Comments on: Coming Out Godless: What Was Your First Step?

By: Caroline

Caroline — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:18:14 +0000

I should say I don’t NOT believe in the works of the church, more like I don’t agree with the practices and the general “Having rules for believing in God”

By: Caroline

Caroline — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:16:21 +0000

I’ve been struggling with my belief about God a lot this year. Not so much “Why doesn’t God listen to me?” More like, “I just don’t think I believe anymore.” But being afraid to cross the proverbial line into full-blown Atheism. I’m afraid I even declare myself as one because of the label. The label makes it official. I don’t believe there is a God, but I just can’t bring myself to call myself “Atheist..”

My fears stem from having such a positive experience as a Lutheran growing up. My dad is a good, faithful man. I think it would kill him to know I don’t believe in his God, or the works of his church. I’m not certain I’ll ever “come out” of the Atheist closet. At least, not with the term “Atheist”. What a tricky thing, words can be. Out of all of this, the thing I’m most afraid of is a word.

Is it strange?

By: Al

Al — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 19:09:13 +0000

It’s funny, I had a sort of similar experience with my friends and family, only it was with them finding out that I had begun attending church and had decided to become baptized. I was genuinely surprised at the level of anger and even hatred it prompted from some of my friends (I was raised in a secular family, the majority of my friends are non-religious). I guess there are zealots on every side of the equation.

By: Emilyhasbooks

Emilyhasbooks — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 06:03:11 +0000

Earlier this week, I outed myself on my blog; it was liberating!

http://pixelstampede.wordpress.com/2011/10/11/seven-year-twitch/

By: Veronica

Veronica — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 19:03:03 +0000

Combination of “hells yeah!” and “not safe here”. Scandinavia in general is loosing it faith, fast, (I’m Norwegian), so it’s not a problem. I have several friends from what you can call atheist-families.

But, my maternal side of the family is batshit crazy and thus religious (or okey, I don’t know if they are batshit crazy because of the religion, or religious because they are batshit crazy!)

I can never tell them. God fixes everything, you know? Just pray a little bit. God is there. I have enough problems justifying just about any other aspect of my fairly NORMAL life.

But to everyone else? Yeah, they know.

By: Rose

Rose — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:54:38 +0000

Now it’s time to submit a story! ;P
http://comingoutgodless.com/submit
Read mine here: http://comingoutgodless.com/2007/08/08/my-godless-journey/

Very cool. Everyone has different types of coming out experiences. I was always hostility towards religion but my family blissfully ignored it until I came out. I was pretty much always an atheist but not until I met my current husband (then boyfriend, of course) that I realized it. I was raised in reform Jewish household. I always assumed talk of god and the afterlife were just niceties everyone said but knew were BS. Now I see that that’s usually not the case. Anyway, my family hates my liberalism WAY MORE than my atheism. So what ever.

In any case, glad to just be myself!

By: Godless Girl

Godless Girl — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 06:42:27 +0000

Thanks for that! It’s great to hear from people with different life stories about what things could be like.

By: Stoph

Stoph — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 03:30:37 +0000

I grew up in an atheist household and didn’t realize that religion was that big of a deal until late in high school. I just thought that some people went to church and some people didn’t, but no one really cared that much. Now that I know better I am constantly thankful to be able to come home and find my parents reading books like “The Atheist’s Guide to Christmas”.

After reading the stories on this blog and around the internet about people – very young people – having to face coming out to their parents and loved ones, I can’t even begin to tell you how much respect I have for people who are able to summon the courage. Bravo to all of you!

By: Godless Girl

Godless Girl — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 04:43:39 +0000

Woah, what a surprise! I’m glad it went so well!

By: leanne

leanne — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 21:02:27 +0000

i FINALLY came out to my mother as an atheist about two weeks ago and i was astonished at how receptive she was. she didn’t act like it made me not as good of a person or ANYTHING. she also admitted that the only reason she had me baptized as a baby was to get my great grandmother to shut the hell up.