Happy Atheist Forum

Getting To Know You => Introductions => Topic started by: uglyduckling on March 01, 2010, 01:16:53 AM

Title: Wo! I guess I'm an atheist . . . who knew???
Post by: uglyduckling on March 01, 2010, 01:16:53 AM
Hi everybody!
I just realized today that I'm an atheist.  I'm glad to be here!
So . . . anybody read any good books lately?
Title: Re: Wo! I guess I'm an atheist . . . who knew???
Post by: AlP on March 01, 2010, 03:10:31 AM
Hi duckling, welcome to the forum. The most interesting book I have read recently was a college 101 introduction to psychology: "Psychology" by David Myers. If your atheist position is new, I suggest that a college 101 intro textbook on critical thinking might help you fend off the irrational and perhaps reconcile any vestigial doubts. Hope to talk to you more :)
Title: Re: Wo! I guess I'm an atheist . . . who knew???
Post by: uglyduckling on March 01, 2010, 03:48:07 AM
Quote from: "AlP"Hi duckling, welcome to the forum. The most interesting book I have read recently was a college 101 introduction to psychology: "Psychology" by David Myers. If your atheist position is new, I suggest that a college 101 intro textbook on critical thinking might help you fend off the irrational and perhaps reconcile any vestigial doubts. Hope to talk to you more :)


Good suggestion!  I think I'll just read up a bit.  Always appropriate after gaining a chunk of self-knowledge.
Title: Re: Wo! I guess I'm an atheist . . . who knew???
Post by: elliebean on March 01, 2010, 04:28:49 AM
Hi Duckling! Welcome to the forum.  :D
Title: Re: Wo! I guess I'm an atheist . . . who knew???
Post by: uglyduckling on March 01, 2010, 04:49:42 AM
Quote from: "elliebean"Hi Duckling! Welcome to the forum.  :D


I guess the realization has been dawning for some time now.  I've been wondering for awhile if I actually believed in a deity, and I noticed today that I don't.  It's kind of awesome . . . like I suddenly figured out why there weren't any raisins in my Raisin Bran, and it was because I'd been eating Wheaties.  So now I shall eat Raisin Bran and be much more pleased with breakfast.
Title: Re: Wo! I guess I'm an atheist . . . who knew???
Post by: LoneMateria on March 01, 2010, 04:55:56 AM
Quote from: "uglyduckling"
Quote from: "elliebean"Hi Duckling! Welcome to the forum.  :D


I guess the realization has been dawning for some time now.  I've been wondering for awhile if I actually believed in a deity, and I noticed today that I don't.  It's kind of awesome . . . like I suddenly figured out why there weren't any raisins in my Raisin Bran, and it was because I'd been eating Wheaties.  So now I shall eat Raisin Bran and be much more pleased with breakfast.

Congrats and welcome.  A few good atheist books you might be interested in are, "50 reasons people give for believing in a god" by Guy P. Harrison.  Or if you want something thats a bit harder to follow pick up a copy of, "The god Delusion" by Richard Dawkins (only reason it's a bit harder to follow is that Dawkins is not from America [i'm assuming thats where you are from] and some of the terminology can be difficult to follow at times)  or if you are lazy like me they have "The god Delusion" in audio book form ^_^ .  Are there any specific interests you have concerning atheism, theism, the bible, koran, or anything else?  If you do feel free to post them and we will do our best to answer them.
Title: Re: Wo! I guess I'm an atheist . . . who knew???
Post by: mzuniga on March 04, 2010, 04:26:40 AM
Welcome duckling, both to the site and to wide new world of rationality. You've just begun on a journy that I can promise you will be stimulating, intellectually and emotionally satsifying, and - strangely enough - spiritually fufilling.

That last part sounds strange, doesn't it? But I've found it to be true. Spiritually is probably not the right word, but I can't think of any alternative. But there is a fulfilling feeling you get when you begin to realize the true nature of morality, and that you are living it. It's also extremely fulfilling to realize you don't have to hate people just because they're different. You can experice and revel in diversity - and I gotta tell you, it's a blast!

Well, you're just starting out, and you're in for some fun and probably a surprise or two. Here's one to start you off - soon you'll discover that the "athiesm" part of being an athiest isn't really all that important. There's a lot out there for you to read - try a sampling of Humanist books to get you started.