Thanks but not looking for sympathy

What is atheism to you? If one choose to be a part of a religious cult that is strong in order to enjoy the perks of life, is that wrong? I think it is ignorant way of living. But if one choose to be aware and enlightened by facts and evidence, he is persecuted and looses his integrity.

What's wrong with atheism at this point at time is the fact that atheists are out for themselves. It's a type of individualism. It's right and wrong. I want to live a life of individualism as well but my right is constantly being taken away from me. I guess in my situation ignorance was better right!!!!

@fear6911 not sympathy just acceptance

It's not allowed for me to change my religion officially in my country of origin without being killed so on my passport, it states that I am a muslim. So where ever I plan to go, I can potentially have some serious issues with immigration department because of that. It is sick, you get only one chance at life and mine is seriously fucked in the middle of all this shit. Hence why I say, caught between two worlds!!!!

@fear6911

I am disgusted by my government's stance on Islamic people. Worse, is that many of my fellow countrymen are too dense to put 2 and 2 together to figure out why there are so many Muslim "terrorists". They seem unable to grasp that it is centuries of shitty Western foreign policy that has created "terrorism".

You are always welcome wherever I am.

Insanity in an individual is something rare but in groups, parties and epochs, it is the rule. If you don't become ignorant in my situation, you will be isolated! Isolation is a very high price to pay for knowledge and enlightenment.

Spreading knowledge to deaf ears and closed off minds is what I am doing at the cost of my existence. Not worth it! not worth it at all!!!!

If I had known that knowledge, education and enlightenment is going to bring me to this outcome I probably would've said thanks but no thanks.

Although I am happy to be educated and I know things which most people won't know but it took away alot of things from me! I will reclaim my life but as I said, scorched for no apparent reason.

I think he listed a place different from where he lives for protection. I used to live in the Caymans so I know he can't be there.

@SkotlandSkye says Cayman Islands in his bio

@Surfpirate because everyone puts down exactly where they live, right? Especially if they fear persecution (or stalkers).

@SkotlandSkye I just stated the facts, sorry that you seem to be having a bad day, hope it improves for you.

@fear6911 Hang in there, sometimes that the best anybody can do in these difficult times.

I am not from cayman island. I'm from a muslim country in asia. Fear of persecution is making me stay anonymous!

@fear6911 Gotcha. I was a little confused when I saw caymon islands. On my FB it says I live in Stockholm. I just don't want certain people to talk to me. Never been to Europe (unless you count caymon).

@TheGreatShadow

VPN, anonymous profiles, that's my life - I've seen on the news in muslim countries. People's internet history is used against them in the court of law and they are persecuted if they communicate via those channels!!!

No respect at all for basic human right i.e Freedom of speech!!!

@fear6911 That must suck! You probably feel like Assange.

@fear6911 Sounds like a very wise decision , under the circumstances .

I've never looked into that. There are plenty of legal ways to immigrate but even in those scenarios I am looked at as someone who is coming from a muslim country. My religious beliefs does not automatically give me a right to be a burden on your country.

Immigration is an ancient phenomenon, it is more controlled and systematic in this age though. But it is a basic human right to move, migrate, build a life in another environment. Ref: United Nations, Human Rights.

People from all over the world were coming to muslim regions in the so called islamic golden age, maybe they were doing the same things to people. Maybe they were more horrible. Are we as a human race moving around in circle?

It makes me sad to experience all this bigotry first hand. I am being manhandled in my country of origin because I object to the popular belief. Maybe I would've lived a happy life if I had chosen to be an ignorant.

The strangest thing about knowledge and education is that once you acquire it, it is pretty hard to become an ignorant again, ignorance under certain circumstances is bliss I guess.

@fear6911 Don't plan on coming to the US for quite a while. If you try to get in from only being from a Muslim country, the cheeto-in-chief won't allow it. He's actually deporting Muslim refugees.

@fear6911 You would have a much better chance getting into Canada as a refugee, the US creates refugees but they don't take them in.

It's not your fault. Governmental policies are probably beyond your or mine control. Progression as a human race would need appropriate empowerment.

Good question, most folks assume I am a muslim when they look at the color of my skin and the country of my origin, when I tell them the truth, they don't believe it for reasons beyond my understanding. I enjoy music, I drink alcohol in moderation, I am a peaceful, professionally educated person but yet I am looked at as someone who is fake and causing disruption. In reality I mind my own business and help people around me. I don't judge other people's belief systems, I get that some people find it comforting and I respect that. But calling me fake for trying to integrate is again beyond my understanding. Is that what hate is?

I subtly criticize religion and never practice anything to do with islam which make the people of my country of origin think that I am an atheist. I haven't practiced any religious activity from the past maybe 10 years. I am portrayed as a mad man. A man that is damned. Wherever I go, I am constantly preached about islam and I cannot openly criticize. Freedom of action is out of question, freedom of speech is under attack and freedom of thought is next I guess!!!

I don't know where I stand anymore!

@fear6911 Hugs , hon !

But basing your actions on how you think and feel about me is my business!! Defamatory actions have destroyed lives in past. Stripped of livelihood, honor, integrity in ways that no one will approach you!!

So I'm sorry but I disagree, the way people around you think about you make them act in a certain way! A way that will either build you or destroy you. It's very easy to dismiss things that are difficult to understand!!

@fear6911 Over 55 % of humans are women . Women have been treated by an entirely different set of rules , pretty much since time began . We can understand the need to act according to the prescribed rules , whether we believe them or not , as a matter of survival . We understand .

I'll pay.

We are mute people hiding behind a VPN and a keyboard. It's pathetic when you look at it from a distance. Life is unfair and some people do get a head start since birth. I didn't had a choice, I was born into this. But changing my environment can be so difficult and I'll be subjected to racism and mistrust just makes me sick of the world. I can seriously say that I've lost faith in humanity. I did, I have lived in the free world and I was subjected to racism and islamophobia, I was accused of trying very hard to fit in, faking to be an atheist just to get their approval.

It sucks, the mistrust that I experienced.

So yeah torn between two worlds and no one considers me their own.

Alienated!!!

Time change and it will change.

Age is an invention Always remember that!!

You might be mute now, you might have to hide now. But things can change and this change can come from people like you. You can spread your message and built a network, help people who are in a similar situation. There is nothing pathetic about that!
The world is unfair, yes. Life is a lot of pain, yes. You could give up, yes. But think of it this way: You are not responsible for the way the world is right now, but you are responsible if it stays that way. Every change in the right direction no matter how small makes the world a tiny bit better. Everyone of us can do at least that. You don't have to, but if you don't even try then you lost your right to complain about it.
There is always hope. The "free world" was not always free and some might argue that it isn't free today, but one thing I know for sure. It was a hell of a lot worse and it didn't change by itself of from some kind of miracle but by people supporting each other and forcing society to change that way.

@Dietl

It is 21st century right! The things that the free world achieved over the past 800 years can be replicated in a decade in another country. E.g Turkery! Dubai! What happened there?

If I start supporting people like me in my country of origin! And we form a group without external strong support, we will only create a group no better than an AA group if you know what I mean. Atheist groups have been hunted down in the past for challenging the common perception.

So you want me to give up comfort of life to bring a social change for which I could very well be killed. Trust me on that, it has been done in the past plenty of times by people without any reasonable outcome.

I am sorry but I cannot take your advise! Thanks for sharing though.

I do believe people like me can bring about a change but without strong support, it's only gonna be a drop in an ocean. Not worth it!!!! At the maximum what can happen is a bucket full of water, still not worth the effort! There got to be another way!!!!!

@fear6911
I was not trying to suggest for you to put your life in danger. If you are dead you can't help anyone. Keep your head low, don't take any large risks, fine. But resistence can mean a lot of things. If you see an opportunity to help others, I suggest doing so no matter how small it is. You don't have to downplay small contributions for a good cause. Helping only one person is worth the effort.
You are on this forum and talk about your problems. Others will see this who are in a similar situation. If that's the only contribution you can give I'm happy with it. The more know that people like you exist the more they will seek out each other and maybe one day a bigger movement will start with more people taking bigger risks. You say those things have been done without a reasonable outcome, but the opposite is also true. There are examples where protests in the end led to a better outcome.
I'm not really an optimist. I think it might even get worse before it gets better but technologies change, economic relationships change and most important of all people's opinions change. And as long as we don't give up there is hope. I wish you the best of luck! And I respect your decisions either way.

Thanks for the reminder Civilizations do fall and rise as something entirely different! It has happened in the past, it will happen in the future. The dynamics of it all will change.

WOW , I'm impressed . I'm only 143 . That alone makes it difficult to make and maintain friends . All of that on top of muscles and a handsome face !