Eric Fromm has received a lot of hugs on campus lately — at least once a day since he “came out” as an atheist last week in an article in his Christian university’s online newspaper.
And while the Northwest Christian University student body president doesn’t quite know what to do with all the new attention he’s receiving, he says it’s a welcome change from the isolation, verbal attacks and accusing questions that he’d grown to expect as rumors about his nonbelief circulated.
“I don’t have to hide anymore,” said Fromm, 21. “I know that people accept me for who I am.”
Though his active campus involvement was enough to win him the student government presidential election, Fromm said he’s felt judged by some of his peers throughout college because, as he wrote in the article that appeared in the school’s Beacon Bolt newspaper last week, “I couldn’t force myself to believe in God.”
It was his peers’ criticism, rather than his own doubts, that Fromm said ultimately compelled him to reject his faith.
While initially drawn to his peers’ faith and sense of community, Fromm said some students responded with shock, shame or fear when he divulged his doubts and lack of faith. Some avoided bringing up the Bible around him, some stopped talking to him for fear of losing their own faith, and others poked fun at him for his views, he said.
“The more I got shunned, the more cold shoulders and verbal attacks, I realized, ‘OK, I’m part of the ‘out’ group,’ ” he said.
It is unfortunate that Eric had to be subjected to that kind of rejection, but at least now he can take comfort in the fact that he is now free. And he will soon find a community of like minded folks who will welcome him with open arms, and who will be far less likely to judge him.
A community by the way which is growing by leaps and bounds on a daily basis
On that same topic there is a recent report that a very popular Bible app is being used by non-theists to help state their case when discussing their point of view with their religious friends and families.
I have always said that the single best way to turn a Christian into an Atheist is to get them to read the Bible. To REALLY read the Bible that is.
I cannot tell you how many atheists I have talked to that said the Bible led them to reject Christianity, or any faith for that matter.
"some stopped talking to him for fear of losing their own faith," - that there is what it's all about. They are terrified that any progressive, liberal philosophy will rub off on them, so they do their damnedest, flexing their political advocacy powers to influence local and national elections, starting with little political appointments to boards and commissions (think Palin and her Wasilla Bible Church pals.)
ReplyDeleteAnd talk about group pressure and bullying. I have had more than one girlfriend terrified of her church for wanting to flee domestic violence, nothing like excoriating a victim for wanting a divorce from their abusive husband.
Anonymous @4:50... You are absolutely correct. These zealots have wormed their way into our political arena for at least the past thirty years. It is this long term local, regional and national level power of "No" to humanism, secularism, forward looking philosophies of all kinds, and unmitigated hostility to any and all scientific endeavors that make many of these religionists very difficult to defeat.
DeleteI’ve experienced this except I wasn’t Christian in the first place. A very dear and very longtime friend attempted to “save” me and I told her I was an atheist. She was so angry! Later she apologized and told me she had spoken to her pastor and he asked her how she could be so sure her soul was saved. I thought that was a weird way to respond as it entirely misses the point. Later I thought maybe he knew I was “hopeless” and he just wanted her to double up on the crazy!
ReplyDeleteInteresting. Fifty years ago a man named Erich Fromm wrote a book called 'The Art of Loving'.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if there's any connection.
The B.
This line really hit home for me, because it's what brought me to my senses.
ReplyDelete"It was his peers’ criticism, rather than his own doubts, that Fromm said ultimately compelled him to reject his faith."
In my case, I was "outed" by a congregant who took my license plate number when I accompanied a friend to Planned Parenthood. I had wrestled with my faith before then, but this was the straw that broke the camel's back. My "sin" was compassion for a fellow human being in their time of need.