Hi guys!

[ElizabethPeart]

Eh, dunno what I can really say. I'm a freethinker and deist, and probably have been so all my life, although I only recently discovered the term. I spent most of my life being educated in the Christian faith, going to a faith school and then going onto university where I was a member of the Christian Union, a worship musician (playing bass and piano) and also attending church pretty much every Sunday. I was also at one point a Creationist.

  I began to question the Bible when I began to research Biblical history, finding the account of Jesus' birth to be logically inconsistent with the history I was studying in class (I was an ancient history major) and also discovering much about parallels with similar ancient religious savior accounts (such as Dionysus). I also struggled with my church's doctrines on homosexuality (something which affects me personally) and on their views of science.

 I discovered deism by accident, reading The God Delusion of Richard Dawkins completely by chance, and so finding out about deism. I then proceeded to read The Age of Reason and found myself agreeing with every single word in it.

 So now I'm an ex-Christian, a freethinker and deist. I've lost friends, I've angered some people close to me but I was sick of lying to myself.

[Tank]

Hello Elizabeth

Welcome aboard.

Regards
Chris

[DropLogic]

Welcome! I hope your experience here will be as positive as mine has been thus far.

[Thumpalumpacus]

Hi there.

[AnimatedDirt]

So now I'm an ex-Christian, a freethinker and deist. I've lost friends, I've angered some people close to me but I was sick of lying to myself.

That is unfortunate.  I suppose this just substanciates why they were friends with you.  I have two friends that are on the same path as you and one specifically which is probably at your same point.  First of all, they are my friends, true, because we met through attending the same church.  However, our friendship wasn't based on the church we attended, but because we liked each other and had good times together apart from the church.  My two friends and I remain friends, I would never think to "disown" them simply because they choose to think differently.

This is a great forum and filled with VERY knowledgeable people.  My wisdom is dwarf'd by the vast majority.  Welcome.  I know you will be warmly taken in and treated.  

[Recusant]

Hello, and welcome to HAF, ElizabethPeart!

I then proceeded to read The Age of Reason and found myself agreeing with every single word in it.

Wow, Thomas Paine speaking through the centuries. That's great! I think that of all the stripes of theism, deism is the least absurd.  OK, that doesn't come across too well, but I actually have a fairly high regard for deists.  If not for such as Paine, Thomas Jefferson and others, the government of the US would almost certainly have been relatively god-ridden, which would have had a nasty effect on history, I think. The US is insufferably self-righteous as it is...

I hope you enjoy your time reading and posting here.

[The Magic Pudding]

Hello

[McQ]

Welcome! Hope you find friends here, and people to share all kinds of thing with. I know, or should I say knew, a man who is an atheist and skeptic in your city. We were moderators a few years back on another atheist forum. Seemed like a good sort.

[wildfire_emissary]

Hi Beffy!

[ElizabethPeart]

Hi to anyone who's replied!

Hello, and welcome to HAF, ElizabethPeart!

I then proceeded to read The Age of Reason and found myself agreeing with every single word in it.

Wow, Thomas Paine speaking through the centuries. That's great! I think that of all the stripes of theism, deism is the least absurd.  OK, that doesn't come across too well, but I actually have a fairly high regard for deists.  If not for such as Paine, Thomas Jefferson and others, the government of the US would almost certainly have been relatively god-ridden, which would have had a nasty effect on history, I think. The US is insufferably self-righteous as it is...

I hope you enjoy your time reading and posting here.

  Haha I know what you're trying to say. And unfortunately, deism and deists aren't too well-known here in Europe or the UK.

As for the bit about the US and deists, that's for another thread! Although you are right.

[MrsV]

Hi - nice to see someone else from Newcastle here.

[Cycel]

So now I'm an ex-Christian, a freethinker and deist. I've lost friends, I've angered some people close to me but I was sick of lying to myself.

From one new member to another.  Welcome!

Were you already leaning toward a greater skepticism when you read The God Delusion?  I was just wondering how much of a role Dawkins' book played in your current religious outlook. My son and I have had discussion about the effectiveness of Dawkins approach.  I have often assumed, for example, that a Creationist wouldn't bother reading such a book.  Any thoughts on this?