My name is Eric. I know I'm a day late and a dollar short finding this group, but it is comforting knowing that I've found a group of people who won't be lied to anymore. This discussion doesn't have to be a bitch-fest, It should be a celebration. We've escaped the confines of a victorian era cult with it's brain damaged prophetess. How many others can say that? Damn few.
Reading Ken's post, I can almost copy and paste what he wrote for my own life story. However, I'm not an Athiest (yet), there are other religions and belief structures that require less and promise more, if that is what your soul desires. But I know I feel better when I give money to someone who does right, but is weak in spirit (Easily lied to, taken advantage of) than I do when I put money in the offering plate at church. BTW, that IS a tax write off at the end of the year, and you can put X amount for how much you gave, even if you don't go to church anymore. Remember that when you file your income taxes.
Growing up around Adventists can make you think that something is seriously wrong with you. But we're all alive, we escaped Jonestown, and there are hundreds of stories we can tell and just as many lessons on what not to do to our own children - if you choose to have them.
I live a simple philosophy now. I believe in That Which Is. If you call him God, thats ok. If you believe his son died for you to make it so that when you die, paradise is yours, cool. If you walk outside naked and scream at the sun for 20 minutes everyday, Great; at least you're giving credit where it is due. Its proven that without the sun, there wouldn't be life on earth. But without the belief of Adventisim, I'm doing as well as can be expected.
It used to be that black sheep of the church, like us for example, left alone and never found each other to turn around as a group and call bullshit. Last time I checked, electricity is a sin, as is the internet, chairs with lumbar support, the telephone, paved roads, the television, vehicles, the abacus, sporks, jewelry, ottomans, cabbage, and the stereopticon. Let us rejoice in these guilty pleasures, and get to know one another better, I'm sure we've got a lot to learn from one another. I hope to talk one on one with you all soon.