Exclusive: Converted Atheist Blogger Describes Reconciling Her New-Found Faith With Being a Bisexual
- Posted on June 22, 2012 at 8:44am by
Billy Hallowell
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There’s something about religious conversion stories. Atheists generally extol these spiritual transitions, specifically when someone renounces their faith and embraces a new-found, secular worldview. But when the situation goes the opposite direction — when an individual leaves behind an atheistic worldview and becomes a Christian (or joins another faith) — non-believers naturally lament the decision.
Earlier this week, The Blaze told you about atheist blogger Leah Libresco who shocked the world when she announced that she is now a Catholic. Many believers and non-believers, alike, have responded strongly to her proclamation. Naturally, there are many questions — curiosities she has attempted to answer on her blog.
On Wednesday, I connected with Libresco for an e-mail interview to further discuss her evolving worldview. My first question, considering that she’s leaving the secular world behind, was how atheists have reacted to her bombshell announcement.
“It’s varied a lot. Atheists I know in person or who have been reading my blog for a while are still picking fights, but they’re much better fights than I get from people who have just stumbled on the blog after the announcement,” she wrote.
(Related: See This Atheist Blogger‘s Stunning Announcement That She’s Converting to Catholicism)
While Libresco says she doesn’t mind aggression from detractors, she finds it frustrating when they focus solely on more generic arguments about Catholicism as a whole — particularly when they haven’t taken the time to read her past writings on the subject.
“They can end up asking me to defend things I don’t in fact believe, or assume my former atheism closely resembled theirs, which is not always true,” she added.
When asked what led her away from atheism and toward the Catholic church, Libresco explained that secularism did not offer, in her view, a decent explanation regarding how human beings possess “knowledge of objective morality.” This, in itself, though, wasn’t enough for the blogger to settle on the notion that the Catholic Church, by default, has all of the answers.
Libresco continued, providing more insight into the path that inevitably separated her from atheism:
I basically ended up contrasting my very patchy, in progress atheist metaphysics with the coherent, well-fleshed out, but not necessarily true propositions of Catholicism. It’s hard to figure out which one better matches the world when one hasn’t had that many people working on it for that long and the other might only look good because of overfitting. [...]
But more and more, my atheist friends and sparring partners thought I’d gone wrong one step back, and objected to my holding to the idea of morality as human-independent and objective (i.e. we uncover it like archeologists, we don’t build or design it like architects). To top it off, I’d switched to thinking of morality in a virtue ethics framework (your moral imperative is to reform your character and try build up a habitual attraction to right action). The trouble is, virtue eithics kind of presupposes teleology (these is some particular form you are called to embody) and my atheist friends thought that was pretty far out of bounds.
But I was as sure of the reality of moral law as I was of the reality of the physical world. Both of which can’t be proven since I can’t step outside them to examine them. And the more I thought about the metaphysics that were necessary to undergird this moral system, the more I thought morality seemed less like an distant rulebook and more like an animating spirit.
In other words: the existence of inherent morality forced her to accept that it had to be created, not invented. And for something to be created, it needs a creator outside of man.
In the end, it’s hard to ignore the major differences that exist between theology and secularism. At its core, a transition between from one to the other creates a paradigm shift that impacts everything from one‘s thoughts about political and social issues to one’s interpretation of human interaction and purpose.
When asked how Libresco anticipates she may struggle with her new-found Catholicism, she was candid. To begin, the emotional components that accompany religion may prove to be a struggle for her, particularly when it comes to the emotive relationship that many believers describe having with Jesus Christ.
“I think most people are a little warmer or more emotional than I am, so it’s a bit of a disconnect when other people are talking about their feelings of nearness to Christ and I’m more talking about epistemology and analogies to math,” she said. “My enthusiasm, though sincerely felt, can come off pretty cold and overly abstract to other people.”
Then, there’s the political element. Libresco admits that she’s not “politically conservative,” but that she’s aware that many Catholics are. This political divide is another challenge that she will likely encounter as she progresses into the faith.
In her initial article announcing her conversion, Libresco also acknowledged that she‘s not fully comfortable with the Catholic Church’s teachings on homosexuality. We asked her to expand upon this subject, seeing as it stands at the forefront of debate in both political and theological circles. She explained that her own sexual identity plays a role in how she understands the church’s teaching.
“I’m bisexual. Other queer people’s experience of their orientation varies, but, as far as I’m concerned, I’m bisexual because gender feels about as salient to me as hair color when it comes to looking for dates,” Libresco claims. “That means I’m already out of step with the Catholic Church before you even get up to gay marriage or any issue like that, because the Church thinks gender is much more central to someone’s identity than I do.”
Of course, Libresco‘s academic curiosities and her penchant for exploring issues fervently leads her to admit that she’ll spend time continuing to read more about the subject. Additionally, she says she’ll “pick a lot more fights over the next few years.”
“I’m willing to not date women in the meantime, but I wouldn’t necessarily universalize that choice,” she added. “I’m in a much different position than gay people or bi folks who care more about gender than I do. I’m not in much of a position to give advice.”
As for civil marriage, itself, the blogger contends that she continues to support it and that there isn’t much of a viable case against it. In her mind, civil and sacramental marriage have profound differences and the former simply doesn’t deserve, based on the merits of religious fervor, to be rejected.
“If people can’t muster a convincing argument against gay marriage that doesn’t depend on the revealed truths of the Catholic Church, then asking the government to ban it is like expecting the State to enforce kosher dietary law on everyone (or even only secular Jews),” Libresco added.
She also has some advice for atheists who may be questioning their non-belief: It’s okay to alter your opinion. Rather than sticking to non-belief, even as doubts begin to come into one’s mind, Libresco contends that it’s okay to change “how accurate your map is.”
“Whatever your religious beliefs, if you want to do heavy-lifting philosophical thinking, it’s a good idea to pause and think about thinking. Learn about common forms of bias and flawed reasoning and work on spotting bad heuristics,” she added.
Libresco also encouraged atheists and believers, alike, to take her Ideological Turing Test over on her Patheos blog, where Christians and atheists can compete to see who can more accurately imitates one another (it’s a fascinating test, to say the least). For now, it seems the atheist-turned-theist will be continuing to explore and seek out deeper answers and understanding surrounding the Catholic faith.
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Comments (137)
YallComeBack
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:25amThe problem with famous conversions is— there is always too much pressure on the person to be perfect.
When I was converted, I was an idiot. I didn’t know anything about the Bible beyond my own conversion. It was only through time and discipleship that I grew in my faith– and hopelessly now I’m a little bit less of an idiot.
But when someone makes a famous conversion, Christians at large celebrate the conversion— and then pounce on every little thing that person says that is not accurate. The end result is sometimes that the person leaves the faith cause the pressure for perfection was too great.
My best advice- leave her alone. I wish her the best. And look forward to hearing things she says 1, 2, and 5 years from now.
Report Post »zorro
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:31amI was a loud critic but you’ve opened my eyes. Thanks. I’m leaving her alone…
Report Post »FoxholeAtheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:10amSo let me get this straight; when scientists admit they don’t know what happened before the Big Bang, automatically they are questioned about everything else they know as fact. When an Atheist says they know enough about one particular area in science but don’t know enough about another area, however they feel they know enough to make a rational decision on factual evidence, they are basically told that because they don’t know everything about everything, that somehow makes their decision invalid. Yet, you and many others just like you, didn’t really know anything about what you decided to believe, but you believed it anyway, and surrounded yourself with people with only one view telling you to take everything on faith out of just one book passed down by word of mouth, and then written in pieces by anonymous authors over thousands of years, and then put together in haste by a show of hands…and this is acceptable to base your life upon. Yeah, makes perfect sense.
Report Post »hi
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:39amFojx
Evolution is a theory not a Law. There is not one fact to back it up.
The Christian Bible is 1/3 prophecy. Jesus fulfilled 300 things written about him 700 years before He was born. He was raised from the dead. (Case for Christ “proves” why this is true-Lee Strobel)
Science backs up what the Bible says. If there were a global flood we would find billions of dead things found in layers laid down by water all over the earth. That is exactly what we find. Fossils are formed by rapid burial in muddy water. There are fossils of fish eating other fish, and with fish with fresh dinner in their bellies. There are polystraight fossils…trees standing up perpendicular to the rock layers showing that they layers formed rapidly rather than over mllions of years. there is no way a tree could stand there for millions of years while each layer formed around it. An example of this was ween when Mount Hood blew up. a 1/40th grand canyon formed with the same features of the grand Canyon in 24-48 hours.
Report Post »FoxholeAtheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 12:15pmHigh, you have absolutely zero understanding of science. Your ignorance and lack of education is sadly typical. It must be awfuly difficult to live in a world as small as yours. How do you fit?
Report Post »Hollywood
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 1:25pmI CANNOT wait for 1,2.3 or 5 yeras to tell her the truth! Romans Ch 1 V 21 to 32 is VERY clear, as to the Lords’ view of what she,sadly THINKS is acceptable behaviour. Continued persistence in these views will cause the Lord to give her over to a reprobate mind. Her refusal to acknowledge her sin, and instead,accept it, just tells me she is on her way. She is arguing against Gods’ WORD, and not with me! I will pray for her! She has gone from the frying pan into the fire, since the RC Church believes in Faith, PLUS ..
Report Post »Bruce P.
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 1:51pmHI — Evolution may be a theory, but your God is just a hypothesis.
Report Post »The_Bell
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 2:24pmDoes anyone really believe that the *self appointed* pseudo intellectual atheists posting here actually have anything other than name calling to offer?
Same trolls different day…. yeah yeah we get it… since you don’t believe in a God and we do then we are the imbeciles… way to argue your case.
Evolution is a very poor theory held together by litmus test and fanatical followers *not* unlike a garden variety Scientologist.
Atheism is a faith in one self as a “god”… you don’t need a deity to have a faith in something folks or a religion for that matter (see Buddhism).
If one reads the usual atheists that come here you will note that they are like many atheists everywhere… very short on facts and long on insults.
Report Post »FoxholeAtheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 3:37pmYou people have no clue as to what a scientific theory is in the first place.
Report Post »bacausa
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 3:40pmLeah should be given her own time to find her way. She has already demonstrated an open mind and intelligent thought to get to where she’s at. I applaud her for questioning and seeking truth. As for Foxholeatheist, no matter what he says, all that is visible in his hateful rants directed at other people is his own self hatred. I pray that all people will learn to love and accept themselves despite their sins, and come to seek truth over sin.
Report Post »Welcome Black Carter
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 6:17pmGoing from atheist to Catholic is not exactly a “leap of faith”…
Report Post »The_Bell
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:25pm@Foxholeatheist
LOL! As if I needed you to punctuate my point with your timely and inane post.
Thanks, but we got it w/o your assist… now amaze me and say something that isn’t juvenile.
I won’t hold my breath : )
Report Post »Jeffrey777
Posted on June 23, 2012 at 5:45amYou will never forget the time you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your savior and asking him to come into your life. Nobody should be denied of this Joy, the most unbelievable feeling of Love imagined while on earth and at your passing. Sharing his love with all, including my enemies, I find the most challenging thing I have faced in my life.
Report Post »donaldchar
Posted on June 23, 2012 at 8:04pmYou’re right. Obscurity is best for her to grow with integrity and honesty. We’re aware of several famous folks who, in retrospect, would have been far better off if they’d kissed notoriety goodbye.
Report Post »Big Book Harry
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 11:20pmGod is Great… The fact that she said …”because the Church thinks gender is much more central to someone’s identity than I do.” is great because we are called to love one another regardless of gender.
If a government agency chooses to conduct same sex marriages then it is the law of the land This would of course be strictly for monetary concerns, property, insurance etc…
Any church or government that performs same sex marriages is clearly not in alignment with God’s will.
Sexual contact outside the marriage of one man and woman is expressly forbidden by God
1 Timothy 1:9-11 9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11 that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.
There appears to be those with genetic abnormalities and would have to live with it like a child born with a disease. ie… downs syndrome
Report Post »She would do well to become a nun or at the least abstain from sexual contact.
Or better yet, throw away all organized religion and pursue the one true religion,,, You and Your personal relationship with God and His instruction book. Primarily the New Testament paying close attention to the
hi
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:18amWe all are sinners at church. Just start reading the Bible and let God’s Word and Holy Spirit transform you. Don’t worry about your sin…just start reading and praying. Start with John (gospel) and read it three times.
Report Post »FoxholeAtheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:37amThat’s right. No matter what you do, it’s never good enough. You’re a filthy sinner. Here is your carrot. Just keep following it.
Report Post »joboww
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 12:54pmits good to see the self righteous are out and about… I would recommend eating carrots, scientists say its good for the eyes, perhaps some irony mr. athiest
Report Post »DogTags
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 1:11pmFoxhole is the perfect example of Luke 10:21 and I Corinthians 1:21. No amount of evidence will be enough to convince a rebellious mind that refuses to see the truth. God has chosen to hide the mysteries of heaven from those whose pride blinds them to truth.
As far as Leah’s conversion, if she has truly surrendered to God, the sanctification process will transform her thinking on sexuality. As she yields to God’s law, she will realize that homosexuality is sin and that she can’t “reconcile her new-found faith with her bisexuality.” There is no compromising with sin.
Report Post »Delores at CH WV
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:06amWhy would I care you are bi-sexual? Is this the new pick up line? If I ever read your blog; why would you share that personal side of yourself. Opinions don’t come from sexual organs;but, the brain. Use it and you may go places. Sex is not the most important issue in the world. The youth of this world has been trainned not to use their brains but the sex organs to make a point. SAD
Report Post »Grubmeister
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:26pm“You” shouldn‘t care if she’s bi-sexual, unless you thought she was attractive and wanted to date her.
Report Post »On the other hand, she made a statement about not being comfortable with the catholic opinion of homosexuality. She was asked to expand on that and she did, freely.
She provided information relevant to answering the question.
If you have a problem with people being honest, I suggest you avoid people. They tend to do that occasionally.
qpwillie
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:55amMy prayer is that she somehow learns who the creator really is as he revealed himself to Moses in Exodus 3;14. Not as the common mistranslations describes him but as he really is.
He didn’t say “I am who I am (and that’s all what I am. I’m Popeye the sailor man.)”
He said “I am the very Ayah”. Learn what that means and you’ll be on the right track.
Exodus 3:15 – NIV
“This is my name forever,
the name you shall call me
from generation to generation.”
Almost all of the modern “churches” worship Baal by name (The Lord) and forget the true name of the creator.
Jeremiah 23:27
They think the dreams they tell one another will make my people forget my name, just as their ancestors forgot my name through Baal worship.
Isaiah 42:8
““I am Yahweh; that is my name!
I will not yield my glory to another [name]
or my praise to idols.”
Proverbs 30:4
Report Post »“What is his name, and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!”
alinmatt
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:54amI wonder if the “moral objectivity” she’s talking about applies to this.
1 Samuel 15:2-3 2 Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”
I’ve asked this question before, and for some reason I can’t get an answer. I am challenging the Bible’s moral authority with this question. Is it ever morally justifiable to kill infants and children?
Report Post »John655
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:27amYour not interested in an answer, if you were you would would not be posting such a question on this site, where their are few to no theologians. If you want an answer, post your question to catholicanswers.com and a competent theologian will answer your question. And if you are honest, you will post their response on this site.
Report Post »scotte5620
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 1:17pmfirst you must understand the Bible is two parts. The New Testament which are the teachings and life of Jesus Christ and the Old Testament. The Old Testament which comes from the Jewish writings, are part of the Bible which teach the historical, traditional (oral History) and prophetical aspects of the life of Jesus Christ. In order to understand the teachings of Christ, one must understand the world as it existed at that time. Death was a common everyday experience, whether by disease, infection or unnatural acts. When 75% of the children died before the age of 5 and the average life expectancy for an adult was 35, the world placed little value on a childs life until they reached adulthood, and in a time of war the enemies life meant nothing, and the enemy included women, infants and children.
Report Post »So we have two problems with your question. The first, you are trying to equate Christian moral standards of todays world in peace to standards of a world in war 10,000 yrs ago. The second problem is trying to set moral parameters on an omnipotent being. Your question is similar to the Pharasie “if you are the son of God, come down from that cross”. Is it a moral act for a father to allow his son to die a horible death when that father could prevent it?? Only He knows all the ramifications of that single act that you would consider immoral.
jman-6
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 3:25pmThe reason for total annihilation was Amalek had come under divine judgement of GOD. He ordered it, not the bible. Its akin to what he will do at his 2nd Coming and that it wipe evil out completely to include women and rebellious children that have reached accountability. Hope this helps.
Report Post »alinmatt
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 8:10pm@John, I am interested in answers. I have researched the internet and read through many arguments. I have also talked to various leaders of different denominations on their take. The problem I run into is similar to Scotte5620’s answer, which I’ll respond to next. If a theologian had a really good answer, it would be pasted all over the internet and someone would eventually paste it here.
Report Post »alinmatt
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 8:44pm@John, I am interested in answers. I have scoured the internet and combed over many arguments. I have also talked to various leaders of different denominations on their take. The problem I run into is similar to Scotte5620’s answer, which I’ll respond to next. If a theologian had a really good answer, it would be pasted all over the internet and someone would eventually paste it here. My purpose is to show some less than tolerant believers that we non believers are not just godless heathens intent on living in sin, but that we have actual reasons that prevent us from believing.
Report Post »searching for the Truth
Posted on June 23, 2012 at 9:38amThe Lord‘s reason for the destruction of Israel’s enemy was plain – they were cruel and unmerciful – Israel’s enemies would seek out the decrepit and disabled, kill them in a most blood thirsty way as they traveled thru the wilderness ; and, their bloodthirsty habits spilt over into their progeny. Their murderous ways were so atrocious that they even sacrificed their own, very young . But, this, is all written in the ” Word.” But, I don’t argue with a God.
Report Post »alinmatt
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 9:52amWhy can’t I post. Maybe something short will show up.
Report Post »alinmatt
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:12am@Scott and everyone else. By contextualizing the situation you are justifying the killing of infants and children. If morality is to be objective, it cannot be subject to context or time. Also, Deut. 24:16 says children are not to die for their father’s sin. Killing children for the father’s sin is murder. There’s an apparent problem here.
Report Post »alinmatt
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:55am@Scott, you’re second problem. I am not setting moral parameters for God, but using the ones He supposedly set for us. The laws that Jesus said would not pass away. Thou shalt not kill (murder) or making children pay for the sins of the father.
Report Post »sophion
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:05amI have. And the answers were “god works in mysterious ways” and “God can do whatever he likes”.
Report Post »sophion
Posted on June 25, 2012 at 10:07am^ that was for John.
Report Post »John Burwell
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:51am@PHILLYATHEIST who is infatuated with who? If you think religious infighting negates the validity of all religion how do you apply that principle to politics, science?
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:05amJOHN, the Blaze is, that’s who. there are more articles about Atheism here than anywhere i’ve come across (well, except for Atheist sites).
no, religious in-fighting does not diminish the validity of all religion. i find it funny, that’s all. fighting over which bits of made up stuff to accept, and which bits to ignore is amusing, IMO.
Report Post »alinmatt
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:20amTo a certain extent, religious infighting does invalidate it. If the Bible was the perfect word of God, then why is it that people can’t agree upon what it says? Sure, there are small groups that agree, but for the most part, the only unified denominations are the ones that are ruled top down, like Catholicism. Just make sure that you don’t disagree with the leaders, you may be excommunicated or a few centuries ago a simple execution would have worked just fine.
Report Post »tzion
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 4:42pmAlinmatt
Report Post »We can’t even agree on how to read the less than 300 year old US Constitution. How on earth do you expect religious people to agree upon what G-d said thousands of years ago in a language that isn’t spoken in the same form today.
alinmatt
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 4:54pm@tzion, I assume the perfect word of God, coming from a perfect God, would make itself perfectly clear.
Report Post »John Burwell
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:47am“A Woman Rides The Beast” The Roman Catholic Church in Scripture.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUFhGQ4Do9s&feature=related
Report Post »by faith
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:27amOr if you prefer to read based on FACTS, you might want to read:
http://www.catholic.com/tracts/hunting-the-whore-of-babylon
Report Post »edmundburk
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:19pmI see the biggoted,closeminded, evengelicals are out in force today….forgive them father for they know not what they do…..they will not repent of their bigotery untill the athiests and the muslims come for them….
Report Post »TROLLMONGER
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:44amYou gotta love the facist and bigoted comments from the far right religeous Beckbots on this story…LOL!
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:51amthat’s Christianity for ya! some here seem po‘d that she didn’t choose their faith. don’t feel bad folks, there are so many to choose from. the odds were against her picking yours. at least she believes in made up stuff like the rest of you, so you’re kinda on the same side. shouldn’t you be nice to her since you could be cloudmates in a few decades? you might even be on the same harp orchestra.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:06amyou gotta love the parroted comments you make every time the topic of religion comes up. wonder why .
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:12amBARBER – “shouldn’t you be nice to her since you could be cloudmates in a few decades? you might even be on the same harp orchestra.”
i don’t think this was parroted at all. pretty different and kinda funny, even if you don’t agree with it.
Report Post »cessna152
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:32amDo you copy and paste the same comment over and over? Philly/troll, why the infatuation with ridding of Christianity? Jesus changed the entire world’s way of thinking and accepting one another. The basis of “right and wrong” come from Jesus. Our morals, values, etc were instilled by God’s word. Get rid of it (which will never happen) and the world falls apart. Morals, values, humbleness will no longer be part of “human nature”. Why do you try so hard ridding of something you do not believe exists? That’s like me spending millions of dollars and countless blogs telling people to stop believing the boogeyman exists. The only reason I can think of is when I had no belief and was suicidal. There was a conviction of my way of life and felt “unworthy”. I was a drinker, idolater, suicidal and a few other things I am too ashamed to mention (bad stuff). I went from hopeless ready to kill myself, to following Christ and a rebirth that I can not explain. The main problems like suicide, drinking, and some of the other real bad urges suddenly disappeared. God is real and when you are slapped with the reality of his truth there is no looking back. Being on both side of the fence, I will NEVER go back.
Report Post »Besides the Spiritual awakening, I could not dispute the over 600 prophecies that came true. The 25000 manuscripts as evidence all telling the same story. The archeological findings and the miracles in my life. Grace, mercy and love… follow Christ you won’t regret it. What’s st
HowardSternIsABigot
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:42amNext she declares, : Im an attaention hoore.
Report Post »teddrunk
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:39amI’m so, so tired of hearing about atheists. Seems like there’s a story by or about one every day.
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:41ami know, isn’t it great? it’s my reason for coming to this site! TheBlaze is fascinated by us :)
Report Post »alinmatt
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:50amThen stop looking at the articles. There’s a lot of other news out there too.
Report Post »Grubmeister
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:43pmI know I’m here because of all the atheist stories. It’s almost like Beck wants to destroy religion. I‘m lovin’ it. This is the nastiest game of smackdown in town.
Report Post »I suppose from the theist position, it would be better to suppress even the mention of atheism. The only way to do that in this day is through violence. All I can suggest is that you not let your religion get in the way of promoting your religion. You can blame it on “radical elements”, say a true xtian would not behave that way and promote peace and brotherhood. Then you can condemn it, suffer guilt and enjoy the results at the same time.
phillyatheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:35amthe fact that a single Atheist converting is “news” speaks loudly. it’s rare. meanwhile hundreds if not thousands are going the other direction daily.
also, there are Atheists who were raised that way, like this woman, who never really made a choice. the vast majority of us grew up with religion and made a choice to leave it.
Report Post »wabaggett
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:34amHappy to her that she is now searching for Christ in her life and one day she will find him. My only question is why do these so called intellectuals feel the need to talk the way she does? Read her qoutes she says a bunch of words where only a few are needed to state her case. If you can‘t say what you want without using a bunch of uncommon words and strange sentence structure you aren’t too smart to begin with. She is extremely painful to read!
Report Post »John Burwell
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:33amyou can reconcile just about anything with Catholicism except Christ
Report Post »by faith
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:33amDoes ignorance run in your family, or are you the only one?
Report Post »edmundburk
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:23pmno his just a brainwashed bigot with as chip on his shoulder
Report Post »Be Not Afraid
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:27amIt sounds like she is really trying to be obedient to the Church’s teachings even though she does not fully understand them yet. Conversion is a life long process. May God bless her on her journey and bring her to His Wisdom and Love.
Report Post »stockpicker
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:13amDon’t be a sucker and buy in to the “I’m a Christian but” argument. As I said before, atheist to Catholic is still lost.
Report Post »lukerw
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:28amI cannot reason out how one can go… from Atheist… to Catholic… without a stop at Deist!
Report Post »zorro
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:32amI don‘t want to start a theological debate but if you’re saying a Catholic is as lost as an Atheist, you clearly don’t understand what the church teaches. I realize it’s easy for people to think they know what the church teaches because perhaps they “grew up Catholic” or were “an alter boy for 15 years” or even “went to Catholic school.” The point is, you can’t really argue the Caholic faith until you learn what the church teaches not what some priest, nun, or lay person taught you. I hope this makes sense.
Report Post »edmundburk
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:26pmas for me, when I was a protestant I was ‘lost’.
Report Post »ArchStudent
Posted on June 23, 2012 at 5:27amI would just like to pose the question to you and any other fundamentalist that takes issue withe the catholic church. If you dont trust catholics then why would you trust the bible that was assembled by them long after they officially identified themselves as the catholic church in their creeds? Even after luther ripped out scripture? Because what made him a better authority than the early church? And even he still believed in the things that catholics get bashed for, in example, the real presemce of christ in the eucharist. Ya, really! Do some research
Report Post »MRMANN
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:12am“I’m willing to not date women in the meantime. . .” — sounds to me like she intends to stay on the right track.
Report Post »As to her views re: gay marriage, maybe those views will change over time.
David in OKC
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:10amSorry honey. It doesn’t work that way. Although God loves you and will meet you halfway, wherever you’re at, you will never be able to truly follow Christ if your unable to leave your worldly views behind. Sin and holliness cannot co-exist together.You will love one and hate the other. And whichever one you feed the most, will grow the most.
Report Post »Jesus said “Take up your cross and follow me”. He also said that “it’s much easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”
It would do you good if you could focus more on the teachings of Christ instead of the teachings of the Catholic church. Looks to me like you’re just looking for someone to validate a sinful belief that you know in your heart is out of line with biblical teachings.
Capitalist Mama
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:32amDavid,
I think she’s just still searching. She’s still very new to faith, and has promised to read more and research more.
Generally atheist tend to frame Christian views on homosexuality to basically homophobia. And that’s not true. It’s not a fear of homosexuality; it’s a belief of the sinfulness of homosexuality. I am willing to bet that this girl still doesn’t understand the actual Biblical argument against sin in general, and homosexuality in particular. Once she has more understanding, I feel sure that she will more fully embrace the faith.
She appears to be a very mathematical, scientific, left brained person. Fortunately, the Bible is the only theory that explains creationism with any sort of plausible explanation. Give her a little bit of room to explore and question; she will get there in the end.
Report Post »FoxholeAtheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:14amObviously she‘s not a very rational person or she’d still be an Atheist.
Report Post »edmundburk
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:31pm@david- at least the catholic church TRAINS a new believer in the fundimentals of faith I cannot say the same for protestism, so quit being a close minded fool.
Report Post »WWID
Posted on June 24, 2012 at 10:43pmYeah “Honey” (as shown by the disrespect of the god fearing David in OKC) he is right “Sin and holliness cannot co-exist together.” You must pay penance and be absolved of your sins. Then you can do as you wish, like a priest with an alter boy until next week’s confessional when you will need to repeat a few more Hail Mary prayers and you are good again.
Report Post »Moreover, he is right again in ““it’s much easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” as too the Catholic church teaches with it’s gold crosses and historical mementos. Additionally with the entire establishment and the tithing of the masses since the time of Moses when Abraham met Melchizedek and provided a cut to the King of Sod0m.
donedunn
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:08amTo this young woman and all who are entering the Catholic church, welcome home. That is the words that I heard from so many people when they found that I had converted.
I know where she is at. It is that place where you believe, but you haven’t given yourself over completely to God. After so many years of doing it on your own (and being raised that this is what you are supposed to do), it is not easy to let go and let God take over and begin to transform your heart.
The only thing that works is prayer and a willingness to invite God into your heart. And when the Holy Spirit does touch your heart, it is the most incredible feeling of peace and love you will ever experience. It is so powerful that it begins to melt the hardness away from your heart.
We all have crosses. Some big, some small. On our journey we will fall many many times. But we have God’s grace and forgiveness to help us get up again. It is progress, not perfection.
Report Post »zorro
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:29amThe faith doesn’t need another cafeteria Catholic. You either believe or you’re not. There are plenty of “Christian” churches around that will allow you to believe whatever your heart desires. The Catholic Church has ONE WAY – that’s it. You either follow it, or you don’t. No other faith has to put up with this garbage. I don’t understand why Catholics stand for it. Enough is enough.
Report Post »John Burwell
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:41am@ Zorro you observe all of the RCC teachings do you? The Code of Canon Law, contains more than 1,750 laws which dictate Church rules and practice. They are not immutable they change often rules are deleted, added or altered. You don‘t know them and you don’t observe them and even if you did you would still die in your sins. You must trust in Christ and Christ alone, no Christ plus the queen of heaven,or the saints, not the pope, of the RCC.
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:44ami love religious in-fighting. you guys are hilarious!
Report Post »zorro
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:35amYou have a good point, John. No, actually it’s a GREAT point. YallComeBack has alredy set me straight. I appreciate your charity as well.
Report Post »zorro
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:41amI will add to my previous comment that while I admit I am a sinner like everyone else, there is a difference between sinning and knowing it’s a sin and sinning and not admitting your guilt. I think this is what upsets me about “catholycs”. Not the fact they sin but they fact that they refuse to admit they are doing something wrong.
Report Post »by faith
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:49amJohn
Report Post »You know not of what you speak.
You are very long on accusation, however you are completly void of facts
Dismayed Veteran
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 4:37pm@DoneDunn
An elegant response. The process of conversion to Catholism is long and structured and formally known as the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
From a technical point of view, she has not yet begun the Rite. She is in the phase of conversion called Period of Evangelization and Precatechumenate. For some people, this process involves a long period of searching; for others, it is a shorter time.
At any time during this stage, she can decide to continue or end the process.
If, the “inquirer,” decides to continue the process acceptance into the Order of Catechumens follows. The inquirer stands in the midst of the parish community and states that he or she wants to continue the process and become a baptized member of the Catholic Church. The local parish assembly affirms his or her wish and the inquirer then becomes a “catechumen.”
The period of the catechumenate can last for as long as several years or for a much shorter time. It depends on how the person is growing in faith, what questions and obstacles they encounter along the way, and how God leads them on this faith journey. During this time the catechumens consider what God is saying to them in the Scriptures, what changes in their life they want to make to respond to God’s inspiration, and what membership in the Catholic Church involves. Catechumens have a special connection to the Church and even though they are not yet baptized, they also have certain rights in the Church.
Report Post »Dismayed Veteran
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 4:43pmHere is more
When a catechumen and the parish team working with him or her believes the person is ready to make a faith commitment to Jesus in the Catholic Church, the next step is the request for baptism and the celebration of the Rite of Election. This rite includes the official enrollment of names of all those seeking baptism at the coming Easter Vigil.
The third formal step is the Celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation, which takes place during the Easter Vigil Liturgy on Holy Saturday night when the catechumen receives the sacraments of baptism, confirmation and Holy Eucharist.
After the person is initiated at the Vigil, another period of formation and education continues in the period of the postbaptismal catechesis which is called “mystagogy.” This period continues at least until Pentecosr. During the period of mystagogy the newly baptized members reflect on their experiences at the Easter Vigil and continue to learn more about the Scriptures, the sacraments, and the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Conversion is a rigorous process and one that a generational Catholic doesn’t go through. I think at the end the Church doesn’t have a cafeteria Catholic.
Report Post »Wilma
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:03amGod hates the sin but loves the sinner. That said, it took Libresco a lot of time and deep thought to get to this place. I am glad I was born into a christian family. It made my faith journey much easier. May God bless and guide her as she begins her walk with him.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:02amThis girl has a long, long way to go before she can claim conversion but she has made a start. Personally I pray she continues on her journey to Jesus Christ because He is the only answer to her many questions.
Report Post »ashestoashes
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:24amWhen we come to know Christ..have accepted Him as our Lord and Saviour.. by believing that He is the only begotten Son of God..that He was born of a virgin…lived and perfect sinless life..He was crucified for our sins..died and rose the third day..and we are keepers and doers of His word..we realize through reading His word that our bodies and our spirits have been washed clean. and that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that the Holy Spirit cannot reside in an unclean body..so why would we want to defile ourselves? 1 Cor 6:9-10 tells us who will not enter the kingdom of heaven. It is a gradual process for anyone becoming a Christian.. My hope for this young lady is that she will read a King James Bible and ask for guidance by the Holy Spirit for understanding..
Report Post »momrules
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:55amMorning Ashes………I agree. I think she also needs a good commentary. I read and study with the help of the wonderful J.Vernon MeGee.
Report Post »joboww
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 1:27pmyour right maybe she should just except Jesus into her heart as her personal lord and savior… like an intellecual assent. Or perhaps go farther and pray a sinners prayer….
Dear Protestants:
Having the scriptures does not in fact guarantee you anything. They might make you feel good, but lets be frank the Mormons and Muslims feel the same about their own scriptures. The King James Version all though nicely written is insufficient in its presentation of scripture as a whole (missing books, see council of Carthage, Hippo; those Jews who put the scriptures together according to Luther also rejected all the new testament…hmmm)
I got it we can all pray to the Holy Spirit and…wait we still dont agree when we ask for guidance….
Wait what did Jesus say should be done when arguments come about? Matthew 18: 15-18
And who is the head of this church? Matthew 16:18
But Jesus is just crowing his profession…..did he really give a profession, not a person, the Keys to Loose and Bind: Matt 16: 19
You might not like that she is Catholic but ultimately you’e either Catholic or Atheist, Protestantism leads only to anarchy within for without authority to bind its a free for all (even the Mormons know this)
Report Post »RightPolitically
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:01amWhy is crap like this a story on The Blaze?
Report Post »barber2
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 8:55amThis young lady has many issues. Hopefully, this new found solution will help.
Report Post »Johnny916
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 8:54amAs a person who is secular I respect her choice to follow whatever religion she chooses to follow in her life. However, as a critic of religion I do not see why people will look for morals and answers from religion when they can look for answers without religion in their life.
Report Post »RepentYe
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:23amYah… I mean after all we have the writing of Robespierre…
Again, it may be said, that to love justice and equality the people need no great effort of virtue; it is sufficient that they love themselves.
Maximilien Robespierre
Pity is treason.
Maximilien Robespierre
Or then there is Karl Marx, wow, what a guy…
You must, therefore, confess that by “individual” you mean no other person than the bourgeois, than the middle-class owner of property. This person must indeed, be swept out of the way, and made impossible. (Published by Progress Publishers, Moscow, 1973 edition, page 66)
Report Post »What enlightenment. After all this led Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot to butcher hundreds of millions.
But I mean lets be fair, there are other enlightened theories that exist outside of religion. Eugenics proved itself loving and kind. I mean what’s six million Jews and countless others. I’m with you bud, We need only science and great thinkers, that is where morality is firmly based! (I’m being sarcastic, I just never know when Moderationisbest is going to pop up, psst he’s kinda slow.)
Johnny916
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 10:35amScience is better output than religion. In my opinion religion is by man than divinely influenced by the Gods. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, all of it.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 11:03amJonny: you are young. you have all of the answers. and I bet you voted for Obama. you have much to learn !
Report Post »Tractorboy
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 5:27pmJohnny- My God, the great I Am, created everything, you, me, the scientist you put so much faith in, the earth, and universe. You put all your faith in what some men have come up with and still can’t figure out, nor will they ever, how about, matter can not be created or destroyed? where did all the matter come from? I say God made it, he also gave us his word, which if followed makes for peace on earth, first and most important love thy God, if you do this you won’t want to sin, because you would not do anything to offend God, you will not steal you will not lie, etc. 2nd love thy brother as thy self, redundant, same rules apply. The Christain faith if followed properly, faith and deeds, you will live a good life, you will also get immeasurable pleasure from it. I also find it counterintuitive to think man just made up Christainity, because man is a broken selfish beast, Christainty is loving and giving, if man came up with it there would be some sort of catch, like some religions, your going to get virgins, or come back as a higher bug, etc, etc, something to think about friend.
Report Post »johnjamison
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 8:51ambisexual is just another word for sexual hedonism….if it feel good do it.
Report Post »Grubmeister
Posted on June 26, 2012 at 4:48pmIs this a great country or what???
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 8:47amWon’t work, darlin’.
Report Post »JESUS will not permit that lifestyle.
It is either HIM or satan.
randy
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 8:54amAmen!
Report Post »DIVINEPROVIDENCE1776
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 8:55amLet God judge, not you Granny.
Report Post »patriotmcgee
Posted on June 22, 2012 at 9:33amGod has already judged. If she is allowing Him to work in her life, then she will change and turn from her wicked ways just like the rest of us who follow Christ.
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