I'm Catholic (like @POTUS Biden), but Not Because God Exists; I Hope to Lead My Christian #Troops as a #Shepherdist! | #Troop #Trooper #Trooped #Trooping #Troupe

I'll explain my thinking-below the Subscribe link or -in a discussion linked through 'that word' below; but first I want to understand that word better. And I find you understand words better if you look at 'the words at their base' (then going on to look at the words at those words' bases, then the words at those words' bases, etc.-etc. ad infinitum)

---

The word “Troop (meaning of a word in the foundation of Shepherd \ #Paratroops)” is built on ancient words that mean "|Assembly, |Gathering of People" (possibly related to ancient words that mean Village (|Thorp) or |Flock).

---

SUBSCRIBE FREE below:

Follow

---

---

In a 'theological' (maybe 'anti-theological,' i dunno) group, a new member posted,

Hello all, I'm new to this group. I'm a recent Catholic drop-out, I went to the bishop in my diocese and formally quit. I haven't opened up to my family about this yet (they're very Catholic), but I am an atheist. I'll tell you why I'm an atheist, and I'm hoping to have some discussion to test my views.

First, I always wondered why God would have created evil. What I finally realized is that evil doesn't exist. Neither does good. Things just are what they are. Without a human observer nothing is good or evil, it just is. If good and evil are dependent on a human observer, then they are human creations and do not require a god. By extension I've come to believe that nothing is inherently right or wrong and there is no intrinsic value in anything, including life. I choose to behave "morally" to get along in society and minimize my own pain, but I understand that morality doesn't exist outside of the human mind and is totally subjective.

Second, I've always been told that the reason for obeying God is to get to heaven. But I could never understand what the point of that would be. Follow a bunch of rules to spend eternity in heaven as a reward? I didn't ask to be here in the first place, and an eternity spent anywhere is going to be brutal. How is it any different if I end up in heaven forever as opposed to not having been born at all? It's all totally pointless. So I wonder why would God create a life with no purpose? The only thing that makes sense is that there is no God, and there is no purpose.

Lastly, I've always felt uncomfortable thinking atheist thoughts. I feel like I'm betraying something inside of me. I've finally realized that that's how strong the indoctrination has been in my life, and I'm ready to be rid of it.

and I responded, 

I'm kind of like you, but I probably went 'a different way.' I'm STILL a Catholic, but I'm discerning ... some things. First of all, the reason why they use the "sheep"-metaphor: sheep are stupid, and CANNOT LIVE independent of the herd.

You hear 'being one of the sheeple' being used as an insult--because in many ways it's bad--but We ALL start as 'one of the sheeple' and generally don't NEED to be "independent."

And the stories about God(s) and angels & demons etc. are basically "catharsis" for us (I'm pretty sure that has nothing to do with 'CATHolocism")---basically a way to 'hold onto our urge-for-independence, while at-the-same-time remembering "what happens if you get TOO independent"'

I think of Santa Claus. It's good for kids to believe in him; and to find out he doesn't exist, but to stick to the story anyway. That's a lot of what I'm doing when I interact with 'believers'---whatever "God" is, it's something way too complicated to be understood as 'what it really is'; so it's good for simple humans to understand as 'something respectable like a great-grandfather.'

... actually, a lot of the stuff you're saying 'turned you atheist' is "rumors that The Church (NOT The Bible) spreads." Because The Bible says that God DIDN'T create Evil ... that God can't even stand to LOOK at it!

Maybe you should read something an old professor of mine wrote: Robin Meyers wrote a book I think is called "Saving Jesus from the Church"

I suppose I ought to outline some of the differences between my Shepherdism & most religions:

• What God Is &/or -Is Not
• ... which changes What The Bible Is in relation to 'The Word of God'
• & The Whole Deal with Christ's Blood & -Sacrifice etc.
• How Prayer Works
• Where Heaven Is

Follow my blog with Bloglovin