*WATCH THIS*
Discern4: ”Some Muslims showed up at the 2012 Atheist Convention in Australia. This is what happened :)”
This is another example of what blind faith is capable of. Dafuq?!
#MyAtheistSelf project submission from wakethestorm:
Name: Maren
Age: 18
Location: Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho
My story: From the time I was born, I have been taught Christianity. This is a very common story, especially in conservative areas like North Idaho. I went to church every Sunday, said my prayers, all things that children who have been raised this way do. However, that is where my story branches off a bit from the norm.
My mother’s second husband was a horribly emotionally abusive man with a twisted view of religion, and he punished me accordingly. If I did something he didn’t like, I was sat at the dining room table and instructed to write a Bible verse over and over. 100, 200, up to 500 times. Keep in mind I was no more than 7 years old.
Eventually they divorced, and that particular torment was over, but I never recovered the initial respect and awe I had for the religion my family had always practiced. Over time, the pain I had suffered turned to anger. I still went to church, I still raised my hands and “spoke in tongues”, but I felt more and more disconnected not only from the display of deity worship itself, but from everyone around me who was wholeheartedly buying into it.
Years later, I was sick of it. I felt like a liar, and a fraud. I resented every Christian I knew for teaching me to be such a bigoted, selfish, intolerant person. I was constantly anxious because I still have a shred of that belief that I was going to be struck down by lightning if I didn’t perform. I decided, if I was going to break off from everything I’d known, it would have to be quick, like ripping off a bandaid.
So, I did what I needed to do. I came out to my family as queer, which was honestly a non event for me since it is such an integral part of who I am. I told them I didn’t believe what they had taught me growing up. I also told them it wasn’t their fault, nothing they did wrong, and that I loved them very much. The backlash was huge.
But now, two years later, it was worth it. I am experiencing a freedom I never knew while I was bound by the chains of religious guilt. My fiance and I are expecting our first baby in December, and we have agreed to let them choose a religion (or none!) for themselves. No indoctrination for our family. No more indoctrination for me.
#MyAtheistSelf project submission from behind-the-chair:
My name is Brittany, I exist here.
I didn’t really grow up with religion so I guess you can say I’ve always been an atheist. My Grandfather, who raised me, was brought up in a very strict Catholic house in Ireland so he did all he could to escape that once he came to the States. However, attending Mass once a week is still embedded in his brain even though he also practices Buddhism and meditation.
But I digress…I DID give Catholicism the ol’ college try in my teens but that fell through pretty much immediately when I realized I would never conform to hatred, bigotry and misogyny.
I live in sin with my boyfriend Alex in Tucson, AZ. We refuse to get married until EVERYONE can get married. Until then, we’re quite happy not having a piece of paper define our love.
I don’t hate religion….I just hate what it has brought this world to.
Submission fromnewjerseysuccess-story:
My friend showed me this hilarious website Barbie Gone Bad and I laughed hysterically at this very offensive picture! Thought I’d share.
Barbie on a Cross.
Have you checked out the recent #MyAtheistSelf project posts?
Become part of the I H8 RELIGION #MyAtheistSelf project.
- Please post with a photo
- Select “Post as photo”
- Anons/no-photos will be deleted
(via ih8religion)
