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I didn’t become an atheist. My parents just never indoctrinated me into religion. https://twitter.com/toneddownmo/status/1291937961702031360
Fun Story:
I remember being maybe 5 or 6, and I was familiar with the concept of god and Christianity, but I was under the impression that no actually took religion or god seriously. I thought it was like Santa Claus. Something like a tradition, but not taken literally...
I remember being maybe 5 or 6, and I was familiar with the concept of god and Christianity, but I was under the impression that no actually took religion or god seriously. I thought it was like Santa Claus. Something like a tradition, but not taken literally...
I remember speaking with another kid, who said he believed in god. Literally. I laughed and thought I found THE ONLY person on earth who believed in god. Like finding a kid who believed in Santa Claus. Like “awwww.”
I told other kids, and do my dismay they also believed...
I told other kids, and do my dismay they also believed...
I was so distributed by this I went to the teacher to talk about it. I don’t remember what I said. I just remember her saying she also believed. I remember feeling upset and sacred. Like the world around me was insane. Like being in an episode of the Twilight Zone...
I have a clear memory of thinking my teacher was a crazy person.
Later that day I was going to ask my parents if they believed. I remember being worried about what they woulda say. They never really spoke about religion so I wasn’t sure if they were one of “the crazy people”...
Later that day I was going to ask my parents if they believed. I remember being worried about what they woulda say. They never really spoke about religion so I wasn’t sure if they were one of “the crazy people”...
I don’t remember everything, but I remember my father’s initial response when I asked if he believed in god. He said, “Which one?” Right anyway I remember being relieved. “Oh good, my parents aren’t crazy!” Then he went on about how there are different gods etc etc...
So it’s been very interesting for me on social media, talking with so many ex-religious people. People who say they were shocked at some point in their lives when they discovered atheism, or that even not-believing was an option.
I had very much the reverse experience.
I had very much the reverse experience.
I spoken countless times about this contrast with @MurtadMilli, who went not one but TWO fundamentalist religions. And we often help the other see the world through the eyes of a fundamentalist or an atheist. https://twitter.com/murtadmilli/status/1292131516663783425
Another contrast I have felt, is around other atheists.
I notice a stark difference in our thinking and views on religion between life-long atheists like me, who have never been religious, and people who only recently became atheists.
For example...
I notice a stark difference in our thinking and views on religion between life-long atheists like me, who have never been religious, and people who only recently became atheists.
For example...
Recent Atheists place a lot of importance to highlight contradictions in the Bible or Qur’an. Or find statements and beliefs that contradict science and debate these ideas with religious people.
I find no value in this whatsoever...
I find no value in this whatsoever...
I don’t feel inclined to have to find contradictions in Spider-Man or Harry Potter to know they aren’t really. Or elaborate on how the magic of Potter contradicts science. Seems like an incredible waste of time.
Theology is interesting, but hardly the basis for my non-belief.
Theology is interesting, but hardly the basis for my non-belief.
I also notice that while recent atheists don’t believe in religion, they do often place it on a pedastal.
They often don’t completely understand secularism. They don’t believe in religion, but think it deserves some greater respect than other non-reality based beliefs...
They often don’t completely understand secularism. They don’t believe in religion, but think it deserves some greater respect than other non-reality based beliefs...
They’ll make absurd statements like, “I don’t care what others believe.” Or “I don’t believe, but I respect your belief.”
All idiotic statements.
Replace religion with flat earth theory. It absolutely does matter that people, especially children, believe the earth is round...
All idiotic statements.
Replace religion with flat earth theory. It absolutely does matter that people, especially children, believe the earth is round...
Never in a million years would I say, “Well I “believe” the earth is round, but I respect ur belief that it’s flat.”
No. I know it’s round and you’re dumb.
And everyone takes this attitude with flat-earthers, but when the claims are religious suddenly everyone’s a relativist.
No. I know it’s round and you’re dumb.
And everyone takes this attitude with flat-earthers, but when the claims are religious suddenly everyone’s a relativist.
Anyways, I hope this thread was interesting as I have discovered that my upbringing was relatively rare. Though it shouldn’t be. 
I’m fascinated by so many stories I’ve heard of either, people who were brought up religious but never could believe. Or people who were brought up non-religious, and then became fundamentalists.
Makes me wonder if their is a genetic element. https://twitter.com/fred_connection/status/1292138246596698115
Makes me wonder if their is a genetic element. https://twitter.com/fred_connection/status/1292138246596698115
Yes. Many former religious I’ve spoken to talk about how seeing contradictions in religious text, or learning about science and evolution, led them to atheism.
But to me science is just science, and it’s hard for me to care about holy lit to that degree. https://twitter.com/priest_of_ramen/status/1292136357574381574
But to me science is just science, and it’s hard for me to care about holy lit to that degree. https://twitter.com/priest_of_ramen/status/1292136357574381574
Nope, sorry. My parents are VERY intelligent people.
Never indoctrinated me into any political ideology.
Never any cult of personality.
My father introduced to people like Einstein, Feynman, Sagan, but only as intelligent individuals. Nothing cult like. https://twitter.com/kasimirurbanski/status/1292140028022464512
Never indoctrinated me into any political ideology.
Never any cult of personality.
My father introduced to people like Einstein, Feynman, Sagan, but only as intelligent individuals. Nothing cult like. https://twitter.com/kasimirurbanski/status/1292140028022464512
They also have never been interested in sports. I never have either.
They did put me in TaeKwonDo when I was 2 years old, which led me to a life-long interest in martial arts. Which taught me a lot about the value of respect and discipline. But no religious beliefs involved.
They did put me in TaeKwonDo when I was 2 years old, which led me to a life-long interest in martial arts. Which taught me a lot about the value of respect and discipline. But no religious beliefs involved.
And my parents being Chilean, always spoke to me very objectively about Allende and Pinochet, and Chile’s history. (Objectivity being VERY rare here in Latin America)
They always speak very matter of fact, taking into consideration the political failings on all sides...
They always speak very matter of fact, taking into consideration the political failings on all sides...
So I never considered my parents left or right wing. They usually never spoke much about politics anyways.
And they’re still the most liberal people I know. Never in my life have I heard them say something hateful or racist, about gays or Jews (father being Palestinian), etc.
And they’re still the most liberal people I know. Never in my life have I heard them say something hateful or racist, about gays or Jews (father being Palestinian), etc.
True, but I don’t think “degrees” of religiosity actually matter when it comes to what’s true. A flat-earther is wrong to any degree. He could just be more wrong.
Fundamentalism can be more dangerous though and lead to more violence. https://twitter.com/wimdows/status/1292145223779442694
Fundamentalism can be more dangerous though and lead to more violence. https://twitter.com/wimdows/status/1292145223779442694
Oh! I remember the first religious friend I had when little. A ginger girl named Stephanie. 
She was evangelical I think, and she was the first person to say anti-gay (didn’t even know the word homophobia then) and racist comments that I can remember...
She was evangelical I think, and she was the first person to say anti-gay (didn’t even know the word homophobia then) and racist comments that I can remember...
I remember her saying anti-gay things like they are sick in the head. And I remember her saying she’d never marry someone black. This blew my mind. I had never considered the idea of not marrying someone cuz of the color of their skin...
I remember I asked her why she won’t marry someone black and she said their culture was completely different from ours. I didn’t get that.
I said something like, “X boy (who’s black) in our class has the same culture as us. He’s not from China.” Or something like that. LOL!
I said something like, “X boy (who’s black) in our class has the same culture as us. He’s not from China.” Or something like that. LOL!
I also remember that our science teacher was teaching us evolution at some point, and said “The Adam and Eve story wasn’t true. This is where we come from.”
The next day he apologized and that he offended some students. I found out later it was Stephanie who complained...
The next day he apologized and that he offended some students. I found out later it was Stephanie who complained...
