Interesting Story

[SilenceTheOppressors]

I was raised by two extremely religious parents, both Christians. My father; Southern Baptist, and my mother; the same. They never took my to church, but I was raised to believe God was the "reason for the season," as they say. Also, 100% of my friends are Christians, and find their strength in God. So they say. Up until I was fourteen (I'm fifteen now) I prayed to God, and had a conversation with him almost every night. I'd tell him to take care of my grandmother, and naively asked him to let her watch me from the clouds. I used to tell people God would help them in their time of need. Now that I look back I feel I was the exact thing I didn't want to be. Someone going around preaching their religion and shoving it down peoples throats. My pet peeve. But I digress. After a while I stopped praying, I stopped telling people that strength was in God. I grew to the point where I didn't even care if a God existed. My beliefs became more and more like those of Apatheism. I soon began googling different religions, realizing Apatheism fit me perfectly. But after a while my friends began to talk about religion more, after I mentioned that I had no concern with God or any of his "alter egos" existed. My own girlfriend was telling me that I needed to "get some Jesus in {me}." She spoke with the preacher at her church, told him about my Apatheism. He, along with another person at the church, blatently told her this: "Don't let his ways rub off on you." I was offended, and that got me to thinking. If there's a God, would he want "his people" saying such things? As if I'm some bad habit that can be picked up? Soon after that thought hit me, logic hit me. There is no God. Atheism became more and more appealing, and once I said to myself the aforementioned phrase, "There is no God," it hit me, I'm Atheist. So, here I am. Godless, and because of my conversion, nearly friendless. But I am what I am. I am an Atheist.

[Demonaura]

Interesting story indeed. I think you will find though, (given your last comment) that there are plenty of people out there that will become new friends. Many will probably be atheist, some will be theists who can respect your beleifs. Either way they will likely show themselves to be much truer friends than those who let a friendship die over religion.

btw I like your current signature, quite awesome.

[WWLD]

good story. we have the christian parents thing in common.
I'm almost 18 now, and I stopped believing when i was about 14. At first I also felt like the only atheist of everyone around me. But honestly I found that as me and my peers grew a little older and experienced some things and did some research, I wasn't so alone anymore. This will most likely happen to you to. You may start to see a lot of people around you stop believing and having doubts. And even your theist friends may stop preaching and all that.

So don't worry, you will meet some friends that share and respect your beliefs.

---

oh yeah I love that quote too. it's one of my favorites

[Kyuuketsuki]

So, here I am. Godless, and because of my conversion, nearly friendless. But I am what I am. I am an Atheist.

It's often claimed (by theists) that belief is the harder path but I feel that it is seductively easy to believe and that the harder path is actually the stricter rejection of all things that cannot be justified (supported by evidence or whatever) ... I wonder how you feel about that having been through what you've been through?

BTW ... I have no theist friends either though in my case that's kind of a choice (a philosophical/lifestyle stance in a sense) and anyway, in the UK it's much easier since we appear to be a nation of apatheists when it comes to religion.

Welcome to the forum

Kyu

[True Unbeliever]

I read with interest and admiration of your rational 'coming of age' especially as your still quite young.

In Australia, I never felt 'out of place' being an atheist but I still find an underlying theist approach to morality and the afterlife. I refer to them as the JICC, Just In Case Christians that back away from any theology debate but remain with a pinky finger grasp to a deity as 'get out of hell free' card. In a way I find them even more annoying than strong theist because their ideas are not in the least thought out.

As suggested, you will find atheist friends because as they say 'great minds think alike'. All the best to you

[SilenceTheOppressors]

It's funny you should mention the "JICC," as you cleverly called them. It seems like that's what people want me to be if I won't be a full blown Christian. They say, "At least try so you don't burn in hell."

[IamAwake]

You need some really good arguing points that your 15 year old peers will have trouble with answering or at least will make them think. Any suggestions forum people? This may give them an idea of where you're coming from. At least might help out when they start trying to debate you, instead of just being the subject of their prodding and commentary. Such as... "why do you believe in Christianity instead of all of the other religions of the world? Could it be because it's the only one you have known?" or..... "How can faith tell you anything when people can have just as much faith in other religions.... even to the point where they'll die for it. That's pretty strong faith. Your faith as strong as the suicide bombers?"

[SilenceTheOppressors]

I haven't really "argued" with them, or said anything back. I usually just say, "I'm not arguing with you about this," or something. The only time I really said anything back went like this:

Cori: So, you're an Atheist now?
Me: Yeah, I'm a Gnostic Atheist.
Cori: What made you decide to do that?
Me: I don't believe in God. Any God. Not yours, not any other religion's.
Cori: How do you think the universe got here? It's an amazing thing.
Me: I'm not going to argue this. I respect you and I respect Christianity.
Cori: So...what if you're wrong?
Me: What if you're wrong?
Cori: I'm not.
Me: Exactly. You won't even consider the possibility that you're wrong.

As you can well imagine; the point I made ticked him off. He proceeded to walk away, and ignore me for the continuation of the day.

[Ace Otana]

I haven't really "argued" with them, or said anything back. I usually just say, "I'm not arguing with you about this," or something. The only time I really said anything back went like this:

Cori: So, you're an Atheist now?
Me: Yeah, I'm a Gnostic Atheist.
Cori: What made you decide to do that?
Me: I don't believe in God. Any God. Not yours, not any other religion's.
Cori: How do you think the universe got here? It's an amazing thing.
Me: I'm not going to argue this. I respect you and I respect Christianity.
Cori: So...what if you're wrong?
Me: What if you're wrong?
Cori: I'm not.
Me: Exactly. You won't even consider the possibility that you're wrong.

As you can well imagine; the point I made ticked him off. He proceeded to walk away, and ignore me for the continuation of the day.

They arrogantly think they are the right ones regardless of other possibilities.

They never seem to consider the possibility of being wrong. That is what makes them so arrogant, they never look at other possibilities. To be open minded is to consider other possibilities.

It's blind wishful thinking really. They would never consider any other reality but their own

[Tiberius]

I find it bizarre that you call yourself a "gnostic atheist" and then proceed to tell people off about not even considering being wrong. A gnostic atheist by definition is one who "knows" there is no God, or at least holds Gods to be provably non-existant. To me, being a gnostic atheist brings a certain degree of faith into the whole argument, because I cannot see any way someone could say they could prove there is no God. There are several ways to prove there is a God, yet none of them have ever been demonstrated, but that doesn't mean that a God doesn't exist somewhere.

If you are a gnostic atheist, you don't consider being wrong, so perhaps you are using a different definition?