The new guy on the block

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Keith Raye's picture
The new guy on the block

Hi Guys,

I'm not new to atheism, but I am new to Atheist Republic. I only learned about you from reading Armin Navabi's book 'Why There Is No God' otherwise I would never have known that your organisation ( if I may call it that ) existed. I'm English and I'm writing this in a small town located on the South Coast of England - not far from the British Naval Base at Portsmouth. I'm 71 years old, retired, and a published author. I think that Armin Navabi is a very courageous man, and that his book is a very interesting one. It affirmed the beliefs that I've held for many years. Forgive me but, Atheist Republic - at first look anyway - seems to be orientated mainly to North America. Not that I've any quarrel with that - I've been to the USA ( Wyoming ) and loved it, I only wish I could afford to go back. But it's possible that you guys might be interested in an Englishman's point of view. See, it's different for us over this side of the pond - we tend not to suffer from so much of the religious fanaticism that you guys get stuck with, the far-right evangelical Creationists, Mormons and the like.
Oh, they're here too, but they keep their heads down, because we Brits are stoics who won't take too much shit from anyone, and the majority of us don't care very much whether there's a God or not, which after all, is healthier than believing in things that don't exist. Having said all that, I don't actually know anyone else who's a committed atheist in the same way that I am, so it'd be great to make a few friends who are.

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CyberLN's picture
Welcome to AR, KR3F. Nice to

Welcome to AR, KR3F. Nice to have you join us.

Keith Raye's picture
Thanks. I'm in England. Where

Thanks. I'm in England. Where are you?

chimp3's picture
Welcome!

Welcome!

Keith Raye's picture
Thank you!

Thank you!

Flamenca's picture
Hi, KR3F, welcome. Greetings

Hi, KR3F, welcome. Greetings from Spain!

Keith Raye's picture
Hola! Y buena dia! Como estas

Hola! Y buena dia! Como estas tu, compadre?

Flamenca's picture
¡Hola! Muy bien, gracias.

¡Hola! Muy bien, gracias.

"Compadre" is used when referring to a man, which I'm not, but anyway thanks for your words in Spanish. Nice try xD

Keith Raye's picture
I do my best but my Espanol

I do my best but my Espanol isn't perfect - and anyway I didn't know you were female. Let's try something else.
Tengo sesenta y uno anos. Quantas anos tienes tu?

Keith Raye's picture
No, scrub that. A gentleman

No, scrub that. A gentleman doesn't ask a lady her age, does he?

Mi nombre verdadero es Keith. Encantado de conocerte, senora.Or is it senorita?

Flamenca's picture
Close! I guess your keyboard

Close! I guess your keyboard lacks the "eñe" letter, since ano=anus and año=year. So the answer is that I only have one xD.

About "mis años", you can take a look on my profile, pressing on my nickname.

Have fun!

P.S. And I dislike the word "señorita". Every woman should be calling "señora", regardless she's married, since we don't say "señorito" anymore for unmarried boys.

Keith Raye's picture
That's a very good point

That's a very good point about the use of 'senora', I wasn't aware of it but I absolutely agree with you and muchas gracias for telling me.

Flamenca's picture
Gracias a ti!

¡Gracias a ti!

Keith Raye's picture
De nada. I'm very much in

De nada. I'm very much in favour of sexual equality.

algebe's picture
Welcome KR3F.

Welcome KR3F.

I'm a Brit, too, though I've spent the past 50+ years in other parts of the world. I'm currently in Queensland, Australia. I was born in Yorkshire, but we moved around quite a bit. I spent parts of my childhood in Hampshire and Sussex, which aren't too far from your neck of the woods.

The majority of people here seem to be Americans, but the community is quite cosmopolitan, and the scope of discussion is global, like religion.

Keith Raye's picture
That's good to know.It's good

That's good to know.It's good to know, too, that there are logical thinkers everywhere in the world, that not everybody is basically a sheep. You know, it isn't a good idea to be a follower - it's much better to work things out for yourself. Because if you simply follow someone else, all you'll ever see is that person's back. That person will always stand between you and the light of truth. And yet, so many people do just that, don't they?

Keith Raye's picture
It's good to talk with people

It's good to talk with people who've seen something of the world and experienced cultures other than their own. How are things in Oz?
Do you have to put up with much in the way of religious coercion, like evangelism and such? From what little I know about Australians, I'd say they are very much like us Brits - unwilling to put up with too much shit from anyone. Am I right?

Randomhero1982's picture
Welcome KR3F, a fellow brit!

Welcome KR3F, a fellow brit!

I think the perpetual rain and overcast weather has played it's role in diminishing faith on our shores haha ;)

Enjoy your time here!

Keith Raye's picture
Thanks, I'll try to. You

Thanks, I'll try to. You seem a friendly enough bunch of guys anyway, and that's a good start. I'm very glad to know people who feel the same way I do about religion.

algebe's picture
@Randomhero1982: "diminishing

@Randomhero1982: "diminishing faith on our shores"

Apart from the weather, I think Britain's relative freedom from religious nuttery is explained by the fact that we exported a lot of our fundamentalists to the American colonies, starting with the Mayflower. Unfortunately, Islam now appears to be filling the vacuum.

cmallen's picture
"...we exported a lot of our

"...we exported a lot of our fundamentalists to the American colonies."

About that... We'd like you to have 'em back, now.

Do you do returns or will we have to take some other fiercely irrational believers in exchange?

Flamenca's picture
Algebe, we Spaniards did the

Algebe, we Spaniards did the same favour to South America, because most people are very zealous there... or is it because of USA influence and it happens to be also Brits' fault and their bloody Mayflower? xD

algebe's picture
@Angiebot: "or is it because

@Angiebot: "or is it because of USA influence"

I think your zealots were killing, looting and corrupting their way through South America before our puritan whackos introduced the people of North America to the wonders of Christianity, smallpox, and muskets.

In my experience, colonials tend to be more conservative than people in the home country, perhaps because of some kind of inferiority complex. When the Beatles went to New Zealand in 1964, John Lennon made an announcement on the plane. "We are now arriving in New Zealand. Set your watches back 40 years."

Flamenca's picture
Algebe: I think your zealots

Algebe: I think your zealots... I agree 100%. Hey, but your wackos killed, looted and corrupted just the same (or even more... Your crackpots slaughtered almost every native in North America.

In my experience, colonials... I'm not sure about your theory. I'd say than we left most of our colonies in poverty and corruption, and there's an interrelationship between those two elements and uneducation. And South America has also suffered USA's interference in their politics since my barmy compatriots split, the good dessert to round off the meal they needed...

When the Beatles... Hehehe. I guess that remark was known after their concerts there...

cmallen's picture
Hi, KR3F. I'm an American

Hi, KR3F. I'm an American expat. I have a place in Germany but right now I'm living in Bahrain. You are so right about Brits not suffering the religious fanatics; just wish y'all had passed that on to Aussies and Yanks. I love watching Jimmy Carr ask if there are any Christians in the audience and then offering to sell him magic beans with no fear, no shame, no apologies.

Keith Raye's picture
Hi CM,

Hi CM,

Nice talking to ya. Hey, where 'bouts in the US are you from? I spent a couple weeks September last year on a working cattle ranch near Sundance, Wyoming, herding cows on horseback. Hard work but the best holiday I ever had, man. The cowhands and wranglers were all good 'ol boys and the people in the bars in Sundance were fantastic. They even gave me a gen-yoo-wine Winchester repeating rifle to play with - boyhood dream come true! I love the USA and I'd go back again if I could afford it. See, I
even learned to speak your language!

cmallen's picture
Boy howdy, [chews tabbacky,

Boy howdy, [chews tabbacky, spits, misses spitoon] there are some beautiful big country places in the States.

Originally hailing from Florida I spent most of my boyhood between FL panhandle, New Orleans, LA, and North Central FL (Gainesville, university town, not like the rest of Central FL, very important distinction).

Moved to NYC at 17, joined the Army at 27, finally got stationed in Germany and pretty much didn't look back. I've lived just a year or so in Seattle and a half a year in FL since then.

I've traveled extensively throughout the States. Still a nice place to visit, but...

Flamenca's picture
What a fabulous life

What a fabulous life experience, C.M!

Keith Raye's picture
You bin around, son, that's

You bin around, son, that's fer sure. What would you say is the most important thing you've learned from your travels. And don't tell me you got a sore ass and back ache like I did in Wyoming! I've traveled a lot too, and what I've learned is that ordinary people everywhere have one thing in common - they want peace and the freedom to live their own lives in their own way. And when you think about it, it's mainly the religionists of this world who prevent them from having it.

cmallen's picture
Seriously? I deleted half my

Seriously? I deleted half my original post because it was too long listing the places I've lived. I spent a year in Korea and a year in Afghanistan, and I've been in Bahrain for nearly a year now. I've lived in or visited about 30 countries, most of them more than once. I just can't say no to opportunities for new experiences and new places.

Except Kansas, I should have said no to Kansas. It cured me of wanting to reside within the continental United States. (Though I still love California, Oregon, Washington state, Florida, Colorado, New Orleans, NYC, and parts of Texas.)

Keith Raye's picture
I guess that a big difference

I guess that a big difference between you and me is that I've never been in a war zone. So I wondered what things look like from your perspective. It would be very interesting to know.

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