Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by jesus hernandez on July 11, 2011 at 5:04pm

There is no simple way. Atheists are fighting our acceptance in society.

 

All you can do is try to get along as best as possible. You don't need to convince anyone to turn atheist, it's better if you help other atheists be open about it.

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Permalink Reply by Isaac S on July 12, 2011 at 1:29am

You'll only lose friends if you try and convert them. If they are curious, they'll ask you. It can be difficult when you are saturated with with other religious talk though. If you can't find any atheist groups out there, you can always find refuge of sites like this: perhaps not what you wanted, but more than you have now, and certainly better than nothing.

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Permalink Reply by Dave G on July 12, 2011 at 3:23am

Ringgold, hmm? I knew someone from there.

I'm afraid the only atheist groups I know of in Georgia are in Atlanta.

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Permalink Reply by Melissa M. on July 12, 2011 at 11:26am

Check out the group CFI (Center For Inquiry).  They have local groups in most states and have different meetings, groups, and speakers. 

Also, check out www.meetup.com to look for an atheist group in your area.  I found one in my area that way.Go too.  Good luck finding something.  And hang in there.

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Permalink Reply by Kairan Nierde on July 12, 2011 at 11:58pm

That's where I found my local group.  Maybe you could start a secular students club at your school...?

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Permalink Reply by Jill L. Henderson on July 12, 2011 at 11:58am

I'm proud to hear that you do speak your mind when religion comes up.  Like you I am surrounded by conservative christians, I live in Texas.  Most of us are still "In the closet" about our atheism.  While I don't know of any particular groups in your area, the internet is a great resource to find others, obviously you found Think Atheist.  Can you have lunch or hang out after school with your atheist friend?  There may be others who are too afraid to speak up about their beliefs and once they hear you and your friend talking about it maybe that will open up an avenue for them as well.  Good luck and don't ever stop questioning!  :-)

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Permalink Reply by Derek on July 12, 2011 at 12:20pm

I'm the only one who believes in nothing in my immediate family,

 

But you don't really believe in nothing, do you? Do you believe in your friend? Your family? Yourself? Do you believe you are 17? Your atheism denotes your lack of belief in imaginary gods, that's it. It doesn't say anything else about what you do or do not believe in.

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Permalink Reply by Arcus on July 12, 2011 at 5:18pm

Sounds very much like nihilism.

@Dakota:  Have you ever hear about the characters The Comedian or Tyler Durden? Have you ever seen the movies The Watchmen or Fight Club?

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Permalink Reply by Steve on July 12, 2011 at 5:39pm

It would be more accurate to say "faith in nothing".

 

People can believe in lots of things. But faith is just belief without evidence.

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Permalink Reply by Derek on July 12, 2011 at 6:39pm

Religious faith is belef without evidence. But there are other reasonable types of faith: I can have faith that my computer will work just fine after I clean it out. I can have faith in my singing voice after a good warm-up. This type of faith is different in that it has good reasons to back itself up, unlike religious faith which has nothing.

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Permalink Reply by Steve on July 12, 2011 at 5:32pm

Go to college. Move away

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Permalink Reply by David on July 12, 2011 at 6:17pm

As parents often appear to dismiss their children's beliefs as fanciful until they themselves have advanced to some arbitrary notion of adulthood, the solution offered by Steve has merit as it affords the you opportunity to escape to a presumably reason-orientated institution (avoid places like Notre Dame) where you would find more agreeable companions, and, most importantly, freedom of expression. It also may be the case that, with a degree in your hand, your parents would be more likely to accept your views as valid, even if they do not agree with them. There is, however, no guarantee for this outcome. Then again, if we wanted the comfort of capricious guarantees we wouldn't be here, would we?

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