Did you tell your religious parents?

[doorknob]

Yes I told my religious parents but not my religious grand father as I feel it would probably both worry and maybe kill him to know it.

But yes their reaction to my atheism was not pleasant.

[GSOgymrat]

My warm and fuzzy humanism was much more palitable to my Christian mother than my younger brother's cold, strident atheism. My father is an atheist.

[eylul]

I think you are wise--even beyond your years.  Your beliefs are your beliefs and no need to use it as a club.  It would serve no purpose other than causing pain.  I commend you for your stance.

Sometimes I need to act like how they want me to be but its ok for me. I love them a lot. Like a lot of people they are believers and it doesnt make any sense for me. I will be like they want me to be while I am living with them. 

[Feral Atheist]

I didn't have to.  I accepted Christ at the age of 3

Excuse my french, but BULL SHIT!

Your were spoon the bull shit of religion by your parents for your entire life, as I am sure your vast readings and life experiences at that point including not crapping yourself anymore.  But to profess you accept christ at age 3 your are not crapping yourself, and trying to crap us.

[trdsf]

Isn't Paganism a bit more hopeful and positive than atheism?  Atheists aren't monolithic of course, but if they are genuine materalists, then you're pretty much left with a deterministic and nihilistic world.  For people that know, perceive or just sense that, it can be pretty depressing.

That's an awfully broad brush you're painting your straw man with there.  Don't tell me what my philosophy of life, outlook, and general demeanor are.

[Mike Cl]

Isn't Paganism a bit more hopeful and positive than atheism?  Atheists aren't monolithic of course, but if they are genuine materalists, then you're pretty much left with a deterministic and nihilistic world.  For people that know, perceive or just sense that, it can be pretty depressing.

This statement of yours rather surprises me.  You make such broad sweeping generalizations that you entire statement is rather meaningless.  There is no monolithic 'Pagan' movement.  There a bunch of religions that were lumped together by the christians so they could be labeled 'them' or 'the enemy' more easily.  Which pagan religions are you referring to? You suggest that atheists are not 'monolithic' in the first half of a sentence, then tell us that they are--'deterministic' and 'nihilistic'.  Either all of them are as you suggest--monolistic--or not as you also suggest.  I can tell you of this atheist.  I am not deterministic totally.  I see some sects of christians as being totally deterministic in that they insist that a person's fate is laid out from the beginning of their existence--or before.  While I do see a cause-and-effect system working, I don't think it works that cleanly for our emotions.  Our chemistry plays a role.  So, deterministic to a point I suppose.  But this area of discussion is littered with semantic land mines and has to be tread carefully and thoughtfully.  Nihilistic?  Me? Only in the sense that I reject any religion.  But life is not senseless or meaningless.  Briefly, I feel great respect for and awe of the system that created me and the universe.  And I feel I am, physically, a part of all of that.  When I see the stars at night, and I am in the mood, I am astounded that I am that--I am star stuff, I am connected to those stars and the system that created them--and me.  (And no, I do not attribute any intelligence whatsoever to that system--it is totally neutral about it all.)  None of the atheists I have talked to would be deterministic or nihilistic.   I suppose they exist--I've just not met one.  And while I have been depressed at various stages of my life, it is not because of where I came from or where I'm going at the end.  Day-to-day stuff can get me down.  But not for long.  So, I am rather surprised that you made such a blanket statement--have you researched what atheism is and what they actually think--I mean, your research skills are most assuredly very well honed.  And have you conducted your said research with an effort to neutralize your natural bias against the idea of atheism?

[leo]

Isn't Paganism a bit more hopeful and positive than atheism?  Atheists aren't monolithic of course, but if they are genuine materalists, then you're pretty much left with a deterministic and nihilistic world.  For people that know, perceive or just sense that, it can be pretty depressing.

I don't think you understand atheism well. You are making too many assumptions about atheists. Atheism isn't a philosophy or set of ideas. Atheism is simply the lack of beliefs in gods. That's all. Some atheists are deterministic , some atheists aren't. Some atheists are nihilistic , others aren't.  And yes you are so full of shit. I will say it again . Children at the age of 3 don't have the mental capacity to choose between religions. Children at that age accept EVERYTHING their parents say as truth.  You are another brainwashed dude. You would be a hindu if you were born in India or muslim if you were born in a muslim country. Or maybe a jew if you were born in a jewish family.

[leo]

I can tell you right now how often he craps and farts. Not often at all. Because THAT's how much he is full of shit.

I can tell you right now how often he craps and farts. Not often at all. Because THAT's how much he is full of shit.

Maybe with the most powerful laxative this christard can be cured.

[Hijiri Byakuren]

Children at the age of 3 don't have the mental capacity to choose between religions.

But Leo, children haven't been corrupted by society yet! Everything they do is pure and just! They would never choose Christianity unless it was the right one!

[drunkenshoe]

Sometimes I need to act like how they want me to be but its ok for me. I love them a lot. Like a lot of people they are believers and it doesnt make any sense for me. I will be like they want me to be while I am living with them.

Most people in this forum are not aware that a lot of people in Turkey or in other muslim countries have to act that way. When you say you are talking about a muslim country, most of the Americans tend to think everyone is muslim by the book and all of them are extremists. Mostly, they also tend to think almost all muslims are the same in all muslim countries; share the exact same cultural characteristics, life styles -more than similarities I mean- and that they operate like one huge community. Just so you know.

[Mike Cl]

Most people in this forum are not aware that a lot of people in Turkey or in other muslim countries have to act that way. When you say you are talking about a muslim country, most of the Americans tend to think everyone is muslim by the book and all of them are extremists. Mostly, they also tend to think almost all muslims are the same in all muslim countries; share the exact same cultural characteristics, life styles -more than similarities I mean- and that they operate like one huge community. Just so you know.

Yeah, I think you are right about that, Shoe.  But then most Americans see christians in much the same light.  They think a christian, is a christian, is a christian.  When there are over 10,000 different christian sects active in the US right now.  And they are not lock step on almost anything.

[drunkenshoe]

Yeah, I think you are right about that, Shoe.  But then most Americans see christians in much the same light.  They think a christian, is a christian, is a christian.  When there are over 10,000 different christian sects active in the US right now.  And they are not lock step on almost anything.

But it is different with muslims, because their culture is alien to them and that in the last decade there has been a 'war'. This is a bit like people in muslim countries thinking all Americans live without religious rules -none at all- and live like in the movies.  

[Odoital778412]

It's less of an insult and more of me pointing out that you still live in a 3 year old's fairy-tale reality. The hilarity of that is just a bonus.

Sent from your mom.

As I've already pointed out, I am not still operating on the basis of that simple faith.  I moved on to ask the hard questions and genuinely challenge the truthfulness of my faith in order to take ownership and make it my own as a thinking rational adult.  Merely because I adopted a belief that proved to be true and still hold to that believe more than 30 years later is no indication of its being part of some kind of fairy-tale reality.  I'm sure there are any number of things you came to believe when you a young person that you still believe today.  In that sense we are no different.  You've simply chosen to reject a portion of reality that I have not.  We'll each follow our lives to their natural conclusion, as part of our current venue, and see who has a harder time living with that choice.  I hope you'll change your mind.

[PickelledEggs]

As I've already pointed out, I am not still operating on the basis of that simple faith.  I moved on to ask the hard questions and genuinely challenge the truthfulness of my faith in order to take ownership and make it my own as a thinking rational adult.  Merely because I adopted a belief that proved to be true and still hold to that believe more than 30 years later is no indication of its being part of some kind of fairy-tale reality.  I'm sure there are any number of things you came to believe when you a young person that you still believe today.  In that sense we are no different.  You've simply chosen to reject a portion of reality that I have not.  We'll each follow our lives to their natural conclusion, as part of our current venue, and see who has a harder time living with that choice.  I hope you'll change your mind.

You're funny. All those assumptions and all that delusion in one fun-filled package!

You are only slightly more rational IF you do not view your religion as much of a truth as when you were 3. And only slightly. You are still wrapped in a delusion that a non-evidence-based fairy-tale that makes a poor effort to explain the word around us seems like the truth to you.... especially since we have tools that the scientific process allows us to explain the world and universe much more accurately and in depth... not to mention that the things we find through science directly contradicts what you have in your book that was written from a collection of stories conjured up and collected from over 1700 years ago (and further back in time)

What reality are you assuming I do not reject from my childhood, BTW? Let's hear it.

And you hope I change my mind? Is that proselytizing I hear ?