Are you open about being an atheist or are you in the closet?

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Permalink Reply by Richard Neil Harrison on April 25, 2013 at 7:29am

To be fair, there are a lot of Catholics in England, many of Irish ancestry. Some of them have told me that the rejection of a faith which was forced on them did involve a sort of coming out process, which provoked the disapproval of their parents. But also, I have encountered several Irish people who state very openly their distaste for their erstwhile religion, and state quite clearly that they are glad to be free from it.

I am told that their are some areas of the US, for instance Seattle or New York, where a statement of atheism would meet with similar acceptance as it does in the UK.

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Permalink Reply by Secular Forces 2013 on April 25, 2013 at 6:55am

depends on your surrounding psychotic level fundamentalists..
do they even exist? ; )

basically car insurance.. yeah yeah.. sad right? I'm more worried about my car getting damaged by terrorist kids (girl) believe it or not.. once you put sticker on car saying anything 'god' or greydonsquare etc..
they freak! like you're in some xtians only country or some lie... ha..

never forget that day she said '..burn your car' really? wow such loving parents you have..
all i had to come back w/was "..you realize the xtians that enslaved black people were white right?"
dead silence. that's how you come out folks. fck a book burning torch them with lyrics!

#GU
#greydonsquare
#tombstonedadeadman!
2013 baby!
not 213

all local meetups ususally on meetup.com
or just get w/American Ahtheists... ?
FFRF!? ~ righwingwatch.org.. cya

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Permalink Reply by violet cleonstar on April 29, 2013 at 12:32pm

closet for the practical reasons.

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Permalink Reply by Debra Stevenson on April 29, 2013 at 12:38pm

I'm honest about my atheism.  I only mention it if anyone asks though of course.  I have no reason to hide my lack of belief.  I have not gotten treated very harshly because it suprisingly, most people just think that it is my own business.

 

Brandi Amari Williams

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Jordan on April 29, 2013 at 7:56pm

Atheist Andrea:

I'm like you. I'm semi in the closet. I'm open about my atheism on the internet and even have a Google blog on atheism under my own name, but I live in TN (Republican and Christian Central in other words), which is kind of intimidating. Everyone I interact with here in TN is either a Christian or Christian minded. I just learned that Knoxville TN (I only live like 40 miles from there) is the number 1 bible minded city in America.

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Permalink Reply by Debra Stevenson on April 29, 2013 at 8:51pm

Anthony Jordan,

 

You live in Knoxville Tennessee which is indeed largely Republican and Christian and everyone that you have come across is either Christian or Christian-minded and Knoxville is the number 1 biblical -minded city in America.  Well I'm sure they don't kill disobedient kids or burn prostitutes that are the daughters of Jewish rabbis, thank goodness.  You partly in the closet and it's understandable.  I do think if someone asks about your personal beliefs that if you are comfortable enough that you are an atheist and that is that.  I don't think that anyone would physically try to harm you over it, I'm sure some folk would let it slide.  You could always tell them that it is none of their business as well.  It's not like they have to hide what religion they belong to.  Even in Sweden which is predominately non-religious , but I think they have one of the highest rates of church attendance, I may be wrong but that is what I heard.  Alot of atheists that I have heard in Sweden regard church as a cultural activity.  That's not a bad thing necessarily. I just wanted to say, Anthony that you have the right to be honest about your atheism with other people. Your not hurting anyone by admitting that you don't believe in a deity or an afterlife.  They could at least be respectful that you are adult enough to make your own decisions and that you accept personal responsibility for you actions.  That should speak volumes to anybody who is decent.

 

Brandi Amari Williams

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Jordan on April 29, 2013 at 11:20pm

Brandi:

You may find this hard to believe, but I assure you it is the truth. Two Septembers ago I was out at the lake camping by myself (a friend had driven me there and dropped me off because I don't have a car). After it got dark I built a huge fire. About an hour after I had built the fire this guy comes out of the woods all camoed out (he even had his face smudged with dark face paint). He had a bow and arrows, with an arrow already strung, though he had the bow facing toward the ground. He stood on the other side of the fire about 10 feet away from me. All I had was a machete and a hatchet, but like I said he was 10 feet away on the other side of the fire, and there was no one else at the lake. It was dark, and no witnesses. We talked for about 5 minutes, and then suddenly, out of the blue, he asked me if I believed that Jesus was Lord.

According to law you're not supposed to be in the woods deer hunting after nightfall, and strangely, he happened to be acquainted with a fellow I know who has cerebral palsy who believes in God and Jesus. But I'm sure you can maybe guess what my reply was when he asked if I believed Jesus was Lord since he was 10 feet away on the other side of the fire with a weapon that can shoot arrows at 70 or 80 miles per hour.

So, yeah, here in TN it is sometimes prudent not to tell anyone you're an atheist.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Goscicki on April 30, 2013 at 9:18am

Interesting scenario, Anthony.  Of course it would be reckless to irritate this guy.  Did he seem a little psycho when you were talking?  Did he ever mention violence?  Your point is well taken.

Suppose you were in a Muslim country.  Then the danger would be worse.  (At least at the present time, not so as we move back toward the Middle Ages and the Crusades.) 

The threat of violence is some sort of defense mechanism for the belief system.  Makes it a lot harder to confront it head on. 

Being a chicken myself, I would have not only told him “Christ is Lord” but soldiers of Christ should be given medals like they do in the U.S. Army. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Anthony Jordan on April 30, 2013 at 10:45am

Richard:

Let's put it this way. Would you think someone who comes out of the woods with a deadly weapon past the legal time of day for deer hunting and asks you if you believe Jesus is Lord was a psycho ? And when it comes to being out of reach of such a person I'm a chicken too, lol. And, as a matter of fact, about two years before that I got an anonymous letter printed in marker post marked from Knoxville but with no return address, saying I had the wrong friends, and that my judgment day was coming.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Goscicki on April 30, 2013 at 1:58pm

Are you familiar with Pat Condell on Youtube?  He’s an atheist orator, you might say.  He once displayed his hate mail and it was very scary indeed.  Scores of it, the idiocy of it!.  Brave guy.  Check him out on Youtube if you’re unfamiliar.  He gets millions of hits. 

The point is the vitriol is all bluster and mindless ire.  But I admit it only takes one jihadist to make it real.  That’s what makes the threats so effective.

One thing's for sure, you did right to realize your situation. 

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Idaho Spud on April 30, 2013 at 4:05pm

I love Pat Condell and agree he's a very brave guy.  I'm not near that brave.

 Sometimes, I think it's not a matter of bravery, it's just not being stupid.  Like in Anthony's night encounter, I would have been very careful what I said, and lying would not have been out of the question.

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Permalink Reply by Richard Goscicki on April 30, 2013 at 6:41pm

Anthony's story bears an uncanny resemblance to an exerpt from Mirror Reversal, the Atheist Novel at the right.  There are certain times in our lives when reality changes to a more primitive level.   

Homer’s heart raced; he still didn’t know what to do.  He hated that situation when consciousness is raised above the mundane, when the parties involved realized exactly what they were—jungle animals threatening one another for territory and breeding rights. 

 

 

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