Christians persecute Pastor for experimenting with Atheism

Well, so much for compassionate conservatism. This guy lost 3 jobs in a few weeks for just trying to live without religion (not actually rejecting religion). And christians wonder why people call them intolerant and hypocritical? I think it's ironic that atheists have flocked to give him aid while he's being rejected and bankrupted by the faithful. Hopefully, he will see how much life is livable without being controlled by religious people and dogmas all the time.

religion.blogs.cnn.com...

Pastor tries atheism, loses jobs, gains $19,000

reply to post by CB328


I don't see the problem. The guy was a pastor. If he leaves his flock, why should his flock continue to support him? The athiests are picking up where his flock left off. It all seems fair and justified. After all, we are talking about him using religion as a job here. Let him be patronized by what he's selling. That is how business do it, right?

After all, the athiests are supporting him just because he's turned away and tried their way. I see no difference in the sides at this point. It all seems very parallel.

reply to post by CB328


Not sure if trolling...

Of course he would lose his job. He is no longer qualified for it. That's like a cop deciding to try out robbery. It's one of those "one or the other" kind of things.

How does a person "experiment" with atheism?

Can belief be just shut off, and turned back on again?

If you read, he is not going to church or praying for people.

Mehta said he doesn’t exactly agree with the premise of Bell’s experiment. How does someone pretend to be an atheist? It’s not like a hat you wear to see if it fits. Faith taps into deeply held beliefs and emotions. Even during his experiment with atheism, won’t there still be a nagging suspicion in the back of Bell’s mind that God exists?

(For the record, Bell describes his current theological views as agnostic — somewhere between belief and atheism. But he’s trying to put that aside for the year to live and think like an atheist.)

That there above is what I was thinking.
He's being agnostically atheistic....

religion.blogs.cnn.com...

Six degrees of atheism

3) Seeker-agnostic

This group is made up of people who are unsure about the existence of a God but keep an open mind and recognize the limits of human knowledge and experience.

Silver and Coleman describe this group as people who regularly question their own beliefs and “do not hold a firm ideological position.”

That doesn’t mean this group is confused, the researchers say. They just embrace uncertainty.

That makes the most sense to me, I hadn't realized anyone had considered that as atheism.

It's good the pastor is exploring the idea that religious belief isn't what makes a person good or bad. Too many people attach morals to religion.

This was already posted like 3 days ago or something. Anyways, it has to suck to lose everything over a choice that affects no one but the individual choosing something for personal growth. That's like saying hey Brotherman your fired for deciding to dye your hair from dirty blonde to brown, your a heathen! The world is still an intolerable place to those that claim to be thy brothers keeper and all that jazz. Sad really.

reply to post by Brotherman

That's like saying hey Brotherman your fired for deciding to dye your hair from dirty blonde to brown, your a heathen!

Not quite. In a church, a pastor is expected to hold some amount of faith. Trying out atheism shows how on-the-fence he is about what he believes.. Not something that cries faith.

Maybe he can get a job doing Starburst commercials..

Being let go as a pastor is expected but being let go from the other jobs simply because he has religious doubts well that is something different.

reply to post by CB328


What does compassionate conservatism have to do with this story?

The man left his religion and was no longer qualified to be the leader of his organization. Very simple.

His eyes may have been opened in a way he wasn't expecting. Maybe now he will see just how intolerant and biased he has helped to make people through the things he has taught being a pastor. He can now see how the religious discriminate against anyone who isn't part of their club.

CB328
If you read, he is not going to church or praying for people.

This just in. Cop loses job for no longer going to the police station or responding to 911 calls, how corrupt!

Grimpachi
Being let go as a pastor is expected but being let go from the other jobs simply because he has religious doubts well that is something different.

How is it different? He was teaching at CHRISTIAN schools. No longer being a Christian should make it obvious he would no longer be fit to teach.

3NL1GHT3N3D1
His eyes may have been opened in a way he wasn't expecting. Maybe now he will see just how intolerant and biased he has helped to make people through the things he has taught being a pastor. He can now see how the religious discriminate against anyone who isn't part of their club.

Yes because we all agree that a Jew would be the perfect teacher at a Muslim religious school right? You and the OP are so blinded by hatred it's ridiculous.

The man decided he was no longer a Christian. He lost his FAITH RELATED jobs when he claimed he no longer had faith.

OccamsRazor04

Grimpachi
Being let go as a pastor is expected but being let go from the other jobs simply because he has religious doubts well that is something different.

How is it different? He was teaching at CHRISTIAN schools. No longer being a Christian should make it obvious he would no longer be fit to teach.

I know a few teachers that are atheist/agnostic, that happen to be excellent teachers. What does ones religious preference have to do with their ability to teach?

reply to post by AprilFooseball

I know a few teachers that are atheist/agnostic, that happen to be excellent teachers. What does ones religious preference have to do with their ability to teach?

Umm ... everything in a private Christian school.

I'm not saying the religious are better teachers because they are religious. Just saying parents don't send their children to Christian school so that they can be taught about the world from an atheistic perspective.

AprilFooseball

OccamsRazor04

Grimpachi
Being let go as a pastor is expected but being let go from the other jobs simply because he has religious doubts well that is something different.

How is it different? He was teaching at CHRISTIAN schools. No longer being a Christian should make it obvious he would no longer be fit to teach.

I know a few teachers that are atheist/agnostic, that happen to be excellent teachers. What does ones religious preference have to do with their ability to teach?

Because parents send their children their for a CHRISTIAN education. You can be a genius, but if you are a staunch capitalist you are not qualified to teach in a class that promotes communism (or vice versa).

If a Jew applied to teach at a Muslim religious school and did not get the job would you scream DAMN MUSLIMS!! How dare they, that is so hateful!

OccamsRazor04

Grimpachi
Being let go as a pastor is expected but being let go from the other jobs simply because he has religious doubts well that is something different.

How is it different? He was teaching at CHRISTIAN schools. No longer being a Christian should make it obvious he would no longer be fit to teach.

Because he never claimed to be an Atheist. He is having doubts and is being open about it. Seriously why do you think he is an Atheist? Neither the article from this thread or the one I authored says that.link

Is this how Christians are expected to react to people with doubts? If he does lose his faith completely then maybe it will be partially because of the experience he has had with those of faith. I certainly wouldn't blame him for turning away from religion seems like the faith hasn't had any problem turning away from him.

reply to post by Grimpachi


He stated he is not going to pray. So a student comes to him and says hey can you pray for me? No sorry I refuse to pray for you because as far as I am concerned there is no god right now.

Yeah you're right .. perfect fit for a CHRISTIAN school. Some serious stupidity in this thread.

For the next 12 months, Bell says he will live as if there is no God.

He will not pray