(January 19, 2013 at 12:18 pm)Aardverk Wrote: Similar advice from me, except that I would think more than twice about calling yourself an 'atheist' at all - ever. Bear in mind that even Richard Dawkins calls himself an agnostic (6.9 on a 7 point scale) to leave himself just that little bit of room in case of new information.Well, of course you can never be 100% sure, but "atheist" is a better descriptor for me than "agnostic". I use "atheist" in the same way Dawkins does. Agnostic implies that you think there's actually some decent chance that God exists. I'm a 7 as far as, say, Christianity goes--the logic just doesn't follow through, so I believe in Yahweh's non-existence is the same sense that I believe two times four absolutely does not make seventy-nine. As far as the existence of a less absurd non-physical deity, I'm a six-point-something.
The very word 'atheist' gets theists knickers in a twist for no good reason. Unless you really want to start a fight with your Christian family and neighbors, just stick with agnostic. You never need say that you are 99% atheist unless you really want to wind them up. Just keep innocently asking them why? Why? Why?
There is a good case to be made that an out and out, 100%, adamant 'atheist' is just as closed minded as a 'theist'. It is the percentage that makes you sane or deluded. There are plenty of sane Christians out there, they just don't make their doubts very public in Alabama.
Best of luck. Do test the water carefully.
But I do get your point. "Atheist" can be synonymous with "sinner", while "agnostic" can mean "lost". I think people sometimes confuse not believing in God with hating God, and so get angry at that word.
There was one girl, though, who was openly lesbian and atheist (and used that word) who started coming to Wednesday night youth meetings at my church, and she was totally accepted.
(January 19, 2013 at 12:19 pm)Minimalist Wrote: Welcome, young fellow.Yeah, I half-knew when I typed that that I'd have to remove it. I'm not actually trying to piss people off, after all. But I've never even heard the word "pragmatism"--when I went to public school, I actually sort of enjoyed getting non-physically bullied because bullies are idiots and easy to win arguments against.
Difficult situation you've described and you are certainly not the first.
One thing about believers is that they will be more tolerant of belief in something else rather than belief in nothing. Atheism is too much of an attack on them. What if you just distance yourself from that church without indicating that you reject god totally? As you say " the older I got the less I liked the idea of a murderous, misogynistic, jealous, voyueristic control freak who tortures you forever if you don't love him governing the universe." Throw in the political stances of these so-called churches and just say you are looking for something else? Something more positive?
They might just put that off to a teenage "phase" but if you can live with half-measures it is something to consider. In 10 years when you are out on your own you can announce that its all crap and you are done with it. Hopefully by then you'll have gotten the hell out of Alabama.
I can handle people getting irrationally angry with me, and I'm already used to being shunned/ignored by most people my own age. Half the reason I want to come out anyway is that I'm tired of lying about this. I don't care if other people hate me for saying this--I'm Chaotic Good like that--I'm mostly just worried about my parents at this point. My relationship with them is strained enough as it is.By the way, female pronouns, please.
