Interesting Article : “Christians should abandon Christianity”

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alcoholism, atheism, Christian, christianity, God, Jesus, musings, Peter Rollin, philosophy, recovery, Religion and Spirituality

“That’s why, in some respects, the people who come out of fundamentalism are not the ones who didn’t really believe it. They’re the ones who really did. They took it completely seriously and experienced this impotence.”~Peter Rollins.

I think he is on to something there.  As an ex-AA, a former true believer in ‘the program’ or at least as a guy who wanted to believe or tried to believe, I can feel my own anger at the impotence.

“That’s the good news of Christianity for me. It’s not that you can be happy and whole, but rather that life is crap and you don’t know the answers. It’s good news to be freed from the oppression that there’s something that’s going to make it all better. When you’re free from that and begin to work through your brokenness and suffering with a set of rituals, practices and sacraments that help us encounter our humanity, I think we become more loving, more beautiful, more grace-filled people.”

I am not a Christian and I am not sure that I need a set of rituals, practices, or sacraments to encounter my humanity but I do think the idea of acceptance, freedom from the oppression of finding ‘an answer’ is still refreshing.

The entire article :
Christians should abandon Christianity.

How did Jesus come to love guns and hate sex?

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agnosticism, atheism, Christ, Christian, christianity, God, Jesus, philosophy, religion, Religion and Spirituality

An interesting take from a Christian. Obviously I am not a Christian, but “People who have been smitten by God’s mercy aren’t oblivious to the reality of sin; they just don’t need to talk about it all the time. They’ve been set free of the need to justify themselves by parading their vigilance against the total depravity of everyone else.” is an attitude that I can get behind.

Mercy not Sacrifice

If I were a non-Christian looking from the outside in, I don’t think it would be unreasonable to think that American Christians’ two highest priorities right now are keeping the government from taking away our guns and stopping gay people from getting married. And I don’t think it would be too far-fetched to assume that Jesus sure must love guns and hate sex. But should these really be our priorities as Christians? And if not, how did they rise to the place of prominence they have?

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The scourge of God

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atheism, christianity, humor, musing, philosophy, religion, Stick Figure Deaths

He takes away our meaning.

We are subjects to his will.

He is to be adored, not our kind.

But he promises immortality,

a meaningless and endless life devoted to him.

Slavery.

Grow up man!

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12 step program, 12 Steps, Addiction, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, musings, philosophy, recovery, Stick Figure Deaths

Well ok, it is embarrassing.

Now what?

A fellow writer mentioned ‘all or nothing’ for those of us who cannot moderate.  Am I that guy?  Yes!  I have proved it many times but I insist on experimenting with different formulations and different rules.   I am neither insane nor stupid.  It is time to grow up, make a decision,  and stick with it.

Done.

 

 

Family Values

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agnosticism, atheism, bible, bible reading, christianity, cults, easter, humor, musings, philosophy, religion, spirituality

Therapy, why do I bother?

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anxiety, Behavior, Behaviour therapy, Cognitive behavioral therapy, depression, Health, Mental health, moods, musings, psychology, Psychotherapy, therapy

I was reading this article about ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy).   I had a blinding flash of the completely obvious.   I WASTE A LOT OF FUCKING MONEY ON THERAPY!.

I have been ‘in therapy’ off and on since 1995.  Generally, every couple of years I arrive at some crisis point or another and off I go to therapy of some sort.  Usually a combination of medication and ‘talk therapy’.  Also generally, I get bored, my mood changes, I get tired of paying somebody to be my friend, I just flat out don’t like them, whatever—-and I go off on my non-merry way for a couple more years.

I may be the most uneducated consumer of mental health services to ever darken the door of a therapist’s office.  In reading the article I discovered that ACT is part of  the behavioral school of therapy. Behavior therapy is divided into three generations: traditional behaviorism, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and the current “third generation” or contextual approaches to behavior.   That is good to know but what is the behavioral school of therapy?  What other schools are there?  What approach is my therapist taking?  What does he believe? What is the end game?   I have no idea of the answer to any of those questions.

I don’t ask those questions of my therapist and he also doesn’t bother to tell me.  If I had a problem with my knee I would have orthopedic specialist look at it.  Maybe he would refer me to a surgeon.  The surgeon would certainly tell me what he intended to do and why.  He would inform me of the risks.  I might even get a second opinion.   When it comes to my mental health I have been pretty content to lollygag around and somewhat happily fork over money with zero knowledge of the the ultimate plan or even the approach that is being taken with me.

I can’t completely educate myself on current psycho-therapeutic methods.  I don’t have the time and frankly it isn’t my job.  That is what I hope my therapist has done.  I do need to ask a lot more questions and make him earn his money though.  It will be better for me in the long run.  I think.   Continuing to simply show up and give my status report and then hearing some ‘attaboys’ and  ‘go-get-ums’ is not really getting me anywhere except slightly poorer.

 

Post # 102: Testimony of a Former 12 Stepper

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12 step program, 12 Steps, Addiction, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, atheism, drinking, recovery

Another good read passed on by Cult Buster.

Cult Buster

Why She Left AA After 12 Years: A Most Revealing Testimony

Life after leaving 12 step programs has been proven most beneficial for Louise Wareham Leonard, a former 12 stepper. After 12 years of stepping, she realized life was much better without the programs. After discovering that weeks and months without 12-step orthodoxy was achievable, she realized she would never go back. A display of her testimony from The Fix.Com website can be accessed by clicking here.

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Space Monkeys

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12 step program, 12 Steps, alcoholics anonymous, alcoholism, atheism, recovery

“Like a monkey, ready to be shot into space. Space monkey! Ready to sacrifice himself for the greater good.”
~Tyler Durden

Carrying a message that I didn’t believe in.
To help save people from a disease I don’t really believe in.
To fit in.
I would rather not fit in and make my own way.

Top ten reasons to run like hell from AA – youtube from Godlesspanther.

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12 step program, 12 Steps, alcoholics anonymous, atheism, recovery

We are Killing more people than we are saving – Video

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12 step program, 12 Steps, alcoholics anonymous, atheism, recovery