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Difficulties in being atheist?

Started by tacoma_kyle, May 07, 2007, 01:51:12 AM

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pjkeeley

#15
QuoteJust about everyone of my age group is an atheist were I'm from, and when you meet someone that isn't you don't think twice about it. I didn't realize people go through hardship for being an atheist in a predominately theistic environment. Theists certainly don't get put though hardship in the atheistic environment I'm in.
You're probably around the same age as me; it's the same here in Adelaide. But then again Australia has always been fairly irreligious. According to census data we actually have the same percentage of atheists/agnostics as we do Christians, but I think the actual number is even higher -- I think a lot of the people who put "Christian" are only nominally theist. They might have Christian grandparents but they only go to church on holidays like Christmas and Easter and they don't make faith a part of their lives at all. At least that's my experience (my family has been atheist since forever but I went to Catholic school because I have Catholic friends).

SteveS

#16
Quote from: "pjkeeley"According to census data we actually have the same percentage of atheists/agnostics as we do Christians
Wow - really?  That's hard to imagine for someone who lives in the U.S. (or, at least just hard to imagine for me).  Man - now I want to visit Australia even more........of course my dream would be to arrive by sailboat (ouch, long term, escapist dreaming here - probably'll never happen).  I've got it in my hip pocket that if I ever get a chance to get out there I'll take it.

tacoma_kyle

#17
How Australia on vehicle regulations? I heard the gov is bitches when it comes to modifying a stock vehicle. I'm not talkin about rice-burner shit like wheels and 'soilers' either with a 8" exhaust tip. Like forced induction, suspension modification and what not. Off-road vehicles...

I've always kinda wanted to move there...at impluse anyhow. You know grass is always greener on the other side? heh
Me, my projects and random pictures, haha.

http://s116.photobucket.com/albums/o22/tacoma_kyle/

"Tom you gotta come out of the closet, oh my gawd!" lol

THE_oldy

#18
50:50 Christain:Atheist sounds wrong to me. In my personal exerience its more along the lines of one or two of every ten people i meet my age are religous. I'm 18 btw

QuoteHow Australia on vehicle regulations? I heard the gov is bitches when it comes to modifying a stock vehicle. I'm not talkin about rice-burner shit like wheels and 'soilers' either with a 8" exhaust tip. Like forced induction, suspension modification and what not. Off-road vehicles...
Your alowed to do what you want with in reason, the bitchy thing is that you got to regester it. Any more than 3 (? I think) unregested major modifications and a cop could do you for it. Then again if a cop wanted to he could find something wrong with a car just out of the factory.

QuoteI've always kinda wanted to move there...at impluse anyhow. You know grass is always greener on the other side? heh
Ive always wanted to visit america. Every thing seems bigger over there.

Quote from: "SteveS"
Quote from: "pjkeeley"According to census data we actually have the same percentage of atheists/agnostics as we do Christians
Wow - really?  That's hard to imagine for someone who lives in the U.S. (or, at least just hard to imagine for me).  Man - now I want to visit Australia even more........of course my dream would be to arrive by sailboat (ouch, long term, escapist dreaming here - probably'll never happen).  I've got it in my hip pocket that if I ever get a chance to get out there I'll take it.
Lol, i find it hard to imagine that "random occational weirdo that beleives in that stuff" being most people.

tacoma_kyle

#19
haha Nice spelling of 'irrational!'

So you have to reregisterit or something. Hm. Thats intersting. That doesn't -seem- as bad as California anyhow. Any non-factory engine change is a PITA to a 70-somethin and up vehicle.
Me, my projects and random pictures, haha.

http://s116.photobucket.com/albums/o22/tacoma_kyle/

"Tom you gotta come out of the closet, oh my gawd!" lol

Shalo'zier

#20
I don't find it that hard to be an atheist.....

Then again, I haven't come out to my parents about being one yet.

As for school, my friends are totally accepting. They actually enjoy my point of view when it comes to religion. Sometimes we have fun, naming eachother "Gods" of something.

Currently, I am Shal, Pirate God of Pink Bunnies and Lepricons.

When it comes to debates with people my age that are highly devout in any religion, they end up making a fool of themself, it's quite ammusing to watch them squirm really.

But, till I enter a larger environment, then just High School, I don't think I have much of an oppinion on the matter.
Join The Hallway, and enjoy the most random place this side of the Transformer Fanlisting site.

skeptigirl

#21
I may just have to retire in Australia. But then again, these revivals haven't ever lasted forever. The pendulum swings back and forth all the time. The Evangelicals are attracting new people with the big productions and marketing schemes. But science has a way of eventually getting through. Evolution is a lot harder on Christianity than cosmology science was. It's one thing to say maybe 7 days was really 7 million years, but it's quite another to try to explain the whole Jesus died for your sins thing if the Adam and Eve story is a myth.

tigerlily46514

#22
I am 50, and definately think there have been times it was hard to be an atheist.  I was in my 40s when i met my first other atheist!!!  Stnning, but true!!!  But where i live, we mostly stay in the closet, so who knows? I think things are better now, I'd like to think atheism is more accepted.  I was 'out' when i ws younger, but too many attacks have quieted me down long ago.
       I am mostly in the closet except to my sweetie(also atheist! score!) and my best friends.  I learned the hard way I can be criticized if I don't hide my atheism...It is just so not worth the waste of breath to take on THE ATTACKS....I even have lost a friend, dumped me the day I told her!  I was surprized, cuz she was otherwise really cool.  Yeah, I find it hard to hear a buncha crap and have to keep my mouth shut, always trying to find some neutral remark that doesn't betray my own self.....
  Seems younger people today are braver than I am.  Very encouraging!!!!!!!!
PLus, I am a nurse, so 'god' comes up a LOT when people are sick.  Priest and ministers all running around everywhere, etc, interrupting your work to pray over people,etc.   I am pretty good at honoring what the patient says without selling out, tho.  They never know.  But, day after day, it can make me feel a tiny bit isolated philosophically anyway!!!!  
"religious groups should stay out of politics-OR BE TAXED."

~jean
"Once you explain why you dismiss all other possible gods-- i'll explain why i dismiss your god."

Will

#23
Praying to Galapagos finches out-loud at family dinners makes people uncomfortable, so that's difficult...

I'm happy to be an atheist. I really, really am.
I want bad people to look forward to and celebrate the day I die, because if they don't, I'm not living up to my potential.

tacoma_kyle

#24
Quote from: "tigerlily46514"PLus, I am a nurse, so 'god' comes up a LOT when people are sick.

Oh thats gotta be a tough one! I am a Pharmacay Tech at a hospital and I was thinking how much that would suck to have be in those kidna situations. Kinda glad I do pretty much nothing with them, in that respect.
Me, my projects and random pictures, haha.

http://s116.photobucket.com/albums/o22/tacoma_kyle/

"Tom you gotta come out of the closet, oh my gawd!" lol

tigerlily46514

#25
Yeah, tacoma Kyle, imagine all kinds of hospital converstions, like, as the guy is dying, the wife you are holding up hears her minister say "Well, god wanted him more than you did, Mabel."  !!!  WTF?   and  stuff like, "Well, it's god's will"  ALL the time, and as they are waiting for something, like a difficult surgery to end, "Well, it's in god's hands now."  I want so bad to say, heck  no- it's in the surgeon's hands, but i'll respond with stuff like, "Dr. Jones is very good."  I  get very creative. A fellow atheist might sense what i think, might realize i am not in the boat, but they never do.

 I don't sell out, but i don't get into their boat either.  Then there's all the angels, too.  oh my.

The power of prayer is all over many conversations.  HOw this or that is the result of their whole church prayed for it, etc.  It gets reeeally old sometimes.  I'm quite used to it all, but i just wanted you all to know, it can be difficult at times!!!  I can USUALLY  respond effortlessly after all the practice i get.

People, even the regular ones who nomally aren't religious, often go all freaky-religious when they find out they are terminally ill, and often want to talk a LOT about god and that stuff at this point.  They ask me if i think they will get into heaven since they never went to church and stuff.  I don't even believe in heaven, but even leaving that part out of my words,  i know i have helped some of them feel better by focusing on their life as a kind person as a truly important and valuable achievement.  Which i DO believe.

The ones who are already way religious are really something.  They often ask me my religious beliefs, and can be quite persistant!   I can dodge and deflect pretty well.   They often ask me if i will pray for them or with them, i usually will say something like, "I'll be thinking of you"  or "I'll burn a candle for you tonite." etc.  I don't think there's many jobs like mine (nurse) where this kinda stuff comes up daily.  With sick people, it's not about me--not about what I believe, it's about them. It is a balancing act to comfort them and counsel them but still respect my own self.  It can be done, though.  It's really not that hard.  I do say what i do think that will help the person, but i won't go religious, nope, can't do it.

  The ministers, they always want me to hold hands in the circle  while they do some prayer!  no freakin way!!  but i give a politer answer than that.  It goes on and on, all the time.  Every day.  Some of them do piss me off with their careless remarks to these patients, trying to get patients in ICU  to confess or become born again, etc, always assuming the patient even believes their crap.   I have interupted a few who were trying to put a guilt trip on my patient.

Imagine hearing someone telling people whose son just died it is god will, we just don't understand god's ways, god has a reason, etc.  (Some patients' religious visitors are worse than their illness.)

That is another one that comes up way too much, "There's a plan"  "Part of god's plan" etc etc etc.  I do what i can, many times i know i did help them feel better trying to cope, helping them deal.  I really think what i can say, or get them to talk about,  is way more real to them than the religious garbage.

Then there's the coworkers, some of them talk about god even more than the patients sometimes.  Some hospitals the religion is very incorporated into the place. My last job, Janet got EVERY Friday off, cuz she ran a bible study group!!!!   Guess if i could have every friday off so i could party and worship the sun?

I imagine some of you will say, "Why don't you just tell them?"  but around here, that is taking on a lot of wrath that serves no purpose except to exhaust me. Read some of those hit and run posters' remarks, and then imagine being with them 40 hours a week, trying to convert you, or even just ALWAYS saying stuff to either  'enlighten you' or even just to provoke you.  Religious people can wear me out.
It is easier to stay in the closet at work than take on their hostility and fear every day.

Oh, sure--i could easily debate them down, if i had to, but that is not where i want to spend my energy at work, i don't even have that kind of time anyway.  Plus, if you ever have taken on a fundy in your off time, even when your reasons are solid and convincing, they would not ever admit you made sense.  Mostly, you would get hostility, or pity at the very least. Plus, i am not going to 'enlighten' them any more than they could change my mind.  see?

Once i did have an atheist patient, i was so stoked !!!

In this setting, it CAN  be difficult to be an atheist, but i am HAPPY that  i am an atheist, but still, it can be difficult in some settings.  I am happy i am tall, but it can be difficult getting jeans to fit.  
OKAY, i'll quit now.  Thanks.  I just lost a few pounds!!!!!
"religious groups should stay out of politics-OR BE TAXED."

~jean
"Once you explain why you dismiss all other possible gods-- i'll explain why i dismiss your god."

MommaSquid

#26
Quote from: "tigerlily46514"I imagine some of you will say, "Why don't you just tell them?"

I completely understand and respect your decision to keep "closeted" at work.  I discuss my atheism with very few people in the real world.  (That's what the internet is for!)

The people you work with (and your patients) need you to do your job, not practice their variety of spirituality.  You have every right to deny their requests to pray with them.  Kudos to you for not pretending to be something you're not while maintaining your professionalism.

tacoma_kyle

#27
Damn, make them confess in ICU?! Jeese are they trying to kill them?

Sometimes you would think that just about everyone realises that in a bad physical or mental condition (probably hand in hand in a hostpital quite often), dewlling on the negatives typically works against getting better.

If I had to work with patients I may mention being a atheist to some if they just felt 'right' to me. You know, not sided, potentiall aggressive, mentally competent. Have to coworkers quite openly in the past, but not at a hospital.

I havent seen many minsters or praying, but you can find god in your shit if you look deep enough here lol.
Me, my projects and random pictures, haha.

http://s116.photobucket.com/albums/o22/tacoma_kyle/

"Tom you gotta come out of the closet, oh my gawd!" lol

SteveS

#28
Quote from: "MommaSquid"You have every right to deny their requests to pray with them.

hehe - reminds me - my two kids both caught the Rotavirus and were in the hospital (at the same time - it was nasty - puke everywhere).  The hospital is run by Adventists.  The day we were about to check out a "chaplain" visited the room (a seemingly nice lady) and asked if we wanted her to pray with us.  I said, "no, thanks".  She asked what religion we followed, so I said "none".  She asked if we'd be more comfortable if she left, so I said "yes".  She said "okay" and left.

Poor lady - she didn't seem too happy, but honestly, I'd been sleeping in a hospital chair for 3 days, cleaning up puke all the time, listening to the kids cry, and I'd had enough.  I wasn't rude, just honest.  I still felt a little guilty, though, I know she meant well.

Looking back at it now, however, I find it really funny  :lol:

MommaSquid

#29
SteveS, I think you handled the situation with the chaplain exactly right.  She was intruding on you, not the other way around.

I'm glad the health crisis turned out OK.  Hug your kids extra tight tonight.