I've been lurking here for a while but have yet to introduce myself. I am 16, an atheist, and proud. Growing up I was a christian in a family of free thinkers, so I was kind of the odd one out in that way. I would get really mad when my dad would start talking about how god didn't exist. It wasn't until middle school that I realized how foolish I was when I denied evolution and prayed to the heavens. I flirted briefly with Buddhism but decided it wasn't for me. It was no surprise to anybody in my family when they found out I was an atheist. I had some problems in middle school with christian girls who would pull my hair, call me the devil, and tell me how funny it would be when I burn in hell. Thankfully in high school kids seem more tolerant, and I have had some very interesting conversations with catholics, mormons, and Jehovah's witnesses.