Lydiafree

See, now, most people I see regularly DO know. And I specifically didn't hide it because I didn't want to feel strange about it afterwards - but its happening anyway. I was thinking about counseling, because this is clearly not a *new* problem, just one that's become apparent because I can't lean on my food crutch to get me through anymore. I'm just not sure.

I was banded 6.29. I'm not having trouble with exercising or eating right, or any of the normal things I thought might give me problems. Losing a good amount of weight; have already dropped a few clothing sizes. Instead, I'm having emotional (or possibly psychological) side effects I didn't foresee. For example, my brother threw my SIL a birthday party and when it came time to eat dinner, I got seriously uncomfortable, nervous and eventually left the party early. I have a family wedding and a bachelorette party coming up that I'm worried about attending. I find myself not wanting to go to events where I know there will be lots of food or drinking. Partly because feeling uncomfortable is one of my food triggers and partly because I don't want to deal with questions about the changes in my eating habits (spefically, how much less I'm eating). Initially I thought it was just me getting used to the band and the new lifestyle it results in, but now I'm six weeks out and it doesn't seem to be getting better. Has anyone else experienced this sort of "hermit" urge? For the record, withdrawing from all this isn't helping either, it's simply making me feel lonely and isolated. My own doing, but still. :w00t:

:scared2: I totally agree on the surrealism of it. I make up a plate now and it looks like something one would give to a toddler - tiny piles of soft, mushy food. And yet, I'm *full* afterwards. It's mindboggling.

Right there with you. I was banded 6/29 and have lost about the same amount of weight. other people are telling me they can see it; I can't. I don't know what I was expecting, but I do feel like it's not going fast enough. Of course, that could just be excitement as well. I waited a long time for the band and now that I have it, I'm impatient!!

OMG. that is a great idea. Thank you!!

Surgery on Monday!! Back on phase 1 of SB. Getting nervous. Any suggestions on whey protein flavors to try?

So, now we have Ms. Green telling us that hanging people for stealing - apparently regardless of the reason - was a good thing because, sans any proof whatsoever, she claims the "olden" days were less crime-laden. (Oh boy, is that entirely wrong) And that we should apparently be exactly like the most violent criminals when its convenient for us. You know, if Ms. Pro-Life deems them to deserve death. Too bad there isn't a puking emoticon.

This is downright disturbing. "Fulfilling their marital duty" to be raped and bear the rapist children. And they were thankful for it to. Which, there's no evidence of, but it must be true because rape isn't rape when god commands rape. I am seriously starting to feel sick to my stomach. These conversations have been enlightening. Bigotry, lying, justifying rape, torture, murder – even genocide. There is no a single ounce of positive in religion. Wow. Just wow. I'm in awe of the mind-destroying power of religion.

If, as you say, he controls everything, my not acknowledging him is his plan, something he knew I would do, and something I couldn't chose not to do owing to his controlling everything and planning it. He therefore first created me to be an atheist and then punishes me for it. That's the very definition of "unfair". So you don't feel he's omnipotent and omniscient then? Not much of a supreme diety, then. Which he created, and then placed there all the people he created and created to reject him. You make your god out to be like a kid holding a magnifying glass burning insects. Then hell is fine with me. Yes, they were. I will continue to be convinced it’s a lie until I see proof otherwise. It's a self-serving lie as well. You've said, multiple times now, that being obedient to your imaginary master means YOU get rewarded for it. So, are you only doing it to be rewarded? How is that moral? Why does your god first create atheists (and Muslims, Buddhists, etc etc) and then punish them for it? What does it matter to such a powerful being that I (and billions upon billions of others) don't believe in him? If we're good people, why does it matter? Why is he so selfish and vain?

Against their will. That. Is. Rape. Oh how nice. They were allowed to mourn their slaughtered families before being raped for the rest of their lives. And you know this how? Assuming this "thankfulness" is even mentioned, it was reported and recorded BY THE RAPISTS. The truth is smacking you in the face here, Ms. Green. All I'm saying is you don't see the full picture. You read the story, you will do backflips to manufacture excuses for calling rape something else so you can continue to lie to yourself about how wonderful your imaginary master is. Also, the bible needs to be read in its full context - which includes the perspectives of OTHER people aside from the victors and rapists. History recorded by the winners is never an honest, accurate portrait of events.

There's never a logical reason for bigotry. Bigots only ever use the same three excuses for their ignorance and bigotry: "it's not natural" (the entire animal kingdom feels differently); "god hates "fags"" (which is just another way to say that the speaker hates them, but isn't brave enough to own it); and "I don't want to have to worry about the guy behind me" (which is a homophobic compiling of the other two)

That is impressive. I always feel somewhat silly "thanking" soldiers for their service - its not mine to "thank" for. But, I do find it admirable and impressive.

I notice that Ms. Green's "expanded" version lacks source info. Where did she get it? There is no "logical" disagreement because only one side is using logic. "True" believers simply regurgitate whatever someone else told them to say, however mindbogglingly illlogical, nonsensical or outright stupid it is. She also wrote: The Age of American Unreason. It's frankly chilling how this convo alone has proven so much of her book correct.

My goodness this is chilling misogyny. USED as brides - with not even a moment's thought to what the "bride" wanted. That's rape. And if she was married, and therefore dirty, she should be killed. Extra disgusting points for pretending that rape has anything to do with "victorian era" marriage. So, this wonderful loving god in one passage advocates rape and murder. how uplifting.

Then you're either reading the Children's Bible or you're feigning confusing. Either way, one who's actually read it and not trying to pretend it's a pretty, flowerly moral story would easily recognize: Judges 21:10-24 Numbers 31:7-18 Zechariah 14:1-2 Deuteronomy 20:10-14 Deuteronomy 21:10-14 Deuteronomy 22:28-29 (my personal "favorite" - force a rape victim to marry the pig that attacked her) Deuteronomy 22:23-24 (or your stone HER to death) And, before anyone tries to claim that Jesus changed everything: Matthew 5:17-19 "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." But oh no, the bible never advocates rape. Nosiree.

If you have children and are raising them to buy into this delusion of yours, you are committing unpardonable child abuse. Sorry, but that is what I feel you are doing. Whether you think you are or not. (not quite as fun on the receiving end, is it.)

Which, of course, is just more nonsense, since he also planned everything and knows what will happen. What does it matter if we have "free will" if we have no ability to make a choice that he didn't plan for and didn't know we would chose. This is nonsense, Ms. Green. Silly, useless nonsense.

I am in disbelief how you can, while lying and pretending to love American values, immediately disprove that and argue against them. And as for your repeated lie that the founding fathers were christians intending that the country be an exclusively christian country: “The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.” Benjamin Franklin Poor Richard's Almanack, 1758 "Lighthouses are more helpful than churches.” Franklin again (and wonderfully quotable) "Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon, than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalize mankind." - Thomas Paine (The Age of Reason, 1794-1795.) "Question with boldness even the existence of a god." - Thomas Jefferson (letter to Peter Carr, 10 August 1787) "During almost fifteen centuries has the legal establishment of Christianity been on trial. What have been its fruits? More or less in all places, pride and indolence in the Clergy, ignorance and servility in the laity; in both, superstition, bigotry and persecution." - James Madison (Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments, 1785.) “The divinity of Jesus is made a convenient cover for absurdity.” John Adams Just as a few examples. :ihih:

You know what? For all you say about loving this imaginary friend of yours, you make him out to be the worst kind of sick bastard there is. However, let's think this through a bit. If your hateful, psychotic version of god does exist and I, despite my efforts to be a good person, are sent to be tortured forever in hell because I did not believe - exactly as your god planned for me to do and knew I would do - so be it. Because, this would also mean that heaven exists and my dearly departed, who did believe and presumably then would have been admitted into heaven for the everlasting beach party with jesus. I'm cool with that. I'm not going to live a lie now in a self-serving, selfish ploy to maybe get rewarded for it by this looney god you worship. If he exists and it means my loved ones are happy for eternity, hell is fine with me.

Or perhaps, stop simply assuming that others haven't read it because they don't sugarcoat what it contains. Either way is fine.

What specifically do you consider to be "christian bashing" here on this thread? Is it criticism of the silliness and nonsense inherent in religion (ALL of them), or is it specific to the people who believe in it? I ask because "you're bashing christians" is something a vocal atheist will hear quite often, despite their merely criticizing the belief system. This is because religious people seem to view their belief system as a deeply personal thing. I haven't seen anyone actually bashing christians themselves, so I might have missed what you're referring to. I will always have an issue with the absurd nonsense people believe in. This does not mean I think the people themselves are unintelligent, etc. It means I think what they believe in is. That said, this: "But please try to understand, the way patty is is NOT the way true christians act" is the No True Scotsman Fallacy. Her interpretation of the confusing garbled nonsense that is religion is different from others, surely, but no less "true" than any others.

It's not just you. It's not only a gigantic paradox, it's utter dribbling nonsense. She's essentially saying that despite being omnipotent and omniscient, god doesn't control anything. Which makes him not just completely useless, but callously so.

Hmm. Possibly. I'm an atheist and I've never said "absolutely no". Those kind do exist (just happen to think that's premature judgment). perhaps you're right - maybe I am an agnostic (in the dictionary sense), because not only do I say "I don't know" but also say "I don't care". Since there's no evidence, since there's no proof that anything one says or does makes a whiff of difference to a possibly existing deity, it simply doesn't matter if a god exists. What matters is here and now and what you do with it.

OMG. I've seen that! Turned me off McD's forever.

All i meant is we're no different. Humans are not exclusively one thing or the other.