My name is Christiaan and I'm an alcoholic...

[sekelmaan]

...crap. Wrong forum. Atheist.

How are you doing? I have been out of the closet since I was five years old, thanks to a scientific father and grandfather who literally beat any religion left in me right out in the name of god. But this is not a sad story. Not really a story at all.

I have never had a problem spouting my beliefs, even proselytized for a stint. At least, until I realized I was being as annoying as people who came to my door and tried to sell me their god. So I quit. Stopped selling godlessness. But times seem to be a changin' and I think that something needs to get done.

I am sick of living in this religion-based society. I am sick and tired of the government crossing the line everyday. Every time I hear the words "bless you" or "I thank god" out of a political figure it makes me cringe. Did you see Borat? The senator and judge speaking in tongues? How about Jesus Camp? The holy rollers are getting embedded in our society, publicly, and need to be stopped. I don't want to read that 14 year old girl is getting threatened at her school because she speaks her mind. Something is wrong with this country!!

So, rant aside, here I am. I want to join a forum, a community, groups, NGO's, whatever. The larger and more persuasive the better. I think it is time to make some changes in this country. I saw somewhere that there are only 14% non-christians and 2% atheists in the country. I think the numbers have to be larger, people just don't want to admit it. We have to make it safe for people to come forward...(ranting again).

Ok. So I am gonna go do some reading. Looking forward to talking to you all.

-Christiaan.

[Whitney]

Ya, there aren't many of us, 3-9% according to http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html

On the upside, it is becoming increasingly more acceptable for comedy shows to target religion, even Chrisitanity...so I'd expect that influence to make it easier for those who either doubt or don't believe to be more open about their views rather than pretend to believe.  Also, Jesus Camp had to move locations because their normal site got vandalized due to the public not taking kindly to their militant message...not that I think vandalism was an appropriate response, but at least that shows a lot of people were upset about what they saw.

Anyway, welcome to the forum

[McQ]

Well, that's a hell of a name for an atheist!

Welcome to the forum.

[sekelmaan]

Thank you Dutch reform mom.

-C.

[Squid]

Welcome aboard fellow drunk...er...I mean atheist.

[SteveS]

Hello sekelmaan.  I'm becoming much more outspoken about this stuff as well.  Used to be, I would just tell people I wasn't religious and leave it at that.  Couldn't agree more strongly about disliking blatant religion in our government.  I also fear and detest the growing revisionist history that wants me to believe our founding fathers intended to create a Christian government instead of a secular one, that "In God We Trust" has always been on our currency, and that we are "one nation under God".  I'm taking all those as fighting words.

Also, it's possible that I'm slightly alcoholic as well.  If I ever stop drinking I'll probably find out.

[User192021]

Steve, don't be a quitter.  

I too am disgusted with the notion that the US was intended to be a Christian nation.  What part of "seperation between church and state" do fundies not understand?

[SteveS]

Steve, don't be a quitter.

Hah, small chance of that actually happening.  I brew my own, so there's always plenty on hand (beer, it's completely legal).

I too am disgusted with the notion that the US was intended to be a Christian nation. What part of "seperation between church and state" do fundies not understand?

A topic near and dear to my heart, maybe I'll start a thread on it.  Normally, I find "proof" of this idea in personal letters exchanged between founding fathers.  I like to counter with the 1796 Tripoli treaty that was public, and passed by the senate.  There's a really good wiki on it

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tripoli_treaty

I discovered this treaty in Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion".