Just to share another success story--because we rarely share these. We claim we get these letters, but I think it helps for people to see these publicly as well:
Hi. My name is Jeremy and I am a student at the University of Missouri. I would just like to thank you for helping me convert to being an atheist. I have always been confused trying to find the "right" religion to practice and how to worship. I have studied all the monotheistic religions and just never seemed to really get it. However for the past year or two I have discovered shows like yours and have read/watched the new atheists (Hitchens, Dawkins....). For the first time, I can just set back and say that everything now makes more sense. Also, I seem to be at more peace with myself and have a greater understanding and respect for others. I am less hateful and appear to understand others more. I no longer feel the need to discriminate against others for reasons that do not make sense to me (a problem I always had with religion). I understand that this will be the only life I will get and that I should live it the best I can.
I understand that you may have a lot of email for the show so if you do not respond back to me I will understand. However, please show this email to all that work in front of the camera and behind the scenes. I wish for everyone who works at the the show to know that you have made a difference and have helped me (and I am sure many others) become better people just by using reason and a little common sense. Thank you!
Thanks, Jeremy, for letting us know. Really, it makes our day!
Good to hear another one. These make a great contrast to some of the more... [i]unusual[/i] emails you and the crew receive.
ReplyDelete>>"I wish for everyone who works at the the show to know that you have made a difference and have helped me (and I am sure many others) become better people just by using reason and a little common sense."
ReplyDeleteSeconded! Words can't describe how much more comfortable, confident, and content I am because of you guys.
That's true for me too! Thank you very much, all the crew.
ReplyDeleteYour show has helped me apply my natural skepticism to religious claims. You've helped me build a framework from which I can evaluate religious ideas in a way I couldn't before.
ReplyDeleteI can only imagine the kind of commitment that you all make to keep a show (and blog) like this running. Add one to the long list of individuals who are grateful that you are doing this work.
Well it's nice to know that he's become "less hateful".
ReplyDeleteI had a conversation with an old friend of mine at an BBQ-party earlier tonight(yes its night even though it is bright enough to pass for afternoon) here in Sweden where we discussed something along the the lines of how disturbing it is that in the US that 'coming out' as an atheist is something almost worse then to coming out as gay in some areas.
ReplyDeleteAround here being atheist is closer to being 'normal' than being theist (being gay is not something big either), the world and its cultures is diverse and for this very reason, interesting, although disturbing.
atheists cannot exist. agnostics or theists are the only possible option. this is because because no man knows everything and therefore God can exist in the gap of atheists' lack of knowledge. so, atheists, fuck off.
ReplyDeleteVery cool! Kudos to everyone who makes AE happen. You are all providing a great service in this world of confusion!
ReplyDeleteSpace pixies and unicorns "can" exist in the gap of your lack of knowledge too, Joe. So since you're clearly stupid enough to believe in the God of the Gaps, you've got no reason not to be stupid enough to believe in Space Pixies and Unicorns of the Gaps, too. Right?
ReplyDeleteAnother thing you're too stupid to understand: this is our blog, so you fuck off.
Christians: unintelligence and douchebaggery in one ugly package.
What everybody else said... if not for this show, I wouldn't have that handy roladex of counter-arguments I can whip out when ever a theist makes a fallacious argument!
ReplyDeleteGood for you. I tried 'coming out of the closet'. Pretty much had to go right back in for the sake of my family. Messy.
ReplyDeleteIt hurts some days.