Hi everyone and thanks for the welcome notes. Here's a short history of my non religious life. I am the youngest of 9 kids--6 boys. All but my brother who was a year older than me and myself went through the Catholic ritual of confirmation. I had no confession or bible study either--we went just to mass until I was 10. We were living on the outskirts of Austin and moved further away and I believe that Mom was agnostic herself by this time, didn't see any reason to make us go anymore. When I was about 12 I asked her the age-old qusetion if God created the world then where did God come from. She said neither the priest nor the sceintist could answer that and I should stop wasting my time thinking about it. I have yet to get a better or honest answer from any Christian. I joined the army for 6 1/2 years, peacetime thankfully. In '96, in a very roundabout way, I found a local Ethical Culture Society and a Unitarian church. I felt like a man who was lost in the desert and somebody said "Welcome home". A few years later after being single all this time and now over 40, I met my wife indirectly through the church. She loves the Skeptic Magazine and I support the American Humanist and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, I love their podcasts and newsletter. My family is multi-religious now, with my sisters being Catholic, Jehova Witness and evangelical Christian, and for a few years three

brothers called themselves Hare Krishnas, now only one does. The Catholic sister is married to a nonpracticing Muslim from Afghanistan. When we get together we keep it civil, no fights, no talk of religion, just have a good time.  I have no contact with local groups as I work on Sundays. Well, that's it for now but I'll be around.

Thomas Moore