Deconversion of a prospective priest

[Aaran]

Hi,

My name is Aaran. I've been browsing your excellent forum for a while, but until now I've been strangely hesitant to declare for atheism. Now that I have, I've been taken aback by how nice honesty feels, and I'm inclined to sample it further. 

A little bit about myself. I'm from the United Kingdom. I was born in a grubby little town called Southall, which is the closest thing this country has to a ghetto, into a family of irreligious Sikhs who broke pretty much every sacred injunction that exists. My grandfather and my father are both extravagant alcoholics, but the amiable sorts. Crippling alcoholism is like a family heirloom where we're concerned, passed through successive generations like one of those swords in Game of Thrones. My grandmother and mother are both hysterical obsessive compulsives. Between the two of them, they seem to embody every negative female stereotype that exists. I've a brother too. He's a dick. I like weightlifting, rock and metal, and drawing bearded men. 

When I was 13 years old I became extremely devout, of my own volition. A year and a half ago, I was actually going to become a priest of the Sikh religion. But these ambitions were exploded when I felt cocky one day and decided to read The God Delusion. I don't think I'd ever honestly engaged my critical faculties before reading this book. Everything it said was so right. I'd always felt my religion was less stupid than all the rest, but after reading Professor Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens and A.C. Grayling, I knew that Sikhism was just as hidebound and retrograde as the others. I'd been humbled. My whole life changed thereafter. I abandoned the trappings of my faith and went on a massive bender, sampling all the things that had previously been prohibited to me. All those awful years of sobriety were made up for in a matter of weeks.

And now, here I am. I don't know very many vocal atheists, and I'm looking forward to finally being able to talk to some and learn from them.

[pocaracas]

Welcome aboard!

Keep watching Game of Thrones... oh darn, last episode just flew by... and now my watch begins.

As for alcohol... yeah.. do try to keep that under control. It may feel nice at the moment, but then it has a few nasty side effects, like... headaches, liver failure and death.
Never drink and drive. You need both hands to do either.

So... do tell us about this Sikh religion and how it was supposed to be better than the alternatives.

[abaris]

Welcome.

I have to admit, I know next to nothing about the Sikh religion. Would be interesting if you could offer some insights.

[Aoi Magi]

Welcome.

So do you have a beard?

[Longhorn]

Hi Aaran!

Welcomes! I'm at the end of God Is Not Great and The God Delusion is a next priority on the list

[robvalue]

Hey Aaran, welcome

Congratulations on engaging that critical thinking and coming out the other side! It's an easy trap to fall into, everyone thinks their religion is special. I'm glad you're enjoying being honest, I can imagine it must be a relief. I live in hope that more and more theists will eventually apply critical thinking to their own beliefs, because I think they'll feel so much better with all that crap expunged from their heads; or at least to soften the more extreme and harmful views that are held.

I'm also from the UK, born in Norfolk, I now live in Kent. I look forward to hearing more from you.

I have some links on my website (click here) where you can find loads more atheist material if you're interested.

[Aaran]

Welcome.

So do you have a beard?

Oh yes, one of the things I like about Sikhism is its appreciation for the bearded gent. Besides that, I have a very serious case of baby-face without my whiskers.

Welcome.

I have to admit, I know next to nothing about the Sikh religion. Would be interesting if you could offer some insights.

Certainly. Sikhism is a panentheistic religion from the Punjab region in the Indian subcontinent, structured around the teachings of ten human Gurus compiled in a holy book called the Granth Sahib, which is actually considered to be the eleventh and final Guru. This book also incorporates the teachings of Hindu and Sufi Saints. The faith is around five centuries old. Sikh men can usually be distinguished by five outward articles of faith, the most prominent being unshorn hair wrapped in turbans, and long, flowing beards. Sikhism abhors pilgrimage and fasting, and is the only major world religion to emphatically advocate complete equality between the genders and indeed all people. It has no creation myth and generally avoids making pronouncements on matters that should be the business of science alone. Sikhs, like Jews, have an insular tendency and don't make efforts to proselytize. They also have a very rich and interesting martial history.

I considered these to be its pros, as compared to other religions.

However the Sikh religion, like all the rest, considers most manifestations of logic and rationality to be distasteful, things to be guarded against. The human mind is considered to be filthy, Sikhs are to defer to the teachings of their Gurus on all matters. Sikhism still lends credence to the ideas of prayer, miracle-making, and transmigration of the soul by reincarnation.

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As for alcohol... yeah.. do try to keep that under control. It may feel nice at the moment, but then it has a few nasty side effects, like... headaches, liver failure and death.
Never drink and drive. You need both hands to do either.

I appreciate your consideration for my health, lol. How do you drink, that you require both hands?

Hi Aaran!

Welcomes! I'm at the end of God Is Not Great and The God Delusion is a next priority on the list

Thank you! I preferred the former myself. Dawkins is good, but Hitchens is a poet.

Hey Aaran, welcome

Congratulations on engaging that critical thinking and coming out the other side! It's an easy trap to fall into, everyone thinks their religion is special. I'm glad you're enjoying being honest, I can imagine it must be a relief. I live in hope that more and more theists will eventually apply critical thinking to their own beliefs, because I think they'll feel so much better with all that crap expunged from their heads; or at least to soften the more extreme and harmful views that are held.

I'm also from the UK, born in Norfolk, I now live in Kent. I look forward to hearing more from you.

I have some links on my website (click here) where you can find loads more atheist material if you're interested.

Thank you, I really do feel invigorated, as though this is a new and limitless beginning.

[Iroscato]

Welcome Aaran, you possess good humour, which I personally highly value in people. I think we'll get along well
If you haven't already, I recommend Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan as your next port of call. It's quite an extraordinary book by an extraordinary man. I hope you enjoy your stay at AF

[ignoramus]

welcome Aaran... You sound like a cool dude.
When you said your grandfather and father drink, you also mentioned you read the god delusion which changed your life.
For some reason, I put 2 and 2 together and come to the conclusion that that is why they drink! They also came to this realisation as you have!
You have a cool but crazy family! hehe

[Alex K]

Welcome to the forum! That sounds all very interesting...