Last week, I read an intriguing article in The New York Times titled “More Atheists Shout It From the Rooftops.” The article was about a Charleston group called Secular Humanists of the Lowcountry, and how the group’s growing membership is proof that even in uber-religious South Carolina, non-believers of all stripes are coming out of the woodwork in record numbers to organize, trade stories and make themselves known as a group within their community.
The article went on to quote members of another South Carolina group at USC in Columbia, the Pastafarians. Pastafarians take their name from the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a hilarious parody religion invented by Bobby Henderson in a letter to the Kansas School Board opposing the teaching of Intelligent Design in schools. In the Pastafarian meeting at USC, the group had members come up to tell their “coming out” stories. When I read this, I was immediately taken with the concept and at the same time, a little disturbed by the idea that any group could be so ostracized by their religious beliefs that a “coming out” story would even be necessary.
As a way of “outing” myself, I suppose I should say that I’ve been in that nonreligious category for my entire adult life, and while I don’t have any particular animosity towards religion, it has made for some uncomfortable conversations over the years. Truthfully, religion just isn’t something that enters into my mind very often one way or the other. It’s an absolute nonfactor in my day-to-day life. Since reading the Times article though, I’ve been wondering if that’s something I’ve purposefully but unconsciously kept in the background in my life to avoid confrontation.
Eventually I started to wonder, if Charleston and Columbia have enough people to support these groups of nonbelievers, what’s the underground freethinking scene in Spartanburg like? According to the article, the number of people who listed their religion as “none” in the American Religious Identification Survey nationally went form 8% in 1990 to 15% in 2008. South Carolina’s number during that same time more than tripled, going from 3% to 10%. Assuming that Spartanburg’s average was somewhere close to the state average, that would mean there are around 28,000 people in the “none” category in the county.
Obviously not all of the people calling themselves “not religious” are atheists, agnostics, secular humanists, or other genuine nonbelievers. Many are likely just believers without a particular tie to one faith or another, but even assuming that only half of the 28,000 “nones” are nonreligious that’s still a significant number.
I’m betting that many of those people, like me, have had their fair share of the old “What church do you attend?” question. I, myself, have tried not to lie when asked the question, but I have been hesitant in the past to say exactly what I’ve wanted to say when I’m asked the question, especially if the person asking is in some position of authority over me. I’ve always felt cowardly after the fact, but I always reasoned that a little cowardice was the price I had to pay in order to not start something with the wrong person. After considering it lately, however, I’ve decided that maybe that cowardice did more harm than good.
My real opinion is that there’s an assumption in that “church” question that smacks of the kind of arrogance that permeates most religious discussion between believers and nonbelievers. That nonbelievers, as a group, are generally distrusted by the religious is impossible to dispute. A 2006 University of Minnesota study found that, “…Americans rate atheists below Muslims, recent immigrants, gays and lesbians and other minority groups in ‘sharing their vision of American society.’ Atheists are also the minority group most Americans are least willing to allow their children to marry.” In a 2007 Gallup poll, 53% of respondents said they wouldn’t vote for an atheist candidate for president even if that candidate was “generally well-qualified.” That number was far higher than for any other group, including homosexuals.
Christian dominance of the political structure here in South Carolina can’t be denied. South Carolina is a place where our elected officials invoke God for every argument under the political sun and compete with each other over who’s more publicly devout, apparently ignoring what Jesus had to say in Matthew about public versus private piety. In a place where the leaders never forget to praise Jesus when they cut taxes, and where people in most counties can’t walk into a store on Sunday and buy a beer out of deferment to some religious belief that drinking is wrong, it’s tough for a nonbeliever to not feel like a bit of an outsider.
As I wrote earlier though, I have no particular animosity towards religion. I know religious people who are open-minded, progressive, and passionate in their beliefs, and often they draw inspiration from those beliefs to fight for progressive causes because they believe the work they are doing serves a higher purpose. No one should ever argue that religion hasn’t proven itself to be a powerful force for social change in America. I respect and even admire that commitment to social justice as a higher calling even if I don’t share the same religious feelings.
I have no doubt that there are others out there in Spartanburg who feel just as isolated as I do at times. Maybe the time is right for those people to come together to share their experiences and reinforce one another as secularists in a deeply religious land. Atheists, agnostics, humanists and other nontheists are just as much a part of the citizenry as anyone else here in Spartanburg. Perhaps it’s time for them to assert that fact as a group.
Christopher George
“Ask a deeply religious Christian if he’d rather live next to a bearded Muslim that may or may not be plotting a terror attack, or an atheist that may or may not show him how to set up a wireless network in his house. On the scale of prejudice, atheists don’t seem so bad lately.” Scott Adams
I was reminded of this quote when I read your article, which was very well done, as usual. It is ironic that the Christian faith, of which I am a part of, demonstrates prejudice and bias, when, if I understand it correctly, we are to be fighting against those very things. It is to our discredit when we fail to show respect and restraint when encountering those who’s viewpoints differ then ours. Our only defense, weak as it is, is that we are merely human, still subject to all the fallacies that befall all people.
I grew up in a somewhat non-traditional religion, and was subjected to those kinds of questions you have faced. I found it unsettling. I still do, even now as I’ve gone “mainstream” as I still encounter people who think religion must adhere to their own methods. My views are mine, unique to who I am as an individual. I disagree with quite a bit of the myriad of opinions I find in my religion of choice, but as my own views are completely unique and individual, I ain’t surprised. It still doesn’t stop me from practicing my faith, privately and publicly, while trying to emulate a certain former carpenter.
For the record, faith for me makes little difference when it comes to who I voted for. I tend to look at more at a person’s public service record, their views on issues I find important, and if they have backed up those views with actions. I’m still miffed that Joe Lieberman never got a real chance a few years back. I’d have voted for him over Kerry or Bush in a heartbeat. I didn’t even know his religious tendencies at the time.
I hope that someday we can have better respect and understanding amongst each other when it comes to cultural issues such as religion. We of all our different faiths are not as different from each other as we’d like to think.
I support your right to be an atheist or secularist or whatever you want to call it…I just don’t want you imposing these beliefs on the rest of us. Your viewpoint is an extreme minority in the USA, and an even more extreme minority in SC. I personally don’t understand how you could not believe in at least the fact that there is a God, but whatever. Why not just acknowledge the fact that there is a God an then join the Unitarian Church here in Sburg…that seems to be a place where a lot of liberals like to hang out and “worship.”
uhm Kyle, if you support his right to be of a certain bent religion wise then why are you then trying to turn right around and challenge his views? It seems that your first statement is made null and void by your last. Just curious.
Because frankly it is a dumb argument that “there is no God.” And it is even more dumb to think that this viewpoint should get any respect in this area of the country. I tend to think that most of the crazies who say that “there is no God” or “we live in a theocracy” are pretty much just thriving on the idea that somehow they are “going against the conservative grain” that dominates this area, like it is upposed to be chic to be “atheist” in an area filled wth a bunch of backwooods Christian folks. Give me a break.
Kyle: Atheists and agnostics generally don’t impose their views on anyone. There’s no specific view to impose, and little to be gained from trying to “win” converts. Other than saying “I see no reason to believe in a universe controlling God given the evidence,” there’s really nothing else to talk about except as a reaction to some point by someone insisting there is one.
I mean, you probably don’t believe in the Shinto faith, but I’m guessing you don’t go around imposing an anti-Shinto agenda in your daily life. Why would you? It’s a non-issue for you, in the same way that ANY faith is a non-issue for most atheists and agnostics. There may be people who are angry at the culture of Christianity in the South, which is (I’d say fairly) characterized as being oppressive to other views, but that’s not specific to atheism. I’m sure Hindus get tired of being called heathen sinners, too.
And there’s no directive to “save” anyone in atheism, because atheists on the whole aren’t terribly organized around the idea of atheism, except specific issues of shared concern, like keeping religion out of government and public education.
Think about it: When is the last time you were “witnessed” to by an atheist? I’d suspect never, because it would never occur to most non-theists to do such a thing. What would that even be like?
And the whole “Why not just acknowledge the fact that there is a God” thing is a really intolerant position, don’t you think? Have you never questioned your faith? Never wondered about why the fundamentalist religious view of the world fails to match verifiable scientific knowledge? Never questioned WHY you believe what you do, rather than accepting what you’ve been told at face value?
Couldn’t I just as easily say to you: “Why not just accept the overwhelming majority of scientific knowledge that indicates that there are no deities or supernatural forces, that all religion is little more than updated superstition, and that there’s no reason to think that when you die there’s no heaven or hell, or anything other than the same personal oblivion that existed for you before you were born. So why not take some basic science, history and sociology classes to bring you up to speed?”
Wouldn’t you find that view a touch callous, intolerant and crude?
I’m not trying to make any particular statement about your faith here — I don’t actually know what specific faith you have — and I’m certainly not interested in trying to convince you that you should become an atheist. I’m just wanting to demonstrate that were the shoe on the other foot, your view comes across as narrow and intolerant. Someone needs to draw your attention to that.
“Because frankly it is a dumb argument that ‘there is no God.’”
What’s dumb about it, exactly?
Listen, I’m just saying that if you want this site to get any mainstream acceptance then you may want to dispense with the extreme religious liberalism that ois out of the mainstream of Spartanburg thought. You do a real disservice to your Democratic Party pols to try and push this “atheist agenda”. Please go ahead and invite Vince Sheheen or Mullins McLeod or even Glenn Reese or Harold Michell to your gay pride march or your atheist meeting. They wont come. In South Carolina we are a God-believing folk. Gee, this is the same in the other 49 states. You talk about hating the conservstives who represent our county and wanting to beat them but then you start promoting things like atheism and gay pride. This will get you nowhere in Spartanburg.
And yes, saying there is no God is dumb. How the hell else did we even get here?
Thanks, Steve, for a lending a voice to the non-religious in Spartanburg. I have recently felt, like yourself, that when I have not “come clean” on my true and full view when asked what church I attend, or some similar question or statement, that I have done a disservice to everyone else who is an atheist/agnostic/humanist, etc. But it’s HARD to do, because the level of not just mistrust but downright loathing I’ve encountered at times is intense and it’s a situation that most of us would rather avoid. I don’t like being told that I’m evil and dirty and sinful any more than anyone else does.
The core issue seems to be not religion per se, but the lack of separation in most people’s perceptions between morality and religion. They don’t see the difference and can’t understand how someone who rejects the idea of a supernatural power is able to find any moral compass.
I think this issue is the one that needs to be addressed and discussed before religious folks can start to feel more comfortable with atheists. If you think someone’s philosophy renders them unable to tell right from wrong, then you’re going to eye them with suspicion. We need to show people that atheists are guided by the same moral principles that everyone else is–essentially the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you. No holy text necessary, just common sense and common decency.
“Listen, I’m just saying that if you want this site to get any mainstream acceptance then you may want to dispense with the extreme religious liberalism that ois out of the mainstream of Spartanburg thought.”
Where on Earth did you get the idea the Spark was looking for mainstream acceptance? As the founder of the site, I can assure you that’s not a goal. We’re trying to create a platform for a variety of views — specifically those that tend to get snubbed by the “mainstream,” just like this post — but we’re also not actively excluding anyone.
“You do a real disservice to your Democratic Party pols to try and push this “atheist agendaâ€. Please go ahead and invite Vince Sheheen or Mullins McLeod or even Glenn Reese or Harold Michell to your gay pride march or your atheist meeting. They wont come. In South Carolina we are a God-believing folk.”
I’m not even sure where to start with this, but it’s obvious that your REAL complaint has nothing to do with Chris’ post. It’s more of a gripe against the diversity of opinion on site itself, which is strange since no one is making you read it.
I’ll tell you what: I’ll start a thread for you to complain about whatever you’d like about our content on the Spark’s forums, and we’ll take it point by point there. Let’s stick to the specifics of Chris’ column in the comments here. Otherwise we’ll veer far off topic, which serves no one.
Here’s the URL: http://spartanburgspark.com/forums/topic.php?id=63
FYI: Christopher George wrote this piece, not me. When it went up, it had my name on it because I forgot to change the byline. It has been fixed now. Sorry for any confusion.
And you just demonstrated why a lot of non-Christians tend to be hesitant about stating how they feel about matters of faith, Kyle. Saying that its dumb to argue that there is no God does nothing to encourage someone to consider the matter in a positive light. I don’t see what benefit there is to use that approach.
I am a Christian, and I do believe in God, however my view on just who and what God is, maybe quite different then yours, as would be my “proofs”. People who don’t believe in God aren’t stupid or have an agenda to undermine our “agenda” whatever that is. It isn’t about being chic or making Christians out to look like knuckle dragging morons.
What this article and I hope the accompanying discussion is about is people who have certain views religious wise who just want to be open about their beliefs without the negative stigmas and questions placed upon them. If traditional faiths such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam are allowed the freedoms to do so without such backlashes as demonstrated here, then why not also less traditional minority lines of thought? One doesn’t have to agree with someone else’s beliefs to be respectful and try to find some common ground. You’d be surprised how much you can find.
Melissa: For me, it’s really hard to see why it even IS an issue. I certainly can’t understand the animosity. I could see someone of faith being disappointed that someone they know doesn’t share the same beliefs, but actual mistrust and anger? Where does that come from? What purpose does it serve?
I’ve never been able to figure it out, except in sociological terms.
I definitely know what you mean about the whole morality thing. It’s not like Christianity — or any faith — has the patent on morality. Why would morality be a function of faith at all? Do people have to fear divine repercussions in order not to do things like murder or steal? I certainly don’t think that’s the case. You can be a good person without doing so because you’re afraid of going to some place of ever-lasting torment. Being a good person is really its own reward.
Oh Steve, I LOVE the intro to the new thread on the forums. Great intro, hilarious actually.
“I support your right to be an atheist or secularist or whatever you want to call it…I just don’t want you imposing these beliefs on the rest of us. Your viewpoint is an extreme minority in the USA, and an even more extreme minority in SC.”
I have absolutely no desire to impose my atheism on anyone, but as for being a minority, that’s the great thing about this country. I’m guaranteed by the Constitution the right to believe what I want to believe without fear of retribution from anyone who may differ with me. Whether you like it or not this is OUR country together, not yours alone.
“Why not just acknowledge the fact that there is a God an then join the Unitarian Church here in Sburg…that seems to be a place where a lot of liberals like to hang out and ‘worship.’”
Actually I’ve been to the UU church on quite a few occasions, and in my opinion they’re a shining example of acceptance of people regardless of their differences. Many other churches in the area could learn a lot from them. Incidentally, your ignorance is showing a little with this comment. Unitarian-Universalists do not require their members to believe in any higher power.
“Because frankly it is a dumb argument that “there is no God.†And it is even more dumb to think that this viewpoint should get any respect in this area of the country. ”
I will not be drawn into a theological argument here. Saying that the argument is dumb doesn’t bolster your case one way or the other anyway. As far as respect, I expect, and in fact demand, the same respect for my religious views as any other person would for their own. Privately, you can think whatever you want about my atheism, but in the public arena we are equal and your disdain for my beliefs means nothing.
“Listen, I’m just saying that if you want this site to get any mainstream acceptance then you may want to dispense with the extreme religious liberalism that ois out of the mainstream of Spartanburg thought.”
And you may want to dispense with the idea that you are the arbiter of what is and isn’t mainstream here in Spartanburg. This country is moving forward sir, and a lot of us intend on moving Spartanburg forward with it. My advice to you would be to either get out of the way, or be prepared to dragged kicking and screaming towards acceptance of those you deem “outside the mainstream”.
“Please go ahead and invite Vince Sheheen or Mullins McLeod or even Glenn Reese or Harold Michell to your gay pride march or your atheist meeting.”
Actually, I was in attendance at the UU Church last November when Harold Mitchell came to speak. The room was filled with godless heathens of all sorts: pagans, atheists, buddhists, liberal christians, and homosexuals galore. Rep Mitchell seemed oddly, unperturbed. Go figure.
“In South Carolina we are a God-believing folk.”
This may be the biggest fallacy in that whole string of nonsense you’ve been writing. South Carolina, just like the rest of the country, is full of all sorts of people. I was born here, raised here, and have spent almost my entire life here. My family goes back over 250 years in this state. I will not have you or anybody else tell me what the people of South Carolina are or are not. I’m just as much a South Carolinian as anyone else.
“And yes, saying there is no God is dumb.”
Way to back up your view with evidence and insight, Kyle. I’m surprised Richard Dawkins hasn’t heard this clearly started argument yet. He’d be an instant convert for sure.
Any other controversies or opposing views you care to clear up with the dismissive wave of a hand?
Sylvie: As usual you’ve shown yourself to be one of the most open-minded people around. Being respectful of each other’s differences is the first step towards understanding. If more people understood that, none of this would be an issue.
Melissa: I certainly understand where you’re coming from. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to cringe in anticipation of the “church” question. I’m never really sure how honest I can be. It’s very hard feeling like you have to hide some fundamental truth about yourself out of fear of retribution. I think I’m at the stage now though, where I’m not going to cringe anymore. We shouldn’t have anything to be afraid of, and asserting ourselves and our right to our beliefs starts with being open about who we are. Every person has to come at this from his or her own perspective though. Sadly, some of us have much more to risk than others.
I am awaiting the clarification to that claim as well Steve as well as what is meant by the statement “In South Carolina we are a God-believing folk”
Lots of people believe in God in some fashion or other, but what do they do about it?. And I wonder if Kyle’s realizes that “God believing folk”
covers a lot of ground in a variety of faiths besides his own?
Again, just curious.
This article is wonderful. I love it.
Reading Sylvie’s first post started me off with feelings of open-mindedness and optimism. I’m pleased that she wrote with such politeness, and consideration. Thanks, Sylvie.
Then I read what Mainstream Kyle had to say. This did take me back a few steps, but it’s already become apparent that Kyle has this kind of creepy and distorted Rockwellian illusion of what South Carolina is about—and it’s a million light years away from reality. I’m not angered or even surprised by what he said, but extremely disappointed in the way he said it—hostility, name-calling… and just a pure display of ignorance. I guess he’s not on the up-and-up about WWJD. ☺
I don’t know if God exists one way or the other, and I don’t claim to know. What else can be said about it? It’s rooted in either the belief of free will or believing in fate, but how would I or anyone else know which is true either?
I do think it’s amazing how people can kid themselves one way or the other, but I guess they call that faith, whether you believe or disbelieve, as I assume calling oneself an atheist is a stance with just as much certainty as the devout, but who the heck knows, really.
Even though I’m still not a member after all these years, when I found “Bob” my life was changed. Being what some would consider a juvenile delinquent, but not for lack of good parenting, at what I estimate as my pre-teens, J.R. Bob Dobbs opened my eyes to the fact that there are a vast array of other cultural mutants walking this Earth, sharing their art, music, and sarcasm openly and without fear. They offer eternal salvation or triple your money back!! ..and what a great offer it is. The Church of the Subgenius ( http://www.subgenius.com ) is what I speak of, and I have always hoped to get a local chapter going. I’m a Discordian Pope, just as all of you can be as well, simply by reading these words give you the awareness of your authority to be such, but hell, you’ve always had the authority. Accept your own infallibility within your reality tunnel, we humans are not automatically sinners and slime, we are as we are, and as we make ourselves. Be good, do well, and fear not! Smile and Be Slack!! ..you sure as hell deserve it. Free your curiosity from those barking dogmas, and praise Bob!! ..or not.
Chang, atheism is not always an active denial of the existence of God. There are variations in what each self-proclaimed atheist thinks or believes. Keep in mind that atheism actually means “without religion,” so it ranges from people who don’t have an opinion in the matter (simply an absence of belief/religion) and those who actively deny the existence of a God.
It’s about time people started having this discussion in Spartanburg. I’m not shy about speaking my mind on religion, in part because I have developed some animosity towards it. And that is a direct result of being chastised, or told I was wrong, or going to hell. I’m not sure how I classify myself. Agnostic, atheist…depends on the day and my mood. But certainly non-believer works.
As for people like Kyle, eh, can’t argue with that. He has his convictions, even if he can’t back them up.
An atheist is someone who is not a theist, and the term “theism” derives from the Greek theos meaning God. Any working definition of atheism includes a disbelief in God by definition, but I’m always willing to be shown otherwise. People who don’t have an opinion on the matter of if there is a God or not, or admit they don’t know either way, I don’t know if there is a definitive label for, but then again there’s a lot I don’t know, but regardless, I wouldn’t call them atheists by definition.
..but anyway, it doesn’t really matter. I was thought that maybe I was agnostic, but then I realized I shouldn’t take for certain that we may never know if there is or is not a God, who knows?
I don’t avoid religious talk with anyone, employers, relatives, preachers, whoever, but that’s just me. I’m not confrontational about it, needless to say, because my whole stance is in the honest, objective, and realistic understanding that nobody knows, I even wrote a song about it, albeit kinda cryptic and silly, and about everything that nobody knows, but the existence of God is on the top of that list obviously.
I sometimes pose the fun question of whether Adam and Eve had bellybuttons, and then if God had a belly button, but how would I know, or anyone else for that matter, though most people don’t simply reply, “I don’t know.”
I think if more people accepted and admitted that they just don’t know the things which they don’t know in general, the world would be a much saner, safer, and happier place to live.
Thank you for this article! This subject has been on my mind for some time. I myself have just recently felt comfortable sharing my “non-belief” with others. Let’s keep the discussion going!
“An atheist is someone who is not a theist, and the term “theism†derives from the Greek theos meaning God. Any working definition of atheism includes a disbelief in God by definition, but I’m always willing to be shown otherwise.”
Yes and no. In the literal sense of the term you’re right, but it needn’t imply an antagonism or opposition towards religion. It also doesn’t mean you don’t believe in a higher order of some kind — a Tao or some kind of greater reality — just that you don’t believe in a universe-creating deity (or deities, with respect to the polytheists out there) who set the whole thing in motion. It actually doesn’t directly define anything other than an absence of a specific kind of belief.
“Non-theist” is becoming a more common phrase, and for modern English it’s probably a better fit than atheist, since that’s become a loaded term.
Of course, that’s probably just my leftie/pinko/gay-loving/atheist political agenda speaking.
I like the sound of non-theism.
The problem I have with the idea of agnosticism is that it takes an obvious position, that nothing is ever 100% provable, and runs with it. Life is built on reasonable certainties, not ironclad facts. Given that, I’ve always found it pretty easy to prove with reasonable certainty that a omnipotent, omniscient, “creator diety” does not exist.
One of my favorites is, “Can an omnipotent god create a stone so heavy that he cannot lift it?” It’s kind of a linguistic trick, but I still like it.
I also love Epicurus’ “problem of evil”. It goes a little something like this
1. The world was created by God who is omnipotent, omniscient, and always just and good.
2. The world is largely and demonstrably unjust and evil.
3. If God is willing but unable to stop evil then he is not omnipotent.
4. If God is unwilling but able to stop evil then he is evil himself
5. If God is willing and able to stop evil, then why does evil exist?
The only arguments I’ve ever seen to refute this problem always end up making some convoluted line of reasoning about human imperfections or a “higher plan”, but never answer the question directly. Logically, the problem is pretty sound.
My favorite argument against agnosticism has to be Bertrand Russell’s teapot. Rather than butcher that one, I’ll just post a nice long quote straight from the horse’s mouth on this one.
“If I were to suggest that between the Earth and Mars there is a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit, nobody would be able to disprove my assertion provided I were careful to add that the teapot is too small to be revealed even by our most powerful telescopes. But if I were to go on to say that, since my assertion cannot be disproved, it is an intolerable presumption on the part of human reason to doubt it, I should rightly be thought to be talking nonsense. If, however, the existence of such a teapot were affirmed in ancient books, taught as the sacred truth every Sunday, and instilled into the minds of children at school, hesitation to believe in its existence would become a mark of eccentricity and entitle the doubter to the attentions of the psychiatrist in an enlightened age or of the Inquisitor in an earlier time.”
And now of course, I’ve went back on my word to not be drawn into a theological discussion. If I had the firm moral backing of religion I bet I wouldn’t have done that. Oh well.
The term “God” itself, or what the term actually represents is debated all the same as well of course. The difference you hit on Steve is between “weak” or “implicit” atheism, as opposed to “strong” or “explicit” atheism. Non-theist is a more clear cut term for what is generally considered an atheist, as you pointed out.
It does seem to me there is a higher order in existence, even if that order seems chaotic, maybe it has been or has yet to be, defined already through the language of mathematics. I think the model of the Mandelbrot Set, and how it exemplifies infinity through fractal geometry, would be a prime candidate for such an all encompassing order, example, or potential explanation. Universal consciousness, or the interconnectedness of our individual consciousness’ may be considered God to some, just as the debate of whether God is independent of the universe, or if they are one in the same, hinting that maybe to some God is nature itself.
..In realizing one doesn’t know something, it hopefully inspires one to learn more about whatever it is, and that’s what I see as important, the thirst for truth and knowledge. Dogmatic beliefs on one side or the other isn’t much for giving inspiration to seek out answers.
I love this discussion. Glad it is happening in Spartanburg.
I sometimes pose the fun question of whether Adam and Eve had bellybuttons, and then if God had a belly button, but how would I know, or anyone else for that matter, though most people don’t simply reply, “I don’t know.â€
Good questions, but I’d like to know if someone is born again, do they have two belly buttons?
OK, well, this is getting funny. Just think about the thousands of folks who live in Spartanburg. Think they share your idiotic liberal viewpoint that there is no God, that we should all embrace homos and pagans here in Spartanburg? I read the Spark because I love Spartanburg and I think the people who put on this site do as well…and we all want to see what is best for our community. But c’mon…this is not a community where the liberal counter-culture means anything of importance…if this is what you wat to promote, then be upfront about it. But the overwhelming majority of people in Spartanburg believe in God, Jesus, traditional values (read: no so-called “gay marriage) and strong families. If you are against this then fine, just be up front about it. I wish we could have a website that promotes Spartanburg and the betterment of the community that does not make radical political statements. I hope the Spark could be this kind of site…