Southern Atheist Roll Call (USA) and a Little Vent

[philosoraptor]

Long time, no see.  It's been almost a year since the last time I posted here, although I've lurked.  2011 was a COMPLETELY INSANE year for me, one that uprooted me from my more liberal home in New Jersey to the middle of the Ark-La-Tex area and the culture shock has hit me pretty hard.  I think what makes it even harder for me is that I didn't come here by choice, but because my husband's job brought him here.

It was easy being an atheist in a place where Buddhist temples were right next to Catholic churches and yeah, people went to church but there was still a lot of diversity and it wasn't necessarily a big deal for most people, even the ones who did go to church.  People tell me they have Catholic churches here, although I haven't actually seen any and there certainly are no Jewish, Buddhist or Hindu temples.  All I see are Baptists, Baptists every where, and I've found out the hard way that they seem to be a special brand of judgmental.  As a liberal atheist Yankee, I feel extremely isolated and alone.  And of course the first thing people tell you if you comment that you're lonely or you want to make friends is that you should come to their church.  Um yeah. Thanks, but no thanks.

I feel afraid to be myself around most people.  Atheists are the most mistrusted group in America, and I don't trust some of the folks I've met here to get to know me before they write me off as a godless heathen that's not to be trusted.  I've met a couple of nice Christians down here, but I still wouldn't ever feel comfortable talking about my religious or political feelings with them.  I wouldn't feel comfortable putting a Darwin sticker on my car for fear someone would probably cut my tires.  I'm only a few hours from Bastrop, LA, where that atheist high school student was pretty much run out of town for contacting the ACLU last year when his high school violated his 1st Amendment rights and had a prayer as part of the graduation ceremony.  I'm also still waiting to experience the Southern hospitality people are always talking about, but so far have found the area where I live to be overwhelmingly unfriendly.  At least I know I'm not the only one-my local craigslist rants and raves featured an exchange between various transplants from the North saying they felt unwelcome here.  The local response was pretty much fuck you and go back North, you damn Yanks.  Nice.

At any rate, I know some of you guys here live in the South.  Whitney, you're in TX, right?  So..how do you do it?  I know there are other atheists or at least secular humanists out there, but I wouldn't know where to look.  So Southern atheists, share your wisdom.  Tell me of any places you know that are more open, or any groups you might know of.  And maybe where you are located, if anyone would possibly be interested in a meet up of some sort.

[Tank]

Hi  philosoraptor

Nice to see you back. Bloody sorry to read about your circumstances

You can always come here for a virtual hug!

[Brieze]

I'm in Arkansas and I'd recommend Eureka Springs. We're pretty much the San Fransisco of the south. I don't have any groups though =/

[Tank]

I'm in Arkansas and I'd recommend Eureka Springs. We're pretty much the San Fransisco of the south. I don't have any groups though =/

I always thought a group starts with two!

[philosoraptor]

I'm in Arkansas and I'd recommend Eureka Springs. We're pretty much the San Fransisco of the south. I don't have any groups though =/

I've heard that it's beautiful up there.  I'm trying to convince my husband to do a weekend trip or something, but he wants to hit NOLA first and we're about the same distance from both cities.

I've only left LA twice since we moved in April 2011-once to fly home, and once I drove to TX to go to the Marshall Pottery Factory and get food poisoning at a local burger joint.  I'm amiable to driving, I just need to have somewhere to go and someone to go with me or to at least meet me there.

[The Magic Pudding]

It is great to see you back philosoraptor.
I always liked seeing Simone de Beauvoir all over the place.

[philosoraptor]

It is great to see you back philosoraptor.
I always liked seeing Simone de Beauvoir all over the place.

How about Sartre and de Beauvoir? ;-)

Tank, I tried like 40 times to respond to your PM, but every time I did it timed out.  I'm seriously starting to think that my internet provider is fucking with any atheist related websites I visit, as those are the only ones that frequently seem to stop working for me...  ???

[Brieze]

I'm in Arkansas and I'd recommend Eureka Springs. We're pretty much the San Fransisco of the south. I don't have any groups though =/

I always thought a group starts with two!

Technically lol.


I feel like I should know what NOLA is. I'm probably biased, but I do find it beautiful here. Especially on a motorcycle. I don't know why but a bike makes it perfect.

If you ever make it to Eureka, let me know. We can grab coffee or something =]

[Whitney]

Well if you ever find yourself in Dallas  you would be among friends ....  I like my little bubble of freethought here.  have you tried meetup.com

[philosoraptor]

I'd love to get out to Dallas.  I very nearly went in August for the Death Cab for Cutie show, but it was so close to our wedding that I couldn't justify the cost.  I have a friend who's from there originally, she was saying they do RHPS live there?

[Tank]

It is great to see you back philosoraptor.
I always liked seeing Simone de Beauvoir all over the place.

How about Sartre and de Beauvoir? ;-)

Tank, I tried like 40 times to respond to your PM, but every time I did it timed out.  I'm seriously starting to think that my internet provider is fucking with any atheist related websites I visit, as those are the only ones that frequently seem to stop working for me...  ???

Ah! Interesting. I got the reply when I logged on this morning.

[Tank]

I'd love to get out to Dallas.  I very nearly went in August for the Death Cab for Cutie show, but it was so close to our wedding that I couldn't justify the cost.  I have a friend who's from there originally, she was saying they do RHPS live there?

Ah! So you are a married raptor now. Congratulations 

[philosoraptor]

Weird.  If you got several versions of the same message I'm sorry!

I'm a double married raptor now.  We signed our license and recited the state mandated vows in the presence of our immediate families and a judge right before we moved to Louisiana in April.  But since we'd already put a lot of work into the September wedding, we just kept that date and had a more personal ceremony and reception.  It was pretty great.  We were able to incorporate some Irish and Apache blessings that are quite secular but still really beautiful and meaningful.  We were lucky to have a family friend who is an extremely laid back interfaith minister.  It was a trial planning a secular wedding that would appease his religious relatives, but we really pulled it off.  We exchanged rings at the court house ceremony, so we did a handfasting in lieu of the rings and people thought that was cool since it has ties to so many different traditions. 

[Tank]

Weird.  If you got several versions of the same message I'm sorry!

I'm a double married raptor now.  We signed our license and recited the state mandated vows in the presence of our immediate families and a judge right before we moved to Louisiana in April.  But since we'd already put a lot of work into the September wedding, we just kept that date and had a more personal ceremony and reception.  It was pretty great.  We were able to incorporate some Irish and Apache blessings that are quite secular but still really beautiful and meaningful.  We were lucky to have a family friend who is an extremely laid back interfaith minister.  It was a trial planning a secular wedding that would appease his religious relatives, but we really pulled it off.  We exchanged rings at the court house ceremony, so we did a handfasting in lieu of the rings and people thought that was cool since it has ties to so many different traditions. 

I only got one copy of the message.

Sounds like you have two lovely days of celebration 

[Whitney]

she was saying they do RHPS live there?

I don't know what RHPS live is...so maybe?  There is a lot of stuff here.