A question for Teresa....

[Ivy]

There are some academics who theorize mnala never really existed but was a figment of people needing some sort of liberation hope.

That was Karl Marx.

[teresa]

Keep in mind that mnala had a miraculous recovery.

[Ivy]

Keep in mind that mnala had a miraculous recovery.

Yes he surely did!!! He was at death's door but was miraculously raised up. Quite a few of us heard that story around the campfire.

[Lerk]

I was on the old board. I think there were two parts to it... one for actual "ex" folks and one for people who were still in. At the time, I was hoping to change the church from within (yeah, right!). One thing that had happened was a conversation with a guy at work where, out of the blue, he asked me if I thought one was saved at the point of faith or at the point of baptism. I explained the usual CoC view, and he replied that he could see that point, but he could also see the other side of it. Then he blew my mind by saying something that should have been obvious: "Fortunately for me, the point is moot. I was baptized, so it doesn't matter whether God saved me at that point or before. I've done what I was commanded to do."

Woah! That whole "can't be taught wrong and baptized right" thing was BS! And of course there was a lot of other stuff taught in the NI-CoC that I thought wasn't right, and I thought I could change things, so it was recommended that I join the "still in" board.

Now I'm an atheist. (Somewhat closeted and still officially a member-in-weak-standing at a NI-CoC (warming a seat sometimes but never participating)... so crazy!)

Am I confused about the 2-parts-to-the-board thing? It was a long time ago and I don't necessarily trust my memory.

[teresa]

There is this Support Board, and there is also a Discussion Board that has a separate registration. The Discussion board is intended to be a place where the ex-CoC and CoC can meet. However, few people post there anymore.

[Ivy]

At the time, I was hoping to change the church from within (yeah, right!).

Yep. A lot of us have tried that...it's like screaming into the wind.

[tarheel]

I was on the old board. I think there were two parts to it... one for actual "ex" folks and one for people who were still in. At the time, I was hoping to change the church from within (yeah, right!). One thing that had happened was a conversation with a guy at work where, out of the blue, he asked me if I thought one was saved at the point of faith or at the point of baptism. I explained the usual CoC view, and he replied that he could see that point, but he could also see the other side of it. Then he blew my mind by saying something that should have been obvious: "Fortunately for me, the point is moot. I was baptized, so it doesn't matter whether God saved me at that point or before. I've done what I was commanded to do."

Woah! That whole "can't be taught wrong and baptized right" thing was BS! And of course there was a lot of other stuff taught in the NI-CoC that I thought wasn't right, and I thought I could change things, so it was recommended that I join the "still in" board.

Now I'm an atheist. (Somewhat closeted and still officially a member-in-weak-standing at a NI-CoC (warming a seat sometimes but never participating)... so crazy!)

Am I confused about the 2-parts-to-the-board thing? It was a long time ago and I don't necessarily trust my memory.

A question - If you are an athiest, don't you find going through the motions at church a bit awkward? I am a non-believer, mostly leaning to the athiest side as opposed to agnostic. My wife is Methodist and on the few times I have attended with her I can hardly sit still and listen to them teach and preach something that I fervently believe is not true.

[Chachi]

I have found the guy who writes under the name Theodore Dalrymple to be helpful. He is an atheist but is not an "anti-theist". He says that religion has done a lot of good and it is our civilization. So while I don't buy a lot of the things said in organized religion I do recognize the value in conserving what is good and best and helpful.

[Ivy]

So while I don't buy a lot of the things said in organized religion I do recognize the value in conserving what is good and best and helpful.

Same here. I don't have a need to try to change other people's views; spirituality is a very personal thing.

[B.H.]

Keep in mind that mnala had a miraculous recovery.

Yes he surely did!!! He was at death's door but was miraculously raised up. Quite a few of us heard that story around the campfire.

It was a very bad case of [deleted by teresa]