Atheist Attic Visitor Profile
What is your name? (Real or pseudo)
What is your date of birth?
What is your gender?
What is your race?
What is your e-mail address? (optional)
What is the name and URL of your homepage? (optional)
Where do you live? (City, State, Country)
East Liverpool, Ohio, USA
How would you best describe your form of freethought? (Atheist, Agnostic, Humanist, etc.)
Were you raised as a freethinker or to be religious?
Neither religion or lack thereof was never really discussed in my family.
What originally set you on the path to freethought?
When I was 8 years old and a Bear Scout in Cub Scouts, we were supposed to
discuss our religion with our parents for part of the badge. When I asked
my father what we were, he told me that it didn't matter and that when I was
old enough I should read any religious material I wanted and make up my own
mind as what to be. Needless to say, I didn't like any of them.
When did you "come out" as a freethinker to family/friends/public, and how did it go over?
There was no real specific time; I came out kind of gradually. My family
didn't mind. With my mother being Methodist, a Pagan older brother, an
Agnostic-Taoist-Presbyterian father and an Atheist grandfather, I was just
another normal part of the family. My friends and the public that I interact with don't care, they like me for the other things I do.
Do you feel it necessary to continue to hide your beliefs in any circumstances, and if so, why?
No, so far most everyone is very understanding and for those who aren't, who
cares? My friends and family understand and that's all that matters to me.
Have you ever been the victim of discrimination or abuse because of your beliefs?
A little verbal abuse, but that's understanding coming from kids in a high
school. I don't pay any attention to them unless they really want me to.
Usually that ends up with them getting mad because I know more than them and
storming off yelling that I'm going to burn and such.
In what types of freethought activism, if any, do you participate?
Well, since I'm only currently 16 as I write this and live in kind of a
small town, I don't have much chance to be involved in anything. Some of my
friends and myself actively talk among ourselves about different topics. We
have talked about starting a second branch of American Atheists in Ohio but that's unfortunately still a few years off.
What do you feel is the best part of being a freethinker?
The understanding I can give to people. I feel that not being burdened with
religion I can live a more relaxed life.
What do you feel is the worst part of being a freethinker?
When people say something stupid about a religion they know nothing about
and I correct them and they get mad. They figure that when they say
something, no one will know what they're talking about and when I do, they act
like they didn't care about what they said in the first place.
What is the societal atmosphere for freethinkers where you live?
It's not as loose as I would like it, but it's not bad. People don't seem to
care.
How do you define "freedom of religion" and do you think your country attempts to grant this?
I see freedom of religion as the fact that you shouldn't be able to force
your religion on anyone. I believe the government is trying to enforce this
but not in every way they could be. I really don't think they should need
to do anything though, the first amendment should take care of it. If everyone followed that and the government enforced it more to the point instead of making new, more specific laws that people can find loopholes in, a lot of people would just stop. They should
just leave it as general as freedom of religion and leave it that way.
If you could share one thought with whoever might read this profile of you, what would it be?
People should take religion more seriously and study it. Study it well and
try to understand all parts as completely as you can before you make a
decision as to what your are.
