I Was a Closet Atheist Most Of My Life

L

Lon

Well-known Member
Location
Central California
I came out of the closet when I retired 22 years ago. I have been a non believer since discovering there was no Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy. I went along to get along during my working years because I lived and worked with believers and felt that I would be ostracised socially and business wise if folks knew I was a died in the wool atheist. Now, when asked by some one about my religion or beliefs, I reply that I am a Secular Humanist, and hope they run to look that up and save me explaining the term. By the way --- atheists are pretty normal people and don't eat their young or wish to recruit people to their non belief. We just don't believe and don't mind at all if you do. Now having said that, let me add that there are some atheists that are pretty despicable types, just like some believers.
 

By the way --- atheists are pretty normal people and don't eat their young or wish to recruit people to their non belief. We just don't believe and don't mind at all if you do. Now having said that, let me add that there are some atheists that are pretty despicable types, just like some believers.
Click to expand...

I was an atheist in my early adulthood and I was then the same person that I was before renouncing religious teaching. That is to say I was a conscientious young woman with strong ethics and morals. In fact I was a bit of a prude but in the process of becoming more liberal in my thinking. Like you, I did not go round wearing my nonbelief as a badge of honour unless I got into a religious argument with someone, which didn't happen all that often and then only if I was a bit tipsy.

That was years ago. These days I find there is an evangelical branch of atheism that does wish to recruit people to their cause, a cause which seems to seek the destruction of all religious belief. I'm thinking of the disciples of Dawkins and Hitchins. They can be very agressive and vocal in their contempt for people of faith, or at least for the things that they hold dear. I regard them to be the other side of the coin to Christian fundamentalists. Same horse, different direction.
 
I was brought up by parents who believed in the ghastly, evil dogma, 'you must be saved, or go to hell'. I even did the 'saved' bit when I was eleven, but kicked it into touch by the time I left home to marry at 19. I haven't missed having a faith. I am of the opinion that Christian fundamentalism can be very abusive indeed.:mad:
 

It seems that that these days it's the Christians who are trying to convert everyone to their beliefs, not the Atheists. I got into a discussion awhile back about why Christians insist on having the ten commandments posted at every courthouse in the country. I came to the conclusion it was either or both:

(A) Christians spend a lot of time in court

(B) Christians have trouble remembering the ten commandments

Most Atheists, like me, may think others beliefs are silly but we really don't care what you believe as long as you give us the same respect.
 
It seems that that these days t's the Christians who are trying to covert everyone to their beliefs, not the Atheists. I got into a discussion awhile back about why Christians insist on having the ten commandments posted at every courthouse in the country.
Click to expand...
Only in America. We have the state coat of arms and a portrait of the Queen.
 
.

Many people believe in religion for lots of reasons.

I find it hard to believe that some presence up above is watching over billions of us down here on Terra Firma.

have you found Jesus.jpg

.​
 
I'm a Catholic and don't care if other's believe or not. It gets upsetting to see posts and other venues ridiculing those who believe and insinuate they are stupid. There should be tolerance on both sides.
 
Misty said:
I'm a Catholic and don't care if other's believe or not. It gets upsetting to see posts and other venues ridiculing those who believe and insinuate they are stupid. There should be tolerance on both sides.
Click to expand...

I will ridicule and condemn those who use their belief system as a means of abusing others, whether emotionally, physically or sexually.
 
Justme said:
I will ridicule and condemn those who use their belief system as a means of abusing others, whether emotionally, physically or sexually.
Click to expand...

I definitely understand your feelings, justme, but many times christians as a whole are ridiculed and sometimes condemned. Not all christian's are guilty of those actions, just as all atheists don't ridicule christians.
 
Misty said:
I definitely understand your feelings, justme, but many times christians as a whole are ridiculed and sometimes condemned. Not all christian's are guilty of those actions, just as all atheists don't ridicule christians.
Click to expand...

Is it justified to ridicule any belief system?

What if I were to ridicule the belief in reincarnation? Martyrdom where virgins are waiting me in paradise? If a cow is perhaps a dead relative ? If ALL religions are ridiculed Christianity among them? If god, GOD, G-D, Allah, is ridiculed? If confession, the sacramental blood and body of Christ? If statues of the virgin with babe as a graven image? Is all sacrosanct or can one express an opinion.
I find the belief system of any follower of a faith alone deity or supreme designer/being to be as rational (or not) to believe in Christian tenets as I do that of believing in reincarnation or that a cow is holy nor that a monkey is possibly a deceased grand dad.

An opinion, as "I think Christians belief if wine as blood, a wafer, the body of Christ, confession assures god's forgiveness...etc. is asinine,"that's my opinion. If you or another considers that to be ridiculing your Christian religion, that's your problem not mine. You see I have a right to point out what I see as ridiculous with an expressed opinion if the subject comes up for discussion. The alternative is to ignore the subject or not opine...I opine.

The gods have long gone all of them. They discovered they were fallible and ..well :playful: ridicules living on Mount Olympus or in an ethereal 'heaven' above the clouds or somewhere over the rainbow.
 
By night an atheist half-believes in God.
- Edward Young

What can be more foolish than to think that all this rare fabric of heaven and earth could come by chance, when all the skill of art is not able to make an oyster!
Author: Jeremy Taylor


Atheism leads to numerous absurdities promoted by otherwise intelligent people.
Author: Dave Hunt


Agnostics cannot understand Christ for the same reason a thief find a policeman--they don't want to.
Author: John Hagee


Atheists express their rage against God although in their view He does not exist.
Author: C.S. Lewis

The worst moment for the atheist is when he is really thankful, and has nobody to thank.
Dante Gabriel Rossetti

I was at this time of living, like so many Atheists or Anti-theists, in a whirl of contradictions. I maintained that God did not exist. I was also very angry with God for not existing. I was equally angry with Him for creating a world.
C.S. Lewis
 
[]Doo[]Der said:
Is it justified to ridicule any belief system?

What if I were to ridicule the belief in reincarnation? Martyrdom where virgins are waiting me in paradise? If a cow is perhaps a dead relative ? If ALL religions are ridiculed Christianity among them? If god, GOD, G-D, Allah, is ridiculed? If confession, the sacramental blood and body of Christ? If statues of the virgin with babe as a graven image? Is all sacrosanct or can one express an opinion.
I find the belief system of any follower of a faith alone deity or supreme designer/being to be as rational (or not) to believe in Christian tenets as I do that of believing in reincarnation or that a cow is holy nor that a monkey is possibly a deceased grand dad.

An opinion, as "I think Christians belief if wine as blood, a wafer, the body of Christ, confession assures god's forgiveness...etc. is asinine,"that's my opinion. If you or another considers that to be ridiculing your Christian religion, that's your problem not mine. You see I have a right to point out what I see as ridiculous with an expressed opinion if the subject comes up for discussion. The alternative is to ignore the subject or not opine...I opine.

The gods have long gone all of them. They discovered they were fallible and ..well :playful: ridicules living on Mount Olympus or in an ethereal 'heaven' above the clouds or somewhere over the rainbow.
Click to expand...

Since I won't be calling your's or anyone else's beliefs or unbeliefs idiotic or asinine.....it won't be anyone's problem from me, DooDer. Those who believe in God, are open season in ridicule by some, but if people gave their opinions of other races or sexual identities as idiotic or asinine or not right, they could lose their jobs etc, instead of having their opinions honored.
 
One gets to the point (hopefully) where one realizes that 'dogma' is MAN-made and is used for purposes of control.
I do NOT want to be identified as a Christian, but I do appreciate churches such as the Unitarian-Universalist, or Science of Mind churches.
Sounds like there is a good chance many of you endured the same type of fear and guilt conditioning via religion, as I did...and it took me most of my life to LET GO of it...
I believe there is a distinct difference between religion and spirituality....and it bugs me to see spirituality used in the same context as religion. For those of us who were psychically and mentally damaged via dogma...it is very hard to be tolerant... however, it still comes down to the individual and how they act, what they say, and what they do... be it an atheist or a Southern Baptist....
The reasons that so many Americans are so divided is because of their religious like attachment to the political party of their choice...and THIS is how they are kept under 'control' whether they believe it or refuse to...
My father was a really cool guy...and yes he went 'to church' ... but he told me when I was only 12 years old: Think for yourself. Don't EVER believe it when your teachers tell you America is 'God's country'... and that "God is on our side" is such pure, unmitigated, embarrassing bullshit." But don't even get me started on THAT! :)
 
Or the right to freedom from religion.
If one calls all religion ridiculous they are nor singling out Christianity. If one defends their religion why would they not expect another opinion?
Is Christianity alone sacrosanct? Belabor all others but not Christianity..!!! .A nonsensical expectation.
 
I'm not sure where you're coming from DooDer.
Freedoms are just that but if we are not to lose them then we must insist on exercising them. The atheist mentioned in the OP allowed his freedom to be taken from him. He should have stood his ground by remaining seated. I would have. Sitting down did not infringe the rights of anyone present and he was quite within his rights to do so for any reason important to him.
 
When I was in bible class..listening to blah..blah..blah...I didn't believe..

When I was in a church..listening to blaaah..I still didn't believe..but I knew that something was there..

I realised that ''god'' would be more likely to be in beautiful forests..flower covered meadows...rather than being in a crusty old church..

I have ''God'' in my heart..I do the best I can every day..to everyone..

And that is why I am a Wiccan....
 
Misty said:
Since I won't be calling your's or anyone else's beliefs or unbeliefs idiotic or asinine.....it won't be anyone's problem from me, DooDer. Those who believe in God, are open season in ridicule by some, but if people gave their opinions of other races or sexual identities as idiotic or asinine or not right, they could lose their jobs etc, instead of having their opinions honored.
Click to expand...

Those that don't believe in a god are open to ridicule as well. People constantly give opinions on race,sexual identity, misogyny, but if they're dumb enough to do it on the job or from the job or if it conflicts with their job brand obviously they face accountability.

If others have the right to apostasy, TV preaching, (screwing the poor),charitable deductions, untaxed huge edifices that must be served by my taxes, historic pedophilia behavior, religious misogyny, Crusades,killing,Inquisition torture, witch burning,Persecution of Jews,Gypsies, etc. I certainly should have a right to ridicule those that a Christian god seems to have been able to live with.
 
Michael, I loved your joke.

Dame W., I agree that atheists can be as obnoxious as militant fundamentalists of any religious faith. But I take exception at your putting Dawkins and Hitchens in that category. (You could have added Sam Harris and Mark Twain while you were at it.) They may make people of faith uncomfortable by pointing out some unpleasant truths, and they are not tiptoeing lightly in order to spare anyone's feelings. But here's the difference between them and the fundamentalists: they are not making claims that can never be proven. They are questioning those claims. The burden of proof is always on the one who makes the assertion, not on the one who questions it.

So, if I say there is definitely a tooth fairy up there, and I believe in her, and you are sinful and will go to hell because you don't, it is up to me to offer some proof. Your reaction to that claim would be either laughing or shaking your head in wonder that I could believe such nonsense. That reaction might be rude, but is not on the same level as making the assertion in the first place.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top