'Coming out' as an atheist

[skydiveaddict]

Uh-oh.... You know the reputation Catholic priests have unfortunately garnered...

 

Are you trying to tell us something...?

Or would you care to rethink that one, my little wild-blue-yonder-leaper, you?

 

 

LOL. very well put. Perhaps I will just stay your "little wild-blue-yonder-leaper.

 

However, I will still wear a Rosary around my neck whenever I skydive or get deployed to hostile foreign lands.

Edited November 14, 2010 by skydiveaddict

[Ross PK]

I never would've thought it would be hard admitting you're an atheist in Britian since most people aren't religious and a lot don't even believe in God.

 

I've never had any problems.

[taiko]

I never would've thought it would be hard admitting you're an atheist in Britian since most people aren't religious and a lot don't even believe in God.

 

I've never had any problems.

 

Or even an American University, even at some, not all, schools with church backing.

 

You would have to go out of your way to engage the religious and the political evangelist.

[theBrokenMuse]

Or even an American University, even at some, not all, schools with church backing.

 

You would have to go out of your way to engage the religious and the political evangelist.

Actually some people I've talked to have noticed a surge of 'professional' street preaching type apologists visiting their campus. I really am glad I live up north sometimes even though the people down south do seem much more easy going and friendly then my neck of the woods from what I have seen.

[sally4sara]

Do atheists really have that much trouble "coming out"? Considering that religion as a whole is on a decline in the U.S. and Europe is riding a very high atheist wave. If anyone gets heckled it's the card carrying Christian, especially the conservative christian, IME.

 

The amount of trouble they experience is usually a symptom of how many believers they knew and were accepted by prior to their coming out.

 

I come from a conservative christian family. They were the ones who gave me a hassle over being an atheist and they turned away from me despite that I didn't expect them to change or ridicule them for still believing. My NOT believing was a threat to them, but I don't feel threatened by their continued faith.

[quankanne]

SKY – I've given my nephew two sets of Marian scapulars and a holy card of St. Michael the Archangel, which he wore to Iraq and is now wearing in Afghaniland. My sister saw the first scapular when he came back to Texas and said it's got sweatstains all over it, that he wore it day in and day out; the priest who blessed the holy card said for him to wear it as close to his person as possible. Catholic voodoo? Maybe, maybe not ... I just know there's a certain sense of grace involved knowing that he's got some pretty strong prayer warriors interceding on his behalf. That said, you might look into a St. Michael necklace to wear when you go out on missions or jumps ...

 

I come from a conservative christian family. They were the ones who gave me a hassle over being an atheist and they turned away from me despite that I didn't expect them to change or ridicule them for still believing. My NOT believing was a threat to them, but I don't feel threatened by their continued faith.

 

this behavior bothers me, to a great degree ... because by its very definition, to be Christian is to reach out to non-believers by modeling their faith, which can be boiled down to this: Love. Shunning and ridiculing someone for not being on board with their belief then goes against what they profess to believe. How can you truly be Christian if you harbor hate and suspicion in your heart? You know? But, I think you hit it squarely on the head when you say your "belief system" threatens them, because it suggests their own faith isn't as solid as they'd like to think it is.

 

again, live and let live. However, you *may* poke fun of the loudmouthes who make a travesty of what they proclaim to believe :laugh:

[TokyoG33kyGal]

i have no problem with my friends because they have always seen me as someone with strong opinion, so they don't really push their beliefs down my throat. but whenever they get curious about my non-belief, we sort of get into an 'argument' (which i call healthy discussion) and they get really frustrated with it.

 

however whenever a stranger asks me about my religion and later find out i am an atheist, i can sense that they're already judging my character. but the less self-righteous ones seem to have changed their judgments about me since they see me generally as a happy and a nice person.

 

but i cannot stand bigots so i always have my say on their opinion

[skydiveaddict]

SKY – I've given my nephew two sets of Marian scapulars and a holy card of St. Michael the Archangel, which he wore to Iraq and is now wearing in Afghaniland. My sister saw the first scapular when he came back to Texas and said it's got sweatstains all over it, that he wore it day in and day out; the priest who blessed the holy card said for him to wear it as close to his person as possible. Catholic voodoo? Maybe, maybe not ... I just know there's a certain sense of grace involved knowing that he's got some pretty strong prayer warriors interceding on his behalf. That said, you might look into a St. Michael necklace to wear when you go out on missions or jumps ...

 

 

 

Saint Michael the Archangel,

defend us in battle.

Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray;

and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host -

by the Divine Power of God -

cast into hell, satan and all the evil spirits,

who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

 

So it says on my St. Michael medal too!

 

I've never been given a scapular but would cherish that as well.

Edited November 29, 2010 by skydiveaddict

[quankanne]

you can usually find a basket with literature about the scapular + scapular at the back of the church where they have reading material set out. Or, the church gift shop ought to have them.

 

if you don't have any luck, pm me with a mailing address and I'll share

[skydiveaddict]

you can usually find a basket with literature about the scapular + scapular at the back of the church where they have reading material set out. Or, the church gift shop ought to have them.

 

if you don't have any luck, pm me with a mailing address and I'll share

 

 

Thanks. Quankanne, I will keep your very kind offer in mind. I have asked for a scapular from my sisters for Christmas, before I have to go back.

[sweetjasmine]

Do atheists really have that much trouble "coming out"?

 

In some places in the US, absolutely. You'd be surprised.

 

I used to be involved in a sort-of-support-group for people who were "deconverting," and some of them really had problems 'coming out', especially those who were brought up in evangelical families. Some people had no issues with their families and friends but encountered problems at work with coworkers constantly making snide remarks and picking arguments all the time. A friend of mine had that happen to her in Alabama (and in a major city, too, where you'd think it'd be less of a problem), and it really got to her after a while. She ended up looking for work elsewhere and moving up north.

[threebyfate]

I just say if anyone asks about my religious belief (or lack thereof ). But I occasionally get some rather odd reactions.

 

Sometimes people just flatly don't believe me and think I'm joking, other times I get lectures about god. One guy, at university, dragged me into a massive religious debate (seemingly in an attempt to convert me), EVERY TIME he saw me he'd ask me some ridiculous question presumably thinking i'd say "oh! You're right! There is a god!" lol

 

I'm not really interested in debating the existence of mythological creatures but I find it annoying that some people just can't seem to let it go.

 

Any other atheists had this kind of trouble? 99% of people are ok.. but the odd few just seem to really be bothered about it and even treat me differently when they find out.

I can respect other peoples' religion although admittedly, it's fun to make a few cracks here and there. But when someone tries to cram their religion down my throat, I either ignore them and walk away mid-sentence or tell them quite clearly where they can put their religion.

[Nlelith]

I took this thread to be mainly coming out to friends and peers, I do realize that it is much harder for atheists to come out to family members especially if they are originally from a religious background. I know that there are pressures in certain parts of the U.S. to identify with some sort of religion, but I believe the days of persecuting the atheist are swiftly coming to an end (in the west).

While that may be true, it doesn't mean there aren't presently many people who have difficulties coming out to the more religious. It's usually not that bad, but for some it can be quite an ordeal and this shouldn't be ignored just because persecution might be declining. In fact, calling all degrees of persecution into question would likely help this decline.

[sweetjasmine]

I took this thread to be mainly coming out to friends and peers, I do realize that it is much harder for atheists to come out to family members especially if they are originally from a religious background. I know that there are pressures in certain parts of the U.S. to identify with some sort of religion, but I believe the days of persecuting the atheist are swiftly coming to an end (in the west).

 

Literal persecution? Of course that hardly exists. But there's plenty of prejudice. Try getting elected to public office while openly calling yourself an atheist. In some states, it's technically not even possible to hold office and be an atheist.

 

This is a good read if you're interested: http://www.soc.umn.edu/~hartmann/files/atheist%20as%20the%20other.pdf

[AlektraClementine]

I reside in the bible belt.

 

I'm not an atheist because I think that like some people have said, to be an atheist, you've determined something to be true. I've no idea what the hell started all of this. Grand design seems somewhat plausible. But really, how could I ever say one way or the other?

 

I get a lot of crap from folks down here. The way I see it, is I think the people who are the most outraged at my lack of belief in anything are those most afraid that they could be wrong. It's terrifying to them to think that something they built their life around might not be the answer. It's easier for them to keep the company of other believers. It's comforting and validating.

 

I don't know much, but I'm fairly certain that the bible is just a wee bit misinterpreted by those with certain agendas. I can debate this subject fairly well and my argumentative nature tends to irritate these types until they just give up.

[theBrokenMuse]

I reside in the bible belt.

 

I'm not an atheist because I think that like some people have said, to be an atheist, you've determined something to be true.

A lot of people think that, however it's not quite true. Atheism can be one of two things: a lack of belief in a deity (agnostic atheism) or a belief there is no deity (gnostic atheism). Most atheists I have met normally fall under the agnostic atheist category, even many of the prolific folks in the so-called 'new atheist' camp like Richard Dawkins declare themselves to be the former rather than the latter.

[sweetjasmine]

A lot of people think that, however it's not quite true. Atheism can be one of two things: a lack of belief in a deity (agnostic atheism) or a belief there is no deity (gnostic atheism). Most atheists I have met normally fall under the agnostic atheist category, even many of the prolific folks in the so-called 'new atheist' camp like Richard Dawkins declare themselves to be the former rather than the latter.

 

Yeah, it's a confusion in terms.

 

Atheism is simply the absence of a belief in a deity. It doesn't mean that someone actively claims that there absolutely is no god. This is what people mean when they say that everyone is born an atheist - you're born without a belief system, and it's something you develop along the way. A dog is an atheist - it doesn't have a belief in a god and it can't possibly have one.

 

I'm an agnostic atheist. That means I don't believe in any deity, but I don't think that it can be proven either way. As I've said before on here, I've met agnostic Christians. It seemed like an odd concept at first, but it just means that someone believes in the Christian God and follows the tenets of Christianity, but they don't believe that there's proof to support the existence of God. They don't think there's evidence to prove it either way, but they choose to take God's existence on faith.

 

People also use the terms strong and weak atheism. A strong atheist would say, "I don't believe in any god, and I know that there aren't any gods." A weak atheist would say, "I don't believe in any god, but I don't think we can know."

[aerogurl87]

I had a harder time growing up as a Jehovah's Witness than coming out as an agnostic a few years back. Odd...