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Those who never believed in a God
#11
RE: Those who never believed in a God
Never believed and had secular parents, but religious grandparents, albeit quite wishy-washy. This is a growing trend in the UK, with the possible exception of relatively recent immigrants who still have family closely structured around the religious belief of their native country.

I have been to synagogues, Churches and Temples of various faiths to attend things like weddings and funerals. Everybody that knows me knows I am an atheist, I don't hide it and often wear clothing that pokes fun at religions. I have never had any problems with people of faith here in the UK.

Not quite as true in some parts of Canada and the USA, but no major problems there either.
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#12
RE: Those who never believed in a God
(July 17, 2017 at 10:55 am)Astonished Wrote:
(July 17, 2017 at 10:38 am)Die Atheistin Wrote: I know how it feels. My parents force me to go to church with them (we don't go very often, but still). I've told my mom that I'm agnostic (wich is true, I'm an agnostic atheist), and she was ok with it. She told me that we may never know if there's a God or not, but imaginig that He exist gives us positive energy. I find this argument ridiculous, but I appreciate that she let's me question the religion. I think she would accept if I would tell her that I'm an atheist. My dad on the other hand isn't so permissive. He's in betwee a fundamentalist and a moderate. He doesn't believe in Hell and doesn't hate other Religions. He also doesn't see atheists as evil and doesn't complain about the LGBT. But he thinks that prayer is the most important thing and he praises the Lord often.

Did you ever try pointing out that you could replace god with anything else to draw positive energy from, since it's all just coming from your mind and your own feelings? I just hate how people are convinced their religion has a monopoly on giving them tinglies.

(July 17, 2017 at 10:49 am)Mister Agenda Wrote: Blessed are they who weren't indoctrinated to believe in God in the first place.


I'm fortunate that my parent's ineptitude extended to their efforts to indoctrinate me. Half-assed and backwards as everything else, it was inadvertently the only good thing about growing up in that house.

The thing is I'm about to begin the last year of High School and take the baccaulaureate. I also plan to study in Vienna and I need to take an exam for it (it's not hard, but I still need to practice). My parents bought me an appartment in Vienna, so that I wouldn't have to stay in a student housing. My dad may be a little to religious and short-tempered, but he is willing to help me get a good education.
The idea is, we have a lot to do and I don't think it's the right time to talk to my mom about my atheism. And even if i would talk to her and get her permission, my dad would still forbid it. My mom would either try to convince him otherwise and fail or not try at all. 
I would prefer to talk to my mom after I get to live on my own feet. I don't know about my dad, though.

(July 17, 2017 at 11:07 am)JackRussell Wrote: Never believed and had secular parents, but religious grandparents, albeit quite wishy-washy. This is a growing trend in the UK, with the possible exception of relatively recent immigrants who still have family closely structured around the religious belief of their native country.

I have been to synagogues, Churches and Temples of various faiths to attend things like weddings and funerals. Everybody that knows me knows I am an atheist, I don't hide it and often wear clothing that pokes fun at religions. I have never had any problems with people of faith here in the UK.

Not quite as true in some parts of Canada and the USA, but no major problems there either.
So you're from the UK. What do you think about the Brexit?
"By simple common sense I don't believe in God, in none"

Charlie Chaplin
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#13
RE: Those who never believed in a God
(July 17, 2017 at 11:18 am)Die Atheistin Wrote:
(July 17, 2017 at 10:55 am)Astonished Wrote: Did you ever try pointing out that you could replace god with anything else to draw positive energy from, since it's all just coming from your mind and your own feelings? I just hate how people are convinced their religion has a monopoly on giving them tinglies.



I'm fortunate that my parent's ineptitude extended to their efforts to indoctrinate me. Half-assed and backwards as everything else, it was inadvertently the only good thing about growing up in that house.

The thing is I'm about to begin the last year of High School and take the baccaulaureate. I also plan to study in Vienna and I need to take an exam for it (it's not hard, but I still need to practice). My parents bought me an appartment in Vienna, so that I wouldn't have to stay in a student housing. My dad may be a little to religious and short-tempered, but he is willing to help me get a good education.
The idea is, we have a lot to do and I don't think it's the right time to talk to my mom about my atheism. And even if i would talk to her and get her permission, my dad would still forbid it. My mom would either try to convince him otherwise and fail or not try at all. 
I would prefer to talk to my mom after I get to live on my own feet. I don't know about my dad, though.

(July 17, 2017 at 11:07 am)JackRussell Wrote: Never believed and had secular parents, but religious grandparents, albeit quite wishy-washy. This is a growing trend in the UK, with the possible exception of relatively recent immigrants who still have family closely structured around the religious belief of their native country.

I have been to synagogues, Churches and Temples of various faiths to attend things like weddings and funerals. Everybody that knows me knows I am an atheist, I don't hide it and often wear clothing that pokes fun at religions. I have never had any problems with people of faith here in the UK.

Not quite as true in some parts of Canada and the USA, but no major problems there either.
So you're from the UK. What do you think about the Brexit?

Not a fan, voted Remain and think it will be a disaster for the UK. Hope we are offered another referendum on the final deal when the discussions go wrong, and I predict they will.
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#14
RE: Those who never believed in a God
(July 17, 2017 at 11:18 am)Die Atheistin Wrote: The thing is I'm about to begin the last year of High School and take the baccaulaureate. I also plan to study in Vienna and I need to take an exam for it (it's not hard, but I still need to practice). My parents bought me an appartment in Vienna, so that I wouldn't have to stay in a student housing. My dad may be a little to religious and short-tempered, but he is willing to help me get a good education.
The idea is, we have a lot to do and I don't think it's the right time to talk to my mom about my atheism. And even if i would talk to her and get her permission, my dad would still forbid it. My mom would either try to convince him otherwise and fail or not try at all. 
I would prefer to talk to my mom after I get to live on my own feet. I don't know about my dad, though.
Your intuition is likely correct that this is not the time to challenge your parents with full knowledge of your apostasy. You are young and have plenty of time to establish yourself. Play along, and make the break later on, when maybe they won't connect the dots or wonder if they could have / should have been stricter with you. Needless confrontation doesn't prove anything.

At least you are not living in the US Bible Belt where you might well not be allowed to attend a quality secular university at all, or where your parents would be affirmed in being even more controlling.

Focus on what you have (loving parents who are helping you get educated) rather than on what you don't have. The former is way more important than the latter.

At your age it's easy to feel impatient about being differentiated / independent of your parents but the truth is, there's no huge hurry, not when they are buying you an apartment and being so supportive. The rest is unimportant details, actually. You'll have plenty of opportunity to demonstrate that you're your own person later on.
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#15
RE: Those who never believed in a God
I can't think of anyone in my family who isn't decidedly secular, though plenty are very, very religious. Course, when/where I was growing up, and when my family was growing up..they still taught civics from grade school up...so......?
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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#16
RE: Those who never believed in a God
(July 17, 2017 at 11:37 am)mordant Wrote:
(July 17, 2017 at 11:18 am)Die Atheistin Wrote: The thing is I'm about to begin the last year of High School and take the baccaulaureate. I also plan to study in Vienna and I need to take an exam for it (it's not hard, but I still need to practice). My parents bought me an appartment in Vienna, so that I wouldn't have to stay in a student housing. My dad may be a little to religious and short-tempered, but he is willing to help me get a good education.
The idea is, we have a lot to do and I don't think it's the right time to talk to my mom about my atheism. And even if i would talk to her and get her permission, my dad would still forbid it. My mom would either try to convince him otherwise and fail or not try at all. 
I would prefer to talk to my mom after I get to live on my own feet. I don't know about my dad, though.
Your intuition is likely correct that this is not the time to challenge your parents with full knowledge of your apostasy. You are young and have plenty of time to establish yourself. Play along, and make the break later on, when maybe they won't connect the dots or wonder if they could have / should have been stricter with you. Needless confrontation doesn't prove anything.

At least you are not living in the US Bible Belt where you might well not be allowed to attend a quality secular university at all, or where your parents would be affirmed in being even more controlling.

Focus on what you have (loving parents who are helping you get educated) rather than on what you don't have. The former is way more important than the latter.

At your age it's easy to feel impatient about being differentiated / independent of your parents but the truth is, there's no huge hurry, not when they are buying you an apartment and being so supportive. The rest is unimportant details, actually. You'll have plenty of opportunity to demonstrate that you're your own person later on.
Thanks.
"By simple common sense I don't believe in God, in none"

Charlie Chaplin
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#17
RE: Those who never believed in a God
Still burns me the fuck up that that's the reality of living in a family like that. And they want to claim to be morally righteous, or even morally superior to secularists.
Religions were invented to impress and dupe illiterate, superstitious stone-age peasants. So in this modern, enlightened age of information, what's your excuse? Or are you saying with all your advantages, you were still tricked as easily as those early humans?

---

There is no better way to convey the least amount of information in the greatest amount of words than to try explaining your religious views.
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#18
RE: Those who never believed in a God
I was sent to church until about the age of 12 when I realised that it made no kind of sense.
Everyone knows I'm an atheist but in the UK (unlike the USA I think) no one cares
The meek shall inherit the Earth, the rest of us will fly to the stars.

Never underestimate the power of very stupid people in large groups

Arguing with an engineer is like wrestling with a pig in mud ..... after a while you realise that the pig likes it!

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#19
RE: Those who never believed in a God
I don't think my parents have ever asked me if I believed in a god or told me there was one. As a kid I didn't think other people actually believed in gods, I thought it was mythology like astrology, bigfoot or Zeus.
If water rots the soles of your boots, what does it do to your intestines?
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#20
RE: Those who never believed in a God
I've seen other kids with parents who did indoctrinate them but were so inconsistent with their teachings, by the time they grew up, they still believed, but in entirely different things than their parents. Still tragic.
Religions were invented to impress and dupe illiterate, superstitious stone-age peasants. So in this modern, enlightened age of information, what's your excuse? Or are you saying with all your advantages, you were still tricked as easily as those early humans?

---

There is no better way to convey the least amount of information in the greatest amount of words than to try explaining your religious views.
Reply



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