Welcome to the site! I think you'll find that most people here provide a pretty balanced, thoughtful and respectful perspective. So fire away!

Hi,
I'm also new to this forum, but I think it will be short-lived because there are individuals here that are ever-much fanatical in their beliefs, as fanatical Christians. I share in your feelings of loneliness and I sympathize with your concerns, especially in family and personal relationships. There is no reasoning with fanatics of any ilk, don't even try unless you enjoy. I enjoy thought-jousting until it starts to get personal, as it always does. I console myself with this realization: everyone is where they should be, in their self-conscious experiencing of existence. In other words, we don't criticize children for being in first grade, fourth grade, seventh grade, et cetera. We'll all doing the best we can, if we could do better, we would. We shouldn't judge anyone's because we're all in the sea of experience, doing the best we can do. Be kind, be caring, respect life: there is nothing more that anyone, in any belief system, can do to smooth the waves, of our common experiencing of life. As a person who considers himself to be an atheist, that's all I can do. Atheist blessings.

Hello! Welcome to A.c!

Hi there, welcome to the group and you have made the first step finding YOUR inner happiness by doing so. You will find that you are not alone thinking the way you do. You say that you have fear of being disowned by your family or friends for the way you think. Let me tell you that you have not to fear for this at all. Your family will always love you no matter what you do and your friends , well if they want to hate you for your beliefs then do you think you should be calling them your friends! Belief in yourself no matter what and you will be all right. You have to live your own life , NOT any one else's. YOU HAVE 1 LIFE, LIVE IT AND BE HAPPY!!!

Just find the meaning and purpose of all life on Earth. Then it'll make sense. by the way, don't actually try find it. The mortality rate for that is upwards of 99.9%.

Anyway just adopt the simple philosophy of "live and let live". Who cares if they believe in religion, as long as you love them then religion shouldn't even be a factor. We have the ability to think at a higher level so lets use it.

When my friends and I got into a philosophical discussion during a sleepover, we started at 9:00pm and stopped at 4:00 am. (Yes, quite nerdy). Even though we argued for hours on different topics, I had the last word. I said "It doesn't really matter what we think or believe. At the end of it all we just want to have a good time. Smile, think, communicate and enjoy each others company. So what if we can never agree on these things, you are all good friends of mine and lets keep it that way". In the end, no matter the differences, no matter the challenges or how upset we get. We can all sit at the same table, eat the same food and laugh at the same things.

That's what separates us from the rest. Our ability to accept people for who they are and not what they think.

Welcome! It can be a very difficult road to travel, but hang in there. You will find understanding and support here--you are not alone.

Welcome! I hope for your transition to be as smooth as possible. You will come to find, in time, that you have already disowned them.

Happy to have you. I am in a similar situation ,so I know how you feel .You will enjoy the interaction with these intelligent open minded individuals

Welcome Emerald Jewel, you've got a lot of reading , studying, and friends to make. Jump on in. Your questions will be answered.

You are not alone here. Rant all you like.

I am fairly new to the site too.
The thing about being agnostic is that, unlike religions, there is no requirement to convert anyone.
If you acceptance your religious associates right to believe, no matter how deluded you may feel they are, some of them at least might be prepared to accept your right to not believe also.

Welcome. Feel free to discuss your thoughts.

Welcome.

Welcome, you've come to the right place, you are not alone, not any more x