Coming Out Godless Perhaps one of the most moving types of stories are ones of personal experience. The idea here is to encourage atheists, freethinkers, and other unbelievers to come out, in my hopes of normalizing humanism. I'm not trying to deconvert anyone. Statistics Unique Visitors: Total Unique Visitors: Outgoing: Total Outgoing: 4 0 6 2055

Articles from Coming Out Godless

Story #30: "Atheist of the 1st Grade" 2007-08-15 18:57:00 (Via Captain Joe Kickass)Mrs Stone asked me to lead the class in The Pledge of Allegiance. Being an extroverted 6 year old boy, I jumped at the chance. Me, lead the Pledge? I was thrilled.Mind you this is no small task. Whomever leads the pledge has to stand in front of the class, place their hand over the heart, speak clearly and loudly, and most importantly not forget the words.I had practiced many times, for this, my big chance. I strutted to the front of the class as everyone stood and then faced my classmates."I Pledge Allegiance" came out loud and clear as did "to the Flag". An approving nod and smile from Miss Stone urged me to continue, and I did."One Nation" and then silence. Mrs Stone prodded, "under God" I just could not say it. I could not stand in front of these kids and say Under God. This is an OATH. I didn't believe in the bible stories my great aunt pushed on me, or the invisible "God" watching over my shoulder. Why not say "One Nation under Mother Goose" I thought, b ...

Story #30: "Atheist of the 1st Grade" 2007-08-15 18:57:00 (Via Captain Joe Kickass)Mrs Stone asked me to lead the class in The Pledge of Allegiance. Being an extroverted 6 year old boy, I jumped at the chance. Me, lead the Pledge? I was thrilled.Mind you this is no small task. Whomever leads the pledge has to stand in front of the class, place their hand over the heart, speak clearly and loudly, and most importantly not forget the words.I had practiced many times, for this, my big chance. I strutted to the front of the class as everyone stood and then faced my classmates."I Pledge Allegiance" came out loud and clear as did "to the Flag". An approving nod and smile from Miss Stone urged me to continue, and I did."One Nation" and then silence. Mrs Stone prodded, "under God" I just could not say it. I could not stand in front of these kids and say Under God. This is an OATH. I didn't believe in the bible stories my great aunt pushed on me, or the invisible "God" watching over my shoulder. Why not say "One Nation under Mother Goose" I thought, b ...

Story #29: Tormented's Story 2007-08-15 16:40:00 My story I was forced religion all my life. I always felt my family lived through its own hellish conflicts all of my life being apart of a religion and all the responsibility that were forced on us. I feel I have been tormented by people whom support religion for several years. Not only that but I was also deceived within the religion itself and by my family and more than once. I never received many what people call good times. I always felt some dark cloud over my head most of my life. I always hated religion and everything it represented since I could remember growing up as a child. I guess the situation has not changed much. My feelings are even stronger as an older adult.I could give you several reasons why I hate religion but would you really listen to me or continue to place somewhere I desperately hate? I love science and a higher education. I have decided currently I do not appreciate my constitutional rights being violated. I do not like being placed by people whom ...

Story #29: Tormented's Story 2007-08-15 16:40:00 My story I was forced religion all my life. I always felt my family lived through its own hellish conflicts all of my life being apart of a religion and all the responsibility that were forced on us. I feel I have been tormented by people whom support religion for several years. Not only that but I was also deceived within the religion itself and by my family and more than once. I never received many what people call good times. I always felt some dark cloud over my head most of my life. I always hated religion and everything it represented since I could remember growing up as a child. I guess the situation has not changed much. My feelings are even stronger as an older adult.I could give you several reasons why I hate religion but would you really listen to me or continue to place somewhere I desperately hate? I love science and a higher education. I have decided currently I do not appreciate my constitutional rights being violated. I do not like being placed by people whom ...

Story #28: Freeflo's Story 2007-08-15 15:45:00 (Via freeflo)reading some of the stories of courageous and deliberate action posted here, i find myself embarrassed at the mundane quality of my story. it has been said that most people grow up with the same beliefs as their parents, and i guess that's all i did. oh, i've rebelled in countless, occasionally beneficial, usually self-destructive, ways. but as far as religion; opposing the worldview i was born into would have meant becoming a catholic nun or perhaps a born-again fundie!i was born jewish to secular jews. my folks were both perhaps agnostic, probably atheist, in terms of belief in a supernatural god. (mom's gone, dad "admits" now that he is an atheist.) however, the sense of our jewishness, our identity as jews - as a culture, a heritage, a POV, the tastes in foods, home-centered (not much synagogue-centered) family traditions, the larry david sense of humor, a feeling of being "apart", and a slightly arrogant view of our own smarts - prevailed and colo ...

Story #28: Freeflo's Story 2007-08-15 15:45:00 (Via freeflo)reading some of the stories of courageous and deliberate action posted here, i find myself embarrassed at the mundane quality of my story. it has been said that most people grow up with the same beliefs as their parents, and i guess that's all i did. oh, i've rebelled in countless, occasionally beneficial, usually self-destructive, ways. but as far as religion; opposing the worldview i was born into would have meant becoming a catholic nun or perhaps a born-again fundie!i was born jewish to secular jews. my folks were both perhaps agnostic, probably atheist, in terms of belief in a supernatural god. (mom's gone, dad "admits" now that he is an atheist.) however, the sense of our jewishness, our identity as jews - as a culture, a heritage, a POV, the tastes in foods, home-centered (not much synagogue-centered) family traditions, the larry david sense of humor, a feeling of being "apart", and a slightly arrogant view of our own smarts - prevailed and colo ...

Story #27: Invisible Pink Unicorn's Story 2007-08-15 13:25:00 (Via IPU)I was born and raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a beautiful place where the forests are thick, the lakes are clear and cold, and the roots of religion run deep. I don’t have a single complaint about my childhood, my dad was a cop, my mom a social worker. I’m certain that even if we had not been Catholic, we would have been raised with the same solid morals and sense of civic duty. My younger sister and I were not forced or pushed to go to church, we just went. It was just what you did, it was what everyone did and it seemed like the right thing to do.Looking back now, I can see that there were three main Catholic doctrines that caused my trepidation, an unholy trinity, if you will. The first of these was presented to me in third grade, and is called “Confession”. This is the practice, if you’re unfamiliar, with entering a small booth and confessing your sins to your priest. To a nine year old, this would be a dark, scary place to enter, even without the prospe ...

Story #27: Invisible Pink Unicorn's Story 2007-08-15 13:25:00 (Via IPU)I was born and raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, a beautiful place where the forests are thick, the lakes are clear and cold, and the roots of religion run deep. I don’t have a single complaint about my childhood, my dad was a cop, my mom a social worker. I’m certain that even if we had not been Catholic, we would have been raised with the same solid morals and sense of civic duty. My younger sister and I were not forced or pushed to go to church, we just went. It was just what you did, it was what everyone did and it seemed like the right thing to do.Looking back now, I can see that there were three main Catholic doctrines that caused my trepidation, an unholy trinity, if you will. The first of these was presented to me in third grade, and is called “Confession”. This is the practice, if you’re unfamiliar, with entering a small booth and confessing your sins to your priest. To a nine year old, this would be a dark, scary place to enter, even without the prospe ...

Story #26: Steve's Story 2007-08-14 13:32:00 Well, I grew up Roman Catholic and was a believing Christian until 17 or so. More and more I came to see that things which I'd explained religiously, such as the existence of life, had perfectly naturalistic explanations. I remember that the last thing that held me to Catholicism was consciousness, which I assumed could only be explained by a soul. Gradually, I came to see that that view was grasping at straws, and I gave up all religious belief. ...

Story #26: Steve's Story 2007-08-14 13:32:00 Well, I grew up Roman Catholic and was a believing Christian until 17 or so. More and more I came to see that things which I'd explained religiously, such as the existence of life, had perfectly naturalistic explanations. I remember that the last thing that held me to Catholicism was consciousness, which I assumed could only be explained by a soul. Gradually, I came to see that that view was grasping at straws, and I gave up all religious belief. ...

Story #25: KevinBBG's Story 2007-08-14 12:24:00 (Via Daily BBG)For most I think they had to fight out of the claws of a Christian family, for me it was different. I always was an atheist, even when I didn't know what one was. My mom tried to raise me as a Jew but it didn't take and after my Bar Mitzvah I told her I was done with this religious stuff.In my late 20's I became a Buddhist which was pretty interesting and I still retain some Buddhist ideas, but really, Buddhism shouldn't even be called a religion though it is often practiced that way. It is also completely atheistic. The type of Buddhism I was in required faith which is something I was never good at, my natural skepticism just kept coming out and I had to give it up. It really is quite a relief to no longer need to make sense out of nonsense. With a rational and skeptical world view everything just makes sense and there is always new amazing knowledge - real knowledge - waiting just around the corner to discover.But I'm very glad to say I was never a Christian. ...

Story #25: KevinBBG's Story 2007-08-14 12:24:00 (Via Daily BBG)For most I think they had to fight out of the claws of a Christian family, for me it was different. I always was an atheist, even when I didn't know what one was. My mom tried to raise me as a Jew but it didn't take and after my Bar Mitzvah I told her I was done with this religious stuff.In my late 20's I became a Buddhist which was pretty interesting and I still retain some Buddhist ideas, but really, Buddhism shouldn't even be called a religion though it is often practiced that way. It is also completely atheistic. The type of Buddhism I was in required faith which is something I was never good at, my natural skepticism just kept coming out and I had to give it up. It really is quite a relief to no longer need to make sense out of nonsense. With a rational and skeptical world view everything just makes sense and there is always new amazing knowledge - real knowledge - waiting just around the corner to discover.But I'm very glad to say I was never a Christian. ...

Story #24: "My Journey to Atheism" 2007-08-13 16:50:00 (Via Kausik Datta)I am a working scientist, though I am quite low in the pecking order, so to speak. I am a lowly post-doctoral researcher, with not much academic activity (or rather, activity, period!) outside of the lab for lack of time. But I do have a passion for science and scientific thought, and value science education tremendously.I don't know if my story would sound familiar. Not too long ago, I was a believer. Perhaps you may have guessed from my name - I am an Indian, born to and raised by parents who practise the Hindu religion. But to them, the Hindu religion (I avoid the term 'Hinduism') was not at all about the kind of teeth-gnashing, attention-clamoring, mosque-destroying, intemperate, uncivil, hooliganism that has become the face of Hindu-ism in modern India. To them, it was a philosophy; a unifying theme of 'One God - many manifestations' - that easily included the God-heads of other religions of the world; a kind, understanding, all-embracing way of ...

Story #24: "My Journey to Atheism" 2007-08-13 16:50:00 (Via Kausik Datta)I am a working scientist, though I am quite low in the pecking order, so to speak. I am a lowly post-doctoral researcher, with not much academic activity (or rather, activity, period!) outside of the lab for lack of time. But I do have a passion for science and scientific thought, and value science education tremendously.I don't know if my story would sound familiar. Not too long ago, I was a believer. Perhaps you may have guessed from my name - I am an Indian, born to and raised by parents who practise the Hindu religion. But to them, the Hindu religion (I avoid the term 'Hinduism') was not at all about the kind of teeth-gnashing, attention-clamoring, mosque-destroying, intemperate, uncivil, hooliganism that has become the face of Hindu-ism in modern India. To them, it was a philosophy; a unifying theme of 'One God - many manifestations' - that easily included the God-heads of other religions of the world; a kind, understanding, all-embracing way of ...

Story #23: Jon Qing's Story 2007-08-13 16:40:00 My name's Jon Qing. Let me share my story with you. My parents are both catholic, where they attended a catholic school taught by nuns. This apparently had a huge influence on them, as they (especially my mom) keep religious propaganda and objects around the house (glow in the dark statue). As I was growing up, I was forced to attend church and go to catechism (ex Sunday school) where we were brainwashed. I was naive back then, with no mind or words to think for myself. In my teens, nearing the end of grade 5, I moved towns because of my dad's job transfer. At my new school, I encountered racism and prejudice, where I got into fights and trouble constantly. Being one of the only few Asians in the school, I was often picking fights because of racist remarks. However, i often got suspended/detention. This one time, my mom got really upset and through her constant henpecking and yelling (while driving extremely fast) she drove me to a small church with several small books and forced me ...