The Importance of Culture

[chimp3]

I was born in 1959 in the U.S. By the time I was developing a socio-political conscience (10-11 years old) we were neck deep in Vietnam . Kent State murders and daily war atrocities in the news. I was very attracted to and influenced by the Youth Rebellion. Yippies, hippies, freaky gypsies, etc. In 1972 I performed a thought experiment which resulted in my first comforting brush with atheism. John Lennon had released "Imagine" and that is what I did. I stood outside and looked up and imagined no heaven , looked down and no hell. It was not only reassuring but inspiring to be without a deity for a few moments. It was then that I rebelled against the Catholic Church my parents were bonded to. I refused to participate and never received confirmation.
In my later teen years my parents switched over to Pentecostalism. I was rebellious enough to reject that "offer". However I did dabble in eastern mysticism for awhile. That fit in with the zeitgeist of my psychedelic period. Later,  when the residual effects of the LSD, Sillysibin , and peyote wore off so did the attraction to nirvana.
The punk era of the 1980's re-infused into my flower child mind the joy of using the middle finger and a solid "Fuck You!" to deal with theism and politicians. A local band in Phoenix did a song called "Entering Jesus from the Rear" . Sacrilege becomes poetry.
My story might not be worthy of an autobiography, but I submit this to you to support your efforts to inoculate the world with anti-theist music, memes, forums,etc. It was difficult in my youth to find like minded people. The poets, artists, musicians, radical politicians of the 60's, 70's and 80's gave me the support I needed to break away from the status-quo.

What type of support and inspiration did you receive from cultural sources that assisted in your journey to reason?

If you are not an atheist is there any one or any thing in your culture that has "tempted" you enough to consider leaving God behind?

[abaris]

What type of support and inspiration did you receive from cultural sources that assisted in your journey to reason?

Practically the same, since I'm only four years your junior. Vietnam and the daily news taught me the meaning of death, when I was very little. That was still back in the 60ies.

Yet its different to be socialised in Europe or the USA. In Europe it was the peace movement attracting us in the early 80ies. Demonstrating against the Pershings being stationed in our vicinity. It was the time of disco, which we didn't like and so we skipped back to 60ies music, which holds tons of social protest and anti religious themes.

Also different, I dubbed into wiccan mythology, not Eastern. But that's as far as differences go. Apart from the fact that religion wasn't even that present when I was still a child.