Girl Defined On Identity: "We're all lost, broken sinners in need of saving"

[@EmmaThorneVideos]

Thank you so much for watching, do leave your thoughts down below! There's still plenty of time to get Baphy holiday sweaters and t-shirts in time for Christmas! Check them out at emma-thorne.com

[@dominicpardo4783]

Will you be restocking beanies? Please and thank you 😊

[@EmmaThorneVideos]

@@dominicpardo4783 I'm just checking with the supplier on these, if they aren't coming back into stock then i'm going to replace them with an alternative beanie with the same design ^^ Should know very soon!

[@Wix_Mitwirth]

I'm sure you know, but there are literalists who actually believe in 6 day creation, the Nephilim, the ark, the other ark, all of it. If I had to guess about these two, I'd say they likely believe as long as they don't think about it too hard, which is almost guaranteed. New to your channel. Lots of great stuff so far (dozen-ish videos). 👍

[@alanboyle6751]

Would love to get a Baphy sticker for my laptop as well if there's any chance of a restock of those.

[@justsomebloke6784]

They are so tiring!

[@gregcampwriter]

Imagine someone telling you that you're broken and unable to do anything for yourself, and if you don't submit to him, you'll be tortured. That's called an abuser.

[@rozamakamaka]

Exactly! It’s abusive language.

[@davepugh2519]

Yeah, and you're also commanded to love and worship the abuser!

[@meusana3681]

Except he's going to do it with the entire human race. That's not an abuser, that's a super villain with no modern comparison. At least Thanos only took half, and at least they din't have to be tortured.

[@fisharepeopletoo9653]

It's the classic Jesus meme. Jesus: "Open the door and let me in." Person: "Why?" Jesus: "So I can save you from what I'm going to do to you if you don't let me in."

[@meusana3681]

@@fisharepeopletoo9653 Except he doesn't knock. Ever. People outside yelling from the street telling you Jesus is knocking. So they can take your money.

[@neverhowever3231]

i love how they’re saying “don’t base your identity in things that can change,” as if people are out here encouraging each other to base their whole identity on One thing. my identity is a million things. i’m a volleyball player, a sibling, queer, neurodivergent. if i stop playing volleyball, i still have all those other things to base my identity on, and i will find new things in the future. why are they so terrified of changing? you don’t need to be the same person forever.

[@evelynmatt2000]

I love the part about not being the same person forever. Your right who wants that, doesn’t make for a very interesting life that’s for sure.

[@harleyjones6222]

Standard cult tactics. Far-right Christianity demands uniformity of follower ideas as a means to eradicate individuality and any potential backlash against it from within. Anything outside of what's approved is punishable. You are not you; you are the religion and nothing else.

[@drewharrison6433]

@@evelynmatt2000 Thirty years ago I was a 17 year old nihilist. I'm so glad I didn't stay the same person forever. I'm still atheist but, humanism is a much more fulfilling way to live.

[@lexihopes]

And if you tragically lose your child you are no longer a mother? Yikes. That's . . . as I understand it many mothers who have been through that would strongly disagree.

[@angelamaryquitecontrary4609]

@@lexihopesAs someone who arrived at their oeuvre via Cody Ko, I see that as part of their constant low-key bitching at each other. One used to- oh, so humbly- rub it in that she had got married first. Then the other, once she finally found a husband, became pregnant and used to harp on about her child in a passive aggressive manner. Now the first one- the 'model', as she reminds us in most episodes , you know: Kate Moss, Adriana Lima, Gigi Hadid, Breathany Girldefined- has adopted children from abroad and subtly(!) lets us know that that is the highest function of parenthood. They each look bored while the other is speaking, they research bible verses on their phones (or put in eBay bids, who can tell?), talk over each other, interrupt; there is a fascinating, if unedifying, dynamic at play here which makes their efforts about 5% watchable.

[@harleyjones6222]

It's honestly very scary to watch people gaslight themselves the way Girl Defined does. My father was the exact same way, right up until we stopped talking. Why would anyone want to buy into a system that demands they are inherently bad?

[@neilsiebenthal9254]

That something I've wondered also. Even when I was religions, that part never sit right with me. That I'm to blame for something my ancestors did... That's something north Korea does and is condemned for it.. But Christian's see it as a good thing some how.. 😳

[@Clefargle]

At this point they are complicit in their own continued indoctrination and the potential indoctrination of others

[@Clefargle]

Modern culture!!

[@sangieredwolf]

I think it's all an act for money. They lecture that it isn't a woman's place to teach and then they have a whole ministry. They're hypocrites and I think they know it as they laugh their way to the bank everyday.

[@TabbyLavalamp]

@@neilsiebenthal9254 Hell, Americans and "I didn't own any slaves!" as a way to avoid talking about how the country is still feeling the repercussions of that. It's amazing how many people who say that are fine with believing all of humanity is suffering because of the reasonable actions of Eve and Adam (not that they existed, but if they did it wouldn't have been their fault that they didn't know that their disobedience was bad if they didn't have knowledge of good and evil from that fruit, the second* instance of God being an asshole in the Bible). *The first instance was making Adam a gendered being who could feel loneliness in the first place, then ripping a rib out of him for some reason because a bone wasn't needed to make Adam to then make Eve, then making Eve a second class citizen from the moment she took her first breath. Honestly, I don't know how anyone makes it that far into the book without tossing it away as nonsense.

[@didograce3531]

Another thought: their comment about "I've intentionally given you THIS body" is a massive slap in the face for people whose bodies hate them via chronic illness. Always hated that. I'd do anything to exchange my body for any other option.

[@brentwalker3300]

Christianity doesn't handle any form of diversity very well. It is a world view born from the mind of antiquity.

[@martinmckee5333]

Yep. I'm okay with my body, but I'd love to be able to trade in my brain.

[@SqwarkParrotSpittingFeathers]

@@martinmckee5333 As Monty Python could have said, you lucky lucky bastard, you've got a brain, I wish I had a brain, I've just been, "blessed", with a single cell... sitting in a puddle...

[@martinmckee5333]

@@SqwarkParrotSpittingFeathers Of course, there's also the question as to what it would mean to be blessed objectively. Your example does a good job of demonstrating how truly subjective it all is.

[@SqwarkParrotSpittingFeathers]

@@martinmckee5333 thank you kindly sir. I believe your assessment to be perfectly objectively made. 😄.

[@dominicpardo4783]

The queen of snark perfectly combines critical thinking with razor wit.

[@dominicpardo4783]

@Joseph Bucko 😄

[@wizardsuth]

@Joseph Bucko I've heard it averred that the taste of a snark is meagre and hollow, but crisp: like a coat that is rather too tight in the waist, with a flavour of Will-o-the-wisp.

[@razony]

And loving her wit!

[@FeministCatLadySpinster]

I filmed my own video about this, but it can't be said enough: It's creepy/cult-y that Bethany and Kristen know that identity is a big thing right now, and they know their audience is teen girls... a group which is typically desperately seeking a fixed identity to belong to. And they're telling this audience "hey, you weren't meant to discover your identity - let *us* tell who you are!" It's also pretty sleazy.

[@tartoflan]

It's almost as if religious fondamentalists love to prey on kids, or something... oh wait

[@markasiala6355]

Whole hearted agree. Stop questioning, we will give you all the answers to questions you didn't know you had and any questions we don't answer aren't meant to be answered because "G".

[@DaveCM]

Their belief is that they are unworthy and a broken. Their "relationship" with god is an abusive one. "You are nothing without me." "If you don't love me back, I will kill you." "I only do this because I love you so much." My mother spent 18 years in an extremely abusive relationship. He used the same rhetoric to keep her coming back or to keep her to stay. She is also very religious. She uses the same talking points about why she is a Christian as what Cecil used to keep her for 18 years. People will talk about god saying that he "loves me even though I don't deserve it" with a gleam in their eyes as if that is a good thing. They are in an abusive and one sided "relationship" and they think it is wonderful.

[@sarahallegra6239]

👏👏👏

[@mancave10369]

That’s why I think (at least slightly) better wording would be “I didn’t even have to do anything to deserve His love” (referring to unconditional love).

[@standoughope]

"Don't let anybody tell you who you are, instead listen to a Christian's advice to read a text from someone else tell you who you are" is essentially their logic.

[@DemonicRemption]

@Ryan Swanson And that's why I haven't set foot in a church in 23 years or refuse to listen to Christian KZbinrs and Street Prophets. Hence why I rely on my own research and meditation. Besides at this point with the confused mess zealots have spilled onto the world through Christianity, I'd be more lost in that sea of goobledy-gook than I am walking to the beat of my own drum.

[@stevethecatcouch6532]

A mother doesn't cease to identify as a mother just because her child died.

[@Geph_anythingnuts]

That's exactly right.

[@reaperr7147]

She may not but she is no longer a mother

[@ronrolfsen3977]

@@reaperr7147 So if you talk about the dead person. How would you call this parent? Ex-mother? Former mother? Pretty sure we would all still call her his/her mother because that is what she is. It is just a relation that has and will always have. Even if we talk about them in 1000 years and they are long dead.

[@reaperr7147]

@@ronrolfsen3977 that's different, if a child dies and that mother lives with her husband. DO they have a child or DID they have a child?

[@TheBlarggle]

@@reaperr7147 It's like being a virgin. Once you become "not a virgin" you can't go back to the previous status of virgin. Once you become a parent, you don't ever go back to the previous status.

[@Firebrandatheist]

I'm a 50-year-old male from the southern state of the United States. Retired 101st Airborne Division Army and what I enjoy or inspire to me is content providers such as yourself. I like to watch your content and run in 2 my 19-year-old daughter's room and watch her face as I'm trying to describe your content through an old southern man's use of the vocabulary. And see the look in her eyes I may sound a lot like those around me in my accent. My words and actions are not. And to know that I got her back whatever she chooses. Because I value her and the advice content creators such as yourself. Thank you so much I get to see a difference through my child's eyes and actions. Thank you.

[@Mylittlestcorner]

Good for you! Sounds like you're doing the best you can and with much kindness. I wish you tons of happiness to come ^-^

[@55Quirll]

Sound like you're a good and father. Glad you found this, I found it 2 days ago and enjoy listening to her. Happy New Year to you and your daughter 👍

[@minuterice19540]

This is incorrect. Atheists are not a monolith. The only thing all atheists have in common is the lack of belief in a divine being. Some atheists believe in an eternal universe, some do not, and some, like me, don't care one way or the other. Saying all atheists believe x is just as dumb as saying all Christians beleive Noah's flood was a real event. It's a statement that is both false and lacking nuance. Edit: It would appear that the comment that I was replying to has been deleted.

[@gpalmer456]

Thank you for your service.

[@eliasroflchopper3006]

@@gpalmer456 don't know what is there to be thankful for, but okay.

[@petrzelka8321]

I was at a family reunion just today. Now, to set the scene - I am seventeen, finishing pre med school next year. My parents are pastors, that dont know Im an atheist, and a part of my family are fundamentalist christians. Now, my terrible of a human step grandmother asked what Im planning to do with life. Told her Im aiming to get into medical school. She started laughing and said something along the lines of "a person plans, God changes those plans" (it rhymes in my language, its a stupid saying). Then procceeded to talk how about I cant know if ill end up in med school because Jesus has plans with me that dont have to be the same as what I want to do. I have never been so demotivated. Im supposed to do entrance exams for med school next year, Im already preparing for them, Im putting in a lot of work and she just laughs at me and basically makes me feel like I shouldnt even try. And they did the same to my little sister who is currently trying to get into art school. They never wish anyone luck with their goals, they just wish for them to "end up where God wants them to be" and its fucking disgusting. Sorry for the rant, I just hate this so much.

[@sixfeetundertheradar6080]

God that’s awful, she sounds awful. It kind of sounds like she’s projecting her insecurities and jealousy on you and your sister. She’s not truly happy with how her life turned out so she’s spreading her displeasure to those who still have a chance to follow their dreams. Sorry I’m ranting, I’m sure you and your sister will both do great in your goals

[@dylanmahaffey8920]

You can do anything you put your mind to, dont let anyone tell you otherwise.

[@TherealLumpendoodle]

Maybe point out to them that god’s plan are ineffable, and god has given us the tools, and it’s up to us how we work with them. They are acting like the drowning man refusing help from a passing boat because “god will provide”. Sometime’s using their beliefs against them really messes with their minds.😎

[@tartoflan]

Sorry you have to endure this kind of bullshit from them. Don't give up on your goals, you and your sister.

[@stevepierce6467]

Por casualidad, seria el dicho, "el hombre propone y dios dispone."? That attitude is what makes many devout christians fatalistic, resigned and unwilling to do earthly things to make the world better.

[@superxxamadeus4098]

Where Kristin is talking about the danger of putting your identity into things that can be taken away from you... reminds me of when I realized as a christian that i should stop putting my entire identity in god because then whenever something "shook my faith" i would spiral into terrible mental health. Deciding to not put all of my identity in god was definitely directly against what i grew up being taught, but it was one of my first and most important steps towards reclaiming my identity and health overall. It really helped to break the cycle of self indoctrination, it's honestly scary what religion tries to get you to do...

[@ArnisKaye]

THIS. Then because I'm so dependent on my identity being entirely in god when it's shaken (which could happen because I had several wrong thoughts or sinful emotions that I didn't immediately control and now I have to question if I'm even saved at all) I lean harder on the church and their teachings hoping to get a sense of security which led to a neverending cycle and mental breakdowns. Wasn't until I was deconstructing that I realized how damaging placing your entire identity on one thing like god is. (Especially the evangelical god who is "loving" but highly judgemental making his love and your identity conditional on your performance of perfection.)

[@DemonicRemption]

@Christine Britt As a Christian I'm not surprised, as you clearly weren't allowed to get to know God for yourself. When I was nine my parents stopped taking me to church so I could know God for myself. Don't get too happy, this didn't go as well as you'd expect as they expected to turn out like them despite the freedoms they allowed. Because as I've learned you can take the people out of the church, but not the church out of the people. Point being because of this I came to realize through begrudging kicking, and screaming that my identity is separate from God. As a result it's how I'm supposed to serve him, of my own accord... Having said that, you can guess that I have to endure a lot of religious propaganda. And while I can dismiss it as is, it's still really annoying.

[@superxxamadeus4098]

@@WilliamBrowning haha thanks! Ur comment made me smile :) Sharing my experience always feels nice and it feels even better seeing that it resonates with other people

[@TheGuardDuck]

THIS right here, is what tipped the first domino that plunged me into depression and ruined my life. It's a long story, and it wasn't just a shaken faith that ruined me, but, I had never dealt with depression until this point, and I couldn't cope with it, failed college, struggled with faith questions, and finally I'm walking away from Christianity after almost 20 years of this. I do still believe there's a God, but I don't think the biblical one is real anymore. Adherence to biblical rules has done severe damage to my life and my family's lives, but yet, they press on in their faith while me and my sister are freeing ourselves from the insanity.

[@WilliamBrowning]

@@TheGuardDuck I am sorry you have had to go through this. May the all powerful Atheismo bless you and your sister. I wish you both the best.

[@thegunslinger1363]

"In the bulls*** department. A businessman can't hold a candle to a clergyman." George Carlin

[@JJ-qo7th]

I've got a better sense of myself ever since I *left* the church, even more so once I admitted to myself that I no longer believed in any version of their nonsense. You know what's extremely damaging to a person's identity? Being raised to think you need to be ashamed for the thoughts in your head or the things that you want, such that nobody in your circle of trust can help you unpack the what you're trying to process. As it did for most other Christian youths, that meant sexuality, sexual maturity, peer pressure, and social acceptance. In that time when sexuality is simultaneously new, confusing, and a subject of utmost importance for acceptance, when acceptance is something you crave, and you're trying to sort through that while also planning for your adult life, the Christians are standing by not with help but with guilt and shame. Is there any wonder that areas in the US where Christianity has the strongest hold also have the highest rates of teenage pregnancy and STD spread, worst of all in areas where sex education is banned outright? _You can't teach kids how to be safe when they decide to have sex, because then they might have sex!_ Except...they already do... Admitting my atheism to myself threw open the relief valves in my mind. I no longer had to grapple with this or other things like...gay people just being people, or stem cells not being people. *I no longer had to make a book of geology and a book of physics fit into a book of mythology.* Most of the family doesn't know, and it's not their business to know. Many of them are old enough that they don't have many tiles left in their jenga tower, and I'm not about to pull any more tiles if all it means is quietly playing along while someone blesses the mashed potatoes. I still care for most of them. My friends know, some of whom accidentally helped guide me out, and that's enough for now. I *was* a pro-life Christian Republican when I packed my bags for school at eighteen. Now I'm quietly smuggling humanist ideas into family conversations and wondering when someone is going to smell me out. I don't think Jesus was a socialist hippy giving out free healthcare, but if I can at least make them warm up to the idea... (Yes, I'm aware that not all Christians are fundamentalist extremists, but that's a funny way of saying they don't believe as much of their Bibles as the next church over, isn't it?)

[@TheGuardDuck]

Wow man, good to hear you managed to wake up!

[@Wizardofgosz]

The lobster quote reminded me of the moment in Star Trek 4, when the probe came to earth and started wreaking havoc, and was sending some sort of message at the planet, or more specifically the oceans, and Dr. McCoy said something about man not being able to understand it, and Spock replied, "There are other forms of intelligence on Earth, Doctor. Only human arrogance would assume the message must be meant for man."

[@sarahallegra6239]

Emma, If it helps you feel any better, I was raised in a very fundamentalist, evangelical branch of the church. I was indoctrinated from the moment I was born. I believed with every piece of my soul; I was a dedicated true believer and so sure everything I had been taught was 1000% true. It took 26 years, but I did eventually start to see the holes and cracks, left and never looked back. I have never felt as free and happy as the day I decided I was no longer a Christian. It’s very sad and upsetting that these women’s poor kids are being brainwashed into this every day, and I hate that they have to go through that. But they can get out. It’s possible. Just keep asking questions, kids.

[@SakkaraKirax]

Well done, I wish I had come to my own breakthrough moment as early as you did. It took me a lot more years before I really admitted how irrational everything I'd been taught and believed since childhood was. I'm grateful to have made it to this side, though.

[@sarahallegra6239]

@@SakkaraKirax The important thing is that you made it! I’m proud of you. It’s not easy to admit everything you were raised to believe is a lie. Good job!!

[@uninspired3583]

Similar experience. I'm just so glad I figured this out before having kids of my own, and now that they're mid teens, we're having conversations exploring what beliefs are and how to go about evaluating what could or should be followed. Couldn't be more proud of who they are, and the values they've chosen to stand up for.

[@joycesky5041]

Indoctrinating children is psychological abuse.

[@johnbenson4927]

@@SakkaraKirax You do realize atheists are also religious, right?

[@viktorsirin]

We are defined by a spectrum of words, deeds, thoughts, emotions, experiences, and instincts. We are human; we are complex. But there is one thing we are not: We are not inherently sinners and only capable of worth by debasing ourselves to a mythical being.

[@brentwalker3300]

Bingo. Whenever I hear someone self-identify as "born again" I always think of the response "I was born fine the first time".

[@DemonicRemption]

@@brentwalker3300 I was gonna mock your perception of being "born again," but as someone who was born, raised in a Christian household, and maintains his theistic beliefs... I get your sentiment of being born fine the first time.

[@sfshinz]

Similarly to Moses, I have climbed to the top of Mount Tamalpais, and brought down a Tablet, containing The Commandment (and a half): Thou Shalt Not Be an Asshole (Arsehole, if British); half Commandment: Thou Shalt Strive Not To Be an Asshole/Arsehole. That’s all, folks.

[@CarlosRodriguez-dh7mm]

In regards to intersex people, this is what my pastor told me a few years ago when I asked. (Apologies to anybody reading who may be impacted by this kind of thinking) The topic was gender expression. I can't exactly remember the prompt but it was something like intersex people prove there's no gender binary. To which my pastor responds something like, "Broken people don't define the rules." He actually called them broken. He elaborated that intersex people are an exception to the rule of being made male and female like 9 fingered people are the exception to the rule that people are born with 10 fingers. But we don't pretend that 9 fingered people can just believe they have 10 fingers, there's no moral command to have 10 fingers, and Christians don't teach that 9 fingered people are just some broken example of God's creation. I don't know how I lasted so long in the faith. It seems so ass backwards looking back at it now.

[@tempesttossed6029]

The "exception to the rule" argument is invalid because if something was a rule, you wouldn't find any outliers. Not only that but both these conditions (intersex and having more or less fingers) would be something that affects you for the rest of your life. Such endless christian grace to disregard a person's entire life experience and hardships just because the idea of it slightly inconveniences you.

[@annabeinglazy5580]

That disgusts me on a Level i cant Put into words. Did that Pastor even know what intersex means? How are Babies born with anatomical quirks (If theyre an exception to some rule) "broken"? What did they do to get broken by god? Did they take too many nutrients from their mother? Did they kick at the wrong Moment? Did they have a sinful thought in their not-yet-formed brains? Just what the hell?

[@stefangadshijew1682]

@@tempesttossed6029 An exception to the rule certainly puts the rule into question, but it doesn't invalidate it. Of course, if the rule is stated in absolutes such as: "There are only two genders, determined by two chromosomes", you _will_ find this rule to be false. But if you phrase it as: "Gender is strongly influenced by the hormons you are exposed to, and those are usually determined by the two sex chromosomes", you will find that this rule holds and is useful. The exceptions to the rule can then be explained. Someone with XY chromosomes without male characteristics can be explained by something else affecting the hormons he received, inability to produce testosterone, hormonal variances of the mother, and so on. Of course, the way this pastor used this saying was completely irrational.

[@MyTeaIsMighty]

I mean he's technically correct but he put in a horrifically dehumanising way. While it's true that intersex people aren't evidence of some mystical third sex, that doesn't mean they're broken. It's just an anomaly. They deserve to live their lives as free as anyone else without such awful rhetoric being directed at them. Much in the same way that people born with 9 fingers aren't a new form of human in the evolutionary line.

[@istvansipos9940]

god's "creations" are broken? then god is less than perfect? so not really a god? If he creates broken people on purpose, he is a sadist. Or those people are not broken, just different. No god-fan will like any of these 3 alternatives, and they simply cannot present a 4th one

[@insertnamehere6191]

I love your takes on mlm and extreme Christian content, it's nice to see someone use facts instead of just saying you're wrong and moving on

[@sychocfj]

Or say because of God. Lmao

[@annaairahala9462]

Honestly, this isn't even extreme christian theology, the idea of everyone being lost and broken is something seen through most christian circles

[@davebeach2343]

@@annaairahala9462 I'm sure that the belief of people being broken and in need of fixing allows those in charge of the church to assume control over people's lives. Since all people require direction in life, every minister, priest, pastor seeks to become the final authority for the members of their congregations. It also means that critical thinking and any honest self assessment of life will never happen. It might introduce doubts about doctrine. Can't have that, absolute adherence required.

[@annabeinglazy5580]

@@annaairahala9462 i dont think it's that extreme in a Lot of Mainstream Brands of christianity. I grew up Lutheran Protestant in Germany and also attended catholic church (for the choir lmao). The predominant Message wasnt "your all horrible broken sinners", it was "people arent perfect. They will make mistakes. But the Point of being Christian is Striving to do the right thing" The Lutheran doctrine also relies heavily on Jesus having died for the sins of humanity, therefore you are probably Not gonna end up in hell. Because thats why Jesus died. So the Focus was much more on forgiveness and not on shame or the fear of hell. I would argue that saying that Humans are imperfect is not the same as saying we are all broken.

[@trybunt]

@@annabeinglazy5580 sure "we all make mistakes, let's try and do better" is perfectly reasonable, and if that was the message we generally heard from Christianity, I don't think people would mind. Unfortunately, the message we actually hear can often sound more like- "we all make mistakes, therefore we all deserve eternal torture. If you don't want to be tortured, you better do what God wants. Luckily, I happen to know what God wants, it's all written in this book, and I just so happen to understand it perfectly. Anyone who disagrees is wrong, and they will get the eternal torture they deserve, so you better do what we think God wants" If you went to a church with a better message, that's great, I wish there were more churches who acknowledged the cruelty of this type of message, encouraged forgiveness and striving to be a good person like you said, but hopefully you can understand why some people might consider the general "your broken but we have the cure" message to be toxic.

[@stephenzaborski8656]

Being "fluid and flexible". I think the world would be better off, if more people could be this way. Good health, to you, and your family. 🙂

[@ThePereubu1710]

Personally, I've never wrestled with my "purpose". I am who I am and one day I will die. That's quite enough for me.

[@sledzeppelin]

When religious people talk about purpose and "the meaning of life", I truly don't even understand what they're talking about.

[@RikardPeterson]

Be glad for that! To grow up constantly being told that God has a plan and a purpose for your life, while that purpose is never made clear can really mess you up. I struggled trying to find the meaning of my life to the point where I was suicidal. If I hadn't lost my faith, I don't think I would be alive today.

[@TherealLumpendoodle]

They waste their lives preparing for the next. They forget that even in their own belief system, you’re a long time dead. What a waste.

[@wizardsuth]

I became a lot happier when I stopped looking for some ultimate purpose or meaning in life and instead just tried to enjoy each day as it comes.

[@wizardsuth]

@@sledzeppelin I think that was Douglas Adams' point in _The Hitch-hiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ in which a group of hyperintelligent pan-dimensional beings create an incredibly powerful computer to find the answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. After 7.5 millions years of computation, it discovers that the answer is... 42. It then designs a second, more powerful computer to determine the question.

[@chrispitchforth621]

I've always want to ask people like girl defined, what would they do if their minds where swapped one way into a man's body? Would they need to change to match their new biology, or stay who they are now?

[@bmaz390]

I like that. I think I'll use it when I get a chance. Hope you don't mind. My in-laws are hard core Southern Baptist young world creationists. The one I've always used is to ask what if you were born in the Middle East to a Muslim family? Would you still believe in Jesus?

[@eliasroflchopper3006]

This won't work, they'd just say it's impossible and move in.

[@WilliamBrowning]

The last time we watched these ladies together they were explaining that God wants all women to be mothers and homemakers and that's what you should do UNLESS God wants you to start a KZbin ministry in which case that's what you should do. I can't keep straight what God wants without Girl Defined to explain it all.

[@sarahallegra6239]

Thank goodness they’re here to explain it all for us! 😂

[@ferdinandoescobar7497]

People need to repent from their sins and believe in Jesus Christ.

[@ferdinandoescobar7497]

@@WilliamBrowning I saw it coming. A devil's disciple. Satan hates you. God wants to forgive you.

[@ferdinandoescobar7497]

@@WilliamBrowning atheist means someone without God. You guys are admitting you miss something without Jesus Christ. I get jokes. I just use them to share a serious message 😉

[@ferdinandoescobar7497]

@@sarahallegra6239 great to see that somebody appreciates the word of God.

[@didograce3531]

It's ironic that they say "you can't find your identity in motherhood" because SO MUCH of their other content teaches people to do exactly that. And yes, they are conveniently ignoring that people deconvert, therefore you can't find identity in religious belief.

[@KellyDVance]

"We are not defined by our sins" "We are all sinners" Yep, they just defined us all as something that we are, according to them, not defined by.

[@DemonicRemption]

@Kelly Vance It's evident they're confusing being born in sin and being defined by it. Being a Christian myself, I'm not surprised by that misconception. But I get this song and dance too, as this is oversimplifying a morally complicated concept to keep the sheep in line. Mostly in their case from the looks of it due to their own ignorance.

[@KellyDVance]

@@DemonicRemption not sure if it confusion or just lack of consideration.

[@DemonicRemption]

@@KellyDVance If my experience is anything to go by, it's a mix of both...

[@jules_2.0]

Kristen just throwing out callously that motherhood can be taken away from your identity. I have a friend who sadly lost her son and she has said that she will always be his mother. It will always be a part of her identity, just now she has the added layer of that grief added to that aspect of her identity. I think identity is a dynamic system. My past identities inform my current identity which will influence my future identity. But its not static or unchanging.

[@williamho2940]

What bugs me a little bit, is this whole idea of "wanting to receive", whether it's an identity, an idea, sense of self and so on. Is it so difficult to do your own search, walk your own path to discover who you are? One was never "designed" to carry a burden, anymore than one has no choice but to carry it. The meaning of "wanting to receive" to me, is simply wanting to dodge responsibilities for the consequences of one's actions. After all if one merely "received" their "true self" from god, then one's actions are merely following the orders of god, thus bypassing the decision for, and the consequences of one's actions.

[@Chapman1886]

"God gave us free will", so He could punish those who "chose" to live by that creed. Why have it if we are discouraged from having an identity outside of what the texts from either the Old or New Testament, parts of both or a free interpretation of both or either, depending on the church you go to? It's the perfect excuse for everything that goes against or disproves the Bible or God. The God is allknowing, infallible except for creating all the gays/trans walking around, other religious beliefs, being a Democrat, scientists disproving parts of the wholy book etc etc. But the problem is that believing that people "choose" to go against God's word while having a genetic makeup that encourage those "sins" to manifest, makes God fallible, indictive, unfair and cruel. Why would God create people whose identity differs from their sex if they are then condemned for it? Has He punished them before they were born and, if so, why? I have no issue with people believing in a god, because life is all but easy, and having support from up above or within that make you feel that life has a higher meaning can absolutely be a source of comfort and strength in times of need. But the way these people choose to interpret the Bible is deeply disturbing and potentially life threatening for people who look or act differently from them. They have turned their religion into a hateful, distrusting, excluding and sometimes violent belief and unknowingly they portray their God as a demonic monster. I want to clarify that not every church acts this way, but when a large majority of Christians have disturbing views, the problem is deeply rooted in the religious beliefs of that country. I don't live in the US so it may not be as a batshit crazy as it seems online, but the signs are worrying all the same. They talk like cultists do where I live.

[@williamho2940]

@@Chapman1886 Just to nitpick, I don't think it's the majority of Christians who think this way, but an extremely loud minority. Yet because of their inaction, the majority become complicit to how the minority behaves. This is what I find issue with.

[@Chapman1886]

@@williamho2940I 100% agree, the problem is that this loud minority has infiltrated public discourse and feature heavily on the largest conservative news networks. That veil of legitimacy creates an extremely effective propaganda-machine that has and will create chaos in every country that it touches. Feel free to disagree, but everything points to the american (not exclusive to the US) public being moulded by propaganda. I think the media is a much more extreme and harmful influence than Christianity itself could ever be. The problem is that it isn't separate from the churchgoing public whose views changes the religious community from within. That is what, I believe, is happening now. Fear is the most effective tactic to stop critical thinking and It's happening in my country Sweden as well, in Europe and across the world. Sweden is a more secular country so the impact of religion is less effective there, but immigrants are used as a fear tactic to create the same unrest that we see in the US. Incredibly sad and frustrating.

[@anjaxtv]

I was a Christian and when I became an atheist, due to critical thinking, it was the best thing I've done. Like I say "what's worse than a hypocrite? A religious hypocrite" Emma said it ALL ❤

[@stylis666]

Sort of, but it's a tautology. You can't say a god that encourages relying on it for value and salvation as loving. That is by definition an abusive relationship. Encouraging others to join is beyond insane.

[@jamesparson]

No. Religious grifters are worse than religious hypocrites.

[@pencilpauli9442]

"Identity is one of the hottest buzzwords of our day". Interesting. Just over 20 years ago I was working on my Masters thesis. One of the things I touched on was consumers and personal identity via "lifestyle choices". In a neoliberal capitalist world, shopping to by things to express one's self identity is paramount to keep the wheels from falling off the economy. It's why so much money is thrown at advertising to reinforce the behaviour. Mainstream culture is also constantly reinforcing the "Be yourself" ideology. Again, mega bucks spent on movies with this message. I doubt Girl's Defiend (sorry couldn't resist) are questioning straight, middle class White Americans for their lifestyle choices and personal identities. So why is it only a problem for LBGTQ people to be themselves?

[@stevewebber707]

While I agree with most of your point, from my experience most Christian denominations tend to teach against materialism. With some very notable exceptions of course. Some of them even opt out of Christmas, partly because it's so materialistic.

[@pencilpauli9442]

@@stevewebber707 Well Christianity is a broad church if you will forgive the pun. There's plenty who preach against trans people and gays but also go with the "Wealth = God's favour" spiel. But yes, thank you. I take your point. There are also denominations who are less materialistic and I should have noted that.

[@stevewebber707]

@@pencilpauli9442 Yep, considering the diversity of Christianity, it's not hard to find some supporting a lot of varying positions. Including supporting and including gay and trans people. But I was trying to say anti-materialism is not a fringe denomination thing. It's very mainstream and supported be the big ones that I know of. And the ones that are different have to go through a lot of mental contortions to make the bible imply what they want. The prosperity gospel televangelists get a lot of attention and air time, simply because they're on the air a lot, and also because they are controversial. And I don't think those groups exist so much because it's well established doctrine, as that it's a fantastic way for scam artists to get rich and famous. It makes it very hard to generalize on what "Christianity says". Though some Christians are pretty comfortable saying such things. Sometimes followed by "well those other folks aren't true Christians".

[@tempesttossed6029]

@@stevewebber707 There's a christmas movie made by some christian celebrity that has an entire ham fisted moral to it that god provides and wants people to be happy, so lots of lights and expensive presents for Christmas is good actually. The bible does condemn the rich and uplift the poor, but today christianity has a big issue with expousing shite about monitary gain being good and righteous and totally going to happen for you if you give to your church and pray enough. Looking at you; joel osteen , joseph prince, and Kenneth copeland. There are more but these three always pop to mind.

[@pencilpauli9442]

@@stevewebber707 Sorry Steve. I'm not going to spend time arguing, since I don't have any data to back up or refute Christian materialism or otherwise. And it also wouldn't be fair on you. But it seems highly unintuitive to say that Christians on the whole are not materialistic. I'm not seeing a lot of evidence of asceticism. At best some charity giving. I actually stopped going to church when the vicar stated that Christmas was a time for buying consumer goods. I'd need to see some hard data and a convincing argument to believe that Christians are not materialistic. Maybe I should ask the Pope.

[@fdameron]

Being a parent can NEVER be taken away from you. Even if your children die, you are still a parent of dead children. How delusional can they be.

[@cfadeathfries]

Based on what they said about assigning value based on identity was very interesting and revealing to me on how Girl Defined view what "identifying" as something means. To them it seems to be somewhat of a modifier, like a label is inherently a positive or negative thing all the time, which is a pretty narrow way to look at it. I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, my identity isn't where I find value in myself, but instead something that I value about myself, just as much as I would any physical attributes. It doesn't give me value, instead I find a value in my identity as a way of embracing and loving it

[@alanmiller7875]

well put. Wait... you're ChickFilADeathFries... you're a giant chicken. Like a pseudo celebrity. Cool.

[@ChrispyMoonbyte]

Deciding to begin the journey of finding my identity as both non-binary and queer was probably one of the best decisions I ever made. Before I could allow myself to even consider that I can be something beyond what 'God made me', I was quite miserable. I was in denial, hated myself for being unhappy with myself, I was convinced there was something wrong with me, because how could there possibly be something wrong with the belief system I was raised into. Needless to say, once I gave up trying to appease some being that I wasn't even sure existed, it was a much smoother sail for me. I went from identifying as bisexual to identifying as queer, I discovered that being no-binary seemed to fit quite well with the way I felt, I got to know myself better and grew more empathy, both for me and other people. In the end, it just made me a more accepting person. Discovering your identity, even if you just get to the conclusion that you are cis and straight, and even beyond the lense of gender and orientation, is a pretty vital part of growing up. More importantly, you notice your own growth as a person, you see those little milestones and how you improve, and it's fulfilling to see yourself become the best version of yourself you can be. Even in terms of hobbies and your taste in music and your skills in certain areas, to see how that evolves in real-time is quite magical in it's own mundane way. And all that because I gave up trying to be something I wasn't, just because it seemed comfortable to sit in one place forever. Identity evolves with us, just because you are someone else in the future, doesn't necessarily mean you got it wrong at the moment.

[@magepunk2376]

“You don’t get to define yourself. *I* define you, and the sooner you accept that the sooner you can be happy.” Their god is an abusive, manipulative narcissist.

[@gmf121266]

When I became an Atheist, I realised that nothing and no-one gives a sh^t who I am or what I am. It was such a liberation to realise I could define myself without reference to anything else. What makes me is what I decide. I get that this idea is scary as hell to someone indoctrinated in the concept that a big sky fairy is watching and judging and has already decided what we are going to be. Now I would describe that idea as the worst form of self induced slavery.

[@Looney2ing]

I totally agree with your point. Although I don't like your wording. You didn't become an atheist you simply stopped believing in deities.

[@gmf121266]

@@Looney2ing Ok. I take the point.

[@BlackEpyon]

Why Christians think this "clean slate" implies nihilism, I can not imagine. Their own world view, that man is NOTHING without God, is as nihilistic as it gets.

[@BlackEpyon]

@@Looney2ing You don't "become an atheist," you just realize that you ARE one.

[@optillian4182]

@@Looney2ing What's the difference?

[@siddielove]

My eyes fell out of my head when she said “what if your son died?” 😳😳😳

[@breakaleg10]

I was walking down a street here in Sweden today and there was this guy standing there with a tiny microphone and speaker saying the exact thing as these women. Only difference is that he said that Jesus loves you anyway. Still nobody stopped to listen. I only stopped nearby because I needed to look at my phone (haha) and couldn't help but listen a little to what he said. Forgot all about what he said until I came home and started watching here.

[@normanbailey741]

😂😂😂😂

[@Kontraleah]

OMG, I found you from Truth Wanted. This channel is GOLD! I’m so glad people like you create and share. I’m so excited about your content!!!

[@Teleco12]

The quote around the 3:20, makes me think of our effort as a species to make A.I. dumb enough to not to expand outside it's intended parameters, but smart enough to do what we want.

[@blooperofahuman1706]

How the hell can parenthood be taken away from you? Not even death can take away the fact that you were the parent of your child. That was so disgusting to hear from them

[@uninspired3583]

Agree. And yet, I've had multiple family members suggest to me that god would take my family away to teach me a lesson. This isn't just random youtuber rhetoric, people actually treat each other that way.

[@HeyItsmeImAlex]

My cats are the only living things I glorify because they are fully in charge of me. XD Religion can be so screwed up, even if you didn't grow up religious but your environment was and is culturally very religious. I'm still actively working to unlearn prejudices and figure out who I really am.

[@nathanielsbrown]

Is it creepy that I would love to have Emma as a daughter, give her a big dad hug, and tell her how adorable and awesome she is? 🥰

[@teuntje_esle]

Thank you for making these kinds of video's. I was a christian (and raised very conservative christian too) and well that changed a little over a year ago. I no longer believe all these things, but also I am still deconstructing things that I once did fully believe. Your video's absolutely help me with that process. Also, about Genesis: I don't know about these 2, but I do know that in my church they absolutely were quite literalist about that book (and most of the others), but the thing about sons of God having children with humans was never ever mentioned and I only discovered that text maybe a few years ago (I am 29). It's pretty bizarre

[@timsmith530]

How was your ever a Christian?

[@BiancaIris33]

There are many more bizarre things in the bible that would make your hair stand on ends; and once you realize that it is what a whole religion is trying to force on ppl, for myself, I'm glad the founding fathers of USA insisted on Separation of Church & State.

[@teuntje_esle]

@@BiancaIris33 Yeah there are absolutely a lot more bizarre things in the bible, it's just that when you're still in it, you become sort of desensitized to it I guess or you don't even realize how strange some things are. Only after a while of being disconnected from it, you start to see those things more clearly. I myself don't live in the US, but luckily in the Netherlands there is a separation of church and state as well. (At least in theory, most western countries still are influenced quite a lot by 'christian values' and such)

[@annaairahala9462]

@@timsmith530 The same way anyone can be something and change? What sort of question is this?

[@timsmith530]

@@annaairahala9462 At 29 years old ?

[@Pfhreak]

Not only do you have lovely old churches in your country, at least one has been given the highest calling possible for a church: being converted into a pub.

[@Double0Bruno]

I got tired of being told I was broken so I fired Christianity and when into business of fixing myself.

[@AegixDrakan]

As someone who used to be a devout christian as a kid... What Girl Defined are saying there is making me ill. When I was devout, I was miserable. I thought I was broken, lost, worthless, trash, etc etc etc...I lived every day in anxiety and despair and began to feel like maybe the relentless bullying I was enduring was only happening because I didn't "deserve" to be saved from them. ...Well, nearly 20 years out of that hell and maybe 12 years free of religion and I am more mentally healthy than I have ever been. More FREE than I have ever been. More in tune with my identity than I have ever been. Because I know who I am. I am a kind, empathetic person who wants to help others enjoy their lives to the fullest too. THAT'S an identity I have that will never change (outside of *insanely extreme* circumstances). There's plenty else about my identity that's changed over the years (I only discovered that I'm actually Asexual about two years ago, when I was *31* for instance), and plenty else will shift. That's fine. But I do have a core identity and I don't need any god to tell me what it is. In fact, listening to a "god" only made it harder to actually be me (and made it hard for me to even live, that's how horrible the despair was),. Also, fuck the fact those ladies are holding out "You can only be truly free through our religion!" with one hand and "you're a broken lost worthless sinner who only exists to glorify our god!!!" with the other. It's disgusting.

[@Homer4prez]

What is funny is that these conservative Christians sin every time they judge someone for being different then their view of how someone should be.

[@tsuritsa3105]

If you are the same person at 40 that you were at 20 then you have wasted twenty years of your life. I want to point out the tragedy here of people who believe that they can't have lives and identities of their own. They find their lives, their personhood, their individuality to great a burden to bare and think it is better if they can leave all of that in the hands of someone more competent than themselves. They're afraid. They live their lives on the basis of this fear that says they can never be good people without someone to step in and do things for them. It's sad.

[@emmamoose-dragon1110]

It really bothers me that they are encouraging young women to base their entire identity on their beliefs when psychology has proven again and again that is a very bad idea to base one's identity around just one aspect of oneself. They are setting themselves up for disaster if they ever question their beliefs because it will throw their whole identity into a tailspin. I've seen it happen. Questioning beliefs and the world around us is a normal part of growing up, but when these people only define themselves on their beliefs, that normal part of growing up ends up in a full blown identity crisis.

[@TootieVirus]

I’ve seen this so many times in Christian women who have been sexually assaulted. It’s so central to their identity and they feel they’ve sinned through their own victimization, making them bad Christians. It wreaks absolute havoc on the sense of self and community.

[@bunnyfourseven]

"Humans aren't meant to define themselves." Channel is named Girl DEFINED.

[@rickc2102]

🤭

[@WilliamStoneContentZone]

I've been binging your channel lately and I love it

[@GrumpyOldRed]

It’s a weird desire to be subservient; that someone has to agree that thousands of years ago there was a physical human sacrifice which washed clean the sins of another human thousands of years prior, neither of which they had *anything* to do with, but they are somehow beholden to be responsible for millennia later AT BIRTH because the celestial dictator caused it with foreknowledge, who demands you either worship them or burn in hell, the “choice” is yours. Or in other words “yes master, please punish me for what someone else did and forgive me based on what someone else did. I agree you are top notch so please don’t punish me for eternity.” It’s so twisted when you actually think about it.

[@lindatheheathen]

Yay! I love Saturday morning with coffee & Emma!

[@andrearichardson7931]

When I was in college I came out in confidence to my Bible study leader. She was affirming of my sexuality, but she encouraged me to root my identity in God first. It was a time when I was feeling untethered, but Ive realized that my religion can only be part of who I am, for I am a whole complex person.

[@gustavmahler1466]

The world does not need saving we need no saviour

[@relaxolotl_ltoloxaler]

I mean…the world does kind of need saving, but FROM us. Humans are killing the planet.

[@gustavmahler1466]

@@relaxolotl_ltoloxaler we all are responsible we should all come together on climate change

[@gustavmahler1466]

@@reins981 the responsibility is ours

[@evelynmatt2000]

Rachel Oates would be the perfect creator to reach out to go through the girl defined book. She has done videos on girl defined and reviews literature and poetry for her channel. I think it be the most exciting collaboration! Hope you can reach out and do a video together.

[@happytofu5]

Yes please, the two would be awesome together!

[@shareetz3154]

Rachel is amazing!

[@ericb9252]

@@shareetz3154 No she isn't

[@ericb9252]

Why? That would just be 2 atheists vs 2 Christians. Why not reach to someone like God is Grey, who's a Christian, but not like Girl Defined.

[@brentwalker3300]

The act of "looking within" is central to most of the oldest religions/wisdom traditions in the world. The fact that Girl Defined eschews introspection and self-reflection is that it's just too hard for them and would require some real work and honesty.

[@yolandaponkers1581]

The way they talked about motherhood made me sick to my stomach. It says a lot about them that they think your identity as a parent - the most important identity a parent could possibly have - is stripped from you if your child passes away. Absolutely appalling.

[@mikezak4760]

Thank you for all the amazing content and for taking on some of really challenging topics and videos. Girl Defined, is very misguided in their attempt to "save" everyone who doesn't fit into their narrative. Saying someone is wrong doesn't make them wrong just because you believe they are. There is enough chastisement and segregation between people because of secular beliefs and religion should've have been used to bring people together but like everything else, it is more invasive than inclusive.

[@theplotghost]

One of the major reasons I enjoy Emma's content so much is the level of compassion she brings to the table; it takes a truly empathetic person to react to a bigot with understanding, admitting when an opposing view makes a valid or at least sympathizable argument, treating people with respect, etc. etc. Add on top of that a great sense of humor and fact checking, and I'm never disappointed. Thanks, Emma!

[@FateWorseThanDeath]

I love waking up Saturday morning to a quiet house and there's an Emma Thorne video for me 💕

[@MysticRhythmsYoga]

My biggest trauma from the Christian worldview was exactly that - wrapping my entire identity in Jesus, and believing that without his salvation I was basically worthless/going to h3ll. I went from worshipping Jesus for saving me, to realizing I don't need to be saved, I'm already valuable and worthy of agency, autonomy, and expressing my unique self as I am ❤ I prefer the term "spiritual sovereignty" I am training to start teaching yoga, and this is a big theme I want to expose my students to. It's up to you whenever you have spiritual practices/beliefs or not, and everyone deserves to define their own purpose and heal their own suffering for their own sake

[@brianneschinkel863]

Kristen looks like she's on the verge of tears throughout this entire video.

[@RubyTuesdayJB]

Yeah, at around 16:05 she looks really upset

[@dailybeliah]

Yes, this was my first thought when I saw the intro.

[@tempesttossed6029]

Many people with trauma or insecurity flock to religion. She's probably getting tr1ggered by her own remorse and dogma when they make these videos.

[@bekkers29]

"And what about all the people that grow up Christian, what about all the people that grow up being told that this is their identity and try desperately to cling to that, but in their hearts they feel it is wrong?" THANK YOU. I don't think I've ever heard my childhood described so well.

[@borkborkx10]

*looks skyward* "Tell me, God, who am I? He's never told me shit." --Emma's theology of religious epistemology and revelation. Can relate.

[@KitsuneSoup]

Background: I was raised Christian, and started asking questions when I was eight. Mom’s response was shoving Tim Lehaye down my throat before he wrote Left Behind. I went to college and learned religions, and ended up a fiercely non-religious Christian, mostly monotheist. Over a decade ago, I lost my job and went to work at a juvenile prison. I was hired because I was very tall, broad, and they thought I’d be intimidating. I was repeatedly reprimanded for not being so, trying to be calm. There are many stories, including juveniles coming back from court with another two weeks, laying in their bunks crying about how they ‘must not have prayed hard enough’ to get out. It is very difficult to try to comfort people in that situation. That was broken Christianity absolutely. Punishment based 100%. One that stuck out was this one layperson that would come in twice a week for church. He slowly became unhinged, beginning with how they were sinful and failures, literally spitting sometimes. Then he started in on banks, because they were going to foreclose on their church, because they borrowed some $3m to build a new nave and they weren’t making payments, but how dare they not respect the church. The breaking point that made us force him out that to a group of majority POC juveniles, he went into a rant about declining white birth rates and erasure. One of the kids laughed at him, he freaking snapped, and started screaming and kept escalating. Relevance: Christians will basically do anything they have to do to scream and get attention. They will claim now that the behavior is simply ‘teaching to the culture’, hence the clickbait. They do not care that the entire point is you’re supposed to teach and evangelize by action, not by screaming like angry mice. That and declining church attendance means they need revenue streams, and see how people who are very down and questioning identity and faith will donate hundreds a month to multiple churches looking to be saved. Makes me furious.

[@MaeljinRajah]

Im not a sinner, no need of being saved. The make believe God has done alot worse than me, am i supposed to save him? Lol

[@cpoco]

She was essentially saying "because your child could be taken away from you..." "you should consider them expendable... but your identity as someone who believes in God... that can't be taken away from you"... I mean she really did make it sound like you shouldn't be too attached to children because they could be taken away. What the hell!

[@GrampaPiggie]

"Get something to help you relax..." Thanks Emma. I usually drink water and play Skyrim while listening to your videos before going to bed. 🤗

[@sfshinz]

Whiskey, when exposed to Fundies.

[@mjb7015]

Counter-argument: (bear in mind I am an evil deceptive atheist) "God has written your true identity on your heart, so whatever you feel deep down that your identity is, that's what it is." It's still pretty awful (not to mention condescending and dismissive of people who struggle with their identity), but seems more consistent with New Testament fluff than Girl Defined's take.

[@teuast]

at one time, i thought i just didn't like the way women's voices sounded, because i'd hear people like girl defined or the transformed wife and they'd make my skin crawl even independent of the things they were saying, which also make my skin crawl. well, after listening to more people and hearing more points of view, i've figured out that it's not just women's voices, because i have the same reaction hearing guys like matt powell or sean mcdowell, and it's not actually women's voices either, because i'm perfectly fine listening to you and other female secular/leftist creators. it's the way they talk with this emotion that they definitely want to seem genuine but feels really practiced, and it's the same no matter what they're saying, they remind me of the bit in mass effect 1 where you find the indoctrinated salarians on virmire. the lights are on, but the house is automated and nobody lives there anymore, and it wants you to move in and become one of the robots.

[@bradleyzieber5113]

“Maybe don’t make a video right before you take your kids to swim lessons.” Love it!

[@andreanash2244]

"He's never told me shit." 🤣 I actually laughed out loud.

[@kyleepratt]

Also works as: He's never told me "Shit!"

[@LordXerus]

I’ve noticed that a lot of sermons on youtube basically boil down to “give up your agency and let us tell you what to think/be/do” and twist themselves in pretzels trying to package it as something good. On an unrelated note, I always thought the god of the old testament sounded like an alien that had crash landed on earth and was trying to use humans to survive/rebuild his spaceship: “Build me a tent, but don’t go in there! If you look at me you’ll die! Now bring me a roasted cow and lots of gold!”

[@dailyshadow]

You’re amazing and I hope you keep going. Love everything about you!

[@robertburdick2998]

They have a video talking about they have to not “ lust” after their husbands. The video pretty much made it look like they wanted to have sex with Jesus in place of their husbands.

[@Mothwoman1000]

defines self by gender (cis): good and godly :) defines self by gender (trans): ew icky sin >:(

[@kclightman]

I got my life goals from Terry Pratchett: "She never needed to find herself because she always knew who was doing the looking." --Witches Abroad Maybe I didn't always know what I was like, or wanted to be like, but I have always known that I'm in here in regardless.

[@katiegogerty9365]

I fully left the Catholic church in 2016 and only have been processing things more recently. A couple times I would speak with people who were still religious who would suggest I join a different branch of Christianity. I will never understand moving from one Christian religion to another as if that would solve things. As if my only problems with Catholicism was transubstantiation. When I was a Catholic child, Christian adults would say I was not a Christian anyway... very welcoming. There is so much shaming of others and hatred disguised as "caring for their eternal souls" in Christianity. After leaving, I did feel lost. I did feel like I didn't know what to do. But I knew I did not want to identify with this kind of messaging anymore. I get a lot of people telling me that "I hate God" and I say "I have no opinion on God, but Christianity and Christians have caused immeasurable harm."

[@Homer4prez]

I have a Catholic friend who will pray before work, eating a meal or even when after he hears a siren, but this guy is nice to everyone and never tries to spread the word. I even joke with him sometimes about the Flying Spaghetti Monster. IMO, he would be the person Jesus would come back as.

[@JimJamTheAdmin]

@@Homer4prez I have a Catholic friend that is very much the same. Just a nice guy who quietly prays every now and then and occasionally he thanks God for the beautiful weather and stuff. It really is just the attempts to proselytize that get to me.

[@blumythefool777]

When i was a christian i was very miserable cuz i was so ashamed of being a sinner, but now that i dont care its so much better

[@christofarien]

According to them god created us and thus our “inner self” was made by him so isn’t what they say blasphemy?

[@TheMouseAvenger]

Now that you mention it, yes! I very much think so!

[@mnshorten]

This is exactly the same mentality as toxic parenting. "I made you so you have to become the person that I want you to be." FuckTHAT!

[@tuntemon]

What makes identifies me is my nerdness. Playing board/card games. Building/painting miniatures. No book written 2000years ago made me who I am. I found myself in the nerd culture and it was just the perfect fit for me. These two are really hard to listen to. Because they interrupting each other to fill in the sentences. Also this whole thing of making some people to "test" them is just horrible. Why making it harder for some but not others? And after all this then punish them who didn't found that purpose. I'd love to see you doing something together with Rachel Oates since she has done some of their books as well. Gotta love some Emma snark on a Saturday!

[@bestpoubelle5332]

The way you said "we're going to talk about Girl Defined" gave me such David Attenborough vibes.

[@jenna2431]

That shot about "if your son died" somehow erasing her mother "identity" absolutely NOT. You're then the mother of a child who died, NOT let's just erase that child because they've died. Horrible.

[@4thDan]

Watching these two are exhausting because their pattern of speech is to ramble on at a thousand words a minute without making a coherent thought! It’s as if they’re frightened of slowing down, as if they THINK about what they’re saying, they just might realize they need to rethink their ideas!

[@aniieesteiner]

Thank you, Emma, for another great video. And also, excuse the rant.... Girl Defined (I don't know who is who, sorry) - I've struggled so much in my life for being single. Me - I've struggled so much in my life for being the caretaker of my mother who had cancer, caretaker for my alcoholic father, caretaker for my siblings because my parents couldn't/wouldn't be, for being intersex (maybe I should ask them to make that video/podcast on intersex people), for being non-binary, for being pan, for being autistic, for losing every single adult relative I knew at age 19-21, for losing a child, for.... Girl defined, please gtfo.... The only thing I've ever not struggled with is God, because that I knew never existed, even as a small child. I wonder if all the books I had on various mythologies had any influence on that...

[@MitchDenham]

These two women act exactly like they’re in an abusive relationship… Deeply concerning.

[@hadley827]

Just wanted to say I’m a lifelong Christian and I love your content!

[@eliasroflchopper3006]

Hope you aren't a Christian anymore

[@hadley827]

@@eliasroflchopper3006 I am 👍

[@eliasroflchopper3006]

@@hadley827 God damn

[@eliasroflchopper3006]

Oh I just exposed myself

[@5chevin5]

The first woman's (I don't know which one is which) lack of eye forward contact with the camera gives a dishonest with herself vibe. Their need to look into the ancient world for their personal dogma is bizarre, we live in a modern world, it's the only one we get. And they are both exhausting...... And wait, so in genesis it says that god created us in is own image, but simultaneously we are lost and fucked up without him...huh?

[@relaxolotl_ltoloxaler]

I was raised as a Jehovah’s Witness, and they 100% believe that the nephilim were real.

[@Therezumee92]

I feel a little lost and wouldn't mind someone telling me my purpose, but this is batshit crazy. Churches are some beautiful buildings, but I despise most of what they stand for.

[@tempesttossed6029]

I find some solace in bits and pieces of every religion. But the thing that hits me when I feel like I've done nothing of value is to tell myself that I cannot know what my purpose is, so I may have already achieved it. Maybe it happened when I soothed someone in a moment of depression, so they can go on and fulfill their purpose. Maybe it was in a simple kind gesture that a child needed to get through a bad home life. Maybe it was as simple as letting someone go ahead of me at a turn so they could get somewhere a bit quicker and avoid an accident. We can't know, but looking at things positively (and admittedly with some grandiosity) does help a bit.

[@NoGodsJustMetal]

The callback to basketball made me think - you know how many archers say that they hate the sport after having one bad shot? That doesn't mean we stop participating in the sport, we recognize the frustration and move on.

[@myoneblackfriend3151]

I deconverted from being a Christian. Why? I finally read the Bible. I was warned the it could happen and it did.

[@jaclo3112]

"The road to atheism is littered with bibles that have been read from cover to cover" ~Andrew Seidel.

[@westhood1607]

27:56, "True Freedom"... the way she says this reminds me of the "True Friendship" from the (My Little Pony S5E1). A cult-ish town of fake smiles.

[@markhaunert5029]

These 2 women remind me of Jordan Petersons " babbling". Love your video's. Thank you Emma.

[@rafegraves1453]

“I know your soul is not tainted. Even though you’ve been told so” -Ghost

[@Xiatter]

If God tells you who you are, how can Girl Defined know he doesn't tell people they're supposed to transition?

[@rapanuikapu904]

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that motherhood is forever. I'm sure that if a mother lost her son she would still consider herself a mother.

[@sethwooten5678]

Must be nice to have an ideology that simultaneously gives you an excuse for your shortcomings and an excuse to discriminate against others for being themselves.

[@ferdinandoescobar7497]

God's message is that we have all sinned and deserve condemnation. Jesus Christ came to save us.

[@sethwooten5678]

@@ferdinandoescobar7497 if we're all sinners that means no person on this earth has the right to condemn anyone else bc we are all just as bad as anyone else. Leave the condemnation up to god. Seems a bit arrogant to claim any of us speak for God, or Jesus for that matter. Every religion claims to know what God wants. When their religion inevitably fails to make sense they will say us mortals are not capable of understanding gods intentions. Then they go right back to telling people what God wants.

[@ferdinandoescobar7497]

@@sethwooten5678 God will condamn sinners to eternal fire. Christians are just messengers of the hope God gave us in Jesus Christ. Sin brings death. But if you're forgiven, you have eternal life.

[@sethwooten5678]

@@ferdinandoescobar7497 God sounds like a righteous asshole from what you're saying

[@sethwooten5678]

@@ferdinandoescobar7497 so, what happens to babies who die before being "forgiven"? Exactly which Christians bring the message of God? There are 45,000 different types of Christianity on this planet, and a lot of them don't like others. Did you know that Jews, Christians, and Muslims all pray to the same god? Apparently God doesn't like it when people worship anything but God, but Christians worship mother Mary, Jesus, Santa Claus, the Easter bunny, and all the saints