Hey.

I'm new, everyone (obviously), so I figured I would follow the game-plan and introduce myself.

My name is Ava, I am an Atheist since birth and a secular humanist since I could read about philosophy and ethics. I am not an apostate of any religion, nor have I ever been inclined to consider being religious. I've been able to point out the glaring contradictions in sacred texts since the age of five, when I had no shame to challenge the pastor of the church I went to (reluctantly, with my foster dad) about what he was reading in sermons.

I have Asperger's Syndrome, a mild form of autism. I believe it renders me completely unable to sympathize with the religious position because of my need to see things objectively and very 'black and white'.

I am a mother. I have a two year old daughter that I hope will grow up to be an intelligent and successful secular humanist, even if she only runs around naked and watches Spongebob right now-- someday she will think of deeper things, and when she asks where we came from, I will tell her we are stardust; we are remnants of dying stars. That is far more beautiful and less frightening than threatening her with hell.

I love intelligent debate and I love making friends on these websites (something I used to be very nervous of). I hope that within a few months, I am talking with a lot of you very frequently.

I am active on ThinkAtheist and other secular websites. I work as a freelance graphic artist for now, so if anyone needs any blog headers or buttons designed, let me know (I do it for free for anybody in the secular or autism communities because I believe in the cause).

I believe the world will only begin to be free when religion is eradicated, and I am terrified of the influence of religious conservatism in American politics, and how it contributes so heavily to the world's problems. True freedom is freedom of mind and thought, and that involves letting go of dogma, indoctrination, and myth that has no evidence.

Thanks for reading.