New to the forum, and atheism

[statichaos]

Welcome, Biniam.
You are among friends here (mostly).

And if you hated "Enemies of Reason" you are gonna explode from "Religiolus"!

Religulous was a fantastic movie.

Welcome, Biniam.  You're going through what sounds like an exceptionally difficult process right now.  Lacking any other information, I have to say that it sounds like you're taking a practical and realistic approach when it comes to your family.  However, as previously stated, you are among friends here, including the occasional theist who believes strongly in the right to explore one's own sense of meaning.  I wish for the best for you, and hope that you know that you are not alone.

And a few kooks. Just so you know.

As proved by the comments following your post. 

[En_Route]

We're all alone.

I think we're alone now (alone now) doesn't seem to be anyone around!  I think we're alone now (alone now) the beating of our hearts is the only sound. 

Oh wait, you were meaning something more existential?

As ever it is my fate to play the intellectual manqué to your soccer mom.

[Ali]

We're all alone.

I think we're alone now (alone now) doesn't seem to be anyone around!  I think we're alone now (alone now) the beating of our hearts is the only sound. 

Oh wait, you were meaning something more existential?

As ever it is my fate to play the intellectual manqué to your soccer mom.

I like to think of it more like you're the Sheldon to my Penny.

[Anne D.]

Welcome, Biniam 

[statichaos]

We're all alone.

I think we're alone now (alone now) doesn't seem to be anyone around!  I think we're alone now (alone now) the beating of our hearts is the only sound. 

Oh wait, you were meaning something more existential?

As ever it is my fate to play the intellectual manqué to your soccer mom.

I like to think of it more like you're the Sheldon to my Penny.

Soft kitty, warm kitty....

[En_Route]

We're all alone.

I think we're alone now (alone now) doesn't seem to be anyone around!  I think we're alone now (alone now) the beating of our hearts is the only sound. 

Oh wait, you were meaning something more existential?

As ever it is my fate to play the intellectual manqué to your soccer mom.

I like to think of it more like you're the Sheldon to my Penny.

The allusion was lost on me. Google sniggered briefly at my ignorance and directed me to Wikipedia which gleefully informed me that  Sheldon "is calculating, and averse to sex, or even being touched." How ever did you know?

[Guardian85]

We're all alone.

I think we're alone now (alone now) doesn't seem to be anyone around!  I think we're alone now (alone now) the beating of our hearts is the only sound. 

Oh wait, you were meaning something more existential?

As ever it is my fate to play the intellectual manqué to your soccer mom.

I like to think of it more like you're the Sheldon to my Penny.

The allusion was lost on me. Google sniggered briefly at my ignorance and directed me to Wikipedia which gleefully informed me that  Sheldon "is calculating, and averse to sex, or even being touched." How ever did you know?

They watched "The Big Bang Theory"?

[Amicale]

We're all alone.

I think we're alone now (alone now) doesn't seem to be anyone around!  I think we're alone now (alone now) the beating of our hearts is the only sound. 

Oh wait, you were meaning something more existential?

As ever it is my fate to play the intellectual manqué to your soccer mom.

I like to think of it more like you're the Sheldon to my Penny.

Soft kitty, warm kitty....

...little ball of fur, happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr purr purr. 

A very warm welcome to you, Biniam! You're among friends here, and this board really IS a great place if you need a 'safe space' to bounce ideas off of other people, as well as goof off with friendly skeptics -- in the end, I'm not sure what we've got more of here, serious debate or goofiness, but I think it's a fabulous mix. I know from my own experience how hard it is, to be in a family where you feel like you can't be yourself and be totally honest. Just do your best to hang in there, keep learning and growing as a person, and meet as many new folks as you can. Glad to have met YOU!

[Truthseeker]

A very warm welcome to you, Biniam! You're among friends here, and this board really IS a great place if you need a 'safe space' to bounce ideas off of other people, as well as goof off with friendly skeptics -- in the end, I'm not sure what we've got more of here, serious debate or goofiness, but I think it's a fabulous mix. I know from my own experience how hard it is, to be in a family where you feel like you can't be yourself and be totally honest. Just do your best to hang in there, keep learning and growing as a person, and meet as many new folks as you can. Glad to have met YOU!

But make no bones about it, all of us here are "Going down, party time, all your friends here on HAF are gonna be there too, wer're on the highway to hell, no stop signs, speed limit, nobody's gonna slow us down"

Seriously Biniam, any resemblance of making light of your situation is purely by accident.  My sentiment is as Amicale's.  "Just do your best to hang in there, keep learning and growing as a person, and meet as many new folks as you can."  As unintentional as it may have been at the time you, numerous others on this board and I were served an absolute, 100%, purebred lie with a side of control and manipulation.  We were all given an ultimatum that was proffered to us where the wrong choice allowed us to enter into an eternity of torture, the likes of which are to scary to think about.  So most of us are in the same boat and know where you are coming from.  I have not been here long but I already feel like I was lost and now I am found.  I have a feeling that the compassion here passes all understanding.  I have gone on too long.  My apologies.  I get worked thinking about the lie deal. 

We are, however, on a highway to hell.  Only this time the highway is not paved with guilt, anxiety, fear, false hope, fairy tales and just general bullshit (actually I am still deciding if it is bullshit or horseshit.  Possibly someone here on the board can help me out with that one).  At any rate, you have a lot of friends, as the lyrics suggest, on this highway with you and we are all having a great time.

So strange to be talking this way given the hours upon hours of individual study I dedicated to the Bible and prayer.  During my close to 15 years of hypnotized tenure in this teaching no one could have every convinced me that I was not on the ONLY right road.  So very glad I have detoured.       

[Dobermonster]

Hi Biniam,

You're at the point I was at 16 - making the final separation between what you believe and what your parents do. It won't be easy, but the mental and emotional freedom is worth the struggle. This is a good time to do a lot of thinking and questioning, and to ask "Why do I think that?" whenever an opinion comes too readily. Study philosophy, and learn to spot intellectual dishonesty and logical fallacies. There's a lot to discover, and that will keep you going until you're independent and ready to strike out on your own.

[reverendjeremiah]

Nice to meet you...Im new to the site as well...but not new to the atheist community

[Asmodean]

Welcome!

Doubly stuck in role playing, eh..? Like Tank, I never believed in gods, so I didn't have to deal with the issue of coming out of the closet and facing potentially serious consequences vs. living a lie, but I think as long as you try to be honest with yourself, you'll emerge victorious and relatively sane.

[dustygirl122]

Hey,
I know how you feel, I'm in the same boat. It's hard to hide something from your parents sometimes, especially something as big as religion. I remember my dad always used to say that all he wants from life is for his kids to have a good future and to know God. Please know you aren't alone, and that using logic and reason to come to your own conclusion is something to be proud of. Even if your parents wouldn't support it, be proud of yourself for being able to tug off the blinkers of religion.
Look forward to seeing you around!

[Asmodean]

It's hard to hide something from your parents sometimes, especially something as big as religion.

Not when your parents don't care overmuch. If they do, you can still put a positive spin on it by seeing the whole thing as training in being a better liar.

Even if your parents wouldn't support it, be proud of yourself for being able to tug off the blinkers of religion.

Yes. That.

[Ali]

We're all alone.

I think we're alone now (alone now) doesn't seem to be anyone around!  I think we're alone now (alone now) the beating of our hearts is the only sound. 

Oh wait, you were meaning something more existential?

As ever it is my fate to play the intellectual manqué to your soccer mom.

I like to think of it more like you're the Sheldon to my Penny.

The allusion was lost on me. Google sniggered briefly at my ignorance and directed me to Wikipedia which gleefully informed me that  Sheldon "is calculating, and averse to sex, or even being touched." How ever did you know?

This is us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEIn3T6nDAo