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: 10 0 3 2147

Articles from Coming Out Godless

Story #7: Star Umbehant's Story 2007-08-09 14:57:00 (Via Star Umbehant - rationalatheist.com)A Christian friend of mine recently asked, “What led you to your current beliefs?” Here I will try to describe the evolution from my Christian childhood to my current state of atheism. I can’t, of course, cover everything – but I will attempt to touch on the most important aspects.To say the least, my childhood was rough. Granted, it could have been worse – a lot worse – but it was bad enough. I don’t have many memories up until the age of six. That was pretty much when the shit hit the fan. My younger brother, age four, was hit be a car while riding his bike. I won’t get into the horrific specifics of the day, or the following months in the hospital, but the events left his body broken and he was in a vegetative state for four years until his death. It was also around this time that I was sexually molested by my uncle although I wouldn’t realize the full implications this would have on my childhood until later. It was also aro ...

Story #6: Forcarl's Story 2007-08-09 14:45:00 (Via forcarl)Not much story to tell actually, because basically it occurred at age 10 or earlier. I'm now 64. But it was at age 10 when I attended church with my mother to keep her company. The minister was in his normal rompin' and stompin' modes, delivering his BS in hast eagerly anticipating the passing of the plate and even at that age, I had to leave feeling much like I was at carnival only a lot less fun. The whole "chosen people" speal along with the hell fire and brimstone and other equally bizarre assertions was more than I cared to listen to, and never really bought into it in the first place. I suppose my parents weren't all that impressed either as they never required that I attend again. My parents gave me a lot of latitude in my formulation of my worldview. I was lucky in that respect. ...

Story #5: Alan's Story 2007-08-09 12:31:00 (Via The Jewish Atheist)In March of 1979, after reading a Detroit Free Press article about a local “atheist rabbi” named Sherwin Wine, I visited the Birmingham Temple (Farmington Hills, MI). As soon as I saw the Torah in the library and the Hebrew word adam (”humanity”) in large stylized letters on the front wall of the main room, I knew I had found my spiritual home.I met the brilliant, charismatic Rabbi Wine, joined the congregation, and for the past 30 years, I have studied, practiced, and written several articles on Secular Humanistic Judaism and, of course, my book on the Torah from a humanistic perspective.Unlike most people who write about the Bible, I have a PhD in linguistics, which enables me to define and explain the key difference between Torah translation and rabbinical inferences about the text. My motivation for writing the book is a sincere desire to let others know what the Torah really says, so that they can decide for themselves what its place should be in ...

Story #4: "About the Inquisitor - Redux" 2007-08-08 17:23:00 (Via Spanish Inquisitor)Carl left a nice comment here which I thought I’d respond to in a new post. On my About the Inquisitor page, I set forth a short, cursory couple of paragraphs about myself, but now is as good a time as any, after 50 some posts, almost 200 comments and 12,000 hits, to expound on myself a little more, maybe provide a little understanding as to why I have this blog. Carl, you unintentionally described my life quite well. We seemed to have shared some common experiences. I suspect we are not alone. I know from talking to other ex-Catholics, and reading comments on Internet Infidels and other blogs, that the Catholic experience is almost universal. It clicks for some, maybe most, but not others. It didn’t click for you. Fortunately, it didn’t click for me, either. I don’t have any specific memories of outrageous Catholic teachings, other than the stereotypical one, probably in first grade, about babies who were not baptized going to hell. I thought that was ...

Story #3: "My Godless Journey" 2007-08-08 13:20:00 (Via Atheist Hussy, Intergalactic Hussy's atheist blog)A few posts ago, I attempted to put myself in the theist's shoes by going back into my own journey of enlightenment and godlessness. I admit it's "too arduous of a task for me to think like a theist. I just don't have it in me; moreover it would be an insult to theists."But I can go back to before I knew I didn't believe.Back to a time when I wasn't sure what to believe; but considered myself closer to that of an agnostic theist. When I stood in my parents' backyard (at about 17) staring into the night, I imaged the pure blackness of the universe. In awe of its beauty. I wondered what "god" could mean to me. My definition was rather Einsteinian, feeling the depths of such a vast place flow right throw me. I was a part of it all; it was all a part of me. I was possibly more of a pantheist. But what is pantheism anyway? Just one step closer to atheism?I was never really a theist, I believe I meant deist. I never prayed or expe ...

Story #2: Rev. Art's Story 2007-08-08 11:38:00 (Via Rev. Art - Minister of Rants)You, know - I'm sure infants are born agnostic and apolitical - at least until the indoctrination begins in earnest.I was born to a Irish Catholic Republican Mum & and an lapsed Presbyterian Democrat Dad. Consequently, I had to find me own way. I voted for Goldwater in '64, Nixon in '68 and McGovern in '72.My Dad said I was born with a lead foot, though.And I was born with callouses on the fingers of my right hand.I’m a Recovered Catholic.I converted to politics. I watch talking head TV shows on Sunday mornings… Soon after I decided I was an unbeliever I quit the church choir. I still enjoyed the singing – but I kept losing my place in the hymnal. I found myself always reading ahead to see if I agreed with the next verse.I have no concept of a supernatural being. During my years at Chaminade, the local Catholic High School in Dayton, I was an active participant in the mandatory Religion classes. I asked questions. As time went by ...

Story #1: "From indifference to passion – my deconversion" 2007-08-07 17:51:00 (Via A Load of Bright)Most people who are born into strongly religious families are raised with their parents’ beliefs and hold them, unquestioned until death, although not before passing them on to their own offspring. I am glad that I was not born into a deep, religious environment because I doubt that if I had I would be an atheist today. In terms of simple probability, it would be a pretty safe bet that this blog would not exist. My father was (and still is) an agnostic of Jewish background, his own father, my grandfather being estranged from the religion in his early teens. My mother was a devout but liberal Catholic. They agreed to raise my brothers and me as neutrally as possible, with the intention that we would make our own decisions when the time was right. For this, as well as everything else they have done for me, I am eternally grateful to them. I remember a brief spell of fascination with Christianity when I was about 9 years old. It was at a slightly difficult point in ...

What's Your Story? 2007-08-07 12:59:00 Perhaps one of the most moving types of stories are ones of personal experience. One thing that propelled the gay community to come out was listening to others' stories. That's the idea here.I will be reposting Coming Out Stories from all atheists and humanists alike. And maybe adding some team members.Let me know if you'd like to be a part of this. In any case, you can also post your story on your site and send me a link. Via comment or e-mail me: intergalactichussy (at) gmail (dot) com. ...