Do you recall your first encounter with a atheist? What was your thought? (page 2)

tornapart

The first real full blown atheist I met was my biology teacher when I was about 11. He taught evolution and like a good JW, although I studied the subject at school, when I wrote about it I would always write 'evolutionists believe that.....blah blah blah.

He was a great guy and as I had a passion for animals and especially creepy crawlies he took a shine to me (despite me not believing in evolution) and used to let me visit his classroom after school hours to see and handle his collection of creepy crawlies, icluding giant hissing cockroaches and giant millepede and boa constrictor. For some reason I always got top marks in class... heheh

AbaDaddy

Where I grew up, in the south-east of England, i was aware only that implicit atheism was common, the type that neither believed nor disbelieved, but might say "well, i believe in something". I do not remember specifically meeting an explicit atheist, someone to challenge my (JW) beliefs directly. the development of atheism for me was not deliberate. Born into the religion and baptised at 18 yrs-old (Norwich Assembly Football Stadium, nearby swimming pool :-)). I later met some atheists, after I became one. But the beauty and curse of atheists is that they rarely group, because it is not a structured belief system. Anyway, I'm rambling off topic.

Atheism, i always thought of as evil, immoral, nihilistic, as my parents still do. Although my existence as one challenges that ignorance. Having said that, every time I get into some brief discussion with my Mum, I have to again tell her i am an atheist. she seems to not quite grasp it and has this 'oh dear' look on her face.

Terry

We are all atheists. It simply is a matter of degree.

There are thousands and thousands and thousands of gods and YOU don't believe in most of them.

However, you DO believe in your own and think all the others are silly or pathetic.

GET A PERSPECTIVE and you suddenly understand atheism is a matter of perspective.

Thoughtless

I've met plenty of atheists around here, and a good number of my friends are atheists. It's fine, I have always been tolerant of other religions even in the deepest point of devotion as a JW. I guess I was always a moral relativist, so that helped out a lot.

Terry

How many of these do YOU believe in?

Finnish Mythology
The current top ten:
1st : TUONI
2nd : UKKO
3rd : VAINAMOINEN
4th : AKKA
5th : ILMATAR
6th : LEMPO
7th : AJATAR
8th : LEMMINKAINEN
9th : KALMA
10th : HIISI
Chinese Mythology
The current top ten:
1st : MONKEY
2nd : HE-BO
3rd : GUAN-YU
4th : YEN-LO-WANG
5th : JADE-EMPEROR
6th : GUAN-YIN
7th : EIGHT-IMMORTALS
8th : AO-KUANG
9th : NU-GUA
10th : FENG-DU
Egyptian Mythology
The current top ten:
1st : ANUBIS
2nd : RA
3rd : ISIS
4th : SET
5th : BAST
6th : OSIRIS
7th : THOTH
8th : NEPHTHYS
9th : AMUN-RA
10th : AMUN
Greek Mythology
The current top ten:
1st : FATES
2nd : ATLAS
3rd : ADONIS
4th : ARES
5th : APHRODITE
6th : ZEUS
7th : HERMES
8th : HYDRA
9th : EROS
10th : GAIA
Mesopotamian Mythology
The current top ten:
1st : TIAMAT
2nd : ISHTAR
3rd : ENKI
4th : MARDUK
5th : APSU
6th : GILGAMESH
7th : ANU
8th : KINGU
9th : NERGAL
10th : INANNA
African Mythology
The current top ten:
1st : SHANGO
2nd : BUMBA
3rd : ORISHAS
4th : OBATALA
5th : ESHU
6th : ELEGUA
7th : OLORUN
8th : BABALU-AYE
9th : ANANSI
10th : FA
Indian Mythology
The current top ten:
1st : SHIVA
2nd : INDRA
3rd : GANESHA
4th : BUDDHA
5th : VISHNU
6th : KRISHNA
7th : VARUNA
8th : PRAJAPATIS
9th : RAHU
10th : SARANYU

braincleaned

Watkins, may I introduce myself. Vincent Deporter. Writer/artist. Divorced. Two children. ExJW.
— Atheist.

Bungi Bill

My experiences are more like those of GoodGuyGreg, in that atheisim was more the norm where I grew up. When the subject of religion came up, the typical response from most men would have been "What ...... believe that rubbish?" Less so the women, though. The typical scenario would have been the women going to church at the church on Sunday morning - while all the guys had already been to "church" on Saturday night, but at the pub!

Bill.

tec

Canadians (from my own experience, so limited) rarely go around speaking of whether they are religious. I doubt all the people I have known have known about my beliefs... nor I theirs. Sometimes when people find out they seem suprised, lol... as if anyone could still believe in something like God ; )

I am married to an atheist. We never really discussed it much before we were married (he actually was not an atheist then)... and my faith never became an issue between us until after we had children, and I began exploring my beliefs once more, seeking the truth... for myself and to be able to know what to teach my children.

Peace,

tammy

LV101

Thought there was someone out there that at one time must have been almost as miserable as I was presently feeling -- it was inspiring and gave me hope because he looked so happy.

LV101

OOOPS - sorry thought it said apostate not athiest!

Do you recall your first encounter with a atheist? What was your thought?

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