Hello from New Zealand

[HollyM]

Kia ora, I'm Holly, from Dunedin, New Zealand! I've been an atheist for quite a while, but I'm not really sure for how long, as I don't think I'd been very strong in my faith in my teen years, and hardly ever prayed and never went to church. A few months ago, I tried to get myself into StudentLife (Christian group at campus) and found myself like a fish out of water, and shocked when there was one guy who said all history was a hoax by God (he was serious). Yep, once I read the bible more closely, studied the evidence (or lack thereof) for a god, and so on, there was no turning back.

I think one of the more disturbing moments of my Christian life was that I once told someone after reading about Heaven that "I couldn't wait to die!" I was twelve years old. Twelve. Still makes me feel a little sick thinking about it--no twelve year old should look forward to dying. I'm 22 now, and I'm certainly not ready to die, and it's pretty much the last thing on my mind--I like to enjoy life while I can, as I only have one chance!

[Davin]

Kia ora, I'm Holly, from Dunedin, New Zealand! I've been an atheist for quite a while, but I'm not really sure for how long, as I don't think I'd been very strong in my faith in my teen years, and hardly ever prayed and never went to church. A few months ago, I tried to get myself into StudentLife (Christian group at campus) and found myself like a fish out of water, and shocked when there was one guy who said all history was a hoax by God (he was serious). Yep, once I read the bible more closely, studied the evidence (or lack thereof) for a god, and so on, there was no turning back.

I think one of the more disturbing moments of my Christian life was that I once told someone after reading about Heaven that "I couldn't wait to die!" I was twelve years old. Twelve. Still makes me feel a little sick thinking about it--no twelve year old should look forward to dying. I'm 22 now, and I'm certainly not ready to die, and it's pretty much the last thing on my mind--I like to enjoy life while I can, as I only have one chance!

Welcome to the forums. When I was younger I couldn't understand why people would fear death if they believed in heaven and my parents spent a long time trying to convince me that dying is not good even if I'm going to heaven.

[Tank]

Hi Holly

Welcome aboard, it's good to see another mind free from the influences of institutionalised superstition (religion).

[pinkocommie]

Welcome to the forum!  I think the position that all history is a hoax by god seems pretty insane, but my own sister who was raised in the exact same environment that I was (atheist dad/agnostic mom) got into a fight with me once where she claimed that all of evolution was a hoax that the scientific community had created to weaken people's belief in god.  It broke my heart to see my intelligent sister so obviously dedicated to a belief to the point where she would seriously suggest such a crazy idea to explain the existence of evolution and the problems it posed for anyone looking to regard the bible in a fundamentalist way.  I think the promises of religion can be so intoxicating to certain people that they are willing to reject logic and rationality in order to believe - after all, isn't that the main reason some religions contend that you must have faith?  It always makes me feel better about the human race in general when I meet a new person who has decided to accept reality rather than pretend for the sake of religion.    I hope you like it here!

[elliebean]

Hello and welcome, Holly!  

[Gawen]

Hiya Holly,

I've always said that if the shite really hits the fan here in the States, that I would move to Austrailia or New Zealand. NZ is my first choice. Beautiful country.

Welcome to HAF.