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About Teen Atheist

Teen Atheist (name withheld) is a teenage girl who lives in a little third-world country where 94% of the population is Christian. She will only refer to her homeland as Predominantly Christian Country, although various hints left around the website may clue you in to what country it is.

Teen Atheist aspires to become a Creative Writing major at her Dream College, which is run by Jesuits. Her short-term career goal is to be a columnist for a magazine, although she secretly longs to be a television screenwriter for a hit dramedy. Or a writer for Rolling Stone, whatever comes first.

Comments»

1. overcaffein8d - September 20, 2007

my guess would be [censored].

2. Teen Atheist - September 20, 2007

And that guess would be right. Shhh, don’t tell anyone! 😀

3. yinyang - September 21, 2007

Aww, man, I wanted to guess it first! Guess my Google-ing wasn’t fast enough.

4. yinyang - September 21, 2007

… by a whole day, according to your time. That’s kind of weird.

Oh, and the fact that I repeated “guess” like that really bothers me.

5. Teen Atheist - September 21, 2007

Okay then, new rule: I’m censoring all guesses after I read them so the rest of you will still have a shot at figuring it out. 😀 (Though, honestly? There are so many clues here that it’s impossible not to get it right the first time around! :P)

6. overcaffein8d - September 21, 2007

steps to finding out the location.

[censored]

7. Teen Atheist - September 21, 2007

*grins* Yes, overcaffein8d, that did cross my mind. There are also clues littered in the first post (i.e. religious demographic and the divorce statistic). So many things. It’s a real cake walk! 😀

8. overcaffein8d - September 22, 2007

and that’s exactly how i did it.

i suppose great minds think alike.

[though i suppose i’m slightly psychotic…haha]

there were only like three dots– two in the west coast of north america and one…well, yeah.

9. mikko - September 27, 2007

nakidaan. nakitambay. nakiusisa.

nice blog you have here! i really enjoyed reading your posts! looking forward to reading more of your teenage atheist life.

rakenrol!

10. jgrab1 - October 11, 2007

Hey there, me again. Just thought I’d forward this link to you, from an American advice columnist. Thought it might interest you, and strike a chord:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ucda/20071009/lf_ucda/momusesemotionalblackmailtogetherchildrentochurch;_ylt=Ar2oE3r87kDPdYvkWLUW6zZY24cA

Take care!

John

11. jgrab1 - October 20, 2007

Here’s my guess as what country: [censored].

12. Teen Atheist - October 20, 2007

John: Bingo. 😀

13. jgrab1 - October 20, 2007

Funny, that was the first thing that popped into my mind.

Here in the San Francisco Bay Area we have a huge [bleep] population, needless to say. You should come here for a visit and let me know how the [bleep] cuisine is. 🙂

BTW, do you know that [bleep] has officially been banned from your country by the government?

14. Teen Atheist - October 20, 2007

Yeah, my friend Camille lives there. She’s not crazy about the cuisine there, though. 😀 I do plan to visit her sometime when I save up enough money.

As for [bleep] being banned from the country, yeah, we’re a terribly, annoyingly sensitive race, although we’re just as racist as the rest of the world. I can’t help but roll my eyes sometimes.

15. jgrab1 - October 20, 2007

Well, hey, if you ever come over here, seriously, let me know. I’d be happy to show you around. There’s a great show you should not miss called “Beach Blanket Babylon.” (Ask Camille, I’m sure she knows about it.) And there are lots of churches, even in my neighborhood, so you could poke around and see if any miracles take place!

16. jgrab1 - October 21, 2007
17. jgrab1 - October 25, 2007

Hey, where’d you go? You okay?

John

18. Teen Atheist - October 25, 2007

I’m still standing, John — in fact, new blog post up! 😀

19. jgrab1 - October 26, 2007

Good to know. Yours is probably my favorite blog.

20. Euri - November 23, 2007

Heya. I’ve added you to the [censored] Atheist’s blogroll. 🙂

21. John Grabowski - December 6, 2007
22. ohwanderlust - December 24, 2007

happy christmas, Teen Atheist [insert your real name here]

23. solaris72 - January 6, 2008

I’m sorry for my rather weird question, I’m so interested; could you please answer me how do you understand the word “God”? I’m interested in what atheists think about it… greetings!

24. Teen Atheist - January 6, 2008

Sure. I see “God” as a mere concept of something. God is an imaginary being, kind of like Zeus or Hades.

25. hexphreak - January 6, 2008

Hello Teen Atheist,

I just found your blog, and I’m enthralled. I’m in a very similar position to yours: 16-year old, former Catholic, now atheist libertarian, living in a small and predominantly Christian country (not third-world though). Apparently there are more of us! I’ll subscribe to your feed right now, and I hope I can become a regular commenter 🙂

Cheers,
hexphreak

26. hexphreak - January 6, 2008

Ah yes, and… [censored]? (stats plus ClustrMap)

Cady - January 8, 2015

What a neat aretcli. I had no inkling.

27. Teen Atheist - January 7, 2008

Hexfreak: Yup. 🙂 Nice to see more people like me around! If you ever need any advice or just someone to talk to, I’m just a Contact page away. 😀

28. Dave - January 10, 2008

Hey there, do you live in [censored]? I like your blog. Demographically, we’re different but I can still relate. Keep up the good work 🙂

29. Teen Atheist - January 10, 2008

Thanks, Dave! 🙂 And yes, I do live there.

30. jgrab1 - January 17, 2008

I stumbled across this blog http://samnunnally.wordpress.com/2008/01/15/i-like-atheists/ and was amused by this “smart and reasonable” post that any intelligent eighth grader could see is full of holes and biases. So I answered some of his points. Turns out my comment is “awaiting moderation,” which means it’ll probably be rejected, so I thought with your permission I’d post it here so at least it would have some life on the internet. Why do these kooks give such terrible arguments and think they’re so brilliant?

jgrab1 Says:

I find it interesting that religious people keep putting up straw men to knock down, because they can’t argue the real points. Atheists don’t have problems such as the existence of God and the problem of evil. The existence of God is plenty of a problem, but you folks keep inserting doubts about evil, I guess in an effort to make atheists look immoral. Atheists don’t doubt evil, and in fact would be quick to point out organized religion such as that in which you believe as a magnet for it.

Then you say “Most atheist writings I’ve seen are deeply concerned with the character of God. What makes God worth following? Good question.”

No it’s not. I can’t find an atheist who asks such a thing. Nice straw man again. They don’t believe in the existence of God, so how can they be worried about if he’s “worth following”? What’s with the constant red herrings with you guys? Is it because you have real argument?

Then you say “Unfortunately most atheists are too busy reading very angry books by Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris ”

I’ve read these books. How are they “angry”? The Bible isn’t angry, is it? Jesus and God smiting people, castsing them to eternal damnation because they don’t worship as God wishes, or worship at all? That’s nice compassionate stuff. Dawkins, Harris et al offer logical arguments against religion, rather devoid of emotion at all if you’d actually read them. Would a follower of the Big Band say his rejection of Hoyle makes his belief “angry”? Nice straw man again, though.

“…that reinforce their predetermined assumptions. And we know everything in those books is “spin-free,” right?”

Just as is everything in your post.

> You have to expereince God to know he exists.

Yeah, Tom Cruise was saying that recently too about Scientology. I haven’t been indoctrinated, neither have you, so we’re both clearly delusional and he is right. See how easy it is to see The Truth when it’s revealed via Divine Revelation rather than logic?

31. jgrab1 - January 17, 2008

Oh, I should have added I don’t mind arguing about atheism vs. theism, though I, unlike them, realize you can’t prove a religion. But what I don’t like is how they constantly put up straw men. I’ve never seen on religious argument that stays on topic. It’s like when you talk to the UFO nuts and they’re *astonished* you don’t believe in flying saucers. They say, “How can you be so egotistical to think that you’re the only intelligent life in the entire universe of ten billion billion billion billion trillion stars?” To which I say, “Nowhere did I say I’m the only intelligent life in the universe.” To which they say “You just said you don’t believe in flying saucers.” You cannot convince them the two are not the same issue. Yet even an eighth grader can see, if they’re not a cultist, that these are separate and very distinct questions. These people don’t want the truth, however; they just want the satisfaction of pretending they’re searching for it.

32. jgrab1 - January 26, 2008

ABC News

Anti-Gay Church to Protest Ledger Funeral

Church, Known for Protests of Soldiers’ Funerals, to Picket Actor’s Memorial

By RUSSELL GOLDMAN

Jan. 24, 2008—

A fundamentalist church whose members demonstrate at the funerals of
soldiers killed in Iraq and believe God hates gays will protest the Academy
Awards and the funeral of Heath Ledger, because the actor played a gay
cowboy in the 2005 film “Brokeback Mountain.”

Members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kan., are trying to
find out where the 28-year-old actor’s funeral will be held and have already
made signs to hold outside the Oscars that read “God Hates Fags and Fag
Enablers,” “Heath in Hell” and “Mourn for Your Sins,” Shirley
Phelps-Roper,
daughter of the church’s controversial founder Pastor Fred Phelps, told
ABCNEWS.com.

Though Ledger was not gay, the church believes he “misused the giant
megaphone given to him by God Almighty to speak the truth about fags,”
Phelps-Roper said, and instead “used his position of prominence to say God
is a liar and that homosexuality is not an abomination.”

The time and location of the Ledger’s funeral remain unknown, but it is
widely believed it will take place in the actor’s native Australia.

George Amado, the general manager of New York City’s Frank E. Campbell
funeral home, told The Associated Press that funeral arrangements for the
actor are complete and his relatives are expected to arrive in New York City
Friday.

He refused to elaborate further, saying, “The family doesn’t want us
to
give out any information.”

“They are going to try and hide the body like a bunch of ghouls so we
can’t protest. The only thing in this country people worship more than
filthy sex acts is the dead,” Phelps-Roper said.

[REPEAT: “The only thing in this country people worship more than filthy
sex acts is the dead,” Phelps-Roper said.]

She said members of the church had already purchased plane tickets to
picket outside the Oscars, scheduled for Feb. 24 in Hollywood.

A press release posted to the church’s Web site, www.
godhatesfags.com, reads: “Heath Ledger
is now
in Hell, and has begun serving his eternal sentence there — besides which,
nothing else about Heath Ledger is relevant or consequential.”

According to the Web site, the church, founded in 1955, has held more
than 34,000 protests. But Phelps-Roper said there are currently only 50
members.

Hate Group, or Religious Freedom?

The Southern Poverty Law Center considers the church a hate group
because of its “platform, writings and statements by its leader, which are
egregiously anti-gay,” said Mark Potok, director of the center’s
Intelligence Project.

“The group is made up of people who are almost literally out of their
minds,” Potok said. “In addition to regularly picketing the deaths of
American soldiers killed in Iraq, they have picketed the funeral of little
girls killed in a school bus crash because they wanted to link the death of
children with ‘America’s sin.'”

Last year a Baltimore jury determined the Westboro Baptist Church was
too vulgar and offensive to be covered by the First Amendment. The church
was ordered to pay nearly $11,000,000 to Albert Snyder, who brought a suit
after the Phelps clan picketed the funeral of his 20-year-old son Matthew,
who died while serving in Iraq.

The group routinely uses young children on its picket lines, sometimes
giving them signs featuring explicit images to carry.

According to Potok, the only members of the church are Fred Phelps’
family members.

“I doubt there is anyone in America who thinks more about gay sex than
Fred Phelps,” Potok said.

Ledger, 28, was found dead at the foot of his bed in his rented Soho
loft Tuesday with several bottles of prescription drugs nearby. A
preliminary autopsy completed Wednesday was unable to determine what killed
the actor.

Copyright © 2008 ABC News Internet Ventures

33. Teen Atheist - January 26, 2008

Guh. That’s exactly why I stay away from a lot of news stories — they usually just make me angry or depressed.

34. John Grabowski - February 2, 2008

Saw this letter in The (UK) Independent, and thought it was illuminating:

How faith schools encourage atheism

Sir: Robert Bottamley (letter, 28 January) is quite correct to take issue with non-believers’ concerns about faith schools and the daily act of worship in particular. However, not for the reason he gives.

I was brought up without any faith at home but was sent to a Seventh Day Adventist pre-primary school. The reasons for this were complex and had something to do with a good deal my father negotiated over school fees.

The enduring result of exposure of my innocent mind to the hellfire and damnation that accompanied every lesson was that by the age of six I was thoroughly atheist, even though I hadn’t ever heard the word, nor had my parents ever hinted that my sisters and I should or shouldn’t have a faith.

It is what happens at home that determines whether or not children will grow up religious. Faith schools are a waste of time: they won’t convert anyone nor will they maintain a faith if it isn’t maintained at home.

Dan Kantorowich

Brigstock, Northamptonshire

35. John Grabowski - February 23, 2008
36. G - February 26, 2008

Alright, gotta guess, is it [censored]?

Also, love the blag.

37. Gorgonzola Happiness - March 4, 2008

Can you be Catholic *and* an atheist ?

38. Teen Atheist - March 4, 2008

Thanks, G! Yup, you got it right.

39. Teen Atheist - March 4, 2008

Gorgonzola Happiness: They’re two directly opposing ideas, so I would say no. You need to believe in God/Jesus to be a Catholic, and you need to not believe to be an atheist, so it’s one or the other. However, you can be a Catholic on paper but an atheist in practice. (I think?)

40. Leslie - March 7, 2008

[censored] and …[censored]? 🙂

41. Teen Atheist - March 10, 2008

Yes to both, Leslie.

42. jgrab1 - March 18, 2008

Hey, TA, when you do your quote of the month what widget do you use?

I’m having trouble finding something that gives me spacing. “Text” just lumps everything together on one continuous line.

Thx.

43. Teen Atheist - March 20, 2008

I use the Text widget, actually. The trick is to use HTML tags for the spacing and formatting.

44. jgrab1 - March 20, 2008

I’ll try that, thanks.

45. Gian Paolo - May 16, 2008

[bleep] and [bleep]?

I must say that your Ask Teen Atheist posts are worth reading. It reminds me of those DJs on the radio, giving love advices to listeners. lol.

46. Teen Atheist - May 16, 2008

Gian Paolo: Yes and yes. 😛

Hee, answering questions are a fun way to pass the time. I don’t get too many of them, though.

47. Brandon - May 23, 2008

Catholic family? Ooh, that blows. Although I hate to admit it, I kind of agree with John Hagee when he called the Catholic Church the “whore of Babylon.” Catholicism is a bunch of nonsense, with its silly rituals and crap about the “Eucharist” and “blood of Jesus” and its overly conservative positions on issues. I mean, hell, Europe has been progressive for like the past half-decade, so why can’t the fucking church speed up and get its act together?? Catholicism still holds way backwards positions like “Contraception is bad.” Christianity in general is crap, but Catholicism is like monkeys throwing feces at each other.

48. Teen Atheist - May 23, 2008

And they call themselves the “nice” ones. *snicker*

49. twilit - May 24, 2008

Extremely interesting blog you have here. : )

50. Emily - June 7, 2008

Your country is located in Asia?

51. vitaminbook - June 7, 2008

I really love your blog. It’s very rare that I get to see the opinion of anyone outside the USA or Europe (I live in Ireland), so your opinions are certainly refreshing! I added you to my blogroll, if you don’t mind.

52. Whaddaheck - June 22, 2008

Hey teen atheist! Its my first time here, and I can really relate to your situation because I’m so like you! (i’m also “an 18-year-old formerly Catholic atheist in a small, heavily religious country” <— sorry if i borrowed your description :D) I have this feeling that we’re living in the same country, but I would not say it here 😀

53. Teen Atheist - June 22, 2008

Feel free to send me a private message through my Contact page then, Whaddaheck. 🙂

54. Postman - July 10, 2008

Good for you. If only we’d all taken the trouble to think a little at your age…

55. John - July 10, 2008

I thought this was very well-done…

56. DensS cessario - July 17, 2008

What!? No Picture??? lol.

57. unvarnishedtruth - July 23, 2008
58. Ambermutt - July 29, 2008

I’m new here, but I can kinda relate, I’m in a Catholic country (as stated in it’s Constitution) and I’m an atheist. (14 y.o. girl) but so is my father and brother (mom’s a non-practicing catholic) so it’s easier for me.
Though I have had some stupid arguements with my friends about religion. I could have blown all her arguements to hell, but I’d feel a bit bad about that (my bro once had my cousin crying after a similar arguement).
I suppose you know who George Carlin (RIP, worth YouTube-ing him, funny) is, and he knows Joe Peschi (sp?) is God. 😀

59. Rationaliteen - August 1, 2008

I’m new here, and have been lurking for quite a while, but I totally support and understand your cause. I get a lot of grief from friends about being an atheist. My guess: Armenia?

60. a different teen atheist. - August 1, 2008

@Ambermutt- I love(d? *sniff, sniff*) George Carlin. But at least we know he’s in heaven now. 😀

61. Laura - August 4, 2008

Ahhh…you’re from [censored]…dammit, the clue about living in a third-world country should have given it away. My mind’s all wonky, I tried searching the religion statistics and I got both Mexico and Canada…not sure how that worked out…But…heh…I guess I shouldn’t give myself the credit of figuring it out, I used the link when you said that guy “outed” your country. I’m a bad, bad cheater girl. 😛
Ooh, and is your country really that bad? I knew a guy from the Philippines and he said, aside from the fact it was hot as hell, it was a pretty cool place to live. Then again, he’s a Christian, sooo…

62. psychogoddess - August 16, 2008

Hi! I just chose you as one of my “kick-ass bloggers”. please click here for more details: http://psychogoddess.wordpress.com/2008/08/14/i-kick-ass/

Thanks! Keep on blogging… 🙂

63. Artie - August 27, 2008

I’m guessing [censored]. . . just a try, I suppose. I haven’t read an almanac in ages !

64. Arthur Brash - September 16, 2008

I think you should add “humour” to your list of qualities. Entertaining, funny, and well written – keep up the good work, from one aspiring writer, to another.

65. Teen Atheist - September 16, 2008

Psychogoddess: I’m thrilled! Thanks! 🙂

66. Teen Atheist - September 16, 2008

Artie: Yup.

67. Teen Atheist - September 16, 2008

Arthur Brash: Thank you! That’s always great to hear. I also appreciate your intelligent and insightful comments on the posts. 🙂

isabeau mcgreggor - February 28, 2011

Hello my name is isabeau, and i am 13 years old and possibly 1 of 2 athiest in my Little small town school in liberty county tx, the bad thing is i am the only one out of everyone in my entire family that is athiest….. and somehow people at school found out so naturally i have to take a whole bunch of crap about it all the time and sometimes the things they say are pretty hurtfull….for example, this one dude told me to stay away from churches becuase i might burn to death if i tryed to walk throught the door…and i couldnt dfend myself because i small for age and i am on e of the tipical band geeks that has 2 carry a french horn case around the entire school. and what makes the matter worse is my best friend got kicked out of a church for defending me when the pastor told her she should have me as a friend( cuz i might try to convert her or some crap like that) but it got better when i found out a friend of mine was also athiest, so at least i wasnt alone. but there s still the matter of telling my folk

68. wearingtheinsideout - November 9, 2008

I just wanted to say that your blog is amazing and I hope you become a professional writer! It’s great to see someone that shares the same beliefs and a teenager that is capable of spelling and forming intelligent sentences.

69. Carol A - November 27, 2008

I am a twelve year old atheist and I live in FL,aka Babtist universe. HELP!!!!!!!
Most peeps don’t mind, but those who do have been really annoying l8ly.
Plz gimme some advise. I need it. Bad.
TNX

70. Crazy Nerd aka Carol A - November 27, 2008

O, an this is a good website. Iz really good!!!!
I’m not wow ovr unicorns, but, jus 2 tell u , im a crazy nerd 🙂

71. Crazy Nerd - November 27, 2008

OMG I JUST READ THE THING ABOUT BIL MAHER BEIN A GOD U R TOTALLY RIGHT I WATCHED THE SEASON FINALE IT WAS GOOD IM HYPER!!!!

72. Anonymous - January 21, 2009

do you live in [censored]?

73. Teen Atheist - January 21, 2009

Yes I do, Anon.

74. Thpider - January 21, 2009

Malta? That’s my guess. Your blog is great, so far ^.^ I’m not atheist, but I do like to read others opinions. Good luck!

75. Sook - February 13, 2009

Got to this blog from micketymoc (“reason is the reason”) who I got to from an “Obama cussing” site. Strange world.

They call me Sook, or Sooks if “Sook” is taken. I think you’re sort of baller.

Anyhow, I’m a 19-year old “live and let alone” Christian freethinker from a particularly large “first-world” Christian country (which, due to money troubles, is well on its way to becoming a banana republic, despite our recent jump to Hope, Change, and the Blessed Obamassiah.)

I’ll wager a guess on where you’re from, from this post. You want to be a columnist, after studying creative writing at a Jesuit university, you’re from a Catholic family, and you’re damn good with English.

Would you, perchance, be a countrywoman of [bleep]?

Looking forward to catching up on your posts. PEACE.

76. hari - February 26, 2009

and me – coming from an ex-third world country (though, very unhappily for the few -here- feminists-and-atheists, not at all ex- (in majority’s way of “thinking”) am very glad to know you, even now, so late, it seems, dear TA. Wish you happiness (i don’t care to find out where exactly you come from – i know the place, it’s much the same everywhere…)

77. Teen Atheist - March 5, 2009

Sook: Yep.

78. Teen Atheist - March 5, 2009

Hari: Thanks for dropping by. 🙂

79. Christina - March 11, 2009

Do you live in the [bleep]? Your blog is great. ^^

80. Teen Atheist - March 11, 2009

Christina: Thanks, and yup. 🙂

81. lollvr - March 12, 2009

Hey well this is the”Crazy Nerd” person again n im srry bout my other comments i know they were really immature but ya i was hyper so ya.
Well, im ‘normal’ now i guess n ill say wat i was trying to say b4 in an understandable way:
Ppl torment me bcuz of my ‘atheism’ and that plus all the “o, ur hispanic” stuff all adds up, so, please, anyone, im just a young middle schooler who needs advise from the “Big Kids”

82. leslie - October 15, 2009

can you please email me saying were you live?

83. anotheratheist - December 10, 2009

Awesome blog! I enjoyed reading your posts soooo much (so much that I put off writing my paper again. lol) Oh, and I think we’re from the same country. 😛

P.S. I’m atheist, too.

84. Teen Atheist - December 11, 2009

I appreciate it, anotheratheist! Thanks for dropping by. 🙂

85. Laura - December 18, 2009

haha, I am just going to pretend you live near me so I can have a nice illusion that there are other atheists nearby. 😀

86. L.F. - March 31, 2010

hhmmm, third world country dominated by christians?? sounds like my country [bleep]…

if my guess is correct, then you are welcome to join our grop (unless youare already one of us)…

just search for an atheist group (freethinkers actually) in our country

87. Rafael Ayala - May 14, 2010

I was about to send you a link to another atheist blogger who comes from the same Predominantly Christian Country as you, and has your blog on his blogroll. But then I realized the link would give away the country. Oh well…

88. MaybeAtheist2 - September 23, 2010

i think she’s from barbados

89. tav - October 2, 2010

Wow, I didn’t know that this blog is still (in some form) alive. I checked it regularly about 3-2 years ago, when I was ‘dealing with’ similar problem and it definitely had some ‘stimulating’ value for me. Well, I’m from Poland so (contrary to some beliefs) the so-called social pressure is much weaker than in TA’s country but still somehow secular culture is marginalized.

Now, even if I’m 19 and I’m not even an atheist anymore (became more of an agnostic) I stil fell sorry for those who are raised in strict catholic families and forced to be a part of that toxic ideology. Blogs like that are really extremely helpful for them and I think most of the people who were visiting this page in time of its glory saw a little bit of themselves in Teenage Atheist 🙂

90. Anonymous - November 4, 2010

Hey there!

To open, I’d like to introduce myself a bit. I am an 18 year-old college student from the United States, and a practicing Lutheran at my own choosing. But that doesn’t mean I’m going to sit here and proselytize in your face or try to make you change your mind.

First off I’m very sorry for the arrogance and hypocrisy you encountered throughout your childhood. While Christians and Atheists may disagree on many things, I think one thing we can all agree on is that free will is important. The best way for someone to form healthy worldviews is for them to be exposed to different facts and perspectives, and be allowed the freedom to make their own choice. It is no wonder why countries that are overbearingly theocratic (and former communist countries too, for that matter) are so messed up.

Even the Bible says that people should “Test everything, and hold on to what is good.” Any Christian who tries to force someone else to blindly submit is not following his own doctrine.

My story is kind of the opposite of yours. Raised in a non-religious household, poor relationship with parents. Then my mother had a religious conversion and became an Evangelical Christian when I was 10. Her behavior and outlook on life were drastically changed, but I believed it was all an act, in attempt to sell her religion to me. It took 5 years before I was finally convinced. My family is non-denominational; I chose the Lutheran sect through my own research and preferences. In general, I would say that my family is very open-minded towards my political and religious views.

On another note, I’ve always wondered about the divisive potential of organized religion. How can people use it to promote bigotry and violence, when the Bible so clearly tells us to “Love one another,” and to, “Do nothing out of selfish ambition and vain conceit?” It seems like people function off of “what I want the Bible to say,” as opposed to “what the Bible actually says,” and are able to distort religious doctrines to justify their own prejudices. God–I know you don’t believe in Him, but for the sake of argument, if He were to exist–probably wouldn’t be too happy with how people are constantly putting words into His mouth.

Those are just some musings I stumbled upon through my years of researching different perspectives on organized religion. What are your thoughts?

P.S. Does your home country’s flag have a blue stripe on top, a red stripe on the bottom, and a sideways white triangle (with a sun in the middle) along the left border? And did it gain independence from Spain in 1946?

91. Teen Atheist - November 4, 2010

My thoughts? Hm. I mean, I don’t believe in God. At heart, I’m a Humanist: whether or not there IS a God shouldn’t even matter; what matters is that you are a good, kind person to the best of your ability. I can befriend and respect people of any religion as long as they are good people, but I have zero tolerance for people who practice hate and claim that their acts of discrimination are justified because “it is the will of God/Allah/whoever.” I will think less of a person who believes I’m going to hell because I don’t believe in god/s, or that someone is going to hell because they experience romantic love with people of the same gender. Beyond that, I don’t really give a fuck whether or not somebody believes in God. I respect people who believe in, love and respect humanity.

92. Anonymous - November 5, 2010

I apologize if you’ve already answered this question somewhere, but how exactly did you become an atheist? It isn’t easy for someone to completely turn away from beliefs instilled into them as a young child, especially if their parents and culture are exceptionally pushy. If you don’t mind sharing, what led you to your conclusion, and did you experience any internal struggles in renouncing your preexisting views?

93. boskolives - December 30, 2010

Hi from an atheist in the U.S. who is far from my teen years, with a few questions for you:
1. What’s the big deal about hiding what country you’re from?
and.
2. Do you think it’s some sort of a slippery slope that would reveal your identity?

Just asking,
Jerry w
http://www.boskolives.wordpress.com

94. Anonymous - January 3, 2011

Hey, I live in a christian family and need some advice. Well, first of all, my older sibling came out and said they were atheist about two years ago and my parents never respected him again and said he took away their joy and also said they feel it is wrong to support him through college. I am like my elder sibling and want to break free from this terrible life of the narrow minded family, but my parents will most likely disown me. I am still in high school so my future will be done for. I want to go to the best university I can get in to, but due to them figuring out I am atheist some time soon, I might have to get a job and live alone while attending a junior college. I want a life though. My parents scream it into me to never listen to the “atheist crap” my sibling “feeds me”, but why not? Should not they also listen to their side to see the view of Christianity of other’s views so they can supposedly “strengthen their ‘faith'”. I see Christianity as a cult that plugs their ears to any other views of the Bible and life itself. I recently watched a documentary of a Christian teenager who went to SF Castro for a month and actually realized that the gay church just translates the bible differently than they do. The bible has a million different translations and my parents will never realize that. I hate that my family calls homosexuals “queers” and they yell at me and question me when I say I do not think its weird or wrong. Why should anyone be mocked and silenced from their personal morals? I seriously hate my life and have constantly thought of suicide and ways of escape. Also, I told my family I have depression and they laughed and would never consider a phycologists or someone I could speak to, because they know I would only “talk crap on them”. Please give me advice..ANYONE!!

Nosarc Rellek - February 2, 2011

First, don’t try suicide. I’m down that alley right now and it aint pretty. Your the kind of person that I think can pull right through this and make something fantastic out of your life. Don’t be ashamed to be an intelligent and tolerant person. I’m 15 so maybe I’m just talking some bs, but I want to help. Try to meet with a psychiatrist yourself. Your parents might be intolerant but you could be the apple that falls far from the tree.

Mao Zedong - March 8, 2011

Reason can only come from force. If I were you, I’d hold them up at gunpoint UNTIL they accept who I am. But that’s just me.

Anonymous - September 10, 2011

I love your username how ironic and I am finally somewhat recovering thank you!!!! I am applying to college so I am almost free!!!!

95. Anonymous - March 13, 2011

Thank you for your advice, being an open-minded person being born into a religious family is probably a nightmare most would not expect. Being forced to see “God’s love” and the fear of being thrown to the waste side by your own so called “family” and parents that should seriously be divorced. Luckily, I can look ahead to college where I will be able to break free, join atheist/evoltionist groups and talk with open minded people. I view college as my savior, lol. A place where most narrow-mimded, rebuking people are filtered out, creating my own heaven.

96. Anonymous - January 8, 2012

Hi, are you ok?
You didnt write something for a year…

97. Teenage atheism | Commoditiesass - March 5, 2012

[…] About Teen Atheist « Diary of a Teenage AtheistTeen Atheist aspires to become a Creative Writing major at her Dream College, which is run by Jesuits. Her short-term career goal is to be a columnist for a … […]


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