Mike Dulak grew up Catholic in Southern California, but by his teen years, he began skipping Mass and driving straight to the shore to play guitar, watch the waves and enjoy the beauty of the morning. “And it felt more spiritual than any time I set foot in a church,” he recalled.

Nothing has changed that view in the ensuing decades.

“Most religions are there to control people and get money from them,” said Dulak, now 76, of Rocheport, Missouri. He also cited sex abuse scandals in Catholic and Southern Baptist churches. “I can’t buy into that,” he said.

  • IchNichtenLichten@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    “Never do business with a religious son-of-a-bitch. His word ain’t worth a shit – not with the Good Lord telling him how to fuck you on the deal.”

    ― William S. Burroughs

  • Drgon@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    The older I get the more angry the concept of God makes me. It’s hit the point where I hope I’m wrong, so when I die I can spit in his face and call Him a useless God

    • elucubra@sopuli.xyz
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      9 months ago

      The idea that their “love” god kills, maims, allows horrendous birth defects, molestation, etc of children is one of the multiple proofs that god doesn’t exist. Oh, and wasps and mosquitoes.

      • blindbunny@lemmy.ml
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        9 months ago

        Wasps pollinate plants and mosquitoes are an important step in the food web. Nothing in this existence is here for no reason and “god” to is show man’s own arrogance.

  • crystalmerchant@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    I’ve heard about the “rise of the nones” for fucking years now. I’m in my mid 30s. When the fuck will this trend translate into policy reform

  • assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world
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    9 months ago

    I think the only thing we lose is community – I’m jealous that religious people automatically have that.

    The solution of course is trying to return to having neighborhood communities.

    • They really don’t. I grew up Evangelical, trust me, community was the last thing on those people’s minds. Granted, I understand where you’re coming from; there should be more communal spaces that don’t have religion as a requirement.

    • callouscomic@lemm.ee
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      9 months ago

      I’m telling you from experience that their “community” is fake. The people are fake. Under the fake stuff that looks nice on the outside is a deep culture of judgment and shame and fear. It’s not any community I would ever want. Like family get together for family’s that hate each other but they fake it.

      To those who will try to tell me “well not ME or MY church.” I don’t care and I don’t believe you. I have been harmed too much too consistently by these groups.

      • kshade@lemmy.world
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        9 months ago

        Under the fake stuff that looks nice on the outside is a deep culture of judgment and shame and fear.

        Funny, that’s what Christianity seems to be mostly about anyway.