1. I've always felt like an Atheist or Agnostic. The concept of God has always seemed ridiculous to me, and I'm too egotistical to worship anything. I was an Agnostic until I was 12, when I read The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins and considered myself a full-fledged Atheist :)

1. At what point did you know you were an atheist? Why did you become one, what were the factors leading up to the decision, if you weren’t always one?

I'm not, but I'm super-bored and some of these questions looked interesting. ;) I call myself an Apathetic Agnostic - don't know what's out there, don't really care.

A lot of my memories are fuzzy, not sure if that's from willpower, teenage years or if it was just an accidental loss, but I want to say the abandonment of religion came from two events - boredom and a television character. The boredom is pretty self explanatory (YOU try sitting through an hour sermon without plotting evil - there's guilt involved when done in that setting.) The character was a young Catholic school girl (mind out of the gutter, you!) who was annoyingly smart & sometimes obnoxious about it. Pretty much one of my favorite characters ever. She was kind of my wake-up call - if this extremely intelligent young person who'd been raised to think this way, thinks there's something weird about this religion stuff... why hadn't I thought of that? ("Because that's what it says in the Bible, and that's what you believe!" wasn't a good enough answer for either of us.)

2. I grew up with Agnosticism and basic non-caring...

1. I've never really believed in god, but it was only a year or so ago that I actually called myself an Atheist. I used to call myself an Agnostic when I was younger, since I didn't want to offend people though. My family raised me to be a critical thinker, and to be open minded, and they let my make my own decisions about religion and such.

2. I grew up with non-religious parents. We never went to church or anything, and even though I know at least my dad was raised in a religious family. My mom is an Agnostic, my dad is also an atheist, though not so outspoken about it and up front about it as I am, and I think my brother is an agnostic.
My relatives are all pretty religious, but they've never influenced me to believe, even though they've dragged us to the odd church service or two. My parents raised us to make our own decisions and do what we believe, and I'm really glad about that, especially since I've had the chance to grow up NOT brainwashed by a religious family that always crams their beliefs down their kids throat.

3. Totally outspoken. I will debate anything and everything with my friends...and I usually win!

1. At what point did you know you were an atheist? Why did you become one, what were the factors leading up to the decision, if you weren’t always one?

That was sometime in highschool, I think. (it was a catholic school)
I started out being agnostic, just didn't care, but when I heard more about god, read parts of the bible, went to church I started to really dislike this god. It might sound stupid, but I didn't agree with what was in the bible, with what he said and did. God just wasn't someone I could look up to/admire/respect/love.
And soon afterwards I started to think: There is no god. Why would there even be one? Nothing makes sense.

5. Did you lose any friends because you decided to be an atheist? Did your family flip out?
Lol I think I'd rather lose friends if I was not an atheist. Seriously, try to find ONE person in the catholic private school I went to or at university I go to now, who is not agnostic or atheist. Good luck with that.

My family doesn't care about religion, it's a topic that never comes up. My grandparents go to church every sunday, but that's about it.

7. Except for God, do you believe in anything supernatural or pseudoscientific? (Ghosts, alien abductions, spirits, souls, demons, psychics, magic, Harry Potter, etc.)

Hell yes, I do. Or should I say I did?
I used to believe in some kinds of magic, not the one where you have wands or can go around throwing fireballs, but I have to admit, I tried a lot of things when I was in highschool. Telekinesis, telepathy, aura/subtle body and my speciality: pis-balls XDD
Speciality, because that was the only thing I was ever successful in.
Nowadays I'm very sceptical about all these things, I find it hard to believe in them since I turned into someone who always wants some kind of proof and there is none. And yes, I said I was kind of successful when it came to psi-balls, but I'm so doubtful, I call it a figment.

2. What religion did you grow up with? Did you have positive or negative experiences with religion?

I was a good little Christian child for most of my early years. The early stuff was positive, because I had been taught to believe if I did all this stuff, my life would be happy, I'd go to Heaven and all that. I did what I was told, so everyone was happy on the religious front until I got bored with it... Then came the guilt tripping, being looked down on, getting Bibles as gifts and the always-fun "I'll pray for you, sinner" junk. That was more annoying than anything, now that I think about it.

3. My friends and most of my relatives know that I don't belive in God. Whenever asked, I can justify my belief and I tend to explain it to people who attack me for it. But when I am with Catholic friend(s) I cut down on religious jokes and Richard Dawkins quotes. I guess I am kinda outspoken.

1. I started to wonder about religion and gods when I was eight, and decided that I didn't believe in a god. But I only really called myself an atheist a couple years afterwards.

3. Are you a more outspoken or more apathetic atheist? Why?

Apathetic Agnostic. =P I like to play with people sometimes, but usually I'd rather talk about other things. It's a hard subject to argue - usually when someone makes up their mind about this, it's difficult for them to see it another way. Myself included.

4. Do you think religion is obsolete and should be wiped completely off the face of the Earth, or does some good come out of it?
In the past, religion may have been needed to sustain order, but I think that one day, we will grow out of it and create society that won't need faith in reward in order to do what is right.
I think that morals that are founded in reason and justified with our own feelings, rather than with will of a supernatural creature, are much less likely to be abandoned.

1. At what point did you know you were an atheist?
Meh, I was kinda raised with an Atheist I guess. I remember getting religious influences at kindergarten though, and then definitely at school, including bible classes in which I spent my time colouring Jesus. I remember, during those classes, thinking "Holy crap what if there is a God and he wants to send me to hell?!?!" But as soon as those classes were over, I got over that fear pretty quick. I guess it wasn't until I got to high school that I actually identified myself as an Atheist, because that is sort when other kids are also finding their religious identities. Prior to high school, it didn't really matter between us kids what our religious beliefs were. But then at high school, it suddenly became quite important.
So once confronted with other people who required me to define my belief system, I sorted out my beliefs and concluded that Atheism was for me.

2. What religion did you grow up with? Did you have positive or negative experiences with religion?
Like I said, my parents are Atheists. They grew up being forced to go to church, because that is what people did in those days (apparently), but were never really forced to believe in the religous ideas of the church (lol).
My earliest experiences with religion were christian messages at kindergarten that I seemed to just regard as any old fairy tale we were told. Then at school, my best friend's mother, who was pretty hardcore with the christianity, really didn't like me that much and often tried to sneakily sit me in a church service or bible study group. So my first experiences of religion were just kinda awkward. Again, I just did not care enough as a kid. The Power Rangers were just so much more important to me than any religious discussion.
Then at high school I had some extremely irritating encounters with religion, ranging from my religious friends yelling at me, to strangers on the school bus telling me that I was going to go to hell unless I believed, to (worst of all) warring with the one of the school's most outspoken christian groups about homosexuality. This was at the same time that civil unions were being debated by the NZ government and the christian group was just plain disgusting when in it's attitude to this issue. That was my first experience of the idiotic bigotry of christianity. Pretty much all my religious discussions at high school were negative.

3. Are you a more outspoken or more apathetic atheist? Why?
Har har har, outspoken. I'm extremely intolerant of intolerance and have a big thing about justice and hypocrisy. I don't think I push Atheism on other people, but when my beliefs (or lack of them) are attacked, then I consider that a free pass to be as outspoken as I want about it. Atheism is just as valid (and invalid) as any other worldview and I'm willing to shout that from the rooftops.

4. Do you think religion is obsolete and should be wiped completely off the face of the Earth, or does some good come out of it?
Organised religion will never be obselete. Religions have been morphing themselves since forever. They will make themselves relevant no matter what.
Not all religions, or all aspects of religions, are bad. The basic idea behind most of them is to be a good person, to lead as good a life as you can. That isn't a bad message. It's the political motivation behind a religion, and the way that that religion's followers use those political motivations, that really make religion dangerous or oppressive.
I actually think that nature-based religions have a lot to offer, at least to me. Druidism and Wicca are pretty nice in how they seek harmony and balance with the world (and other worlds). There are noble messages in there, I think.

5. Did you lose any friends because you decided to be an atheist? Did your family flip out?
No and no. I've had friends yell things at me that I think they didn't really feel, like that I wasn't a moral person. I mean, they would say that one day, and then we would be hanging out again the next day like nothing happened. I used to say "Oh, that's just your religion talking." I know they pray for me every now and then, even though I've told them I find that offense to a certain extent. I know that they need to do it because of who they are and what they believe, but I do resent the implication that my soul needs saving.

6. How do you feel about so-called “militant atheists” such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris?
As much as I respect them for pulling Atheism 'out of the closet', I have to say I am not a fan of "militant atheists". It really, really bothers me that Atheists have elevated Richard Dawkins to the level that they have. I think he, and the countless others, have had some great things to say. But he has also said a lot that I personally don't agree with. And maybe it isn't so much what he is saying, but the way he says it. The force with which Dawkins in particular says things about religion and Atheism seems no different to the force with which religious leaders speak of their religions. Whenever I think of Richard Dawkins I always think of L. Ron Hubbard. Scientology was founded by one man saying and writing stuff that inspired people... Sometimes I feel like Atheism is headed down that same path.
So while I by no means knock the "militant atheist's" contributions to intelligent debate, I do feel that we need to be careful of how we use their ideas. We often rag on religion's capacity to follow leaders don't unsavoury paths, so we need to be sure we aren't doing the same by elevating certain people just because they have shed light upon our worldview.

7. Except for God, do you believe in anything supernatural or pseudoscientific? (Ghosts, alien abductions, spirits, souls, demons, psychics, magic, Harry Potter, etc.)
I certainly do not believe in Harry Potter. Or magic.
I don't think it is possible to have a universe as massive and as unexplored as the one we inhabit without there being other lifeforms out there. I have no idea what those lifeforms would look like and I'm not sure if they would have been able to find our planet, let alone abduct us, but I'm pretty sure there is other life somewhere, in some form.
My views on the soul, ghosts and psychics are too long-winded and rambling to bore you with, so I will answer with a heavily caveated "yes".
Demons and angels I do not believe in, at least not as the good ol' bible describes them.
Parallel universes/alternative dimensions? Heck yeah, but that might be the Fringe fanatic in me talking.

5. My family's pretty much Agnostic, so they don't mind. They think I'm a bit strange for being so obsessive about defending my point of view though. I have lots of religious friends, and although we get into debates a lot, we're still friends.

2. I didn't grow up with a religion, my family was agnostic.

5. Did you lose any friends because you decided to be an atheist? Did your family flip out?
Um, no, not really. But than again, my hardcore Christian relatives don't know about it, so yeah. They should have figure it out by now, considering the fact I didn't want to go to a private Catholic school and refused to give an explanation.

1.At what point did you know you were an atheist? Why did you become one, what were the factors leading up to the decision, if you weren’t always one?

I don’t really know, it was in between 8th grade and 9th grade. In 8th grade I stopped believing in Jesus and when I was in 9th grade I stopped believing in everything.

Why did I become one? I didn’t become one, I guess I never was a true believer. It scared to doubt because I thought God will punish me, but then I realize I didn’t have a God. I was just following everyones ideas, because Mexico is a really religious country.

What religion did you grow up with? Did you have positive or negative experiences with religion?

Catholic. I remember a bad experience.

When I was 9 I began fearing death to the point I became depressed, I remember that one night I began thinking about what happened after death and I began to shiver. My grandma told me to pray and that the fear would go away, it didn’t and I lived 2 years of my life depressed and having nightmares.

I remember also having a nightmare in which the only thing visible was a sky filled with stars and a voice calling “God will take you.” It was really really scary. I was also in the middle of my depression, let’s say that dream didn’t help much.

Good experiences… When my grandfather died, I stayed at my grandma’s house for 3 days and I remember that at night I couldn’t go to sleep (insomnia), but neither could she, so she began praying in the name of my grandfather. It comforted me in some way.

3. Totally outspoken. I'm proud of being an atheist, and I am proud to flaunt it and have people know I'm an atheist. My dad tells me not to bring it up with my relatives, since they're mainly Christians, and he doesn't want me to scare away my Uncle's religious fiancee, but in other situations, I'll totally be open and debate about it.

4. I dislike religion, and I think it contributes to a lot of the bad things that happen on earth. I also hate how it dominates peoples lives and decisions. I won't deny that there can be good things about religion, like it gives people a sense of belonging and comfort, I suppose, but I DO wish it was wiped off the face of the earth, since in my opinion, the bads outnumber the good.

5. No. My friends (or at least one of them) knows, and they like me anyway, and my immediate family don't mind, my brother and I were raised to be critical thinkers and make our own decisions, my parents and brother are agnostic and atheist themselves, so it's no biggie.

6. I honestly don't know much about them. I only heard of Richard Dawkins after visiting this spot.

4. Do you think religion is obsolete and should be wiped completely off the face of the Earth, or does some good come out of it?

I suppose some good can come out of it. It makes some people feel comforted or like they have a purpose. Religion can also take the credit for war/violence/self-righteousness. So I guess on an individual level, it can be nice, but overall, boooo.

6. How do you feel about so-called “militant atheists” such as Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and Sam Harris?
They are great, really. Ok, I don't always agree with everything they say, I mean I don't worship them or anything (XD). But most of the time they are right. I read a few of Dawkins's books and articles.
I guess less people think we are some kind of devil worshipers because they try to explain Atheism, which also convinces some to become Atheists. It also has negative effects, however, like forcing fanatics to become defensive and agressive toward Atheists.

7. Except for God, do you believe in anything supernatural or pseudoscientific? (Ghosts, alien abductions, spirits, souls, demons, psychics, magic, Harry Potter, etc.)
No.
I used to belive almost everything (exept for Harry Potter and magic stuff). Chupacabra, alien obductions, ghosts, telekinesis, you name it! Than I just... stoped. I still love fantasy and science fiction, but I am buying it just until the end of the book/movie.
I don't think there is anything "above nature" (and with nature I mean the Universe; the laws of physics) and if any of it proves to be true, it will be completely explainable.
Trust me, not many would be more excited if actual mermaids were discovered/spaceship landed/somebody discovered we can comunicate telephaticaly. It is just that I need evidence.

The reality is awsome!

8. What’s your political alignment? Does your atheism influence how you vote and how you feel on issues?
I don't vote yet, so I am not that much in the politics for now.
Otherwise it does influence my view on political issues (oh hey, they are fighting for their imaginary friends again) and I get really annoyed when somebody tries to justify their arguments (political or not) with God.

5. Did you lose any friends because you decided to be an atheist? Did your family flip out?
I don't discuss religion much in "real life" because I live in Jesusland, I'm pretty much a minority. I feel like when people know that I don't care about their god of whatever, they look at me differently. One of my best friends is the granddaughter of a... not sure what he's called, I think it's a Reverend, so she's a big believer. Religion isn't something we generally talk about, but she knows I'm not into it. She'd never say it, but I can tell she's not thrilled about it. But no, can't say I've *lost* friends. Only one family member really knows how I really feel about the whole religion thing, she feels the same way. I prefer to let the others go on thinking whatever they want, it's easier than putting up with the "I'll pray for you to find your way" bullshit every time I have to see them.

7. Except for God, do you believe in anything supernatural or pseudoscientific? (Ghosts, alien abductions, spirits, souls, demons, psychics, magic, Harry Potter, etc.)
Harry Potter, definitely. ;) I believe in ghosts, spirits & souls to some extent (I collect souls. I keep them in jars.). Psychics/mediums... I believe there's a possibility that some people are more connected to the supernatural world than others. I believe that some other life form (although they may not be big-eyed green creatures, which would be disappointing) may exist. Angels and demons... eh. While I'm on the subject, I do believe that vampires exist. But not the sparkly kind. ;)

9. Even though you’re an atheist, have you ever experienced a moment that could be called “religious?” Like an epiphany about the world or complete peace?
From time to time, I fell peacefull or in complete harmony with the world and myself. Especialy outside, when standing on a hill or next to a river.


I like being outside. XD

10. Are you spiritual, or are your feet always on the ground?
I am kind of weird about that. I am somehow a day-dreamer and living in the clouds (I could draw you the map of my house up there) and have a philosophic speaches, but in some unnusual way, I am very down to Earth and tend to look things from all possible sides and being realistic (and sometimes slightly opitimistic) in generally.
I know, I am a freak. :P

11. Do you have/plan on having a career in the sciences? Alternatively: which branch of science intrigues you most?
Yes. Biology.

12. What happens when we die? Do you fear death?
When we die, we are dead. That is it.
I fear death just in the way that I won't be able to see everything and learn everything, but to fear nothing... It's poitless from my perspective. I have moments, when I panic at the very thought of death, but most of the time... No.
My atoms will built something else and this is the most spiritual that I can get on the topic.

7. SANTA CLAUSE! And Harry Potter, :P Just kidding, I don't really believe in anything that can't be explained by Science, pretty much.

8. Not really, but I dislike really Hard-Core Christian types. What REALLY bugs me though is how there's never been a president who hasn't at least claimed to be a Christian, and apparently you won't get elected if you aren't, :/

13. Would you ever date/marry somebody who follows a religion? Be honest.
It depends. It sure sounds problematic. If he was fanatic about it, that no way. It is hard enough to keep my comments for myself around my Catholic friends and I don't think I can succesfully live with somebody I cannot even talk with.
So he could be religious, bet he would have to be very tolerant and not trying to convert or criticise me.

8. What’s your political alignment? Does your atheism influence how you vote and how you feel on issues?
Left? Liberal? I dunno, never really defined myself in those terms. "Hippy" has always been my go-to word.
My Atheism influences the way I vote in that I would never vote for anyone who campaigns solely in religious terms. For example, in some recent local body elections, one guy's platform was that if he made it into government, he would make abortions illegal because it is against God. Um... No, sir, you do not get my vote. Don't worry, he didn't make it in.
In my view, Atheism is a worldview, so it informs everything I do. So yeah, it does influence how I vote and how I feel about certain issues.

9. Even though you’re an atheist, have you ever experienced a moment that could be called “religious?” Like an epiphany about the world or complete peace?
Not really. I've had extremely meaningful experiences, but as per my view that people are what matter, I tend to link those experiences to people and the meaning of those events/people to me in my life.
Also, I've seen/heard ghosts. I've had out-of-body experiences. All easily explainable by psychology, but that doesn't, in my opinion, detract from the feeling that you get in those moments. I just choose to explain those feelings as significant to me in the context of my life, not in the context of religious enlightenment.

10. Are you spiritual, or are your feet always on the ground?
Yeah, I'm pretty spiritual. I like to think that there are other planes of existance/parallel universes etc. I think that something soul-like exists in some sense, whether it is a tangible thing or our reflected sense of a soul.

11. Do you have/plan on having a career in the sciences? Alternatively: which branch of science intrigues you most?
HA! Actually, I live in academic space that actively rips the scientific method to shreds. Good, reflexive science is good, but we have to remember that science, as much as religion, is responsible for some horrible, horrible injustices. It was scientific fact that homosexuality was a disease. It was scientific fact that it was impossible for women to be gay. It was scientific fact that blacks/[insert any other race but white here] were inferior to whites. It was scientific fact that women were inferior to white men.

12. What happens when we die? Do you fear death?
Ya die. Beyond that, I have no idea. I'm not gonna pretend that I know for sure that there is just nothing. I'm not gonna pretend that there is something. As some of you may know, I'm quite the fan of the idea that we are just brains in vats, hooked into this reality, Matrix-style, and once our brain juices run out, a brain farmer removes our brain from the vat and our brains have to undergo a re-juicing process, and once that is complete, our brains get put back in the vat and we live a different life. Brain reinarnation, if you will... *cough*
Of course I'm scared. I don't know whats gonna happen. I think sometimes I get more scared about what will happen for my family and friends when I die. Like, I won't be there for them anymore and that makes me not wanna die ever. Tough bickies, though, right?

13. Would you ever date/marry somebody who follows a religion? Be honest.
Meh, I'll date anyone who isn't a butt-face. I've dated a couple of guys who had religious families, but they weren't really into it. Almost all of my best friends have been some degree of religious. So, yeah, I'm not that fussed.
As for marriage, marriage ain't natural. I do not intend to ever get married. If Mr (or Mrs) Misanthrope86 isn't content with being happy with me without being married, then I hope the door hits their ass on their way out.

14. On a scale of 1-10, how happy are you with life at this moment, and why?
I'm writing a fucking Master's thesis, so I'm stressed to the fucking max right now, thanks for asking. It really isn't the time in my life to be asking how happy I am.

15. Recommend a book.
As I already mentioned, I don't like Richard Dawkins etc. Not really a fan of books that have Atheism as a focal point. But I will recommend some stuff anyway, just coz I like converting people.
- Fiction ~ 'The Ninth Life Of Louis Drax' by Liz Jensen (EPIC!)
- Non-Fiction (?) ~ 'Simians, Cyborgs and Women: The Reinvention of Nature' by Donna Haraway (read that and then yell at me later)
- Short Story ~ 'The Yellow Wallpaper' by Charlotte Perkins Gilman (Changes my life, and I know that that phrase gets thrown about willy-nilly, but I'm for serious, yo!) and 'The Ballad Of The Sad Cafe' by Carson McCullers.
- Atheist Movie ~ Ok, so Bill Maher's 'Religulous' just plain makes me happy. I don't always agree with the man, but that movie/documentary takes a damn good look at a number of religions and, quite frankly, pwns them all.

There. I cheated by recommending a whole bunch of stuff, but I figure I'm going to hell anyway.