Atheists who have never read common atheist literature

[Jehanne]

It definitively harmed me, as I was raised in a fundamentalist evangelical Church; in fact, I was often told not to read certain books (such as "Cosmos", by Carl Sagan), as they would corrupt my faith.  And, of course, creationism was a big thing back in the '80s and my church was actively involved, which included the local high school biology teacher, who openly denied Darwinian evolution.  In one of my English classes, four of my fellow students wrote term papers against evolutionary theory.  I remember well one such argument against the Earth's age, to the effect that the Earth could not be 4.5 billion years old because erosion would have made the surface of the Earth completely flat and there would be no mountains!  Tragically, when my fundamentalist friend presented this argument to me I was completely at a loss for words.

Same here.  In fact, it was my high school science teacher that was most directly involved in my rejection of religion.  I innocently mentioned evolution as something one of my friends was studying and he ripped me a new one, forbidding me from ever mentioning that word ever again.   So I said, to myself anyhow, screw you, I'll do what I want, and went and researched for myself and that led me to rejecting Christianity as unsupportable.

I skipped biology, fortunately.  Later on, I would read Darwin's Origin of Species, and so, that's the only biology that I have had.  Here recently, I sent an email to a creationist state House member, a Republican.  I am waiting on her reply, but as it has been nearly 4 days, I don't think that I am going to receive one.

Still, your story reminds me of a story told by one of my Dad's ex-girlfriends.  She went to her high school one day wearing a long skort, and was immediately sent home to change into a skirt for having not "dressed like a lady."  How times have changed!!

[Cephus]

Same here.  In fact, it was my high school science teacher that was most directly involved in my rejection of religion.  I innocently mentioned evolution as something one of my friends was studying and he ripped me a new one, forbidding me from ever mentioning that word ever again.   So I said, to myself anyhow, screw you, I'll do what I want, and went and researched for myself and that led me to rejecting Christianity as unsupportable.

I skipped biology, fortunately.  Later on, I would read Darwin's Origin of Species, and so, that's the only biology that I have had.  Here recently, I sent an email to a creationist state House member, a Republican.  I am waiting on her reply, but as it has been nearly 4 days, I don't think that I am going to receive one.

Still, your story reminds me of a story told by one of my Dad's ex-girlfriends.  She went to her high school one day wearing a long skort, and was immediately sent home to change into a skirt for having not "dressed like a lady."  How times have changed!!

Not at religious schools, I'm sure.  They're just as backwards as they always were.

[Jehanne]

I skipped biology, fortunately.  Later on, I would read Darwin's Origin of Species, and so, that's the only biology that I have had.  Here recently, I sent an email to a creationist state House member, a Republican.  I am waiting on her reply, but as it has been nearly 4 days, I don't think that I am going to receive one.

Still, your story reminds me of a story told by one of my Dad's ex-girlfriends.  She went to her high school one day wearing a long skort, and was immediately sent home to change into a skirt for having not "dressed like a lady."  How times have changed!!

Not at religious schools, I'm sure.  They're just as backwards as they always were.

No, it was a public high school, back in the early 60s.

[Cephus]

Not at religious schools, I'm sure.  They're just as backwards as they always were.

No, it was a public high school, back in the early 60s.

Mine was a private religious school.

[Jackalope]

@OP

I haven't read any of it. Quite frankly, I'm not particularly concerned what anyone else thinks.

[ComradeMeow]

I feel ashamed at times to say that as an atheist . . .

I don't understand how an atheist can also be a creationist, unless you have a highly unconventional definition of creationism, (ie. as an -ism).
In your religious views, you cite creationism :-

ComradeMeow
Drama Queen

Religious Views: Creationism

It simply means that I believe that man created gods and their qualities and not the other way around. It is just a way of me opening dialogue to people. Being a conservative and a right-winger I have to play mind games with my own "kind" to discuss religion.

This is why I firmly assert my opinions beforehand and ridicule a person's beliefs than assert my own values before they feel comfortable to go on the offensive. 

For example:

Christian fundie: "Are you a fellow Republican like myself?"

Me: "Yes I am"

Christian fundie: "Oh that's great"

Me: "Sure is, I just wish so many of us aren't filled with Christians though because such mental illnesses are bringing down the party. It shames me that creationists . . . . 

*15 minutes later*

. . . and other mentally deficient scumbags have no place in America if you have any understands of American history."

Christian fundie: "Yeah, I guess you are right *awkward gulp*"


Nothing brings joy to my heart than completely debasing a person's beliefs without stopping. 

[Gawdzilla Sama]

The movie "Arrival", and "The Story of Our Lives" on which it was based, makes the point that learning a new language changes your thought patterns. I think this applies to religious indoctrination. (Post would be longer if I wasn't on a hell phone.)

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

@OP

I haven't read any of it. Quite frankly, I'm not particularly concerned what anyone else thinks.

This strikes me as the heart of the matter. While arguments supporting atheism are important, atheism has no required dogma - you can believe in anything but gods and still be an atheist. This is one of the primary differences with religion. Don't believe in transubstantiation? Then you're not 'real' Catholic. Put off by the doctrine of infant damnation? Wesleyan Methodists want nothing to do with you.

But as admirable as Hitchens was, you don't need to have read a single thing he ever wrote to qualify as an atheist.

Boru

[Mister Agenda]

I read the Bible, cover-to-cover, twice. Who needs atheist literature?

That said, I enjoy reading and have read a fair amount from atheist authors, and probably authors I didn't know were atheists. George Smith's 'The Case Against God' probably tipped me over into considering myself an atheist, though it was more of a realization that I already was one but had been misunderstanding what an atheist is.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Never been religious, no need to read the gospel according to Dawkins.