Hi there,

Newby here. Just want to say hello and need someone to talk to really. I guess I have always been an atheist, but recently it has become something I feel very strongly about and I don't feel as though I can talk to any about it without being dismissed. I have always been interested in religion but the more I have explored it, the more I am convinced that it is man made and I feel so frustrated that others cannot see through the facade. My partner, although not religious, thinks I am a fanatic and anti-religious anything, but I just get so frustrated that secular views seem to get sidelined these days and religious views get president even though we are apparently living in a secular society. I don't begrudge people believing in whatever they want to believe in, but I fear the way things are going, within a few decades, we will have to believe in god or suffer the consequences. That makes me so fearful. I just need someone to take to to reassure me I guess,

Welcome. Don't be scared about that. You're on a rockish object floating through space. Really, what could be more terrifying than existence itself? I'm kidding, but you shouldn't be scared. No one can make you believe anything.

(April 13, 2012 at 8:49 pm)Shell B Wrote: No one can make you believe anything.

Not even God.

Welcome by the way.

Welcome!

(April 13, 2012 at 8:46 pm)xmasbaby Wrote: Hi there,

Newby here. Just want to say hello and need someone to talk to really. I guess I have always been an atheist, but recently it has become something I feel very strongly about and I don't feel as though I can talk to any about it without being dismissed. I have always been interested in religion but the more I have explored it, the more I am convinced that it is man made and I feel so frustrated that others cannot see through the facade. My partner, although not religious, thinks I am a fanatic and anti-religious anything, but I just get so frustrated that secular views seem to get sidelined these days and religious views get president even though we are apparently living in a secular society. I don't begrudge people believing in whatever they want to believe in, but I fear the way things are going, within a few decades, we will have to believe in god or suffer the consequences. That makes me so fearful. I just need someone to take to to reassure me I guess,

Actually I think religion is slowly (too slowly) losing grip on the world and I think it is likely that some day, maybe centuries from now, religious people will be a small minority to the entire population.

Mock the arrogant. Ignore the fools. Avoid the angry. Forget the fear. Enjoy your life.


Welcome sir.

Welcome

I'm curious about your user name - were you actually born on Xmas day? I ask because I consider myself a Xmas baby even though I was born 3 days before.

The thing is that we ARE seeing a revival of militant christianity, but worse we are seeing jihad in the forms of islam and zionism in the form of Israel and they're all butting heads while we, the rational ones, look on and shake our heads in a mixture of pity and despair; pity, because these poor mammals are still succumbing to the need to sound their primitive yawp, and despair because these same cavemen have nuclear weapons.

Personally, I maintain a small collection of firearms and a fairly sizable collection of ammunition for them. People ask me if it's for people who attempt to burgle my house. I laugh [I live in one of the most white-bread places in the US ever] and shake my head. Truthfully, it's because I admittedly fear the possible day that the religious may break the admittedly shaky dividing walls between church and state. The day may very well come where reason will again lose to superstition. If that ever happens they will have to threaten me with death to try to convert me. My only response to them will be "you may try."

But in all likelihood, we likely won't need to fear that. Welcome to the forum!