World News Korner

Another Atheist comes out of the closet. This one was a Christian university student body president.

Courtesy of The Register Guard:

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.

(H/T to Reddit for the image.)

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