Atheists & Agnostics

onager

(9,356 posts)

11. How an Amazonian tribe turned a missionary into an atheist

Sun Jan 24, 2016, 08:32 AM

Jan 2016

I've posted this before. But it's such an amazing story, I think it deserves a re-run for our newer inmates:

How an Amazonian tribe turned a missionary into an atheist

A riveting and hugely satisfying report on BBC Radio 4 today tells the story of a missionary who was charged by an American missionary group with taking the Gospel to the little understood Pirahas tribe in the Amazon – only to realise how ridiculous his faith in Christianity was.

Daniel Everett, 57, a linguist in the Departmental Chair of Languages, Literatures and Cultures at Illinois State University, told presenter John McCarthy on the Excess Baggage programme, that he had travelled to the Amazon in the 70s to bring the tribe “the joy of faith” only to discover that they were a deeply contented people. In fact they seemed far better contented than he was.

http://freethinker.co.uk/2008/11/08/how-an-amazonian-tribe-turned-a-missionary-into-an-atheist/

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The best way to stump fundy's who suggest only those who believe get into heaven [View all] Quixote1818 Jan 2016 OP

My favorite argument starts out avoiding the subject of god, Binkie The Clown Jan 2016 #1

I remember the exact circumstances I lost my faith packman Jan 2016 #2

Also, what about all the people who were born before JC? Arugula Latte Jan 2016 #3

lol, there were no neanderthals OriginalGeek Jan 2016 #7

There are some sects, like the RCC, that do accept evolution. Arugula Latte Jan 2016 #10

Also, what about all the people who were born before JC? AlbertCat Jan 2016 #8

I can picture the pope cracking open some communion wine and getting drunk: Arugula Latte Jan 2016 #9

Not one of the 144,000... Freelancer Jan 2016 #4

I got the same line from a friend. Delmette Jan 2016 #5

LOL, "took the moral high ground over their god". Curmudgeoness Jan 2016 #6

How an Amazonian tribe turned a missionary into an atheist onager Jan 2016 #11

I have a few arguments for that Gore1FL Jan 2016 #12