My first time reaching out to other Atheists

[Cyberpunk85]

Hello everyone,

I've never reached out to other Atheists before. Religion is just a topic I've never found myself debating about because being a non-believer garners a ridiculous stigma that I can't fathom. But in truth, I really don't care anymore, which is why I'm here.

I don't look down on those who practice their religions peacefully. Whatever makes someone happy and adds purpose to their lives is fine by me. What I can not stand for, however, are religious extremists who shove their biggoted beliefs down everyone's throats. Organized religion as a whole, the dogma of it, is what bothers me: excuses to ridicule, criticize, ostracize, hate, and even harm anyone who doesn't share the race, creed, sexual perference, or origins that they do.

Anyway, I'm mostly here because I'm tired of the stigma and misconceptions about Atheists. In truth, Atheists are the most strong-willed people that I know. They have managed to elude the indoctrination into a system that has successfully brainwashed billions for thousands of years. They can live moral and ethical lives without hope of achieving a reward in the afterlife, and what's more, they can live comfortably by knowing that this life is all there is and all we can do is make the best of it.

Anyway, that's me. Hello!

[Asmodean]

Hi! Being atheist in parts of the world is nothing special at all, really. In others, there is a shitstorm of shit attached to the label...

As for us being strong-willed, well... Some are, others are not. We are just people, who have our lack of a belief in gods in common. Again, in some areas of the world, being an open atheist probably does take an extra effort of will... I don't live there, so can not speak from experience, but many people here do.

Welcome! Enjoy the blasphemously heretical baby grillings  

[Cyberpunk85]

Thanks for the welcome. I'm from the US, where it's "un-American" to be an Atheist. It's so bad that conservative media blasted the president for not including God in his Thanksgiving Day address, a purely secular holiday. It boggles my mind sometimes.

But yeah, I understand it's not really a big deal in most places. Again, sorry if I seem naive. I've never spoken to other Atheists before.

[Asmodean]

Well, if it's "un-American", you can always tell them you're from Europe. Scandinavia, for instance. Very nice, high standard of living, cool nature for those who are into such and a general fuck-not-given attitude towards divine matters.

Except for a few weirdos, some door-to-door Watchtower and super-undies salesmen, an occasional street preacher and perhaps someone's old grandma, gods and churches very rarely come up in casual day-to-day conversation.

[Davin]

This is a place for you to discuss things and hopefully learn a thing or two while you're at it. It can also be a place to vent about your experiences to discuss them. IMAO, being niave is not a big deal so long as it's not paired with arrogance or rudeness.

Welcome to the forums, have fun.

[xSilverPhinx]

Welcome!

I think the new atheist movement, symbolised by people such as Dawkins and Hitchens shows that even after centuries of being taught to respect ridiculous beliefs, the non-believing portions of populations are reaching their "enough!" moment. Ridiculous beliefs should not have special respect because they're help by the majority of the population. Even less because there's a threat of hell that theists like to attach to any criticism or questioning.

[Crow]

How do and welcome,

I hope you enjoy the forum.

[Tank]

Hi Cyberpunk85

I'm from the UK and have never been a believer, none of my kids are and neither is my grandson (but he's 13 months old so doesn't really count yet). None of my kids partners are theists either. So a nice superstition free family  

Thanks for making the effort to sign up and join in.

Welcome to HAF.

Regards
Chris

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[Traveler]

Hello and welcome aboard!!! I feel much the same as you do, especially in the last ten years or so when radical fundamentalists seem to be gaining a stranglehold on our government. Hopefully we can start reversing the trend. Religious people I know in real life are usually just fine. A wide variety of persons with varying beliefs. But traveling through the bible belt, and seeing our government succumb to ignorant concepts of religion has really soured me in some ways. I thought this was the land of the free ...

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it here.

[yodachoda]

I'm a new atheist too

[carley]

I'm in the US (Southern) and I understand what you mean about Christianity being such a pervasive entity here. I agree that religion brings a lot of good to some, but I feel it can be very harmful, too. Especially to kids - so many fear tactics are used. And, don't even get me started about missionaries. Welcome. I'm new here, too. It's nice to have a place to be open about your views without the stigma or implication that you're gonna burn just for thinking.

[MadBomr101]

Hello everyone,

I've never reached out to other Atheists before. Religion is just a topic I've never found myself debating about because being a non-believer garners a ridiculous stigma that I can't fathom. But in truth, I really don't care anymore, which is why I'm here.

I don't look down on those who practice their religions peacefully. Whatever makes someone happy and adds purpose to their lives is fine by me. What I can not stand for, however, are religious extremists who shove their biggoted beliefs down everyone's throats. Organized religion as a whole, the dogma of it, is what bothers me: excuses to ridicule, criticize, ostracize, hate, and even harm anyone who doesn't share the race, creed, sexual perference, or origins that they do.

Anyway, I'm mostly here because I'm tired of the stigma and misconceptions about Atheists. In truth, Atheists are the most strong-willed people that I know. They have managed to elude the indoctrination into a system that has successfully brainwashed billions for thousands of years. They can live moral and ethical lives without hope of achieving a reward in the afterlife, and what's more, they can live comfortably by knowing that this life is all there is and all we can do is make the best of it.

Anyway, that's me. Hello!

All of that makes me like you.

[Amalthea]

Hello Cyberpunk85  I'm new too, and I think reaching out to like-minded people is good for all of us. That being said, I also appreciate your acceptance of those who practice religion peacefully and earnestly. Most people need some sense of purpose in their lives, and oftentimes religion provides the only satisfying answer to a harsh and sometimes unbearable existance. Even the people who think the value of their belief is in proportion to the size of a Harvest Church bumper sticker aren't necessarily bad, only set in poor and inherited habits.

[MadBomr101]

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[envilid]

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At least he complimented how attractive the forum is.

I sort of know how it is to live around nothing but theists. Though a lot of the people I ended up being around in school and for awhile after were more inclined to atheism. Not all, but the others were fine with our beliefs and didn't seem to follow their religion very closely anyway. Even though I lived in a small town and I believe my graduating class was around 100. My closest friends are atheist, but if I try to bring up something like that with my dad it gets a bit awkward. If hes drinking he'll play 'Foreigner - Blinded by Science' And I'll counter with 'NOFX - Leaving Jesus Land' though this happened only once and I felt uncomfortable playing it for very long. Hes told me he "KNOWS God exists" which I find annoying since the whole thing is based on faith and unknowable, but I'm not gonna try to convert my family of course so I don't argue.

Edit: I'd like to say that I'm in a small town in Oklahoma, which is part of the bible belt. My town had something like 6-7 churches in it and wasn't very big, but it seemed like in someway that the generation coming up was for some part going to be less religious than the last.

I've also seen a lot of pro atheism in the media lately (except fox news of course). Though I do watch a lot of shows in the 18-36 demographic.