Author Topic: Why do we bother?  (Read 1356 times)

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Offline A Pedant

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Why do we bother?
« on: March 16, 2018, 08:58:52 pm »
I used to be active on this forum (last post August '13), and more generally as an online atheist, especially in the few years after I left evangelical Christianity. then I sort of drifted away. I figure it's a natural thing, when you have just left a burning house it's important to you tryto rescue survivors, after a while you get over it. I remain actively atheist, Humanist and rationalist, and will debate with anyone in front of me in meatspace, but I could see little point in the online forums.

Then I read this story in this week's Economist https://goo.gl/NPGbBG and particularly this paragraph:
Quote
Mr Olad was told he would leave college and be turned over the next day to the care of Muslim clerics who would restore his faith. “I was aware of the horrors of these camps,” Mr Olad says. “They operate them in the middle of nowhere, where you cannot escape. They subject you to beatings, starvation and trampling.” He tried to contact the American embassy, but it could not send help because of recent terrorist attacks nearby. Luckily, he also managed to reach a Kenyan atheist group. In the dead of night he sneaked into his mother’s room, stole his passport and was whisked away by taxi to the embassy, which eventually returned him safely to America. He has not spoken to his family since.

And I remembered threads where we were that Kenyan atheist group, members reached out to kids in awful situations who needed help and got them to the embassy.

And I thought "I wonder if FSTDT is still a thing." And bugger me if it isn't, and even more that my computer still has username and password saved.

In short the reason I'm back is that there is a need for hope for those who are oppressed, and I have been reminded of that and of the part a community can play. And well done to the people from those threads I remember who helped the kids, when I saw that they were far away from me and moved on to other things.

(Edit to add the word that makes a sentence make sense)
« Last Edit: March 16, 2018, 09:01:04 pm by A Pedant »
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Offline Barbarella

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Re: Why do we bother?
« Reply #1 on: April 25, 2018, 11:18:26 am »
I used to be active on this forum (last post August '13), and more generally as an online atheist, especially in the few years after I left evangelical Christianity. then I sort of drifted away. I figure it's a natural thing, when you have just left a burning house it's important to you tryto rescue survivors, after a while you get over it. I remain actively atheist, Humanist and rationalist, and will debate with anyone in front of me in meatspace, but I could see little point in the online forums.

Then I read this story in this week's Economist https://goo.gl/NPGbBG and particularly this paragraph:
Quote
Mr Olad was told he would leave college and be turned over the next day to the care of Muslim clerics who would restore his faith. “I was aware of the horrors of these camps,” Mr Olad says. “They operate them in the middle of nowhere, where you cannot escape. They subject you to beatings, starvation and trampling.” He tried to contact the American embassy, but it could not send help because of recent terrorist attacks nearby. Luckily, he also managed to reach a Kenyan atheist group. In the dead of night he sneaked into his mother’s room, stole his passport and was whisked away by taxi to the embassy, which eventually returned him safely to America. He has not spoken to his family since.

And I remembered threads where we were that Kenyan atheist group, members reached out to kids in awful situations who needed help and got them to the embassy.

And I thought "I wonder if FSTDT is still a thing." And bugger me if it isn't, and even more that my computer still has username and password saved.

In short the reason I'm back is that there is a need for hope for those who are oppressed, and I have been reminded of that and of the part a community can play. And well done to the people from those threads I remember who helped the kids, when I saw that they were far away from me and moved on to other things.

(Edit to add the word that makes a sentence make sense)

Well; Glad to see you back. I'm coming back here too and starting fresh. I've vowed to not be an idiot.

I agree. Stay positive and keep on fighting.