http://disqus.com/people/1c53eeed33ce5056a6dcea7af309139b/enTue, 24 Mar 2009 17:13:00 -0000http://hackingwithcaffeine.disqus.com/httpwwwmasonchangcom200901art_of_generating_bytecodeshtml/#comment-21872155Very useful. Much appreciated.Kevin CTue, 24 Mar 2009 17:13:00 -0000http://ex-christian.disqus.com/my_christian_university_experience_testimonies_of_ex_christians/#comment-21433584Mark, thank you for sharing your story; so many testimonials on this site are inspiring for the individual's awakening to reality, but to me, yours is even more special.<BR/><BR/>I was raised a Roman Catholic. My parents did not force religion upon me and I was never exposed to the fundie horror so many others at this site have been--they actually encouraged me to think for myself, to be my own person, and for that I am grateful. Nonetheless, I was raised with the beliefs that certain things are just <I>wrong</I>, that certain things in society are just plain taboo. It is thus that I did not begin to develop as a sexual being until the summer after I graduated from high school...<BR/><BR/>Meanwhile, ever since I was perhaps 13 or 14 years old, I had started to develop my own ideas about heaven and hell and other religious concepts that made no sense to me. Piece by piece, without even realizing what I was doing, I was deconstructing everything I was taught as a young child. By the time I was a high school senior, I was greatly opposed to organized religion and only just barely did I still believe that Jesus was the "son of god." That summer, I realized that I no longer believed in Christianity at all, although I still held to the concept of some abstract concept of "god" that more resembled the Far Eastern concept of a "universal soul." Then, in the fall semester of my sophomore year at college, I realized that I no longer believed in any god or religion at all. I'm a proud atheist to this day, and it's always wonderful and refreshing to hear stories such as yours, stories of people who also awoke from the deception of religion to find the truths of the world and of a life away from the herd.<BR/><BR/>Part of my turn away from religion had to do with politics. I'm loathe to judge anyone or be anything but a friend to strangers I meet, and the exact opposite mentality is what I found in Christianity. This included homosexuals. Based on what I had learned as a child, I had long held an attitude that I was cool with LGBT and would respect them as long as they respected me.<BR/><BR/>My perspective began to change after high school with the realization that sex was more than just something you see on TV and in the movies. My first semester at college, my good friend Sarah took a keen interest in me. I tried, but I just didn't feel the same way about her, and more importantly, I couldn't figure out <I>why</I> it didn't feel right to be with her. At the same time, I found myself attracted to male friends, something I had never considered before. Later, my best friend, who I thought was straight as an arrow, admitted to me that <I>he</I> was gay, and this was one of the major catalysts for heavy introspection over holiday break and my eventual realization that I'm gay, too.<BR/><BR/>Nothing feels so great as honesty and the search for truth. The first night that I sat down with two of my best friends and told them I'm gay is still the best night of my life; the feeling was unimaginable and I'll never forget it. In second place is the day that I looked in the mirror and realized there's no such thing as heaven or hell, angels or demons, God or Satan; I have never felt so free as when I cast aside the chains of religion.<BR/><BR/>I must only imagine that you feel the same way about your experiences. You gain such a greater perspective on life when you are honest with yourself and others, when you start searching for the truth and find it, when you are at last free from everything that repressed you as a youth. Even after my own epiphanies, my inner child still does a dance of celebration when I hear of another brother or sister who has come out, or who has relieved themselves of the hateful burden of religion.<BR/><BR/>By sharing your story, Mark, you have truly made my night.<BR/><BR/>Thank you once again for sharing. Thank you for your honesty.<BR/><BR/>But most of all, thank you for refusing to hide any longer and for abandoning the lie.<BR/><BR/>Enjoy the rest of your life, I bet it's going to be great.<BR/><BR/>Best wishes for you and your partner (:<BR/><BR/>-Kevin-</BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR>Kevin CSun, 18 Dec 2005 01:04:00 -0000http://ex-christian.disqus.com/war_on_christmas_exchristiannet_articles/#comment-21417187Conspiracy theory that I pulled out of my be-hind:<BR/><BR/>The highly commercialized aspect of the holiday season is the work of a coalition of multi-millionaire corporate quacks and the religious right. The common people throw money away on gifts and degrade the "true meaning" of Xmas. In turn, the multi-millionaire corporate quacks get more money and become more powerful, while the religious right increase their power by telling the common people they're prideful and sinful for having demeaned Xmas, and must find redemption in the Cross.<BR/><BR/>Just one of many ways that the corporate madmen and religious lunatics are dominating this country.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, that having been said--I don't know how many people on this site regularly watch [adult swim] on Cartoon Network, but on last night's episode of <I>The Boondocks</I>, young Jasmine has a dream that she's the preacher of an evangelical church dedicated to... Santa.<BR/><BR/>Oh, and spacemonk, the "Bah Humbug" sign is a great idea, go for it (:<BR/><BR/>I love it how the religious right always feels the need to be "at war" with somebody to make themselves feel better about who they are.</BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR></BR>Kevin CMon, 19 Dec 2005 13:56:00 -0000http://everwas.disqus.com/chart_your_course_with_runningmapcom/#comment-11023714Came across your blog! cool!<br /><br> <br /><br> Check out <a href="http://MapMyRun.com" rel="nofollow">MapMyRun.com</a> as well -- we have the same type of interactive map to plot your routes, but we incorporate fitness logs, calorie counters, and a lot more community features!<br /><br> <br /><br> Check it out and let me know what yo think!<br /><br> <br /><br> -Kevin<br /><br> Co-Founder, <a href="http://MapMyRun.com" rel="nofollow">MapMyRun.com</a>Kevin CWed, 15 Aug 2007 05:10:58 -0000http://lifeisgrand.disqus.com/getting_joosted/#comment-1281706Hello,<br><br>I am also interested in getting joost as well. If you have invites, could you send it to <a href="mailto:wannajoost@gmail.com" rel="nofollow">wannajoost@gmail.com</a>.<br><br>ThanksKevin CThu, 08 Feb 2007 15:43:46 -0000