Greetings All the way from the Middle East !

[Hamany]

good morning good afternoon and good evening ladies and gentlemen


I could not believe such thing like atheism.Free thinking exist.since i was in high school my favorite 2 classes was Philosophy and Religion ( Islamic ) and these 2 totally dont get along with each other.the teacher in my philosophy class tells me to think Logically and then there are moments in my religion class makes me think.Does really this fairy tales make sense in my mind?!?!?! but back then i was so brain washed.i used to say its god to every unanswered question pop in my head every single thing was so simple to me and they tells me the Koran is the book of god since i was in my early ages,and NOTHING Changed since 1400 years ago meanwhile there is 2 different kind of Muslims one sunni and the other is Shia and they are fighting each other for centries for silly things that happened 1400 years ago.specially in my country we have 2 of them by 50/50 so as a kid i see myself in the middle of a mess.I was so confused during my childhood.there is teacher friends who follow this way and there is my faimlly and other friends in this way.each of them *SECRETLY* tell their brain washed kids that the other and the rest of the world will burn in hell.and the kid asks Why they will burn in hell ? and the mother answered..ITS IN THE KORAN.its so sad when i look at my childhood.god was everything.i mean really.I dont know about other religions but for the last 20 years of my life ( which is the overall wink wink ) i used to call god for almost everything let me give you the list that i actually remember ( Entering bathroom.Before eating.bed time.Wakeup time.before riding ( anything ) ,taking shower, even switching the car on) we even have god to every speech or comment.its so silly whats happening in arabian culture.but i have hope in that culture if my arabian mind realized all that bullshit.hopefully there will be cultural revolution soon



anyway.back to my story,i dont even remember where i was but anyway,last summer.Summer of 2011....I ** DISCOVERED *** Bill Maher in his movie religulous despite the comedy in that movie.my brain was going insane watching this movie.as Arabian who didnot open up in this vast crazy world.this was something extremely new to me.I realized that all these silly things in Islam is actually very similer to other religions.Bill maher made me realize that there is NOTHING special about my religion and that opened many questions in my head.like am I in the right religion ? why we have so many religions ? What if i am wrong !!..such questions that makes me tired mentally.It was really tuff time in my life until i watched richard dawkins documentaries and that changed my life forever.everything about evolution made sense in my brain.my brain rested in smooth peace mode after knowing richard dawkins.I also read his book ( guess which one !! ) which even made more sense to me.I realized after all these wasted years that selfishness.angriness and the Mercilessness in our human race is the reason why all this fear of religion we have and the reason why we didnot get over it since centries.its so sad and true



I am deeply sorry if i ruined your evening with this post i still have so many things to share but I just wanted to share my thoughts and my life with you. since i live in middle east ( One of the gulf countries ) i will keep my personal details away from Public Forums for safety reasons.all i can say is i am engineering student who lives lonely in his Cave.and who is different then most of people around him !.This is my first athiest/sharing thoughts experience and i am glad to share it with you guys.


Thank you for your time

[Faith No More]

Welcome. I am always pleased to hear about someone who discarded the shackles of Islam. Yes, Religulous was such a great movie, even from the aspect of someone who has been an atheist for most of their life.

I have to ask, do you fear anyone around you finding out that you are now an atheist?

[Hamany]

Welcome. I am always pleased to hear about someone who discarded the shackles of Islam. Yes, Religulous was such a great movie, even from the aspect of someone who has been an atheist for most of their life.

I have to ask, do you fear anyone around you finding out that you are now an atheist?

If i am from Suadia Arabia.it will be a death penalty.but i am not from there,.I have different type of fear.Fear of losing what i have and my future.i dont really know about the future.but for now.its not a good idea to get out of this cave and tell everyone that u dont believe in god

[Nine]

Welcome! And your right not to give details. You dont want to lose out on your future. Amazing to hear from you

[NoMoreFaith]

Why would that post ruin anyones evening. It was very interesting.

Theres a lot of ignorance regarding Islam, so even as a former believer, its a better balance.

Pull up a seat and have a discussion Nice to meet you

[LastPoet]

[Abracadabra]

I realized that all these silly things in Islam is actually very similar to other religions.

Well actually, Juadism, Islam, Sunni, Shia, Catholicism and the myriad of protesting Protestantisms are all basically the "Same religion".

They are all based on the myths of the "God of Abraham" and the "Fall from Grace" of a primordial couple often called "Adam and Eve" or similar names.

The threat is that if you fail to believe in the God, and obey all of his directives, and WORSHIP him, you will be cast into a hell fire of eternal damnation and suffering.

On the other hand, if you believe in this God, do as he commands, and WORSHIP him you may be rewarded with eternal life in a paradise beyond your wildest imagination.

It's a brainwashing scheme designed to control the masses.

Unfortunately it words all too well. The number of people who have been brainwash by this religion is phenomenal. Not only have they been brainwashed by it, but they actively defend it and proselytize it relentlessly.

And like you say, it only pits Jews against Muslims. And Christians against Muslims. And Sunnis against Shias, and Catholics against Protestants, and even Protestants against Protestant. (Protestants even love to protest against each other)

So it's just one humongous religion that even has the believers in these original fables hating each other in the name of the very same foundational God.

It's insanity gone berserk.

I'm glad to hear that you have awakened to the scam.

Unfortunately now you're stuck living in a society that may not be very tolerant to your new views that the religion is indeed just a man-made scam. You'll be accused of blaspheme if you suggest that openly.

So for social reasons you're probably better off pretending to believe at least as a social facade. Just for your own safety.

Sad as that situation may be.

---

If i am from Suadia Arabia.it will be a death penalty.but i am not from there,.I have different type of fear.Fear of losing what i have and my future.i dont really know about the future.but for now.its not a good idea to get out of this cave and tell everyone that u dont believe in god

No, that would be foolish. Don't do that.

I'm wondering though, are their any Eastern Mystical religion around? Like say Buddhism or Taoism, etc. And are they seen as "acceptable" in the sense of not being outright blaspheme as "atheism" might be seen?

Maybe you could "convert" to one of those as a public facade. That way you could still be respected by the society as being 'religious', but just of a different kind of faith?

You could be a Muslim that converted to "Buddhism" or "Taoism".

Are those options in your world?

"Taoism" is especially very close to atheism. Yet many people view it as being a respectable "religion".

I'm just offering food for thought.

So how are things like Buddhism and Taoism viewed in your country?

[Shell B]

Welcome and the best of luck to you.

[Mister Agenda]

Glad to have you with, Hamany. Best of luck, and welcome.

[Hamany]

No, that would be foolish. Don't do that.

I'm wondering though, are their any Eastern Mystical religion around? Like say Buddhism or Taoism, etc. And are they seen as "acceptable" in the sense of not being outright blaspheme as "atheism" might be seen?

Maybe you could "convert" to one of those as a public facade. That way you could still be respected by the society as being 'religious', but just of a different kind of faith?

You could be a Muslim that converted to "Buddhism" or "Taoism".

Are those options in your world?

"Taoism" is especially very close to atheism. Yet many people view it as being a respectable "religion".

I'm just offering food for thought.

So how are things like Buddhism and Taoism viewed in your country?

Thank you for suggesting that.but I dont think it will work.we do have very small percentage of Buddhism but i dont think converting to Buddhism publicly will solve the issue.its not like they dont want Atheism here.its they dont want any *ex-muslim* so converting any other religion will be the same result as atheism.its far more complicated then that.there are a few or more people who tried to share their atheism in our media or book stores and they all end up kicked out of the country.and i am not letting that happen to me.Nothing foolish then losing my *free* education which i am working on right now.

I appreciate your thoughts and suggesting but again.This will not work


+ Thank you all for the replies and the welcoming.