Christians give me all kinds of shit

[zilch]

Ben Franklin- try as I might, I can't see the Virgin Mary in that slice of pizza. Did you eat the piece with her on it?

[Jason Brunet]

This post got gurked up for some reason and now I can delete it. So that it's not a waste of bandwidth, I will leave you with this humorous quote:

"Please pay no attention to me."
-This Post!
[/jay novella]

[Jason Brunet]

Jason,

I actually do blog about these experiences over at microbesandmen.blogspot.com. I've done several, in addition to alot of other fun topics.

I subscribe to your blog already, I just wish there was *more* content about the meetings.

I often feel like the odd man out. It is interesting listening to the conversation, the reasoning, and the arguments. So you say you are a fan of Ray Comfort? Still?

Nononononononononononononononononono! I was just telling the story of my first experience with Ray, which happened to be via GDBIA. I was a fan of Ray's back when I was a fundamentalist and a creationist, burrently I am neither.

Perhaps I should review some of the book. I actually just thumbed through to a random page, and read that Comfort thinks that scientists claim that giraffes have evolved long necks to reach tall trees. This actually isn't accurate, not that I would ever accuse Ray of doing any honest research, but giraffe necks appear to be about male dominance....thickness of skull is also correlated with dominance. They use their heads like clubs; females mate with winners.

I didn't know that! How do we know this? Is it possible that their necks first evolved to reach tall trees, but were later co-opted for male dominance?

When I get a chance I'll do more than a random search.

Ray actually mailed me two of his books, each with a small personalized note on the title page: World Religions In A Nutshell (atheism is one of them) and Comfort Food. I think the latter is just stuff he's posted on his blog. It even has the Gunther cartoons. Maybe we should start a Ray Comfort Literary Collective. Wait! We could review selected chapters on our respective blogs and have a carnival of Ray Comfort! We'd need to get a lot more people involved. Perhaps this is not such a great idea.

Got to get a lecture ready for tommorrow. Later.

Anytime someone mentions going to a class, either as a teacher or a student, I feel a bit jealous, yet is is my own lazy ass fault that I am not a part of that world.

[Jason Brunet]

Jason,

As a Christian, could you provide your perspective on suffering? How can we understand the notion that god is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent....and yet there is so much excruciating suffering in the world? Thanks.

I don't know if I'm a Christian anymore. Some (Ray) would probably say that this alone means I'm not. Or maybe it's the fact that I readily admit that there probably isn't a God. Either way, I don't know of a way to reconcile these things.

[Jason Brunet]

Anyway, it was because of that book that I became a fan of Ray Comfort.

Hi Jason. I remember seeing your name, but I can't remember (reliably) whether you continue to be a Christian or a fan of Ray. Would you please give us (me) a brief update of where you stand now? I'm only curious...

Thanks

I'm honestly not sure where I stand. There probably isn't a God, even though I do want there to be, and I continue to ask Him to show Himself to me, which so far has been fruitless. But I have been a Christian my entire life. I don't *feel* like I'm ready to let go of that label. I have imagined saying to myself "I am an atheist", but it just doesn't *feel* right.

So I guess where I am is waiting for my emotions to catch up with my brain.

Thanks for asking.

[Jason Brunet]

Imagine a Hell where all the pizza is loaded with garbage like pineapples, avocado, and all sorts of other shit that has no earthly purpose being on a pizza.


A proper slice of pizza

Benjamin Franklin, proud member of ASPCA
American Society of Pizza and Calzone Aficionados.

Duck, balsamic vinegar, and grapes. Come on, you'd love it.

[Whateverman]

So I guess where I am is waiting for my emotions to catch up with my brain.

Thanks for asking.

That's a great way of describing it!

I'm always bothered a little when people portray the decision to believe in God as "either Christianity or Atheism", for example. I've seen lots of Christians who became disillusioned by their religion, and turn into atheists. Whereas it's their decision to make, I don't think you need to be an atheist in order to reject theism.

I say this as a deist, obviously

[Jason Brunet]

So I guess where I am is waiting for my emotions to catch up with my brain.

Thanks for asking.

That's a great way of describing it!

I'm always bothered a little when people portray the decision to believe in God as "either Christianity or Atheism", for example. I've seen lots of Christians who became disillusioned by their religion, and turn into atheists. Whereas it's their decision to make, I don't think you need to be an atheist in order to reject theism.

I say this as a deist, obviously

That makes sense to me. The best argument for God's existence, imo, and not that I necessarily accept it, is the fact that there is something rather than nothing (Of course, then, why is there God, rather than nothing?). This doesn't seem to me to be a question science is likely to answer.* But even so, this doesn't bring you even within a mile of the God of Christianity, to paraphrase C.S. Lewis.





*I freely admit that I could be quite ignorant on this, as science that doesn't involve animals tends to lose my interest rather quickly.

[Whateverman]

But even so, this doesn't bring you even within a mile of the God of Christianity

Yup - agreed.
By the way: "duck" on a pizza??? I may have to try this...

PS. I've done the fruit with balsamic thing before, but not on pizza. I've got a great watermelon, white balsamic and feta cheese salad I make during the summer...

[Jason Brunet]

Yes, but it was one of those fancy pizzas. If you're ever in New Orleans stop by the Louisiana Pizza Kitchen in Riverbend. Actually, if you're in New Orleans, don't waste your time eating pizza, even fancy pizza. Unless you live there.

I <3 vinegar, especially balsamic, but I don't think I've had it on fruit.