Howdy from the South

[Kayenneh]

Hello and welcome to AF! ^_^

[Brian37]

Hello everyone, I just found the forum and am looking forward to an outlet for discussion. I’m in a bit of a frustrating position in that I live in the rural South and feel smothered by religious fundamentalists. Hard in this area to find like minded individuals without the risk of persecution (that might be a bit strong) or at least alienation.

A bit about myself. I’m an early 30’s father of two, married to a Southern Baptist for 10 years. I was raised Jewish but never really identified with a particular belief in god or any such notion. I call myself Agnostic because I feel myself devoid of any belief. The way I see it Atheism requires the belief that there is no god/supernatural/paranormal etc… without explicit empirical evidence. I’ve just started Dawkins book, The God Delusion, which promises a chapter on this concern so I may change my mind…we’ll see.

Anyhoo I look forward to looking through the forum and talking with you all.

Um just to let you know "agnostic" is not a stand alone word. In layman's terms it literally means "without knowledge", but it does not express what you are without knowledge of.

You can take the position that god exists, but not know for sure, that is an "agnostic theist". But you can also be a "agnostic atheist". Meaning you do not hold a belief in a god, but don't know for sure one does not exist.

I myself am an absolute atheist in regards to all current and past claims of all god claims. But strictly in a semantic sense in regards to the future I am "agnostic". I find even in the future it is fleetingly and highly unlikely any evidence will lead to any type of god.

I live in the south too, it sucks religiously and my state is run by a bunch of inept republicans bent on turning back the clock.

Other than that, welcome. Be sure to barbecue kittens, record the NFL without their permission and rip the tags off of your mattress.

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North Carolina. Not quite deep south but.....close.

NC here too. North Carolina, where the men are men and the sheep are nervous.

[Doubting Thomas]

Welcome. I live in a small religious town in the Midwest and it's not much better out here. You just don't go around announcing your atheism.

And atheism isn't the active assertion that there are no gods, it's just not having any belief in any gods. I may say that there are no gods, but it's just my opinion and I'm the first to admit that we as a species do not know everything about the entire universe. However, it's highly likely and mostly probable that the Judeo Christian god was made up by man's imagination, just like all other gods that were ever worshiped. Hence, I'm not afraid to call myself an atheist. But the moment that a god is discovered, then of course I'll believe it exists, but I'm not holding my breath. And of course that doesn't necessarily mean I'll worship it.

[Raeven]

My welcomes to you, too. I could not live where you live because of the religious intolerance. It always cracks me up how these wonderful Christians are always the first ones to cull out, shun and otherwise demonstrate their intolerance of anyone whose views do not align strictly with their own. You'll get comfortable here pretty quickly, I reckon.

[Brian37]

Welcome. I live in a small religious town in the Midwest and it's not much better out here. You just don't go around announcing your atheism.

And atheism isn't the active assertion that there are no gods, it's just not having any belief in any gods. I may say that there are no gods, but it's just my opinion and I'm the first to admit that we as a species do not know everything about the entire universe. However, it's highly likely and mostly probable that the Judeo Christian god was made up by man's imagination, just like all other gods that were ever worshiped. Hence, I'm not afraid to call myself an atheist. But the moment that a god is discovered, then of course I'll believe it exists, but I'm not holding my breath. And of course that doesn't necessarily mean I'll worship it.

No, there is only one core thing atheists have in common, "lack of belief in god or gods"

Some call themselves agnostic atheists and others call themselves flat out atheists.

I like to make the distinction of time in defining myself. As far as past and current claims I DO claim those are all bullshit claims. I am only "agnostic" about the future although I see no future right now where evidence will prove the existence of a god.

[Doubting Thomas]

I honestly believe that if a god actually exists, scientific discovery would have revealed it do us by now. However, the claims of theists of "my god is magic and can't be detected by normal means" just adds proof that all gods are imaginary. Just like children trying to prove that their imaginary friend is real.

[Minimalist]

Greetings.

[viocjit]

Welcome to the forum ! you was raised as a "Jewish".
My question is the next : In what branch of "Judaism" was you raised ? (Reformator , Orthodox , a heterodoxy of Judaism etc...).

[Captain Colostomy]

Lol...'Reformator'. ^

[Brian37]

I honestly believe that if a god actually exists, scientific discovery would have revealed it do us by now. However, the claims of theists of "my god is magic and can't be detected by normal means" just adds proof that all gods are imaginary. Just like children trying to prove that their imaginary friend is real.

Science is running away from all claims of a cognition being the cause. Believers simply don't understand that those pet god claims are merely a childish reflection of their own selfish desires. Our finite existence has always frightened our species for the vast majority.