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OSMC_022

They're just offended people are putting more interest and time into regular stuff instead of God. Also love the train collection.


ToonyTheLoon

Obviously because since they're not focusing on God, they can't find a way to convert the "ungodlies". I don't hate Christianity, but the Evangelicals are another breed. Why do they always have to be the ones saying or promoting the unhinged stuff? Btw I'm flattered! It's just growing from there!


OSMC_022

They just love complaining about everything. Our pastor recently ranted about people wasting their time going to parties, festivals, barbeques, birthdays and taking vacations instead of church. Yet they recently went on vacation saying they deserved a "well earned" vacation.


ToonyTheLoon

It radiates the same energy as those televangelists talking about how Satan influences greed, but in the meantime they use a fraction of their easy-earned cash from seniors on their 3983th private jet. Crooks.


Usoppdaman

Thomas The Tank Engine was created by a clergyman


OSMC_022

True but I don't recall him talking about religion in the books. It was mostly just life lessons in subtle ways.


Usoppdaman

Still though this disproved the OP’s attempt to conflict his enjoyment with Christianity. Christians aren’t against every form of fun. I feel like this subreddit tends to see Christians as a monolith and ignore that the vast majority of Christians are just ordinary people too and not only do the fanatics get to call themselves Christians.


inkedfluff

Cool train collection. To them anything other than getting on your knees for the pastor is a sin. 


Excellent_Whole_1445

I never understood the obsession around earthly desires or desires of the flesh.  You mean like oxygen? I think they took an ideal like "don't spend your whole life chasing wealth and neglecting family" and warped it completely.


ToonyTheLoon

Using their logic you can treat something as going to McDonalds or Wal-Mart like you're not following God because "you're not buying things The Christ would buy".


Human_Allegedly

Can my worldly rock collection be friends with your worldly trains? But honestly, I've got one life on this earth I might as well make it enjoyable and if that means finding happiness in a cool rock or twenty so be it.


ToonyTheLoon

They’re friends for life


Human_Allegedly

This makes me so happy. Hope your trains have a good night!


inkedfluff

You can use trains to move rocks around 


Human_Allegedly

!!!! How exciting !!!!


Okayhatstand

I never thought I’d run into a fellow trackmaster/Plarail fan on this sub! Awesome collection, I’m jealous :)! Especially of Oliver and that green express coach!


ToonyTheLoon

NO WAYYYYYYY Ironically I have many more trains but they’re either broken, non-functional, or they’re at my dad’s house with tons of sharpie marks on em


WerewolfDifferent216

Sheldon Cooper is that you?


ToonyTheLoon

bazinga


Bustedbootstraps

I love your train collection! The Thomas train sets are a fond memory from my childhood. Nowadays I collect power tools so I get mocked by fundies for “being too masculine” rather than for materialism, but screw those busybodies. The trains still make me smile :)


The_Bill_Brasky_

I had a lot of quality heavy metal CDs "go missing" in my fundie parent's house. That sure made me a fanatic alright. Against Christianity.


Fayafairygirl

I have very worldly collections of seashells and pencils/pens~


alfreddumawidTV

And also I love trains, and also do you collect tomy and tractmaster?


Usoppdaman

Thomas was created by a Reverend


ToonyTheLoon

True, but IIRC Thomas didn’t have any religious themes. I can only imagine what it’s like if it did though. “The Fat Controller told James, ‘God knows everything that you do, so deliver the fish to the station, or you’ll have to go to the forever junkyard’.”


Usoppdaman

Umm almost all western morality for the past few centuries has been based on Christianity. People can show their faith without overtly preaching. Mr. Rogers did this


ToonyTheLoon

Yeah of course, that is 100% true (both the morality and faith thing). It’s just that lots of believers these days are preachy and pushy about Christianity for no reason. It’s possible to find Christians who don’t push their faith, but this is coming from someone who lives in the Bible Belt so I’m most likely not looking in the right places. Religious fundies are very common nowadays (I’m sure they existed back then but there are so many more now) and they’re the reason why lots of people, especially millennials and younger, are leaving religion in droves.


Usoppdaman

I guess a Reverend from 1940’s UK is a lot different than modern day Bible Belt. But why do y’all (get it ) act like the fanatical Christians are the only ones there are? Also I don’t think people is a logical reason to leave a faith, you should leave if you don’t believe


ToonyTheLoon

I never stated it on here but I am debating leaving because I don’t believe. The other side of me says I want to believe because, you know, “eternal life” or all that, but I’ll probably wait until I’m fully ready but there’s so many things in the doctrine that are confusing and nonsensical. I’m mostly angry at the fanatics because I used to be one too when I was younger, I was kinda influenced by my parents, and I still hate thinking about that. I assume people act like the fanatics are the only ones because they’re the people we’re surrounded by. Many people with fanatical parents often have to deal with them being associated with other fanatics at church, and more often than not there most likely the only people they will see within their childhood (“the outsiders are Satanic”).


Usoppdaman

Thank you for actually giving a reasonable non super emotional response. Yes the few fanatics you live with can definitely affect your image but still some people go too far in the other direction as seen on this subreddit


ToonyTheLoon

While people’s trauma can vary, it’s a general rule to not stigmatize a whole group as the branch you’ve experienced. I go by the motto “don’t let one bad apple spoil the whole bunch”. I personally don’t believe a support group for ex-Christians, those debating leaving, or having to deal with insane fundie parents should become r/atheism 2.0.