Think freely, my friend.

I'm living in the Bible belt of southeastern United States, also known as Dixie. In my little region of the South Carolina, next to a mountain chain, they're absolutely nuts when it comes to Christian religious sects. Largely, they're Southern Baptists a group so strict they ban drinking, card playing and the unholy sin of dancing.

I moved here for mountain backpacking and to get away from something called hurricane season in Florida. Didn't know they'd put sign posts on telephone poles with the word repent on them.

When the locals start cranking up the religion pitch to me, I fire back my militant atheism at them. It makes them hang their heads in shame they ever brought up the topic.

I come here to get away from the locals.

Welcome to our not so mighty clan.

Congrats!

"Every true faith is infallible, it performs what the believing person hopes to find in it. But it does not offer the least support for the establishment of an effective proof. Here, the ways of men divide. If you want to achieve peace of mind and happiness, have faith. If you want to be a disciple of truth, then search" Friedrich Nietzsche

Traveling the world can change your outlook in a big way . . . . you meet many different types of people with many different gods, and they all think that THEY happen to be the ones who have chosen the REAL god.

If everyone who claimed to have friends in high places were telling the truth . . . . thousands of gods would most certainly exist.

Congrats!

congrats!

Congratulations, you have just crossed into the world of TRUE Reality, Logic, Reasoning, Free-Thinking and everything that a True Human being should be and strive to be.
A few more shorter and easier steps and you'll become an Atheist and the whole Universe of Reality, etc, will be wide open to you, live in it, love being in, enjoy being a part of it, THERE IS nothing better I can assure you of that.

next you can work on becoming an atheist

Way to go! Put those demons to rest!

Congrats on coming out of the religion closet and into the light.

Welcome!! I hope you find the joy and comfort in it that we do.

So I am fascinated to know how/why you originally came on here......

Congratulations on your realization. I look forward to seeing more posts from you.

good luck, I'm single

Welcome to the fold.

Oh. Cool. I think being able to work with your own reasoning comes with maturity in a way. When I think about it, most people think along religious lines due to the people and environment they live in. A lot of people seem to climb out in a way.

Welcome! That's all I got!

But an agnostic still believes in some devine power, right? I was in highschool when I started questioning the existence of god. Funny because I remember being the only person in the whole class to not believe in the theory of creation, instead, I stood my ground and followed that path ever since.

I would advise against taking a "few shorter, easier steps" and becoming an atheist (not that there's anything WRONG with that...oh no). Being agnostic simply opens your mind to the infinite possibilities, while atheism shuts the door on oh, 95% of them. If there IS such a thing as reincarnation, paranormal activity, extra-sensory perception, psychic ability, and countless other phenomena, there may be an explanation we do not yet understand. I wouldn't call that 'god,' necessarily, because who knows?
Any person honest with her- or himself has to admit we have very few (if any) answers to the mysteries of life, and simply saying there AREN'T any mysteries is dogmatic nonsense.
Keep your mind open. You'll be happier that way.