Happy Atheist Forum

Getting To Know You => Introductions => Topic started by: RobTaylor on May 25, 2016, 01:02:46 AM

Title: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: RobTaylor on May 25, 2016, 01:02:46 AM
My name is Rob. I live in a small town near Knoxville, TN. I came out of the dark 2 months ago. I've been obsessed with reading books by Hitchens, Dawkins, Silverman, Harris, and a few others that are a little satirical. Being an out and proud Atheist is not easy in this area but I hope to inspire others to feel a bit safer to openly express their views of the world.
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Firebird on May 25, 2016, 03:27:51 AM
 :animwelcome:

I'm from the godless Northeast myself (Boston by way of New York) so I've had it easy, but there's plenty of members here living in more religious parts of the country who can relate. Hope you enjoy it here.
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Recusant on May 25, 2016, 06:37:15 AM
Hello and welcome to HAF, RobTaylor. I'm glad you found this place. Take a look around, and don't hesitate to ask any questions that come to mind.

Some threads you might find interesting:

Where did you get your username from? (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=5133.0)
10 Things About Yourself  (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=4940.0)
Tell us A Bit About Where You're From (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=8215.0)
Photography (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=7607.0)
Non-religious pet peeves (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=6917.0)
Pets...what do you have? (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=7.0)
How to tell your family you are an atheist (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=5111.0)
"Rules for Conducting a Discussion" by Dr. Mortimer J. Adler (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=5631.0)

. . . And of course, the Forum Rules (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/index.php?topic=1522.0).

I hope you enjoy your time reading and posting here.   :welcome:
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Tank on May 25, 2016, 06:49:40 AM
Hello Rob

I'm a never-theist atheist, mum Christian dad atheist. My theistic education as a child was more of an inoculation than indoctrination. So I've never been through what I call the 'escape phase' when you're out and running looking for somewhere to shout 'I'm free!'. We'll you've found it here :)

Welcome to HAF  :cheers:

Regards
Chris
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Asmodean on May 25, 2016, 08:36:40 AM
Quote from: Tank on May 25, 2016, 06:49:40 AM
never-theist
Hey, wasn't it The Asmo who coined that one? He did, didn't He? He seems to remember doing so.

In any case, hello, welcome and all the rest of them generic pleasantries.

Also a never-theist here. Personally, I'm not proud of being an atheist any more than I am proud of being male or enjoying spicy food - that's just who I am, and not being an accomplishment, it deserves no pride, but I see how it's different for a vast number of people. As such, I approve of your ambition to inspire others, but when it comes to the safety of it as opposed to the impression of safety... Well, as you probably understand, that one is hardly a matter of inspiration. People will always be judged for who they are, what they do and how they percieve the world around them. And some will be judged far more harshly than others.
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: OldGit on May 25, 2016, 09:08:55 AM
Welcome, Rob.  We're always glad to support new atheists, especially those from places where it's unpopular.
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Tank on May 25, 2016, 01:11:59 PM
Quote from: Asmodean on May 25, 2016, 08:36:40 AM
Quote from: Tank on May 25, 2016, 06:49:40 AM
never-theist
Hey, wasn't it The Asmo who coined that one? He did, didn't He? He seems to remember doing so.
...
I was using it at Richard Dawkins forum before I came here so we may have an example of convergent evolution.
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Asmodean on May 25, 2016, 01:26:37 PM
An eye is an eye is an eye. Time and time again. Sayeth so in The Gray Tome.


...Or was it an eye for an eye for an eye..?  :???:

The Asmo invokes quantum uncertainty and decalres that it is a, b, a AND b and also neither a nor b. HA! Counter-argue THAT Gray Wisdom!  >:(
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Magdalena on May 25, 2016, 06:30:44 PM
 :computerwave:
Hello, RobTaylor, from a small town near Knoxville, TN.
Welcome.
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Icarus on May 26, 2016, 02:29:44 AM
Welcome Rob. HAF is composed of a pretty neat lot of people, get to know us. You will find us friendly, fun, and caring.
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Bad Penny II on May 26, 2016, 04:07:26 AM
Quote from: Icarus on May 26, 2016, 02:29:44 AM
Welcome Rob. HAF is composed of a pretty neat lot of people, get to know us. You will find us friendly, fun, and caring.

Errk, what a revolting prospect.
If I was one of those awful loathsome (and I don't mean "awful loathsome" in an admirable way) gif posters Wednesday Adams would go here.

Anyway hello, you've been warned.

Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Magdalena on May 26, 2016, 04:30:04 AM
Quote from: Bad Penny II on May 26, 2016, 04:07:26 AM
here.
Sorry but you are not allowed to view spoiler contents.
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: xSilverPhinx on May 26, 2016, 05:02:07 AM
Welcome to HAF, Rob!
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: gentle_dissident on June 25, 2016, 12:07:32 AM
Quote from: RobTaylor on May 25, 2016, 01:02:46 AM
I've been obsessed with reading books by Hitchens, Dawkins, Silverman, Harris
The religious will ironically tell you that you're only an atheist because a book told you to be.
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Sandra Craft on June 25, 2016, 12:27:39 AM
Quote from: gentle_dissident on June 25, 2016, 12:07:32 AM
Quote from: RobTaylor on May 25, 2016, 01:02:46 AM
I've been obsessed with reading books by Hitchens, Dawkins, Silverman, Harris
The religious will ironically tell you that you're only an atheist because a book told you to be.

In my case, that's kind of true -- I joke that I started reading the bible at Genesis as a Xtian and finished at Revelations an atheist.  There's more to it than that, of course, but it was the bible that got me started on the atheist path.  Didn't read a book written by an atheist until at least a decade after that.
Title: Re: Hello from East Tennessee
Post by: Essie Mae on June 27, 2016, 12:09:38 PM
Hello Rob from a quite old Brit woman. Congrats on seeing the light. As well as all that friendly guff, you can learn new things on here, the most recent for me being the definition of 'sounding' which raised my eyebrow higher than it's ever been and it's not come down yet.  (I had to look it up - glad no-one's ever going to want to see my search history). You never know what you'll encounter next.