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#1
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Why I\'m a closet atheist
I live in western South Carolina where I practice medicine. I am employed by the local hospital and earn a nice income. There is an extremely strong Baptist presence here in western SC. It is literally everywhere. Often my patients will inquire about my faith. Sometimes they ask me to pray for them. It is important to them that I be a Christian. They believe the Lord provides the cures; I'm an intermediary. The Lord is not going to work through an atheist. I will tell my patients that I'm praying for them if they ask me too. I think it helps them cope mentally with their illness.
If I were honest about being an atheist I would have very few patients and I suspect the CEO of the hospital would fire me. As well, several physicians on the staff are fundamentalist Christians. They too would like to see me go if they knew. Another reason I am secretive is my family. They would genuinely be very worried about my soul spending eternity in hell. I do not want them to worry about that and so I just pretend to be a Christian. By the way, one thing that does suck is this. When a patient does well it is the "Lord's blessing." When they do poorly it is my fault. I would prefer it be the Lord's will either way. Then no one would be likely to sue. Toffler |
#2
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Re: Why I\'m a closet atheist
[ QUOTE ]
If I were honest about being an atheist I would have very few patients and I suspect the CEO of the hospital would fire me. [/ QUOTE ] this is wrongful termination if ive ever seen it. |
#3
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Re: Why I\'m a closet atheist
Just out of curiosity, do you take it as far as going to services on Sunday so as to be seen there?
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#4
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Re: Why I\'m a closet atheist
No way would I ever want to live like that. I'd move.
Why would I want to be around people who would be that judgmental? I mean really, just how good are those people you surrounded yourself with? Basically, it doesn't matter that you're a great person, good at what you do or anything, your whole deal is built on a false presentation/premise. Yay. That must get a nice warm feeling inside. It'd make me sick to live like that. In a way, it's the same type of situation that closet gays face. One way to think about it. Good times. b |
#5
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Re: Why I\'m a closet atheist
The weather's nice in San Diego.
PairTheBoard |
#6
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Re: Why I\'m a closet atheist
What bother me the most about this post is not the fact that you have to fake and pretend to be religious. We are all guilty of lying and/or pretend to like something we did not. It is hypocritical for anyone to tell you that you are a bad person because of it.
What bothered me was the double standard you mentioned in the last part of your post. If you help someone, God did it but if the person does not get better then it's your fault. People hide behind their religion for everything but when something does not go their way, they are the first to point fingers. That just blow my mind. |
#7
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Re: Why I\'m a closet atheist
[ QUOTE ]
What bothered me was the double standard you mentioned in the last part of your post. If you help someone, God did it but if the person does not get better then it's your fault. People hide behind their religion for everything but when something does not go their way, they are the first to point fingers. That just blow my mind. [/ QUOTE ] AMEN! As a corollary I'm amazed at how many people want to become doctors, seeing as the above is something that can be predicted before choosing a profession. The same goes for policemen, firefighters, clergy and anything else that falls into the "altruistic service" category. You're constantly helping others and 90% of the time they only need the help because of their own stupidity. It's like carrying a sign saying "go ahead, be stupid, I still love you and I'll come running to your aid no matter what". In certain ways it's admirable and godly but in others it's like geez, get some self-respect man! |
#8
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Re: Why I\'m a closet atheist
I thought doctors did it for the money and the women. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]
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#9
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Re: Why I\'m a closet atheist
[ QUOTE ]
I thought doctors did it for the money and the women. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] [/ QUOTE ] That's a hell of a lot of schooling just to get laid! |
#10
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Re: Why I\'m a closet atheist
Hi Toffler.
It's too bad that you have to hide your atheism from the people; it is this mentality that impedes societal progress. I wonder how many people in the public's eye are truly atheists but who disguise themselves as christians because they would be outcast if they didn't. The problem is that most people are not rational and stick to the beliefs they were brought up with. Since people are more comfortable if they believe you are a christian, you are probably a better doctor if you tell them you are. But I hate thinking about all this stuff going on where a lot of smart people know it is bs, but are too afraid to speak out against it. Secular shifts have been occuring in Europe, but why do they fail here? |
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