Hello! New here.

[Praetorian]

Hello everyone, it's been a long time coming for me to join this board, and I finally got around to it. I'm an atheist in the American southwest, where we aren't really rare, but rare enough that I'd rather post and debate on here than try and find a group to discuss such things IRL.

I was previously a fundamentalist, evangelical, conservative Christian...long ago enough that it feels like another life. I used to speak in tongues and feel the spirit of God, but the house of cards came tumbling down and I progressively (and painfully) lost my faith. I've been an atheist since 2009, and I've been learning a lot more through this new worldview than I ever thought was possible before.

I come here now mostly because I have a lot of philosophical ideas I want to throw around and bounce off of other thinking people. Here's looking forward to talking with everyone and being part of the community!

[Minimalist]

Welcome. I moved to Errorzona 8 years ago. It's been an experience.

[LaffinAtchu]

Hey. I look forward to exchanging views with you. I wouldn't consider myself fully atheist but I also don't consider God to be all that great due to my spiritual experiences. I also speak in tongues (every other day now) but I am struggling with this so called Spirit of God as to why the world is the way it is. I am furious everyday and ask this deity questions with no affirmative answer yet.

So I welcome you and myself to this forum and hope we get treated well!

[Praetorian]

I'm in New Mexico, which is a hodgepodge of cultures and therefore tends to be a little more liberal than its neighbors. During the election, it was fun seeing NM and CO be surrounded by red on the final map. We have a republican governor though, and a lot of displaced Texans and Mormon towns that remind us to be constantly vigilant. It's that old west-wannabe mentality that keeps the southwest a little odd.

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Hey LaffinAtchu, it's been my experience that the atheist community is generally pretty accepting, if irreverent. I think we'll be fine!

On a side note, is there any specific reason you've started to fall away? For me it was a lot of things...unanswered prayers a big part of it.

[Neo-Scholastic]

Welcome to the Madhouse. I think we have many ex-fundamentalists here.

[Minimalist]

It's that old west-wannabe mentality that keeps the southwest a little odd.

Agreed.....and its an old west that exists mainly in Hollywood movies that they claim to despise.

[Dragonetti]

I know the feeling. I am in Florida!

[Simsim]

Welcome Praetorian.
Hope you will spend good times here.

[Darkstar]

[FifthElement]

Welcome to AF, love New Mexico, been there few yeas ago