Greetings, fellow human beings

[Givemeareason]

I am an old atheist by comparative standards.  But I have never particularly identified myself as athiest because it has always had such a negative connotation.  Some even see it as being synonymous with evil.  But I first became atheist when I realized that this universe is not governed by some primitive monarchial system as so many religions claim.  I am looking forward to joining in.

[stromboli]

Welcome. Several older people on here.

[Mr.Obvious]

Welcome to our little band of heathens.
We don't cover hip-replacements; but we can set you up with some outstanding dentures if need be.

[Givemeareason]

Thank you for welcoming me.  I guess I could more properly introduce myself as a naturalist.  I am not interested in substituting my lack of one religious belief with another.

[Munch]

Hey there.

I'm gay. People create negative connotations with being gay, even today. I don't give a shit if they do, and thats the key to it. I'm gay, an atheist, and a neckbeard, it really doesn't matter if certain groups of people create negative thoughts about being these things, because I decided I don't want to be around them to take anything from these people as it stands. And if I am forced to be around them, like at work or similar, fuck em, they can live with it and shut the hell up.

[Givemeareason]

Hey there.

I'm gay. People create negative connotations with being gay, even today. I don't give a shit if they do, and thats the key to it. I'm gay, an atheist, and a neckbeard, it really doesn't matter if certain groups of people create negative thoughts about being these things, because I decided I don't want to be around them to take anything from these people as it stands. And if I am forced to be around them, like at work or similar, fuck em, they can live with it and shut the hell up

Sounds good to me.  But sometimes I don't like to turn people away.  I enjoy conversing at times even when their viewpoints don't coincide with mine.

[Munch]

Sounds good to me.  But sometimes I don't like to turn people away.  I enjoy conversing at times even when their viewpoints don't coincide with mine.

Oh I do the same, with people who don't share the same viewpoints as me. I just try to avoid the things we don't have in common, and find the things we do. And, if they want to keep trying to dwell on things they view as unsavory to them, they arn't worth bothering with.

Never change what you feel right about in life for someone else, its not honest to yourself.

[Mike Cl]

I am an old atheist by comparative standards.  But I have never particularly identified myself as athiest because it has always had such a negative connotation.  Some even see it as being synonymous with evil.  But I first became atheist when I realized that this universe is not governed by some primitive monarchial system as so many religions claim.  I am looking forward to joining in.

Old is good.  Remember Madelyn Murray O'Hair?  That was the first time I really thought about that term.  I found out about her in all places, Playboy mag.  Started studying what she had to say, and was lead to Bertrand Russell.  Like him quite a bit still.  And kept on reading, which lead me to such current people as Richard Carrier and Robert M. Price.

Oh--welcome, I think you will like it here.

[Green Bottle]

Welcome Givemeareason, careful wi the youngsters on here, they think they know it all.....

[trdsf]

Hello there from another old timer!

[Solitary]

Welcome aboard Givemeareason! Solitary---a lonely dinosaur punker.   

[Desdinova]

Welcome aboard! 

[SGOS]

I have never particularly identified myself as athiest because it has always had such a negative connotation.

Same for me for a long time.  It's not that way now, however.  I am an atheist.  And you know what?  Nothing changed when I realized that.

[stromboli]

Naturalist, atheist, Secular Humanist are all titles. How you self identify versus how you describe yourself needn't be the same. I refer to myself now as a secular humanist because it has (to me) a more positive connotation. Society wants atheist to be a negative term, it seems; whatever.

[Mike Cl]

I guess I started using the term, atheist, as a shorthand way of saying 'Fuck you, society!'