Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?

Testing - wondering if things are working right or not.

OK time to bump. and a...haiku? but many of you, more southerly, are past this stage...

              Spring,

              Frothing out,

              All the trees are wearing tutus.

Weeding the garden

Bean tendrils climb the trellis

Sun on the flowers 

Flannelette your haiku was wonderful. Spent several hours in my garden. Surprised, amazed every year.

Yes, I am also. I know this post is several years old, but from the hits it's gotten, people seem intrigued. I've read several reputable places that close to 17% of Americans have no particular belief. I was raised Catholic, but lost my faith during, literally, my daughter's birth when I had the blinding revelation that THIS, the immediate moment, is all that there is. I still believe it.

Yes Lisa, that idea never fails to surprise me.  I watched a TV documentary about some Australian Catholic pedophiles who were moved around by their superiors to keep their reputation intact.  Victims visiting the Pope were turned away after being told they were besmirching the Catholic name. The many victims and their families are still severely affected decades later.  What makes religious people think they have a monopoly on ethical behaviour when their own misdeeds are so obvious?

Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (previously known as the Office of the Inquisition) is investigating all American Convents because Rome thinks American nuns are spending too much time helping the poor without sufficient proselytizing and the nuns are too "liberal".  The average age of an American nun is 65.

They have yet to send investigators to any American monastery or order of priests.

Organized religion is so strange.

The founders of all religions would be horrified to see what has arisen in their names.  All founders attempted to improve conditions for the average person and warned against greed and the desire for power. Now there isn't a religion on the planet that isn't corrupt.  The less power remains in the hands of laypeople, the more corrupt the religion.

On a gardening note, I am going to try Preen in my flower beds.  Has anyone tried it?  Does it really keep the weeds down?

Was going to add my 2 cents about certain aspects of organized religions - but on beginning to think more deeply looked out the window and knew i couldn't waste this precious mornng on it. all I will add is - just sick. but then, there are many good people working in org religions who are truly ethical, compassionate, and all the good things - yes, all there is is now.

Here in ON we're kind of like you in western MA - frost-free date probalby June 1. The last daffodils (pheasant's eye narcissus) still in bloom and utterly frgant, and lily of the valley and lilacs coming on (a noticeably poor lilac year) - It's  all so fragrant!

Not yet to beans twining up poles, Notself - have you tried the deep mulch way? I'm going for it, finally, this year. 

I'm sorry to say I have a hate on for pampASS grass and am actually going to resort to roundup and black tarpaulins. I once burned it - nope. Stuck huge stacks of straw on it - nope. it's roundup time. I've heard it's rampant in some places and destoying local fauna especially in the American west? it's destrying the beautiful tansy stand that was here when I came.

I am always pulling up something that looks a bit like pampas grass when it's young.  It loves to grow in my vegetable garden but it is easy to pull because I have landscape cloth covered by oak chips as mulch.  I had the tree trimmers leave a truck load of oak chips when they cleaned up the trees after the ice storm three years ago.  Since my soil is alkaline, the oak chips add a bit of acid to the soil as they decompose.  I am sure the weed grows in the lawn as well but in Arkansas if it's green, it's lawn.  All weeds including dandelions are welcome.

Athena, I'm not much of a historian, but I don't thnk he ever "converted"  - I think it all happened after he died.  But I agree, the Golden Rule seems to have been lost.

The investigation of the GS, and nuns - whew.  And remember, the current pope was previously in CHARGE of the "Inquisitions" - till their PR firm changed the name...

thanks bartender, for the accurate reporting, I once spoke with the author,think his name was Cronin? - and asked the question - he answered just as you have...also think if the Golden Rule was an enforceable law, we'd all be living in better communities, countries..ah, well...at least we have these pockets of humanity to keep us sane...

I guess none of that is our problem...let them straighten it out...

I am Pagan, heathen.... I don't mind when people say they are praying for me bc to me that is positive energy. I've experimented with many religions/cults/practices (they are all the same imo), my favorite, Buddhism. I do find myself chanting at times. It's a good distraction of the mind. I have had some heated squabbles w the bible thumpers and hypocrtical Jesus freaks. If I'm pushed, I punch back

Why is it that the people who are the most mean, the most greedy, the least likely to see the best in others are usually the most religious?