Hi. My name is Noah, and I am 15 years old. I have been an atheist for about a year and a half now.
About early fall of 2013, I randomly saw an internet debate on some website over the existence of God. And I admit, at first I thought you guys were real idiots. See, I live in a family of 7 who goes to church (Baptist) three times a week, and I always thought there were certain evidences of God's existence (such as the complexity of nature, something can't come from nothing, etc.). But once I got interested in the subject, I realized in only the matter of a couple months that I could no longer be a Christian and at the same time think of myself as an intellectually honest person. So I started talking to my sister about it, and she literally freaked out, although I don't blame her. To the rest of my family and pretty much everyone we know, "atheist" is about synonymous with "evil". She eventually told my parents, and they weren't altogether to happy, and I admit it isn't very easy living in a house where your own parents think your lack of belief is based only on your rebellion from God and morality. They didn't exactly disown me, but I know they're not going to pay for college unless it is a Christian establishment. One time my dad and I got into a mostly polite discussion (on my part, at least) and it soon became painfully obvious that he knows little to nothing about evolution, even though he pretends to. Even though he was quite condescending, he brings it up all the time that atheists are mean and disrespectful people. In my opinion, that assumption as at best an Ad Hominem attack, and at worst a pathetic stereotype and a lie. So now this is the first time I've really talked with other atheists on the internet, so I hope I can get to know some of you and perhaps learn a thing or two.
-Noah
About early fall of 2013, I randomly saw an internet debate on some website over the existence of God. And I admit, at first I thought you guys were real idiots. See, I live in a family of 7 who goes to church (Baptist) three times a week, and I always thought there were certain evidences of God's existence (such as the complexity of nature, something can't come from nothing, etc.). But once I got interested in the subject, I realized in only the matter of a couple months that I could no longer be a Christian and at the same time think of myself as an intellectually honest person. So I started talking to my sister about it, and she literally freaked out, although I don't blame her. To the rest of my family and pretty much everyone we know, "atheist" is about synonymous with "evil". She eventually told my parents, and they weren't altogether to happy, and I admit it isn't very easy living in a house where your own parents think your lack of belief is based only on your rebellion from God and morality. They didn't exactly disown me, but I know they're not going to pay for college unless it is a Christian establishment. One time my dad and I got into a mostly polite discussion (on my part, at least) and it soon became painfully obvious that he knows little to nothing about evolution, even though he pretends to. Even though he was quite condescending, he brings it up all the time that atheists are mean and disrespectful people. In my opinion, that assumption as at best an Ad Hominem attack, and at worst a pathetic stereotype and a lie. So now this is the first time I've really talked with other atheists on the internet, so I hope I can get to know some of you and perhaps learn a thing or two.
-Noah
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts. -Bertrand Russell
Even if god did exist, he has yet to prove it, and our doubt is justified.
Even if god did exist, he has yet to prove it, and our doubt is justified.
