My Journey and a bit about where I came from.
I want to start off by saying how much I enjoy this site. I have learned a lot so far. You All Rock!!!
I am in a fledgling (noob) state of atheism so I am like a sponge for learning more about my awakening. It started not too long ago with my wife's cousin openly expressing that he is an atheist. He made statements that angered me at first. But I was drawn to find out why he felt the way he did. This got me to "bible study" so to speak. Little did I know it got my brain back online with digesting mass amount of reading. My first change was a deistic frame of mind after finding flaws in the "good book". Then I dug in even more reading and more studies which just ended up fueling more questions. So I rekindled my interest in science and was just blown away...wow! I could no longer rationalize a belief system that has kept me in the dark for so long. Now I am an Atheist.
The problem now lies in my own household. My family (who still clings to religion) loves me very much but with any major change it has stirred emotions. My daughter has appeared to be the most affected by it. She told her mom that she did not like that I am rocking the boat going into another. So I had to curb my vocal views and keep them in more of a silent mode. I want my family to come to their own thought and conclusions without me trying to ram it down. I do try to display logic and reason when things happen.
It is no surprise that I am here now. My mom who held a baptist style belief never forced them on me. When I look back at my dad (my real life hero and role model) with new eyes I realized he never (best of my recollection) made any religious statements or references nor expressed any type belief at all. Since neither of my parents are alive now I can only guess my dad was agnostic or atheist.
My dad was a very honorable and very much respected by those who met him. He never had spoke of any ill towards another person. He kept a level head even during times of crisis. He was highly intelligent even though he had to drop out of high to help his parents take care of the family. He always planned ahead. He was always firm but fair while dishing out discipline to his own children in spite of his dad being an ill tempered alcoholic. There wasn't anything that in my eyes he couldn't do if he chose to.
So when I look back I can see why I am the way I am now.
Now I am here in a new extended family.
Please share or comment....I Welcome All :)
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Comment by Nelson on March 17, 2011 at 3:15pm -
welcome to the community Walter. thanks for sharing a bit about your journey with us. congrats on your recent atheism! :)
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Comment by Walter Maki on March 17, 2011 at 3:19pm -
Thank you Nelson. It is good to have a place to go where like minded people can learn and share.
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Comment by Heather Spoonheim on March 17, 2011 at 3:47pm -
Yes, welcome, Walter, and thank you for such a sincere post. There is no need to be evangelical about your atheism with your family. It is enough that you are re-enforcing your understanding with more knowledge. Just having a couple magazines around, like Popular Science, can leave the door open for your daughter.
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Comment by Dallas the Phallus on March 17, 2011 at 6:19pm -
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Comment by Walter Maki on March 17, 2011 at 6:45pm
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I think one of the thing hard for my family to accept is that I appeared to change so suddenly. After all these years of leading my family in a bible based life. I am currently reading dawkin's the god delusion it is sitting by my desk. come to think about it my dad had poplar science mags on the coffee table...hmmmm....I wonder if was silently pointing me in this direction as a child lol
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Comment by Heather Spoonheim on March 17, 2011 at 6:50pm
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Lol, it would be a shocker to see someone go from regular dogma to Dawkin's Delusion in a day. :)
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Comment by Walter Maki on March 17, 2011 at 6:52pm
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Another thing about my dad was he never shown any ill towards anyone based on belief, race or sexual orientation. I guess that's why I have been the same as well. Plus that is what I show my children too.
What boils down to is my dad raised me right.
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Comment by Walter Maki on March 17, 2011 at 6:59pm
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I can thank my wife's cousin for the reading material. When I'm done with this book he has more.
Maybe I have been an atheist all my life and was just caught in a fairy tale.
From what I gathered my daughter feels like this cousin put the ideas in my head.....I think he was just helping me do some mental housekeeping.
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Comment by Walter Maki on March 17, 2011 at 7:19pm
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Go figure that science was my favorite subject as a youth.
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Comment by Jeremy S on March 17, 2011 at 8:00pm -
Hello Walter.
I am in the same boat as you are. I just recently de converted myself. My wife on the other hand wants nothing to do with it. I am trying to give her space and hoping she comes around on her own. I just bought the god delusion yesterday. She seems supportive of me having my own beliefs and luckily my children are young and haven't been indoctrinated yet. I found this site the day I finally admired to myself that I no longer believed in god or the bible. It is pretty much the only outlet that I have to learn and read an feel connected with people that share my disbelief. I never had an atheist that showed me the way and I kind of think that would have been better. I find myself frustrated that my wife will not even listen if I bring up science or the bible. I think she knows that god and the bible can not stand up to the scrutiny. Is it similar in your house hold? How do you deal with the frustration? Thanks and welcome.
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