For the Pastor Giving Atheism a Try...
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You may have heard the story of Ryan J. Bell, a former pastor who decided to spend a year living without God -- in effect, giving atheism a try.
Within a week of going public with his experiment, he was fired from the two Christian schools at which he was an adjunct professor and the church at which he served as a consultant.
He wrote on his site:
"So I find myself, on Day 4, without any employment. My savings will run out in about two weeks and I'm scrambling to find immediate work doing, well:anything"”manual labor, waiting tables, other teaching and consulting, or whatever I can find."
As someone who criticized his methodology, I still admire the fact that he's putting his beliefs under scrutiny. Places of higher learning -- including Christian ones -- ought to encourage these sorts of experiments, not run away from them.
As an atheist, I want Bell to know that we appreciate what he's trying to do and that we'll support him even if his Christian community will not and (more importantly) even if he decides atheism isn't for him when the year is over.
You have my assurance that all money donated will be given to Mr. Bell (excluded whatever GoFundMe takes for their expenses). I will provide proof on here and on my website.
Within a week of going public with his experiment, he was fired from the two Christian schools at which he was an adjunct professor and the church at which he served as a consultant.
He wrote on his site:
"So I find myself, on Day 4, without any employment. My savings will run out in about two weeks and I'm scrambling to find immediate work doing, well:anything"”manual labor, waiting tables, other teaching and consulting, or whatever I can find."
As someone who criticized his methodology, I still admire the fact that he's putting his beliefs under scrutiny. Places of higher learning -- including Christian ones -- ought to encourage these sorts of experiments, not run away from them.
As an atheist, I want Bell to know that we appreciate what he's trying to do and that we'll support him even if his Christian community will not and (more importantly) even if he decides atheism isn't for him when the year is over.
You have my assurance that all money donated will be given to Mr. Bell (excluded whatever GoFundMe takes for their expenses). I will provide proof on here and on my website.
Organizer
Hemant Mehta
Organizer
Naperville, IL