Daily Atheist Quote

My philosophy, Hollie - but we've seen how this pans out lately - some of us just can't not give our opinions and judgements - even when it doesn't affect us at all LOL!!

Lively, respectful debate is healthy for this board - if we all followed the same thoughts, be it protein sources or religion, we'd all die of boredom!

Believe it or not, OH used to be a hotbed of debate and not always conducted in an adult manner - this board is almost a safe haven unless the villagers get out the fire and pitchforks and gang up!

 Well to be fair, Beth's original post didn't say anything about bible quotes. It simply added a non-religious quote.

Then I asked what it meant to her and others all sorts of insanity ensued. I don't know where the post would have gone without my questionb ut I can say that if I had gotten an answer to my question the first time I asked it, the conversation would have ended there with me (notice when it was answered I didn't push further, lol. I REALLY did only want to know the answer.)

Religion is a hot button issue. I see so many contradictions on this thread it isn't even funny. You shouldn't HAVE to block people...you just should not be subjected to their "God talk." Well I shouldn't HAVE to go to another board to find a particular kind of support that I use for my WLS surgery.

It isn't "appropriate" to post bible quotes here. Well it isn't appropriate to post that your dog (or mother, as I did) died either, but you do. Because it stressed you out and that stress could have an effect on your process. Conversely, bible verses make me feel the opposite: calm and centered .Which can also have an effect on my process.

Bottom line: Kenny can keep posting his bible threads unless OH tells him to stop. And others can keep responding to them, unless OH tells them to stop. We each have the right to do that and I respect both rights. 

I agree with so many others in that RELIGION is probably not the best topic for this board. Kenny never posts about RELIGION. He posts quotes from the bible and an interpretation of it. I haven't seen his more inflammatory posts but the ones I've seen don't call on you to convert or condemn non-Christians. They simply give some insight into a tool I happen to find valuable in my daily sanity and my WLS process.

This thread got waaaay outta hand. I think I need to chill from it for a minute.

I had to search through pages to see where this got out of hand and I still cant see it. I know you don't agree with me blocking Vivien, but I don't see why that is any different to the ton of people I don't even know who have blocked me because they don't like reading my crap!

The only times I have ever brought the Vivien block up (twice) was one other post asking the purpose of Kenny's and this one. I don't see anyone commenting on on any sort of regular basis about giving prayers or people invoking God or whatever - other than when the subject of atheism or the religious quotes is bought up - which kind of gives the atheists among us a reason to comment - why should they be denied their opinions when most of the time THEY may feel oppressed by the content of this Board?

For the most part, we non-religious folks keep our thoughts and non-beliefs to ourselves - and the first negative comment on this thread was not from one of us, although I hold my hands up to picking it up and running with it because let's just say, it's one we atheists hear on a regular basis!!!

I'm sorry you feel upset about some of the comments on here.

ETA: My post above about villagers and pitchforks was about the bullying and pile ons we have seen this past week - nothing to do with reglion and maybe not the best choice of comparison but it's there now.

 I wonder though (and this is an honest question, not an accusation) is that oppression by Christians/religious folks or is it self-imposed?

That is, has a religious person, on this board, ever said to an Atheist post "take your atheism someplace else!" and have any of the bible posts or any others told atheists not to be here? Like I said, this is an honest question because for all I know they have.

I know from my experience, spirituality is oppressed on this board. We can talk about being spiritually damaged and how that lead us to where we are but the moment we put God in that conversation it is offensive. And not just in the bible posts. Over the years I've gotten that when I simply mention how God fits into *my* process. 

As you might say, I don't give a flip how I am perceived. I believe in God and I won't say that I don't and that that isn't a daily part of my life. However I will not judge others based on their spiritual beliefs nor will I refrain from helping someone if I can because their beliefs differ from mine. One thing I am realizing in my newfound "mid-to-late 30's" maturity is that I have the right to be who I want to be. Nobody changes me. I change myself sometimes based on what others say/think/feel and that's my own damn fault.

All that is to say I think that what is more likely, and what I've seen, is that non-religious friends here don't want this board to descend into "us vs. them" so you tend to keep your views to yourself. That bugs me as much as being told that I can't have a spiritual vitamin each day in the form of a bible quote. If your views on the world, right vs. wrong, good vs. evil, WHATEVER have an impact and bearing on your emotional life and if THAT has an impact on your post-op experience, I feel like you have as much right to express that here as I have to express my recovery from obesity through faith.

Personally, I don't feel oppressed on this Board and I don't bring up my non-beliefs, other than in this type of thread because I don't feel a need to - I can't speak for everyone else though.

I think what I took exception to was that people were PM'ing you saying they were scared to express their views:

Simply based on the # of PM's I've gotten in the last day of people who are down right afraid to express their opinions about their faith and how it helps them (for fear of being judged) it's WAY more than 6 of us.

Like you, I am here nearly every day and I don't recall anyone being judged when they invoke their faith and their journey ...?   Again, I can only speak for myself but the ONLY time I have ever ripped someone a new one was when, after a long, lively discussion, a woman said she would pray for me ... like it gave her some sort of moral superiority over me.    I can't remember my reply, but I'll bet it was pretty ripe because she was NOT being giving at that point!!!!!

I envy people who have faith and live their lives in reflection of their faith - I think it can give a person a lot of happiness but I do NOT have time for people who hate in the name of their faith.    I know too many loving Christians to believe that your God is a hateful and divisive God and I'm afraid having seen the post that Kenny made that was removed, I do judge him and his version of faith and am glad I don't have to read his stuff every day.    Maybe he's a valuable contributor in terms of his WLS, but I don't remember him posting an awful lot other than his daily mission?

I am not someone who chooses to live their personal life on this board - over the years I have shared an awful lot - about my son and his autism, about my abusive marriage etc etc - but I only tend to share in the context of a thread started by someone else.    No "8 year surgiversary" "I just got a bucket load of money in my divorce", or "I'm 50 today" posts from me because it's not who I am - I may mention those things in passing, but it's highly unlikely I'd start one!!!   Again, it's not to say I don't think other people should, just that I wouldn't - This place would be particularly boring if it relied on me for interesting traffic!!

I think most of us are able to live on this board without feeling a need to oppress anyone and it saddens me to think that people have to PM you because they are scared of judgement because I really don't think that that is the case for the most part!

I think it's the way of the world, though, Kim. Even if we have no rational basis to be scared of judgment, we tend to be. Well, some of us. Then there are people like me (and I think you) who at some point in life just didn't get that gene or chose to deactivate it!

I dunno. I just don't know. I try not to put too much of my personal life on any online venue. I'm a pretty private person by nature (you don't see many pics of my daughters online nor do I share much in the way of information that I wouldn't tell a co-worker or someone else who I don't know terribly well - the exception being immediately after my mom's death when I truly did NEED to put stuff out into the universe lest it take me down). 

For instance, today I am feeling quite emotionally weary for reasons that have nothing to do with this thread or board or WLS. So I'm gonna shut up. Cuz sometimes when I shut up and sit still, things get better.

Take care, my friend. 

   cos a hug always makes us feel better!!!

 His posts are preach only. Nothing to do with RNY.  He should go make his own group for the 6 people who like his quotes.  

 I can teach him how!  

That's a super idea!

 Simply based on the # of PM's I've gotten in the last day of people who are down right afraid to express their opinions about their faith and how it helps them (for fear of being judged) it's WAY more than 6 of us.

But you're right. I SHOULD go somewhere else, it seems, if I want to address my post-op experience holistically. THIS forum apparently has no desire to help the whole me.

Thanks for clarifying.