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"Six months after he was “outed” as an atheist he lost his job and his wife — both, he says, as a direct consequence. Only a handful of his 100-plus relatives from DeRidder still speak to him. When I visited him, in late June, his house was in foreclosure, and he was contemplating moving into his 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser. This is the kind of environment where godlessness remains a real struggle and raises questions that could ramify across the rest of the country."
"Sitting at the table, the man took out two printouts from secular Web sites with DeWitt’s name on it. “He told me: ‘The Pentecostals who run the parish are not happy, and something’s got to be done,’ ”DeWitt recalled. “Half an hour later I was out of a job.” (His former boss did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.) "
These people are horrible. And Christians think they are the ones being oppressed in America.
"Six months after he was “outed” as an atheist he lost his job and his wife — both, he says, as a direct consequence. Only a handful of his 100-plus relatives from DeRidder still speak to him. When I visited him, in late June, his house was in foreclosure, and he was contemplating moving into his 2007 Chrysler PT Cruiser. This is the kind of environment where godlessness remains a real struggle and raises questions that could ramify across the rest of the country."
"Sitting at the table, the man took out two printouts from secular Web sites with DeWitt’s name on it. “He told me: ‘The Pentecostals who run the parish are not happy, and something’s got to be done,’ ”DeWitt recalled. “Half an hour later I was out of a job.” (His former boss did not respond to phone calls seeking comment.) "
These people are horrible. And Christians think they are the ones being oppressed in America.
I am sure that losing his job probably put him into bankruptcy and foreclosure, but I am not sure how you could expect a church to continue to employ an atheist preacher who doesn't believe in their doctrine. That does not seem evil to me, just logical from their point of view.
I do think those who won't speak to him and who shunned him are pretty awful, but I cannot fault the church for firing him.
I have to agree. How can an organization have as a boss someone who does not truly believe in the dogma of that organization? At the same time, what happened to just taking his aside and proving to him that it's all true? According to theists it is easy enough with logic, reason, science, history and evidence all supporting the truth of the Bible.
Nana, Arequipa, you should read the full article (it is kind of long). His job was a building inspector. He had resigned his pastoral position freely once he could no longer in good conscience teach religion. He was fired due to pressure from area churches after beginning to speak publicly at atheist/agnostic/freethought conferences.
I had the same thought you did from the summary, but when I read the article, it was clear that he was not being sneaky about it, and when he lost his faith he did the right thing and stepped down. The rest of it has come about because he wouldn't, as a local pastor put it, "keep his mouth shut". The summary doesn't do this story justice...
Nana, Arequipa, you should read the full article (it is kind of long). His job was a building inspector. He had resigned his pastoral position freely once he could no longer in good conscience teach religion. He was fired due to pressure from area churches after beginning to speak publicly at atheist/agnostic/freethought conferences.
I had the same thought you did from the summary, but when I read the article, it was clear that he was not being sneaky about it, and when he lost his faith he did the right thing and stepped down. The rest of it has come about because he wouldn't, as a local pastor put it, "keep his mouth shut". The summary doesn't do this story justice...
NoCapo
Thanks for the correction. I had read the article before now (or thought I had) so just went as far as 'Hah ! I remember this'. But obviously I didn't
I think most of us have done that at one time or other. I just wanted to clarify, because I identify with the situation. I grew up in a similar environment, and still have not felt comfortable "coming out" with my atheism to most of my family and folks from the home town. It isn't always that bad, but it often isn't good...
I think most of us have done that at one time or other. I just wanted to clarify, because I identify with the situation. I grew up in a similar environment, and still have not felt comfortable "coming out" with my atheism to most of my family and folks from the home town. It isn't always that bad, but it often isn't good...
NoCapo
My dad told me a few nights ago on the phone that he could never vote for a Mormon. I told him we need an atheist for president; there was dead silence on the other end of the phone
(Keep in mind he and I do not get along anyway)
I frequently post Atheist/humanist links on facebook, so anyone who pays attention to me there will know my views on the subject. Anyone who pays attention being the key phrase therein. Most people do not want to hear of it.
Case in point, Family Guy cartoon where the dog announces he is an atheist? It even makes the news channel because the town is reacting with horror to the idea that there is an atheist in the town.
Read Christopher Hitchen's books, you will see that he was often threatened with assault and death by loving CHristians for speaking out in favor of atheism. Even the police refused to protect him. It would seem that while being gay is acceptable, being an atheist still is not.
I don't go around preaching atheism or the evils of CHristianity, but if someone asks or pushes the point, I will tell them. I openly endorse atheism. Some of my Christian frinds are wanting nothing else to do with me, but I have to choose between fair weather friends and hypocrits, or people who like myself, actually think for a living.
Yes, CHristians always have been the persecutors, but they are also often crybabies when they feel persecuted. Sounds like entitlment to me. I am not entitled to anything but the right to have my beliefs. When those beliefs are counter to some religious fanatics, it would seem that from their point of view, more oft than not, they feel more entitled than I do.
Also the article does point out something but does not discuss it. Madyln Muray O'Hair was the outspoken atheist and the most hated woman in America. She was hated even by other atheists not because of her beliefs but because of her attitude. She was a very nasty, unpleasant person, who crossed the wrong psycho and met with a most painful end as a result. We now have more reasonable leaders like Dawkins and I wish one day myself who bring not a bad attitude but a level-head of reason and education to the movement, who show that morals are human and not religion and that thinking and questioning are truly the way to the human race solving it's problems and challenges.
EVER NOTICE HOW THE CHURCHES THAT CLAIM TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS ARE THE ONES THAT DO NOT PERMIT QUESTIONS?
My dad told me a few nights ago on the phone that he could never vote for a Mormon. I told him we need an atheist for president; there was dead silence on the other end of the phone
(Keep in mind he and I do not get along anyway)
I frequently post Atheist/humanist links on facebook, so anyone who pays attention to me there will know my views on the subject. Anyone who pays attention being the key phrase therein. Most people do not want to hear of it.
Case in point, Family Guy cartoon where the dog announces he is an atheist? It even makes the news channel because the town is reacting with horror to the idea that there is an atheist in the town.
Read Christopher Hitchen's books, you will see that he was often threatened with assault and death by loving CHristians for speaking out in favor of atheism. Even the police refused to protect him. It would seem that while being gay is acceptable, being an atheist still is not.
I don't go around preaching atheism or the evils of CHristianity, but if someone asks or pushes the point, I will tell them. I openly endorse atheism. Some of my Christian frinds are wanting nothing else to do with me, but I have to choose between fair weather friends and hypocrits, or people who like myself, actually think for a living.
Yes, CHristians always have been the persecutors, but they are also often crybabies when they feel persecuted. Sounds like entitlment to me. I am not entitled to anything but the right to have my beliefs. When those beliefs are counter to some religious fanatics, it would seem that from their point of view, more oft than not, they feel more entitled than I do.
Also the article does point out something but does not discuss it. Madyln Muray O'Hair was the outspoken atheist and the most hated woman in America. She was hated even by other atheists not because of her beliefs but because of her attitude. She was a very nasty, unpleasant person, who crossed the wrong psycho and met with a most painful end as a result. We now have more reasonable leaders like Dawkins and I wish one day myself who bring not a bad attitude but a level-head of reason and education to the movement, who show that morals are human and not religion and that thinking and questioning are truly the way to the human race solving it's problems and challenges.
EVER NOTICE HOW THE CHURCHES THAT CLAIM TO HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS ARE THE ONES THAT DO NOT PERMIT QUESTIONS?
I am an atheist and i approve this message.
And it reminds me of Dawkins reads his hate mail (or it could be 'a reading of Dawkins' hate mail').
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