what I am. Before this summer, I was a nondenominational, non-practicing Christian. Then my friend invited me to a Christian concert (RTL), and I felt... saved. I had a Bible and everything to read, and everything, but the farther I get into the Bible, the less I feel connected. I don't feel a connection with Christianity. And it's stressing me out, because my friend keeps talking about getting together to talk about the Bible that I haven't read for two months. (and my insane wild crazy insertadjectivehere muse keeps whispering that Jesus Christ is a Mary-Sue) Advice? I'm thinking about writing her a letter about it, cause I'm too cowardly to talk to her face-to-face. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:50:08 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_16237 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_16237 adorable fluffy kittens I am.... hm. I think monotheism is a load of crap, but I'm somewhat favorably inclined towards a lot of Asian religions despite not actively believing in any of them, which is a stance that's difficult to sum up in one pithy statement. Atheist to the West, agnostic to the East? I don't know. Regardless, I'm checking in from the rather Christianity-saturated Arizona, so it doesn't matter what I call myself because I don't ever fit in, anyway. Feh. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:46:58 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17338 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17338 Shem-the-Penman Ophiucha, [quote] Anyone deal with (or pointedly *not* deal with) religion in their stories?[/quote] I'm an agnostic-atheist-antitheist-skeptic-whatever. I'm fascinated by the history of human mythology, not the notion of religion itself. Last year I wrote about faith and delusion in modern society, so it had a lot of criticism of religion. I don't think I could ever write anything involving the "supernatural." Great to see everybody here! -Shem Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:11:48 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17842 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_17842 Circe Marda I'm an theist that is greatly interested in all religions and finds herself writing a lot of novels and stories with major Christian/religious influence. While it is not the main focus on my novels, it is a big influence on the characters, their motivations, their lives and how they view the worlds. One of my novels is actually about a young boy with childhood schizophrenia, who thinks he befriends an angel, travelling through the Canadian Badlands in the 1930s with his father's tent revival show. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 21:59:43 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20003 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20003 Chasemoose Hi, people! I grew up without religion. Not truly atheist, but more like I just never had religion. I'm a skeptic and keep finding little things wrong and possible in the bible... said miracles may not be so miraculous. Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:36:35 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20754 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20754 LiebeLeben I'm a 20 yr old Agnostic. My best friend from Cali is a LeVeyan Satanist &amp; he's Wiccan. So I'm like, "Ack." I listen to Christian music. I go to church. But I feel... lost. Like, what do I believe. Why should i believe it? Tue, 11 Oct 2011 22:40:27 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20834 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_20834 Shem-the-Penman [quote]I'm a skeptic and keep finding little things wrong and possible in the bible... said miracles may not be so miraculous.[/quote] The Miracle of the Ace Of Diamonds (Matthew 7:14) still has me stumped. -Shem Wed, 12 Oct 2011 04:25:52 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_24345 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_24345 cadaughtrey Not sure what you'd call it, but I don't think God gives a shit about what I, or anyone else, do(es). Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:04:43 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_26399 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_26399 Shem-the-Penman I'll admit, turning water into wine is some solid magic. But making folly of the wisdom of the world shouldn't take much practice. I mean, most of it was folly in the first place. -Shem Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:12:31 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_26489 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_26489 Inkling Dreams Agnostic Atheist reporting! Oh, and I'm also a pastafarian because what isn't awesome about spaghetti, pirates, and beer? Thu, 13 Oct 2011 00:52:11 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_39515 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_39515 Earthsick I don't believe in anything. I neither believe in higher beings, nor that ghosts and other spiritual stuff exists. So what's my 'label'? (I really don't care enough to find it out by reading stuff about it, sorry xD) Thu, 13 Oct 2011 05:38:46 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_41171 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_41171 littleoph Hello again, fellow non-believers! Oph, French Agnostic married to an Atheist. I'm a person who believes "religion is something that happens to other people" and yet has to worry about it, at least in fiction (not every character can be like me, some of them must have a faith of some sort). Thu, 13 Oct 2011 07:16:00 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_41773 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_41773 Shem-the-Penman Maybe my NaNo novel this year should be about a young rural widow coming to a deeper understanding of God's infinite love. Or maybe I should save it for next year and just stick with "Biker Apocalypse." -Shem Thu, 13 Oct 2011 08:33:30 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_42371 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_42371 yoghurtelf Woooot, non-believers are my favourite! :D I'm one too! Hey, don't get me wrong, I do believe in some stuff - like music, and love, and goodness. But I don't believe in Gawd. hehe Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:34:12 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_51691 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_51691 IsBreaLiomCaife I'm stuck in a weird situation. My fiance was forced to be considered Roman Catholic by the Navy because of one particularly pigheaded man when he was in boot camp. The man (who was the one making dog tags) refused to put Agnostic down for him, so now he may have to find a way to change that before we get legally married (which is in a few weeks) so that the Navy doesn't try to force me to convert to Catholicism in order to marry a "Catholic." My fiance hasn't been to a church except for weddings and funerals (which, we feel, is a matter of respect) since he was 10. On top of that, my family is half Catholic and half Protestant. (My fiance is Agnostic, and I'm just generally non-religious.) I know a lot of non-religious people refuse to go to church weddings or funerals, but I feel it's a matter of respect. I was even once called to carry the wine in a Catholic funeral by the request of the daughter of the deceased. I don't see that as conflicting with being non-religious, and I don't see a problem with at least going through the motions when you're told to stand/sit/kneel/bow your head. It's a matter of respect, as is calling nuns "sister" and priests "father" and greeting them politely. Basically, I figure that if you want religious people, regardless of what religion they are, to accept your beliefs to not be religious, you have to treat them with respect. I did, however, grow up familiar with the Bible. (I even came in top of my school's academic team when we had to do questions on it. The believers got stuck on the moral aspect and didn't remember the stories.) I think the Old Testament is wonderful for stories. (Daniel in the Lion's Den, Jonah, and Joseph, to name a few.) I do write explicitly religious characters...in Hell of all places...but I don't write pro-Christian or anti-Christian. I just have characters that are Christian, including a priest. (My stories are also decidedly non-modern, so in a lot of cases, there isn't much choice.) Anyone else like to keep religion, politics, and their personal views out of their writing? Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:52:50 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_53686 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_53686 krudyard I'm an atheist and always have been, daughter of an atheist and an agnostic so I never had to endure church (praise be!). Strangely religion may make a brief appearance in my story. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 01:20:28 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_53918 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_53918 burstsofbrilliance Atheist here. I grew up without religion, went to lots of churches with lots of friends thinking my family was strange and that I ought to give the whole god thing a go. I even studied it in college, but alas, none of it stuck. I always tend to bring small doses of religion into my writing because it is a hot topic for me--I have a tendency to question everything and it bothers me to no end that so many people (at least ones I know) just take religion for granted, accepting it and arguing for it without ever researching its origins outside of what the bible says or considering any alternatives. *stepping off my soapbox now* Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:21:23 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_55317 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_55317 littlehurricane I'm a self-proclaimed apatheist. I don't know if there is a god, but I sure don't care. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 23:04:10 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_65647 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_65647 littlehurricane Oh, I should add: Born and raised in a Mormon household in Utah County, the most Mormon-y Mormon place you can live. Just that fact alone was enough to turn me into a harsh anti-theist. The minute my daughter was born, I knew there was no need to live for a "god." I resigned from the church officially three days later. Fri, 14 Oct 2011 23:05:16 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_65657 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_65657 i am the moon Rationalist agnostic here! I try to schedule crises of belief at least once a year, which is what brought me from Christianity to atheism, and again from atheism to agnosticism. I was raised Presbyterian but have been non-theist since I was eleven. I do try to be respectful, but ngl -- I tend to trend toward anti-theism pretty strongly. Nice to meet you all. :) Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:48:31 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_89919 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_89919 heartsace Agnostic atheist reporting! I was a Christian until I was...around 12, then turned agnostic, and changed to agnostic atheist as soon as I understood what the term meant (I'm pretty slow). It's a pleasure to meet you all!! Wed, 19 Oct 2011 01:21:48 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_121012 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_121012 kitkit11183 Woo! Hello, there. I'm agnostic, although I have a rather unhealthy interest towards Greek mythology... among others. Religion is certainly interesting, but I'm not inclined to actually believe without proof. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:15:01 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_148669 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_148669 myyearinlists So today a guy on the subway tried to witness to me. This isn't unusual. I guess I just throw out an Atheist Aura (or maybe even it's just my Jewish heritage coming out) that reels in every single random person with a pocket Bible who wants to tell me about the Gospel. At any rate, I'm very used to it, and I have a go-to rebuff: "Sorry. I appreciate the thought, but I'm a Satanist. I worship the devil." It usually leaves them a bit gobsmacked and allows me to get thoroughly absorbed in my iPod or book again. I've found that telling them I'm an atheist or a cultural Jew opens up a dialogue, because they're trained to respond to that stuff, but I feel like they don't get too many Satan-worshipers on the 2 train. Maybe I should start doodling the mark of the beast on my hands when I'm bored, instead of the lightning bolts and <a href="http://static.boomkat.com/images/166315/333.jpg" rel="nofollow">stay positive signs</a> I usually draw... Thu, 20 Oct 2011 21:52:44 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_150972 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_150972 SCurtis_No1_Fan Atheist pride baby. Born and raised catholic but never bought into this god crap. If I had to choose a god to believe in it'd probably be the greek/roman gods. Zeus, Hades etc. Fri, 21 Oct 2011 10:21:08 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_156381 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_156381 hmckin20 Atheist right here. (: Sun, 23 Oct 2011 04:47:04 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_181102 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_181102 restlesslilly Agnostic here. Raised strict southern Baptist and grew up in some crazy churches(pastors who beat up members and pulled guns on them, youth pastor who molested me for a few years and his father(the pastor) made up lies telling people I was a tramp and did all kinds of horrible things so I deserved it, etc...heck lets not forget my mom's current church where the pastor ranted at me for a good 20 mins on the phone when I was pregnant with my oldest daughter and unmarried. He wasn't railing against me for being pregnant and unwed, he was warning me to not marry the father of my baby cause he was Catholic and Catholics are evil!) Needless to say, once I left home sat 18 I never again went to a Baptist church unless I was visiting with my mom. Once I started dating my husband, who was at the time a hardcore Catholic, I began studying it and loved it. Problem is, they didn't love me. I guess due to my mental illnesses and lack of social skills. Didn't matter if I believed their religion or not, all the mattered was whether or not I'd show up for Fish Fridays to help serve the people who showed up. Once I realized no parish cared if I was there or not, I gave that up too. Began studying religion in general and finally realized what a bunch of absolute crap it was. Not only had it never done anything but make my life hell, but when looked at logically and not blinded by the extreme desire to believe in something(anything!) it made zero sense. Once I got away from organized religion, my life and happiness level got a million times better. My husband, also turned away from religion around the same time. He came to the same conclusions. Since having kids our families have been pressuring us to get back to church. We tried going once a month or so ago. It was okay, the kids didn't fuss too bad. But, well, we haven't been back. Now that we can see it all for what it really is, rather than blinding ourselves with "belief" and making ourselves think it's all somehow magical...it's really silly and boring watching all the people go through the motions and walk around in funny outfits. Our kids will be just fine without being force fed one specific way of looking at the world. I trust them to be able to use their own mind to figure out their choices and beliefs in life. It's not my job to tell them what to think or believe, that's all on them. As for my writing, most of my characters never even touch on religion. Though I do have one story I really want to write about a priest who is the only hope to save the world from a zombie apocalypse. Sun, 23 Oct 2011 06:15:55 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_181453 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_181453 LaurenHolt Hey, Lauren here. :) I'm 16, and studying Religious Studies at school. I often get into arguments because I do not believe in any God, at all. However, I think it's this that allows me to have such a broad view in RS, and therefore do quite well. :D I haven't really written a novel yet, so it'll be interesting to see if it comes up in this months novel! Mon, 24 Oct 2011 04:40:17 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_195474 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_195474 SilentInsanity My parents raised us kids to make our own choices. I don't think either of them really have a religion, so I guess they're agnostic. My brother Ryan is a Christian (not sure what kind) and my brother Nick is an atheist, like me. My best friend is also an atheist. Don't get me wrong, though. I don't hate Christians. I just hate the ones that feel the need to push their religion on other people. I have plenty of Christian friends. I live in the Bible Belt. I hate it. I don't normally tell people I'm an atheist because 1. it could jeopardize any chance of being friends with them and 2. it almost always starts a HUGE theological debate that usually consists of them yelling at me to "BELIEVE! HAVE FAITH! TAKE THE SAVIOR INTO YOUR HEART!" and me just going, "Dude, freedom of religion. Chill." Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:23:59 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_196793 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_196793 Leprechaun Hey all :) I'm Laura, and I'm an atheist. I go to a school where the vast majority of people are religious, but very few people are uber religious, so it's all right. I read about half of the Bible when I was 13 because I wanted to get closer to god, and realized I didn't believe it, and couldn't worship it... It was about a half-second realization that took two years to come to terms with. During that time, I researched Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and several other beliefs to find one that fit me. (Obviously, I failed.) But the upside of that time period is that I now have a better idea of how different religions form and are practiced, so it's a lot easier to write about religions. :) Also, to clarify, I'm totally cool with people who do believe in god. I sometimes wish I did believe, because that's a lot easier. But skepticism always wins out. -shrug- I haven't told my parents (both Christians) outright that I'm not religious, but just through our discussions, I think my mother knows. My father is fairly devout and I'm not ready for that conversation. So, yeah. That's my story. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:36:48 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_198906 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_198906 redpeace9 Agnostic here.. But I'm still Roman Catholic in paper -_- I believed in God up until last year.. I became an agnostic person... Trying to rationalize everything.. But, I have to keep up the pretending to pray thing.. -___- Suckish though.. For all we know, Jesus could've been an alien of 'God'(probably an alien) who came and invaded the earth a long time ago.. Explaining the weird lights and sounds and flying and miracles. o.O And I hate it when people try and force you to believe........................................................... Seriously.... We once did, so do u think we'd go back there? ughh.. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 11:39:01 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_198939 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_198939 oazan Agnostic Atheist. (: Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:56:36 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_201831 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_201831 MuzicNinja yes! I have been searching for this thread. Agnostic Atheist here. My story might have slight refererences to religion since my MC is a literary nerd and its bound to come up. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 15:55:21 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_202873 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_202873 likelolwhat I flip back and forth some days between "zzzzz" and "THERE IS NO GOD YOU NINCOMPOOPS!" - but mostly I don't care as long as the U.S. continues on the path of secularism. I'm anti organized religion in any form. I think churches should pay taxes like the rest of us, at the very least. If there were a perfect world everyone would worship in their basement and I wouldn't have to drive by dozens of brainwashing centers on my way to get some freaking milk. Too bad the world isn't perfect. *sigh* Religion has no bearing on morality, either. I can be a good person without God or whoever. Really. (In fact, I think I'm a better person without, because I don't do good things just because I get rewarded in the end. I do them because I'm nice.) As for the belief in stories thing, my fantasy world has Gods, but they ran away like sissies because they were afraid their INTELLIGENT CREATIONS wouldn't pay them tribute just because. I haven't fleshed out what they did after that, but I imagine they went to another world and created a bunch of drooling kowtowing idiots who wouldn't dare question them. The above is more for the plot than my overwhelming desire to put in an anvilicious metaphor. ;) I hope. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:49:16 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_204611 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_204611 CorneliusFingers Atheist, agnostic and skeptic group? Tick tick and tick! I was lucky enough to be born in the UK into a family that was 'Christian', but not particularly devout. So there wasn't a big fuss when I got to about 12 years old and realized I didn't actually believe in this so called god. Since then I've done my best to think freely and rationally, and educate myself. I can be quite anti-theist, in that whilst I have no issues with individual faith, I find organized religion to be a generally bad thing. I feature religion sometimes in my stories, but I prefer to create new worlds and write religions from scratch to suit. Mon, 24 Oct 2011 17:49:43 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_204618 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_204618 em_hum As much as I like to write about demons, I don't believe in them at all. So I always end up with sci-fi undertones.I just published a set of vampire stories in which people get punished for their mistaken beliefs about the species. (Though there is a Finnish man and his grandfather in the end that may make up for it.) My current novel is a ghost story. Go figure why I keep writing paranormal hooks! I am agnostic, I guess - if there is a "god" it pretty much just blew the universe wide open and that's about it. That's probably why Sci Fi is my favorite genre overall. It explains the mysteries of our existence and gives us hope for the future, instead of waiting to be saved by some entity that may not find us worthy anyway. "Oooh... let's see if I passed God's weird sadistic test.... heaven or hell?" Where's the hope in that? On the other hand... stargates, terraforming, TARDIS rides and a posse of alien pals... sign me up. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 15:43:59 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_252004 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_252004 Indie-Young Atheist here! I went from being "My mom says there's a god" to a sort of baptist for a while (SHORT while and I honestly don't think it counts since I would have believed anything at that point), Wiccian (I really, really, wanted magic to be real), Pretentious Pagan ("I'm more interested in the forgotten religions and incorporating them into my life...Blah."), to nervous Agnostic ("If there's no god then how I can know things will be okay?!"), to a pretty settled atheist ("If nothing I do matters, all that matters is what I do.") No religion in my story this time around. My MC is an apathetic agnostic so she just doesn't think about it very much. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 18:17:50 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_254281 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_254281 wordworm This NaNo is going to be tough. My MC is a pastor, but I am an atheist myself and have only seen the inside of a church for sight-seeing. I think she'll be more of a 'god is love' kind of pastor who joined the church because it gave her comfort as a child. Anyone want to be buddies so that we can give each other some ungodly advice in times of procrastination? Just add me. Sat, 29 Oct 2011 03:27:55 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_277551 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_277551 PinkFerret Hi fellow atheists! Sun, 30 Oct 2011 00:47:32 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_292196 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_292196 Dennis Jernberg I consider myself a secular humanist. I'm entirely atheistic when it comes to God, but agnostic on souls, reincarnation, and the like (New Age upbringing, see). My late father's side of the family is Pentecostal; fortunately, that was the side that did <em>not</em> raise me, and I thank (no) God for that. I've been working on my current novel series (actually one novel in five volumes, but the publishing industry has no concept of that) back in the 1990s, but it was only when I started writing it last year that the religion my atheist heroines are up against formed itself out of an observation that most American born-again Christians worship America. Behold the Church of America, which worships the United States Federal Government as the Second Coming of Christ! Now do you understand why American conservatives hate liberals and Muslims so much? In the "Conservative Revolutionary" view, liberalism, homosexuality, and Islam are blasphemous antifaiths that literally crucify Christ, or Jesus America as he's called. Yes, I'm writing a political thriller set in a near future in which the TEA Party overthrows the government. It should be plenty "ungodly". Sun, 30 Oct 2011 03:03:40 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_293346 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_293346 allmar-z.sai I was born and raised Catholic, and currently attend a Catholic high school, but I've never felt any particular loyalty towards Catholicism; even when I was younger I was just sort of 'meh' on the topic of God. This eventually translated, as I grew older and wiser, into a sort of general non-belief. Recently I've come to the realization that I'm either agnostic or atheistic (depends on the day). Organized religion really gets under my skin. Needless to say, I get in a lot of fights at my school, since I also have very strong political views, and Christians tend to be pretty damn conservative. The only thing that sucks is that my parents are very Catholic, so I go to church and am currently in the process of being Confirmed (a bit of a problem, seeing as, to be quite frank, the entire religion kind of pisses me off). Haven't managed to tell my parents yet; every time I bring it up, they change the subject. Oh, well. I'm relishing my newfound freedom. Acceptance of my own lack of belief is certainly quite liberating. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 22:42:46 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_312756 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_312756 littleoph I need to rant, and I think this is a good place to do so. Do you believe one can get religious about NaNoWriMo? A guy in my region is a talented writer when he tries hard enough. I know him and his girlfriend outside NaNoWriMo, we share the occasional lemon pie and all... And this year, he's dropped a bomb over the regional lounge. He was banned from attending the kick-off. Our ML's dislike for him is no secret to anyone, but she told him he wasn't welcome, officially because he'd been too noisy last year. He brought it up on the forums, fellow Wrimos have been arguing, and it seems the truth is unveiling: he may have been banned for not taking NaNoWriMo seriously enough. What the duck? We all know people who barely write 3K over a month, but who come back because they enjoy the fun. Sometimes it bothers me, I admit, as I give up most of my personal life every November. But who are we to claim that there's one good way to worship G... I mean, to do NaNoWriMo? What are we, a religious sect? Depending on the outcome, I may choose to leave my home region (not physically, of course), even though I'm the one who asks the "stupid question of the day". Apart from this particular thread, no one will miss me, I'm afraid. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:01:08 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_570760 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_570760 wintertulip I don't believe in any kind of God or other supernatural stuff. I recognise that it *might* be true, but I think the possibility of that is vanishingly small. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:11:18 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_570824 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_570824 premiumcider I've become something that used to annoy me greatly: a close-minded atheist. Before anybody gets me wrong, don't! I am in no way saying all atheists are close-minded, I'm only saying that there are some of those out there and I have progressed from a wannabe all-theist to an atheist (by definition) who thinks the arguments for beliefs are stupid. But there was this one phrase I heard the other day that I really liked, that I now can't seem to remember. Something along the lines of: 'faith is not an argument'. That is one argument I will not argue against. I'd love to have a religion, 'though. I've yet to find one that clicks with me, if there is one at all. Or have an epiphany after having been struck by lightning on a football field or something like that. But I never got to football fields, nor do I go out in lightning storms. Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:14:45 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_639303 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_639303 Inkling Dreams Well it seems like no one's commented here in a while so... I'll give us a bump while I tell you all about the bad, bad thing I just did. It's not really bad, but lets just say I know a lot of conservative Christians who won't be pleased with what I just said. A friend on facebook posted one of those little photos mocking atheism. It said something along the lines of atheism is the belief that there was nothing, and nothing happened to the nothing and then the nothing exploded for no reason and here we all are today. I wasn't planning on commenting until I read the other posts that were essentially along the lines of all atheists are retards (their words, not mine, that word is unnecessary) and blah blahblah mainstream Christian ideology with no foundation in logic at all. So I had to reply. This is what I said: "Christianity: the belief that a cosmic Jewish zombie can make you live forever if you symbolically eat his flesh and drink his blood and telepathically tell him you accept him as your master so he can remove an evil force from your soul that is present in humanity because a rib-woman was convinced by a talking snake to eat from a magical tree... Any belief can sound silly and downright stupid when you look at it from a mocking, sarcastic, ignorant, and disrespectful perspective." No one has replied yet but I am fairly certain they will or my comment will be deleted because... Well I know these people, they're the kinds who think it's okay to mock others but it can't happen to them. I probably shouldn't have said anything but I get sick of the mainstream "everyone is wrong but me and I don't have to respect them but they have to respect me" thing. I just had to say something even if it will piss people off. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 11:49:09 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_915989 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_915989 Phoenix I have occasionally wondered if space visitors would call Christianity "The Cult of the Eaten God." ;-&gt; Yeah, I lot of mainstream belief is just ludicrous if you take a long step back. (I entertain myself at the Spring Holiday by sending fellow non-believers notes that say "Happy Dead-Guy-Off-The-Cross Day!" Though I suppose I could also do "Merry Perfectly-Good-Solstice-Celebrations-Co-opted-As-The Only-REAL-God's-Birthday." But it doesn't roll off the tongue as easily.) Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:43:19 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_917473 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_917473 Pubd once and shooting for number two For a well-known and respected fictional discussion of the "eaten god", read Robert Heinlein's legendary "Stranger in a Strange Land." Peace to my water brothers. Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:46:58 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_924402 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_924402 Phoenix And at this time of year, how annoying is it to hear the inevitable: "Look! Someone did something nice! It totally proves that there's a god!" Arrgh. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:21:33 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_985334 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_985334 Lectin Gaezat Influx of Christmas 'Share this if you believe that God came down to die for us' posts are flooding my FB wall again. Urgh. I am... agnostic. Probably. I believe in a G-d, or I believe that one exists. Recently I was more of an atheist. But basically I cannot stand organised religion. So I suppose I'm theist. I just really, really don't like church (and I'm forced to attend one), especially when they make it sound like /everyone/ needs to be saved, or you all will go to hell. My thoughts are all in a jumble over the existence of a G-d once more. Sometimes, I think I'll just be happy to believe in one, and then not bother with the organised religions. Because every time I look at them I blanch and think bad thoughts. I have a lot of thoughts tonight. -signs off- Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:49:40 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1006436 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1006436 Mistress Aeryn Atheist here - one who takes an <em>extremely</em> dim view of religion in all its forms. I basically believe that the world would be much better off if every religious person just up and vanished. I was raised Anglican but ditched it all in January 2000, and in the intervening years (thanks to people trying to reconvert me, calling me a freak and a heretic, accosting me in the street, and generally just annoying the absolute shit out of me) have gone from being mildly irritated by religious people to outright hating them. I make no secret of it - I really do hate religious people. The only religious people to escape my outright hatred are my friends. Otherwise, as far as I'm concerned the whole lot of them can go whistle. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 06:21:18 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1011115 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1011115 Fellow Writer Even though I'm atheist, I do believe in spirits, reincarnation and certain paranormal phenomena due to their being evidence of such things and because of my past experiences. Fri, 30 Dec 2011 13:33:54 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1011586 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_1011586 MonochromeLacrimosa I'm an atheist and I have been one since about 7th grade. When I was younger, I had always wanted to go to church and to be religious. My mother didn't mind. She grew up in a catholic home and went to catholic school until eighth grade. She raised us so that we could believe whatever we wanted to believe. So, for a long time I believed in God, until some things happened and I realized, "If there truly were a God that were almighty and all-powerful, and if he truly loved us all, why is there so much hate in the world? Why is my life the way it is? Why isn't he there to help me in my time of need?" I prayed in the only way I knew, having never been to a church, and when there was no answer, I felt lost. After hearing so many stories of people who had been 'saved' and then being forced to go through hardships without help, I just stopped believing. I also think that organized religion brings out the worst of society. I think that religion should be something personnel and once a group is involved it is more about money and the institution rather than it being about belief and enlightenment. If anything, I am glad that I had never joined a church. Being as young as I was, I would probably have believed everything I was told and not have given any thought into it for myself. I have always had an obsession with angels though, no matter how much of an atheist I am. It is more for the aesthetic appeal though. I also believe in the paranormal and in some form of reincarnation (without the idea of Nirvana). I also believe in faeries, weird enough. Yes, I am an atheist who believes in faeries :D Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:44:10 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=4#forum_thread_comment_1085416 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=4#forum_thread_comment_1085416 Phoenix ROTL: http://news.yahoo.com/only-atheists-hold-public-office-235400792.html Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:29:06 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=4#forum_thread_comment_1094695 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=4#forum_thread_comment_1094695 wintertulip My bf always says "I don't think God exists, and if he did, then I wouldn't want to worship him." (I'm inclined to agree) Is that the kind of thing you mean by anti-theist agnostic? Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:08:24 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_570811 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_570811 dancer_kirsten I'm agnostic, but my FMC is Catholic and practices it sensibly. I must say I like writing about that because my MMC is agnostic and I write 1st person from his POV so I/he get(s) to be sceptic and at the same time realise that my FMC is much happier if she can practice her faith. It has made him more mellow (he used to be quite an avid atheist, but now he's more agnostic / deistic), and it's good fun to write. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 04:52:29 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_40960 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_40960 poi_son_joy Agnostic atheist, yes! Yeah, I basically acknowledge there may be SOME form of god/goddess/gods, but there's no proof, and the deities that different religions claim to exist do tend to come with provable (or disprovable) claims, so I'm an atheist when it comes to actually known religions. I'm not about to believe unless there's evidence/unless I'm given reason to believe. :P I don't mind writing about religious characters, though! It's interesting to explore how it shapes the way they think. I haven't done it very much lately, but that's because I concentrate on fanfiction and haven't been writing about any characters with strong canonical beliefs. XD Mon, 17 Oct 2011 00:13:49 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_91605 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_91605 mbc2014 Ahh, you're my new favorite person! I'm currently taking a class on Asian religions right now and I've developed a lot of my personal beliefs around the ideas of Buddhism and Confucianism and whatnot without even realizing it, as I'm currently finding out. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 22:01:01 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_257108 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_257108 felinius Hey! You're not the only one. Secular humanist here. Religion never had a place in my life -- besides being something interesting to study. I'm a bleeding heart regardless. Tue, 18 Oct 2011 22:10:54 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_118873 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=1#forum_thread_comment_118873 cadaughtrey Nhilist Thu, 13 Oct 2011 09:51:38 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_43097 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_43097 yoghurtelf I don't really believe in any of that stuff too, and yet I'm more of an 'agnostic' in that, for all I know, it could all be true. I just haven't seen any proof of it yet. Nor do I actually care if it's true or not. Not a believer in ghosts, but I can still write about them and have heaps of fun! Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:35:31 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_51714 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_51714 aizjanika I don't believe in higher beings or ghosts or spirits or anything else either. I call myself an atheist, but I'm not a part of any group or anything like that. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:27:30 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_313712 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_313712 IsBreaLiomCaife Would you mind me using that quote? "Religion is something that happens to other people." I really like it and have a character that just needs to say it (or something like it.) Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:54:02 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_53694 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_53694 SilentInsanity When I saw that, my first thought was "I'm a believer." "I thought love was only true in fairy tales; meant for someone else, but not for me." Mon, 24 Oct 2011 08:18:38 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_196744 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_196744 yoghurtelf lol. oh god...please stick with the bikers. Thu, 13 Oct 2011 21:34:44 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_51701 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_51701 restlesslilly You don't have to convert to Catholicism to marry a Catholic, that's a myth. If anyone has told you differently, they're wrong and/or lying. I studied Catholicism for years. My husband was very into his Catholic faith until a few years ago, when we both became non-religious. My family feared me having to convert to marry him, and that's when I learned the Church never makes anyone convert. It's optimal if they do, but Catholics can still marry in the Church even if their spouse is not a Catholic. That is insane that the Navy is putting your husband through such insanity though. Sorry you're having to deal with that. I hope you can get it all worked out soon! Sun, 23 Oct 2011 05:58:01 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_181371 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_181371 littleoph Go ahead, my pleasure. :-) Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:43:31 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_54666 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_54666 IsBreaLiomCaife Thanks so much. Sun, 16 Oct 2011 21:21:12 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_89540 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_89540 yoghurtelf That is EXACTLY how I feel! hehe Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:20:41 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_91096 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_91096 J.E.Blackworth This is an excellent term! Mon, 17 Oct 2011 09:44:05 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_94957 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_94957 adorable fluffy kittens Mythology and religion are <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFods1KSWsQ" rel="nofollow">fascinating</a>. Collectively, it's a dramatic testament to the power of the human imagination. I've just sort of... culturally overdosed on the Abrahamic religions, as it were, so I'm not nearly as inclined to study monotheism as I am to study systems with pantheons or an absence of powerful deities altogether. In other words, I sincerely doubt that your thing for the Greek mythos is unhealthy. :) Thu, 20 Oct 2011 19:35:36 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_148983 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_148983 littleoph I don't think it's wrong either. In fact, I love myths and the history of religions! Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:58:02 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_153726 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_153726 Leprechaun I think I'm going to steal that line from you, if that's all right. :) Thu, 20 Oct 2011 23:38:55 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_152301 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_152301 littleoph In the novel "Before &amp; After" by Matthew Thomas, the hero has found a line to drive these people away. "You're just in time for my ritual sacrifice. Are you a virgin? Or a blood donor?" Fri, 21 Oct 2011 03:00:04 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_153738 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_153738 Shem-the-Penman I agree wholeheartedly. If we could approach all Western religions the same way we approach the Iliad or the Odyssey (i.e. as literature), I'd have absolutely no problem with them. I'm fascinated with creation myths, and the iconography of world religions from the Hindu to the Hopi. This is, after all, how ancient people related to natural phenomena and defined their place in the strange, wonderful universe. But this depends, like I said, on the fact that people don't go around claiming Zeus and Apollo are <em>literally real</em>. Historians aren't obliged to believe the Homeric epics represent a record of the actual events of ancient times. So that's why I think it's downright creepy to claim that the Bible is the literal truth, or that the rantings of some medieval warlord constitute anything more than a historical relic. It's a testament to how seeped in religion our country is that we allow people to believe "The Bible says" has some sort of evidentiary weight in matters of social and political importance. These myths should tell us what our ancestors believed. These are the stories they told each other that they felt made sense of life, using symbolism that resonated in the collective imagination of the community. But they're literature, that's all. -Shem Fri, 21 Oct 2011 07:08:51 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_154843 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_154843 Phoenix Yes, exactly. I always felt, as a child, that Christianity was just one of the available mythologies--the least interesting one. No resonance there for me. Come to think of it, I still feel that way. ;-&gt; (There are, of course, people who feel that Zeus and Apollo are literally real, or real in some sense. But they're not asking anyone to write legislation or to ignore scientific evidence in order to suit their preferences.) Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:24:14 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_159956 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_159956 aizjanika This is how I feel. I was raised Christian (back in the 1960s), but we actually were taught the Bible in that way (as though it were a myth--a teaching tool, the stories of our ancestors). I never even heard of the idea that the Bible was the literal word of god until I was in my 20s. Anyway, totally agree with all you said here. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:31:50 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_313806 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=2#forum_thread_comment_313806 Shem-the-Penman [quote=CorneliusFingers] I can be quite anti-theist, in that whilst I have no issues with individual faith, I find organized religion to be a generally bad thing. [/quote] I'm quite anti-theist, too, and I have plenty of issues with individual faith. Granted, if the only reason someone hasn't killed or robbed me is because of his faith, then I'm glad he has his faith. But the notion of an entire category of beliefs about life that aren't supposed to be subjected to any critical scrutiny whatsoever is monstrous. -Shem Thu, 27 Oct 2011 09:36:18 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_246820 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_246820 CorneliusFingers I'm perfectly happy for somebody's views not to be critically scrutinized... as long as they stop short of affecting anyone else. "I believe there is an afterlife and that gives me comfort" = fine. "I believe there is an afterlife so I shall send my gay son to Jesus camp so god doesn't punish him" = not fine. I employ a live and let live attitude up until the point where somebody's belief starts causing someone else a problem. At that moment those beliefs become fair game for examination. Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:20:10 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_253510 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_253510 Cephalopodesque Lol, I want to read that. Can't say I could see the far right worshiping the federal government, at least not at the moment. Maybe when they've got the White House, though. I'm a skeptic and an atheist by default, and I'm very much looking forward to blaspheming to my ungodly little heart's content in my story. Ought to be fun. Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:12:49 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_308956 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_308956 Pubd once and shooting for number two Now THAT sounds like an intriguing plot! Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:05:19 -0500 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_314372 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_314372 littleoph Okay... The ML excluded him because the kick-off party was "only for people who would really do NaNo" (which means she assumed he wouldn't "really" do it, whatever that means). I hope, I really do hope it's only a bad excuse, covering up the fact that she just doesn't like him. Anyway, he went aggressive over the forums and his account's been shut down. Sorry about all this, guys, I just needed to vent a bit. Tue, 08 Nov 2011 04:11:15 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_571266 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_571266 yoghurtelf That's a little bizarre. I think that if people want to come along &amp; have fun, then so be it! Who cares if they're only ever going to write 3k over the whole month? That's their decision. We can get to 50k and be happy with that, and have something to work with from there on out. They can have their 3k and have heaps of fun chatting along the way. I have no problem with people who want to write 50k in a day. I don't even have a problem with people who want to cheat &amp; pretend they won - that's their weird problem not mine. :P All I care about is having fun and seeing others have fun too! Fri, 11 Nov 2011 06:53:11 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_637052 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_637052 Shem-the-Penman [quote=premiumcider] I am in no way saying all atheists are close-minded[/quote] Well, I'm closed-minded, at least to the concept that faith constitutes evidence, or to the notion that Goddiddit is an "explanation" for anything. -Shem Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:55:36 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_642847 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_642847 Inkling Dreams Haha, on the subject of the whole "Cult of the Eaten God" I do have to wonder... why do they EAT him, I mean I don't know about anyone else but I don't find the idea of being eaten very respectful or worshippy... it's more cannibalistic and icky. Especially when you get into the whole Catholic it-really-turns-into-flesh thing. Thu, 01 Dec 2011 16:07:18 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_917666 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=3#forum_thread_comment_917666 Fellow Writer Amen to everything you said! =) Wed, 25 Jan 2012 14:28:33 -0600 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=4#forum_thread_comment_1090818 http://www.nanowrimo.org/en/forums/writing-groups-and-clubs/threads/1120?page=4#forum_thread_comment_1090818