Atheists--are you proud to be an atheist?

Question

Or do you mumble it under your breath when someone asks you about your religion? Did you always feel this way? If not, what changed how you feel about your atheism?

Personally, I'm very proud to be able to call myself an atheist. I was raised in a Jewish home but always knew in the back of my mind that I didn't actually believe any of it. I stopped considering myself Jewish in my teens but never said anything about it to anyone else, not because I was ashamed but because I didn't know how they would react. Finally I just decided that I didn't really care what people had to say about my beliefs (or lack thereof) and their reactions weren't my problem. Now, I'll tell anyone who asks that yes, I am an atheist. You can either deal with it and respect me regardless or move along.

That's my story, what's yours?

If you're not going to actually answer the question, then don't waste your time. It's incredibly annoying and the 2 points aren't really that important.

Answer 1

Raised Catholic. When I was very little (5) there was a death in the family, and everyone around me said it was God's will. So I hated God until the age of 12 when I met an atheist at school. I'd never even considered non-belief as an option before that. It took several more years before I became an atheist, though. Shedding my beliefs was a slow process for me. I lived in the Bible-belt for a good part of my childhood, so I'm still reluctant to admit that I'm an atheist, but only because I expect a violent reaction. I am proud to be an atheist, and even though it makes me uncomfortable, I tell people I'm an atheist if they ask.

Answer 2

I don't think that I am 'proud' to be an atheist, just 'satisfied' with my life-style choice.
I didn't realise that my parents were atheists until about 12 years old, when, after being sent to Sunday School for a few years, I began to think and ask questions. My father finally told me that he was a 'realist'. That settled it.
Due to the indoctrination by way of all the cuddly stories about Jesus and the nasty consequences of not believing, it was necessary to be very brave at 12 and to admit to myself that I was athiest BUT it took another three years before I could admit it to anyone. That was 50 years ago.
Dumping religion totally was one of the best decisions I ever made. This decision freed my mind.
Naturally, I would highly recommend it to everyone.

Answer 3

Having survived 364 days in the Vietnam war I can honestly say I'm scared of no man and very few women.

I lead with my chin *grin* don't do mumble.
If anyone is interested I'm an atheist; I think anyone who believes in superstitious nonsense is a delusional coward who wants to blame someone else for their tough lives.

Having said that, I live in Oz where religion is generally seen as nothing more than a quaint little thing that old widows indulge themselves in on Sundays.

Answer 4

Totally proud to be an Atheist Taoist. We're a loose-knit community of likeminded individuals who accept nothing without evidence. That makes our conversations and actions productive, and useful. I became a Taoist at 13 after having become disenchanted by Christendom. Of course I went through the Wicca stage first, as most of us do. I found myself attracted to the platform of non-action Laotze presented and then started reading about other philosophies, because I realized I was more of a philosophical thinker than a believer.
Since then I've found my own way of living, and still stay true to my early Taoist basic beliefs about the world around me.

Answer 5

I grew up in a Mennonite home in a rural, small village in California. I left for the big city in my teens and getting out on my own really allowed me to establish my own identity without the cultural pressure to become what I was expected to become.

What makes me proud is my commitment to an honest pursuit of truth- regardless of where it leads. Like you, when I was finally able to be honest with myself I realized I didn't believe in the invisible, all-powerful God of the Bible. I have had many conversations with religious leaders and no one really knows whether God exists or not. Apparently, it comes down to faith, and I just don't have it.

Answer 6

Pride has nothing to do with it for me; my atheism is just a part of me like my eye color or hair color. I never avoid answering or mumble when someone asks me my beliefs - I'll straight out say I'm an atheist.

I was raised baptist but I never bought into it or believed in its deity. I know deep down I didn't believe but at 15 when I left I wasn't ready to admit my atheism to myself at that point so I took a pagan path for a number of years until one day I just took a long look at myself and stopped kidding myself.

Answer 7

I've never been ashamed of what I believe in...I don't go around yelling it at the top of my lungs or anything but when people ask I just tell them.I was raised by an Atheist mother and a Christian father though so I guess it's not really shameful.

Answer 8

Am I proud? not extremely, for the comparable reason i don't take especial delight in not believing in leprechauns. it incredibly is a private concept, and not inevitably something I positioned a great form of non-public inventory in. the clarification I communicate theology so ardently at right here, however, is using the fact the question of whether God exists or not remains unanswered in society at great, and the respond would have profound social and cultural ramifications worldwide. And presently, huge-unfold lifestyle not in basic terms helps, yet encourages people to place inventory in ideals not subsidized by skill of any info in besides, and to act to that end. i discover that particularly neurotic, actual. and because it is not uncommon for actual, nicely-understood scientific discoveries and procedures that have produced actual consequences to be misrepresented or misinterpreted in protection of those ideals, i attempt to assist clarify what it incredibly is that, say, evolutionary biologists are incredibly attempting to declare. So no, i don't declare atheism for the sake of interest. I declare atheism because of the fact this is how I actual think of the universe works, and that i argue it because of the fact it is so commonly misrepresented by skill of people who disagree with it.

Answer 9

Yep, I'm a proud atheist, but I'm also a self employed atheist who does work for theists. I know that if turned up to do work at their houses in an atheist t-shirt or with atheist bumper stickers on my ute, my business would suffer. But if the conversation ever turns to religion, I've never lied about my lack of belief.

Answer 10

:) Of course I'm proud. I don't really care what people think or have to say about my beliefs either. When people ask I'll tell them and I'll dish it out. If they don't like it, that's their problem and not mine.....

If they freak out or I see a weird look on their faces I'll even tell them I'm a Satanist simply for the shock value and funny expressions xD Teehee.....