Excited to be here!

[Ihateyoumike]

Hello all,
I've joined this forum because a new found excitement for my atheist worldview. I am a 26 year old guy born and raised in Oregon. I was baptized into the catholic church as a baby. I am from a very strong catholic family, including having a grandfather who is a catholic priest. In case you're wondering how that works, he became one after my grandmother died. I started questioning my faith around the age of 13. However, it was not until the last year or so, when my older brother (who happens to be the Mike in my SN  So, cheers to Happy Atheists everywhere!!

[curiosityandthecat]

There is mounds of empirical evidence from numerous studies that show level of education has a strong, negative correlation with the level of religiosity.

So what do we say? Stay in school, kids!  

[Whitney]

I use to be able to say that every catholic I know is an athiest.  However, since moving to Dallas and my sister being engaged to a Catholic, it is no longer the case.  I use to think that the majority of people raised catholic became atheists when they grew up, lol.

Anyway, welcome to the forum.

[McQ]

Welcome to you from a former catholic (a former just about everything, but born into a catholic family). The good thing I got from that upbringing are all the great nun and catholic jokes I can get away with.

 

[Kyuuketsuki]

There is mounds of empirical evidence from numerous studies that show level of education has a strong, negative correlation with the level of religiosity.

Is there? I've looked and not found any (and I admit I think its true) so I have to ask, where?

Kyu

[Tanker]

Welcome to the forum, its always good too meet more Oregonian Free thinkers.

[curiosityandthecat]

There is mounds of empirical evidence from numerous studies that show level of education has a strong, negative correlation with the level of religiosity.

Is there? I've looked and not found any (and I admit I think its true) so I have to ask, where?

Kyu

I'll go through some of my research tonight and post some citations. I don't have them handy. Maybe I'll post a new thread about it.  

[Sophus]

There is mounds of empirical evidence from numerous studies that show level of education has a strong, negative correlation with the level of religiosity.

That's interesting because most doctors I know, including my own, believe in a talking snake.

[curiosityandthecat]

That's interesting because most doctors I know, including my own, believe in a talking snake.

Who doesn't?

[Ihateyoumike]

Welcome to the forum, its always good too meet more Oregonian Free thinkers.

Thanks! Good to feel welcome here. Now, I've gotta work on getting my brother to join this forum with me. He and I spend alot of time talking about our beliefs (or non-beliefs?) recently, and I think this would be a great place for him too.

[Miss Anthrope]

Hi, just read your welcome in my intro post and wanted to do the same.

I was about 13 when I started seriously questioning religion, too, so like you I've spent the last half of my life trying to find out the real "truth".

Thanks again for defending me in my Joker thread, you put everything so succinctly,more so than I probably would have. I lose some of my objectivity when I get annoyed, ha ha.

[karadan]

Welocome to the forum!

Hope you don't mind me asking, but who is Mike?

[Ihateyoumike]

Welocome to the forum!

Hope you don't mind me asking, but who is Mike?

I was wondering when someone would ask that. It usually is one of the first things I get asked since I use this name almost everywhere else on the net that I can.    So there you go, the story of my user name.

[oldschooldoc]

Welcome to the forum! It is great that you have your brother to talk to about such an important issue.

[Ihateyoumike]

Welcome to the forum! It is great that you have your brother to talk to about such an important issue.

I agree! And thanks for the welcome. I feel blessed (not in the religious sense, of course) to have a brother who shares my lack of belief. Especially coming from a family of catholics. If it wasn't for him, I may not have felt as comfortable telling anybody about my lack of religious beliefs.

And, I never smiled on the inside as much as I did when he was throwing out some passive-aggressive jabs about religion my grandpa's (the catholic priest's) way this last thanksgiving. He has a much better ability to communicate his thoughts about it than I do.  

And on a completely unrelated tangent, I have a story to tell from that same thanksgiving. It will show how someone like my grandpa, who is one of the smartest people I know concerning most things, can make himself look so ignorant. And, this is a guy that his "flock" looks to lead them and help them make the right decisions. Anyway, my brother brought up marijuana use to my grandpa and why he thinks it shouldn't be illegal. Just to get this out of the way, yes, we both partake in a good smoke every now and again. No harder drugs. Ok, back to the story. My brother was explaining why he believes marijuana should be legal or decriminalized, and my grandpa stated that marijuana is so harmful because you can do it once, and years later have a "flashback" while driving or doing other activities which will lead to harm against you or others. Yes, he really said that. He said that THC (I believe he called it THV or something like that) stayed in your spinal cord and caused "flashbacks" at times throughout your life. I was laughing so hard inside that I almost started crying. The ignorance he showed was amazing. And this is a guy who is supposed to be able to council people on every aspect of their lives. If he's that ignorant about something like that, it makes me wonder what else he's completely ignorant about. Anyway, I thought you guys might enjoy that story. I know I did.