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Hello,

I was born Catholic, and had to convert to Jehovah's Witness at age 8 because my mother decided it.

My father has always been an atheist, but he never shared his views while I was growing up. He simply had nothing to do with the religion while not interfering with my mother's indoctrination of us.

My father helped me escape of the theological tyranny of my mother by signing permission for me to work as a deckhand in a freighter at age 15 (this is decades ago when people grew up quickly). On my return after six months, I saw the religious leaders and their families for what they were, a bunch of hypocritical manipulating predators.

I was still a minor at sixteen and my mother was the boss around children related issues, so I needed to escape again. This time, my father signed my papers for me to attend Naval school, and I was free for ever at age 17.

I was certain that neither the Catholics nor the Jehovah's Witnesses would be saved by their own criteria if there was a god. Within a few weeks in the Navy's boot camp, I knew there was no god.

I have been an atheist ever since, but felt that I was the only one in the world because I still didn't know that my father and his father had always been atheists. Perhaps it is genetic:)

I found a European Atheist web based community and have been a member there for a couple of years. Finally, I found this atheist community, which is closer to home. Home for me is Ontario, Canada.

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Permalink Reply by Sarah Walton on April 10, 2012 at 9:14pm

Welcome to AN, Quest of Knowledge. It sounds like you'll add an interesting perspectives to our conversations here. Glad to have you!

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy on April 10, 2012 at 9:23pm

I look forward to seeing you at the traditional atheist hazing ceremony. Don't worry, the padding on the chicken suit helps protect you a lot when it comes to making it through the paddling portion of the ceremony.

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Permalink Reply by matthew greenberg on April 11, 2012 at 8:37am

or getting de-baptized by a hair dryer. that worked for me.

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Permalink Reply by Jeremy on April 11, 2012 at 5:19pm

Hair dryer? That's just too silly. You need to realize atheist salvation can only be found with the doning of bird costumes.

My version of atheism is real, yours is heresy and I condemn you to atheist hell. Better known as Arby's on a Sunday afternoon. :)

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Permalink Reply by matthew greenberg on April 11, 2012 at 5:24pm

The god I don't believe in can beat up the god you don't believe in!

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on April 11, 2012 at 5:40pm

Ooooh… this could be an excellent debate!

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Permalink Reply by Quest of Knowledge on April 13, 2012 at 5:19pm

I'll probably eat the suit if it is made of chicken:)

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Permalink Reply by Richard ∑wald on April 11, 2012 at 2:19pm

"Home for me is Ontario, Canada."

Welcome, consider this a "second" home...

I'm from Ontario originally, now fighting the good fight for secularism down below the Mason-Dixon line.

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Permalink Reply by Quest of Knowledge on April 13, 2012 at 5:17pm

Thank you Richard.

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Permalink Reply by John Aultman on April 11, 2012 at 6:39pm

Welcome Q Of K

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Permalink Reply by Quest of Knowledge on April 13, 2012 at 5:20pm

Thanks John.

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Permalink Reply by booklover on April 11, 2012 at 8:27pm

Welcome! Glad you've found places like this community and people you can be the real you with. I have a friend whose husband is an Atheist, but never said a word while his kids grew up, just let my friend (not super-religious, but still..) take them to church, etc. I feel she just turns a blind-eye to her husbands Atheism and pretends he doesn't really feel that way. He and I have had conversations. She knows I'm an Atheist. Anyway, I was always disappointed that he never told his kids about his non-beliefs. I felt he should, but it wasn't my business.