IT'S A MATTER OF DEGREE ......

[Ateo]

A matter of degree ....

I do not remember not being a non theist. There‎ were many years when it was worse to be an atheist than it was to be an alcoholic or one who wasn't trusted alone with children.

It was therefore, only when I was older and more confident in myself that I "came out" and stopped being an agnostic. A few years ago I discovered Christopher Hitchens and I made another huge change in my attitude and belief system.

It's all a matter of degree. The difference between a rabid christian and an atheist, is less than the difference between a moderate (pacifistic) atheist and an atheist who fully appreciates the evil that religion has done and will continue to do, if permitted. They (christians and islamic) will put civilization back into the 1600's, and keep it there if allow to.

I thought religion was harmless enough and gave some people like my granny, comfort, a good thing. WRONG !!! So so wrong. Christian and Islam doctrines have the same teachings about how to deal with non believers, or family who don't follow the faith. The Catholics during the inquistion,  killed an estimated 50 million people. Islam could take lessons from catholics on barbarism.

I have to do a pile of posts to become an accepted participant so I hope to entertain you using the dictionary definition of agnostic, atheist, faith, evidence etc. I hope that I'm not too much of an atheist. If I get too far over the top, let me know why and how you think it should be.

I love being an atheist and I qualify, hands down, as a happy atheist. Most of you will understand me when I say "I'm FREE". Free to be a good person because I WANT TO BE. Free of guilt, I wasn't born in sin. I love our beautiful imperfect world. I'm beholding to no god as slave or deciple. I sleep soundly. I'm not looking for a mythical cookie as a future payoff, nor am I doing anything "Just In Case".

Organized religions have not rolled over and quit. They are going to protect their cash cow and they have the money to do it well.

Your in a fight, take the gloves off. It's just a matter of degree!

[Tank]

Hi Ateo

Well you have to only do 10 posts to get let loose on the rest of the forum, for a while it was 50!

So tell us a little bit about yourself and ask any questions about here and us that you would like an answer to.

Thanks for making the effort to sign up and join in.

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
Pets...what do you have?
Favorite Song, with video
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.

[xSilverPhinx]

Welcome!

[MadBomr101]

Once you start to really look at religion and to question it critically atheism becomes inevitible.  Welcome to the neighborhood.

[Sweetdeath]

Welcome fellow Freethinker!

[The Magic Pudding]

The Catholics during the inquistion,  killed an estimated 50 million people.

That 50 mil estimate sounds a bit wacky.
Sounds too much even if every holy war casualty and small pox infected native is included.
I suppose if religion prevents us gaining maturity and taking responsibility for the planet 50 mil will pale in comparison to the loss.

Anyway this is sounding controversial, welcome Ateo.

I have to do a pile of posts to become an accepted participant

Just ten posts.

[Firebird]

Welcome Ateo

[DeterminedJuliet]

Well you have to only do 10 posts to get let loose on the rest of the forum, for a while it was 50!

It was! And I had to do them!
But then Tank gave me a gold sticker, so it was all worth it in the end.

Welcome, though I agree with Puddin', that 50 million stat doesn't seem accurate to me. That would have been more than 1/10th of the entire population of the world during most of what we'd consider the medieval ages.

[Ateo]

Thanks for the Welcome. Just having a look around - feel at home already.

[The Magic Pudding]

Well you have to only do 10 posts to get let loose on the rest of the forum, for a while it was 50!

It was! And I had to do them!
But then Tank gave me a gold sticker, so it was all worth it in the end.

Welcome, though I agree with Puddin', that 50 million stat doesn't seem accurate to me. That would have been more than 1/10th of the entire population of the world during most of what we'd consider the medieval ages.

Newbies get it easy these days, not like when you woz a newb.
But the hard slog of those fifty posts made you a better contributor.
Newbs get it easy these days, they complain but they've got it so easy.
They don't understand how you suffered, you try to tell 'em but they don't listen.
Tell them how we suffered with 65x65 avatars and they'll look at you with disbelief.
We fought for the changes and they get it all handed to them on a plate.
Ungrateful, know it all, can't be told, nrerten, gnyerten, grrr, nyaaa, grrrrr ....

And what's Tank doing giving out gold stickers?  
The bastard, he'll be flogging my steak knives next.

[Tank]

Thanks for the Welcome. Just having a look around - feel at home already.

Glad to hear it 

[Too Few Lions]

welcome to the forum Ateo, you'll find plenty of similarly free people here

[OldGit]

Welcome, Ateo, you sound like you belong here.

They (christians and islamic) will put civilization back into the 1600's, and keep it there if allow to.

This is what I've been saying for years; generally received with condescending disbelief.

[Tank]

Ateo

I snipped off your posts about the the Inquisition and dropped them into Religion where you can get at them aft your first 10 posts 

[Ali]

Welcome!  I'm new here too, and enjoying it immensely.