Goddy is my word. [Giddy came from the word Goddy. Old English gidig ‘insane’, literally ‘possessed by a god]’. I'm just bringing it back.
My sister is now Goddy.
We talk a lot. She my favorite sister. I have one non mentally handicapped brother and two mentally handicapped brothers (severe retardation). My brother is very intelligent and could have done a lot for himself. He's gotten by doing different stuff but his mind flies all over the place. He's an ex pat, always talking of conspiracy theories. He's actually able to make friends better than me for which I'm kind of envious although I'm getting better not hat front. People like him- and then my family starts to dislike him when ti comes to him going on and on about the crazy stuff on his mind and not taking hints. But he's so open and extroverted and 'caring' or something that I think people love him at first. He's soooo sentimental like he cries when Price dies and gushes over the wisdom of Bob Dylan. If anything he's kind of mystical. Loves pot.
I used to be Christian. Until the foundations caved and no going back but my sister is now Christian and she's annoying me. We're both struggling with issues- me primarily my social life and her- she got a divorce and is struggling with career but she's found not only god but biblical dogmatism. That's fine whatever helps, I like to live and let believe but she's really goddy and it's hard to talk to people sometimes. One annoyance is when people try to suggest god as a solution. I tell a problem, and I'm always appreciative when anyone would listen to my problems. They're not obligated to, but I want to scream, believe all you want, but let's us use reason to find solutions. If I 'accepted "Him" ' or whatever, my problems would be fixed. Fine if you say they're all in my head. At least that makes sense.
I actually see a place for religious and belief and atheists have not yet created any form of communities that churches provide. A lot of the girls I really like are non dogmatic Christians. I like a traditional type. Actually I like different aspects of progressivism. It's a strange combination. I just see a lot of progressive modernists throw out the baby with the bathwater perhaps. They throw out motherhood, throw out femininity, throw out long dresses and good manners. Each there own but I am not attracted to these (anti) virtues and a lot of time they are found in Christians. I could never date a hardcore dogmatic one or have a family with one, but a lot of the nominal ones are great, though I always like finding these traits in secular girls. Harder to do so in America than Europe. But my sister is goddy. The enthusiasm is annoying to me, but I've been there, and she's trying to tell me- if I just x or y or z- but I patiently try to tell her yes I have x y and z-ed but it goes unheard. She wants to care but she's caught up in a system and her mind is fooled and caught. A caught mind, a caught brain. Is there anything more tragic. I tell her it's the imagination. "God" knows you better than anyone else because "God" is a product of your subconscious/imagination/ which knows you better than anyone else.
So it just annoys me that people try to find solutions to Life's problems by recourse to "God". A one stop shop shut down reason. Well didn't "God" give us reason? And why do we have to "go to him" to get him to provide us peace or help? I asked her this question and she had some answer or other, but I was like, he should do it anyway if we're his children in need. I can't remember what she said but she's Goddy. She's not reflecting on what I say. My dad was always Goddy. I've seen my sister become this way and becoming it more strongly.
Ahh well. I just wanna use reason, look out for number one and get ahead in life.
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@lephrachaun (I assume “normal not lucky”)
That’s a lot to digest. Families can be complicated.
Normally, I (can only speak for myself) do things motivated for the well being of others...and it’s a balancing act to make sure I get in there too.
You said: “ Ahh well. I just wanna use reason, look out for number one and get ahead in life”
I don’t know you well enough to know whether this is your real, literal view or sarcasm.
@leprechaun: You might benefit from a "Street Epistemology" approach to your sister and her telling you what you need in your life. There are quite a few videos showing it in action. It is a way to converse and confront but not on the "Overt Topic." instead one asks the question "How do you know that to be true" concerning the overt topic.
"You need Jesus."
"Why do you think so?"
"He will make your life better."
"How do you know that? Are all believers in Jesus free of problems?" What evidence do you have?
The focus is "How do you know that." vs Arguing about whether or not Jesus was real.
I think this technique is especially useful with family members.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRkgbieuMT4
He will recommend a book in the video. Thriftbooks.com has it for about $12 and it would be worth the purchase. Good luck!
@Cognostic
How am I only know hearing about this strategy? I really must pay more attention.
Though tbh I don't think proselytising is as bad in the UK, though it happens of course. Had some JW's around the other day, smiled, said thank you, but I'm an atheist. Seemed to do the trick, but it was a mother with a young child.
No one has really tried to give religion the "hard sell" to me since sunday school confirmation classes, and even then it wasn't anywhere near that bad, compared to most of what I read here.
@Cognostic
"I think this technique is especially useful with family members."
Not with my family, especially my father. Although a brilliant man in many ways, he had some blind spots. One was when anyone disagreed with him, about anything.
The normal response was "Well, you're just stupid!" I ONCE tried to have a discussion with him about religion. I tried to explain that I did no believe the same things as he. His response was ;" A lot of people a lot smarter than you believe!'
I was I think 23 at that time. Dad and I never had a serious discussion again, about anything. He just sniped at me and my atheist siblings until he lost his marbles and had to go into care in his early 80's.
I don't think I want to share my feelings about my father. The perceptive reader who has read a few of my post might form a rough idea.
That's one reason we are all here. "To learn new shit!" I stuck my nose in the "Infinity" thread expecting it to be chewed off. I have only watched a few videos on the subject and know very little.
Oh fuck Cog ...same! Lol.... I thought Nyar or Butterfly guy would be on me like “white in rice” -
I guess we get the concept ....just lack the “communication” of eloquent mathematical formula discussion of said concepts :)
@Cognostic
"That's one reason we are all here. "To learn new shit!" "
Yup.For me, the main reason is an attempt to keep my critical thinking active. In real life,I have nobody else with whom to discuss most of the topics we get here in any depth.
One of the more startling things I've learned as a result of being here: I watched Lawrence Krauss's video about the universe coming from 'nothing'. I learned that my [philosophical] understanding*** of 'nothing' is different from that of the physicist.
Fascinating stuff.
***I use 'understanding' in the broad intellectual sense. I am unable to grasp 'nothing' in any literal sense. I've tried, all I've come up with is darkness. I once died in a dream. What I experienced was terror and falling in darkness.
I have a cousin who began life as an engineer, and became a conservative Christian clergyman. (his sister started out as a dancer and became a doctor--interesting family)
I have mellowed a bit over the years. I've lived for the past 30 years across the street from a traditional, mostly black, Baptist church. Very traditional crowd, decent people. Periodically they invite me over, I politely decline. I see this as a form of social structure, and it makes no difference whether there is or is not a god. Social stability is something that successful human societies have developed in various ways around the world. Pull that rug out and you get the Jacobins or the Bolsheviks running wild
Do I believe in their concept of god? Of course not. Do I believe that this has helped anchor our neighborhood? I think so.
Ahhh.... The evolutionary value of religion. "Anchoring people together so the clan can survive." Yes, we even see it in action today.