Have you left the faith and suffered for it? Have people who name the name of Christ tried to ruin your good name? Have those that say that their God is love and that they are commanded to love even their enemies treated you distastefully?
If this has been the case for you, then I am asking you to leave a comment here and tell us briefly what you had experienced.
35 comments:
I can certainly say that I had some very uncomfortable moments after I deconveretd.
Once I was working as a cashier at Wal-Mart, and this customer found out I wasn't a Christian and tried to evangelize me right then and there. The people behind her got involved. They made some rather rude accusations, I tried to talk to them for a bit, but finally told them they were preventing me from doing my job as asked them to leave.
My own mother, whom I love very much, has accused me of being deluded by demons, scientists, anti-christian propaganda...so on and so forth.
But, most of it just came in the form of silence. People who had been my friends just stopped hanging around me. Of course I still have some Christian friends, but those were mostly people who were a bit more liberal ( in other words they don't think I'm hell bound for being an atheist )
Earlier this year my husbands supervisor(who is also a pastor of a pentecostal church) came to our house.
I was on my computer and reading my favorite forum EX-Christian.net. He came over and was talking about his computer when he noticed the web site and asked about it. When I said EX- christian he freaked out. He told my husband that I shouldn't be reading that evil stuff.
To make a long story short, GOD told him and his family to come pray with us. They showed up at our house with bibles and olive oil. Put oily crosses over the doorways, laid hands on my then 12y/o son and starting speaking in tongues totally scaring him .
When I told them to get away from my kid they came after me and were saying "In the name of Jesus we command you Satan" They tried to push me down but I stood firm. They asked if I felt better and I went off and still don't remember everything I said.I know I told them that I didn't believe in any of it or the bible anymore.
My husband had to talk to the owners of his company who are also big christians but luckily they thought it was over the top too. They talked to the pastor and he told my husband that he was sorry we misunderstood their intentions but he would never apologize for being about god's work.
I found out later they were all revved up after having a revival. Holy ghost was just dripping from them.
I have seen the wife in town and I glare at her in my most "Satanic" glare. She doesn't speak.
Since then I have had bible verses dropped in my mailbox, and my kid has had some problems from some of the church kids at school. It seems to have finally died down a few months ago.
I would like to also take the opportunity to put it out here that I deny the existence of God, or the holy spirit. It has nothing to do with that incident though. I just started reading on my own and found out that ALL religion is bogus. Some will say I was never a "real" christian. I would like to see a "real" christian. They are as hard to find as a god.
Some denominations forbid apostates to speak with family members. JWs are among these. I'm not sure about Mormons. Amish forbid apostates to eat with family members. I am of Mennonite background, similar to the Amish. Mennonites practice shunning only for formal meals such as funerals and weddings. When my mother passed away in March 2007, my siblings and her church were not going to let me eat at the family table. In the end, due to some technicality in the intensity of emotion, I was allowed. I found out later that this decision was hardly unanimous and I doubt I will be allowed to eat with family at another funeral or wedding.
That was on top of general abuse and ostracization for my beliefs. They "love me as a sinner," which I find too abusive. Thus I try to have no contact. This is difficult when they respect no boundaries. Their religion does not allow them to respect boundaries; it forces them to evangelize. This is a very difficult situation, not something Christians will acknowledge as persecution.
Here is something else Christian refuse to acknowledge or accept: The ONLY reason I am an atheist is for the sake of conscience. To "punish" a person for being true to their deepest convictions is exactly what Jesus said would happen to all who follow him. And he claimed to be the Truth. It is for the sake of truth that I deconverted.
When I deconverted I lost all my church friends and aquaintances but that was more just letting me drop off their radar than persecution of any stripe. But I was a moderator at Christian Forums at the time and the first one of many to deconvert. I moderated in General Apologetics and therefore debated and argued against atheists and other unbelievers. I was a fundy Baptist before deconverting so my loss of faith was quite a surprise. I posted my Christian testimony just a week or so before announcing my loss of faith because I really was trying to do what I'd been taught..go back to the beginning. I did not announce my loss of faith immediately at Christian forums and instead went to IIDB (internet infidels) and the atheists there who knew me were so surprised they actually thought someone was impersonating me (sockpuppet account).
When I went back to Christian forums and posted that I'd lost my faith, but that I was the same person, the Christians there lost it. I had some ask for my testimony post to be removed. I had many post very mean and hurtful things to me and the mods left the posts there. I found out that a bunch of them were talking about me at another forum I went over and confronted them for their gossip and hypocrisy.
It took a few months and after the original announcement I stayed away for quite awhile, and then I eventually eased back in and started posting in GA again. I had a few of the you never were saved statements, as well as a man who hounded me and flamed me repeatedly. (gotta love the Christian love) I had a couple of Catholic ladies gang up on me and basically accuse me of not really researching the church. That was so not true. I knew why I didn't believe any more, but convincing others that I was still the same person was quite difficult.
This is Lanakila posting as Anonymous
When I told my mother I was no longer Catholic she disowned me. I hadn't even gotten around to telling her that I was an atheist, just that I was no longer Catholic. She told me I was a bad mother because of it. It's been several years and we haven't spoken since.
My parents found out I was not a Christian in the middle of a deep, post-divorce financial crisis. They didn't quite disown me, but ostracized me, not trusting me to be around my younger siblings for fear of what I might be telling them. They also helped my ex keep my kid away from me for a while.
I'm so happy to no longer be part of the hate-based lifestyle of the Christian church. Ever since accepting that there is no god, no true religion and no reality other than this, I've been happier, more peaceful and healthier all around.
I've had it relatively easy, fortunately. So far. My family mostly don't bother me too much on the issue because they think I'm just young and it's a phase that I will grow out of. Things can get tense when they request my presence at Christmas and Easter services and I oblige their request to be together as a family. They sometimes like to throw in little comments. Watching a sunset one day my grandmother commented, "So beautiful only God could have done it" and my mom nodded enthusiastically and gave me a look like, "See? The sunset proves God." The most frustrating aspect is when they ask me why I don't believe and I calmly explain the lack of evidence. Then it goes into the "That's why you have faith" argument. "Science doesn't have all the answers" And so forth. I know my atheism will be a much bigger problem in the future such as when I refuse to have a religious wedding service or to baptize my children and raise them religiously. These will be big battles and just thinking about it makes me so discouraged.
After reading these I am so glad that I have never had to go through this. I was never part of a religion as I was raised an atheist. I have gotten some weird looks from people when I tell them that. Kind of "really - I've never meet anyone like you".
I do remember being a bit nervous once in LA on a x-country bicycle ride. I stopped in a church on Sunday since everything else in the town was closed to see if I could fill my water bottles (Tap water - I was not after the holy water). The pastor said that was fine, the sink was in the back. After filling up the bottles he asked if I was carrying a bible with me and without thinking I replied "No, for weight reasons I only carry things that are useful"
I left the town fast. I think I could have beaten Lance Armstrong over the next 10 miles.
I had a next door neighbor (I've since moved) a few years ago who was a really nice guy. I had hoped that we would be friends, but he never spoke to me again after I told him that I did not attend church. I never even had a chance to say that I was an atheist. Simply hearing that I did not attend church was enough for him to ignore me completely.
You guys are lucky, the punishment for deconverting from Islam is death. I've told my parents. My father is OK with it (but doesn't formally acknowledge it). My mother is upset and thinks I'm just saying things to upset her (she still talks as if I pray, fast, etc. - and most times I just don't bother correcting her). They've both warned me to not mention any of this to any other family member. I don't talk to my extended relatives much, but when I do, I have to pretend I'm still religious. It gets pretty awkward at times.
I deconverted from Mormonism, which is a lateral move as far as most Christians are concerned. I've actually experienced less persecution as an atheist, to be honest. My family wasn't thrilled, but they got over it. It's a tough world out there. I've found that for anyone worth knowing, if you treat their beliefs with respect, they'll treat yours with respect.
I deconverted about a year and a half ago.
My very born-again mother started singing Christian songs to my daughter, such as "Joshua fought the battle of Jericho". I was a Catholic at the time and decided to read the scripture behind that song (Joshua 6). I remember that was the first time that I had heard of God commanding the death of innocent men, women, children and even infants. I was pretty shocked and upset.
Craving more information, I just dug in, read the bible, found people like PZ Myers and Pat Condell, read Answers in Genesis, learned all about Creationism and the Dover Trial, etc etc. Within three months, I admitted to myself that I simply couldn't believe in God anymore.
I've been coming out quietly, so I'll post my "Religion" as "Atheist" on Facebook and MySpace. My family knows, and I have had several discussions/arguments with them. My brother agrees with me on virtually all of my points, but refuses to disbelieve, I can only assume out of fear of Hell.
My mother seems to be in overdrive trying to teach my daughter, who is 3, about Jesus and God. It's annoying, but I'm not worried because I will raise her to be rational and true to her own thinking. Religion stands no chance against an open, inquisitive mind.
Other than my family, among friends and co-workers, I'll mention my atheism if a religious topic comes up. The worst I've gotten is surprised or strange looks because I don't think anybody has had enough knowledge of their own religion to challenge me.
But I love talking to Evangelicals in forums. I always try to write everything in the form of a logical proof, hoping their head will explode from the foreign contaminant.
Good luck to you Dan, I'll be following your story and I wish you the best.
Wow, I just read your story, Dan... and I'm really sorry. It's sad to think that this is happening in 21st century America. Hope all goes well. - Former Muslim Anonymous
Being among liberals and artists most of the time, I don't face persecution on a day to day social level, and I'm thankful for that. Most of the weirdness I face comes from friends and acquaintances who are vaguely religious or spiritual who just seem to accept everyone no matter what they believe (or don't believe) because they feel they're supposed to in order to be good liberals. Their arguments against my atheism are usually based on pluralistic tolerance, or allowing people to believe "what makes them happy," but rarely does anyone have anything substantive to say on the actual substance.
I do have some other folks who subscribe to a religion but hold the "many paths to God" view, and still others who actively try to convert me. Mainly, I think I'm tolerated bemusedly. Oh, you know Paul, he likes Star Trek and he's goofy and he thinks there isn't a God. What a funny guy.
Hey Dan,
I've noticed that since becoming an atheist (about 2 years now) that I have a much better understanding of the words and ministry of Jesus. Christians will center the gospel around John 3:16- perhaps I'm deluded by I believe his message of salvation was "Stick it to the man by loving your neighbor". In short I believe that becoming an atheist has taught me a great deal about compassion.
I feel for all of you. I was raised UU so I never had to deconvert. From the outside looking in: the behavior you ascribe to believers, the praying and singing and proselytizing, seems onerous and ludicrous. Would anyone who was raised outside of that look at it and say "Hey, that looks like the path to joy and self-actualization"? I doubt it.
I'm a teleologist. I think someone or something created the universe and perhaps even runs it, but the creator's identity and agenda are not important to me. I think "God" is the way we, individually and collectively, perceive creation and create meaning in our own lives. When you're lifted by the sight of a sunset, can share the moment with others, photograph or paint it for others to enjoy, and study how the world gives us such beauty to enjoy - that is "God", not some Sky Daddy.
I feel for all of you. I was raised UU so I never had to deconvert. From the outside looking in: the behavior you ascribe to believers, the praying and singing and proselytizing, seems onerous and ludicrous. Would anyone who was raised outside of that look at it and say "Hey, that looks like the path to joy and self-actualization"? I doubt it.
I'm a teleologist. I think someone or something created the universe and perhaps even runs it, but the creator's identity and agenda are not important to me. I think "God" is the way we, individually and collectively, perceive creation and create meaning in our own lives. When you're lifted by the sight of a sunset, can share the moment with others, photograph or paint it for others to enjoy, and study how the world gives us such beauty to enjoy - that is "God", not some Sky Daddy.
I deconverted from the Jehovah's Witnesses almost 5 years ago. This is what happened:
- I told my wife I didn't believe and she left me the very same day.
- I told my dad later that same day because my wife threatened to tell him if I didn't. Within 12 months he elected to cut off all contact with me except "unavoidable family business". My younger brother and sister have done the same.
- When my older JW brother died, I was shunned at the funeral. He and I were inseparable, there were over 1000 people at his funeral, hundreds of whom had known us since childhood. People actively avoided me, spoke about me in the third person while I was standing there, and turned their backs on me when I tried to speak to them. I did not receive a single sympathy visit, card, or flower in the wake of my brother's death, not even from my dad or remaining siblings.
- Eventually I remarried. My dad skipped the wedding and the reception.
- On multiple occasions I have encountered old friends in public, said hello, and watched them put their head down, turn their backs, and walk/run away.
- I heard second hand that an old and very dear friend of mine, who had moved to another country, had mentioned how sad it was that both I and my brother were dead, equating my deconversion with my brother's actual death.
There is lots more like that. I've been a non-person, figuratively dead, to my brother, my sisters, my step-family, my nieces and nephews, my father, my step-mother, and nearly everybody else I ever knew for nearly five years. It's pretty extreme.
I'm utterly horrified reading all this. What a terrible thing, that people in this day and age are persecuted like this for their convictions.
My husband led me to the truth earlier this year (2008), though the seeds of our deconversion have been sown over many years as we struggled to rape our intelligence to fit into the Charismatic Christian belief system.
So far we've had no flak, but that's because we've been keeping things rather quiet, I think. We also don't live in the country where we grew up and have little contact with our families. Both our fathers are non-religious (though mine is rather weird), but both our mothers are very religious, and we DREAD them finding out.
My deconversion led to a very positive experience. I had condemned a family member who is homosexual, as the bible tells us this behaviour is an abomination. Shortly after I was freed of the prejudice and hatred Christianity inevitably breeds, I contacted this family member, told him of this development and asked his forgiveness for my attitude over the years. My newfound freedom from religion has brought reconciliation and a new closeness between myself and this person.
Atheism (though I'll hasten to add I'm still not convinced there is no spiritual dimension to our existence at all, I am at the point where I take the view: 'We'll all find out sooner or later whether there's life after death, but I'm going to live as if there isn't') has changed me dramatically for the better. I have an enormously increased empathy for the rest of humanity, heightened appreciation for every second of life I have.
My heart goes out to each of you who are going through or have been through a hard time as a result of losing faith, especially Muslim fellow humans who realise the truth. I wish I could offer you more than good wishes and sincere encouragement to hang in there.
Good luck to all of you.
I've been an Atheist most of my thinking life. Neither of my Parents were religious, and so my brother and I never had to go to church. I studied philosophy with a concentration in religious studies in college. In that time, I solidified my belief that all religions are humankind's attempt to explain the world, and have no literal truth. I do believe that the essence of most religions have a certain wisdom, and so the teachings of Christ, the Buddha, and others inform my life in meaningful ways.
I've experienced mostly kindhearted attempts by people trying to save me, but when it fails, they generally cease contacting me. I'm fortunate that I never had a religious family because I believe it spared me the persecution that many of you have endured. I hope that we as a collective people can raise the earth to a more enlightened and truly loving stage. I think we may face self-destruction if we can't.
Jeremy
My story is somewhat multi-layered as I am both an atheist AND I'm gay. Thankfully, I was raised in a liberal Catholic home and school, so coming out (as both an atheist and gay) has been smoother than it might have been somewhere else. It also helps, I think, that I live in Canada, where there is more cultural and political support for both gays and the non-religious. On a further note, I have been trained in philosophy and I'm in a professional degree program, so that gives me skills in explaining myself and a little bit of clout that can go a long way.
My partner (who is the best thing that has happened to me) has a staunchly religious mother and grandmother. His mother, while embracing us as a couple (she even bought me a Christmas gift!) doesn't like or much understand atheists, and treats me more as an agnostic sitting on the fence than a thoroughgoing staunch un-beleiver, despite the fact that I have been explicit that I not only do not believe in God but that I detest much of religion. My partner is expected to attend Church despite the fact that he does not want to, though he is still very much a believer.
My partner's grandmother, on the other hand, detests both homosexual relations and atheists. I have only met her once, but I feel a tension is growing between the whole family over just what to do if (more probably when) my partner and I decide to get married (or even if we start participating in family functions more often). It's really all very confusing, and I sense that everyone just wants to ignore the elephant in the room: that at some point, his mother and grandmother's religious views will clash in open conflict with the idea of accepting me as a part of the family.
Frankly, it angers me to no end when I hear some of the more violent and stressed experiences some people have had expressing their atheism.
I never had problems with friends or family because most of them are socially liberal. However most of my life I had severe depression with frequent thoughts of suicide. One month after deconverting I had lost all my suicidal ideation and downgraded to only a weak depression. This is solely because I came to the realization that I need to live this life to the fullest I can and that I shouldn't depend on an afterlife. Now whenever I hear Fox news anchors asking what Atheism can do for society. Well it can cure depression and in my case saved my life.
You all have such courage! I'm still (and intend to remain) closeted to my family. A long time ago I told my therapist how I felt this was dishonest, and my guilt about this lie by omission. "What would telling them accomplish?" he asked. I realized I wouldn't mind going to church when obligated, and my relief wouldn't be worth the grief it would cause my family. I'm sure the issue will come up if I marry and raise children, but that's years away. Maybe I can soften them before then.
Realizing freedom of thought is probably the greatest event you can have happen in your life.
For me, raised in a fairly non-judgemental but "christian" family, I had the opportunity to experience the teachings of the Baptist church, the Catholic church, the Pentacostal church, the Charismatic movement, Independent, non-denominational churches, then bible college, seminary and finally publishing my own books on the subject of God. That's when trouble started.
Since being a woman in the christian community can be challenging if you think, being a educated woman is degrading, and sometimes traumatic. After my pastor told me I was out of my realm trying to write as an authority. He suggested I look elsewhere for religious support.
I spent the next ten years or so not following any path, though not renouncing Christ or Christianity, only certain 'unenlightened men'.
At a low moment in my life, faced with a life threatening diagnosis, I realized all my years of Christian prayers were not going to help me. I was equally certain the death sentence pronounced by western medicine was wrong. I thrashed about for answers and found a website that talked about healing energy. To make a long story short, I wound up healing under the training of a shaman. From that experience I went on to look at eastern religions, eastern medicines, meditation and a whole world of information that my Christian religious training condemned as 'satanic'.
I don't call myself an atheist, because I have experienced divine power. It's just not from a religious god - christian, hindu, buddhist, muslim or other. I have co created a new life and new health with the source energy that makes me alive, whatever that is. I don't need to justify it and I don't need to name it any more.
I do think the christian and muslim fundamentalists are in the deepest denial of truth, and possibly the indigenous shamans have more to teach us than any of the rest about health and living on this planet. Regardless of that, I believe the best way to counteract religious bigotry is to know your topic, read, understand, and analyze the zealots statements. There is no better way to diffuse a zealot that to confront him with the facts.
For talking to christians - For example:
Genesis 1 says - God (elohim) said - let US create MAN in OUR image - MALE and FEMALE
Then God "created" heaven and earth - hebrew for created can be translated 'conceive'
Next chapter - God 'formed' heaven and earth - hebrew for formed translates 'to give birth to.
What is conceived in a moment takes months or years - or millenia to give birth to. Use that one on the fundamentalists who proclaim the earth is not as old as we know it to be.
And ladies, feel free to use this tidbit of information.
As many of you know, the christian doctrine is based on a trinity of God the father, God the holy spirit (referred to a HE) and God the son - Jesus.
There is a scripture somewhere - no I don't quote chapter and verse any more but it is often quoted - that says 'knowledge will increase and increase on the earth but men will never come to an understanding of the truth." Another says something like 'you do not have the truth because there is no Wisdom in you'.
The entire book of Proverbs discusses Wisdom - the woman who runs the place. Knowledge is the beginning of Wisdom, not the whole enchilada. She, Wisdom, was with God in the beginning - before the foundations of the earth, according to the bible. Elohim making man and woman makes more sense in this scenario.
Going back to the creation story, "the Spirit brooded over the waters" - like a mother hen. Spirit in Hebrew translates "Ruah" - a FEMININE noun - which always should have been referred to as SHE.
If the entire concept of God has been mistranslated and misstated by centuries of priests and religious leaders - for what purpose other than to maintain the status quo of power - then what else in that fine book is a lie?
This information is for those of you struggling with your move away from christianity. I researched the bible for years in the original hebrew, with the full intention of teaching it. Now I can only provide the information as a way out of the quagmire.
Here's to freedom of thought, to research and understanding, and especially to Wisdom.
There are a lot of good books out there to help move out of fundamentalist darkness. I suggest studying the Gnostic gospels for starters. Elaine Pagels is a good author in this area. One of my favorite books is "The Betrayal" by Kathleen O'Neal Gear and W. Michael Gear. It's interesting reading for questioning christians.
I have finished my transition out of christianity, though it has taken over fifty years. I have the greatest respect for Jesus, one of the greatest teachers of all time. He is however, no more God than I am. And actually, along with all of the rest of you, I AM.
Create well.
It took me close to a year to come out to my family after I deconvereted (some twenty years ago now) -- I started with my brother, who I thought was most likely to understand. He didn't, and through him the news spread throughout the family almost immediately, before I was really ready for it.
My mother cornered me in the car soon thereafter and we had it out; she got near hysterical at points, talking abotu her failure as a mother and how glad she was my father wasn't alive to see this, that she wished he _was_ alive as he'd "set me straight" and so on.
After that, it was largely as other posters here have described -- I wasn't trusted alone with the younger cousins for fear that I might infect them with my apostasy, relatives were always making a point of talking about the latest miracle in their lives around me. Yes, I had the beautiful sunset proves God moment with my aunt as well. By and large, not so bad -- but pretty uncomfortable.
One of the odder moments, though, was waking up from a nap on the couch during a family reunion to find my mother, grandmother, and all my aunts praying over me. It was all I could do to not move and pretend to still be sleeping -- incredibly awkward and uncomfortable.
I'm afraid I've grown distant from my family over the years, in large part from feeling like an untrusted outsider. :(
I deconverted TWICE. The first time, I had become a born again Christian attending a Southern Baptist church at age 15, only to leave the Christian faith about five years later after realizing how flawed it was. Seven years as an agnostic later, I was persuaded to embrace another monotheistic religion, the Baha'i Faith. But about eight years of following that faith also burned me out after seeing its errors, contradictions and failures as bad as Christianity. So I left that faith in 2004 and became agnostic once more.
I still have friendly relations to Christians in general, including my mother who remains a Southern Baptist and even works as a church secretary (We never discuss religion.) But I have NO contacts whatsoever with the Baha'is! Today, I attend a Unitarian church where I can think freely for myself.
I can't say I've ever been persecuted, but I certainly have been though emotional and spiritual roller coaster rides that make me sometimes wish religion never existed.
i am a Silent antichrist for now. I have no plans for deconverting or such because frankly I just got to a point where i really dont care much about religion as i did. It really doesnt matter anymore, what matters is that im living my life as I see it fit. whether im christian or a protestant doesnt really makes any difference at all. I am afraid no more and I have nothing to prove to these kinds of people who judge me for my convictions.
But all in all, im happy that I have proven to myself that I am a living proof, that man can exist without god. Hail Nietzsche! ^_^
BTW, if you guys care to read some really good novel about freedom and individuality, please make time for AYN RAND's "the fountainhead". it really changed my life.
Cheerios to all the atheists and freethinkers and Homo Philosophicae out there! ^_^
i am a Silent antichrist for now. I have no plans for deconverting or such because frankly I just got to a point where i really dont care much about religion as i did. It really doesnt matter anymore, what matters is that im living my life as I see it fit. whether im christian or a protestant doesnt really makes any difference at all. I am afraid no more and I have nothing to prove to these kinds of people who judge me for my convictions.
But all in all, im happy that I have proven to myself that I am a living proof, that man can exist without god. Hail Nietzsche! ^_^
BTW, if you guys care to read some really good novel about freedom and individuality, please make time for AYN RAND's "the fountainhead". it really changed my life.
Cheerios to all the atheists and freethinkers and Homo Philosophicae out there! ^_^
Born and raised Roman Catholic; atheism hit me like a ton of bricks at around age 18. I'm 42 now, and STILL haven't come out to my parents. To paraphrase the earlier poster, what would it accomplish?
To be honest, I think maybe my parents suspect, and have taken up a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. They ask if I want to go to church with them when I go home, and are okay if I decline. Sometimes I still go with them, and people-watch.
I'm fully out to pretty much everyone else, though, and have had pretty much no persecution at all about it. As an urbanite it's easier to move in circles that are more tolerant, I think. My heart goes out to people who had a rougher time.
God, mentioning Nietzsche and that idiot Ayn Rand in the same sentence? Give me a break.
My parents were the wonderful sort who raised me free to believe what I wanted to believe. My mother is kind of a spiritual semi-not-really-Unitarian-ish, and my father goes back and forth from agnosticism to some weak form of Sunday Christianity. Either way, the most religion I got as a kid was random talking about grandpa up in heaven, enjoying orange sherbet, or mom asking me to go to "church," which was more of a spiritual UU kind of thing. Creepy, kinda, but not really imposing.
Eventually, fourth grade comes along. I think this is about the time it strikes children that not all people agree with them, and then our teacher told the class what an "atheist" was. My first thought was... well, my first thought was "that's not spelled like it sounds!" but my second thought was "hey, that's me!"
So, in that charming way, it's gone pretty well. People have been kind of weird about it sometimes, but I usually make a habit of reducing communication with those people as much as possible, and none of them are friends or family.
However, there is one regrettable story... in 9th grade I fell madly in love for the first time in my life with a girl, a new friend of mine. I kind of hid this until 10th grade, when we were closer friends, and confessed (I'm the sort of fool who goes after friends... lalala). Her reaction was "I'm sorry, but I could never date an atheist." Catholic. I was devastated for a couple of weeks, and our friendship, of course, has since been very awkwardly marred.
To top that off, she has since gone out with a very-vague "Christian" (basically just calls himself that to avoid trouble) and (here it comes) an atheist. So it turns out it probably was more of an excuse than a real discrimination.
Still, quite devastating.
But besides that, things have gone pretty well.
Interesting accounts here!
I've never been a Christian, but I've dealt with some strange people.
` One of them, a Catholic, was talking about Christianity with a Lutherin friend of mine and started singing "we get forgive, but you-ou do-on't!"
` Several times, on different dates, she stated that Lutherans aren't Christians and each time I told her that Lutherans are the first Protestants.
` The second or third time I explained this and why, she asked; "Was it Martin Luther or Martin Luther Junior?"
Um.
Another time, I made a joke referencing Adam's ribs. She didn't understand it at all, and I had to explain to her that in Genesis, Eve is created from one of Adam's ribs. She didn't even know that!
Once, when someone asked us how many gospels there are, I said, jokingly; "Duuuuhhhhhh, six?"
` She had this deer-in-headlights stare, looking back and forth between me and the other person. Finally, she said, "Six?"
` I said, "No, it's really four!" (We were both wrong - the actual number is apparently one, since they're all one story.)
When she asked how I think life arose (evolution) she gave me a superior "oohhhhh, really?" But when I told her that the Pope had declared evolutionary theory to be sensible, she didn't believe me!
I could go on, but you know, I think some people shouldn't be allowed to call themselves Christians/whatever until they learn more about their own religion!
Two responses to prior comments; first, while I agree Ayn Rand is extremely one-sided, and generally a poor excuse for a philosopher, it's hard to completely disregard her ideas about free thinking and intellectual honesty (especially in a world where your views are the exception, and that speaks very much to this discussion; I believe this is why Ken raised the topic).
This doesn't mean she actually practiced what she preached but you have to be able to separate the idea from the person if the argument is good. While I agree much of her arguments were bad, the fact is, some hold a validity worth acknowledging.
As regards the unrequited love expressed in an earlier post; it may be the first thing that led me to question the validity of religion. It was through these early crushes that I got my first exposure to church (as girls would invite me to go with them), and the experience opened my eyes to much of the flawed reasoning and contradictory nature of the church.
I just read your story, and I wanted to say I'm so sorry for what you're going through.
When I left my faith, my strongly Christian family displayed all of the love and understanding that I could have hoped for. Like you, I still cannot live a lie, but I am privileged to have such a wonderful family.
I hope your court case turns out well, and more importantly I hope your children will understand and accept you.
I was a Muslim. Now I'm an atheist. I've lost most of my friends. I would have lost my job, so I quit before they could fire me. I had to move house for safety reasons. Now I have to start my whole life over again. I will probably end up divorced sooner or later. On top of that, I lost all of the years that I was striving to be religious. Don't listen to apologetics who tell you there is no compulsion in Islam. They may believe this, as most people are generally good hearted, but it is not the truth. I found this out, but thankfully not the hard way. Most Muslims just don't know that Islam really does preach death for apostates.
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