Formal Introduction

[drfuzzy]

Heyyyy, a smart young one. Maybe you can teach some of the adults on here that lack common sense, that believing in sleep-overs inside of whales isn't such a smart position to take. We can't convince them

Welcome, and stick around

I go to a Christian school too, there are endless opportunities and situations where I could drop the logic bomb on people. I get legitimately mad sometimes hearing them(Teachers/Authority figures) explain Christianity, and being forced to pretend like they are telling the truth. The other day my English teacher started talking to a student who was doing something good(forget what lead up to it) but the student was talking to another student about how she thought Jesus's message was to love everyone and homosexuals should be treated the same as everyone, which is a wonderful claim to hear from anyone whether you are religious or not.

Yet my English teacher comes in and interrupts their conversation and starts pointing out how in the bible it says Homosexuality is wrong and how the student needed to show her EVIDENCE THAT WASN'T THE CASE FOR HER TO BELIEVE IT. I was so furious, I didn't want to even explain why she was wrong I just wanted to punch her in the face.


I didn't tell her why she was wrong though, or do anything about it. Although a lot of people on the outside would say "You should tell them why they are wrong" I never do. The English teacher was an extreme example, but I've learned to deal with "playing along" to false claims. Everyone at the school is very nice regardless of their beliefs, and any time they talk about their beliefs it's never in a hostile evangelical way. For this reason, out of respect for their beliefs, I haven't even told hardly anyone i'm atheist. I figure it wouldn't matter if I was right or wrong, if I attempted to disprove their beliefs they would simply get annoyed and inadvertently start disliking me. I also realize that I am an atheist going to a CHRISTIAN school so even if I am right, i'm not necessarily in a position to call bullshit on everything and be constantly verbally denying their opinions. It's also a hell of a lot more lenient than the public school I switched from(Where I had to deal with all the arrogant jackasses, bullies and such). People are way nicer and less judgemental, therefore i'll let them believe what they want out of respect and not start attacking them because of it.


[There's your little side story for today , just kind of rambled on i guess, stopped responding to you and started just writing a personal story]

Welcome, young one!  You write well.  I want to give you props from staying "in the closet" - - yes, it's just a term for staying hidden -- in that Xtian school.  I attended one too.  Xtian schools don't like it when a student says they're an atheist, and they could make life harder for you.  So use this forum to vent and to ask questions so you don't start arguments with teachers.  They're not "pretending" that they are telling the truth btw -- they really believe it.  That's the scary part.

[Heat]

@Salacious B. Crumb [Sorry it wasn't letting me quote you for some reason]

Thank you for the long, well thought out response, I really appreciate it. My Biology class is actually looking hopeful this year though, the first day when I walked in I noticed a poster on the wall that had a picture of Charles Darwin and said "Charles Darwin, the Genius", and the teacher actually seems rather progressive on her thinking as she said that she attended some experimental research on the evolution of "bugs"(Not sure exactly what she said). She also was(in a very reserved manner) at least I think, trying to teach us about how a certain bug developed a horn in order to fight off predators.

Also, I am very thankful that my parents are very very accepting of me. When I was only about 12 or so, they told me that they did not care if I was straight, or gay, whether I was Christian, or Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, even Atheist. I am also proud to say I already openly told my mother I was Atheist, she even let me express why I am atheist and didn't say anything afterward.

I know this is not the case for a majority of younger Atheists, or practically anyone with a belief that goes against the 'Status-Quo', so I do appreciate this fact greatly. I moved to the Christian school because I wanted to(this was back when I was still a theist), but I am telling you this because I am also glad my parents did not "Force" me to go there or anything. Overall, I am just appreciative of the fact that I am allowed to believe what I want, that I can live my own life and not my Parents.

[Salacious B. Crumb]

@Salacious B. Crumb  [Sorry it wasn't letting me quote you for some reason]

Thank you for the long, well thought out response, I really appreciate it. My Biology class is actually looking hopeful this year though, the first day when I walked in I noticed a poster on the wall that had a picture of Charles Darwin and said "Charles Darwin, the Genius", and the teacher actually seems rather progressive on her thinking as she said that she attended some experimental research on the evolution of "bugs"(Not sure exactly what she said). She also was(in a very reserved manner) at least I think, trying to teach us about how a certain bug developed a horn in order to fight off predators.

Also, I am very thankful that my parents are very very accepting of me. When I was only about 12 or so, they told me that they did not care if I was straight, or gay, whether I was Christian, or Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, even Atheist. I am also proud to say I already openly told my mother I was Atheist, she even let me express why I am atheist and didn't say anything afterward.

I know this is not the case for a majority of younger Atheists, or practically anyone with a belief that goes against the 'Status-Quo', so I do appreciate this fact greatly. I moved to the Christian school because I wanted to(this was back when I was still a theist), but I am telling you this because I am also glad my parents did not "Force" me to go there or anything. Overall, I am just appreciative of the fact that I am allowed to believe what I want, that I can live my own life and not my Parents.

Wow, that’s amazing. I can’t tell you what I’d do to have two parents like that.

I’ve unfortunately seen some of the darkest verbal behaviors firsthand, mostly being justified by religion in my house. That’s a main reason why I’m here.. to have a community of like-minded individuals to relate to in my struggle with a religious psychopath, and talk to some people that actually aren’t religious. I know this doesn’t happen all the time, but religion has turned many people into complete idiots (to word it kindly), and incapable of seeing what is truly most important in life. You got a man that seems to talk with such wisdom and has such a calm demeanor (from what I’ve seen), named Ayman Al-Zawahiri, and uses religion to encourage some of the most heinous acts imaginable, but it would be hard to tell unless you spoke his language. That’s the point, you just never know. It can turn a person that could have been so good, into one that is evil. That’s just one reason not to believe in a god, or religion.

Anyways, it isn’t a god that doesn’t provide an ounce of evidence of his existence ever that’s most important, it’s family, friends, trying to be a good person, and having some fun doing it.

Also, sorry you had to go to a christian school, because you didn’t want to be in a public school. I know it can be rough, to say the least. I hope you still enjoy yourself for the most part, while you’re there. See ya around on the forums.

[Heat]

@Salacious B. Crumb  [Sorry it wasn't letting me quote you for some reason]

Thank you for the long, well thought out response, I really appreciate it. My Biology class is actually looking hopeful this year though, the first day when I walked in I noticed a poster on the wall that had a picture of Charles Darwin and said "Charles Darwin, the Genius", and the teacher actually seems rather progressive on her thinking as she said that she attended some experimental research on the evolution of "bugs"(Not sure exactly what she said). She also was(in a very reserved manner) at least I think, trying to teach us about how a certain bug developed a horn in order to fight off predators.

Also, I am very thankful that my parents are very very accepting of me. When I was only about 12 or so, they told me that they did not care if I was straight, or gay, whether I was Christian, or Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, even Atheist. I am also proud to say I already openly told my mother I was Atheist, she even let me express why I am atheist and didn't say anything afterward.

I know this is not the case for a majority of younger Atheists, or practically anyone with a belief that goes against the 'Status-Quo', so I do appreciate this fact greatly. I moved to the Christian school because I wanted to(this was back when I was still a theist), but I am telling you this because I am also glad my parents did not "Force" me to go there or anything. Overall, I am just appreciative of the fact that I am allowed to believe what I want, that I can live my own life and not my Parents.

Wow, that’s amazing. I can’t tell you what I’d do to have two parents like that.

I’ve unfortunately seen some of the darkest verbal behaviors firsthand, mostly being justified by religion in my house. That’s a main reason why I’m here.. to have a community of like-minded individuals to relate to in my struggle with a religious psychopath, and talk to some people that actually aren’t religious. I know this doesn’t happen all the time, but religion has turned many people into complete idiots (to word it kindly), and incapable of seeing what is truly most important in life. You got a man that seems to talk with such wisdom and has such a calm demeanor (from what I’ve seen), named Ayman Al-Zawahiri, and uses religion to encourage some of the most heinous acts imaginable, but it would be hard to tell unless you spoke his language. That’s the point, you just never know. It can turn a person that could have been so good, into one that is evil. That’s just one reason not to believe in a god, or religion.

Anyways, it isn’t a god that doesn’t provide an ounce of evidence of his existence ever that’s most important, it’s family, friends, trying to be a good person, and having some fun doing it.

Also, sorry you had to go to a christian school, because you didn’t want to be in a public school. I know it can be rough, to say the least. I hope you still enjoy yourself for the most part, while you’re there. See ya around on the forums

At least you can say that you are your own person, which is a lot more than some people can. Even though your situation sucks, you still hold your own beliefs, you aren't going to just "go along" with something you dont believe, even if it means you are holding a belief completely opposite of your loved ones.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, you should be proud that you have your own ideas and beliefs regardless of others opinions, it would be too easy to say "Well my parents believe it, and there must be a reason, so i have to believe it too".

[rado84]

my current religious views are Atheist

What do you mean by "current"? I don't get it. You're either an atheist or you're not - no third option.

[Heat]

my current religious views are Atheist

What do you mean by "current"? I don't get it. You're either an atheist or you're not - no third option.

What do you mean?

I am currently atheist which is subject for change if presented clear cut evidence to believe otherwise, which is basically the views of all atheists.


It's exactly what it says. When did a "Third option" even come in to the equation?

[rado84]

In my world Atheism is a personal conviction, something you were born with, not something you can accept because someone told you so.
I was born atheist. Even as a kid I never believed all that BS about deities. That's why I asked what did you mean by "current".

[Heat]

In my world Atheism is a personal conviction, something you were born with, not something you can accept because someone told you so.
I was born atheist. Even as a kid I never believed all that BS about deities. That's why I asked what did you mean by "current".

I honestly don't know what the point you are trying to make is.


Atheism is not something you have to be born with, or have to be told to believe to believe, it's simply a denial of belief, not a belief in itself.


I don't understand what you are trying to say, it feels like you took "current" and made your own definition, and assumed things that i had never even thought of.


You aren't "Born an atheist" anymore than you are "Born a christian" you are born nothing, not with the rejection of god or the belief that there is one. It's actually pointless to make an argument that "everyone is born atheist because they don't know god" because they have not even begun to develop the thinking skills necessary to form an opinion of their own.

I mean that^ is a side story, I don't understand what you are saying man, a majority of atheists will say exactly what I said. By "current" i mean present views, I used to be a theist but converted instantly after seeing enough information. I would be willing to convert instantly as well to theism if presented enough information. I don't understand why you are trying to read in to a word like there is a story behind it.



Also I do not understand what you are saying, but if you are saying that some people are "born atheists" and therefore can never believe in religion, you are completely wrong, "Atheism" is not some gene you can be born with or without, or whatever you're getting at..

[rado84]

You aren't "Born an atheist"

Really? Then tell me which god did you believe in whenever you were a baby or during your first 7 years? Or whenever you were inside the womb?

[Heat]

You aren't "Born an atheist"

Really? Then tell me which god did you believe in whenever you were a baby or during your first 7 years? Or whenever you were inside the womb?

It doesn't matter, you aren't even born with an ability to grasp the concept of "god", you can't even walk.

Any talk of "god" is completely irrelevant, regardless of which side you're on.

---

You aren't "Born an atheist"

Really? Then tell me which god did you believe in whenever you were a baby or during your first 7 years? Or whenever you were inside the womb?

Here's what it boils down to:


If you do not yet understand that people die, how could you possibly hold a belief about what happens after you die?
Even if it is a rejection of a belief, that still means you must know what the concept of "death" is in order to reject it.

That's why it doesn't make sense to claim that we are born atheists, it's an irrelevant question and doesn't make any logical sense.