Happy Atheist Forum

Hello everyone.  My name is Tim and I have always been an atheist as far back as I can remember.  I have always had people tell me that I was smart but never
really believed that growing up. However, I was always self aware and understood things as they happened around me.  I can  even recall things when I was very young.  
Most of my worst life challenges and experiences have been with people who were religious and it seemed once they found out you had no religion you were really a
target to them.  I have always seen people who stated they were of a certain religion as out to do harm to others.  It is seen around the world what belief has done to people.
It's really something to see how they have turned American upside down since this country was founded.  

I have always been alone in this world.  I learned that if you do not go with masses you will be alone at just about everything you do. But, I am glad I can see things clearly.
Knowing that I can not have a girlfriend because I don't believe in a certain religion is something. When most of the relationships I have had most of the young ladies did lots of bad things, but I found that my sin of not believing in anything was far worse. When you are chosen over guys who sell drugs and have no education that make you wonder, "Wow maybe there is something wrong with me".  

I really realize that I am fine.  I am a Human being.  A person who uses common sense to make sense of simple life.

Welcome to the forum!  I think reaching out to like minded people is a good first step to not feeling alone.  I hope you like it here.  

Welcome to the forums. I hope you'll find that the people here very cool.

Hello and welcome, Timor!  

welcome to haf.  A black friend of mine just returned from a black atheist convention.  I think it is a yearly event and if you think it might be something you'd enjoy you can probably find more info if you google a bit.

Welcome, Tim, fellow human being. Yep, you're fine. Thanks for the introduction. Hope you have fun here.

Hi!  
Welcome to not being completely alone any more.

Welcome!  

No, there's nothing wrong with you, you are just surrounded by people who have been indoctrinated to see anyone different from them as a threat.  

Don't give up on finding a girlfriend you can get along with.  I've found that I can find like-minded people online via OKCupid, even just looking for friends.  I was surprised to find how many atheists and agnostics there are in my red spot in a blue state city.  You can search for a partner or even just friends by setting the search to look specifically for atheists.

Welcome, I'm sure you'll love it here.
I too know discrimination at the hands of religious people.

Which is why I tend not to expose my atheism to people anymore.

Welcome, Tim!

I think you will enjoy this forum. People here are up for great discussions and are very open-minded and 'Friendly' (as the name suggests!). They even deal politely with the trolls...! :bananacolor:

Welcome, Tim!
 :welcome:  :welcome:  :welcome:  :welcome:  :welcome:  :welcome:

Welcome to the show, here, have a milk shake of your choice.  

Hello and welcome!  

Thank you all for your greetings

Hi Tim

Glad you found you're way here!

Welcome to the forum Tim (that's also my name ). Hope you have fun here.

Tim

May I ask why you introduced yourself as a 'black atheist'? It's apparently important to you that we know this particular aspect about you but it is an aspect we could never know unless you told us or showed us in a picture. I'm asking you this because I once thought to myself, how many members at RDF were black or asian or white and considered starting a thread about it. I didn't because it occurred to me how rude and bad mannered it would be. On a forum it's what you say that counts, all aspects of a persons physicality are irrelevant. There was one chap at RDF who was practically blind, we met once for a pint as he was passing through Leeds once. Another member who I had never seen is the scruffiest individual I have ever laid eyes on but as erudite as one could wish for on the forum. So I am interested why you mention an aspect of your physicality, that on a forum makes no practical difference to how you are perceived?

Leslie

Yes! I know! I didn't choose it, it's my Fathers name too  

Quote from: "Tank"Leslie

...You have seriously got to be the most English man I've ever run into on the internet.  I hope you don't find that offensive!  It's just...wow.  

Quote from: "pinkocommie"

Quote from: "Tank"Leslie

...You have seriously got to be the most English man I've ever run into on the internet.  I hope you don't find that offensive!  It's just...wow.  :D  I quite enjoy the feeling of being a bit of a novelty when I'm in the USA, it usually works in my favour. Although not always, in Boston I went into a pub and there was a really obnoxious bore of a 'faux Irish' American chap who wouldn't shut up about how the IRA would kill 'The fucking Queen!' one day, his mates eventually quietened him down.

I was not aware that the 'F' word was a lot more taboo in the USA than in the UK. While being introduced to an incredibly pompous twat who said he had a degree in Marketing from Harvard I commented something like 'Well that's us fucking told!'. I swear he looked like I'd kicked him in the nuts! One of the Americans on our team said 'Don't mind that, he's English.' So my eccentricity was accepted and I could get away with quite a lot!  ;) ) of his skin in RL and much less so on a forum, so why is it important to Tim? Most intriguing.

Quote from: "pinkocommie"

Quote from: "Tank"Leslie

...You have seriously got to be the most English man I've ever run into on the internet.  I hope you don't find that offensive!  It's just...wow.  :D

Quote from: "karadan"

Quote from: "pinkocommie"

Quote from: "Tank"Leslie

...You have seriously got to be the most English man I've ever run into on the internet.  I hope you don't find that offensive!  It's just...wow.  :D

One has to type in an English accent.

Quote from: "Tank"I loath Cricket as a 'sport' but as an excuse for a picnic on a nice sunny summers day it's ideal as you have to pay very little attention, except when there is a good batsman and then you have to be careful of 'incoming!'.

Not that this has anything to do with anything, but how does cricket work anyway? I've never heard of a non-british person who understands that sport...

Quote from: "Cecilie"

Quote from: "Tank"I loath Cricket as a 'sport' but as an excuse for a picnic on a nice sunny summers day it's ideal as you have to pay very little attention, except when there is a good batsman and then you have to be careful of 'incoming!'.

Not that this has anything to do with anything, but how does cricket work anyway? I've never heard of a non-british person who understands that sport...

I started a new thread with the explanation because i didn't want to derail this one.

viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4989&p=66851#p66851 (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=4989&p=66851#p66851)

Good idea I posted there!

Quote from: "karadan"

Quote from: "pinkocommie"

Quote from: "Tank"Leslie

...You have seriously got to be the most English man I've ever run into on the internet.  I hope you don't find that offensive!  It's just...wow.  :D

Match more of the stereotypes then normal mabye?


And welcome to our humble forum Tim.

Haha. Leslie...

Quote from: "Cecilie"Haha. Leslie...

I was in 5th grade the first time I met anyone by the name Leslie, and that was a boy in my class. So it holds no particular connotation with me, though he went by Les.

@OP: I was curious about that as well, then I remembered this post from just over a month ago (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=63330#p63330). I do get it, though, I think; I kind of spelled out everything I could about my identity in my intro (http://www.happyatheistforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=58606#p58606), just to sort of test how ok people were going to be with it. No complaints, so far.  

To prevent confusion I think I should point out that Leslie isn't my first name it's my middle name, my first name is Christopher. The discussions where Leslie came up in America was when we were discussing names in general. But I was happy to have the nick name Leslie as it's a bit different and as such gets remembered. So I'm Chris or Leslie whichever takes your fancy  

Now everybody tell their names.  

Quote from: "Cecilie"Now everybody tell their names.  :shake:

Quote from: "Tom62"

Quote from: "Cecilie"Now everybody tell their names.  :shake:

(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg34.imageshack.us%2Fimg34%2F2438%2Fheheoc.gif&hash=50cf1131f6316b9f48965cce1bfe1877dc8f90e7)

Farqua?

Quote from: "Tank"

Quote from: "Tom62"

Quote from: "Cecilie"Now everybody tell their names.  :shake:

(https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg34.imageshack.us%2Fimg34%2F2438%2Fheheoc.gif&hash=50cf1131f6316b9f48965cce1bfe1877dc8f90e7)

Farqua?

Nope. It is Maria    (Thomas Antonius Maria van Breukelen is my full name)

Quote from: "Tom62"

Quote from: "Tank"Farqua?

Nope. It is Maria  :eek: Okay, now we need the backstory. However Thomas Antonius Maria van Breukelen IS a super cool name overall!

Quote from: "Tom62"Thomas Antonius Maria van Breukelen is my full name

That is an amazing name!

Quote from: "Tom62"It is Maria

Just like the author of All Quiet on the Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erich_Maria_Remarque).  

I wish I had an embarrasing middle name... Well, sort of.  

Quote from: "Tank" Okay, now we need the backstory. However Thomas Antonius Maria van Breukelen IS a super cool name overall!

My catholic mother was to blame. She came from a catholic family and thought it was cool to give her children the middle name Maria. My father, who was a less devout catholic, managed to persuade her that having three kids with that middle name was enough, so my youngest brother got spared.

Quote from: "Tom62"

Quote from: "Tank" Okay, now we need the backstory. However Thomas Antonius Maria van Breukelen IS a super cool name overall!

My catholic mother was to blame. She came from a catholic family and thought it was cool to give her children the middle name Maria. My father, who was a less devout catholic, managed to persuade her that having three kids with that middle name was enough, so my youngest brother got spared.

Were your two older siblings also male and thus suffer 'The curse of Maria' as well?

Quote from: "Tank"Were your two older siblings also male and thus suffer 'The curse of Maria' as well?

I've got indeed three brothers. Carl is older than me, Peter and Erik are younger. Only Erik doesn't suffer from the Maria curse.

Quote from: "Tank"Tim

May I ask why you introduced yourself as a 'black atheist'?

being a black (american)  atheist is a minority inside the minority.

other black people (the women in particular) write you off as a lost weirdo, which brings about a deeeeeeeep head scratch for me

Quote from: "TheWilliam"

Quote from: "Tank"Tim

May I ask why you introduced yourself as a 'black atheist'?

being a black (american)  atheist is a minority inside the minority.

other black people (the women in particular) write you off as a lost weirdo, which brings about a deeeeeeeep head scratch for me

I understand that better now. Humblesmurph has added to my understanding of the particular circumstances black atheists find themselves in. The attitude of black women towards black atheists has also cropped up in his posts. As you say, deep head scratching moment!

Hi there, sorry to hear of your troubles.  I hope it may be a consolation when I say that in my experience real love brushes aside differences, even those so apparently deep as faith or its absence.

Hi there tim,

Don't give up on your quest for like minded people. This forum has been a refuge for me. I know it can sometimes seem attractive to give in to the herd mentality especially when you find yourself lonely but trust me peace of mind comes from intellectual honesty. As a former theist it is great to be free of religion it is abusive and it sucks all of the beauty out of life. You aren't missing much. Oh and btw there are more black atheists than you think but many are not so vocal because of the costs associated with being honest...religion is very deeply rooted in black culture and it can be difficult to "come out" but slowly that is changing.

[youtube:2jw8fck9]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pBtsIm2k5E[/youtube:2jw8fck9]

^^^^^^^

yooooooo , that was nice,

does that dude have an album?

i don't just like what he was talking about but that he was fresh on the mic in general.

Quote from: "TheWilliam"does that dude have an album?

Three or four, actually.  He also covers a variety of topics in his music.  On top of all that, he has a masters(?) in physics.

http://www.amazon.com/Compton-Effect-Gr ... B000TUDY4K (http://www.amazon.com/Compton-Effect-Greydon-Square/dp/B000TUDY4K)

Welcome, but can you tell me why you chose that avatar.
If a white guy chose an equivalent avatar, I might view him as a right wing fascist asshole.
I am of another culture, I haven't reached any conclusions and I'm not trying to insult you, but why?

Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"Welcome, but can you tell me why you chose that avatar.
If a white guy chose an equivalent avatar, I might view him as a right wing fascist asshole.
I am of another culture, I haven't reached any conclusions and I'm not trying to insult you, but why?

If I looked that buff I'd use me as an avatar irrespective of the colour of my skin.  

Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"Welcome, but can you tell me why you chose that avatar.
If a white guy chose an equivalent avatar, I might view him as a right wing fascist asshole.
I am of another culture, I haven't reached any conclusions and I'm not trying to insult you, but why?

Assuming you're speaking to William, what's wrong with a picture of (presumably) yourself with no shirt on?

Ok Tim and William are one and the same No?  Anyway, hello Tim/William.  I'm black too.  I've had troubles with the not so religious but very judgmental for my lack of belief black females as well.  I'm glad there is another person on the forum that openly shares my plight to a certain degree.  If/when I get more comfortable with you, I'll tell you to put a goddamned shirt on.

ps imo Greydon Square is cool but he gets a little redundant after a while. It's sometimes hard to have a good flow when you always have roughly the same agenda.  

pps Yo Tank, Leslie huh?  Too funny.

Quote from: "humblesmurph"pps Yo Tank, Leslie huh?  Too funny.

F*** off (https://www.happyatheistforum.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg43.imageshack.us%2Fimg43%2F4330%2Fgring.gif&hash=636178b2f4403fbb79bac6871d86223491c20eb4)

Quote from: "humblesmurph"Ok Tim and William are one and the same No?  

No.  Tim has no avatar, though.

Thanks Poop.  Sorry for the confusion.  Welcome aboard anyway The William.  Good day to you too Leslie.

Quote from: "PoopShoot"

Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"Welcome, but can you tell me why you chose that avatar.
If a white guy chose an equivalent avatar, I might view him as a right wing fascist asshole.
I am of another culture, I haven't reached any conclusions and I'm not trying to insult you, but why?

Assuming you're speaking to William, what's wrong with a picture of (presumably) yourself with no shirt on?

Because you'd look like a wanker.

Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"

Quote from: "PoopShoot"

Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"Welcome, but can you tell me why you chose that avatar.
If a white guy chose an equivalent avatar, I might view him as a right wing fascist asshole.
I am of another culture, I haven't reached any conclusions and I'm not trying to insult you, but why?

Assuming you're speaking to William, what's wrong with a picture of (presumably) yourself with no shirt on?

Because you'd look like a wanker.

Implying I'm not a wanker.

well,

I'm from Washington State and I don't know what a wanker is.

but I do know that between early 2005 and mid 2007, i became a fat man.

......and in August 2007, I stopped eating wrong and started living right, and I love how i look now, and since I live in Florida now it's always hot, so tank top or shirtless is normal.

I still like some junkfood, but instead of just buying a pack of oreos and attacking them, I bake treats every Sunday and share them around.

If there is a fitness section on this forum I'd love to talk about fitness and nutrition, but I don't want to go clogging regular threads with that stuff.

Quote from: "TheWilliam"well,

I'm from Washington State and I don't know what a wanker is.

but I do know that between early 2005 and mid 2007, i became a fat man.

......and in August 2007, I stopped eating wrong and started living right, and I love how i look now, and since I live in Florida now it's always hot, so tank top or shirtless is normal.

I still like some junkfood, but instead of just buying a pack of oreos and attacking them, I bake treats every Sunday and share them around.

If there is a fitness section on this forum I'd love to talk about fitness and nutrition, but I don't want to go clogging regular threads with that stuff.

OK I kind of get it, if someone spent a lot of time working on a car and they were proud of it, they might stick it up there as their avatar.
Your hobby is working on you and your proud of the result hence the avatar.
In Australia I think people are more modest, though less so now than they used to be.
The culture frowns on people who self promote, or boast about themselves.
This can go too far, there is something we called the tall popy syndrome.
This is where the public lop people down to size if they become successful and too full of themselves.
Anyway sorry for questioning your avatar, it was impolite and you've replied politely.

Quote from: "TheWilliam"well,

I'm from Washington State and I don't know what a wanker is.

but I do know that between early 2005 and mid 2007, i became a fat man.

......and in August 2007, I stopped eating wrong and started living right, and I love how i look now, and since I live in Florida now it's always hot, so tank top or shirtless is normal.

I still like some junkfood, but instead of just buying a pack of oreos and attacking them, I bake treats every Sunday and share them around.

If there is a fitness section on this forum I'd love to talk about fitness and nutrition, but I don't want to go clogging regular threads with that stuff.

The laid back lounge is a good place for that.  Start a thread.  I'd be interested to know of some of the tactics you used to get from fat to fit.

Quote from: "The Magic Pudding"If a white guy chose an equivalent avatar, I might view him as a right wing fascist asshole.

A shirtless bald white guy does not necessarily mean right-wing or neo-Nazi.

Think of Picard in 'Chain of Command'. THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS!

Quote from: "TheWilliam"I'm from Washington State and I don't know what a wanker is.

"Wanker" literally means "person who masturbates".  It implies being that creepy guy that sits at the end of the bar who mumbles to himself whenever a female gets up to pee.  Or something like that.

Quote from: "TheWilliam"I'm from Washington State and I don't know what a wanker is.

This strikes me as a strange thing to say.  I'm from Washington State and I totally know what a wanker is.  Anyway, what part of the state are you from?

I personally was born in Yakima, but I grew up in California and am most familiar with the Wenatchee area, Tri-Cities and I have spent a fair amount of time in South Bend/Raymond.

geographically, I'm from the South Puget Sound.

The County of Pierce between Tacoma, Spanaway, Parkland & Lakewood.
The vernacular varies, but there really isn't much of it.

Quote from: "TheWilliam"geographically, I'm from the South Puget Sound.

The County of Pierce between Tacoma, Spanaway, Parkland & Lakewood.
The vernacular varies, but there really isn't much of it.

Haha, yeah, I live in Auburn.  I don't go much further south often, though.  Those paper mills alone are enough to keep me away, not to mention the troubles South Hill often has.  I grew up in Kent/Maple Valley.  Most people have never heard of Maple Valley, but we were close to Enumclaw.  You know, where the horse fuckers live.    Do you prefer Florida?  I lived in Texas for a while, Corpus Christi so it was all palm trees and beautiful beaches, but I still came back.

Poop - I've never really hung out in Eastern Washington, but I hear it's a different world.  I remember when I was a kid, we almost moved to the Tri-Cities but my mom refused because she read somewhere that gangs were bad in that area.  I always wondered if that was true.

QuoteDo you prefer Florida?

nopers, and I live on the edge of the city and it's still annoying.

I'd rather live on HillTop again than grow old here, but I'm watching my nieces grow up and helping with nieces that aren't really my nieces.

when they're all off to college I'll back up North to die.

Quote from: "pinkocommie"Poop - I've never really hung out in Eastern Washington, but I hear it's a different world.

There are three Washington states.  Maybe four.  Eastern and Western Washington are very different from one another, but that also changes from North to South on either side as well, though the bulk of Western Washington is pretty uniform until you get pretty deep into the Olympic peninsula.  On the Eastern side, it's pretty well half and half with Spokane and North being just as different as East/West.

QuoteI remember when I was a kid, we almost moved to the Tri-Cities but my mom refused because she read somewhere that gangs were bad in that area.  I always wondered if that was true.

Considering the Puget Sound area?  No.  It's just as well though, if you don't speak Spanish.

Quote from: "PoopShoot"

Quote from: "TheWilliam"I'm from Washington State and I don't know what a wanker is.

"Wanker" literally means "person who masturbates".  It implies being that creepy guy that sits at the end of the bar who mumbles to himself whenever a female gets up to pee.  Or something like that.

That's not the usage that was in my mind.
This is more the thing:

QuoteOne connotation implies egotistical and self-indulgent behaviour. This is the dominant meaning in Australia and New Zealand.

But I'm not calling anyone anything.
I can't think of an American expression as elegant as wanker, show off is pretty weak.

Show boater maybe?

I think you have nice breasts.

Quote from: "Thumpalumpacus"I think you have nice breasts.

Why thank you.

No, I was addressing TheWilliam.  I know you have nice tits.

oh, well thank you.

i'm actually working on them specifically through the end of October.

this other dude ironically named William is about the same size as me, and we're having a little competition on who can get their tits bigger faster.

he's using protein shakes and heavy starch,

and i'm using white meat chicken and turkey, with light starch.

Welcome, what you've realized it the within essence of truth.