I’m sorry that I talk about Hemant so much - but I really only have time to read like 3 blogs, and his happens to be the one where all the interesting stuff happens. …He has a new girl blogging on his site - Lindsay Fay. She’s really funny, young (around my age), really pretty and a member of the mormon church.
When I first heard about Lindsay going to blog on Hemant’s site I was actually pretty excited - because I like to learn about new religions and talk to people about their religions.
However, some people at the humble abode of Hemant haven’t been so responsive to the newcomer.
RobL says:
Decided at 14 that it was total mind bending nonsense and have been atheist ever since. Joseph Smith was just a skilled con artist who duped all his naïve followers. Thanks for bringing back all the things I spent years trying to forget…kamod says:
First of all most us know about Mormonism.. Yes it does involve in believing loads of things. But this post has done it finally, I agree with being friendlyatheist and all that shit. But I can’t read this blog anymore.. Well done Hemant. Good going.Darryl says:
I know everything I need to know about Mormonism. It’s the product of one of the most obvious cons in religious history. The only aspect of it that’s worth study is its sociological meaning. I never cease to be amazed that otherwise intelligent and educated people can actually believe this stuff. Ah, the power of the imagination.
Escualidus Arrechus says:
I have to agree with kamod, actually, minus all the profanity.
Hemant has worked himself into an interesting corner. I don’t really care that these guys can’t just STFU and skip over stuff they don’t want to read but it all raised some interesting thoughts.
The easiest way to run an atheist blog is to post things that mock religion - because that’s what a lot of people read. I’ll even admit that I like looking at that sort of stuff. And really - thats a lot of what Hemant had gotten into posting. There has also been a lot of really good recent material on atheist groups and the evolving that they’re doing. But still - a lot of that stereotypical mocking religion stuff - and the crowd that’s reading played it up even more.
The comments were probably the biggest hazing ground for the religions that were brought up in the post.
So then Hemant introduces a religious person. Not only a religious person - a mormon. Once my grandma said to me [my sister is dating a guy from Utah] “Oh, lets just hope he’s not one of those crazy mormons” and she’s been a devote christian her whole life. Most people know Mormonism is a little strange. But that’s the new very part time face of the Friendly Atheist site.
How are people supposed to react to that? A lot of us who are now atheists used to be something else… United, Baptist, Anglican, Mormon, Catholic, Hindu… whatever… After that gigantic flip in our lives we’ve had to search for somewhere else to fit in. Find new connections, new places to go read and new people to talk to. So for me personally - I was waiting for those comments to come into Hemant’s blog.
It’s not that these people who are commenting are totally intolerant of religion - but they had found a domain to get information and people who shared a common lifestyle and common ideas. To throw a Mormon into the mix to write about her Mormonism and to teach us all about Mormonism just had “bad news” written all over it.
I know that Hemant wants to open up dialogue with religious people, but I don’t think inviting a Mormon to come into the atheist’s cave to talk about her Mormonism and teach us all about the rules and practices of Mormonism is the smartest way to go about doing that. Most of us left religion because it was a horrible experience in our lives. We didn’t like it, we felt that it was brainwashing, it was irrational… etc. Very *very* few people are like me… who left religion, but still wants to research religions, talk about faith, explore other people’s faith and get into their minds. Most just want religion to eff off, and don’t want to have to deal with it again.
Great post. It’s a touchy situation, isn’t it? I am interested in having a dialog with believers (moderate ones anyway) but I also “just want religion to eff off,” as you say. I am constantly feeling conflicted about this. I’ve written about this a few times on skepchick and it always spurs a lot of discussion. As far as Linsay goes, I just can’t see how any women can voluntarily participate in religions that are so discriminatory against women. That includes Mormonism, as well as Catholicism, many other Christian denominations, Islam, and most forms of Judaism. Basically contemporary monotheism is a tool of the patriarchy as far as I am concerned and I don’t see how young, independent women can buy into the garbage.
Anyway, thanks for writing about this.
I wrote this comment on my own site, but I wanted to copy it here as well:
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I think the few of you that are commenting negatively are missing the point of what Lindsey is trying to do. She’s trying to explain the faith in which she was raised — hopefully dispelling some myths along the way. You don’t have to agree with her beliefs (I don’t), but I see this as a really wonderful chance to ask questions about Mormonism to someone who is actually living it (and hasn’t had a horrible experience with it) and someone who’s willing to answer your questions. Take advantage of that!
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I’m hoping that people will be able to respect the person if not the beliefs. And part of being “friendly” (as I see it) involves listening to where someone is coming from and being able to have a conversation about it. You can’t dismiss someone simply because they’re religious. Find out why they believe what they do. Maybe there’s a reason behind it that doesn’t just involve faith. Maybe the person has something to say you haven’t considered. As an atheist, I would be surprised if there was any explanation to believing in a particular religion that I haven’t considered but I’m willing to hear out what the person is saying.
For what it’s worth, I’ve interviewed people faith before and I’m still hoping to post an interview with Christian Apologist Lee Strobel. Is it wrong to have those discussions because you might think he’s wrong on everything when it comes to faith?
And Lindsey also happens to be the second religious person writing on the site. Mike Clawson (a Christian) has been writing for a while now and while people don’t agree with him, I don’t see many attacks on him… Neither are preaching. But they’re not afraid to talk about what they believe. So hear it out and then feel free to debate it
Honestly, I was a little unsure when she first posted at friendly atheist…I guess I’m in that category where I’ve been a certain denomination of christianity and have learned about others, and I wasn’t sure what she was going to bring to the table. So far I’m just reading her posts and not commenting (of course I don’t comment that often anyway, mostly because I read at work, shhh). I really wanted to respond to her latest post about what mormons believe, but I felt myself going to a negative end (in response to, I think, the first ennumeration about the trinity), so I’ve put myself on comment hiatus when it comes to her posts.
If nothing else, I think it’s a good opportunity to read what she has to say and watch the dialogue unfold with the other commenters, since most of what I’ve done is read books/studies and not necessarily interact with people.
I don’t see how young, independent women can buy into the garbage.
Then maybe you should talk to people who do see how. I’m neither religious nor female, but from talking to people who’re both, my guess is that most women don’t feel foregoing the community participation is worth it. I mean, Hillary Clinton voluntarily chose to enter politics, hardly a feminist paradise, didn’t she?
Writerdd: I have the same feelings about woman and participating in religions, but to each their own, I guess. I think with the “flexibility” in religion these days most women just tend to opt out of the women hating bits.
Hemant: I love that Lindsay is there, I love talking about religion, and discussing religion with people. I just *knew* she was going to get that backlash. Instead of taking a really unbiased look at faith and religious issues there is obviously an atheist outlook on your site - and that drew in that angry atheist crowd, despite you being friendly. I do hope that, like you said, people will respect her enough to calm down and actually have a chat with her.
I’ve never read anything by this other person. You’re making it up.
Nadine: I felt like I had nothing really to comment about. Everything i had to say would have been some sort of attack on what she believed, and that just didn’t feel right. I’m not really curious about the religious practices because I study religion - so I know about what she’s saying. I’d like her to talk more about what she personally believes, philosophy on issues in life… etc.