Title: hello!
Post by: joy_landlocked on December 13, 2008, 02:01:29 PM
Post by: joy_landlocked on December 13, 2008, 02:01:29 PM
hello. i'm here because i realized that no one in my life is really willing to talk through the big questions i have. my college and post-college friends are too lazy or preoccupied, and my family's still kind of wrapped up in their evangelical christian upbringing (though they're agnostic at this point, or, as my mother says, "not religious, but spiritual"... which still doesn't make any sense to me). i'm having a hard time sorting through some things only in my own head. so having some like-minded people to talk and debate with should be great.
about me: i'm 22. i live in rather conservative wisconsin. i was brought up in an evangelical church and school, meaning sunday school and church on sundays, church choir, kid's missions or youth group, chapel in school on wednesday afternoons, bible classes, bible workbooks, praying in tongues and all that creepy stuff, etc. god and jesus were EVERYTHING to my family in my childhood, and all i can remember feeling about it was intense guilt over feeling doubts. how could my catholic and jewish friends on the block be wrong and going to hell? my opinion now is that even though my parents tell me they "didn't know any better", i believe raising kids to feel that guilty all the time by the time they're eight or nine is nothing less than emotional terrorism. my parents were my age when i was born, how could they NOT know better? i've known better for several years.
aaanyway. somewhere around the age of 10 or 11 i made some major changes in my life, started devouring books and information about every religion and about philosophy (guiltily, secretly). i became a vegetarian and an atheist around the same time, so i guess you could say i "woke up" in a lot of ways around that age and became my current self.
it's not like i have to hide my atheism from my family or anything. but i really can't talk about the big questions because they just don't understand where i'm coming from, you know? hopefully you guys will.
thanks for reading this, i know it's been a long intro post!
about me: i'm 22. i live in rather conservative wisconsin. i was brought up in an evangelical church and school, meaning sunday school and church on sundays, church choir, kid's missions or youth group, chapel in school on wednesday afternoons, bible classes, bible workbooks, praying in tongues and all that creepy stuff, etc. god and jesus were EVERYTHING to my family in my childhood, and all i can remember feeling about it was intense guilt over feeling doubts. how could my catholic and jewish friends on the block be wrong and going to hell? my opinion now is that even though my parents tell me they "didn't know any better", i believe raising kids to feel that guilty all the time by the time they're eight or nine is nothing less than emotional terrorism. my parents were my age when i was born, how could they NOT know better? i've known better for several years.
aaanyway. somewhere around the age of 10 or 11 i made some major changes in my life, started devouring books and information about every religion and about philosophy (guiltily, secretly). i became a vegetarian and an atheist around the same time, so i guess you could say i "woke up" in a lot of ways around that age and became my current self.
it's not like i have to hide my atheism from my family or anything. but i really can't talk about the big questions because they just don't understand where i'm coming from, you know? hopefully you guys will.
thanks for reading this, i know it's been a long intro post!
Title: Re: hello!
Post by: curiosityandthecat on December 13, 2008, 03:23:53 PM
Post by: curiosityandthecat on December 13, 2008, 03:23:53 PM
Welcome, Stargirl. 
Title: Re: hello!
Post by: Wechtlein Uns on December 13, 2008, 08:52:39 PM
Post by: Wechtlein Uns on December 13, 2008, 08:52:39 PM
Hi. Welcome aboard.
Title: Re: hello!
Post by: McQ on December 13, 2008, 11:34:26 PM
Post by: McQ on December 13, 2008, 11:34:26 PM
Hi Joy. Welcome to the forum. Wisconsin, conservative? Bah! Spend a week down here in the heart of the Amish of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We'll show you conservative like you've never seen!
Seriously, welcome and thanks for the intro. We like long intros, here.
Makes it easier to get to know you. Glad you don't have to hide your atheism from family. That is always tough.
Glad to have you !
Seriously, welcome and thanks for the intro. We like long intros, here.
Makes it easier to get to know you. Glad you don't have to hide your atheism from family. That is always tough. Glad to have you !
Title: Re: hello!
Post by: Squid on December 13, 2008, 11:59:21 PM
Post by: Squid on December 13, 2008, 11:59:21 PM
Welcome aboard Joy, glad to have you.
Title: Re: hello!
Post by: joy_landlocked on December 14, 2008, 01:26:10 PM
Post by: joy_landlocked on December 14, 2008, 01:26:10 PM
thanks for the warm welcome, everyone. i'm looking forward to being here!
Title: Re: hello!
Post by: Kyuuketsuki on December 15, 2008, 08:34:14 AM
Post by: Kyuuketsuki on December 15, 2008, 08:34:14 AM
Welcome to the forum Joy.
Kyu
Kyu