Christian Pastor Vollmar converts to atheism

Pat Macpherson, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Billy Hallowell (TheBlaze.com, Feb. 11, 2014)

In this video, I am "coming out of closet." I no longer believe in God. I am an atheist now. This video, in American Sign Language with subtitles, explains my journey to doubt.

‘Jesus Christ Was…’: Deaf Pastor Who Revealed He’s an Atheist Has a Big Message for Christians

C'mon, you've got to believe in yourself.

Pastor Justin Vollmar’s revelation that he’s now an atheist captured a plethora of attention Monday. So far the ex-preacher said that reaction has been “explosive,” with Christians lamenting his de-conversion and atheists expressing their excitement over his so-called “coming out.”

 

The former Christian leader, who has spent the past few years releasing sign-language videos explaining Biblical concepts, has now penned an op-ed for CNN offering an in-depth recap of his journey into non-belief.

 

In sharing his testimony Vollmar also noted that he wants to help Christians “break free from their traditions and superstitions.”

 

(AT) Monty Python's Flying Circus on questioning religion

Annie Laurie Gaylord (ffrf.org)

He detailed joining the Independent Fundamentalist Baptist sect at age 18 and his eventual transition to the belief that there is no God. Among the details Vollmar said his faith was first shaken when he was not treated well while serving in a pastoral role after college.

 

“I was a pastor in Silver Spring, Maryland, working 60 hours a week for little pay. My senior pastor was a harsh taskmaster, scolding me and always pushing me to work harder,” he wrote. “Meanwhile, he earned $80,000 a year and played golf two times a week. I lived in poverty and did not see my children much. I got burned out.” More

 

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The Other F-Word (faith)

Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven, CC Liu, Wisdom Quarterly; Joseph Goldstein (IMS); Wikipedia edit saddha; Ben Griggs (Happy Science Temple, Japan)

(SoundsTrue) Insight Meditation, Tape 10, a talk on faith and wisdom with Joseph Goldstein

Buddha, Gandhara style

FAITH IN BUDDHISM (Pāli saddhā, "to place one's heart on") is an important constituent element of the teachings of the historical Buddha within all Buddhist traditions, although the kind and nature of "faith," confidence, conviction, or devotion varies in different schools.

According to the tradition using the exclusively Buddhist-language of Pali, some of the first words uttered by the Buddha after resolving to teach to the world the Dharma he had rediscovered were: "Wide open is the door of the Deathless to all who have ears to hear! Let them send forth faith [confidence in the enlightenment of the teacher, the teaching, and those successfully taught] to meet it!" (Mahavagga, I, 5,11; Vinaya Texts, T.W. Rhys Davids, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi 1996, p.88).

 

Treasure, faculty, power of faith

Richard Gere and Lisa Simpson meditate

The Pāli discourses (suttas, sutras) list confidence/faith as one of Seven Treasures (dhanas) (e.g., Collection of Long Discourses III.163, Estlin Carpenter J. (ed.), The Dīgha Nikāya, Pali Text Society, London 1976, p. 163), one of Five Spiritual Faculties (indriyas), one of four "streams of merit," and one of the Five Spiritual Powers (balas).

Gyatrul (b. 1924), in a commentary on the 17th century work of Chagmé, rendered into English by B. Alan Wallace states [Karma Chagmé (author, compiler), Gyatrul Rinpoche (commentary) and B. Alan Wallace (translator), 1998. A Spacious Path to Freedom: Practical Instructions on the Union of Mahamudra and Atiyoga. Ithaca, New York, USA: Snow Lion Publications):

Tibetan lamas, India (Laura Murphy)

By the power of faith, we are able to eliminate the two types of obscurations [i.e., the "obscuration of conflicting emotions" (Sanskrit kleśa-varaṇa) and the "obscuration concerning the knowable" (Sanskrit jñeyāvaraṇa), Jikdrel Yeshe Dorje (Dudjom Rinpoche, author), translated and edited by Gyurme Dorje and Matthew Kapstein (1991). The Nyingma School of Tibetan Buddhism: Its Fundamentals and History. Boston, USA: Wisdom Publications, p.107]. Through the power of faith both ontological and phenomenological knowledge arises. It is also by the power of faith that both the common and uncommon siddhis [psychic/supernormal powers] arise. More

(Ben Griggs) Happy Science, Japan, international retreat, spring

2011:  Koan seminar exploring "faith," interviews participants.