(July 4, 2016 at 8:50 am)Catsratz Wrote: Hi, I'm new here as of within the past few minutes.  How I've longed to find a board like this one!  Maybe I'll be  (re)Born on the 4th of July - which is today.

I'm 66 and have been a non-believer since around age 5.  At least.  The other kids said "god" and I said "Godzilla" (well, it was the 50s).  Was a catlicker for a few years in the late teens.  I used to walk a friend up to Confession and was mightily impressed by the beauty of the stained glass and burning candles.  It took a few years to wear off but when it did, gradually, it was gone for good.

For over 10 years I loved to go to Landover Baptist (satire web site that goofs on religion by pretending to be Holier-than-thou) and was even Moderator at the time I quit in 2011.  I miss it but the people who run it now are as tight and harsh as religion itself.  Sleazy, too, in the private section for Moderators only. I went to a British website for a while and they are cool, but it didn't really click for me....

Can't say I'm a happy person in general.  My refusal to bow to religion has made me live in poverty and has caused me to now dislike people in general.  Especially the developer who moved in across the way and has gotten busy.  With the weenie kid and Hummer-driving wife.  But I'm here at A.F. mainly to have fun by knocking religion while being dead serious at times if I feel the need to.  I'm only dogmatic about a couple of things with one being religion and one other...developers.  So I hope we can all have a really good time.  Cool - you even have a Shoutbox!

Oh yeah, that stuff.  I was born in Flushing (Queens County) New York on April 27, 1950.  I've moved about 60 times in my life since, mainly when one place got too bad.  Too many "low rent" places where everything is low but  the rent.  Have also lived in Southern California, Florida and Tennessee and now have landed up in Northeast Pennsylvania.  Ah, Pennsylvania:  I think of it as "Tennessee of the North."  I live alone with my 3 wonderful pet rats.  Retired, I love to read and do crosswords and sit in the sun.  Have worked at everything from packing eggs to high-school secretary.

For years now I've been isolated with no friends or family or even an email buddy.  So if you like to have a laugh knocking religion or whatever else you like to write about, as long as you're a non-believer - please do write to me!

(July 4, 2016 at 4:30 pm)mh.brewer Wrote: Welcome! (clears away regurg)

Can you please expand upon "My refusal to bow to religion has made me live in poverty"?

(July 6, 2016 at 8:54 am)Catsratz Wrote:

Sure, I guess I was being dramatic due to being "into brevity" as I did not want to torture everyone with all 66 years' worth.  Actually only 50, as I began working in '66.  It is pretty much about work, although getting work often involves socializing too.  I was born poor and have unfortunately remained that way because of what I said in that quote.  Worked at entry-level jobs (beginning with the egg-packing, which I also did at another company just 10 years ago) due to need to pay rent immediately.  So many of them....

Now most non-believers are doing well because they are intelligent, born into intelligent families, where they had the luxury to wait until a good job, career stuff, came up due to not needing to pay rent.  Probably getting a loan, borrowing a car, child care....So many other of my fellow entry-level were not too bright and female to boot (read: more religious) and I needed to work closely in with them and I would not "god bless" when they sneezed and all that happy crappy.  And so it would become apparent. And there is a wall between me and god-believers that I feel strongly; also them with this wall towards me.

Here's one example, and I'm sure all of you have them, from one of the 'better' jobs.  I was Records Clerk at a Probation office.  Sat smack in the middle of everything.  And who's more religious than a government employee?  More government employees!  At least here in the U.S.  Now in July we'd already had about a month of caroling via radio for "Christmas in July" so I knew how bad it would be and requested a Personal Day on the day the Christmas Party was to take place.  The Director comes out to me, with people all around, saying that I wouldn't want to be off this day, as it's the day of the party.  I didn't know what to say except I'd done it purposely, saying I wasn't religious.  She asks, Am I agnostic?  "Atheist."  Oh, that's not good, she replies.   I must have got it from being on "too many wacky websites."

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...and I thank everyone so much I didn't personally respond to.  Such an odd (and good) feeling to be around the non-religious.  Though born in the Great Satan of New York City and growing up in its suburbs, unfortunately most of the places I lived in since were extra-religious.  Even including San Diego County in California, last county before the Mexican border.  But the "Wild West" it wasn't.            Then of course Tennessee and even here now in Northeast Pennsylvania.  So this is a very good feeling indeed