Why I'm Doing What I'm Doing

Many Christians just don't seem to understand my motivations for this blog and my book. Since they cannot grasp why I'm doing what I'm doing they falsely conclude I'm angry at God. But I'm no more angry with a God that doesn't exist than Christians are angry with Allah or Zeus. So let me explain one more time:

My Motivations

I backed into what I’m doing right now. I initially wanted to explain to people who knew me why I rejected the Christian faith, because several people were surprised about this and they wanted to know. To do this I self-published my first book to explain my reasons. At that point in my mind I was done with the Christian faith. I fully expected to get on with life. Unexpectedly though, I got noticed as a former student of William Lane Craig’s. It hadn’t occurred to me this was important, but people on both sides took notice of it. So I began engaging in the debate online and found the Christian reasoning lame and offensive in the circles I frequented. I was personally attacked by these Christians. This challenged me to no end. It made me want to go for the jugular vein of the faith that justified their abusive treatment of me. I wondered to myself whether they would light the fires that burned me at the stake in a previous century when the church had the power to do so. This made me think about the many heretics who suffered at the hands of Christians because of this same mentality. I decided at that point I would not let their blood be shed in vain, so I took up their cause. It became personal with me.

I began reading more and more skeptical books and found most of their attempts just as lame as the arguments of believers in defense of their faith. I like challenges. I like attempting and succeeding where others fail. That’s who I am. I wondered to myself if I could break through the barrier between Christian believers and non-believers and speak to believers in ways they could relate to. There were just too many authors on both sides of the fence who were merely “preaching to the choir,” so to speak, so I entered the fray with that goal in mind as well.

This probably explains my initial motivations the most.

Now I have additional motivations. I will cease to exist someday so I would like to know I made a difference in this world. I want to leave the world a better place. And I think a world with fewer believers will be a good thing. I want to help change the religious landscape. I believe there are inherent dangers with religious beliefs. I also want to help people who are struggling with their Christian faith to know there are others out there like me. I believe that life is better from my perspective, having been a former Christian myself. I can be more...well...human. And I think I am uniquely qualified to do what I'm doing as a former apologist for the Christian faith.

Other than that, my motivations are now as multifaceted as any author of any book. Like every author who spends a great deal of time writing a book, I’m pleased to hear that people are reading through it and are recommending it very highly. I'm pleased to be recognized by my peers. I also like being asked to speak for groups and to debate the issues between us.

So there you have it. It's not really that hard to understand, is it?

54 comments:

Chris Geiser said...

Hey, can theists post on here? I am wandering cuz I am a theist.

feeno said...

Dear John

I kinda know what you mean about backing into this fight. When I first found this site I thought I'd throw my two cents in, maybe one time, get every one "saved" then get on with my life?

I wish it was that easy, but this site is like a magnet that draws me back here almost every day.

It sounds like we have some "abusive" Christians to blame for this giant John Loftus atheist monster. (hope there happy)

Although we disagree on most things, I can certainly relate to you and enjoy your "style". Even though I may not be "human"?

If it was up to me, you'd sell 10 million books this year. As long as you didn't "deconvert" any one.

Anyways, I'll be sticking around checking in often, unless I get called a troll and asked to leave.

Peace out, feeno

Anonymous said...

Feeno, JP Holding, Paul Manata, Steve Hays, and Frank Walton, among others, are the ones you can thank. I actually wonder if the sum total of their apologetical efforts will be in the plus column after factoring in how they poured gasoline on the fires of my passion. Their God must be pleased, or they just don't give a damn. They are the type of Christians that other Christians should wish were on the other side of this debate.

Chris Geiser said...

I am sorry that some Christians have attacked you, I am quite ashamed of the Christians who attack people, cuz they misrepresent Christianity, just like Radical Muslims misrepresent the moral character of Islam.

Canyon Shearer, DMin said...

Your excuses are poor to say the least...yet you inadvertantly gave the biblical explanation for your God-hating in your post, that you esteem yourself as smart and capable and want to assimilate the world to your thinking. You want to be God, but the position is already filled.

You set yourself against Heaven, you declare your hatred of the God who made you. It is a sad and stupid position to take.

Canyon

Jeffrey Amos said...

>that you esteem yourself as smart and capable

I just love how you see that as a bad thing. Either you are being hypocritical, or you esteem yourself to be weak and retarded.

Eternal Critic said...

What I love is that he thinks Atheists hate something that doesn't exist.

The irrationality of it is so cute.

THH said...

C.B.,

Are you just trying to prove his point for him? You go off on a rant about him declaring his hatred for God when he specifically said he didn't hate God. He just wanted to explain his position.

He wants to be God? I have to say that I found your post rather "sad and stupid." Please try harder next time.

Joe Staub said...

John,

Christians will always accuse you of hating God, no matter how you present your case. Romans 1 and other passages of Scripture indicate that what motivates the rejection of God is hatred and anger toward God. Bible Believers will see all of your arguments as a mere mask for your heart of bitterness toward God; whether you are really motivated by anger or not. Your disclaimer means nothing to them, because "they know" your heart. It's frustrating, because this line of thinking is used as a dismissal of your reasoned arguments. Ray Comfort actually uses this kind of ad hominem argumentation as part of his apologetic against unbelief! Keep up the good work and don't expect any change in Bible Believers.

Frank Walton said...

You still ugly Loftus. And I'll bet that hat smells like the inside of a baby's coffin.

Anonymous said...

John, I completely understand your perspective.

Anonymous said...

"You still ugly Loftus."

Your grammar is poor and non-sensical, unless you are pretending to be "street" - in which case, get over yourself this is the internet.

"And I'll bet that hat smells like the inside of a baby's coffin."

Cretin.

Unknown said...

Hi John, keep up the good work. However, I would certainly like to see you apply the comment policy to characters like F.W.

Anonymous said...

Adrian, Walton is banned and he knows it. I left this one comment of his here prove my point.

Jason Long said...

john, have you investigated www.toolator.com for these morons?

Emanuel Goldstein said...

John, I have learned something I sincerely did not realize.

John, although you hate me...lets make no mistake about that...I suddenly realized that our motivations are very similar.

You see, I know what has happened to people who lived in officially atheistic societies, where the idea of "fewer believers" was thought to be a good thing.

Torture, maiming, murder.

If your side wins, its inevitable. Power corrupts.

If your sides wins, I will be imprisoned or worse.

I am certain of this.

Thats why I feel the same way about you as you do me.

And I am not the only one who feels that way. You need to understand that, as much as you hate me.

Emanuel Goldstein said...

By the way, I know you have been giving information to people in Kansas City.

And I think they are going to try to hurt me.

Thats why I am going to start "coming out" on as many blogs as possible, in case something happens.

Anonymous said...

Andrew you're another one. I think you don't realize I strongly support the separation of church and state. You have absolutely no worries from me. And I don't know what you're talking about with regard to KC. Just another lie of yours. Lies. Yes. That's what it takes to defend what you believe.

Anonymous said...

Jason, thanks! I just used it. The ones I blocked are not even supposed to see the blog. Let's see how it works.

James said...

Andrew writes: "If your side wins, its inevitable. Power corrupts.If your sides wins, I will be imprisoned or worse."

Are you $#%!@ kidding me?

You might take a look at this link on Geneva under Calvin. It's written by Christians, mind you.

http://www.biblestudying.net/johncalvin.html

Thugs are thugs, whether they believe in God or not. If Calvin hadn't been killing people for Jesus, he would have been killing people for some other reason.

Philip R Kreyche said...

By the way, [John,] I know you have been giving information to people in Kansas City.

And I think they are going to try to hurt me.


Is Andrew schizophrenic?

Greg Mills said...

Andrew is of course referring to the abattoir that is secular, post-christian Sweden. Place is a freakin' charnel house.

As for the old saw that an officially atheistic state is necessarily a bloodthirsty one, I'd submit that the Soviet Union, Cambodia, and the various other "atheistic" state were merely non-theistic theocracies.

Communism operates under the same false assumptions that most religions operate under, that our reality is corrupted from a purer state of being, and it can be corrected by the intercession of an enlightened class that possesses the "truth".

Emanuel Goldstein said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Andrew said...

I'd submit that the Soviet Union, Cambodia, and the various other "atheistic" state were merely non-theistic theocracies.

Thank you Greg, you made my point brilliantly. Non-theistic societies always end up with the religious locked up, bullied, tortured, killed. That's the only way to rid a society of religion and get it non-theistic in the first place.

Bravo Greg.

And John knows full well what I'm talking about when I say he's spreading lies about me in Kansas city to get me hurt.

Emanuel Goldstein said...

Another fake post.

And the threat is noted.

Say hi to Iggy.

Andrew said...

John, nice try with the fake posts.

Andrew said...

Kind of hit a nerve when I mentioned Kansas City didn't it?

Yeah, say hi to Iggy for me.

DrMark said...

John - You said you are a former Christian apologist. Just curious, what were your apologetic areas of expertise and interest? Thanks. BTW, I enjoy this blog.

Emanuel Goldstein said...

Thanks for the confirmation. I did have some doubts, but when KC was mentioned I knew I was right.

Thats why I always use the bosses computer. If he gets hack, which it looks like, thats his problem.

I despise that socialist agnostic wimp.

Emanuel Goldstein said...

The unfortunate part is that the other posters won't realize whats going on.

But YOU and I do.

Its Priceless! Best boost I've had in several weeks.

I thought I was right! Now I KNOW!

Its a good feeling.

In all sincerity, thanks again!

Emanuel Goldstein said...

The unfortunate part is that the other posters won't realize whats going on.

But YOU and I do.

Its Priceless! Best boost I've had in several weeks.

I thought I was right! Now I KNOW!

Its a good feeling.

In all sincerity, thanks again!

Emanuel Goldstein said...

And since we are letting it all hang out, there is somehting I have always wanted to know.

Did the Stripper have orgasms easily, or at all for that matter?

Andrew said...

Another fake post by the way. Why are you doing this John?

Frank Walton said...

I'm not at all suprised Andrew. John tried to get me killed or even worse by saying bad things about me. He'll be banning you pretty soon, now that you have pulled the veil off his deception.

Plus you KNOW that hat has to stink like the juice that drips out of the back of a garbage truck.

Frank Walton said...

Hey Andrew, email me, it's in my profile, he or one of his cronies will delete this post if I put a link in.

I'll fill you in on all the details about Loftus.

Teleprompter said...

John,

Ignore these punks (see above). They have nothing positive to contribute. They may know how to destory, but they sure don't know how to create.

Folks: if you have nothing constructive to say, then don't say anything.

Andrew said...

Hey Teleprompter, John has nothing positive to say. He is full of hate and deception. I'm not surprised that you'd go to bat for him. But you know nothing of John Why don't you wise up and see what's going on with John.

Teleprompter said...

Andrew,

You're "not surprised that I'd go to bat for him"?

What in the world does that even mean?

Besides, I invited you to give your reasons on my blog, and all you gave me was horse manure. Then you made various other more or less inane comments on my posts, which I hammered you for, and then you proceeded to ignore them. I may not know John, but you Andrew, have little to no credibility to me.

Why should I listen to you when you have a demonstrated track record of ignorance?

Andrew said...

I probably ignored your comments, Teleprompter because they made no sense.

And from the looks of it half of those weren't even me. Seems like I have an imposter all of a sudden.

Trou said...

I don't know why you admit this crap by Andrew and Walton. Do you like wallowing in this shit? I don't. If I wanted to surround myself with nut jobs I would have done something with my psychology degree where I could have come into contact with nuts like these.
I will check in from time to time but for now I will wait until you decide whether or not to host a forum that encourages conversation and debate rather than attract the vile and obnoxious.
It's your blog.

DrMark said...

Trou,
I know you said you are against the vile and obnoxious; but is that picture from your blog ... uhm ... vile and obnoxious? Matter of taste I guess, huh?

Nightmare said...

Andrew & Frank Walton:

You two twits do realize that the claims you have made above are serious legal issues, don't you? If true (unlikely given that you are a pair of unabashed lying xian trolls), take the matter to your local police department or start a civil suit. If false (MUCH more likely), you have provided John with all he needs to have you prosecuted for harassment and libel under current laws. (hint hint John ;) ) So by all means fanatics, please continue......

Anonymous said...

Well, well, these guys are proving my point. All they need to do is provide links and evidence to their claims, but they can't. Someday I'll be able to ban them from this blog. They are already banned. It's just that they don't give a damn.

Keep pouring gas on the flames on my passion boys. Keep it up. I like it. It will not do your faith any good at all, I promise. You only motivate me. Hell, I was about ready to throw in the towel and get on with my life. Thanks for the motivation. Keep piling the lies on. See where that'll get you.

Teleprompter said...

Andrew,

You think my comments make no sense because you have no ability to make sense yourself, which is readily apparent when one reads your own comments.

Andrew said...

Teleprompter, what did your last post mean? Blah-bitty-Blah-bitty-Blah. See why I didn't respond to your criticizm on your blog?

And there is someone posting comments that has the same looking profile as me so and I feel pretty sure it's John modifying posts to discredit me.

I don't know anything about this Frank walton guy, or what beef he has with John.

I show up at this blog just expressing my opinions and all of a sudden I'm involved in this massive fiasco. Is that a coincidence? I don't think so.

Teleprompter said...

Andrew,

It's not my fault that you can't read.

Why should anyone listen to you -- ever?

Gandolf said...

Frank and Andrew it seems have some severe problems of personal hatred.How do people claim faith and Christianity yet still allow themselves to become so (personally) nasty ?.

This i cannot understand.

I have asked Mariano here https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=3004069192536581829&postID=976676514018871638&page=1 to try to explain .

While Frank and Andrew continue with (very personal) nastiness.I suggest they make it harder for decent people of faith.And if Atheism is suggested to be dead,then one wonders what life is still within Christianity when it delivers this.

Of course the answer is i suggest that the belief or non belief makes little difference.

Frank Walton said...

Hey Gandolf, Mariano isn't my mom, so why don't you just lighten up.

Plus I hear tell the inside of Johns hat smells like the seat of a nursing home wheelchair.

Piero said...

Andrew: "criticism", not "criticizm".
Frank Walton: "John's hat", not "Johns hat".
Seriously, guys, you can improve your language. It's not that difficult. I know, because English is not my native language and yet my command of it exceeds yours by far. Don't give up.

Frank Walton said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

John -

Thanks for this post. I just ventured over here from Dave Schmelzer's blog, and this post was conveniently placed to answer a few of my nascent questions.

That said, I respect your cause, and empathize with some of your views, even though I am still a Christian theist. I'll be commenting some around the blog.

BlackCanvasAsBuddha said...

John, continue to take the high road, and find your inspiration where you can.

More importantly, the trolls are a serious distraction from what is really important. More important than the blog itself are central questions of how people learn to think critically. There is a serious deficiency in our school system or our culture, that does not appreciate or reinforce critical thought.

I know you are here, in this forum, fighting this fight because this is where your heart is and what you do best. But to others here hacking at the leaves of evil, I encourage everyone to hack at the root, which is educating people to think logically and critically.

Cheers!

Peter K. Rufus said...

Dear John,

I am fascinated with your blog. I admire the way in which you have passionately argued against something you once were passionate about. I also admire the candour with which you have spoken your mind.

However, even after reading through a lot of your writing (haven’t read all of it; there is a lot!), I still can’t understand one thing: In one part you mention that you want to debunk the Christian God. In another portion you say you’re an atheist. So does that mean that you still hold to the concept of a Supreme Being (just not the Christian one), or have your experiences in the church put you off God completely? But your book is titled ‘Why I am an atheist’, so I'm guessing that’s where you stand.

And if that’s correct, then don’t you think your blog is titled rather unfairly? After all, an atheist should be debunking the concept of God, not just Christianity. Wouldn’t you agree?

Also, is it fair to claim that God doesn’t exist after only ‘trying’ just one faith? Shouldn’t you try Hinduism or Buddhism or Taoism any other –ism before converting to atheism? Or are you implying that Christianity is the only religion worth debunking? With all the firepower at DC either an atheist, agnostic, freethinking or skeptic, am I right in thinking that you wouldn’t touch other religions with a barge pole?

If Yes, how come you aren’t as harsh on them? If No, I'd love to know your take on them.

Cheers,
Peter Rufus

Anonymous said...

Peter, I cannot answer questions in detail until you've read my book. For you'll find the answers there if you're really interested in them. Otherwise I would have to repeat myself ten times a day with personal emails that I receive and from comments like yours.

Suffice it to say that as an atheist I can debunk anything I want to. Since I know the most about Christianity that's my target.

Cheers.