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Hello from East Tennessee

Started by RobTaylor, May 25, 2016, 01:02:46 AM

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RobTaylor

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.

Firebird

 :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.
"Great, replace one book about an abusive, needy asshole with another." - Will (moderator) on replacing hotel Bibles with "Fifty Shades of Grey"

Recusant

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?
10 Things About Yourself
Tell us A Bit About Where You're From
Photography
Non-religious pet peeves
Pets...what do you have?
How to tell your family you are an atheist
"Rules for Conducting a Discussion" by Dr. Mortimer J. Adler

. . . And of course, the Forum Rules.

I hope you enjoy your time reading and posting here.   :welcome:
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Tank

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
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Asmodean

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.
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

OldGit

Welcome, Rob.  We're always glad to support new atheists, especially those from places where it's unpopular.

Tank

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.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Asmodean

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!  >:(
Quote from: Ecurb Noselrub on July 25, 2013, 08:18:52 PM
In Asmo's grey lump,
wrath and dark clouds gather force.
Luxembourg trembles.

Magdalena

 :computerwave:
Hello, RobTaylor, from a small town near Knoxville, TN.
Welcome.

"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

Icarus

Welcome Rob. HAF is composed of a pretty neat lot of people, get to know us. You will find us friendly, fun, and caring.

Bad Penny II

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.

Take my advice, don't listen to me.

Magdalena


"I've had several "spiritual" or numinous experiences over the years, but never felt that they were the product of anything but the workings of my own mind in reaction to the universe." ~Recusant

xSilverPhinx

I am what survives if it's slain - Zack Hemsey


gentle_dissident

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.

Sandra Craft

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.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany