New Person

[staypuft]

I'm a new person in this forum.  I grew up in a happy family whose father and mother believed in Jesus.  I have loved my parents, and I also could hear the love they had for Jesus, and since I knew what love was, I also felt the love whenever my dad or my mom invoked Jesus, because he was referred to as well as God as the source of love.  I never heard about damnation or hell from my parents although I heard it in school, but I did pray and it became a part of me.  I don't remember when I started to be atheist because the last 2 or 3 years has been a blur, so many things have happened.  But I do know that doubt has crept in for the last 15 years.  Even though God was prayed to and it was a source of congregation with my family, I think there are other ways to congregate and show love for each other and our possible future because frankly I don't know why a superior being would want alms or prayers instead of being brothers.  Frankly, I don't care about superior beings whether they exist or not.  If they exist, then let's see them bring the cure for cancer to us.  I don't see any superior beings coming around soon or Jesus rising from the dead.  I do think that we don't know everything about science and that one day advanced beings or humans could somehow figure out the past and re-animate the dead, so that we can one day meet our dead brethren.  I don't follow the idea that humans become stupider as we age or less in need of things like a heaven which was promised us as a child.  All that being said, I don't think we need a vastly superior being in charge of it or in charge of the entire universe.  I still attend mass on occasion with my family even though it's like sending alms to an empty vessel, but it's more of being congregated with my family that is important to me.  I don't see myself going to church on a regular basis with my wife though if she were a believer because I like to spend my Sunday mornings doing other things.  In any event, I have read that in Belgium it's normal for people to be atheists and marry that way, and it's a very common thing.  I only wish that were the case here, so I'll say hello, and glad to read some of the things here, as this is a very diverse crowd.

[Recusant]

Hello and welcome to HAF, staypuft. I'm glad to hear that you still get along with your family; they sound like good people. I'm not sure why you mention Belgium in particular; I'd say that much of Europe (especially northern Europe) is fairly secular.

I hope you enjoy your time reading and posting here.

[Tank]

Hi Staypuft

Thanks for taking the time to sign up and join in. Your story is similar to many other members here, the gradual realisation that things don't add up with god in the equation.

Welcome to HAF

Regards
Chris

Notes for new members.
The Rules.

Users who comply with forum rules will graduate to full membership after 10 posts. Till that time your ability to post is limited to the "Getting to Know You" section of the forum. It is our hope that this small restriction improves the overall atmosphere of HAF.

Some threads you might find interesting.
Where did you get your username from?
10 Things About Yourself
Tell us A Bit About Where You're From
Photography
Non-religious pet peeves
How to tell your family you are an atheist.*

*You will need 10 posts before you can add a post to this thread, but you can read it at any time.

[The Magic Pudding]

Hello

I'm expecting Belgium to fall into the sea any day now.

Or it could be locusts, or maybe chocolate blight.

[Tank]

Hello

I'm expecting Belgium to fall into the sea any day now.

Or it could be locusts, or maybe chocolate blight.

No, Germany will invade again.

[DeterminedJuliet]

A waffle riot? 

[Recusant]

For me, the most interesting thing about Belgium these days is that it has been 519 days (and counting) that it has gone without an official formation of a government since the last election. As long as the Walloons and the Flemings can get along without an official government, there is hope for us all.

[xSilverPhinx]

Welcome staypuft!

For me, the most interesting thing about Belgium these days is that it has been 519 days (and counting) that it has gone without an official formation of a government since the last election. As long as the Walloons and the Flemings can get along without an official government, there is hope for us all.

That's interesting. Pity Attila no longer posts here, he would've liked to know that, if he didn't already.

[Ecurb Noselrub]

Hello, and welcome.

[BullyforBronto]

Welcome aboard, staypuft.

Is your user name a reference to Ghostbusters? You know, that giant marshmallow guy at the end of the movie?

[Tank]

Welcome aboard, staypuft.

Is your user name a reference to Ghostbusters? You know, that giant marshmallow guy at the end of the movie?

I wondered that too.

[BullyforBronto]

It's one of my favorive movies. They just don't make comedies anymore like they did in the '80s.

[staypuft]

Is your user name a reference to Ghostbusters? You know, that giant marshmallow guy at the end of the movie?

Yep.  I always liked the staypuft marshmallow man in that movie, except when he got really pissed hehe.

[Tank]

Is your user name a reference to Ghostbusters? You know, that giant marshmallow guy at the end of the movie?

Yep.  I always liked the staypuft marshmallow man in that movie, except when he got really pissed hehe.

Well we know what your avatar is going to be when you get to 10 posts!