My first blog post for Atheist Republic has just been published. It was inspired by a tweet & conversation with Richard Dawkins. He read my first draft & thought it was interesting enough to post. I hope you agree! 😜
Click on over and check it out! My Thoughts on Charitable Wishes for Stephen Hawking in Hell
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MelissaMuses 
Indeed, people who were raised without religious indoctrination can have a difficult time understanding its insidious power. My willful rejection of Christianity took place incrementally over about 30 years. That’s 30 years of knowing it was nonsense but responding with an apologetic “fix it from the inside” mentality.
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It’s amazing how strong an effect it can have! Do you feel you had an effect on the inside? For me it was a slow distancing over the years, but still belief. My realization that I no longer believed at all happened over a short period – about 3 years.
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This is so relevant to me because I just encountered this while taking my sister in law to a bible study last week. Some there were actually saying the things you mentioned about atheists choosing their own fates and going to hell, Stephen included. I was so surprised because it was a “progressive” church! So the only part I would disagree with you on is that this is a belief held only by some small subset of believers. I think this belief is wider spread than we think it is unfortunately. It’s amazing to me that some Christians think that even if you do terrible things (but still believe in Jesus) you’re still saved but an atheist leading a good life will go to hell for simply not believing. I don’t understand that. I appreciate you writing this piece and sharing your perspective.
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Thank you so much Janessa. I am not surprised that you encountered that even at a progressive church. It probably isn’t said there with as much malice, but it would be viewed as matter of fact in any church that believes in Hell, or even just eternal separation from God, for anyone who has not accepted Jesus as their “personal savior.” Thank you for taking the time to read and comment. Maybe you can send this to your sister-in-law… 😉
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