“Thoughts and Explanations”

Kenneth Hynek • 5th Jan 2009 • Religion, Atheism, Religion, Catholicism, Religion, Christianity, The Sciences, The Interwebs
Catholicism, Christianity, Christmas, pro-life, the Church

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The Raving Theist confirms that it’s for real — his unexpectedly high-profile conversion to Christianity (to Catholicism, specifically, which only makes things sweeter) at Christmastime is indeed genuine.

And so again, RT: welcome to the Church, and forgive me what doubts I expressed.

He offers up an article with a few cursory notes about his conversion and his steadfastness, some of which applies to folks like myself, who expressed skepticism about his sincerity:

1) Yes, my conversion is real and sincere and heartfelt. It is not a mean atheist hoax or prank. At first I was offended that anyone could suspect me of such monstrous cruelty, but I realize that most people don’t know me well enough to understand how my character would so absolutely preclude such a charade. And having written my share of skeptical posts about the conversion of other atheists, I understand how impossible it would be for anyone who has perused my archives to conclude that I am anything more than fraud.

I didn’t blog at all while I was on break for Christmas and the new year, but during that hiatus I kept coming back to a curious thing I noted in looking at the archives for the website formerly called The Raving Atheist. There was a long hiatus in his posting, which began after his post on September 21, 2007 and which lasted until December 1, 2008. And the shift in tone between those times was notable — after the hiatus, the antics of militant and/or publicly loud atheists came under harsher criticism. The blogger had been pro-life before this gap in posting, and came back even more strongly committed to that position as well.

Something, in other words, had changed.

So perhaps I was hasty in doubting the validity of the conversion. No, let me amend that statement: I was hasty, plain and simple.

I like how he ends his post, however. The full explanation of his conversion hasn’t been published, and may never be — not that it would be necessary, anyhow. But he does not this much:

5) Some of you are “sad” that I have abandoned my “principles.” What this means I am not sure. I know that when religious people tell you they are “sad,” you say that it is unreasonable to expect you to change yours beliefs to make them happy. So your atheist tears will not move me. Also, I do not know what principles you are referring to. If you are talking about my moral positions, you will have to be more specific about what I have abandoned.

6) Various believers have expressed concern over the nastiness and obscenities directed at me. I don’t care. I did the same for years (albeit usually with a point somewhere) and am in no position to complain. And if I wanted to, I could out-nasty and out-swear any of them. I have lost my atheism, not my vocabulary. But I don’t want to. I do not even use the D-word anymore unless I am quoting somebody.

I get the feeling that this blogger will be a most interesting person to follow the writings of.