Good and Bad News

First the good: I get to go to Skepticon! WOOT!

Now the bad: My mom is a religious nutball(to borrow a phrase from Mojoey). Then again, we've all known that since I first asked to go to Skepticon, didn't we?

I asked again, since she said she would do some 'soul searching'. She said she'd let me know the next day. I come home the next day, and, lo and behold, what do I see on my desk but this letter(my responses are bellow it, numbered, corresponding to superscript numbers):

Corey,

            I can’t express enough how much it breaks my heart to see you stray away from God.  I am heartbroken and I love you.  I know what will be presented at the convention (here is what one internet site had to say) : “The speakers will provide many of the reasons that belief in god is not only indefensible, but harmful to society as a whole.  Our presenters will suggest ways to combat faith in government and in general. They will also rebut many of the common arguments in defense of belief in god.”  This will be extremely harmful to you spiritually.

Im not spiritual, so why should I care if it damages that?

 I know you think this is your belief, but I remember you being very different.  I remember you being zealous to attend church and to be baptized into Christ.  Was that all a show, or is this all a show?  Have you changed, really? 

 Both my Christianity and atheism were sincere. I truly have changed. alot. Im much happier now, due to no longer having cognitive dissonance from trying to make the bible and fact coexist.

 Eternal salvation and forgiveness is nothing to tamper with.  Seriously consider your spiritual options.  Don’t make any rash decisions just because your friends think this way.  Dare to be different, and stand out in the world.

My friends DON'T think that way. I have lost more friends for being openly atheist than I have gained. How exactly is it being different by following a belief followed by 76% of the USA?

 I know not all Christians, including myself, want to be too different from the world, but can you at least try?  Don’t let some Christians give all Christians a bad name. 

            I know you feel you are making an intellectual decision based on the literature you have read.  I can’t argue with you here, because I have not read all the literature.  As you have currently come to believe that the Bible is false, perhaps some of the literature you have read is actually false.  Consider this as an option.

It could be wrong, but all the evidence points to it being right. If it turns out to be false, I will accept that.

  The air we breathe cannot be seen, heard, tasted, smelled, or touched, yet it most certainly exists.  The force of gravity cannot be seen, heard, tasted, smelled, or touched, yet we know that it exists. 

You feel air every time there is a breeze, and feel gravity when ever we come back down after a jump.

Emotions, values, beliefs, and thoughts cannot be found by using any of our senses, yet they are as real as rocks and trees.  Emotions can be “felt”, but this feeling is not physical.  Thus, simply because something cannot be found through the use of the five senses does not mean that it does not exist.

  There are things beyond the human senses that we know exist, but we know they exist because of empirical evidence. Not some goat-herders writings, but science.

  I realize you may not feel God in your life right now, but He is there and still loves you and is willing to forgive you.  I still think God has a plan for you. 

            I’m not only worried about your spiritual well-being, but Tommy’s[my brother] as well.  For this reason, I will not allow any atheist talk around him.  As his mother, I absolutely will not tolerate it.

I accept that. It is her right to raise her kid that way. Now, I will have discussions with him if he so desires, but I won't bring it up, for now.

            Now to answer your question, “Can I go to the convention?”  First, I want you to know that I don’t want you to go because I believe it will harm you and take you farther from God.  That being said, as an adult, you must now make your own decisions. 

Finally something we agree on!

I will always love you no matter what, and I pray for the time when we will share in a common faith and love for God again.  Please make your decision carefully and remember that just as Jesus’ door is always open, all you have to do is knock, so will mine.

Love,
Mom

UPDATE: I talked to my mom.