Christian singer announces he no longer believes in God

[Brian63]

This is from a few weeks ago, but I do not find any discussion of it on this forum. Still newsworthy.

https://twitter.com/ThinkingAtheist...4z3ukwMVCFsZsenxYQ4lvQ4AHnvxxFsHoot9sxbkhjHd0

Christian music vocalist Jon Steingard just posted on Instragam that he no longer believes in God. A brave stand, especially for someone with such strong ties to the Christian community. All our best in his journey.

He writes a very good testimony describing:

1. What he believed.
2. Why he believed it.
3. What things did not make sense.
4. How he was stunned that many of his closest friends privately were thinking the same things, but were all afraid to say so.
5. Why he came out publicly.
6. What he believes now.
7. And more.

One thing think is inappropriate is him declaring how many of his closest friends were privately admitting to him about having the same thoughts. He should not have revealed that publicly, because now a lot of them will in turn be put in a very difficult situation.

He also mentions how both he and his wife never really enjoyed the Christian culture, how it felt very forced and manipulative. I am curious what her views are on a god's existence, but it is never explicitly stated.


For the last several months I have been posting semi-regularly on Ray Comfort's Facebook page (yeah), and usually the debates involve a regular and consistent handful of posters. When Ray made a post addressing Steingard's change though, the response was dramatically different. The responses came flooding in very fast and furious from Christians. They were made from new people who were not regular posters. They overwhelmingly reacted to the news with a "No True Scotsman" fallacy, quickly and easily disassociating him from themselves. He was never saved apparently, as hundreds of people apparently felt compelled to repeat again and again. It was amazing to see how reflexive that reaction was among the large majority of people. They just do not know how to process this change any other way.

 

[Lion IRC]

Christian singer says he never really enjoyed the Christian 'culture' to which he himself was a substantial contributor.

 

[ideologyhunter]

Well, he can now play the big atheist music festivals like Dawkinspalooza in Murfreesboro. He could even win an Ironic Gospel Grammy, who knows.
Actually I think it's a positive and ballsy move on his part -- it's like when ministers fall away from the faith. More power to him, and good wishes.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Convinced Atheists

I was reading a survey of Australian religiosity done in 2012. One of the categories was "Convinced Atheist." I took that to mean that such a self-described person had become "convinced" that gods were just stories for religious people like Santa was a story for children. Based on personal experience and observation they had left their religious beliefs on the scrap heap with all the other rusted one-way signs. I liked the use of the word.

No doubt a very large percentage of these "convinced" atheists had been raised in households that were religious and where they were baptized. But as their experiences grew so did their awareness about stories and fables about these religious gods. I don't think "deconversion" applies to such a group because they were never converted to anything in the first place. They were simply told a story and told that it's true, and no doubt there was a lot of social pressure to tow the religious line.

But as they started thinking and observing for themselves that changed and they became convinced that their religious stories were just that, stories. Their rational observations convinced them that gods with their alleged magic powers were just pretend creatures like other pretend creatures from their childhood stories. It was a good use of the word.

 

[ideologyhunter]

One of the student essays in Freethought Today addressed growing up in a household without religious training. This piece, which ran several years ago, was by a young man with agnostic parents. He wrote that he grew up with a third hand knowledge of religious dogma, from the media and from his peers, mainly. He said that his secondary English classes had particularly good units on Greek mythology, and that (paraphrasing), "when I came to read the Bible, having already studied mythology, I was ready for it."

 

[remez]

This is from a few weeks ago, but I do not find any discussion of it on this forum. Still newsworthy.

https://twitter.com/ThinkingAtheist...4z3ukwMVCFsZsenxYQ4lvQ4AHnvxxFsHoot9sxbkhjHd0

Christian music vocalist Jon Steingard just posted on Instragam that he no longer believes in God. A brave stand, especially for someone with such strong ties to the Christian community. All our best in his journey.

He writes a very good testimony describing:

1. What he believed.
2. Why he believed it.
3. What things did not make sense.
4. How he was stunned that many of his closest friends privately were thinking the same things, but were all afraid to say so.
5. Why he came out publicly.
6. What he believes now.
7. And more.

One thing think is inappropriate is him declaring how many of his closest friends were privately admitting to him about having the same thoughts. He should not have revealed that publicly, because now a lot of them will in turn be put in a very difficult situation.

He also mentions how both he and his wife never really enjoyed the Christian culture, how it felt very forced and manipulative. I am curious what her views are on a god's existence, but it is never explicitly stated.


For the last several months I have been posting semi-regularly on Ray Comfort's Facebook page (yeah), and usually the debates involve a regular and consistent handful of posters. When Ray made a post addressing Steingard's change though, the response was dramatically different. The responses came flooding in very fast and furious from Christians. They were made from new people who were not regular posters. They overwhelmingly reacted to the news with a "No True Scotsman" fallacy, quickly and easily disassociating him from themselves. He was never saved apparently, as hundreds of people apparently felt compelled to repeat again and again. It was amazing to see how reflexive that reaction was among the large majority of people. They just do not know how to process this change any other way.

I interested in reading his full account of his "conversion."
Your links never get to the full account. I'm not on instagram. And no quick google produced the full account. Can you provide the full account or link to the full account?

 

[Brian63]

I am tech stupid, and am not aware of any other way to display his testimony, sorry. If anyone else is able, thank you much.


ETA: I am able to view his Instagram post, despite not being signed in as a member there. Here is that link. Unsure why it works for me and not you.


https://www.instagram.com/p/CAbHm10...Lul5FFvLgar_-PBy8EhOzDRpJym9BI9I-3EpW127zzFx4

 

[Brian63]

Just came across his Twitter account. He is asking the right questions and seeing when the answers do and do not make sense. One particular post that is enjoyable, linking to his Instagram account:

"New post about some of the more surprising joys I’ve found in doubt and uncertainty… https://instagram.com/p/CCEIpozFllm/"

https://twitter.com/jonsteingard/status/1277992293543247872

 

[Lion IRC]

Gee. He says its NOT the case that he has let go of faith.
He goes further and says...

 

[Rhea]

Gee. He says its NOT the case that he has let go of faith.
He goes further and says...
View attachment 28552

How do you know there’s an elephant, Lion? This cartoon implies that someone, (you?) can see what all the others cannot.
According to this cartoon, there is no proof that an elephant exists. No one would know the whole, so it is equally likely that it is not a whole.

 

[ideologyhunter]

The elephant is not full-grown, so I assume it symbolizes youth. The six figures with ornamental headgear I took to be Catholic clergy. Possible?

 

[abaddon]

Gee. He says its NOT the case that he has let go of faith.
He goes further and says...
View attachment 28552

How do you know there’s an elephant, Lion? This cartoon implies that someone, (you?) can see what all the others cannot.
According to this cartoon, there is no proof that an elephant exists. No one would know the whole, so it is equally likely that it is not a whole.

Depends on what it is supposed to symbolize. If it's a symbol for all reality, then assuming a whole "elephant" is a safe bet.

If it's a symbol for god, then including an elephant into the drawing is mere artistic license, and Lion IRC's argument fails regardless how many times he repeats it.

There are a few potential ideas to explore irt interfaith agreements/disagreements and the limits of human knowledge, if the theist was willing and able to say something. Too often they seem disinterested in dialogue.