Welcome, Lurkers!

Hello!

I’ve been following this site for a while now and think its great, so I’ll take this as an opportunity to get involved. I’m an undergrad math major right now. I am also a founder and president of an organization at my school whose goal is to promote public understanding of science.

I’m Joy. I’m a middle school math and science teacher, currently being a stay-at-home-mom for a while. Live in Winston-Salem, NC. I comment occasionally.

Hi,
I’m Aparna. I’ve not commented here yet, but I want to keep my options open. I live in South Africa and am a full-time atheist.

Hi,

I’m Brad and I live near Memphis TN. Perhaps I shall lurk no more and start commenting once in a while 🙂

I have been posting here for a few months, but my name is Alan. I run the online store for a major non-profit in the San Francisco Bay Area. I haven’t done much as far as atheist groups in the area, but that is on my new year’s resolution list. Most of my time has gone into volunteering for environmental causes and LGBT rights. For now, I am trying to answer my own personal questions before I try to answer for someone else.

I discovered Hemant’s blog through StumbleUpon a couple years ago, and from here, I have discovered even more in the blogosphere. Thanks!

I was raised Catholic (when I “came out” as atheist to my mom, she said “but you went to Catholic school for all those years.”). I have taken a more scientific approach to my personal discovery since I’m a nerd of sorts.

Hi, I’m Edman, a lurker who found this site via Unreasonable Faith. I’m a graphic designer/illustrator living in NC.

Hello everyone. 🙂

Good morning from California! Currently, I’m a stay at home Mom. When I have free time I work on my art portfolio. Eventually I hope to sell enough paintings to pay college tuition and finish up my degree. I am atheist.

I’m Jim, from New York City. I’ve been commenting here for a while. I first learned of this blog from Daylight Atheism, when Senator Hagan from N.C. was running, and was loudly denounced for support she received from atheists, varying from the dark (Daylight Atheism) to the hateful (Friendly Atheist). [Gee, I wonder how loud those denunciations would have been if the two blogs had slightly different names. ;-)]

I think I am the same as a lot of others above… I write software for a living (Hi Daniel) and I was raised Catholic (Hi Alan). I acknowledged my own atheism (to myself) in the past couple of years.

In the time since, I have found all these new friends here and at other sites. It’s nice not to be alone.

English Expat living in Finland. Spiritual but not religious (or theist/deist) though I was a full Anglican Christian until I was about 17 or 18, I live with my fiancee (strong atheist). Found this site from your links on Facebook

I’m Jen from Nashville. Very frequent lurker, not so frequent commenter. I work in the Country music industry, needless to say I’m not “out” as an atheist to many people other than close friends, but I’m getting bolder.

It’s not about atheism, but I did recently start a blog about my community: southnashvillelife.blogspot.com

My name is Bud (yes, that is my real name). I’m originally from Chicago, but now currently residing in Springfield, IL. I’m a former ordained minister. I don’t remember where I found the Friendly Atheist, probably through another fine atheist blog. I started blogging more seriously in October 09 @ Dead-Logic.com.

I’m Sachi, and I’ve been reading the RSS feed of FA for quite a while. I’m a rational humanist Buddhist from Sandy Eggo. I have a cat in my lap as I type.

I’ve posted here a few times. My name is Ashley Moltzan, am 23, and live in Rock Springs, Wyoming. Graduated from University of Wyoming with a B.A. in English. I’m the proofreader of the local newspaper, The Rocket Miner. I was raised by devout Catholic parents and gradually lost faith in it, as I grew older and especially as I went to college. I like to look at things scientifically. My boyfriend feels the same way too except he grew up Lutheran. We are atheists. I visit this site multiple times a day. My thinkatheist page is: http://www.thinkatheist.com/profile/AshleyMoltzan

I’ve been lurking for a few weeks now. Found this blog through someone else Twittering a link.

My name is Paige. Hello. 🙂 I’m an existentialist atheist, and have been for the last six or seven years. I was raised Catholic/Anglican, but not overtly – it was very easy to tell my family and they all knew I was a free thinker anyways, so I don’t think it came as much of a surprise. I haven’t had the same issues as others with their families aside from convincing my grandmothers that I’m serious. Thankfully, it’s not a topic that comes up very often in my family.

I did notice some things at work over Christmas though. I work at a rural radio station and Christmas is a big affair here – which is fine for me, I celebrate a secular version of the holiday very enthusiastically anyway. But when we played the song “Kung Pao Buckaroo Holiday” by Brad Paisley I got pretty upset and apparently surprised a lot of people by being offended by it. It’s funny how assumptions work.

Anyways, there’s my little story. I love the site and will hopefully do a little less pure lurking. Happy New Year’s.

I’ve commented a few times, but mostly I lurk. I’m a sysadmin for a large internet company in sunny California (well, actually it’s foggy today). I was raised in a very religious conservative family, and I’m still not able to be 100% honest with my parents about what I don’t believe in, but I’m out to many of my friends and coworkers.

I’m an avid reader of the site, but rarely comment. I’m from the Lake Charles area in Louisiana where I am a chemical engineering major. I was raised in a religious environment with Methodist, Pentecost, Baptist, and Catholic influences, but have always had a skeptical mind about theism (even a child knows something’s fishy with the whole idea). It wasn’t until sometime during my sophomore year of highschool that it occurred to me that I took absolutely no stock in religion, and that I found the very notion of theism to be absurd. Now, years later, I’m happier and more free than I have ever been, and have only just recently divulged my stance of anti-theism to my friends and family. My friends were very accepting, because to them, it had long been obvious. My family, however, were…well, you know.

I believe I stumbled across this site a long time ago by way of an article on BoingBoing, and have been checking in ever since. I enjoy the site’s non-incendiary stance when it comes to the discussions at hand. Also, the articles themselves are well-worded, insightful, and highly interesting. Keep up the good work.

Hi, I’m Vinay. I live in Boston and am an undergrad majoring in physics at MIT.

I’ve been reading your blog for about 6 months and I don’t think I’ve ever commented here before, but I appreciate the invitation. I am a university professor in the southeast. After being raised Catholic and believing in Christianity for over 30 years, I came to the conclusion that I could not believe in any gods about a year ago. I maintain my blog (An Atheist’s Answer) at http://atheistsanswer.wordpress.com/. I use this blog to provide my own answer to the questions posed to Billy Graham and published in many newspapers under the My Answer title.

Hello, I’m Ayesha and I’m an atheist. (This feels a bit like an AA meeting – Atheists Anonymous!) I’m a philosophy student at the University of London (King’s College). I don’t have a blog, but I’m really interested in the sort of topics this site covers and think the idea of atheist organisations is really exciting. This site in particular is, I think, particularly “useful” since it tends to discuss “hot” topics in a non-inflammatory and respectful way whilst not pandering to the idea that faith is above criticism.

Look forward to reading more in the future, keep it up!

Wes from Atlanta here. Raised fundy Christian. Kept the faith through college, if you can believe that. Finally “saw the light” and learned some critical thinking in med school. After that, my atheism was inevitable. I’ve been un-born again for about 5 years now. Praise FSM!

Congratulations, Hemant. I’m assuming that since you now need to approve comments, this means you’ve got a sufficient number of spammers and nutjobs to warrant it. These types only post to blogs that matter.

[I’ve always moderated comments this way, but the spammers are around… — Hemant]

Hi, I’m Melody and my family and I are currently living in Southern New Jersey. I found this site through the HNN site. Us “out” atheists are few and far between in this area, so it’d be great to meet more like-minded folk in our region. Keep up the great work, Hemant!

Hi. I am Billy – also from the Baltimore/DC area. I am active-duty military, although I’m transitioning to civilian life very soon. I’ve posted here only a handful of times.

I haven’t blogged much since the presidential elections. Blogging has mostly been replaced by Facebook updates and my shared Google Reader items.

Hi,

Jeff from Cincinnati; I’m a long time follower /commenter.

Also we’re FB cronies

Howdy. Mike from Boston, born and (not) raised atheist. Surprised and pleased to see a couple of posters from my birthplace of Fargo, ND. I tend to comment (here and elsewhere) only in response to extreme cases of logical fallacy. Happy New Year to all…

*waves to all*
I’m a-hem. I’m an Indian expat living (and working as a Chemical Engineer) in the Middle East. Not really the best place for an atheist, I can tell you.

Mine’s a personal blog. It’s mostly an excuse to not email friends and family. (“What, you didn’t read my blog?!”)

Hi! I’m a California girl born and raised. I was also raised Catholic and grew skeptical in my late teens (even after being confirmed and being a Sunday school teacher!) when I observed that my own nature and the world around me did not operate as if that belief system were true. I am now passionately and joyfully atheistic.

For several years, I was an entrepreneur and small business owner, until the recession more or less squashed my efforts. That’s okay, though, because I realize that I’m not a very good businesswoman and I’d like to do something much more humanitarian in focus. Now looking forward to resuming my education and starting anew (as soon as I figure out how to get out of this giant financial hole!), and in the meantime educating myself in subjects such as philosophy, law, secular humanism and separation of church and state issues, etc.

Love your blog, Hemant, and nice to meet you all!

I am Martin, I have been posting here for a few months now, you even gave me props once for a news article :D… Anyways, in the DC Metro area and work in medical research. No blogs but active on Yahoo! Answers R&S section if anyone wants to follow me there trying to be a friendly atheist… Really looking for some groups of people who share my views and want to stand up for our equal rights 😀

Also in late 20’s and though raised in a Christian household, always have been an atheist because I could never bring my self to believe in things without any evidence …

Hi! I’m in Oregon, and I am a stay-at-home mom and hobbyist bellydancer (both cabaret and tribal). I was not raised with religion, but I fell into Christianity during my high school and early college years because all my friends were doing it (yeah, I know…). Those days are behind me now, and I happily adopted the atheist label for myself a few years ago.

Hi, I’m Alan, a student living in the north of the UK. Not got a blog but found this through RDF website and recommend pharyngula (type it into google). Sat on the fence til early last year. Will probably stay lurking but this is my first toe dipping into some kind of semi-spotlight

Hi!
I’m Ernesto. I’m from Mexico City/Cuernavaca in Mexico. I’m a social psychologist turned epidemiologist.

Atheist to everyone save my extended family since some ten years ago.

I’m not quite a lurker, as I posted before, but with a busy year, I’ve been sort of becoming one.

Hi. I’m a lurker from Waterford in Ireland. I’ve been visiting this page several times most days for the last 3-4 years. This is the only blog (atheist content or not) that I read.
I work in IT for a web hosting company.
My parents are devout Roman Catholics but my faith didn’t last much longer after I discovered Santa Claus wasn’t real. This really annoyed my Christian Doctrine teacher at the time who told my mother he thought I should be a philosopher.

Hi! I’m an English teenager studying to hopefully get some qualification in physics or maths. I’ve been lurking here for about six months now. Other people tend to voice my opinions more eloquently than I can, so I’m shy about commenting.

This past year was the first time I started admitting that I was atheist to other people – I’m lucky enough to live in a country where the stigma attached to non-belief here isn’t a huge issue, and the worst disapproval I’ve met so far was from an aunt I only see every couple of months, but since half of my family are devoutly Anglican, it was still a personal step forward for me. I’m not sure I would have bothered coming out if there weren’t such great, thought-provoking blogs and communities like this around. Thanks for everything!

Hi everyone. I’m Josh from the Charlotte, NC area. I have been following the blog for a while now (posted a few times but mostly lurk) and I really enjoy it. Just judging by the number of comments it seems to have grown a ton since it started. Keep up the good work.

Suzanna from Houston! Student, retired arcane mage, life long pewner.

I’m Mike from Salt Lake – I have the misfortune to share a last name with one of the founders of Mormonism, one that is extremely common in Utah, probably because they shagged a lot of women. I have a blog I haven’t updated in a year. I am a web programmer though I have been having trouble convincing other people of that (read: jobless).

It’s finally reached -4 outside (up from -32) and so it’s finally warm enough to take my hands out of my gloves and type a response.

I’ve read this site for a while and have commented only once, though maybe I’ll make it more of a habit in the future.

I’m in Nebraska, going to college (public relations/advertising/marketing). I have a cell phone obsession and currently own 8 functioning devices–and am and avid reader of sites like Engadget, etc. I have a very impressive ’80s music collection and my favorite artist is Michael Jackson (kind of an understatement–119 songs are just of him).

As I look back, I’ve always been an atheist. My mom tried (and succeeded) in having me go to a Presbyterian church when I was young and I made it very clear each week that I hated it with a passion, though I didn’t really know why. It just didn’t jive with me. Once I got in my early-mid teens I realized what the issue was, put my foot down, and I haven’t looked back since. And neither has my mom, who oddly hasn’t returned to church ever since I refused to go.

Hello! I am Kyle, I currently live in the Indianapolis area and I’m in my mid-twenties.

I was baptized Episcopalian at the age of 9 but became an agnostic sometime around the age of 16. I suppose I am still a skeptical agnostic however I feel it more likely there is no god than some sort of supreme being. In the Christian/organized religion sense, I am an atheist as I do not believe in their god (nor do I believe any “personal” gods).

Its possible, however unlikely, that some being more powerful than ourselves set the universe in motion roughly 14 billion years ago and has no role in it today.

Its equally possible that the current state of the universe is just part of a never ending (and never beginning) cycle of expansion/collapse.

Who knows? I think that no one does.

Hello, my name is Greg, I have been actively reading post for about a year now, and before that off and on for like 3 years.

Hello,
I’m Tori and I am an undergrad psych major at Iowa State University. I’ve been an atheist all my life and am very “out”. I’m the treasurer for our campus atheist group (The ISU Atheist & Agnostic Society) I’m one of the few who don’t have a blog. (I don’t even have time to keep up w/the ones I subscribe to let alone write my own!)

David. I’m an evolutionary biologist at Mississippi State University living in Starkville, MS. Yes, this is the heart of the south and the most religious state in the union. Maybe I can do my little part to change that. At least it’s a university town.

I’m a 75 year old atheist and have been an atheist as long as I can remember. I live in Alberta Canada. My hope is that every freethinking atheist would make himself known
so that the theists who don’t trust us will see
that we are not as bad as their Pastors/Priests
say we are.

Hi All.

I’ve been visiting, and enjoying, this site for a short while. Although South African originally, I’m now an American living in Colorado.

I don’t have a blog, but an online essay about religion that I’ve developed and tinkered with over the years, at http://sites.google.com/site/objectionstoreligion/

Hi, I’m Ollie
I’m a late-20s American atheist in Saudi Arabia. I’m a contract worker on a project for the RSAF, after several years working on USAF fighter jets.

I realized the bible is a load at a pretty early age. I was already a dinosaur geek by the time I remember hearing fairy tales in Sunday School. The paleontology & geology was way more logical & interesting, so it won over my brain. Having to put up with invocations in the USAF helped in moving me from apatheism to atheism. 🙂

I remember hearing of Hemant when he put his “soul” on eBay, but didn’t start following the blog until some time later, after starting to read Pharyngula. I’ve been lurking for around 2 years, and love the site!

Hi,

I live in Arlington, TX and am 39.

Have posted a couple comments here, but primarily a lurker (read it every day though).

Great website and has really given me a lot more to think about (and ammo!) I was raised a Southern Baptist. Rejected organized religion about 20 years ago and about 2-3 years ago finally came to the realization that I’m an atheist.

I love this website and the ecosystem that surrounds it. Thanks for providing it!

Hey ..

I’m John and I currently live in Oregon. I work in a hospital and I’m an unabashed atheist.

I’ve been lurking here for about 6 months or so after following a link from NoBeliefs.com and I really dig the place.

I’m Brandon. I’m about to leave for Army training in a couple of weeks. I suppose I’ve been lurking on your blog for a year or so. I currently live outside of Raleigh, NC. Ironically, I went to a Baptist Christian school from kindergarten to 7th grade. I realized that I was an Atheist around 5th grade.

Andreas, a greek/british person, recently US citizen, now living in San Francisco. Read daily and lurk, haven’t commented before. I’ve been an “out” atheist since age 12.

My name is Sadie and I live in DC. I’ve been reading for about a year. I was raised Methodist.

I’ve been an atheist since I took a world religions class at my catholic high school and learned that not only were there other ways of viewing the world than through the Christian lens but that I related better to many of them than I did with the religion I was supposedly “practicing”.

Hello,

My Name is Robert, I am a Web Developer in Austin, TX USA.

Started my deconversion as a teenager when I took a liking to ancient mythology, and science. I have kept my atheism to myself for a long time, and in the past few months have started to get into “New Atheism”. It is funny that I didn’t notice until recently the amount of Christian Bigotry that I hear everyday from my southern baptist family.

Hello from Annapolis, MD.
I’m a Baby Boomer or as we are now known Senior Citizens (ugh!). I prefer BoomerChick formerly known as Farks on previous posts.

I’ve been an atheist ever since a classmate in first grade told me I was wrong – there is no Santa Clause. I extrapolated from there other misinformation i.e. no God, no tooth fairy, no Easter bunny, no prince charming – well, I revised that last one in the 1970’s (found him).

I have been “in the closet” publicly. All my family knows I’m an atheist. Most of them are atheists too.
Hemant, I love your site so much you are on my Google homepage.
I don’t feel so isolated anymore.
Always lurking.
Thanks.

Hi, I’m Marsha, a 57 year old atheist living in Greeneville, TN. I’m a librarian at Tusculum College, a small Presbyterian college in east TN. Raised in KY, So. Baptist, moved to San Diego, finally saw the light that religion is a bunch of hooey. My partner Amy and I are lucky to have found a great group of liberals here in the bible belt, and a few atheists/agnostics. We’d like to find more. I love Hemant’s site. I check it every day and frequently put in my 2 cents worth. It helps me know we’re not alone here where there are more churches than restaurants, and they’re building more churches every day. Aren’t there enough already? Hope everyone is having a great New Year.

I’m Jeremy, from Aurora, Illinois. Recently had the fine pleasure of meeting Hemant at the gathering in Palos. Nothing else about me is interesting.

Mid-20’s, Canadian living in Manhattan with my husband.
Very blue-collar, just basic education.
Grew up in a very secular environment. As an adult I’ve grown more comfortable and confident with my atheism and now seek to understand other’s ‘religious experiences’. Since I was never indoctrinated into any religion I’m a minority of a minority and have maintained a similar outlook throughout my life. So what is it that makes me so different from 95% of my species?

I’m jay, from ohio… Atheist. Loves science. writer…

I’m Tara and I live in Northern Virginia. I have been lurking for a while. I don’t have an active blog. I was raised Lutheran in Minnesota, and have been gradually sliding away for many years. I am an aerospace engineer.

Hello,

I love your Blog and read it everyday. I am from Missouri

I’ve been a reader for awhile. I periodically leave comments. I am from Indiana. A momma, a crafter, a wife, a friend, and somewhere on the list a deist or an agnostic…depending on my thoughts of that particular day or moment.

I enjoy reading your blog.

I’m from Argentina, and I regularly check your blog on my GReader. I’m 28, still a student, and working as a software developer.
I’m not an atheist, I’m a buddhist, but I agree with almost every opinion that has been poured on this blog.

Cheers 🙂

I don’t know if I count as a lurker, since you know who I am, but it’s neat of you to give everyone a chance to say hello. 🙂

I’ve been following this site for quite a while now, and I’m looking forward to being a more active commenter now that I have a blog of my very own!

I’m currently living in Milwaukee, trying to stay warm while interning as an assistant director and writing a novel about atheist pirates.

Hi! Marsha, from Colorado. Mostly a lurker but I’ve hit the Submit button a few times. I enjoy your blog.

Grew up with fanatical Christian Science parents – and 30 years after leaving the religion (and all religion) I’m still told occasionally that my rejection of CS is due to my misunderstanding of CS. Couldn’t possibly be anything else 🙂

Hi. I’m a geologist and came across your site maybe a year ago. Don’t comment often but enjoy your posts and the often insightful commenters.

Hello! I just found this site today, and must admit, it’s by far one of the better atheist sites I’ve found on the web.

I’m a Christ-follower myself, not an atheist, but have to shake my head at what happens in the name of religion time and again, especially in North America, and have enjoyed giving your site a read! Keep up the good work, and I look forward to seeing more articles and engaging in conversation here.

Cheers,
James

Hi, I’m Karen, from West Virginia. I’ve been reading your blog for a few months, and just finished “I Sold My Soul on eBay,” so now I know how to pronounce your name, too! I really enjoy your writing. I’ve been an atheist from a young age — maybe 10 or so? Never really gave religion much thought for a long time after that. Went to graduate school here, studying behavioral psychology. Surrounded by scientists, it was easy to think that nobody believed in God. But now, as a mom to two middle-schoolers, I have discovered that most of the people around here are actually church-going Christians. Who knew? I tend not to discuss religion, except with a couple of nominally Jewish friends who also feel a bit out of place around here. This blog is a nice place to visit to hear from like-minded folks.

Hi all, I’m Kathy.

I live in Oregon, with my atheist spouse. While working on my Microbiology degree, I turned agnostic, and then full-blown atheist. It was Molecular Biology what done it to me, too!

I’m happy, though underemployed, and I’m hoping for that to turn around sometime soon.

I’m Kit and I grew up as a person of colour in small-town Canada. Yes, as a general rule, Canadians are friendly, welcoming people. As long as you’re in the city, anyway. Not so much where I came from, which is a lot more conservative, racist and religious.

I’ve been lurking for a few months but maybe only commented once (if that). I’m currently an undergraduate studying physics and applied mathematics, and I’ll be starting law school next year. I currently live in London, Ontario (Canada).

Hi, I’m Bob, an expat Brit and recently retired entrepreneur, living in Florida. Joined the BHA over 40 years ago and am a member of several Atheist/Humanist organizations. I add my comments occasionally, when I find the subject matter interesting and enjoy Hemant’s blog very much!

I’m Zeynep, I just turned 18 years old and I’m really obsessed with college, and learning as much as I possibly can before I die.

I come to friendly atheist and other atheist sites because it makes me feel less lonely in a world in which people revolve their lives around things I highly doubt exist. I especially don’t believe in the Judeo-Christian God, or any other god, any supernatural beings such as spirits and ghosts, and I don’t believe consciousness can exist outside a physical brain. I like to think about this a lot and question myself and my assumptions.

I am not huge on debating to win, just discussing.

hi.

i’m Thomas.i’m danish.i live about an hour’s drive outside of Copenhagen.
i’ve been an atheist my entire life, although i do sympathize with parts of the deistic world view.
i was raised by a dad who has never expressed any interest in religion whatsoever and a mom who at a very early age was forced to take an active look at what she believed in and came to the conclusion that organized religion does more harm than good.i agree with her.

hello!! 🙂

I’ve been following for a while now since I either stumbled on your blog or my boyfriend told me about it. Either way we’re spreading the love! Though I’m not technically an atheist i love your blog and I think anyone that wants to think (or should think) need to read it. ^_^ keep posting awesome stuff!

Hi-I’m Deirdre. I’m a former biologist, now NYC public school science teacher and also a single mom. I was raised Eastern Orthodox but I’ve been an atheist for a long time. My brother is a deacon in the church, which makes for “interesting” conversations at family get-togethers. I’ve been lurking here for a while, along with a few other atheist blogs, like PZ’s.

I’m Margy and I live in Northern California but am originally from Texas. I occasionally comment, but don’t have a blog. I work as an editor in a high tech Silicon Valley company.

I was raised Catholic and heavily indoctrinated by 12 years of Catholic schooling, but I stopped going to church before I was out of my teens because of the church’s hypocrisy. Somehow, I managed to develop critical thinking skills, and I was appalled by what I saw as I took a closer look at organized religion, especially Catholicism and Mormonism.

I was an agnostic for several decades, but during the past few years have become an atheist. My scientist husband has been an atheist most of his life, but until recently, he and I seldom spoke about it and he never tried to influence my thinking.

I feel much more free without religion in my life and view “The Friendly Atheist” as an oasis. Hemant has saved my sanity more times than he knows. I love visiting this site and am especially fond of the “Ask Richard” columns.

I strongly urge everyone to see Julia Sweeney’s “Letting Go of God” on Showtime or DVD. My husband and I ended our Christmas/Solstice holiday by watching this show together and we both just loved it! (As with so many things I’ve enjoyed, I read about it here.)

Thanks to Hemant and everyone here for enriching my life and giving me a safe place to land.

Hi I’m H. I am an atheist. I live in SE Michigan so if you’re in the area, let me know. I was raised Catholic and went to parochial schools but religion wasn’t a big deal at home. Currently work in healthcare management and working on my Master’s. Have commented a couple times but mostly lurk.

Hi! I’ve been reading this blog for awhile, but never commented. I live in Asheville, NC and I first found this site through Skepchick.

Just testing

Hi, I am Weas. I rotate between living in Canberra, ACT and Perth, Tasmania. Both in Australia

I haven’t had any bad religious experience (just boring ones). I always found it illogical and lacking sense. My father, a baptist Reverend, encouraged me to come to my own conclusions and choices. He has happily accepted both my atheism and homosexuality.

These days I mostly lurk, with the odd comment. I enjoy seeing the progress the world is making in it’s very slow acceptance.

Ian from Brisbane, Australia here. Been lurking for the last 2-3 years. Hate/fight/debate “the woo” in all it perversions, but I also sing in a gospel a cappella choir, because I love the music. Does that make me a bad atheist? 😉

Hi there! My name is Mike and I live just outside of Charleston SC. I’ve been following this wonderful website for quite a while now.

Hi, I am Jay, I am 18 years old. I am in college and I live in Pakistan. I have been studying cosmology and astronomy for 2 years. I am an Atheist and I am surrounded by Muslims who are absurdly superstitious and religious. I don’t have a blog but I might start one soon.

I stumbled upon your blog a few months back and I have been reading it since. Keep up the good work.

I’m Dan. I’m a student at college in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I posted on some threads a few months ago, but haven’t posted for a while due to lots of classwork. Been lurking a little more recently. I don’t have a blog.

Hi! I’ve been lurking here for a while, joined a few discussions over on PZ’s blog, and have been active over on Reddit for a while. I’m a fairly recently de-converted Jehovah’s Witness Elder, teetering on the verge of open atheism.

I live in a very conservative christian area, but even conservative christianity is liberal, in comparison to Jehovah’s Witnesses, at least in many ways. I hope to someday be more open about my life-view, but I’d rather not be cut off from my family, if I can help it, and that’s rather inevitable if my views become publicized. So I quietly contribute from the sidelines whenever I can. You do a wonderful job, and I appreciate your site a great deal. Keep up the good work, and I’ll make it a point to try to add to the conversation here more often.

Hi there, I’m – err… ::looks up::. Yeah, Greg.

Lurked a bit, said a little now and then, and then oddly didn’t seem to be able to post. Or at least get a comment to show up. I was wracking my brains to figure out what I’d said that could have blocked me, so nice to know that it was nothing much.

(I did nothing wrong, right? :p)

Anyway – yes. Enough rambling. Like I said, I’m Greg, from England, and grew up an Anglican, so I guess I wasn’t far away from Atheism anyway… 😉

First started questioning theism when my R.E. teacher introduced Anselm’s ontological argument for the existence of god. I think I saw at least 2 problems with it as a thirteen year old, and it made me think that if that was the best argument for god they could give, then I ought to actually question it. The Bible, and solitary musings did most of the rest of the work. Gotta love irony.

Can’t say I’ve got anything like a blog, although I’ve played around with considering writing a few essays on certain theistic matters. Like the consequences on an omnipotent being, for example. Of course, if I did, I’d probably keep them to myself anyway. Got all the respect in the world for you guys who put yourselves into the public sphere to get shot at.

Hey! I’ve been following the site for a little while now, but I never really comment. Usually, by the time I think of something worth saying, the conversation has moved on. I guess I’ve commented at least once before since I have this nice little icon next to my name. Anyway, I’m a grad student studying biology, and really just starting to dive into the atheist/skeptical scene.

Hey there – I am a graduate student currently living in Baltimore getting a Ph.D. in Microbiology (I think Science is VERY important). I was born in Puerto Rico.

I have always been an atheist, as my parents both left Catholicism and decided to raise me and my brothers in an environment without religion. I am still incredibly thankful for this. Once I finally learned about religion and became aware of its incredible influence in high school I very quickly rejected it. Throughout high school and college I read a lot of books on atheism, including those who some people consider to be harsh like Dawkins, Harris, Hitchens, or George Smith.

I found this website a month or two ago when I was specifically looking for blogs written by atheists – I check it at least once a day, but this is my first time posting.

Now that I have a girlfriend who is a practicing Catholic, it has definitely been an interesting dynamic :).

Keep up the good work!

Hi, I’m Ann. I’m expecting my first child in July and trying to learn how to raise a child without religion. I was excited to find this blog!

@Ann – you may want to check out the author of “Parenting Beyond Belief”‘s blog — I’m not a parent, and I enjoy it. 🙂 http://parentingbeyondbelief.com/blog/

Hello. I’m a black freethinker and like finding sites like this because I like hearing the thoughts of like-minded individuals. Definitely not too many of us in the black community, although I’ve heard that I could be wrong about that. I hope I am.

I’ve been following for a while and I haven’t commented. I love the blog and love the info it provides me. My name is Jenn and I am from the Houston, TX area. I’m a pretty outspoken atheist, especially since I teach high school in Texas!

Howdy! I’m (non-lurker) Mike, an atheist from Michigan who transplanted to New York just under three years ago. My religious history is a bit complicated, going from liberal Christian to born-again to ‘fundigelical’ to deist to agnostic to atheist (with ‘attempted Buddhist’ thrown in there along the way). I’ve got a blog going that I’ve (slowly) been adding to for eight months now: http://miketheinfidel.blogspot.com/

I’m lucky to be in a somewhat rational part of the country; I don’t face a lot of trouble from anyone I know. I’ve just recently (read: on New Years’) outed myself as an atheist to my family, so we’ll see how that goes…

Hi, I’m Liz. 🙂 I’m from Arizona, and an atheist. I don’t have a blog, but I have enjoyed reading this one. Nice to know I’m not alone!

Hi. I’m Hilary, a chemical engineer in Michigan.
I lost my last bits of faith after reading Sam Harris’s End of Faith, which was given to me by my mother. My entire family left the Catholic Church and migrated to atheism over the past few years, so it’s nice to have the built-in support.
I found this site during my search to determine my views and have been a regular reader ever since. (Lurker sounds kind of creepy.)
My New Year’s resolution is to write to my representatives each week to make sure my non-theistic views are heard about the topics that are important to me.

Hello everyone. I’ve been a lurker on friendlyatheist for about 2 years. I live in the Atlanta, GA suburbs, married 14 years with small two kids. I’ve been an atheist for 18 years.

I love this site and read it daily on my lunch break. I have especially enjoyed the posts on raising kids, the Ask Richard segments, and Hemant’s awesome dancing video.

Hemant, I appreciate the information you share and time you invest in this blog. Thank you.

Hi. I’ve been lurking on FA for only a few weeks, but find myself checking it daily. Found it by following a link from PZ’s blog.

I live in Chandler, Az but grew up in Canada.

I have a blog that I need to update, its been a loooong time. Maybe some of your followers would have some suggestions.
http://howlongwouldyoulive.blogspot.com/

My name is Rene and I live in beautiful South Florida. I am a psychology student, grandmother, and a free thinker. I was pagan for many years, I still wear the pentacle, a Thor’s hammer, and a Humanist pin (just to make people aware that I am not monotheistic).

Hii Hemant and the others reading here as well! I think I probably introduced myself somewhere or another before, but just in case, I am Claire-chan the Friendly and the Hungry. And the Oboist/English Horn player, much like Lyz Liddell, pleasingly enough. And the Otherwise!Student of Knowledge/Russian. I don’t lurk if I have something to say.

I just turned the ripe age of XX mid2009. Raised Catholic, made parents cry with Atheist declaration mid 2008, couple months after my 20th birthday. That was exciting. Oh, bother, hear more crying, maybe I’d ought to see what it is now.
Lazy to get picture up here.

Hello there, I’m Psicop (a pseudonym inspired by Babylon 5). I’ve lurked here a while, and have commented a few times. I was raised Catholic, then was a fundamentalist for a while, and who is now an Agnostic. My own blog — almost 2 years old — is Miscellanea Agnostica, in case anyone is wondering (and I’m not assuming anyone is).

Hi, I’m Steve. I’m an atheist. And a writer, lover of scifi, research technician … and a guy who spends a few minutes trying to think of something else to say for this.

Hi, I’m Chak. I’m a 57 yo female, atheist since age 16 (omg, that’s 41 years. I feel like I should lie down.) and I’m a math tutor by profession.

Hi All

My name is Jean-Pierre and I’ve been an Atheist since I was a teen. I see there are a number of other South Africans here (hi guys!)

I lurk around here and PZ’s site. It is great to have a community like this where we can all feel at home …

Jean-Pierre

Like Jyotsana, runawayuniverse, Jaki, and Kathy, I too live in Oregon. I’ve been reading this blog for some while now (c. 1-2 years) but have only recently stuck my neck out and made a few comments. I was baptised Lutheran; then, after being unchurched for some years, my parents (and I, as a youth) turned non-denominational Protestant, then Calvinist-Baptist. Unlike my parents, I could never muster enough belief to be baptized as an adult or “born again.” I stopped attending church sometime during college and ended up an agnostic atheist. I very much enjoy this blog and the interesting discussions. 🙂

My name is revatheist. I recently started my own blog at revatheist.wordpress.com called “The Incridible Blog of His Eminence, the Most-High Reverend Atheist,” which as you can tell from the title alone already reeks like a steaming pile of sheer awesomeness. I check out Friendly Atheist daily and have already posted about the Foundation Beyond Belief, which I think is one of the best ideas I’ve ever seen. Anyway, that’s me. Thanks for the opportunity Hemant!

Hi, I’m Julia and I post only infrequently. I’m a 32 year old geotechical engineer in Vancouver, BC. I have never been part of any organized religion, but considered myself ‘spiritual’ until I started dating a Mennonite. After lots of reading, discussion and ‘soul’ searching I now identify as an atheist. I also married the Mennonite who is now agnostic. His parents are adjusting. 😉

Real name’s David. 29 years old, college student.

Shalom from Israel,

I’m one of a dying breed of secular zionists. If anyone is interested in learning about what secular zionism is – I would strongly recommend Bernard Avishai’s “The Hebrew Republic” where he advocates replacing “Jewish” as the defining characteristic of the state with “Hebrew”.

I currently live in Yafo, one of the few mixed Jewish/Arab cities in Israel, and I stumbled on this site thanks to Google Readers fantastic “suggest” function.

I currently make my living as a full time journalist and part time country musician (we have the only washboard player in the country)!

Hi, I’m Flah, native of NC residing in Florida. I’m a telecom engineer and a skeptical Methodist. Don’t have a blog because, really, who cares what I think?

I’m currently in Columbus, Ohio, but that’s likely to change at any time. I have posted a few comments here, but most of my (less friendly) writing is at my LiveJournal. I look forward to being a part of more discussions here and there.

Greetings,

Hello Hemant and fellow non theists. I am an agnostic atheist originally from northern Minnesota that now resides in Shreveport, Louisiana. I am employed as a civilian for the federal government.

I enjoy reading your great blog. Keep up the outstanding work!

Howdy, I’m from Tempe, AZ. I’m very new to the online atheist community; things were pretty lonely for awhile there, to be honest, but it was pretty nice to finally stumble upon a whole group of people among whom I will never have to grit my teeth and smile as they proclaim their latest “god told me” story. It’s nice to not be alone.

Hello, Hemant. I’m a math prof at a northern California college. My family is of Portuguese descent and very Catholic. Fortunately, they no longer try to get me to go to mass with them. I’m sure it’s a terrible disappointment to everyone since I was the one who was supposed to grow up to be a priest. Bad call, that!

Greetings from Sydney, Australia.

Been reading this blog since I found it via BlagHag, which I found via Pharyngula. I now subscribe to many atheism/skepticism blogs and I think this one and Jen’s are my favourites to read.

Keep up the great work, Hemant and others.

Hmm, I’m not new so I may not have to do this, but in case I do . . .

I’m Chris, a year and a half out of college, living in Denver right now but am applying to law school (and not one in Colorado) so I’ll be leaving pretty soon. I tried blogging once but didn’t enjoy hearing myself talk that much (the evidence of this post to the contrary). I comment rarely and mostly when Hemant says something I disagree with (which is not often), which probably ends up throwing me in a bad light, or would if I commented enough for anyone to notice.

I’m pretty sure I haven’t been totally lurking (just a little bit) but anyway, hi, I’m lizard. Most people call me Karen, and I live in Southern California. I’m trying to be an atheist blogger, but rather new at that (though quite old to blogging).

*waves*

Hey, I have some comments here and there, but not too much. I am originally from Catholand, also known as Poland 😉 That’s where I’m currently living (central Poland, city of Lodz), but it’s temporary – I lived in many countries including Sweden and yes, that’s where I’m planning to live. Quite obvious, isn’t it? 😉
My full name is impossible to pronounce in English, so Ellie, Elaine and Helen are the most common substitutes 😉

I’m 26, poltical science student (forever) and lecturer-to-be, atheist, participating in largest polish community of atheists and agnostics – racjonalista.pl. We do have an english version of a part of the site, so You’re all welcome to visit. It’s obviously not my property, but it’s definitely my site. 🙂

I don’t recall if I have posted here before, but maybe. I’m an early 30-something living in Boise, Idaho and have been an atheist all my life. I was raised Catholic, but it never really sat right, like some others alluded to here. I don’t have a blog, but read: this one, Pharyngula, Skepchick, Happy Jihad’s House of Pancakes, Atheism is Freedom, and The Whore of All the Earth blogs (to name a few). I work as in the biology field and am applying to grad school this fall.

I’ve commented a couple of times already, but mostly I lurk. I’m 24 years old and I live in Southeastern Washington–a very Republican area. I do customer service for a very popular online retailer. Yes, that one. 😉

I was raised Seventh-Day Adventist and became an atheist–very, very slowly–while my husband and I were stationed overseas (he’s in the Air Force and is currently stationed in South Korea). I’ve lived in both Japan and Turkey. Turkey was definitely interesting from an atheist’s point of view. I believe that being away from my family’s influence for about five solid years definitely helped with my deconversion.

I have a six-year-old daughter and it has lately led to many interesting conversations with my parents about their religion vs. my lack of religion when raising a child.

Hi, I’m Jamisyn. I’m from the Indianapolis, Indiana area. I’ve been an atheist for a long time but recently became vocal about my views. Since I love confrontation this has worked well for me…except for alienating some of my family. I do have a blog, but it’s about knitting and I haven’t been posting a lot lately.

I LOVE your blog. I’ve been lurking often recently.