Joanna, another thing that turned me off Christ was the sudden death of a dog when I was maybe six years old. I told my dad, “me and Skippy will be together in heaven.” My dad responded, “no Steve, only humans go to heaven.” So as a result I thought, well I DO NOT WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN. And as a nature educator for most of my life, I see myself as being little different from frogs, butterflies, or wild flowers. They aren’t in heaven either? I’d prefer to be in a compost pile! Granted, first my body is donated to a medical school.

@Bizarre My mother, who was the spiritual leader in the family, despite her religion that taught that the husband should have that role, came to believe that god had a place for animals, at least those that were pets, in heaven.

What bothered me as a child was being told that good people were going to go to hell because it did not matter how good you were, you could never be good enough. And, the ONLY way to heaven was through Jesus--and you had to believe the correct things about him.

I would also look at new born babies and wonder why they were destined for hell just for being born.

It was a wonderful feeling when I realized that it is all BS. And, I find comfort knowing that when I die my atoms and energy will be returned to the earth, allowing other life to exist.

I admire those who donate their bodies for science. I think my kids would have too much trouble dealing with that. I am pleased, however, that they are okay with the mushroom suit/becoming compost choice I have made. I just hope it is perfected, and available where I am, when my time comes.

@Joanne, I was dragged to the Methodist Church lots, I think mostly a result of my father surviving WWII, barely. Only seven of the 135 men in his company survived, and he thought due to his carrying a small bible that my grandfather had also carried in WWI.

I did finally in high school hid a dog in my closet, and when my mom finally learned about Charley, she became addicted, and Charley’s ashes were buried with my mother, and my father got to LOVE Charley too, and in college would scold me if I sat in Charley’s chair.

My current dog is Ella, she’s 80 lbs, half English Setter, half Pierneess. She and I are BEST friends. I usually only eat where she is allowed, granted I am a patio eater and I LOVE to garden. And I am somewhat a science/history addict. We just moved here to Palmer, Alaska, and it is my first TRUE winter.

@Bizarre I currently have two dogs and four cats. I had four dogs but lost two to old age over the past couple of years. My Shep/lab mix was 13 and my border Collie was 14.5. My current two are Shih-tzu/miniature Schnauzer; they will be 11 this coming July.

I didn't set out to get cats. I just ended up with them. And, I now also have two chickens and a rafter of wild turkeys who visit my yard every day. I plan to get a couple more hens this spring. The one I have gives me more eggs than I can go through; but I have family who happily take the extras.

When I was married to my first husband we drove to Alaska with his parents. Once we got there, most of the time was spent in and around Anchorage; but we also visited Portage, Fairbanks and Seward.

This was in 1987. My girls were three and six at the time. It was a beautiful trip, albeit stressful at times. And, of course, this was during the summer. I am not sure I could handle Alaska winters.

@Joanne , I’m not sure I can handle Alaskan winters either, but I DID make it past the Solstice, oh, and Christmas. We had such an unusual summer and Fall up here, 10-15 degrees warmer every day, and nearly every week a record warm day. But now.....it is below normal, but no record colds. I did laugh this summer at what I heard from meteorologists. Alaska had more wildfires than the entire lower 48 all together, due to “Lightning”. Hmm...”Lightning”?? Few folks here had ever experienced lightning, but that is what started most all the fires, and for probably half of the summer on clear days you couldn’t see any mountains, and I am surrounded by mountains.

The other odd weather event here was “Hail”, no one in Alaska knew what that was. I have been in Washington State and Oregon a lot, and I do know a bit about weather there. Here the rain is so much easier, cause literally on a rainy day here, you don’t need a raincoat unless you are outside for more than an hour. Where I live averages 10” total per year, so the Matanuska Valley is considered somewhat a desert, the mountains though take it all and then give it back.

I am somewhat a Climate Fanatic, I ran a nature center and did nature education outside with students for thirty-two years. I saw so very many changes in nature in Texas. I do believe Oregon and Alaska will not be as seriously impacted by the Climate Changing as the south. I find it remarkable how little folks read or know about what is happening. I did make sure my new home was high enough above Cook Inlet so that a beach won’t end up next door, even if all of Greenland melts. People seem shocked learning that Alaska once had Palm trees and dinosaurs.

I’ve pretty much visited the spots you’ve been to here, but I want to experience MORE of Alaska. I have been to all fifty states, and there are many places I’d like to return to and places in Canada. And I did two drives up here through Canada.

So you work “at home”, what kind of work? Not selling eggs. I did have two cats long ago, a brother and sister. The brother was a bit wilder and I think eventually ran off or was stolen, and I was lucky that the sister cat passed while I was off traveling. My daughters both wanted to name the cat, thus I got the two. My dog, Ella, is large and getting old - she’s my age. And I am a bit stressed at the idea of having to deal with her “end of life”. But today we WILL for for a long run to downtown Palmer, about four miles round trip.

So tell me more about the History you most gelt into. I am of course Democratic, though at times the Democrat wasn’t liberal enough, ie. Al Gore. He still makes me a bit angry in that he is pushing the idea that we can ALL be both GREEN and super wealthy. He’s not alone. The advantage of loving nature is I’m happiest sleeping on the ground in a super beautiful place, granted not in Alaska in winter!!

Steve (I call myself “bizarre” only because I tried several other names first and they’d all been taken, so finally I was angry enough to call myself “bizarre”. But you were not angry enough to call yourself “Joanne”?)

@Bizarre I sell hand carved Jewelry that are Maori and Hawaiian inspired designs. I don't do the actual carving, but I do custom work and binding. Most are carved using bone, or jade. We also use Nacre (mother-of-pearl), New Zealand Paua (abalone shell) and Hawaiian Koa (Acacia) wood. My ex is from New Zealand; and, even though he now lives out of the country, we are still in business together.

I majored in history in college; but, when I read a book, I am more into reading ones that are science or science vs religion related.

I recall a rather crazy lightning storm driving back from Alaska. I believe it was when we were crossing miles of tundra in the Yukon Territory. It was quite frightening.

I was raised Conservative Christian and therefore Republican. After realizing the folly of my religious beliefs, I also began a journey in which my politics changed. I left the Republican Party in 2008 thinking it couldn't possibly get any worse--boy, was I wrong. I have voted for Democrats since then. Whereas I once considered myself right of center, I am now comfortably left of that and consider myself a pragmatic Progressive who is a registered Democrat.

@Joanne I do LOVE art. I think what got me addicted was reading the Irving Stone, Pulitzer Prize novel from the ‘30’s, “Lust for Life”, about Van Gogh. That book addicted me to impressionistic paintings, and to art in general. I do like sculpture most, but it is hard to have lots of sculptures, I have more wall art, and I’m embarrassed to tell my daughter or others what I’ve paid for many of the paintings I love. YES, mostly landscapes, but not ALL. I do have lots of Yard Art, a place where more sculptures are good. Have you read many Irving Stone books? I do love ALL his books, but alas, I hate when there are no more to read. I’m also a huge Stephen Jay Gould fan. He writes about nature lots, and evolution. And, duh, he is gone too. Do you have some favorite authors??

No, I don’t buy much jewelry. My ex was a jewelry maker. She left me when she learned that her ex was still alcoholic and was bankrupt, she said she felt like she MUST return to Minnesota and help him survive. It sure devastated me, we’d never ever had a fight or disagreement in seven years together.

Yes, I grew up with Conservative parents too, and my first vote ever was for Richard Nixon!!?? What a mistake, but I wasn’t alone. And I’ve mostly voted for Democrats, but a few like Al Gore - NOPE. I was/am a big backer of Liz Warren. But I’ll admit, getting three texts and five emails daily ALL asking for MORE $$$, I will vote for her, but I won’t give her more yet; but if she gets the nomination, sure.

Some crazy weather here in Alaska, the 31st was the warmest day in December EVER in Anchorage, 49 degrees, only 45 here in Palmer. Then last night, boom, now 6” of snow and 17 degrees. 2019 was the warmest year ever known here in Alaska!!

My dog and I sure want there to be some warmer days.

Hope you have a great NEW year.

Steve

@Joanne I sure wish Joanna lived closer, I need friends here close to where I live, and an agnostic into art, history, science. I’d enjoy doing coffee and us looking at art. Especially tough now with it being -10 degrees every morning, and a high of 0. I still take my dog for long runs, regardless, and today my daughter comes over and she’ll run with us too!! I Trike while she runs. I used to be a runner, and a crazy hiker. I just assumed once retired I’d still be able to climb mountains and hike thirty miles a day. I have got replaced knees. In Anchorage the only “agnostics” on this site are young kids, no women close to my age. But I am hopeful come Spring I can do volunteer gardening and meet some folks.

@Bizarre I live a small, conservative town, and the nearest group of freethinkers, agnostics, atheists etc is a minimum of an hour away in Eugene. I have considered making a trip up there to check it out; and could go to a meeting once a month. This would be the only way to learn the age range. I have thought about checking out the local Unitarian Universalist Church as those who go there, even if they believe in some sort of god (which isn't a given) will likely be more in line with me when it comes to politics.

@Joanne I was Unitarian for many years, but it was a very very small Unitarian church where we only met every other Sunday, didn’t have a pastor, just professors speaking, and God and or Christ were never mentioned. Then I moved to a bigger city where the Unitarian Church did talk about God and Christ, but only every other week. Such diversity of thought in the Unitarian faith. I worked every summer for many years at a Unitarian Camp for adults, I only took others on long hikes. At the camp for some odd reason they allowed men and women to use the SAME bathroom. They did many things there that sure made me realize I was not nearly as liberal as I thought.

I have thought of wanting to go to a Unitarian Church here, but the closest is Anchorage and what with days now being -14 degrees, and lots of ice on highways....maybe once it warms up a bit. I often wonder if Agnostics like me, maybe YOU, all prefer living closer to nature in smaller cities.

Good luck with the Unitarians, I’m sure you’ll meet some future good friends there. STEVE.

I’d rather just party with my dog or granddaughter.....

@Bizarre Ya, but you haven't met Isis, mahn!

I read a few articles saying that pretend play is a healthy and necessary part of early childhood development. It’s something you should actually encourage. So as long as you treat it like that — pretend play — it’s cool. Think of it just like pretending to answer a child’s toy phone. Or drinking imaginary tea out of a toy teacup. Just don’t go out of your way to lie and/or to use the story to manipulate your kids into behaving.

At a certain age kids start realizing all sorts of people (Mickie Mouse, Barney, Elmo) are just pretend, not real. When they get to that age and realize Santa isn’t real, casually confirm it by saying something like “yes, he’s just pretend” or “we’re just playing pretend.” No biggie. They say a lot of kids like to continue to pretend he’s real even after they know he’s fake, just because it’s a fun game.

Was it Jesus or his followers that were/are the problem?

@beenthere Since Jesuswas never real, I'dsay the problem lies with the followers.

I think Jesus was REAL, but not a god, why the Jews somewhat rejected him, he supposedly said and did many things not Jewish - but the non Jews, Gentiles sure got into him later, and did some great marketing!!

Outside of the Bible, what sources are you referring to?

@thezekroman At that point in time there were no other sources available

The "gospels" were written at least 100 years after the time that jeebus supposedly lived. Maybe you are thinking of Paul's letters?

Adrian, you have obviously not come to Fairbanks and next door is the North Pole (look on the map). And Santa is there EVERY DAY!! Granted he is a capitalist and sells lots of stuff.

But why did my mom also have to destroy my belief in the Tooth Fairy and Easter Bunny - but not Jesus??

There sure are some great looking Santa’s here in Alaska, no Santa’s with fake beards here, and few men my age w/o beards!

Mofo, I do tend to think what makes “agnostics” different is we all generally doubt and question everything, we want FACTS. So as a result, “Are there agnostics into Trump??”

@Bizarre don't really know, I only know I am against treason, ergo I can't stand that fucking asshole we have as POTUS.

Was he allowed to watch TV or go outside? Homeschooled? Did he ever talk to anyone besides mom?

@Carey He was Mormon.