What is your name? (Real or pseudo)

Nancy M. Bahrs

What is your date of birth?

12/26/57

What is your gender?

Female

What is your race?

Caucasian

What is your e-mail address? (optional)

MrsB143@aol.com

What is the name and URL of your homepage? (optional)

N/A

Where do you live? (City, State, Country)

Kenosha, WI USA

How would you best describe your form of freethought? (Atheist, Agnostic, Humanist, etc.)

I'm not sure which one of these I fit into! I have a very open mind. (I highly doubt any form of god or gods.) I have faith in the power within myself.

Were you raised as a freethinker or to be religious?

I was raised confused... My mother was an Atheist, my stepfather's side was Catholic. I guess you could say I got the worst of both worlds as I was growing up. When I had children I thought maybe I should look into Christianity. It seemed like the "right" thing to do. I bounced around a little bit with different religions.

What originally set you on the path to freethought?

I had my children baptized Lutheran. I became involved in the church. When I had the opportunity to help out at another Lutheran church (which just happened to be a different denomination) I was told by my pastor that I couldn't. He said... only his Lutheran church was the "right way." I soon left the Lutheran religion!

I became involved in the Assembly Of God Church, which is basically Pentecostal. I became very involved there. I worked there, attended church 3-4 times a week, bible study, evangelism... My children went to school there, and I spoke in woman's groups and was involved heavily with teaching/praying with others. In my 6 years there I came across many contradictions in the bible. The explanations I got were not substantial. I had too many questions that basically could not be answered by man. I was told to pray for answers, and I did ... for 6 years. God never spoke to me! (LOL) DUH! The biggest thing that opened my eyes was the hypocrisy that went on! I saw a lot because I was so involved. Which created more questions for me which no one seemed to be able to answer and actually made a lot of self-righteous Christians very angry! DUH again!

I started to drop in on classes that my children attended. I was appalled to see what they were being taught, not just academically but socially and emotionally. It opened my eyes. I felt sick to think that my children were being taught to act the way most self-righteous Christians act! I took my children out of the school and put them into public school. I still attended the church, for a very short time!

When did you "come out" as a freethinker to family/friends/public, and how did it go over?

I was asked by the pastor to lay hands on people to heal them during Sunday services. I told the Pastor I couldn't do it because I didn't believe that god would heal them. He said to me that I should want to give them hope. I told him I would not instill a "false" hope in anyone. He said to me, "A false hope is better than no hope!" I left the church! A lot of my friends came to me and prayed for me! I stood my ground in "FreeThinking" I lost many friends. I feel bad about it but I won't say I believe in something that I don't. If someone can't be my friend because I don't believe the same things they do, or respect my choice, then they aren't a friend. I am a very open minded person... I am very open to learning. I have become the type of person that needs something proven to her rather than just following the crowd. I like that about me!

Do you feel it necessary to continue to hide your beliefs in any circumstances, and if so, why?

Only in life threatening situations! Don't laugh, it happened! I listen to what everyone has to say, I will give my opinion when asked. I respect other peoples' beliefs but in the same token I share mine. I don't push my opinions/beliefs down anyone's throat. And I let people know that I don't want theirs shoved down mine. I want to hear what they have to say but that doesn't mean I agree with them.

However... One night my husband and I were in a bar having a few drinks, My husband is definitely a non-believer in god! He makes it known! We were discussing god with a man at the bar, we all had a little too much to drink, my husband and this man (who we suspected was carrying a gun) got into a heated discussion on the topic of god. It got louder and I got scared, I persuaded my husband to stop discussing it, he really didn't want to! But he did. I was afraid for his life. We pretty much walked away from a bad situation.

Have you ever been the victim of discrimination or abuse because of your beliefs?

Not really abuse but discrimination ... yes. The friends I lost when I left the church.

In what types of freethought activism, if any, do you participate?

None. I don't know of any.

What do you feel is the best part of being a freethinker?

I guess it has to be the open-mindedness. I really don't care to be around narrow minded or closed minded people. I feel it's healthy for people to be able to discuss things without arguing or discriminating against each other. I want to be teachable for the rest of my days. But... I also have the right to say "I'm sorry. Until you can prove that to me... I don't agree with you"

What do you feel is the worst part of being a freethinker?

I haven't come across any.

What is the societal atmosphere for freethinkers where you live?

Hmmmm... I don't know of too many! In this area we have probably 50% Christian, 25% Catholic, and 25% people that don't think at all! This is my estimation... It's what I have observed from the people I meet/come in contact with everyday.

How do you define "freedom of religion" and do you think your country attempts to grant this?

The freedom to believe what you feel is "right" without being ostracized or ridiculed for it. I think it attempts to, but in my opinion, we are nowhere near it.

If you could share one thought with whoever might read this profile of you, what would it be?

I feel most people are searching. Searching for something ... whether it be acceptance, love, praise, superiority, righteousness, forgiveness, something to believe in... I could go on and on! I feel you have to find these things within yourself. My life was miserable until I began to have faith in me! Until I realized that if I wanted something, if I had a need that needed to be filled, I had to do it myself. I couldn't be happy until I became strong. I couldn't rely on a god that wouldn't show himself, that contradicted himself. Or man that says one thing and usually does another (hypocrisy). I rely on me! I sometimes fall, but I always pick myself back up and get back on track! The answers for my life are within me!