Need some help

[abaris]

Depends where you live. As far as I know, in England you can leave home at 16 and make most of your own decisions.

Here as well, and you can legally buy booze and fags also at that age. And you can vote.

[robvalue]

Cool. Here yeah you can buy cancer sticks at 16, you can drink at 18. And drive at 17. As far as I know you're set at 18, except maybe driving some kinds of heavy duty vehicle which need you to be 21. (This is all from memory.)

I think you should accidentally-on purpose leave your computer on with my comment about the effect of parental behaviour on long term relationships, so she can happen to see it :p

[abaris]

As far as I know you're set at 18, except maybe driving some kinds of heavy duty vehicle which need you to be 21. (This is all from memory.)

They lowered it to 17 in my country, but you're under probation until your 20. So any serious breaking of the rules and it's back to school.

[Minimalist]

Drew,

You are not the only person who has noticed.

[bennyboy]

My name is Drew, I'm 15, and I need help figuring out what I am. I don't believe in God, but I'm not anti-god. According to the definition of atheism ("The lack of a belief in a god") I would be defined as an atheist right? I don't believe there is a heaven or hell. I believe in ghosts and that you stay on earth when you die. So would I be classified as an atheist? Also, on a side note, my mom has been harassing me to go to church on Christmas (my family is Christian) and she guilt trips me about it constantly, what should I say to make her stop? Also I'm sorry if any terms I used are not correct, I've researched atheism a lot but I've never talked to anybody about it so I wouldn't know what is appropriate or not.

In my opinion, if you see the existence of God as a credible idea (i.e. not completely full of shit), you could identify as agnostic.

I'd describe myself as agnostic about whether there is "something" out there, atheist about most religions I've heard about, and anti-theist with regards to the Christian God idea-- an all-loving, all-powerful God doesn't mix well with infant ebola deaths IMO.

[DIRTY_DEEDS_93]

Well, I stayed home from church, and it turns out it wouldn't have mattered if I went or not, my mom and my step dad sat in the car fighting the entire time. And as for the ghost thing as some of you have thought as silly, the only reason I believe in them is because I've had a couple run ins with what I have believed to be ghosts (details don't matter). And the matter of a god or greater power is completely plausible to me, but I just see no proof that there is (if there was a god why would there be hate, war, crime, terrorism, ect)

[robvalue]

Sorry to hear your parents had a barney.

Yes indeed, there could be some sort of higher power. But the thing that is ridiculous is assuming a book written 2000 years ago by superstitious idiots somehow has details about it. If there is such a power, we know jack shit about it. People who say otherwise have been brainwashed.

And of course, as you say, any sort of God who cares about us does not match with the harsh reality of our planet. You have done well to see through all of this at your age. Some people go their whole life without realising it's a con.

I'm not gonna hassle you about ghost beliefs. I'm always happy to discuss such things but I don't want to press people.

[Minimalist]

(if there was a god why would there be hate, war, crime, terrorism, ect)

Seems to be 'god's' stock in trade...at least that miserable prick depicted in the bible.

[Alex K]

I'm sorry to hear that

[robvalue]

Not being serious here, but I had a funny idea.

You could say you've joined islam now, and you want her to come to a mosque with you.

But yeah, diplomacy probably better