Is anyone else an atheist with BC besides me?

I can remember as a young person under the age of 18, I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I learned about the dead sea scrolls. I’m not sure how I came about the information but it certainly was not in church (I was raised Catholic). But I learned the scrolls were written by men and even at my young age, it raised such doubts in my logical mind. I could not figure out how it came to be that words written down by men were then claimed to be the word of God. It made no sense to my bewildered mind. I had these thoughts but could not truly articulate them to anyone because I felt that I would be chastised for questioning (deep voice here:) “the Word of God.” Which is precisely how they continue to control the flock, by suppressing any form of questioning “the faith”. I also had no confidence in my own logic. How could I question that which so many others believed in. Surely I was the one who was wrong, right? So I squashed those thoughts way, way down and continued to believe. I live in an area where most people are Christian so conformity was the rule of the land.

Moci: St Agatha was one of the virgin saints. Virginity is praised in women, but for men celibacy is praised and celibacy only asks if a man gave up sex, for a moment, an hour, etc.

In Hannah Gatsby's comedy show 'Douglas" she refers to St. Bernard and all that was required of him to become a saint was a wet dream about the virgin Mary squirting breast milk in his face. Too many paintings of that to number, but here is one example. A pretty low bar for sainthood

I was diagnosed at the age of 52 in 2016. I am 100% an Athiest. There are so many things that you can rely on and turn to besides religion that will support you. For me it was Yoga, meditation and family. Stuff that actually exists you know. In any case good luck with your journey. You will find the things that give you strength.

rnorak, I love your sentiment that we can turn to and rely on real things to support us.

I realize this is an atheist thread, but what norak said reminded me of what Roseanne Cash wrote in her autobiography, “Composed". Cash does not foist her views on anyone, she only explains wherein her life she finds meaning and and it is not in religion but through art and music, both her own and that of others:

“We all need art and music like we need blood and oxygen. The more exploitative, numbing, and assaulting popular culture becomes, the more we need the truth of a beautifully phrased song, dredged from a real person's depth of experience, delivered in an honest voice; the more we need the simplicity of paint on canvas, or the arc of a lonely body in the air, or the photographer's unflinching eye. Art, in the larger sense, is the lifeline to which I cling in a confusing, unfair, sometimes dehumanizing world. In my childhood, the nuns and priests insisted, sometimes in a shrill and punitive tone, that religion was where God resided and where I might find transcendence. I was afraid they were correct for so many years, and that I was the one at fault for not being able to navigate the circuitry of dogma and ritual. For me, it turned out to be a decoy, a mirage framed in sound and fury. Art and music have proven to be more expansive, more forgiving, and more immediately alive. For me, art is a more trustworthy expression of God than religion.“

I don't have a need for belief in, or guidance from a supernatural patriarchy - a supernatural anything. I never have done. I can't imagine someone wanting to turn to faith in a deity who allowed them to develop cancer, but clearly people do. I would find that a very difficult route to finding some sort of meaning or purpose to my disease or pain. If religion brings someone solace with their cancer then that is a good thing. But it's certainly not for me.

I get my inspiration, hope, comfort, sense of peace, sense of feeling grounded and so on from family, friends, creativity, helping others, the company of animals, nurturing my garden, the beauty of nature, feeling part of this planet, and so many other things.

Too true for me not to post!!

well back to what we were talking about. I believe in "life" after death because we see it every spring. IDK if we return as someone else, or what happens because it is unknown to us all. Is there some guy up in the sky....NOPE. I have a dislike of religion. Everyone SO sure their way is the only way. My MIL has told me several times my family is going to hell because we don't believe her way. Add in a gay daughter and u can see that, that went over like a lead balloon. That said I believe that those who are "gone" can sometimes send us a message. When my father was dying I lived in VA. As a teen my car got a lot of flat tires .Dad would bitch and say "WHERE the HELL are you driving this car !?( LOL corn fields etc to have sex) Hospice called me and said if I wanted to see my Dad one last time I should fly to Buffalo right away. I had 3 small children, so I jumped in the car with them (told nurse I was driving and she was doubtful Dad would would live that long.) I drove the whole way like a bat out of hell. Stopped once to feed the kids. When I got to my Mom's the phone rang, it was hospice saying my Dad had passed. I actually like that word... passed to somewhere. The next day I got up and I had a flat tire. On the drive I could hear my Dad's voice telling me to stop driving like a crazy person. I feel that flat tire was a message from Dad. At the funeral my BIL's brother asked me about my drive. He said " if you hadn't have stopped to eat you probably could have seen your Dad one last time". What a fing asshole.

Funny about your dad. When mine died, we had a tremendous thunderstorm. I joked he wasn’t happy about dieing. We had terrible weather up to and including the day of funeral. Was about 10 days, burial and cremation.

His burial date is Wednesday. Just when the Tropical Storm is supposed to hit here. Coincidence

Hi all, I am newly diagnosed, and new to this forum. What does it say about me that the atheist thread is the one that jumped out at me? Thank you all for the laughs, much needed today.

I don't describe myself as atheist, but as a secular humanist. basically - be good to other people, good to the planet, good to yourself, good to animals. But not because a god said so - just because it's right. A lot of people in my life have the notion that without religion, there cannot be morality. I have found the opposite to be true - the most religious people I know are the ones who trample on others' rights to get what they want, who judge, gossip, cheat, lie.

Someone told me about my cancer to "put my faith in god". I don't know how to do that. I do have some doctors who I am trusting to cut me open and remove what doesn't belong.

Hey, wrenn? My neighbor, InaMae, was truly a "christian" in the most literal sense of the word. The most decent, kind, loving person I think I've ever known. She called us her favorite heathens, and she hated the talibangelicals as much as I do.

She died in June at 89. I will truly miss her light and love.

tinkerbel, welcome to this thread, yet sorry you have to be on this site. You mention surgery in the future, is that soon?

tinkerbell6, best thoughts to you for your surgery. Lots of support to be found on this site.

Tinkerbell - I found it helpful to locate the group going through the same things I was at the same time. So take a look for the Chemo Summer 2021 - or some such. Or check the lumpectomy threads. Or rads. Good luck.