I Am Home :) :) :)

I came out as an atheist about four years ago, and I haven't looked back at the times of the indoctrination my parents attempted to put me through. I feel like on this forum and with the help of fellow atheists I can tell my ideals to the world!

I live in the country that was under communist regime at the time I grew up, so I was not pressured to be a part of the Eastern Orthodox Christianity, that was predominant in my culture. After the fall of the communism, many discovered religion, and it became integral part of Serbian identity; but even in these new circumstances, I can freely express my lack of belief, without fear of any consequence. I have a freedom to express myself, but I lacked the friends' understanding. Your vision of Atheist Republic made a leeway for people like me to find each other. There, I found many people whose friendship is of outmost importance to me. People that I think of as a part of my family. Friends with whom I can be myself, without fear of them not understanding, so I no longer feel lonely or lost. In there, I also found the love of my life; the woman that is perfect in every possible way. Your vision created the path for us to find each other. I can only imagine of how much importance this is to people whose lives can even be at stake if they freely express themselves. I want to thank you for having the vision that made all this possible.

I grew up a Catholic, very superstitious and religious (still don't really get the difference) because I was raised that way. I thought God to be everything good, at least I wanted to believe that until I gazed into his supposed character inscribed in the bible. I came to realize that it was the worst character ever written in print I mean theists call him righteous but he is guilty of every sin against humanity. I still didn't want to accept this or more honestly, I was afraid of hell if I ever questioned his holiness..... I came to a partial settlement that God made men, and then men made religion. Sounds a bit logical but it still didn't add up. I then came across the argument of morality versus salvation by Dan Barker (President of the FRFF) and all my questions were answered. Felt good making sense out of my own beliefs for a while, but then there is this loneliness that haunts you, I wouldn't come out to anyone, I'm from Zimbabwe, a modern day medieval society; you have no idea, we still get stories of witchcraft in newspapers down here and the government is informally theocratic, a 91 year old dictator who has ruled for 35 years through democratic means because church leaders say God chose him, and yes, homosexuality will get you a 5 year jail sentence. The secular world is very alien down here and so I became a digital Atheist. Atheist Republic became my safe heaven and provided me with refuge from all the religious prejudice I have to put up with every single day. I think religion is an insult to humanity as it is based on an assumption that we are a mistake by God (Genesis 6:6-7) and only a human sacrifice of his son who we should embrace forever are we purified and through this barbaric concept of human sacrifice shall we escape God's wrath (John 3:16). Anyone is free to believe that crap but they poison children with bigotry and hatred building up religious prejudice, they believe their imaginary friend is in command of everyone's life and we all should be thankful for his grace despite his evil nature; how's that for an insult? Everything went wrong when religion hijacked morality and humanity which we Southern Africans called ubuntu before the European missionaries came with a bible in one hand and a gun in the other. The gun was better because if you live by the gun you die by it, it led to the fall of the apartheid and colonialism, but the bible still haunts the mentality of my fellow country men to this very day. I support Atheist Republic and I hope its impact and message would spread to places like Zimbabwe where the secular community is in hiding afraid of stigma.

This website shows me how lost some people are and how hard their hearts are to the Gospel of Christ. They are blinded to the truth. It helps me know how to pray for the lost, that they would be convicted of God's deep love for them.

I look for outlets like this to be around like- minded people. I'm new to Atheist Republic, so I am excited!

glad to have found this site. glad to see that there are black atheists like me. at 63, have been atheist since i was 12. hid it for yrs, but it slowly started to come out, and many evangelinut friends tried to bring me back into the fold. i told them i could not come back, as i was never "in the fold," in the first place. sick of rightwing religious nuts tainting the waters between gov and church. thank gawd more and more young people are becoming nones

As an atheist doctor who is from Syria I am facing a hard time sharing my thoughts and beliefs. I believe the smartest decision I have ever took is leaving Islam. Although my dad will hate me for this I wish someday I can talk with him briefly about it, and share with my community what I think. This page is a hope for all those hidden atheists that face death every day in a hostile environment. And I would like to thank the ones who created such great thing. Thanks

This page... gives me an outlet that I don't have in the real world, living in a small, conservative town, surrounded by religious family members that I don't feel like I can talk to (Not even my own mother). I don't feel so isolated knowing that there are other people going through the same experience as me.

You have no idea how this group has helped me by getting rid of stress. Whenever I have to come home from the cities I have to visit, I get to catch a breather from all the religious culture my country (Mexico) hangs all over the place. Although I have only been in the Atheist Republic Facebook page, I can firmly say that this site has a lot to offer, with tons of eager smart atheists to share. I wish I can do more for this site. I really do.

AR is a community where atheists can be themselves and speak openly about topics that theists would typically chastise.

Community is important, if we don't tackle the key issues of our time, we will never be completely satisfied. Thanks Atheist Republic for giving us a voice.

I became atheist since last year may 2014. I grew up in an Islamic family. AR is great platforum to express your thoughts and meet with same like minded people. I'm happy that now I'm a atheist - but now it's very hard for me to still live in an islamic state. Trying to found the way to get out from this state and live somewhere else with freedom.

I guess the reason why I can't be a Christian,is that I'm not so poor of character that I would even consider letting someone suffer in my place if I truly Deserved it. AR has helped me to see and know the world as it is..thank you

Please keep up your amazing work. Groups like yours help atheists unite and allow us to have open minded discussion without fear of reprisal.

Great interesting new field for my curiosity. I'm interested for it very much. I`m so happy to be in such group, with the people with a same opinion.

I (personally) do not have anything against the person who chooses to believe in a deity, I only have a problem when the person wants to impose their beliefs on the next person. As long as the religious continue to force their beliefs into governmental institutions and all the umbrellas that govern all of us, I will have something to say. As long as children are indoctrinated at a tender age and forced to have their bodies strapped with explosives in the name of some idiots' fucked up beliefs, I will have something to say. As long as the sick, vulnerable and desperate people are ripped off by some lazy fucktards who dress in white suits and call themselves 'pastors' only to be told that they weren't healed because they apparently didn't have 'enough faith', I will most definitely have something to say. That's my take, I SALUTE THE FUCKING 'ATHEIST REPUBLIC' AND OTHER REVOLUTIONARY MOVEMENTS LIKE IT!!!!

Keep up the good fight AR. You're helping a lot of people.