deanrankine ([info]deanrankine) wrote,
@ 2008-03-31 16:44:00
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I've Been Thinking About Renouncing My Christianity
Here's a link to a comic about where my heads at at the moment. Be warned my head is subject to change (also to scroll through the story just click on each image) -

http://www.webcomicsnation.com/deanrankine/think

Photobucket

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[info]iron_spike
2008-03-31 06:03 am UTC (link)
Wow. That was... really thoughtful and fascinating and honest of you, Dean.

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[info]heroprotagonist
2008-03-31 06:13 am UTC (link)
Agreed!

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-01 06:19 am UTC (link)
Cheers, guys

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[info]tedprior
2008-03-31 06:04 am UTC (link)
Hey Dean,

What you say in that comic makes a lot of sense to me, but it must be a really difficult thing for you to be considering.

Also: Great comic!

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-02 11:47 pm UTC (link)
What you say in that comic makes a lot of sense to me, but it must be a really difficult thing for you to be considering.

It has been difficult. My faith is something that's so very important to me. But the stuff I've talked about in the comic is something that I have been (and will) continue to wrestle with.

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[info]the_frase
2008-03-31 06:57 am UTC (link)
Man.... that is one of the most intelligent and thoughtful meditations on Christianity I've had the pleasure of reading in a long time!
AND on the other side, it's a great little cartoon! Love the Christian tract format!

Peace out!

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-02 11:49 pm UTC (link)
Thanks, Frase! And I'm rapt you noticed the tract format.

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[info]dryponder
2008-03-31 08:12 am UTC (link)
thanks for that, man. this is what happened to me last year, and it was crazy hard. but i'm better for it. and happy to have life and hope and mysteries and friends all without the labels and stuff about christianity i could never agree with. wherever this takes you, you're on a pretty solid road, as far as i can tell from over here. :)

you rule for posting this, bro.

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-03 12:01 am UTC (link)
Dean, I can't tell you how much your support means to me. You opinion is one that I cherish. Also, to know that there's people out there who've gone through the same stuff as me is of real comfort.







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[info]markselan
2008-03-31 11:14 am UTC (link)
hat was beautiful Dean, thanks for capturing something I've been pondering about lately and presenting it so clearly.

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[info]markselan
2008-03-31 11:15 am UTC (link)
THAT was beautiful - of course all depictions of hats was also worth treasuring.

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[info]markselan
2008-03-31 11:15 am UTC (link)
That's of course 'all depictions of hats WERE also worth treasuring'.

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-03 12:02 am UTC (link)
Thanks, Mark! For all of the above :)

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[info]douglasbot
2008-03-31 12:16 pm UTC (link)
Oh the chick tract format is excellent!
Great strip Dean, honest, personal and my kind of christianity. Also best representation of Adam and Eve ever! (Holy rib scar!!)
Hope you're well!

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-03 12:09 am UTC (link)
Great strip Dean, honest, personal and my kind of christianity. Also best representation of Adam and Eve ever!

Thanks Mr. Holgate! I'm kind of fond the Adam and Eve pic too :)

Hope you're well

I is!

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[info]zpxlng
2008-03-31 01:50 pm UTC (link)
You don't have to 'renounce' anything, Dean -- renouncing is what religious people do. If you're no longer religious, you're no longer religious.

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-03 12:13 pm UTC (link)
Very good point.

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[info]awcomix
2008-03-31 02:30 pm UTC (link)
Like the Chick format ;) I think what you're saying is you're just sticking with the original ideas and trying not to let everything that came after to interfere with that perhaps (my two cents)

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[info]mr_cow
2008-03-31 03:50 pm UTC (link)
well, this does seem to be the trend nowadays...

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-01 06:17 am UTC (link)
What do you mean, Mike?

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[info]mr_cow
2008-04-01 11:40 pm UTC (link)
the departure of christians from christianity. quite a few people i know are kinda setting out on their own paths recently for some of the reasons your comic depicted as well as some others. it's awfully depressing, and somewhat confusing at the same time. can you really kick God out of your heart? and can your life be better for it? and can you continue following the teachings of Jesus, knowing he claimed to be the same God you just kicked out?

i think part of being a christian is accepting responsibility for some of the crap that comes with it. whether we like or agree with it or not. when we talk about labeling, christians are probably better at making that label look worse than non-christians. there are a lot of imperfect people (and churches) out there. but by sticking by that label, we have an opportunity to show the world what being a christian is really all about. every time we call ourselves christian, it reminds us of who we are following. and everyday we call ourselves that we get the opportunity to make good on his name. even if sometimes we have to go against the world to do so.

you should post this comic in the parable forum. i think it would make for some good dialog.

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[info]p_frank
2008-04-02 07:22 am UTC (link)
He didn't kick out god at all, I'm not sure where you got that. It's very clear that Dean is going to continue his relationship with god, except in a way that isn't necessarily predicated by the beliefs of others or the dogma of the religion.

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[info]mr_cow
2008-04-02 11:52 pm UTC (link)
sorry p_frank. that wasn't aimed directly at dean. i was just pointing out some of the questions and concerns his comic raised for me.

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[info]killeroo
2008-04-01 04:16 am UTC (link)
brilliant, and like has been commented above, I imagine this is the same mindset of a LOT of people having a crisis of faith. Top stuff Dean.

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-03 12:19 pm UTC (link)
Thanks, Darren.

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[info]kuniopt
2008-04-01 03:37 pm UTC (link)
That was a really sweet and adorable comic!

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-03 12:20 pm UTC (link)
That's lovely of you to say. Thank-you.

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[info]bridgeportcat
2008-04-01 10:06 pm UTC (link)
I was just shown this and I love it! It's refreshing and honest and real. It's hard to find stuff that has my christian values (be awesome to eachother, help people, take care of people and the earth) without a heapload of unchristian like ones (homosexuals should be shunned, anyone who follows a religion other than christianity should be punished, the prosperity gospel, etc etc etc).

I know you don't know me but this comic (and a lot of your others) meant a lot to me, thank you.

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-03 12:29 pm UTC (link)
I know you don't know me but this comic (and a lot of your others) meant a lot to me, thank you.

Please let me respond in kind and say your comment has meant a lot to me. I always worry about how my work is going to be received. But getting such positive feedback from a kindred spirit is just really encouraging. Thank-you!

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[info]p_frank
2008-04-02 07:24 am UTC (link)
This is uncannily similar to how I feel and it's quite refreshing to see it portrayed in such an interesting way. This is the first I've seen of your work Dean, but it's brilliant. Thanks.

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[info]deanrankine
2008-04-03 12:38 pm UTC (link)
Thank you very much! I can't tell you how much it means to me to have people understand where I'm coming from. Thanks again.

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