You might have noticed that it isn't very active, but you can help change that...

The whole thing about "sending prayers" really bothers me too. It is slightly better to "send positive vibes" or to say "I'm thinking about you" as ways to show empathy. Awhile back, one of my MFP friends posted constantly about how we should "pray for x" constantly. Of course, I know that "prayer" might help the person praying to feel better; yet prayer contributes nothing to real problems. So when this person posted to Pray for France back when they had the terrorist attacks, I responded to point out that prayer doesn't really help and if she wanted to make a difference, there are things that actually help. So then she gets defensive, we go back and forth, and she un-friended me (I'm better off).

I live in a conservative and very xtain town in the midwest, so being an atheist here is rough. I'm also childfree (meaning I neither have nor want kids) and liberal in most all of my opinions, so it is especially rough where I live. So the atheist groups (mostly Facebook) are one of the places I can socialize without getting death threats.

I visit this page occasionally but usually keep fairly quiet. My real name is on line and I know if it becomes widely know that I consider myself an atheist a lot of people will treat me differently. I am glad however that there are like minded individuals on this page.

I am lucky. I live in a country that although it is considered Christian Most people don't really care. Not many people go to church and most don't really care what you believe as long as you don't push it on others. I can only imagine how hard it must be to live in a community/family where you're considered a lesser person because your belief system does not follow the majority.

Hi! Just signed up today and found this group. YEA! I am very open about my atheism more and more but it has been very isolating and my friend base has become nonexistent, I live and work in a very christian community and they don't like my responses when they talk about their imaginary friend (I don't bring up religion, it's usually them but then I don't stay silent and so I'm the problem?). That, plus the new order that began in the US (where I live) has been so hard. So I've been very depressed and isolated and shoved food in my face. So glad to be here with folks who get that I don't need prayers but actual support to get healthy! Thanks in advance!!!

Very excited to find this group. I'm a closet atheist at the moment because around here people just assume you're a bad person if you're not a Christian. Haven't even told my close friends because I'm afraid of judgement. It's refreshing to see that there are others out there who believe the same as me, sometimes I forget that living here. I'm also mostly liberal; not terribly common around here either, but most of my co-workers and friends share those opinions, they consider themselves liberal Christians.

Awesome to see new reasonable rational free-thinkers joining!! yayyyyyyyyy LOL .. a place of sanity in a world gone crazy. I'm Canadian (where easily 49% of the population are humanist/atheist) .. but I live in Alaska and am drowning in bible-thumpers. Math science and the cosmos are so amazing and wonderful in themselves - its surprising the number of people who still believe ancient superstitious fiction written by desert dwellers (written when fully only a fraction of 1% of the worlds population could read or write) about a childish selfish imaginary all seeing all knowing invisible man in the sky who loves you, but will send you to burn in hell for eternity if you don't love him back (or eat fruit). I was raised by my mum, a staunch atheist, after she rescued us from my abusive father when I was 6. She passed 2 yrs ago - I miss her every day.

No need to come out for me as most people here are not very religeous to start off with. I have a really high threshold when it comes to hving everybody believe whatever they want to believe. Fairy godmother, great deity on cloud, flying spaghettimonster, go for it if you want to. I'd rather think for myself.

But I have to admit that I have a new co worker - of the Dutch overthreetimesatleast reformed church or something to that extend and she irks me to no end.
It is just that this lady - well no other word comes to mind - is sactimonious and that I really have an issue with. Her beliefs are no more important that that of any of our department and her idea that we are all christians, though we don;'t all attent church (ahem the majority in the department would say agnostc or atheist)
I suspect we'll have a run in on that one at some stage.

Testing

*kitten*

It looks like they went back to kitten. I prefer kitten.