To All the Lurkers…

Hi,
I’m atheist since birth (though baptized when I was little, but my parents aren’t really religious) and, from least religious country of Eastern Europe. I study biology (5th year)… I have been reading this blog for almost 2 years.

Greetings from Orange County, Virginia. I have been involved with the freethought community on and off since 1998 but have been an atheist all my life. First Internet community I joined was the Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers. Now helping to establish the new Camp Quest Chesapeake which debuts this July. Thank you for all that you have done to give the world a better view of the community of reason.

Hi
I am from Bangalore. I have been an atheist since I turned 15. After reading Dawkins’ God Delusion in 2009, I have become a radical atheist (Douglas Adams’ term).

I came across your blog recently (having read a post on Phil Plait’s Bad astronomy site) and RSS’ed it to add to my daily dose of vital science and reason nutrients.

?_?
`

Hey everyone,I think I have posted a couple of comments, not sure how many. In any case, my name is Dale. I keep a semi-updated blog and am attempting to become more active in the atheist and skeptic communities. Currently residing in Vancouver. That would be British Columbia, Canada. Raised in a secular home and never was converted to a religion, so life long atheist.

I haven’t posted much yet. I’m a science teacher in Wisconsin. Just happy to be here 🙂

Hi

I _think_ (hope?!) I’m a long-time-ish lurker. I work at a startup and live in Chennai, and am generally interested the sort of stuff you post about, because it gives a sort of daily snapshot of life and times in the US and specifically I am interested in popular science and popularizing science in India, and also the role of religion in Indian legal and constitutional matters, and apparently I am also deeply interested in writing the longest possible, most disjointed sentences ever.

Great blog, keep it up!

Cheers

Ludwig

I never knew you had a moderation policy. I hope you can get more folks to join the healthy discussion at your site.

I thought I was a frequent reader, not a lurker. Am terribly offended now (joke).

Not that it matters but I’m an Irish male, mid-30’s and currently based in Dublin but soon to be moving to the U.S.

Now I feel like I’m at an AA meeting or something (minus the God part) “Hi, my name is Bob, I’m 58 and I’m an Atheist”

I believe I’ve posted a couple of times, but here it goes:

Most people call me Rubbs. I’m a male turning 25 in a week.

My blog, which is nearly empty at the moment is http://www.wellactually.org.

Greetings from Europe! I live in Brno, Czech Republic (that’s some 100km north of the Austrian capital Vienna) and I work in research. Raised secular (here most people are) but went through a short quasi-religious period when a close relative was gravely ill.
Here most people don’t give a damn about religion – Christians of all flavours amounted to about 30% in the last census – and, if anything, they admit they vaguely believe “in something higher”. It is at these people the Christian propaganda is aimed now, using all sorts of (the usual) false lures to win them over to their side. This is why I follow your blog, Hemant, and a few others including Pharyngula, to see what the situation is elsewhere and how others fight the nonsense.

Hello everyone,
i guess i commented a few times, just can’t remember when 😉

Male, late 30s, living in Germany, being of German/Arab origin and a Murtad.

Hello Hemant and fellow atheists!

I’m an engineer living in Michigan. GO STATE!

I’m a 29/m atheist from lower Michigan. I like to work with software and computers. I’ve been reading for a couple years (I think), and have commented on a number of occasions. I don’t currently maintain a blog though, sorry. Keep up the good work!

30/M/East Coast… Fresh Coast… recently deconvolve fundamentalist baptist. Southern Baptist.

I’ve been reading for about 3 years now, but only posted a few times. I enjoy reading the comments more than anything. See people debating like civil human beings is a wonderful thing.

I’m from the Tampa, FL area and have never posted before but have been reading (lurking) for a year or two. I’m only “out” to those that have brought it up and that I think are open minded enough.

I’ve been reading and posting for a while now though I don’t comment super often, I suppose. I don’t remember having come across a thread like this yet anyway.

I’m 26 and have recently gone back to school. I’m now attending the University of British Columbia in my first year. I intend to apply for the honours mathematics program at the beginning of my second year in September. I’m also studying German and Japanese.

I don’t keep a blog — I doubt very much that I’d have the time to update one as of late — though I have considered the possibility before. Perhaps over the summer, when my time is my own, I will consider trying one.

Been reading for maybe a year and a half now. Think I’ve posted once or twice and sent an email once. I’m 26 and live in the suburbs south of Chicago. I’m a nurse and an atheist:)

I’ve commented a couple of times. I’ve probably been reading this blog for close to a year by now.

I’m a 26 year old male living in Columbus, Ohio. Right now I work at a university and am considering grad school.

I was raised to be a nondenominational Christian, but never believed the theology. My parents taught me that the way you treat others is more important than how pious you are, and that idea is the foundation for my humanistic worldview. For a number of years I considered myself an agnostic, and only recently admitted that I’m really an atheist.

I follow a number of atheist blogs; so far this one and BlagHag are my favorites.

I’m Adam from Bristol, England, 17 years old and have been lurking for a while now and commenting now and again. I went to a church of england primary school and despite being read hymns everyday, having the local vicar in every week and graduating in a church. I have never believed in god and treat relgious people as simple minded which got me quite a lot detention when my 9 year old self talked down to my christian headteacher. Also glad to say that there was not a single religious student in my graduating class or as far as i know my school.

Greetings all,

Lurk one or more times a day post when it moves me. Somewhat militant in that I don’t pull punches but I can adjust to the situation and tone it down. I’m out to anyone who knows me – especially the Jehovah’s who grace my doorstep on a regular basis (lol). Legendary in the neighborhood when they do come – some neighbors sit on their porch and listen for the sheer entertainment value of it. Anonymous poster online due to a public facing job where I deal with a fair amount of conservatives. Yea, I know. Kill me now. Blog when I can and troll on occasion for the therapeutic value. Likes: Family, Science, Reading, Tequila and eating babies if you listen to the faithful. Washington DC area.

-Jay

Hihi…31, female, atheist. Houston, TX. Raised Baptist but not aggressively so, got into Wicca and paganism a bit, have drifted into atheism from my husband’s influence over the years (he’s also a regular reader but I doubt he’ll delurk). Recently unemployed legal assistant, no kids, one fat old cat. Love purple. And socks. Purple socks are the best!

Hi! I’m a graduate student in mathematics. I’ve commented a few times before, but mostly I just lurk.

I don’t remember if I’ve commented before or not, but just in case.

I’m Mike, 21-year-old college student who just gave up the faith in the past year. I’m still making a lot of adjustments, but on the whole I have never felt more in tune with the universe. Ironic, and I love it.

Hello! I’ve posted only once before, but I think I count as a lurker. I’m a 22-year-old woman from Lansing, MI. Just slowly working my way through school.

Hi everyone,

I was raised in a non-religious household among the collapsed ruins of the former USSR. My family was not skeptical, however, and instead of God they eagerly bought into alternative medicine and local superstitions. That is probably why despite having been an atheist for just about my entire life, I am only now growing the backbone of the necessary solid logic and rational thought required to back up my lack of faith.
My husband and I have been living in North Carolina for about a year, and my interest in all things religion has been reignited. It is no fun being a minority among rampant irrationality. Your blog has helped to keep me sane. 🙂

Joel here, 45 years old, living in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, a rather conservative and white-bread kind of city. I’ve been an atheist since I was a child and wondered why something omnipotent would be so insecure as to require constant weekly reassurances from its creations. From there everything simply unraveled.

Huh. Never knew I’d gotten a stamp of approval! Halfway wish I could track down that post and frame it. 😛

Some of you have seen me before (and I’ve had some, err, “heated discussion” with a couple of ya), but I don’t think any of y’all know anything about me. So quick summary:
I comment under my actual name. Don’t have anything to hide, so privacy is kinda one of those things I don’t worry about.
I am (at this time) 22 years old. I was raised ignorant of religion, and discovered theism (and by virtue of it, my atheism) only in about 6th grade. I’ve never closeted it, for better or for worse, and I’ve never experienced any personal discrimination for it. One could say I’ve been rather a lucky fellow. I’m also a computer science major in my first year of college (took a few years off to save up the requisite money first).

I married my highschool sweetheart, who then proceeded to cheat on me within the first year of our marriage. It’s been just shy of a year now since I filed for dissolution, but I’m still more than a bit bitter towards her, and that’s bound to come through when I discuss relationship issues… so I try to avoid sharing my thoughts on those topics if they come up… but if I fail to resist the urge, at least now you know where I’m coming from. Feel free to tell me that I’m being biased. Sometimes I just need that smack upside the head.

Hello to all from Ireland, and happy St. Paddy’s day. I’m a South African living in Dundalk in Ireland since 2005. I’m 40, and was a Christian for most of my adult life (thus far), even preaching in church on occasion. I lost my faith in 2008, when I realised that I just didn’t see God in anything that had ever happened to me, good or bad. And I started reading books about Christianity that weren’t written by Christians.
My partner Nadia and I have a blog called The Devil’s Advocates. Keep up the good work!

Hi.

40/male/Denmark/lifelong atheist.

Okay.

*ahem*

Hello and introduce yourself!

(C’mon, someone had to do it.)

Hello from the bible belt. My name is Bonnie – I’m a 48 year old former believer living in Oklahoma City. I’ve been reading this blog for about 3 years. I’ve posted a couple of times. It is so good to know there are scores of others around the world who think freely and clearly. I am ‘semi’ out – my husband and I were very involved in the charasmatic christian community for most of our lives but we finally walked out of the fog of faith into the light of reason.

From the ID hell-hole of Seattle, Washington (well, Renton, actually, but that only means anything to locals). 55, Buddhist for 35 years or so, atheist forever. I don’t blog but do post on occasion.

Hey there! I’m a 27/f from Dallas, Texas. I’m a CPA and also recently became a Realtor. It’s not easy for my husband and I, being atheists in the state of Texas, but we’re doing our best to show that we’re calm, kind, generous, and open-minded people. Love your site!

I do most of my postings on the friendly atheist forums but I do sound off in here now and then. I will be 41 very soon, live in Bangor, Maine and I’ve been an atheist for many years.

As you can tell from my avatar I also enjoy firearms. Weird to be an atheist and belong to the NRA but I enjoy my right to concealed carry.

Hello, Kali here from the Mormon state of Utah.

I was raised in the Mormon church. Being female, I was put into a lower position than my male counterparts, and the scary thing was that I was okay with it. I was adamant in my faith, and whenever something contradicted my beliefs I did mental gymnastics to justify my continued belief. I was using doublethink.

When I started college I started losing fervor in my faith, I blamed it on my lack of trying and never considered the possibility that the religion wasn’t true. After months of doubt and guilt I stumbled upon this blog and it served as a gateway to my atheism. I am still trying to overcome the years of indoctrination and blind faith that the Mormon church has instilled in me, but knowing that there are other like-minded people out there I feel confident that soon the damage done by the church will heal.

Thank you for your blog.

Thanks for the invitation to comment! I run http://www.atheistattorney.com It’s a project continually in need of more attention. I read this blog every day.

Thanks for this blog. Never posted before though I emailed you. Greetings from Miami.

Been lurking for a while. I’m an atheist living in North Carolina, but am a fairly recent transplant from New England. I was looking forward to the event at Fort Bragg and am disappointed it didn’t work out. I blog at http://cdogzilla.blogspot.com on a wide range of topics, basically whatever strikes my fancy, from atheism to sports to whatever.

Encantado. I’m a shrill, strident, gnu atheist from Galicia in Spain :)There are more atheist in Spain than many people realize, especially Ratzy.

I can’t remember how long I’ve been reading this blog or if I’ve introduced myself before so I’ll just do so again.

I was born in 1965 in Ohio. While I was a child we moved to Indiana, then Michigan, and then Iowa. When I graduated high school I went to college for a year in Minnesota, then moved home, then Minnesota, then home, then to Alaska. Lived there for four years (met my husband online and moved him to Alaska, this was 1988), then moved to Vermont in 1992 and have been here ever since.

I think I was baptized in the catholic church because my Mom’s folks were catholic. I wasn’t raised in it, except I had to go with my grandparents when I was visiting until I finally told Grampa at age 12 I didn’t feel comfortable going. Tried Episcopalian because my parents were looking for some sort of community to belong to and my mother missed the rituals of the church. I went to one summer camp once for a week.

Oh and one time I went to what i think must have been a baptist church when I was, uhm, 7 or 8. It was just me. I caught a bus that went to the church and I’d started going because they were going around the neighborhood offering plane rides to people to join their church. I wanted a plane ride, so I went. I kept going for months and months, every Sunday, because that was the deal I’d made. Once I got my plane ride (many months later), I stopped going to the church. I think my parents thought it was cute that I kept sticking by my deal with them so I could get my plane ride. I have two really vivid memories from that church.

First, I was in bible class and asked the teacher something like “scientists have lots of explanations for why rainbows happen, that it’s water and light and stuff, how does that relate to what you’re telling me here?” and she got all smug and proud, I could feel it coming off her in waves (as well as a bit of contemptuous) and said “Who do you think created all those conditions in the first place? God!” I felt wholly unsatisfied with that answer, but I was only 7 or 8, so I couldn’t respond very well. It stuck with me, though. Especially her smugness.

Second, it was one of those churches with a baptismal dunking tank behind the altar, and one Sunday one of the little girls from my class was rushing around the bathroom trying to figure out a way to make her hair wet without getting her clothes all wet so her mom would think she’d been baptized (she’d chickened out). Her panic really puzzled me, I wondered why she just couldn’t say “I didn’t do it” or something like that.

I have a blog that I post on when I feel moved by a situation in my life that suggests a sort of “life lesson”. http://meanderingthepath.blogspot.com/

Hi All. I’ve posted a few times, and found my way here via Blag Hag. I’m a K-5 science teacher who sometimes moonlights at the local university teaching science methods. Raised Catholic, though never bought into it. Never had to come out to my family, as they always knew. I follow these blogs because I’m raising a rather feisty, outspoken atheist 11 year old daughter who has already experienced how un-Christian Christians can be. Love your blog, Hemant!

Hi, I’m Jason and reading your posts is some of the first things I do to start my day.

Ex-Catholic Atheist. 23 years old. Hailing from Nova Scotia, Canada. Started reading late 2010. I love it here! Your posts are positive, thoughtful, and interesting. When I reference your blog to someone, I don’t feel like I am associating with someone widely considered to be an ***hole. We need more athiests like you!

Long long long time lurker.

Former Hindu, Deist, Agnostic and now pretty firmly atheist.

I’ve been reading this blog for ages but never really commented.

This blog has been a nice release from the overt daily religiosity of the people around me ever since I moved to Atlanta last year

I’ve posted several times, but I’m not a regular.

I’m a 24-year-old, recently graduated from Kansas State University with a B.S. in mathematics, and minors in computer science and physics. I still don’t know exactly what I want to do, though my course work was mostly theoretical as opposed to practical math, so I will be prepping to go to grad school for math in the fall of 2012.

I love learning about math and philosophy, and how they are connected with human psychology. Thus, I like reading about the foundations of math, including the different schools of thought concerning what exactly math is or should be construed as. Perhaps this interest will determine what I do during grad school.

I have been an atheist since around my sophomore year of high school, though as far as family goes, I’ve only told my parents, but a few of my cousins are sure to know due to Facebook. I’ve read a few books on evolution — mostly by Dawkins — and I took the intro biology course at university, as well as read plenty of atheist vs. theist conversations and watched similar videos. I’ve forgotten almost all the genetic mechanisms of evolution, but natural (and probably also sexual ) selection is pretty easy to understand, so I like to explain it to people who think we all just popped into existence 6k-10k years ago. Given DNA’s malleability and the forces of nature, evolution via natural selection alone is guaranteed.

At the moment, I don’t do anything. There aren’t any interesting jobs in my area for what I have training in, it seems… not to mention the fact that my study habits while in school were horrendous (due to a huge procrastination problem), causing me to forget a lot of the math I did learn. The latter is about half the reason I’m waiting a year before applying for grad school: I need to pore over my math texts.

Anyway, I suppose that’s me in a nutshell. Do I get free Friendly Atheist Points (oh great Athe in nowhere, the acronym for that!!!) for being a math person? 😛

I think I’ve posted a couple of times but mostly lurk and have been reading your blog for about a year. I’m 50, an athiest for most of my life, living in Texas.

I initially found your blog while googling the first LGBT pride parade in my hometown, Spartanburg. Thats when I noticed your coverage of that b*tch councilwoman Dogan’s religious propaganda remarks putting us LGBT folk down… and her rant on being black. Yeah, that was definitely some self-hate in that speech too…

I have to say, Spartanburg is a pretty religio-fascist town with no genuine visible culture and diversity going on here. I just found out about the first gay bar here a few months ago only to pass by it the other day with an ‘available’ sign on the building. I wonder how much bureacracy was involved in that because that history making parade is a testament to the fact that there are blossoming subcultures here that are repressed by people in power like this spewing their pathetic propaganda. I had no idea some rally like this was literally happening in my own back yard.

I’ve always been an intellectual/atheist too but unaware of any social organizations until I saw a lil’ news snippet on the American Atheist’s convention in Alabama. A few months later, as I complete a book purchase from the website and am reminded of your blog with a link. So here I am now taking the time to connect and say hello and following you on Facebook. Keep up the good work informing us.

I’ve had great conversations with people here over the past year, and as a Christian, have mainly been treated with decency. (aside from the few angry people).

I have also learned a great deal about the atheist perspective in the process.

I have to say – I’m amazed that you will begin censoring and banning people from the forum!
I will most likely be one of those who are banned, since I tend to (repectfully) disagree with the atheist position on most things. I was hoping that this site welcomed dissent as opposed to embracing the left’s habit of policing thoughts.

so assuming that this is my last posting, goodbye to those that I have engaged with. I have learned a lot, and I have brought those new perspectives back into my own community.

(Hemant says: I’ll approve just about everyone as long as they’re contributing to the dialogue. I moderate First Comments to weed out spammers and proselytizers.)

Living in Auckland, New Zealand, originally from the South West of England. I can’t remember ever believing in a deity of any flavour, despite attending a private religious high school.

I’d generally describe myself as a right wing atheist, but having followed this blog for a while the description doesn’t appear to translate properly for the US.

also…

Blacksheep: I don’t think Hemant mentioned that he was ever banning or censoring commenters, especially ones that respectfully disagree and promote discussion. If I understood the post correctly, he only approves people that have never commented before and then they are free to post as much as they want.

Hey! I guess I haven’t commented yet, but I’ve been an avid reader for.. nearly a year? I’m 21 years old, working on my B.Sc in biochem. I live in Winnipeg, MB Canada. I was raised Roman Catholic, went to Sunday school, asked lots of annoying questions to which I got unsatisfactory answers, got confirmed anyway, then stopped going to church. I guess I’ve been quite skeptical for as long as I can remember, but I figured maybe I was missing some key information, otherwise why would these people all be so confident in their beliefs? But anyway, my parents really aren’t particularly religious, they don’t go to church, so I don’t have any problem stating my religious beliefs (well.. lack thereof) and I never get any hassle from anyone I know. I’ve read about so many people on this blog that are in such awful situations, that I feel greatful for my circumstances. 🙂

I’m 67, male and a retired civil servant living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Cool, that’s 3 of us from Nova Scotia in this line-up. I was raised catholic but threw off the yoke in my early teens so I’ve got about 50 years of atheism under my belt. Strangely enough I have never spoken directly, eye to eye, with another atheist. I have enjoyed this blog for about 2 years but prefer to lurk. I am a lefty and survived nuns tying my left hand behind my back and other tortures at age 6 in the early 1950s. At that point I refused to write period. LOL I get along fairly well with christians because basically I don’t care what their beliefs are just don’t try to impose them on me.

Nigel not-my-real-name Patel. Small “a” atheist.

Hello Hemant,

Viewing from Leesburg/Ashburn, Virginia just outside DC/Metro. Been an agnostic-atheist for pretty much most my life, but only in the last 5 or so years of my 33 year life have I actually sought additional knowledge to back up my beliefs or lack there-of when questioned by the many religious folks around me. Very much enjoy your blog among others on my google reader; feeds me a nice dose of daily reading of blogs and articles written by like-minded people.

Keep up the good work!

Did you not read the next sentence?

After that happens, you’re free to comment whenever you’d like. It’s always nice to hear fresh opinions, whether you’re religious or atheist.

It is possible I’m grossly misreading here, but I don’t understand how you parsed the OP to get what you did out of it.

Hi all,

I’m Nick, just discovered this site a couple months ago. I’m an atheist living in PA.

ACN,

It is possible I’m grossly misreading here, but I don’t understand how you parsed the OP to get what you did out of it.

Good point, and now I feel that I probably overreacted.
Thanks.

No one is trying to beat anyone with the banhammer yet 🙂

Hello! I’m a 30-cough year old female living in Chicago. I was raised in a southern baptist church, but left all of that behind in my early twenties. I don’t remember a specific trigger. There was just a moment when I said to myself, “Hey. This is dumb.” Because I had such an easy time letting it go, I find myself a little impatient with people who cling to religion. I found this blog about 6 months ago and it’s like a breath of fresh air! As my husband and I plan to have kids, I find myself more interested in the experiences of other atheists. I consider it research for my plan of raising atheist offspring. 🙂

No one is trying to beat anyone with the banhammer yet

Yeah, my impression is that this is basically a case of, “hey, alot of folks have come and gone, let’s stop the party for a minute and introduce ourselves.”

The part about being approved is like knocking at the door when you arrive at the party instead of just walking in.

Or at least, that was my take on it.

I am not religious, but I believe in and follow Jesus. I have been watching this site for maybe a month, and I have yet to see any real debate or helpful dialogue.

I have friends who are atheists and friends who are agnostic, and we are able to talk about stuff without getting angry. I was hoping that would be how it is here, but it seems that the main function of this blog is the public is simply to state atheistic opinions and denounce all other opinions.

But I haven’t been reading here for very long, so I am hopeful for some real engaging discussion.

Ive been checking Atheist blogs and podcasts and videos for a few years now, just as a way to not feel so alone in a world of ugliness and exclusion and hate I see coming from the religious society around me.
Of all the blogs I view, I always found this one to be the most accessible and ‘on my level’.

However, I have come to realize that the Atheist community has it’s own set of judgments, exclusivity, closed-mindedness, and hypocrisy. These qualities weren’t apparent when I first saw Dawkins’ “Root Of All Evil”, the video that made me call my husband in tears, exclaiming how for the first time I had heard someone expressing my same views on the wonder, beauty, and magnificence of the universe…without weird religious dogma. I wrongly assumed that Atheists in general were more open-minded, less judgmental, and less hypocritical.

I have never been and will never be religious, but I am finding that ‘Atheist’ does not describe me either. I want my life to be about celebrating the positive, and I find Atheism to be focusing on the negative…even by its very definition. Peace.

Hi! I’m Dave. I read the site all the time, but only post occasionally. I’m an older (49) white guy born & raised in NY. Started out Catholic, slowly became atheist.

Here’s a little story… When I first “came out” to two of my best friends (married couple), we got to talking about religion, atheism, etc. And I asked the wife, “Do you believe in god?” Her response, “Um. I don’t know”. I pressed her a bit, pointing out the difference between “knowing” and “believing”, but her answer was still, “I don’t know”.

I thought that was interesting. It seemed to sum up a very common theme to me; that people seem very reluctant to give up their religion. Like they’re afraid to be labeled with the “A word”.

The part about being approved is like knocking at the door when you arrive at the party instead of just walking in.

Mine also. Additionally, it makes a drive-by troll actually have to invest in spawning chaos. They don’t like that.

Hi! I’m Kelly and I’ve been an atheist since 2000. My husband and I deconverted from evangelical christianity together and it’s great to be honest and logical together! We started in Lousiana but now we live in Colorado. I’m an occupational therapist and he’s a teacher at a local university. We’ve never been happier! We’re hoping to have a few little free-thinkers of our own some day soon 🙂

I have been a reader for about a year now (thank you google reader!). I am 26 y/o african american father living in the buckle of the bible belt, Colorado Springs, CO. It’s tough being an atheist in the #1 place evangelical christians feal most comfortable. This blog gives me a bit of fresh air in lieu my location. Thank Hemant for keeping the blog alive!

@Blacksheep Just to help clarify, a policy like that is standard anti spammer practice. Spammers won’t bother pretending to be worthwhile posters at first, so even a simple policy like this one is typically enough to spare us from any porn ads and such.

Churched a Bible studying Calvinist and later confirmed a very devout Anglican; in 1977, at 30, I recovered from the evil addiction of religion and later joined American Athiests.

I’ve been reading this blog daily for about 9 months. Very well done. Always worth reading.

Hello, long time visiter of this site. Atheist since birth. Went to school in an extremely Conservative Catholic town in east central Minnesota, and I managed to escape with my beliefs in tact. Love your blog!

Hey, I am a Spanish atheist who has settled in Switzerland. I am not that militant, more the passive type, but like to keep track about the news about atheism, religion and science divulgation. Yours is one of the blogs I regularly follow (funnily, the United States are overrepresented in my sample).
My family is of Catholic background, but none of the children went through confirmation or attend mass. The major religious figure in the family is my father, who left priesthood to marry my mother in the late 70s. He is the hard nut that struggles most with me not being religious and tries to convince me every now and then that my position of finding evolution and religion incompatible reflects a “poor mind” and a “lack of perspective”. However, I am grateful to him because he gave us kids good lessons of religious tolerance: he worked for years as teacher in a junior school teaching Spanish to children that came from other countries, like Morocco or China, to integrate them in the normal classes. I remember enjoying Ramadan each year because he brought us those special honey desserts that the student’s parents gave him as gifts.
I guess that my loss of faith has been only the natural consequence of my education. At university, I studied biologics and brought it so far that I am working on a PhD about brain evolution. The only think I can say about my work is that I enjoy it tremendously.

Hey folks –

Atheist here, 25, f, grew up in a secular/vaguely spiritual house. Mildly/moderately awesome person, can provide references.

Jack 24 Bristol UK
Comfortable Atheist.

Hi,
I’m 47, in St. Louis, and at least a third generation atheist.

Hi! I’ve commented once before, but thought I might as well introduce myself. I’m 27, live in the heart of Texas, and deconverted about a year ago. My husband and I were both brought up Catholic, starting having doubts along the way, and stopped considering ourselves Catholic by the time we were adults (long before we met). I made a brief stopover in deism before reading the God Delusion and taking the final step. Now I read several atheist blogs daily and have begun to see how much religion permeates just about everything in my life. I haven’t been brave enough yet to come out to my parents as an atheist, but reading others’ stories gives me hope that maybe someday I will.

I’ve been lurking and commenting for about a year, but I’ve never introduced myself, so, hey.

I’m a soon-to-be-21 psych student at Virginia Tech, raised Roman Catholic, atheist since, iunno, late junior high, early high school. I came out to my parents about it when I turned 18.

I’ve just started writing my own blog (Girl of the Gaps) this year.

Hi! Have posted a couple of times as I only found this wonderful site recently. About me: raised in a conservative small church that had “broken away” from the “Church of Christ” inc. Struggled with beliefs all of my life, even became a lay bible “scholar” in my 30’s. And as many have, the more I studied the less I believed. I strongly believe in respect of a person’s personal faith or lack thereof in a diety. I do not believe in any diety, heaven, hell, and do believe that this life is the only life and best to love all you can while you can, be the best person I can be to myself and others and that works for me.
So…am enjoying the site and commentary very much and am glad to be here.

Hi there! I’ve posted a couple of times, but I might as well introduce myself.

I’m a fifteen year old female atheist with a birthday in three days. I used to say I was more “spiritual” (whatever that means) than religious, up until about three years ago, when I realized it was bull and that I was an atheist. I wasn’t raised in a religious household, fortunately, and haven’t had to deal with too much bullshit.

I live near Baltimore, I’m really into Darwin, and I’m going to visit the Galapagos Islands in a few months. I read the Friendly Atheist pretty regularly, as well as Blaghag, and it’s been great. I don’t comment often, but it’s nice to know there are other people who share some of my opinions about the world, since there aren’t many people in my little neck of the woods.

Hey, I comment once in a blue moon but I figured I’d introduce myself anyway. I’m a 19 year old lesbian going to a private (secular) university in Florida. I’ve been an atheist since mid-highschool. It was actually going to Confirmation class that made me evaluate my beliefs. It was the problem of evil and the ridiculousness of salvation by faith that made me give up on theism and religion.

I lurk here, Skepchick and Unreasonable Faith. I haven’t enjoyed PZ’s commentary as much as of late- I’m not sure whether he’s gotten more aggressive or I’ve gotten less. For others interested in rationality, the website LessWrong.com has a great series of posts about overcoming cognitive biases.

Hello!
I’m from Nashville, TN, but go to school at Hope College in Holland, MI (though I’m probably transferring next year). I’m an atheist of only a couple of months…I think it was getting away from my evangelical Salvation Army parents and thinking for myself that did it.
Anyways, I love your blog muchly!

Hi all! I’m Jenn. Been following the blog for a year or so. Freethinking, atheist, bisexual chick. That would be me.

I’ve posted a couple times before but I am mostly a lurker. I’m a 23 year old woman living near Houston, Texas (for now, I plan to join my fiance in California once I graduate this fall). I’m in college; I study Psychology and History and hope to go to graduate school in History. I love science and math but I’m terrible at both. lol. So I like to instead study the history and philosophy of science.
I’ve been an atheist since I was about 15 or 16 years old, but was “in the closet” until just a couple years ago.

I recently started lurking here and I love the posts and the discussion. I’m an atheist/humanist, but probably outside the mold because I do attend a Unitarian Universalist fellowship near me (San Diego area), so I am perhaps not as anti-religion as many self-described atheists. We have a large contingent of non-believers at my fellowship, but it really is nice to have the community and the opportunity to interact with people who are theists but who are much more open-minded and who generally care about the social justice issues that matter to me.

I especially love the advice column here, as I have had some very painful conversations with family members who are not pleased with my lack of faith. I wish I’d found this site before I “came out” because I would have handled it differently. I’m glad others are able to get ideas about how to approach it and how to handle the aftermath.

Hello all!
I’m Roxanne, I’m 35 years old, a Certified Veterinary Technician,and I live in South Florida.

I occasionally respond to posts, but I mostly get my world-wide atheist news here on a daily basis. I also “steal” videos & topics and link them on my Facebook account to send my non-secular friends over here…

Hi. I’m a 40 something physics teacher outside of Philly. I’m a lurker. I’ve been reading for about 2 years, maybe. I’m half in/half out of the closet. I was raised fundamental evangelical christian and deconverted about 10 years ago. I’m out to a few people including my parents and my kids, but not to the larger community. I’m in love with Richard Wade (jk) so that is why I lurk, but also love you, Hemant.

Came across this site on Stumbleupon. Best day of my life. Proud to be from Northern Ontario (Canada) and “God” free!

I’ve been lurking for a couple of months now, so I appreciate the encouragement to come out from the shadows.

I’m a 24 year old enrollment counselor at a small, public, liberal arts college in Colorado. I’ve always thanked my parents for my secular upbringing even though they have a pretty ‘woo-woo’ spiritual world view. They have been very supportive (although slightly confused) of my newfound atheist views.

Keep the great content coming!

Hello from Connecticut! (“If people from Texas are Texans, people from Rhode Island are Rhode Islanders, and people from Wyoming are Wyomingites, what do you call people from Connecticut?” “People from Connecticut.”) I’ve commented a few times.

44-year-old lifelong atheist. I was taken to Sunday school as a child but never believed any of it, although it was fun to sing the songs, eat the cookies, and get the occasional sparkly souvenir, like a white plastic cross with a purple tassel and “HE LIVES” in gold letters. (He lives? Well, it was pretty obvious that he didn’t, especially since he was dead, and it was a good story but so “made up.” I was a scary little rationalist even as a kid. Maybe starting to read before age 2 had something to do with it.)

How could any deity come anywhere close to the amazing stuff the natural world gives us daily?

[slowing stepping out of the shadows…]

I’ve been lurking since I found your church surveys from the “ebay atheist” project. Fascinating! I particularly appreciate your positive approach, and watch avidly for posts related to people coming out, dealing with residual fears, or dealing with a still-believing spouse.

Raised fundamentalist, read the Bible daily all my life, attended church at least 2x a week, knew all the “right” answers – I was definitely a “real” Christian. Always struggled to sense a connection with God, though, and finally realized about 2 yrs ago that’s because there’s no one there to connect to.

I’m still afraid of Hell sometimes, and still afraid to call myself an atheist lest I be struck down, but no problem saying I don’t believe in a personal God or in Christianity.

I live in Texas (not in Austin, unfortunately), so not a supportive environment for coming out. I’ve told my husband (still Catholic – that’s very hard), one sister, and a few friends, but otherwise don’t feel safe coming out. Years ago, my parents flipped out over me becoming Catholic even though I was in my late 20’s and on my own (I was “following Satan”), so how would they respond to the A word??

I still go to mass with my husband at his request, but I oscillate between internal stewing and just letting my mind wander. I still really enjoy all the friendships I have at church, and don’t want to give that up. I’m sad to have lost the shared religious experience with my husband, but can’t will it back into existence.

At the same time, I feel a great weight lifted off my shoulders since I no longer have to rack my brain to figure out why I’m not getting any response from God!

[ducking in case any lightning’s headed my way]

I didn’t realize you had a commenter approval policy in place, or I would have commented already!

I live in South Bend, Indiana (home of the Fightin’ Irish!) and am a microbiologist by trade (although I stopped working about three years ago). Although raised in an Assembly of God church, I eventually came to the conclusion that none of that was for me…or even believable.

My blog is called Nutwood Junction. I just recently wrote an entry about PCR.

Cheers!

Hello, I’m another lurker who has only made a few comments so far. I’m a pilot from the Canadian prairies and have only identified myself as an atheist for a bit more than a year. I plan to “come out” on Facebook for A Week as doing my part to raise awareness, and am a bit nervous about the potential fallout.

I grew up as a Christian, and thankfully my mother fostered my love for reading and thinking. My interests led me to devour apologist texts and follow the Creationist/Evolution “debate.” I eventually had to read the opposing arguments and go to the original sources that apologists frequently quoted. I had tried to make the faith my own; to replace the childhood obedience with evidence and reason, but most of you could have predicted how that would turn out!

hi, my name is maria, i am 22 years old and i study law and economics in spain
in my country theres a growing secular community or at least spanish people are least interested with the jealous father in the sky!! thats why the pope is coming in august, but not many spanishs are going, theres more people of italy and usa that are going to see the pope and our government is using public funds for the visit 🙁
im a descendant of guanches and spanish sephardic jews who were persecuted by the spanish inquisition, cool huh?? not really…we had to change our surmane to cruz which means cross in english
also, i was baptised and had the first communion, but guess what?? my parents are agnostics and my bother and me are atheist since way before my communion (who doesnt like lots of presents and make happy her grandmother??)

Name is Jiji (manhunter79 on youtube), 31 years old, female, born and raised in Bulgaria. My country was part of the communist bloc and was officially atheist. I was raised as nothing in particular, and encouraged to ask questions and read any books I like. I grew up an agnostic who never really thought of religion as anything other than a harmless habit some other people had got into, but slowly changed my mind after I got my education in McGill (Canada) and was made aware of Hitchens and Dawkins. Thanks to their lectures and debates, I’m now an anti-theist, and ended up on this blog a few weeks ago via youtube. It’s been fun.

Hello,
Life long atheist and non-supernaturalist that remembers school prayer when going to grammar school in CT. Ex GardenStater, nutmegger, Michigander, Hoosier, Mountaineer.

I guess I could be considered a lurker, rarely post comments, but often post your columns on my FB page.

It is troubling to rarely meet atheists in the flesh.

Hello from Orange County! I’m a 26 year old software developer in the middle of a pretty religious and republican area. Thanks for providing a fair, honest, and friendly perspective on atheism. Your website is the first place I send believers for some solid education on just what atheism and humanism are.

I come here to remind myself that I am not the only one who can see thru the BS. Thanks for all of your hard work and wonderful insight. A special thanks goes to Richard for the extremely thoughtful responses he gives to all of those that reach out for his advice.

25/m/Naperville, IL

Hi, atheist for about ten years now in the great state of Georgia.

Your’s was the first website I stumbled across when I turned into a “militant atheist.” My wife’s words. Truthfully, reading a few atheist blogs is as radical as I get. I live in Texas. Any atheism is considered radical down here.

I recall the very day I realized I was an atheist. The day. It was the day I was “confirmed” as a Presbyterian. On the drive home from church, my parents asked me about the confirmation. All I remembered was that I didn’t believe a word of it. Oops.

I’ve commented a couple times here. I’m 20 years old and from Memphis, TN, and I’ll be studying computer science and math at the University of Memphis this fall.

I’m a strong advocate for science education, and oppose the ID/creationist movement.

I became an atheist when I was 13 while studying ancient religions and thinking, “If these gods aren’t real, what makes the one I believe in so special?” A few days after that popped into my head, I no longer believed in the Christian god. That’s the condensed version anyway.

I also like to play video games and I’m a huge fan of heavy metal music. Death metal may not be popular, but it’s one of my favorite sub genres.

Hi,
I’d heard of your site & been linked to an article or two, but have only been reading steadily for a little over a month. It’s a great site. I’m hooked.

I grew up with a father who claims to be a Christian, but I’ve never seen him in a church for anything other than weddings or funerals. My mother is a Christian leaning agnostic. They allowed me to explore religion on my own. Going to the Church of Christ with my cousins from 7-9 grades made me an atheist. My parents’ response was that it’s my life, & they raise me to make my own choices.

Though I’ve never exactly made my atheism a secret, it’s still rough in Texas. I’ve been given the finger for my several Darwin fish, but you just smile & show the “Christian” charity that the hypocrites are supposed to be showing you.

@Jason in Birmingham:

I have been an atheist since I was seven, the first time i was witnessed. When my would be saver failed to explain how Jesus could be a god without having a planet named after him, it was pretty much over.

OK, this is totally the best “deconversion” story I’ve ever seen here!

Hello everybody; glad to see some new names and some “old”. I am 38 years old, and a software developer here in the Phoenix, Arizona area. The link in my name goes to my website. I have a ton of hobbies, the majority of them revolve around computers and robotics.

I don’t know when I became an atheist (as an aside – I hate that term, as it is a definition which defines those by the opposition’s terms – but I refuse to use Dawkin’s term of “bright” because it just sounds too trite for me); the slide towards it probably began after I stopped going to the Baptist church my parents took me to when I was in grade school (around the 5th grade). That was when I got my first computer, and at the same time I dropped out of scouting, too. I would probably consider that period being “agnostic” now.

As I went thru middle school then thru high school, I slid back into another form of “woo” via various means (I enjoyed a lot of D&D and various fantasy fiction); there was incense, crystals, etc. Later I identified with being “solitary Wiccan”; this lasted into my early 20s, up until the point I met the woman who became my wife.

She was (at the time) a Seventh Day Adventist; I was beginning the slide from “woo” and Wicca back down to agnosticism, then finally into full atheism. I don’t know where, when (or why) the full transition occurred; I can’t pin it on any singular conversation, thought, or book I read. Likely a big part of it had to do with ideas and thinking about artificial intelligence, perhaps.

My wife at some point made her own transition to atheism, most likely due to arguments I made when we had various conversations and such (lol, one time in our early days, she prayed over dinner – which was Burger King)…

That’s my basic story; I don’t tell it much, because there isn’t much there. I don’t define myself by my non-belief, but I certainly don’t like it when others try to push their beliefs on to me, as if I haven’t given it any thought, or that I am somehow wrong. I do enjoy having civil conversations and discussion about religion and other philosophical matters with others, when I can.

Right now, I’m reading Godel, Escher and Bach (it’s long been on my “to read” list), and really enjoying it (prior to that was Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance – which was an enjoyable read, but I am still not sure what to make of it). One of these days, I need to attempt reading my copy of the “House of Leaves”…

Anyhow – howdy, all!

🙂

Hey, I’m a government drone. Been an atheist close to fifteen years. Tried to pretend I was Christian for for a couple of years, but just couldn’t do it. It was how the conservatives and religion interacted that finally completely drove me away.

I make sacrilegious duct tape art. and I have a fake Gov. Walker tweet

Hi, Think I may have posted once or twice before. Generally read this blog (and a few others) on my rss feed on my phone, with my little baby girl asleep on me – as she is right now – so looking at full site is a bit tricky and hence I v. rarely read the comments. Was raised C of E (cake or death?) and got confirmed. I’ve even been made a godfather a couple of times, which I view as an honour more than a religious thing, but haven’t christened either of mine. My dad is pretty religious, and I have a cousin who’s a vicar with the Church of Ireland, so I keep a fairly low profile within my family, but I’m quite outspoken elsewhere.

Hi Hemant,

I don’t post here often at all, but I do read every day. I tried posting once or twice and it didnt show up… now I know why.

Anyways, I am a medical student in my second year. I am currently in Brisbane, Australia and will be moving to New Orleans next year to finish my 3rd and 4th years. I was old enough to remember being baptized and thinking just how friggin’ weird that was. My parents were never particularly religious, and we almost never went to church, but we did go to Greek Orthodox (we are Bulgarian) festivals and those were fun with great food. In college I was wondering about god and thinking myself an agnostic. I had long discussions with a Muslim roommate and friend of mine and for a while had myself convinced (independently) that not believing in god was as much based in faith as believing in god. It was only in the past 18-20 months or so that I really began to educate myself on the topic and realized how wrong that thinking is. I am now confidently an atheist. And sometimes too much an anti-theist (a la Hitchens).

In any event, I doubt I will post here much – I spend a lot of time posting at science based medicine, neurologica, and respectful insolence – but just in case, figured I would say howdy.

And thanks. We need to keep the movement strong and show people that atheists are not horned devils out to get you. They can be people like me – studying hard to be a doctor because we care about humanity and suffering, despite fervently disbelieving in god.

Steering committee member of Greater Worcester Humanists for 3 years. Regular member on ” Center of Mass” skeptic podcast. Regular visitor.

I’ve commented a couple times, but what the hey. I’m Emma, and I’m a student at Reed College. Planning on being a math/comp sci major (at Reed, comp sci is part of the Math department).

I must say, it’s been an eye-opening experience, reading this blog. I grew up in a very secular family and town. It never occurred to me that terms like “coming out” or “in the closet” might apply to atheists. I certainly never thought about that way with my family.

I’m 34, male, live and work in San Diego, California.

I don’t comment much and I barely ever read comments. I just read articles & blog entries and take from them what I will.

I’ve only commented a couple times, so I guess I’ll introduce myself.

I’m from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and am a student at the University of Alberta. I study Psychology and Philosophy (double major) and work part time in retail.

I attend meeting of the University of Alberta Atheists and Agnostics, and just recently went to my first meeting of the Greater Edmonton Skeptics Society. Haven’t been to Society of Edmonton Atheists yet.

I was raised relatively secular but dabbled in Christianity a bit in my adolescence. Ultimately I was too liberal for Christianity and the faith slowly melted away (my parents raised me feminist and freethinking, so it was hard for all that crap in the Bible to stick). I probably deconverted from Christianity in grade eleven or twelve (about four years ago), but only started identifying as an atheist about 1.5 years ago, which was around when I started reading this blog. Friendly Atheist was one of the first atheist blogs I started following, and it was monumental in bringing me into the atheist fold!

Hello,

I am Jacob, 17 from England. To be honest I havn’t had any bad experiences at all because of my atheism. Most of my mates are, and its no big deal. I only really have gotten into the whole atheist scene because thegoodatheist.net podcast was on my suggested podcasts on itunes.

I do subrscribe to the “don’t be a dick” mentality, but it can be tricky when the odd crazy religious nutter is all up in my face. Anyways, nice to say hello instead of lurking about like Mr Dark from rayman 😛

Hi ex catholic and very happy I do not live in the USA (UK is where I am). From what I have seen I don’t think I could cope with the amount of apparent religiosity you have there.

I guess I’m a lurker? I’ve posted once or twice before, but I don’t really post often. I’ve been an atheist since I was 13 (I used to be a bible thumping evangelical Christian). I live in Chicago, and I write a blog about the environment, public health, international relations and atheism.

Hi! I’m from Chicago- grew up in Burr Ridge which is pretty close to where you are (Naperville, yes?) I’ve never specifically believed in anything- I remember going to church a couple times with friends or grandparents and thinking “this seems pretty dumb…” I didn’t label myself as an atheist until junior year of college during an early American lit class when we read “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” and finally said to myself “Yeah this is dumb.”

I’m an apartment leasing agent in Lakeview and this site is in my daily rotation of things I need to go through before I can get my day started!
I’m trying to find groups in Chicago to join or speakers to see, if you know of any to point me to.
Love this site and think what you’re doing is pretty awesome!

Hey there! I’ve been a lurker for a long time. I commented on a story a while back, but other than I’ve been pretty much mute for the whole two years I’ve been reading this blog.

I’m a 23 year old male atheist (surprise!) who will be finishing his Bachelor of Physics in May. I live in Bozeman, Montana; the culture here is an interesting mix of progressive, utilitarian frontier values and regressive, religious frontier values. You may have seen us in the news… there have recently been bills introduced here that support the criminalization of homosexuality (not gay marriage, just being gay in general) and secession from the union. Needless to say, my politically active friends and I have been pretty busy since the november election that handed control over to the repubs.

My hobbies include science, philosophy, politics, and engineering. I maintain a blog about these things here. I am generally an outspoken atheist, and am often labelled as militant. This is frustrating since I’ve yet to condone violence against a person simply for being superstitious.

Anyways, I enjoy your blog and always look forward to updates. Keep up the good work!

I lurk mainly but have posted a few times.
I live in California in a surprisingly conservative and very religious town. In between feeling alone (hahaha) I work full time, am married and have two boys that I am raising in a non-religious household. I enjoy this site, enjoy the very smart and articulate posters here and recommend this website often. Thanks!

Hi, I’m an 18 year old physics student in Rochester trying to eradicate stereotypes about my generation. My entire family is very liberal Christian, I’ve been an atheist since before I was 10, and lurking since I was about 16. I love your blog!

Hello!

My name is Larry and I’m a writer-problem.

*insert “hello Larry”‘s*

I’m from the desert of California and write poetry about decay and the natural environment blending with the urbanites.

I’ve been lurking this site for awhile and have posted comments on occasion. It’s actually one of my main sources of entertainment and information in the morning.

Anywho, nice meeting you all. Keep up the good work on the blog Hemant.

Hi All!!

I am a 43 year old wife, mother, business owner and life long atheist. In college I tried my best to be a believer, but it just wasn’t going to happen.

I’ve been lurking around (actually I comment on the Facebook page) for a couple of months now. I love this blog because it isn’t militant atheist, which is no better than militant religious. I am an avid reader on various religions and my husband and I feel it is important to teach our children about what other people believe. Because we live in a country (USA) of such diversity in belief systems, knowing how others believes helps us all relate and understand people better. And we think it is important for our children to have enough knowledge to come to their own conclusions on religion when they get older. That said, at 9 and 14 they come up with their own very compelling reasons for atheism that we hadn’t thought of :-).

Cheers to all!

Mostly been a lurker, but I comment occasionally…f/23/Santa Cruz CA. I majored in biology and physics in college, and love science, but that actually has nothing to do with how I became an atheist…I read the Bible in one of my freshman college classes and was so horrified by the Old Testament I completely threw in the god towel, so to speak (not that I was particularly Christian before, but if you’d asked if I believed in their God, I would’ve said yes). I told my family a few years ago but they’re all Catholic and I’m pretty sure they thought I was kidding. We’ll see what they say at my very obviously secular wedding in a year or to…should be interesting, to say the least. 🙂

Hello there! My name is Joseph, I’m 21 years old and I reside in South Texas. I am a college student, double major of communication and finance. I’m also an atheist. I began following your blog about a year ago and since then it has become my number one source for atheism on the web (reddit being #2).

I first began to question religion and the existence of any sort of deity when I was about 17 or 18. I struggled with it for a couple of years before I finally came to the conclusion that I no longer believed in a god. At first, the realization scared me, I felt like I was all alone. But once I started following this and a few other websites, as well as studying the works of Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris, I knew that there were others out there like myself.

This is the first time I’ve ever posted something on here, always been a lurker. I wanted to say keep up the good work!

Hey all, I’m a lurker, haven’t posted until now. I stumbled upon this site last year and have enjoyed the posts and appreciate the topics. I’m in Shallotte NC, smack dab in the middle of the bible belt. I’m proud to say that my 13 year old son is a fan as well. As a mom of three it’s tough to find like-minded individuals, so I’m trying to raise some good ol’ freethinkers!

29/F/WA — I mostly lurk, but occasionally comment if it’s something I feel strongly about, or if I have a question.

Currently a student, my blog should be available if you click my name.

Sup, I’m Bryn from Chicago. I’m approximately 13.75…ish. I’ve probably commented here before, but I’m not sure.
Anyway, I made the conscious decision to be an atheist when I was about 12 or so, and have been skeptical of religion ever since I was 9- ish. I never really knew why I believed what I did, which was probably the one largest cause of my atheism… It all started out quite innocently, at an Easter vigil at the church I used to go to. The pastor was all like, “So, Bryn, why are you a Christian?” I really didn’t know, so I made up some crap about the fine- tuning argument that I didn’t even begin to really believe. So, I thought the question over in my head, and I never really could quite come up with a satisfactory answer. A new laptop for my 10th birthday, some Gnu atheist books, and plenty of atheist- y websites and Youtube videos later, and I was an atheist. Not much else to say. Oh, and if anyone’s bothered reading this whole comment, thank you very much! Here’s a cookie! 😀 *gives you an imaginary cookie*

I’m Hollyn! I’m 25 and I live in the Portland, OR area with my boyfriend and our 2 cats.
I’ve been an atheist since I was about 16 and I thank my mom’s conversion to Catholicism when I was 13 for making me realise what crap it all is.

I discovered this site about 7 months ago, after reading I Sold My Soul on Ebay.
I may have commented a few times, but probably only if I was feeling feisty. 🙂

I don’t really have an active blog anymore, so I spend most of my internet time on facebook.

I’ve found being open to a universe without god opens the mind’s eye wider than any life eternal could ever possibly offer.

I’m Phil. I’m agnostic/strongly skeptical. I come here for my daily dose of sanity. I even post once in awhile.

Born & raised in DuPage Co. Illinois by lukewarm Catholic parents who eventually became atheists, moved to Oak Park, IL after school (big cultural difference). Moved to rural Florida at age 42, and back to Illinois at age 50 – about a year ago. Now residing in rural DeKalb Co.

Mostly Admin/IT careerwise, with a 15 month foray in to law enforcement while living in Florida. Also gay, so I’ve been dealing with irrational, delusional, invisible-friend-in-the-sky zealots for years.

Hi gang!

My name’s Al, I’m in central North Carolina, relatively recent arrival here, just haven’t commented yet. I have a blog (linked in name) dedicated to critical thinking, nature photography, scientific curiosity, and dripping sarcasm. I’ve been an atheist since early twenties (so over twenty years) and a rabid one a little less so 😉

My dad was a pastor, my grandparents missionaries. All of my aunts and uncles and cousins are devout right-wing religious nutjobs and some are currently pastors/ministers/missionaries or all of the above. All are deeply involved in the church, playing piano, offering sermons, singing in the choir, holding events. I am frustrated by their existence but more by their views.

If you want to know what it’s like to live in a massively large family that are all deeply religious and post Facebook comments like “What a glorious day our Lord has provided us with. Let us pray that He continues to give us beautiful weather. Oh and please pray for Mary, she has bronchitis. I know He will see her through it”, feel free to ask. I’ll be happy to give you a sad commentary on real religious families.

I did not become an atheist until I was 16 and didn’t start hating religion until much later. Now I breathe fire over it. I love this site and check it every single day when I get home from work. Keep up the great work.

Hi! I’m Kari. I was raised by a Pentecostal mother/atheist father(mom’s now agnostic. They’re still married, though!). I’m an atheist(however, as much as I claim they aren’t real, I still believe in ghosts, just a tiny bit, probably because I love scary movies). Religion fascinates me, though! I find it so interesting studying the history of world religions.
I’m a Women and Gender Studies major at Oakland University. I swear a lot. I blame it on the fact that I’m dating a sailor, but I just like to swear. Don’t worry, though. I’ll try not to swear here.

Hi Hemant and all,
I am a 62 year old male Canadian atheist living in South Surrey near White Rock (known by the locals as Wrinkle Rock based on how old the people are who live here.) It is one of the prime residential locations near Vancouver BC where Canadians from all provinces come to die (i.e. it is a major retirement area as it is close to the border – shopping! and the climate is mild – by Canadian standards – with great Vancouver ocean and mountains – looking forward to further climate improvements thanks to global warming).
I was a science student in university in Montreal (Concordia) taking math and physics and then moved to Vancouver in 1974 where I subsequently became an accountant. I have been retire for over 5 years now and just got back from a 2 months holiday in Punta Cana in the DR.
I admit I am having a damn good life living in a relatively sane and non-violent and prosperous part of this one planet we all share.
I was born to non-religious Jewish parents in Montreal and lived in the Montreal East end for over twenty years (as a result felt the racist an bigoted views of French Canadians and others against the “Christ killers”. Oh the Pope just said it was all a mistake not all the Jewish people were responsible for killing a figment of the Christian imagination. Well for that, I won’t blame all you Catholics for raping all those children either.)
I have never been pushed towards any religion but did have to go through the horror ritual called a bar mitzah. I had a very Jewish last name and so I changed it before I married so my kids would have to put up with the racist taunts growing up.
Except for a quick look at Christianity (lasted less than a week) when my born-for -the- first-time brother became a Pentacostal and then married one (this was after his nervous breakdown – where he saw Jebus).
I have been more vocal in my Atheism after reading the God Delusion, God is not Great, listening to Sam Harris, Dennett, Pat Condell (yes I like Pat) and visiting regularly the Dawkins, Myers, Coit, Atheist Media Blog and your websites as well as others.
My wife who was brought up a Anglican is still a moderate believer (I don’t push my atheist views excessively most of the time – my adult kids are tired of hearing it – X, my wife once called me an evangelical. I tried to tell her that was an oxymoron but I didn’t win that one either).
I “believe” religious belief is a delusion primarily due to brainwashing of humans when they are young. The hope for the future is blogs and internet to get teh word out. Look what it did for the uprising in Egypt. The crap that is peddled as religion cannot be hidden from the scrutiny of the internet. I believe the future is dependent on science and rationality and there is hope for the future while humanity lives. I have a secular humanist world view and although I haven’t joined any atheist, skeptical, humanist groups in the Vancouver area I am giving strong thoughts of doing so this year when I can find time between the travel to the Galapagos/Machu Picchu in July, Tuscany in September and my youngest daughter’s wedding in Playa del Carmen in November.
I have enjoyed reading your relatively mild views (what else would you expect from a “friendly atheist”) although I definitely more a gnu atheist as you can gather from my previous comments. I also enjoy reading the comments in the blogand appreciate all voices against religion and for rationality. Keep up the good work!

Hi all. I am a 26 yr old male, originally from India and currently living in the SF bay area.

I was raised as Hindu, but religion was never really a big part of my life. I finally outgrew it in college and I considered myself agnostic. Sometime after college, I read Richard Dawkins’ wonderful book “The God Delusion” and I have called myself an atheist since then.

I have been reading this website regularly for the past 2 yrs. I resent that most people see atheism as something negative, and this site gives me a sense of solidarity and comfort. Thanks Hemant and keep up the good work 🙂

Greetings from someplace extremely close to Toronto!
I’m generally considered to be pretty damn intelligent for someone so young (I’m 14), and a lot of people are surprised by my outspoken atheism. You could argue that my parents “indoctrinated” me, as my mother is an atheist and my father is what some people would call a militant atheist. He’s got a lot of personal issues with religion, as he was raised Catholic and resents being lied to all those years. But the fact of the matter is that my parents only told me everything they knew about science, evolution, and how the universe was formed, and when I asked about God they just said that they didn’t believe, but I could if I felt like it. I never did, nor did I believe in Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny. I’ll never know what it feels like to really believe in something, but that’s alright with me.

I absolutely love your blog. It’s nice knowing that there’s such a huge community out there, and I almost feel guilty for having it so easy compared to many other atheists.

Hey,
I’m Mark, a 21 year old lifelong atheist in New Zealand. I’ve been reading this blog for around a year now.

I usually follow your posts via an RSS reader, so don’t see any of the comments, but after this I’ll probably try to read (and possibly write) them more often.

I’ve been a daily reader (lurker?!) for about a year now. I really enjoy your site 🙂

I’m a 21 year old atheist in Thousand Oaks, CA. Honestly the biggest thing that this blog has taught me is how lucky I am that my atheism was such a small part of my life. I grew up with multiple Christian/Hindu friends, but for the life of me can’t remember a single unsavory encounter with them, or their parents over my atheism. Both of my parents are agnostics and don’t really care enough about religion to make a big deal over it. After reading some of the stories of what people have had to go through “coming out,” I realize just how lucky I was to grow up in a family and community that was so easily accepting of my beliefs.
I have been reading the blog for a little over a year now, I think it is a great way to stay caught up on what is happening, and feel sad/happy/enraged about whatever is going on. I am hoping to become more involved in the atheist community, as I find myself becoming increasingly frustrated at some of the injustices carried out in the name of religion. I would not call myself a militant atheist, or a particularly extreme one, but I have zero tolerance whatsoever for any form of limitation or rights or discrimination over religion, an issue which is just plain embarrassing to still be struggling with in our modern world.

G’day!

My name’s Scott & I’m from Perth, Western Australia. I’m in my thirties, and after attempting to start an atheist/skeptic blog I decided to stick with publishing/retweeting stuff through twitter as my effort to disseminate good information. I occasionally nudge facebook contacts with the on scientific correction. I think I’m a reader, not a writer 😉 Although one of the reasons I didn’t keep up the atheist blog is that I maintain a technical blog for work – just too much for me. That and there are so many good blogs to consume out there already.

My circle of friends here are typically atheist, some formerly religious. I think they’re all basically skeptics too, but don’t really know about the ‘movement’.

I think it sucks atheism is considered a minority or fringe group and some people think it wise to keep it secret.

Everyone keep up the great work!

Scott.

Hello, my name is Adam and I am an 18 year old, liberal, gay, atheist from Wisconsin. Hopefully going to be leaving the state that Walker destroyed soon. Enjoy reading your blog quite a bit. Been an atheist since about the age of 15.

Fred, from NZ. Lurking is good.

Been atheist since around 12 or 13 when I started to ask question and wasn’t ‘quite’ satisfied with the answers.

Wow I had no idea there were this many lurkers Hemant! I haven’t commented till now because you did reserve the thread to new people and my pain-in-the-ass self could never be confused for “new”.

Still I want to say for myself that I’m very impressed by how many and how varied the folks are here. Also to the Spaniards specifically: Bienvenidos a mi compatriotas 🙂 Espero veros en los comentarios alguna otra vez, a ver si combatimos este mito que los españoles somos todos unos católicos amantes del papa.

Hi, I’m a 48-year-old novelist. I was raised in the Seventh-day Adventist cult and educated entirely in its schools. The teachings of the cult never made any sense to me at all, but at the same time, managed to instill in me a great deal of abject terror. I don’t think I got a good night’s sleep until I was about 22 because I was kept awake by nightmares about the coming “time of trouble” (the Sadventist cult is apocalyptic). I always wanted to be a writer, but it was discouraged because Sadventism teaches that all fiction is evil. When my first novel (a horror novel) was published in 1984, I was living in the Sadventist village of Angwin, California. When word of the book got out, old friends stopped talking to me, I received anonymous threatening phone calls, my tires were slashed, someone smeared dog shit inside my car, and finally, I was shot at while driving a route I took regularly. I moved. My parents told me I’d brought it on myself because I’d always loved comic books, novels and horror movies. Three cheers for religion.

I am now a happy and content atheist — but it’s taken me until middle age to get here. I frequently write for the blog Atheist Oasis (http://www.atheistoasis.wordpress.com) and have finished my first nonfiction book, THE UNITED STATES OF JESUS, about the ongoing attempt to transform America into a totalitarian Christian theocracy. I love the FRIENDLY ATHEIST blog and am a regular reader.

Hallooo! I’m a soon-to-be-hitched/f/accountant in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
I’ve been an atheist as long as I can remember -asking questions never got me any answers and the books in the library were full of bullskevitch. My parents baptised me Luthern (small Norwegian town) but I complained about being lied to when they sent me to Sunday school so that was the end of all the fluff.
I’ve never been able to choke down read any bible but I read Charles Templeton’s Farewell to God in my early 20’s and enjoyed it immensely!
Mom had a near death experience on the operating table and told me all about what the pearly gates looked like and what the gate keepers said to her. I thought that was pretty nice for her.
I accidentally fell in love with a fundy (or close to it) and as soon as I got my silly butt out of that one I’ve been visiting here every morning for some comraderie and for the occasional chuckle.
I’m now happily engaged to another atheist! Thank you SO MUCH for this blog. Thinking is good! 🙂

I know I don’t qualify as a lurker but I’ve never really introduced myself or been approved of by anybody in authority. 🙂 Certainly my employers don’t really approve unless you hit them over the head with a large voting bloc.

Hi everybody. My name is *** and I am a 45 yo retired Air Force NCO. I’m married with kids, and my wife is the most wonderful person ever. She knows I’m bi and accepts that my sexuality is as much a part of me as my non-belief. We are both non-believers, though I would say she is more a deist and I’m more an atheist. No I don’t post under my real name. I still work for the government and even with the end of DADT happening as we speak; I wouldn’t go public because we all know there are more than a few ways to get rid of somebody you don’t like.
Thanks for letting me hang out in your electronic playground, Hemant.

Dan from Columbus, OH. I’m an Account Executive / Management Services Analyst. Atheist for as long as I can remember. Grew up in a non-religious household, but parents would take me to any church if I asked.
I’ve posted responses a couple times. Sent Hemant some news stories. Actually got a chance to meet him at the Lauriol Plaza restaurant after the Jon Stewart rally back in October.

Rochester mn, Lab technician, freethinking guy.

Been keeping up with Friendly Atheist for a little over a year now. Found it through stumble upon and I try to add any new articles I can.

I’ve been an atheist since the end of high school after being confirmed as a Lutheran (only lasted about a year). I’m an mechanical engineering student from Iowa State University hoping to work for a Nuclear Power Plant when I graduate.

I can’t remember If I’ve ever posted here before, but I’m a 30 year old Canadian, living in Canada’s version of the bible belt

Hi Hemant. I’m relatively new, and mostly a lurker. (I’ve maybe left 2-3 comments.) I enjoy your blog as a way to keep up on events and happenings. In addition to lurking, I generally only check once or twice a week and I only rarely read all the comments.

I am a computer programmer located in Boise, ID. I’m in the process of extricating myself from the religion I grew up in (complicated by family, including wife). There is a small group of atheists here in Boise and I’m trying to get connected with them. (So far, I’ve had conflicts with their get-together dates and times.)

Keep up the good work.

I lurk here quite a bit, but imagine I would like to comment a few times and such.

Hi 🙂

I’m from Soddy Daisy, Tennessee. If anyone remembers it, I was the one who sent the letter to the FFRF regarding the illegal prayer at graduation and sporting events in Hamilton County in 2010. I’ve been an atheist since I was a little girl, but didn’t come out until my Sophomore year of high school. I am searching for ways to get more involved in trying to stop the nonsense going on in schools and government.

Not sure if I have introduced myself, so here goes:

Live in the PNW, longtime atheist, writer (mostly SF/F/H), amateur genealogist, former programming director for a major SF/F con, day jobbe as a disaster preparedness instructor (FA, AED, CPR, HazMat, Fire Extinguishers, BBP, organizing, etc), retired FF/EMT, I know The Ultimate Answer, and I am one of those independents that they are always claiming will be on their side though usually I am not.

‘nuf said? Am I in yet? Do I get to learn the secret handshake? Will you send me my official Friendly Atheist decoder ring?

Lgirl Here from Dartmouth NS.
Stay at home Mom of 2 girls.
Atheist since I was about 10 and asked my Brother a few questions. It is an adventure raising my little free thinkers. both have had moments of discrimination (by other children) in school.
Your’s is my fav. atheist blog.

Hello, I am Raúl from México, born in the border and currently living in Mexico City, 40something (argh) male, fanatic hippo lover and collector, this my nickname.

I think I came to this blog from Blag Hag, which in turn I found in a retweet from a lady friend about Boobquake (oh, the mighty internet!)

I am in what I call semi-lurker mode, commenting every now and then.

I’ve been raised a catholic by mom and grandma, both being strong believers.
I think I believed as a kid, but starting having cognitive dissonance at age 9 or 10.
Did my first communion at 13, and I was the nightmare of my cathechist. I told my mom I would not attend church at age 16. She was sad, but let me be.
At 17, a girl I was infatuated with invited me to a spiritual camp, so obviously I accepted (the things you do for love). After being subjected to the most blatant psychological manipulation ever (and seeing my dream girl flirting with one of the volunteers) all my remaining links with catholicism broke and I became an agnostic.
To this day I thank this girl for taking me there!
From there I was an agnostic by definition and an atheist in practice.

Even though mine is a mainly catholic country I don’t have real problems with my atheism. Middle class people are not really militant or strong believers, and being an academic I have found like souls. Still, there are several privileges that faith have here, and that are taken for granted without a finch: Xian “official” holidays, Xian Xmas decorations, school prayer, etc.

If any I have become more open and “militant” in my atheism. One of my best friends now is catholic because it “feels good” (indoctrination is powerful) but we have managed to have very rich discussions, and agree to disagree (though she had to agree on my points, you see? She’s smart!). Probably her mother will blame me if she deconverts!

Though an eskeptic, I have a fascination for esotherism. Hey, you can be an atheist and still hypothesise some other maniac theories! Since such speculation mainly occurs when drinks are abundant, I think I’m safe.

Now, if I could control my hippopotamus addiction. I own more than 500, and the collection keeps growing!

Cheers

I’m in my mid 50s, live in Colorado, and have been married for almost 32 years to my high school sweetheart, who is also atheist. We have one son (now 22) who we raised without religion, although we did give in to pressure from my in-laws and had him baptized. Some of my husband’s family are pretty far off the deep end Christian, but his parents were on the liberal end of the spectrum, at least when we met and got married (they’ve gotten worse over the years, unfortunately).

My mother took my sister and me to church once in a while when we were little, but I think she was probably pretty much agnostic even then. Now, she’s atheist. My father was always atheist, although I never knew it until after I was grown and never discussed it with him until shortly before he died. So, anyway, I never experienced the heavy indoctrination that so many have to break away from. I was shocked when I found out that some people take Genesis literally. I’m not sure how I got into my teens, growing up in Kentucky, without learning that.

I flirted with actually being religious in my teens, but it never really took. I decided to read the whole bible and didn’t have too much trouble until I got into Paul’s letters. I was able to dismiss the awful and/or ridiculous stuff in the Old Testament as myth and legend, but the blatant sexism and misogyny of the letters in the New Testament really, really turned me off. I gave up before I got very far into Revelation. It was just too insane.

Well, that’s probably more than enough information to introduce myself.

Oh hi! I’m from Mr. Mehta’s math class, actually. Some of his speech kids found this blog and I started following it out of curiosity. I’m vaguely religious; I was raised Lutheran and I believe in God, but I feel more and more uneasy calling myself a Christian based on the way so many other Christians just preach this message of hate instead of one of love and tolerance. My blog (in the website above!) is called The Cult. There are five of us who run it… it’s mostly just creative writing, our views of stuff, etc. We were trying to put ads on it and give the proceeds to charity but the ad company delisted us because we didn’t get enough traffic… fail.

Hello, all. A male, college-aged, and forever-questioning lurker here.

I grew up in a very irreligious and politically progressive family in a very dry and dusty corner of the American Southwest (you know, the one state that’s in the news for legalizing racial profiling, wanting to secede from the union, and letting anybody carry a gun…)

My parents always pointed to the moral failings of religion in general (and Christianity specifically) and just taught my brother and I to get through life hurting as few people as possible.

However, (long story short) I’ve fallen in love with a fundie girl. She’s got a brain (which is why I love her), but she’s so otherwise brainwashed that I can’t believe that what and how she’s been taught is even legal (well, given the political jurisdiction in which I live…) I digress.

I’ve actually being going to church and reading to Bible to try and understand what makes these people tick. How can a thinking, rational adult be a monotheist? How can one rely on a text that is so contradictory, inconsistent, and in many places — violent and sexist?

I come here to counterbalance what I hear/read elsewhere and maybe pick up new ideas. Sometimes I just read FA for entertainment and to keep myself from falling into complete despair over the state of the world.

Keep up the good work Hemant, Richard, and all of the commenters/lurkers on here.

I’ve been lurking for 3-4 years now but never get around to commenting. I’m Amanda, I’m located in Southern California, and I’m starting my Biology Ph.D. program in the fall!

Self-professed Lurker from Aurora, CO (a suburb of Denver). Atheist. Enjoy your blog very much!

Hello! I’m Kate, a 25 year old from Denver, CO. I found your sight after you did an interview with John Smulo a few years ago. This was the first Atheist sight I ever read and have been a devoted reader ever since. It helped open my eyes to a whole new way of thinking/viewing the world and religion. Thanks! And now that I’ve posted a comment here, maybe I’ll start adding my two cents more often!

Hi all,

I am 34, male, engineer, and I live in Chile, SouthAmerica. Reading this blog from some time ago and never commented.

I was raised catolic, lost the faith been teenager, but eager to find my espiritual side; Then I explored oriental religions, but most for curiosity, until a day I heard about a kind of strong & miracleous experience from some uncle and aunt, and I bet all the money to the christian god in an evangelical church…

But I always have been pretty rational; I didn’t want to believe, but I wanted to know! So I investigated the bible, read Ehrman, Sagan, Dawkins… And after a hard internal conflict between what I wanted to ‘believe’ vs what I really think, finally I am coming out as atheist.

I have a Spanish written blog, if some of you read Spanish and want to lurk there: techpurri; by the way, if you know a folk called Jack Chick… I wrote there
an analysis of a comic he wrote against evolution (also in spanish). I hope to transcribe it to English some day.

Best!

Hello,

Not sure if I ever commented but I read each and every single post.

I stopped believing in religion 7 years ago . I was born in a Muslim country and to a Muslim family and it took for me to come to Canada, meet people from many religions and then spend 3 years reading, learning about other religions to finally decide that it’s all a myth.

I feel so free and I am transferring this freedom to my 2 little girls.