Hello ^^

[maielle]

Hello!

(If you're too lazy to read my story, just read the beginning and the ending Just please try to understand me. I might not know all the words I should use (and I'm too lazy to get the dictionary + good online dictionaries in Finnish are hard to find) so I'll just use wrong ones or write about something else. ) and I read it with interest. There was information about religions and atheism. After that I realized what I really was: an atheist. I asked several times if my parents could sign the stupid papers and let me leave the church but that never happened. My mom just told me to wait. She thought I would change my mind. I never did and I hopefully never will do.

Now I have a loving boyfriend who knows that I'm an atheist. He isn't. He never thinks about those things. He also knows that if we some day get married it won't be in church and I wouldn't get our children baptized. I'm so lucky to have him.

Sometimes he's worried because I might spend days after days just searching information about religions. I really want to know WHY people believe and what kind of silly habits different religions have. I'm also interested in other supernatural phenomena, for example telepathy and magic. I don't think that anything is supernatural. Science just hasn't discovered it's secrets yet. And you just can't fill the holes with gods.

I haven't been a "forum person" if I can say that Why did this post become this long? I bet that a northern European country doesn't interest you but if you have questions I'll be more than glad to answer. And of course I'll answer questions about other subjects as well.


P.S. It's really nice that you have lots of people from all over the world here! I'm a global person and love to chat with people from other cultures but I just first have to get rid of my shyness.

[Ninja Donkey]

Hey Maielle

Glad you came out of your shell
From what I've heard about Finland, I love it.
Very fascinating stuff over there, and I'm glad you shared so much with us.
Anyway, Welcome and hope you get to stick around a while.

[Sidbob]

Welcome

Some parts of your story sound very similar to what some atheists go through, coming to the realization that God and Jesus are much like Santa and the Tooth Fairy.

Enjoy your time on HAF

[tacoma_kyle]

My sister went there for a few months a few years back, she loved it. She was 17 or 18 and stayed with a family over there. Then their daughter came over to our house in the US (California at the time) for a few months.

Do many Fin's have really blue eyes? She did and they were damn near seductive! .

[MommaSquid]

Welcome to the forum, maielle.  

I think it's awesome that you can email your church and tell them to 'take a long walk off a short pier'.  Of course, having to wait until you are 18 doesn't seem right.

I hope you enjoy your time here at HAF.    

[McQ]

Welcome maielle, and thank you for the introduction. Of course those of us not in Finland would love to hear about your country! Always interested in the global community here.

I hope you get to spend some time here and hang out.

[maielle]

Many Finns have blue eyes. ^^ Including me. I'm also blonde (not platinum blonde.. light brown) And most people have brown hair. I know about 10 people who have naturally black hair. And most of them have foreign parents.

People don't email the church but the magistrate. There's also this atheistic website who can do it for you if you just give your name and social security number. Very easy and no more taxes for the church. (Well.. the government does give church some money from the other taxes, too, but that's not much.)

Is it true that you can't really leave the catholic church? I've heard that it's possible if the pope somehow allows it...

[SteveS]

Hi maielle - thanks for the great introduction.  Your story reminds we yet again of why I hate age-related laws.  Seems to me that if a person demonstrates they are rational and under their own control, they should be allowed to opt out of the church - regardless of their age.

[rlrose328]

Welcome, Maielle... I've learned more about Findland from your post than I ever thought I wanted to know.  thanks so much for all the info!  I think you'll like it here.