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Only on the internet. Most people who I've told have been my friends and family, and they either are also atheists/agnostics or they don't care. I've had the benefit of being from and living in very liberal areas, for the most part.
Not really, some people are surprised but most of the people I associate with are athiest or agnostic themselves.
Yeah, I get some odd looks too. It just comes with the territory, which is sad. My favorite reaction is "But you're such a nice/good person!". Thanks, I guess?
@batwoman: yes, I guess since my FI was loud and proud about it so they tell men he has corrupted me. sigh
I am not hard core bashing religion. My parents are sitll religous and I think I would still like to get my kids baptized and let them make the choice when they get older.
I really feel for american atheist/ agnostics in America. The last I heard atheists are the least trusted group in your country... That's insane!. Here in Australia, our PM is athiest! The majority of people I know identify culturally as a Christian, but do not practice and many are agnostic. I am an agnostic leaning towards athiesm and so is my FI. My dad is a Christian but doesn't care that none of his kids are, he doesn't think we will burn in hell ( what parent would think that their kids deserve that!). One of my closest friends is an active Christian, but it doesn't matter. She knows I am a good person and doesn't believe I will burn hell either. come to think of it, no Christian I know in Australia even believes in hell! No one here really cares what you subscribe to, as long as you are a good person it doesn't matter
I've gotten that too and at one point, someone said that I should be stoned to death. Um? Okay.
@AubByAub: omg that is crazy!
@Bears-bub: I see on facebook how everyone is praisng love for god but let me prasie my love for not believe in him and I will get attacked.
I waffle between agnostic and atheist myself, but it's not something I really talk about to other people. I got cut off from most of my family when they realized I don't go to church. I've never come out and said anything to them either way, but they've made their (correct) assumptions, and wrote me off as damned.
It's not really something we talk about, but most of my close friends have similar beliefs. I don't generally advertise my faith, or lack thereof. It's not a conversation I want to have...it's no one's business but my own (and my husband's).
@Mrs Sarah McK: I don't share it either but when people told me I needed to pray to God for a job I had to say um no. I remember I told my friend congrats on all her hard work and she told me that no it was the work of god. The one friend I mention was sick and I went to go see her at the hospital and had to pray like 3 different times. I felt so uncomfertable but just sat there and looked around. I think from now on if i feel uncomfertable I will execuse myself from the situation.
Yup. I live in a small conservative town and i don't generally tell people but if they push it I will. They always look at me like I'm crazy or they say something like " but you're such a good person!" lol. I'm like yeah being an atheist doesn't mean I eat babies! I hate that people associate being an atheist with no morals or a bad person. When I told my dad he didn't care, he pretty much knew since I study evolutionary biology lol, but my mom was like "I raised you wrong!!" Now she is ok with it though. Like pp said atheists are one of the least trusted roups in America and I just don't get it. I don't not trust someone when they tell me they believe in god, and I definitely don't say anything like, "but you're such a good person!" Hopefully the stigma goes away one day :(
@sexxysheddy: That's so sad. Do they not realize people all over the world experience love and do not subscribe to Christianity? FFS animals clearly experience love, why can't humans experience love without divine intervention?
America to many Australians is like the middle east of the western world. It's a bit scary!
@natbug21: I hope so to and I bet one day we will be the majority and not the minority.
@sexxysheddy: yea, it was in high school, so it was pretty dumb and I just laughed in the guys face. it's even funnier now because that same guy claims to be an atheist.
I don't get it too much. I live in a liberal area, and associate mainly with people who aren't super religious.
@AubByAub: I think its the hardest when it comes from Family.
@sexxysheddy: I agree. My parents/stepparents and FIs parents all go to church and always post on facebook about how great it is and how god is so good. FI and I just kind of ignore all their comments about it. lol
I try to keep my religion or lack of religious affilaton to myself. I get stares and lots of questions but i try to change the subject.
I grew up in Texas, which is extremely conservative/evangelical Christian. I was attacked/shunned for my agnostic beliefs growing up. When I went to grad school in Boston, I was surrounded by a whole new world of agnostic/athiest cohorts. I think it's really important to realize that this country is so incredibly diverse that every type of community exists, if you know where to look. Enclaves of overeducated liberal scientists are typically a sure bet for agnostic/athiests ;-)
I feel sorry for you guys. Living in America and being an agnostic/atheist must be bad. I live in Scandinavia and being an agnostic/atheist is nothing new here. There are countries in Europe where people are more religious. I was really astounted to be strongly confronted by a believer when I was living in a different country in Europe. I'm an agnostic leaning towards atheism.
America used to be a country where immigrants moved because of religious freedom...
I've never had issues w/it, but I live in a pretty liberal area. If anything, people in my social circle have a tendency to bash religious people. I don't think it's fair to bash anyone for their beliefs, unless those beliefs start creeping into government (ex: teaching Intelligent Design in schools, trying to overrule abortion laws). I do have some relatives who are very conservative christian, and while they've never asked me about my beliefs, but I do know they're worried about my soul.
@Wilhelmina: It's only really bad if you live in a more conservative part of the country. Liberal areas tend to be more agnostic/atheist.
@Wilhelmina: Actually, the pilgrims came here so they could have 100% assimilation for their own belief system. They were being persecuted back home, but they weren't actually that tolerant themselves, either.
The most tolerant people i've ever met in the States were the academic scientist athiests. They actually were so incredibly respectful and thoughtful about people of other religions. It's the Bible thumpers I grew up with that spewed the most hatred around. I've always thought that was so ironic!
I once made the mistake of telling an ex-boyfriend that I don't believe in God, and his reaction ensured that I'll never tell that to anyone ever again (other than here, cause Bees are awesome and accepting!). He made me feel like a terrible person for it and basically wouldn't stop talking to me about God and even made me read from the Bible with him so I would see his point that God exists. He basically dismissed all my thoughts and feelings on the subject and told me I was wrong, even though I never once told him his beliefs were wrong. I don't give a damn what other people believe. It was an awful experience that I'd rather not go through again. My FI and I understand that neither of us believes in God or wants anything to do with religion. But that's not something we go around advertising. Where we live, most everyone is Christian, so we just keep it to ourselves because I know what people think when they hear the word "atheist." I don't even care for the word myself, because of the negative connotation. For some reason, I've found, that people think of atheists as devil worshippers and bad, immoral people, which could not be farther from the truth. Lack of religion does not make you immoral and I HATE when people say that.
Yeh, bottom line: I keep it to myself, because I just don't feel like dealing with it.
Hah- one of the many reasons I'm planning to move to Europe. Just curious what countries you had troubles with your "lack of religion".
I was raised Catholic and have found that Catholics in my area are a lot less threatening than my evangelical relatives who thank God for every insignificant event in their lives. Sometimes I feel bad for my mother because all 3 of her kids are now atheists and we love discussing Religious folk and their odd explanations for scientific things and coincidence. It also amuses me how many Christians are terrified of Muslims when many of their theological ideas are the same.
crayfish: Yes, I know that the immigrants moved to the US because of religious persecution. I did say "immigrants moved because of religious freedom...". I did not say freedom from religion. Perhaps I should have phrased my text like this: they moved so that they could practise the religion that they wanted to practice. English language is sometimes very interesting.
I realise there are a lot of differences between the states in the US. There are some small sects also in my country. One of them says that TV is bad and the women must procreate (even if it's dangerous to them).
Well, I lived in a very Catholic country in Europe. I have to say that most people were very nice, but I made a point of not speaking about my non-belief because I wanted to blend in. The problems started when someone asked me directly and I answered directly.
I think that one of the reasons for the believers to question us is that they think that we have no moral. Somehow it's very hard to explain to them that we don't need religious commandments to guide us.
I'm a proud atheist and I'm not afraid to tell anyone about how I feel. Christians are often very open about their beliefs to the point where they force those beliefs onto others (before anyone jumps on me, obviously not all christians are like this but SOME are) so if they feel that they have the right to spread the "word of god" to those who could really care less about it then I have the right to defend my beleifs whether it makes them uncomfortable or not. I have no issue with anyones belief system as long as they respect mine. You can praise the Flying Spaghetti Monster for all I care, just don't be a dick about it.
I was raised Catholic, even went to Catholic school. The bible and Catholic teachings are what made me atheist. There are far too many inaccuracies in both and I cannot possibly believe in something that makes absolutely no sense to me. Thankfully I haven't had to deal with much negativitiy regarding my beliefs, atleast from those who matter. I did have one person tell me that I have no soul because I don't believe in god. That was cute. Someone else told me that I was going to hell. When I replied with "I can't go somewhere that doesn't exist" they acted completely offended. I'm not sure why it's okay to for Bible Betty to belittle me but when I point out something that I deem to be factual, I'm the asshole. *insert eye roll*
Our families and friends are all supportive, for the most part. Some are more religious than others but they all are mature enough to respect our beliefs as long as we respect theirs. I don't understand why atheism is such a terrible thing to some. Our beliefs don't impact yours at all. Atheists aren't devil worshipers. We're normal people who simply don't believe a story that was written however many years ago.
@UpstateCait: that is my point exactly. I do not care what religion you follow but please stop tyring to convert me. When I told my God loving friends I don't believe in god they want to pray for me. um please stop because I do not need to see the light. In the other hand my FI is a hard core Atheist and he thinks he needs to battle with my god loving friends. I feel like I am living in world war III.
My fiance and I are atheists; but nearly all of our friends, even if raised in religion, fall into the non-practicing/non-believing category. So we've very comfortable and open about it with most people we know, and we're much more likely to have people agree with us than give us a hard time, for which I'm really thankful.
However, he recently had to "come out" to his parents, who were expecting him to have a traditional Catholic church wedding. They didn't freak out as badly as we'd been afraid they would, but when he told his father that we wouldn't be raising our kids in the church, his dad did say, "but how can you teach a child morals without religion?" They are obviously not happy, but the best I can hope is that we can show them, starting with our wedding ceremony, that it's possible to have a moral, loving, family-oriented life without any kind of religious beliefs.
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Another post had me thinking. I was raised catholic but over time I have stop believing in God. When I tell people I no longer believe in God they look at me like I have 100 heads. My one friend told me she does not know who I am any more. Does anyone feel that when you tell someone you are Athiest/Agnostic they react like you told them you just killed someone.