Hi there. It would seem that this is the refuge for those who have come over from RD forums, and I am no different.

I have a new screen name, but on RDF I was nekidchickens. I really enjoy the discussion and am glad to see that another forum is now available to capture the spirit of the oasis.

I was a catholic for 30 years, although never one prone to the regular dogma as I always was bothered by the more outwardly strange or harmful things in religion. I went through each belief as it occurred to me, examining it and usually leaving it behind. Until one day the only one that was left was the actual god claim.

It just couldn't stand up to evidence.

I was a few more years struggling with other beliefs to replace it, but each fell against the tide of evidence.

Even after I knew that I was a non believer, I couldn't ID as an atheist because of the awkwardness that I felt in doing so.
The more I thought about it, the more that I saw the harm in religion and how the generally accepted lower standard of evidence for claims in our personal lives was a result. Sometimes a harmful result even outside of religion (homeopathy for example) so I started to talk but couldn't shake the "I want to believe" and the "respect others beliefs" and even "never shake someones faith" tenets.

A few years ago, after having heard a very short blurb on youtube by Sam Harris I realized that the conversation is important to have and that by identifying as an atheist I bring the conversation with me where ever I go.

Now I am a very active and vocal skeptic. I write an online blog, articles for various magazines, maintain facebook groups about it, and welcome all trolls to the conversation. They are the fire that keeps the conversation warm.

I feel that the conversation is useful, and in fact needed in order to raise awareness of the robust standards of evidence that we should apply in all walks of life for claims that will affect us and our families in any way.

I enjoy the expertise that came here from the RDF forums, and look forward to continuing the conversation.

There iis my atheism in a nutshell.

Peace

Welcome aboard! Can you link your blog? I think I would enjoy it - I'm also involved heavily in Scepticism, despite my twenty years in parapsychology

j x

Welcome!

Welcome aboard the lifeboat

haha, the lifeboat. lol

jerome wrote:Welcome aboard! Can you link your blog? I think I would enjoy it - I'm also involved heavily in Scepticism, despite my twenty years in parapsychology

j x

http://atheistevolution.blogspot.com/

Parapsychology and skepticism? Do they go together? lol

Hmmmm, we could certainly have some interesting discussions.

peace

Oh, there you are! Welcome!

'Ello, good to see you here. Very interesting post, thank you.

Welcome aboard the lifeboat!

Glad you could join us!

So many familiar names, very comforting to know that the oasis has evolved and yet still there are familiar things.

peace

Atheist Evolution wrote:

I was a few more years struggling with other beliefs to replace it, but each fell against the tide of evidence.

Even after I knew that I was a non believer, I couldn't ID as an atheist because of the awkwardness that I felt in doing so.

Sounds very similar to my own journey from Christianity to Atheism.

Glad you made it here

Thanks, I think that this will be a very fruitful discussion.

Glad you made it here.

Durro wrote:Glad you made it here.

Glad to see familiar faces like yourself here as well.