You know what…
…I bet I’m as tired of seeing this article as I hope Jennifer Fulwiler is. If she’s better now, nice. If not, still don’t cart.
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I’ve gotta say, her arguments really aren’t doing a lot to convince me that a: there is actually a God in whom I should place all my trust worship and worship blindly and unconditionally, and b: that I should want to. This one in particular really stuck out to me: “The idea of deceased friends and family members being aware of what goes on here on earth is nearly universal.” It may be nearly universal, but that doesn’t make it true. And if it is…this is supposed to be some kind of eternal reward? If I was to die tomorrow,… Read more »
“An umbrella that only works on sunny days is an umbrella that doesn’t work.”
Wow. Is this an original expression or a quote?
I just made it up.
It’s too bad that she didn’t do much research. Maybe the only atheist she interviewed was her early self, in which case all she did was “talk” (voices in head put to some good use?) to a *former* atheist, not a living atheist. If I want nutritional advice for eating well on a vegetarian diet, I don’t approach a *former* vegetarian at a rib shack who’s telling me what to eat whilst wearing a bib, mouth smeared with grease and belching pork fumes. At least the author of “50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God” extensively sampled and… Read more »
“Don’t assume that atheists have a sense of sad emptiness, she said, but they do have one. They just haven’t noticed it yet!”
What a nasty condescending woman.
M.G. November 26, 2014 at 3:15 pm
#813154
“fred jones July 28, 2011 at 6:24 am
#1424
“Don’t assume that atheists have a sense of sad emptiness, she said, but they do have one. They just haven’t noticed it yet!”
What a nasty condescending woman.”
Fred, You just read an article called “Guess What? Jennifer Fulwiler is Still an Idiot.” And you call her nasty??? Just Sayin’
Funny, I thought the same thing about each one of you.
Wouldn’t I have to ‘kneel before Zod’ to get into the ‘Phantom Zone’?
I’d be willing to take her at her word that she was an atheist at one point, but it sounds like she wasn’t particularly skeptical.
This woman is welcome to claim she “used to be an atheist”. She’s not welcome to claim possession of basic reasoning skills.
My guess is that she was someone who simply never considered it that seriously, or she was an atheist for purely emotional reasons. It seems to me that all of her points would make sense if they were viewed through a purely emotional lens with the skepticism and critical thinking filters removed.
In other words, she seems to have put as much thought into her atheism as most people put into their religion.
[…] […]
She does not claim to be reasoning apologetically, in the sense of presenting arguments. She is reporting experiences and impressions, and reasoning only in drawing conclusions from those. It’s a human thing. I see no reasoning of any kind in the response of this blog.
[…] been a while since I’ve had large numbers of people calling my conversion, my sanity, and my mental coherence into question, and it’s provided me with a good opportunity to take a step back and ask […]
Strange that Idiots are reserved for non-atheists. I come from a land where atheist ruled, they learned they first just killed the priests and destroyed their churches, then they realized the people were not on their side because there was reasons given for the deaths. So they buried rifles and dug them up for the trials, then they hung the priests. The people were still not convinced, so they drafted the priests into the army, where they were assigned to the black brigades and sent to mine uranium so they would die of cancer. The religious sisters were arrested and… Read more »
I have no idea of what mythical strawman land of which you speak, because you are being quite evasive. Nice to you that you follow up what sounds like chastising me for intolerance with prescribing that all atheists be put to death. Very nice. If you want to see a land “ruled by atheists,” I suggest you look at countries in Scandanavia, where no such things happen and quality of life and personal freedom are quite high. Either put names on your claims and back them up, or I’m going assume you’re just talking out of your ass. What I… Read more »
What atheistic country? Check out Russia, the Soviet regime, Stalin and his successors their efforts to wipe out religion.
Millions of their own people killed.
Communism(the Karl Marx brand): “there is no God”, etc.
Prove someone loves you rationally. they say they love you, but they might have ulterior motives. How can you prove that someone loves you, or that you love someone else?
Oh, you beautiful ridiculousness.
This Sunday, 6PM your time, call the station our show appears on. It’s 253-584-1480. If you’re worried about the expense, I’ll reimburse you if you shoot me a paypal or something. I haven’t had anyone throw communism at me in a month, of Sundays, and I would love going over that old chestnut with you.
If you think the Soviet Union is an example of the sort of world built on the foundations of reason and secularism, please excuse my laughter. While the U.S.S.R. was indeed officially atheistic, little of their propaganda was centered on it. Most railed against the evils of capitalists. Religion was largely an afterthought in the mouths of most of the party leaders and publications. Also, it was far from a rational or science-based ideology running the place. I highly recommend you look up the Soviet Union’s long running and utterly disastrous dogmatic embrace of bad science in the form of… Read more »
Mike, it’s funny you went all through all that elaborate answer what how do you measure “love” and I didn’t get anything out it. You really can’t explain love. There’s just no explanation to it. If you asked your mom, whey she loves you (Bless her btw), she’ll probably say, because you’re my child and you’ll probably argue “you don’t have to love me because i’m your child. Other children are not loved by their mother”. she’ll probably give another answer and you can probably come up with something to counter that… and eventually…. she’ll end up saying… I love… Read more »
Funny that “idiots” are only the religious people. Everyone against atheism is an idiot and everyone who is atheist is smart. Talking about being rational….
The only idiot I can see after reading this is yourself.
Childish, idiotic rants who really has no answer to Jennifer’s conversion other than to make fun.
I have met so many atheists who after having no concrete response can only use so called humour in their defence.
I would say I feel sorry for your small mindnedness but all I can say is I will pray for you and for your own conversion to the wholeness of truth.
I’m honestly more sorry for you… because it’s clear you don’t know how to read.
You have absolutely no sound answer, and by stating ‘I feel sorry for you because you can’t read’ simply shows you have nothing concrete to say. You are very boring, from what I’ve read.
It’s far more small-minded for Ms. Fulwiler to strip the humanity from so many people by making such condemning assumptions about them and their motives. Just because she played at atheism once upon a time in college doesn’t mean she knows anyone else at all. In fact, if you look at her blog, she spends very little time getting to know even her fellow Catholics. She is utterly self-involved. Other people only exist as extensions of her ego.
If you think you have to be an idiot to be catholic (or even religious)… Surely you read about these people, Rene Descartes, Galileo Galilei, Fibonacci, etc… You say there are lay catholics? Then, How about these clergy catholics? Nicolaus Copernicus, Gregor Mendel, Georges Lemaître, Albertus Magnus, Roger Bacon, etc… If you really think you’re so smart and you can’t stomach the idea of a life after death, then check out “Pascal’s Wager”… only an idiot will stay an atheist.
It’s clear the author isn’t equating being Catholic with being an idiot. It’s Fulwiler who equates emptiness with being an atheist. Maybe that was so for her, but it is not the case for others. When she insists this is true and then claims that those who disagree with her conclusions as “just not knowing it yet”, she denies their humanity. That’s anti-Christian and supposedly anti-Catholic.
When you have been indoctrinated from birth with a psychological input that makes you feel unwell or uncomfortable if you challenge being a Catholic which is topped up and reinforced weekly it is difficult for you to assess your metal condition rationally. If your religion answered any challenge historically by murdering or threatening to murder those who challenged its supremacy it would tend to have power and control over those who you mentioned. Those who even after publicly recanting their claimed heresy still believed it, because the evidence proved it to be so even though it was not what the… Read more »
This article makes you look petulant and foolish.
Wow. A sarcastic atheist? Uh, yawn.
Wow. A theist who sneers instead of using reason? Uh, yawn.
It is pretty obvious that Fulwiler discovered that she can make loads of money with her story and her new catholic job. She is a clone of Hannegraf, Olstein, Graham, Ham, Ovind and all the other charlatans. Make no mistake, THEY KNOW!
She is a clone of Hannegraf, Olstein, Graham, Ham, Ovind and all the other charlatans. It is pretty obvious that Fulwiler discovered that she can make loads of money with her story and her new catholic job. Make no mistake, THEY KNOW!
Jen’s story is a compelling one, even if you do not chose to give it a fair hearing. She was raised an atheist in the most rational, godless way possible. She was one of you all! She thought all your thoughts and kept herself away from “religious” people, considering them the unintelligent, the benighted, the backward folk. So as difficult as you would find it to read her story, not just a couple of quotations that offend you, you’d find someone who you might recognize, at least before her conversion.
” She was raised an atheist in the most rational, godless way possible.” I see little evidence of that. “She was one of you all!” We are not a homogenous group, we only agree on one thing, that we don’t believe in a god of any sort. “She thought all your thoughts and kept herself away from “religious” people, considering them the unintelligent, the benighted, the backward folk.” Since those aren’t all our thoughts, and are certainly none of mine, this statement is incorrect. “So as difficult as you would find it to read her story, not just a couple… Read more »
If she was raised an atheist, why was she baptised Catholic by her parents? I read her book and I thought it sounded totally made-up and fake. Given that it took her at least five years to “write” that book, I wonder at the dreck her poor editor must have had to cut out and re-write for her. Plus, why has she been so snotty to so many people, even to other Catholics, on her blogs? There’s something “off” about her. Something stinks about her whole story.
I understand why Athiests might think she sounds like an idiot, especially because she’s converted. But my question is this: Is her personal life and past not proof enough for herself? Is her own journey to be discredited as idiocy, because you disagree with what she believed/believes?
You believe what you believe, or do not believe, because of who you are, your formation, your teaching, your research, your discoveries or lack thereof. So, what makes your view more credible than hers?
I’m not being snarky here. I really am curious.
What makes her view more credible than anyone else’s? The problem is that she keeps telling atheists they’re wrong because she disagrees with them. Atheists wouldn’t care except she keeps pushing in to let them know what she thinks of them.
*what she believed/believes, and why or how she believed/believes it, I should say…
You, Mr author, and all atheist apologists here are showing your insecurities by just the mere fact that you are doing your worst to take down ms fulwiler ideas. If you – atheists- are so mature and so sold on all your beliefs, you would be respectful and comfortable with others’ belief system.
“Atheist apologists”? That’s definitely a new one on me. Dictionary.com quotes the World English Dictionary’s definition of the word “apologists” as “the branch of theology concerned with the defense and rational justification of Christianity”. I fail to understand how you think you can turn that definition on it’s head because you think it’s some sort of “snappy” retort. I know why I don’t believe in god(s), and it’s pretty boring to talk about since it just takes a sentence or two. “Too many gods, not enough proof.” Or alternatively, “Out of thousands of gods, what makes yours more believeable?” I… Read more »
I am finding this very interesting. I am not an atheist, but I owe my gratitude to atheists in that I have learned to question everything.
I am curious M., re: “Plus, why has she been so snotty to so many people, even to other Catholics, on her blogs? There’s something “off” about her. Something stinks about her whole story.”
Where has Fulwiler demonstrated “snotty” behavior, and what seems “off” to you? Thanks, cathi
The way she bullied anyone who gave her book a negative review on Twitter, the way she only responds to people who kiss up to her and tell her how fabulous she is — that’s pretty damned snotty, if you ask me. It is clear that she is here to be adored and anyone who doesn’t adore her is just so much garbage. What’s off? The stories she tells are demonstrably false in some cases. Plus, she’s a marketing machine. She is a brand, her book is a product, and God and truth have nothing to do with any of… Read more »
Both sides make me laugh trying to prove the next person wrong or whatever it is she or you are hoping to do. This is an argument that will never be settled, ever. Everyone, theists and atheists alike are all practicing some kind of “religion”, frame it however you want. Reason and myth are two sides of the same coin. This is like telling the wind not to blow or the sun not shine. Just respect people’s stories, learn what you can and move on.. Stop trying to save the world from whatever it is you think we need saving… Read more »
I couldn’t agree with you more. And even though I don’t consider myself an atheist, I find it very refreshing that only atheist seem to point all the inconsistencies and crazy talk religious people spew.
As a non-religious person, and a physicist with an evidence based concept of creation, and also modern philosophical views on morality, I would enjoy an informed debate with Mrs.Fulwiler. But this means I wouldn’t be resorting to name calling and insulting, angry language. So I suppose this is not the page for me then. Sorry, dear reader, to have wasted your time.
How rude. Making all atheists look bad. No wonder so many Christians don’t like Atheists. If it works for her, than what is the problem? Why don’t you like it that someone left your club? Does it make you feel unwanted? Does it make you feel better by bashing someone else? You are the idiot.
Wow! I guess it is true about Atheist! You are all so busy thinking and talking about yourselves and what you think! You are not interested in anything anyone else has to say. My question is why So very anti Catholic? I wonder! What can be so wrong with: Love one another and take care of each other? I will let you answer that. I am sorry that you are so closed minded! You don’t know what you are missing out on. Like the wonderful quote from the film: Pretty Woman: to the shop assistant who would not help the… Read more »
Elaine, do you really think that in a country where most people subscribe to religious beliefs, and churches, mosques and temples pepper the landscape, that atheists haven’t already carefully considered their options in terms of belief or disbelief? The only person who seems closed minded about what others have investigated, Elaine, is you. Please broaden your horizons, for the universe is far more fascinating than your Bronze Age religious texts would have us believe.
I have read and followed Jennifer Fulwiler for some time.
I have found her ideas, thought provoking, her book talks about her angst, uncertianity, despair and a growing isolation. She quotes and references “Mere Christianity” by C.S. Lewis.
C.S. Lewis’s ideas on Christianity are not considered poorly thought out or trivial.
Many complaining about Ms. Fulwiler being not so smart have devolved into attacking her on a personal level. Not offering any answers that she mentions when talking about Mary, Purgatory, or Apostolic Authority.
Attacking the Church by simply dismissing Church theology is not an answer.
[…] would seem like “Jennifer Fulwiler is Still an Idiot” […]
To memory-quote an apostate atheist, “What would it take (former fellow atheists) to prove God’s existence to you?” The title of this post is further confirmed within as the worst stereotype for true believers in any principle, ad hominum and smugness. “Don’t be a hater.” Conversion stories are fashionating, regardless of direction. I appreciated Anthony Flew’s book “There is a God” not only for its simply question, but more for the man’s honesty in descriptions his convictions and his earnest wrestling with the inexplicable in science. Seems like he and Jennifer’s written wrestling is a more honest and humble approach… Read more »
Alright, this post just seems to attract annoying drive-by comments. If you actually want to have a *conversation* with us, you can use the red button up on the left.
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