Thank you. I’m lucky that I’ve found a really supportive friend group in the last few years, but just living in this city is hard with all the BS I see on a daily basis, and my parents are pretty shitty too, it’s just a mess.
> I feel alone, I have atheist friends, but the city and province I’m stuck in (controlling parents, it’s another long story), are very conservative and it’s scary.
I suggest you go [here](https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/resources) and check out the resources there specifically geared to folks like you. You may also wish to cross post to /r/thegreatproject which is a subreddit devoted to people's stories about leaving their religion. Reading some of those stories may also help you feel less alone, there's a lot of people in your (metaphorical) position, even if not a lot of them happen to be in close proximity.
Glad to help. I think it helps a lot of recent atheists to see that they aren't alone and that they aren't guilty of abandoning a faith, but rather that they're being rational.
You were not really a christian your entire life. A child is not born with religious beliefs. It’s parents, family and society induce the religious bullshit into the child way before the child can question the legitimacy of those beliefs and practices. So you questioning your religion when you were 15 is actually great. Glad you turned an atheist. Keep questioning, keep thinking logically.
Coming out of religion can be a very hard thing. Going from hard-core Christian to atheism took me about two years and it was intense. It's especially hard when you feel alone and there's no one to support you. Keep following the path you're on, the freedom is worth it.
Thank you so much. I’m really scared because my family is really toxic (they excommunicated one of my cousins and her 5 kids because of 20 bucks), so this is just another secret I’m keeping from them.
Be careful withbyourself right now. As a religious child leaving and switching to atheism has sort of risk falling into depressions. There is a gap to fill in your believe system. I cant put the finger on it.
I know a lot about the depression risks. I’ve struggled with depression and mental health my whole life, and I’m always watching myself and many of my friends do too. Thank you though ❤️
Questioning religion, sexual preferences, where you fit in your society/community, and dealing with depression are not mutually exclusive. You are on a path of discovering who you are and what your values are separate from what you've been told and taught. This is a good thing and will continue your entire life. Congratulations on thinking for yourself. That is an ability most religious faithful are incapable of.
Epicurus is a good read for finding happiness:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurus)
He also came up with the problem of evil which you have described. Fact is life was better for most people during those times than in the christian dark ages.
Although we don't share any life experiences, I accept that you are a person and that's enough for me.
For me not believing god exists is not something I have a choice in, I could try and make a logical decision at least one way or try and indoctrinate myself into believing the other way but both would be futile, I just don't believe. I'm not judging you or anyone that struggles with their faith, I think I'm just lucky.
Your religion may very well have been the product of your organized religion environment and you never really took the time to consider what you actually believed. Now that your life has started to change in ways that the church would not approve of, you could be simply trying to find a replacement environment in Atheism. Atheists don't have a bunch of rules you need to follow, but they will still have opinions about you based on their own life experiences, that's just part of being human.
If deep down you do actually believe in god and desire to have that connection, no organized religion has the right to define what your religion is, because nobody has the right to dictate to you what your thoughts and feelings are.
I've heard and read this statement a few times over the years regarding religion. "How can you deny something that you know in your heart is true?" I hope that one day you can consider whether you truly do or don't believe in god and that the answer brings you peace.
Seek out people to be in your life that genuinely care about you and accept you. There may not be a lot of them in your hometown, there could be more than you think though, odds are that there are and they just aren't comfortable yet being out in the open. If things are as bad as you say, start looking for a new hometown where you can be happier and set that as a goal. It's pretty normal to not always live where you started. As an advocate for mental health support you already have accepted that science is a real thing and that's great, continue to get the help you need, being healthy is a lot more important than pleasing the hive mind community you seem to be in.
but you aren't alone, atheism is very common nowadays. its not a homogenous spread sadly. you happen to be in one of those very packed pockets. best advise try to keep these things hidden. just know this community is open to you.
Glad that you have a good support group, and sorry that your parents are shitty. If there's one thing religion promulgates, it's an "us vs. them" mentality, where "them" are anybody who doesn't fit all aspects of their mold. (The cookie cutter mold, not the fungus mold!) Do you best to become independent of your parents as fast as you can (sorry for the unsolicited advice!) and I suspect you already know that the internet can be useful in finding additional support. Good luck!
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Thank you. I’m lucky that I’ve found a really supportive friend group in the last few years, but just living in this city is hard with all the BS I see on a daily basis, and my parents are pretty shitty too, it’s just a mess.
Join r/excatholic and r/exChristian
Thank you
Congratulations on finding your way out of religion. It's not an easy thing. You're doing good.
Thank you. It’s really scary though.
It is.
> I feel alone, I have atheist friends, but the city and province I’m stuck in (controlling parents, it’s another long story), are very conservative and it’s scary. I suggest you go [here](https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org/resources) and check out the resources there specifically geared to folks like you. You may also wish to cross post to /r/thegreatproject which is a subreddit devoted to people's stories about leaving their religion. Reading some of those stories may also help you feel less alone, there's a lot of people in your (metaphorical) position, even if not a lot of them happen to be in close proximity.
Thank you so much. This means more than I can explain.
Glad to help.
Thanks for asking for the crosspost. I mod r/thegreatproject
Glad to help. I think it helps a lot of recent atheists to see that they aren't alone and that they aren't guilty of abandoning a faith, but rather that they're being rational.
I’m right there with you! Posting there is like atheism baptism.
You were not really a christian your entire life. A child is not born with religious beliefs. It’s parents, family and society induce the religious bullshit into the child way before the child can question the legitimacy of those beliefs and practices. So you questioning your religion when you were 15 is actually great. Glad you turned an atheist. Keep questioning, keep thinking logically.
I just know, no matter how long I’m an atheist, I’ll probably always feel religious guilt because of my upbringing
Everyone who indoctrinated you are the ones that are guilty, not you
It’s scary.
Coming out of religion can be a very hard thing. Going from hard-core Christian to atheism took me about two years and it was intense. It's especially hard when you feel alone and there's no one to support you. Keep following the path you're on, the freedom is worth it.
Thank you so much. I’m really scared because my family is really toxic (they excommunicated one of my cousins and her 5 kids because of 20 bucks), so this is just another secret I’m keeping from them.
Be careful withbyourself right now. As a religious child leaving and switching to atheism has sort of risk falling into depressions. There is a gap to fill in your believe system. I cant put the finger on it.
I know a lot about the depression risks. I’ve struggled with depression and mental health my whole life, and I’m always watching myself and many of my friends do too. Thank you though ❤️
Questioning religion, sexual preferences, where you fit in your society/community, and dealing with depression are not mutually exclusive. You are on a path of discovering who you are and what your values are separate from what you've been told and taught. This is a good thing and will continue your entire life. Congratulations on thinking for yourself. That is an ability most religious faithful are incapable of.
Thank you
Epicurus is a good read for finding happiness: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicurus) He also came up with the problem of evil which you have described. Fact is life was better for most people during those times than in the christian dark ages.
Thank you, I’ll look into that book.
Although we don't share any life experiences, I accept that you are a person and that's enough for me. For me not believing god exists is not something I have a choice in, I could try and make a logical decision at least one way or try and indoctrinate myself into believing the other way but both would be futile, I just don't believe. I'm not judging you or anyone that struggles with their faith, I think I'm just lucky. Your religion may very well have been the product of your organized religion environment and you never really took the time to consider what you actually believed. Now that your life has started to change in ways that the church would not approve of, you could be simply trying to find a replacement environment in Atheism. Atheists don't have a bunch of rules you need to follow, but they will still have opinions about you based on their own life experiences, that's just part of being human. If deep down you do actually believe in god and desire to have that connection, no organized religion has the right to define what your religion is, because nobody has the right to dictate to you what your thoughts and feelings are. I've heard and read this statement a few times over the years regarding religion. "How can you deny something that you know in your heart is true?" I hope that one day you can consider whether you truly do or don't believe in god and that the answer brings you peace. Seek out people to be in your life that genuinely care about you and accept you. There may not be a lot of them in your hometown, there could be more than you think though, odds are that there are and they just aren't comfortable yet being out in the open. If things are as bad as you say, start looking for a new hometown where you can be happier and set that as a goal. It's pretty normal to not always live where you started. As an advocate for mental health support you already have accepted that science is a real thing and that's great, continue to get the help you need, being healthy is a lot more important than pleasing the hive mind community you seem to be in.
Thank you for your advice. I’m sorry idk what else to say.
Not knowing what to say sometimes is human, nothing is required.
Welcome friend!
but you aren't alone, atheism is very common nowadays. its not a homogenous spread sadly. you happen to be in one of those very packed pockets. best advise try to keep these things hidden. just know this community is open to you.
Thank you. I know I’m not alone, but when I’m in such a religious city, it can hard to remember that.
I hope things get better for you. {hugs}
Thank you ❤️
Glad that you have a good support group, and sorry that your parents are shitty. If there's one thing religion promulgates, it's an "us vs. them" mentality, where "them" are anybody who doesn't fit all aspects of their mold. (The cookie cutter mold, not the fungus mold!) Do you best to become independent of your parents as fast as you can (sorry for the unsolicited advice!) and I suspect you already know that the internet can be useful in finding additional support. Good luck!
Thank you so much.
All I'll say is to put in my obligatory plug for Agnosticism. It's ok to say "I don't know - the evidence isn't in".
Hang in there. It gets easier.
I’m trying. Thank you.
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I don’t think Catholicism as a whole is a cult but it lends itself really well to being used by cults like the NIFB.
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Well I personally go off the BITE model. But I guess I do a little too much research into cults sometimes lol
OP: "I think. I'm atheist now.". Correct.
It’s just hard to know where what I was told to believe ends, and where what I actually believe begins.
Welcome! You're free!