Shitz & Giggles

HAHA!!

My Words...

My last post served as my 'coming out' of the Atheist closet. This is a short video I uploaded to Youtube. Snippets of it was used as part of Thinking Atheist's In Your Own Words 2 project.

Here's my video (3 minutes) in its entirety:

Surprisingly, most of my christian friends have remained my friends. I don't mind speaking about religion or lack of religion-I just refuse to have a one-sided conversation that includes threats of hell, peppered with bible scriptures. It's like speaking to a scripted telemarketer-not very effective.

Here's the project I was a part of (The Thinking Atheist)...I come in later in the video.

Thanks for reading & watching :)


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Free To Be Me..

For the past couple of years, I've been searching...and questioning 'truth.' Through my blog, I've met many wonderful people...mostly Christians who encouraged me, and I in turn encouraged them. I've written posts regarding my beliefs, but near the end...my beliefs in god, christianity turned into disbelief. I stepped away from my first blog...You Better Recognize (YBR).

I've been away from YBR because I have grown...disillusioned.

GDisillusioned with Christianity, and disillusioned with 'God.' This journey did not happen overnight. I've searched the bible, prayed to god, sought help from pastors etc.

I've come to this conclusion: Religion is bullshit. I no longer believe in god...of any kind.

I must admit, I've never, ever felt more free. In speaking with religious people in real time, the conversation was mostly positive. Of course, there were those who felt I was traumatized by some life-altering event. For the record, I haven't been raped, my children weren't killed by a serial killer-or victims of black on black crimes...I chose to question.

I am still Bria...i'm just Bria former christian, turned Atheist.

Quoting scriptures and telling me I'm destined for hell is ineffective and counterproductive.

I knew I was on my way to Atheism, when I would be asked to pray for people...and it was IMPOSSIBLE to do as I no longer believed prayer worked. I believed prayer was and/is a coping mechanism-but that's MY opinion. Instead of saying 'no, I won't pray for you,' I simply said, 'girl, you know you're going to be fine :)'

And they were.

I'm not a satanist, and I'm not using Atheism as a means to do what I want. I am not amoral contrary to the belief of many Christians & their stereotypes. I simply do not believe the bible is 'inspired', I refuse to serve a 'god' who sees us as nothing more than puppets, and I most certainly will not be bullied into worship a god who threatens to toss me into a fiery inferno for choosing to say, 'No Thanks,'- but if someone rapes, tortures, kills a small child-then utters the words 'I Accept Jesus as Lord as Savior'..they're absolved-are you kidding me??

I know this is disconcerting for my online Christian friends. I know many of you will have nothing to do with me-and I'm ok with that. I wish you nothing but peace & love.

I am not here to 'convert' or debate my stance. You either accept it..or you don't.

With or without YOUR approval...I am still free!

Thank you for your inspiration, Lori :)

More to come...

God NEVER Pressured Anyone to Believe In Him...

"...therefore I have drawn you with your loving kindness." (Jer. 31:3)

Where is the loving kindness??

I've heard of people being ashamed to admit they're Christian out of fear of persecution, but I've NEVER heard of an Atheist being fearful of keeping it real!
dang...

Soldier Jeremy Hall says the pressure to believe in God is so strong "I was ashamed to say that I was an atheist

Jeremy Hall, is seeing a side of Christianity that is all too common.
Jeremy who is a specialist in the army-is an atheist.
And bcuz of his beliefs he's been harassed, persecuted, judged, criticized etc for his beliefs...by CHRISTIANS.
Why?
Isn't this the same practice that's implemented by persecutor's of Christ, in the Bible & today?
Who are we as Christians to force our beliefs upon non-believers?
There is an appointed time where God in his own magnificent way, will draw us unto Him. It is not up to us to determine WHEN that time is.

Because of such actions, Jeremy is now suing Defense Secretary Robert Gates.
If I was harassed or badgered into Christianity...well, that's something I wouldn't accept-Jesus didn't accept such practices either.

If the bible tells us
"Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness sakes...,"
(Matt. 5:10)

then what of those who PERSECUTES for unrighteousness sakes?

There is no way Christ would get the glory out of fanatical Christians.
Because they're tactics quells the spirit of God, because they're ways are personal...not spiritual.
There is NOTHING wrong with wanting people to know Christ, and it is God's desire that we all are saved and come into the knowledge of truth, but it's at an appointed time.
God's appointed time.

Until God sends us out to minister to his people...our behavior should exemplify the love of Christ via the fruits of the Spirit.
And those fruits are: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, & temperance.

Why are we missing this, brethren?
*this is not meant to be inferred as a debate on the behaviors of Christians*
source



Come See What's Poppin'at Bria's Own Words, my OTHER blog!

She's Got A Testimony...!

You know her name, but not her face: (actress Tasha Smith, below)
We know her as the kleptomaniacal twins' sexy mother on ATL, but God Almight knows her as His, baby girl! Read the awesome testimony of how God brought Tasha Smith from an unbeliever in Him, to become one of his staunchest witness!

Before You Read, look at Tasha in action (the alcoholic), and the rest of the "Why Did I get Married" cast in action:



TASHA SMITH'S TESTIMONY: 'Why Did I Get Married ' co-star discusses her conversion from atheism, being a transparent Christian in Hollywood and her passion for the arts.
credits: eurweb.com



Jersey Girl, Tasha Smith is getting comfy in Hollywood. For years the statuesque stand-up comedian with the supermodel looks has been on a steady climb in Tinsel Town. The actress convincingly played the drug-addicted Ronnie Boyce in HBO's Emmy Award-winning mini-series, "The Corner," directed by Charles S. Dutton.

We saw her in "ATL" and "Playas Ball." That was Tasha on television appearing in "Girlfriends," "The Tyra Banks Show," and the Oxygen Network's "Strong Medicine."

After depicting a trifling, unfit mother in Tyler Perry's "Daddy's Little Girls" (Lionsgate) fans and critics alike tasted the stardust of the vixen everyone seemingly loved to hate. This breakthrough performance resulted in Tyler Perry offering Smith a role written with his Madea character in mind in his next film, "Why Did I Get Married?" due in theatres October 12.

If what people are saying is true, then Tasha Smith won't need an introduction the next time her name comes up. Pre-premiere buzz pegs Smith as a show-stopper in her portrayal of Angela, an over-the-top, alcohol guzzling and scissor-tongued wife. Alongside Janet Jackson and Malik Yoba, Tasha proves she has the gusto to channel Mabel Simmons' (Madea) thoughts effortlessly.

One of three children raised by a single mom in Camden, NJ, Smith, 36, is divorced with no children. She has an identical twin sister who was a model in Europe. In her downtime, you might find the Los Angeles resident in her kitchen cooking, roller-blading down Melrose, getting her praise on to some Ben Tankard, or hanging out with her best friend, Tyra Banks (who introduced her to Perry.)

Our intimate conversation at the Women's Museum of the Arts in D.C. irradiates why she seems to have mastered the "broken woman" persona. Once a hustler and drug addict in real life, she identifies with the mentality of women living in crisis and self-defeat.

While removing her shoes to wind-down after hosting an awards gala, she tells me as a matter of fact, that she was navigating life in the wrong direction simply because, "I did not know Jesus." She was a bonafide atheist who denied Christ's very existence. As revealed in the following excerpt from the interview, Smith has been spiritually re-born, and lives a life that is the anti-thesis to her on screen image.

Who is Tasha Smith?A girl from Jersey that loves the Lord and loves people. I love my community. It just gives me inspiration the keep moving. Tasha Smith is someone trying to pursue her purpose in life. I believe I'm doing that between my acting, the school, going around speaking and trying to help plant seeds and build foundations in young people.

The Old Tasha
I was living crazy. Doing a whole of drugs, strippin' at the strip clubs, steeling bags of weed. Just doing that because of my circumstances and that environment. I just had to do something to survive. Once I came to know God, my belief system changed.

On Being An Atheist
Gosh, it's such a story, my testimony. I was atheist. (My family hates it when I say that, but it's true.) I think that happens through disappointment, hurt shame and rejection. I mean, when you grow up in an environment where they talk about God and then you live life's circumstances and then confusion comes in an you begin to ask yourself questions, the devil starts getting in your head a little bit, you know what I mean? You get angry and full of rage; you say 'how could there be a God?' All kinds of things can happen for you to choose to believe that. It's just easier when you're going through it. Not that it's easier in life. . .

When God 'Showed Up'
When I was 25 I had an encounter with God because my father had gotten sick. I had a time where I really challenged God like, 'if you're really God You'll show me such and such.'

And during that time one of my best friends had gotten born again. I was going through this major transition in life. I was going through this whole thing where I would question whether God was real or not. I really needed God to be real because I was so depressed and so unhappy, I felt like if there isn't a God I have no reason to live.

Because every thing else in life is so false, so fake, so untrue and why else am I here? It was just a bad time in my life and God really showed up and met me where I was. I know you hear that all the time. It sounds like a cliché, but God will meet you where you are. After I had that encounter based around a family member's death I went to church with my friend who had gotten born again and I never would read The Word.

Everyone that hurt me read The Bible. You know, you're so use to the judgmental people in the church that dog you and made you feel bad about who you are and on top of that they're doing crazy stuff too. So, I wouldn't read The Word. But when I went to this church, I said, "Show me." I was willing to listen and to see whatever it was that God wanted to show me.

There really was never a time that I was open to see that. I didn't want to see the Word, I didn't want to hear the Word so I didn't. You know it says, 'Knock and the door will open, ask and ye shall receive.' So I was knocking, I was asking, but I also know it was God's divine time where He was also drawing me. And that's where His grace comes in because His grace really saved me. I wasn't just about the family and what I was going through. . .I believe God was saying this is your season of salvation. So all of these things fit. All of it worked together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. During this time, I read The Word. This church was not deep. I mean this pastor was not some phenomenal speaker, not T.D. Jakes. or BAM Crawford. All he did was read the scripture. But it' something about God's Word. The Bible says it's like a hammer unto a rock. It'll bang some stuff up. God's Word will just bring light. It's quick and powerful, The Bible says and sharper than any two-edged sword. So when I read that Word, the Word came in and brought light. It broke down all those strongholds that were blocking me from His wisdom. His Word was just His Word and as I read His Word I see the revelation of Jesus. . . (Excitedly.) Oh my God! Not only do I have a God, I have a father and a Savior and a friend that loves me as I am. And that's something that might not always be concrete for some people, but it's spiritual so it's not always going to be concrete in the natural sense, but that was my experience and I saw it in the spirit enough to cause me to make a change.

Ditching the "Holier-than-thou" stereotype
We in the church are a hot nasty mess (and I don't even need to talk about it 'cause you already know) and we wanna talk about the world. Why don't we get our own house in order first before we start looking out in someone else's yard? Cut your own!

No compromising for the camera
I on't think that roles challenge what I believe because I feel like as an actor I know who I am in God. I understand that I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. I have boundaries, but there are boundaries I would have whether I was a Christian or not. I'm not gonna get butt naked. Certain people may have issues with roles that I do that have profanity in it. But, as actors our job is to portray humanity, all of humanity. Most characters that we see are not saved yet.

Her passion
The Tasha Smith Acting Workshop (TSAW) -- I started doing acting workshops about 5-6 years ago and my passion was just trying to help some young people in the inner city community be developed in the arts and mentored. All of a sudden it just became this incredible passion that I couldn't stop what I was doing because I saw people's lives transform. It's something we're missing in Hollywood, a place where African American actors can come get mentorship, get empowered to reach their purpose in the arts. . .We have casting agents come in and teach tem about auditioning, actors come in. If we can get then young we can plant a positive seed in them so they can grow to become the Angela Bassets and Charles Duttons of the world. They'll be full of substance, character and integrity that we'll be proud of. It's just such a wonderful thing to come to the Congressional Black Caucus the night they were celebrating leadership in the arts because that's my passion

On working with Mr. Perry and the new movie
It was a blessing working with Tyler. He's been a blessing in my life and so many people's lives. I think the movie's gonna bless people and inspire people to be married and believe in marraige again. we've seen so much tragedy in our community as far as marraige is concerned.

*****

All I can say is...this chick is fabulous! I had already given her a katrillion-gazillion cool points but after reading her testimony...she's off the charts!

I'm feeling her honesty, and it's a testament to the goodness AND POWER of our Almighty God.

Sidebar: Christians-STOP ARGUING WITH ATHEISTS. You prove why they don't believe in Christianity. Arguing will not make them want to become a Christian. It's goin to make them dig their heels in the dirt and become planted right there in their atheistic views. You win over an atheist by your behavior and YOUR PRAYERS! You plant, God waters and give increase. Trying to argue your point with an atheist, is like a black person trying to prove why it's better to be black rather than white. IT'S STUPID, AND POINTLESS.

It's God who will do the drawing as we lift Him up...give it a rest with your pious, sanctimonius self.