I love this video because I feel the same way. I was raised in a fundamental, bible preaching family. It's not just my immediate family but all of my extended family. I would be looked at like an outcast and an evil person if I were to admit my true feelings. I would never want to see that disappointing look on my parents face. I think it would be heart breaking for me.
I sympathize with your situation but heck no you should come out. you do FAR more damage to your family, children and others like you by not. This world NEEDS to know that we exist. There are I would bet around 30% or more of people in areas like yours that are stuck like you seem to be. And it would make it a LOT easier if they knew they weren't the only ones.
I am sorry that you apparently live in such a closed minded environment. I am an atheist and have been since I can remember. Though my parents are not (my dad is a Catholic and my mom is Lutheran), I still grew up an atheist and I have never made any attempt at hiding it. I remember having discussions with friends in the fourth grade about religion and have always been a very vocal atheist. I love fighting religion with extended family. If your family can't accept your beliefs, fuck em.
While your reasons are totally understandable, it is for this reason that we are minorities here. While you say you are tolerating religion you yourself are scared that no one will tolerate your choice. It's kind of tug of war between what you definitely feel is right vs. what you have to do to keep your family safe in a certain environment. It must be tough. Maybe some day you can move somewhere a little more populated and won't feel as unaccepted.
most americans dont realize that america was founded because people wanted to get away from religious intollorance. i truly belive our founding fathers would be ashamed by how much christianity controls this country. and yet it seems the most religously oppresive christians are the ones waving american flags. because they dont understand that what once made this a great country has been lost in their need for leaders to be of the same faith as them. and they wonder why the terrorists hate us.
:-( Don't teach your kids to besheep. It'sss not about you or them. As countless revolutions in the past someone has to take a stand to make change. Rosa Parks etc. You don't have to just say, I'm an non thest bitches. You can be quite suttle and gain thest symppathies.
I had compulsory religion all my school years, was an atheist at the age of 14 and come out only 30 years later.
People could have taken me for a non-practicing Christian; I wasn’t an issue remaining in the closet, it more of an ignoring the religious pressures, and kindly refuting any religious invitation.
Don't hide, we need more people to come forward and not be afraid. We live in a world of reason now. Its ripe for the taking, we just can't hide anymore.
I find this video sad. You used very appropriate music. Thank you for answering the question of why you are what your screen name means. I understand all too well your situation. I won't judge you. Come out...but only when YOU are ready :) .
@MrDelusionalPenguin it is where i live. in a 1 mile stretch of road i counted six cult houses, and last weeken i had 2 different cult members knock on my door and try to sell me on there crazy,primitive,cultic,crap.
@dathotki well we are living in the united states of jesusland where it's everyone thinks there god is right and all other religions are wrong.. I once watched a muslim kid get attacked for praying by "christians". it's a sad sick world...or nation.
I hope the final comment was sarcastic, because you're not being tolerant by hiding your beliefs for the sake of others. You're just merely responding to others' intolerance.
If I were you, I'd get out of that town as soon as possible, then eventually come out on trips back. If your so-called friends and family disown you for it, then fuck them. They aren't worth it.
OK, I was all in there agreeing totally, until that last caption came up. Are you saying it goes counter to religious tolerance to even say out loud to theists that you're an atheist...that doing so is somehow intolerant??
@ChuckyJesus666 No what he most likely meant by religious tolerance was that there isn't any in his town. That if he came out as an atheist there would be close to no tolerance for him or his family should it turn out that they share the same position. Being an atheist in the southern states can be quite difficult sometimes.
It is perfectly fine for you to be a closet atheist. The only requirement is that you never try to convert other people or to assert that your belief is better than others. In order to that you would need to backup that by being open.
I see no problem for you. For your kids though. If you are raising them as religious when you are an atheist then there is a problem. If your kids ever ask you about your faith in god and you lie, then you are morally small.
@saintpine Half quoting only gets half of what I said. The whole point is that if you are a closet atheist then you can not ethically tell others why they should be atheists. Be a closet atheist, just not a closet atheist that tries to convert people.
He/she is not making the sacrifice for his kids. He/she is doing it for himself. I am sure his kids would appreciate honesty. If the kids adopted atheism and decided to keep it a secret and he supported them, that would be for them. This is not.
No need to sweat it - just stop going to church. You don't need to make a big thing of it. If people ask tell them that your beliefs are a personal thing and you don't feel the need to share with them.
That must really suck, I can understand why you're doing this. Tell you what though, if it becomes unbearable; migrate! There are many countries where atheism is much better tolerated; I'm a fairly outspoken atheist in Australia and that has no effect on my life. I have friends of all different religions, or atheists, and there is no animosity between us; we all have different beliefs and for the most part, respect them. Sometimes I wonder how "free" America really is :p
i wasn't a closet atheist anymore. The good thing is I end up convince my mom and some of my friends but three of my siblings hate me for that and one of them never want to see my face even if it's a family meeting.
But in the end we are family and things seem to get better as time goes by.
Go ahead tolerating religion until it kills us all. Then will you still be worried about your dad dying of a heart attack? Oh wait, he was evaporated in the nuclear bomb as well.
I am not a closet atheist myself. I am very open about being an atheist, and it's something I'm proud of...
I grew up in a fanatic christian family, being told exactly what I should believe. A few years back I started making my own decisions, and I broke free from the chains of christianity and told my parents the truth, that I were an atheist. Sure, they got upset at first, but over the years they have learned to deal with it.
Don't be afraid, this is a free world. Admit that you're an atheist.
great points. I can't blame you for your decision. I love how each of your reasons are out of concern for someone else, too. My only criticism is that the term 'religious intolerance' seems for fitting. Sure, it's a more negative perspective, but the intolerant don't deserve any sugar-coating.
@ratmrulesyou1 I can imagine. I don't know where you live in Scandanavia but i read somewhere that 89% of people in Sweden are not religious which is strange for me because i live in Britain and the percentage of non-religious people is somewhere between 40 and 50%.
I think these are good reasons to be closeted. Spread your thoughts here on youtube instead! Don't commit social suicide for some sort of 'greater good' that's the privilege of the religious...
Dude, move. Get away from those people! Atheists are everywhere! Sure you love your parents! But, in order to be yourself, you've got to move away! Don't let the world around you be the only world you know! Move to a better place! Get a new job! Tell your kids the truth! AND BE FREE! BE FREE!!!
I completely agree with the video. It isn't worth what it would do to my parents if they thought my eternal soul was damned. Religious tolerance is precisely my point. As Thomas Jefferson said "What do I care if my neighbor worships one god or twenty." I bite my tongue because I don't need to destroy my family.
@imstillalive0331 Well, how can progress be made toward true religious tolerance if you stay closeted? That will only allow people to hold on to their misguided understandings of the world. I admit I've lost friends over my atheism and I now my relationship with my father is even more estranged, but I've found it to be worth it because I've made new friends and I'm proud of spreading awareness. Also, it's your family's misguided beliefs that may destroy them and not you!
@lgbuzals the only person i hide it from is my mom. the woman had to deal with me going to iraq for four years, i'm not going to slap her in the face. she isn't out there saying "fags should die" or anything like that. all i'm saying is that if my mom needs to pray to an invisible man so she doesn't worry about me, or if she needs to believe that she will see me again if i get killed, i'm willing to tell my mom i'll see her on the other side. frankly, i think anything else would be selfish
@imstillalive0331 this condemening all hope of progress as a society... Yeah, let's tolerte their intolerance to the level where we have to hide ourselves... What tolerance are you talking about ?
@Acrimonator i mean i can tolerate my mom telling me 'jesus saves' because she is a nice woman that had to rely on something for four years while i was in iraq. i guess what it comes down to is that i'm not an asshole that wants to make my mom cry. who the fuck are you to judge my family and call them intolerant? you don't know a fucking thing about me you limp dick little fuck. if i could reach you, i would choke every breath of life out of you for saying it. look up the definition of tolerance
@imstillalive0331 I've judge your family ? Are you paranoid ? I was talking more globally, answering you about religious tolerance being only one way, that we must tolerate their intolerance toward us.
Looks like this intolerance has contaminated you to the point where you reject what you are. How frustrated.
And you dare to tell me to look for the word tolerance after your burst of hatred and threatening me of death...
@Acrimonator@imstillalive0331 i fully acknowledge that beating the shit out of you would be a primitive and barbaric response, but i don't care. while i may have exagerated the extent of the damage, there would be no doubt who won. my parents recieve scorn from their friendsbecause of their stance on homosexuality and mutual respect of differences with other religions.
@imstillalive0331 Yes, perhaps you'd won... But what would you really win... Being the bully, nothing to be proud of... And where's the "freedom" you defend in your reaction ?
@imstillalive0331 Came to think a little about your rant... No wonder you're in the army with such hatred and will to do harm to other without any good reason. You demonstrated so eloquently that your intolerance is your motive to kill others. I can deduce from there that you're also selectively racist, surely homophobic and definitely a dangerous person.
@Acrimonator wow. "selectively racist, homophobic, and dangerous"!? you only prove yourself to be a presumptive prick. you call my family intolerant without knowing their doctrinal beliefs? you dare to accuse me of reckless disregard for my fellow man based purely off of my job title? you judgemental ass! no wonder you are a condescending little shit- you base your views off of preconscieved notions of a certain minority of people. almost like a racist... and i PROTECTED OTHERS from being killed
@imstillalive0331 LOL, "i PROTECTED OTHERS from being killed". In Irak ? LOL Continue to lie to yourself... You've only protected the economical interests of a minority who brandish patriotism as a virtue so that some people like you have something to fight for, and as I already said, an excuse for a barbaric behaviour they couldn't unleash in any decent society. You're their pawn.
And again, I wasn't talking specifically about your family, but you're blind to that, only to justify your anger.
@Acrimonator they are libertarian and don't believe that they have the right to force anyone to believe or act a certain way any more than anyone has the right to tell them what to believe or act. in that respect they are far more tolerant than you. the fact that they would be sad if they thought i was going to hell has NOTHING to do with tolerance and everything to do with what they feel. you are intolerant of what they believe based on YOUR beliefs. stop being so elitist
@imstillalive0331 Again, I wasn't specific about your parents but as you insist on bringing the subject up, here what I think.
They don't have the right to force anyone's belief but think that people who don't think like them goes to hell and deserve ETERNAL TORTURE... That's what you call tolerance ? And actually YOU bring these beliefs they-don't-push-onto-others here. I was putting in perspective the fact that believing atheists deserve hell IS intolerance. And that is not an insult.
@Acrimonator I for one was able to see the flaws my parents had (i fought over my dad's racism for 20 years) as they were not perfect, you on the other hand react like a little child who's unable to realize that his parents are human normal being that can be criticized like the others. They even had sex, isn' that crazy ?
it would be fun if your entire village were closet atheist, none willing to risk the possibility of rejection, none willing to stand up for their beliefs, maybe you should contact someone from outside your village, ask them if they could have a speech somewhere about atheism, maybe some people that dont have as much to loose as you will stand up for their disbeliefs and form a community, maybe the result will be tolerence towards atheists..
My situation is different but there are still members of my family I will never tell. My grandmoster is in her 90s and very religious. I do not see the point in upsetting her. One of my uncles is a preacher I do not see the point of telling him so he can try to save me. He saved me enough times when I was a Christian because he though I went to the wrong church. I don't have children but I have seen what can happen to kids who are atheist so I definately don't blame you.
its too bad that such a double standard exists! we Atheists have to tolerate the hatred and the violence and bad will of theists, and in return we are expected to have 'religious tolerance' for them.
stay strong friend. i know it is hard to b a closet atheist. i have been through some religious shit myself. even physically attacked once, when it was discovered that I didn't beleive in a god!
i grew up in utah. as a mormon. when I discovered myself my entire family rejected me. the whole neighborhood rejected me. it was surreal.
having been turned suddenly out on the streets like that, and no freinds to go to, i speant time on the streets and in shelters for a while.
Those loved ones are not your loved ones because if they were they'd accept you without you having to fit their mold. This is conditional love, Jesus did not teach this, why do people take the text and their religion first and then the teachings last?
@VictorphoenixDMvault You see, here is the real answer. I can show you proof, I can give you the correct answer, but that doesn't mean you will be persuaded. You wish to believe a lie because it fulfills your intent. Your intent is to discredit the truth of the Bible, so you will always take a contrary view of any passage that needs deeper scrutiny. You will say the same about me I am sure, so we must just agree to disagree.
@VictorphoenixDMvault) Here is the explanation for your original example. (Matthew 1:1) The genealogy establishes the linage of Jesus through His step father Joseph. Luke 3:23-38 is Jesus' linage through Mary his mother. Luke states in verse 23 ..."And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli." The differences in the two genealogies is that Matthew 1 is Joseph's linage and Luke 3 is Mary's.The Bible is trustworthy.
@VictorphoenixDMvault@VictorphoenixDMvault )( 1 of 4) I could defend my beliefs to you, but I think a better approach would be to make an Illustration, then ask a question. In Isaiah 45:7, we read where God says in part; "I make peace and create evil". Now, to an atheist, this is a prime bit of info to slam Christians with, God creates evil, so how is man guilty of evil on his own? This is a classic case of a verse being mis-understood. If we look deeper at the origin of the verse we find that
( 2 of 4) there are two key facts that need to be considered.(1), The word translated “evil” is from a Hebrew word that means “adversity, affliction, calamity, distress, misery.” Notice how the other major English Bible translations render the word: “disaster” (NIV, HCSB), “calamity” (NKJV, NAS, ESV), and “woe". (2) The context of Isaiah 45:7 makes it clear that something other than “bringing moral evil into existence” is in mind. The context of Isaiah 45:7 is God rewarding Israel for obedience
( 3 of 4) and punishing Israel for disobedience. This is normal. My point here is that while it is easy to just take the verse at face value and condemn God, it would be an error to do this. The real meaning of the verse can be found by digging a little deeper, but in order to do this, you must want to know the truth, and herein lies the question, are you interested in truth, or are you just wanting to collect more ammunition to attack Christians with. Friend, the passage you mentioned.
( 4 of 4) can be explained in a similar way, but I wanted to use this one because it is a very strong example. You must remember, the Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. It would be unlikely that there would be no words whose meanings need closer attention. Be careful about passing quick judgement. The Bible deserves to be cautiously disseminated.
@VictorphoenixDMvault Friend, my only comment to your post is the part about it being safe to live as if God doesn't exist. You are in great peril, but I am under no Illusion that my words will have any effect. As far as the balance of your post, only the God of the Bible inspired prophets to write down His Words, exactly as He dictated them, this is why the prophecies came true exactly as the author wrote them, in many cases long after the author had died. Again, I know you do not believe it.
In small town US, I would not put it past your kids being assaulted and your property destroyed for being an atheist. I have a friend whose house was burned to the ground by a rabid fundamentalist.
That's so sad ...I really feel for you guys ...I probably don't have to tell u this, but do what ever you think is right for your kids and your lively hood, and we in the atheist community support you wholeheartedly.
If you insist upon disbelief in God, what you must say is, "Having the limited knowledge I have at present, I believe that there is no God." Owing to a lack of knowledge on your part, you don't know if God exists. So, in the strict sense of the word, you cannot be an atheist. The only true qualifier for the title is the One who has absolute knowledge, and why on earth would God want to deny His own existence?
Quit being such a pussy, it's better to stand up for what u believe than to cower behind the thought of what others think. I too live in a small town with the same sort of small town thinking. Believe me when i say i'm an atheist people freak but unless we stand up for what we believe we'll never be heard. Bill Maher says that there's 12 percent here in the USA already(Atheists that is)
So sad you have those problems in America. Things like those make me happy for living in West Europe :-) In most European countries atheists and agnostics are about 40-50% of the population so there is NO social presion against us. At least not in my country although the Catholic Church is always trying to force the Government to do what they say about certain issues.
Fortunately we have a 'liberal' Government so we're free from its influence by now.
If people discriminate me for who I am, they don't deserve to know me. This includes relatives. If they tell me how to live my life, I will never talk to them or ask for advice from them again. Period.
The main reason I haven't come out is because of my grandparents. They are extremely devout Catholics and I don't want to cause them the pain that would come with my atheism. They've had enough troubles. I doubt my parents would care too much. My mom is episcopalian, dad is catholic. We attend catholic church maybe 5 times a year and my dad doesn't even receive communion, so neither is very religious. The shit will hit the fan when confirmation time rolls around though.
If I were you, I would have gotten out of that town a long time ago. If your folks and neighbors are going to try to deny you sovereignty in holding beliefs, it's this simple: **FUCK EM**
I myself live in a 99.9%-religious country. Christians and Muslims basically make up our society in general. We atheists are considered as more than just a minority, and finding a fellow atheist (in person), for me, is like finding a needle in a haystack. Living in a religious society is hard for many atheists, especially if you don't have someone who respects your beliefs or who is an atheist him/herself to aid you.
I feel your pain, dude. Just remember you're NOT alone.
I'm so sorry to hear this story. It breaks the heart. I would suggest that if you didn't mind uprooting your family, move to a place like The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and (ironically) St. Paul. Its very nice here and we have a good atheist community. If you choose not to then I hope you remain well and well hidden.
move to Denver? I'm VERY openly atheist here and nobody openly judges me here. In fact I feel free due to my lack of religion. Sure, my family doesn't appreciate my conclusions and would rather believe what they grew up in, and I'm sure my grandparent's aren't aware, but I've been an atheist since I was maybe 15 or 14 and i've been one for many years. In fact, I rather enjoy expressing my commitment to the scientific and methodological pursuit of understanding what is truly reality. I'm happy :]
@out4blood34 As wonderful as this sentiment would be in an ideal world, people suck in the real world. I wish he and his family could be open, but I wouldn't wish the persecution his kids would suffer at the hands of their "friends" on anybody.
@LiberadadeHedonista Hey, are you the same person who suggested me to be the member of the UUist Church? Just wanna ask if there's a UUist Church here in our country (Philippines).
You're a closet atheist because of religious tolerance? What is that suppose to mean? Also, why would you surround yourself with people like that? I really can't see why someone would feel that living a lie would be worth it (I'm not you so I don't know your mentality but it is something I just cannot grasp). My relationship with my mother suffers because I am an Atheist but my life is so much fuller because I live true to myself. I can't imagine lying everyday.
To me the idea that Americans have to be closet Atheists is so bizarre, it's like being a closet Vegetarian or a closet punk rock listener, or a closet Anime fan or something. If you ever get a chance to travel you'll find that non believers are the majority outside of the US... and any Muslim country.
A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death. (Albert Einstein)
In this case, as in many mental disorders, the cure lies in a clear knowledge of one's condition and its causes. We must be conscious of our alien race and draw the logical conclusions from it. It is no use trying to convince the others of our spiritual and intellectual equality by arguments addressed to the reason, when the attitude of these others does not originate in their intellects at all. (Albert Einstein, 1934)
The reason you are a closet atheist is you are a coward. you support discrimination by hiding and giving the impression that atheism is something to be ashamed of. When the bigots suss you out and make you and yours suffer, don't come crying to me or other out atheists, you are enabler of discrimination, selfish, and without regard for those who must follow. You are in collusion with hate. I hope you are exposed and find yourself alone to face the ugly music. Shame on you.
When the gays and lesbians came out of the closet years ago,they didn't think about losing their jobs, or being ostracized. Some of them even lost their lives in doing so. I think we atheists need some big gay balls.
Come out of the closet right the fuck now. Start with your parents,tell them that you are an atheist,then call your siblings,cousins, and other family members. If they really love you they won't care about your religious preferences. Don't forget your friends too!
@prgamer I just told my parents there is no need for a big show saying i am an atheist...if anyone asks I tell them what I beleive (or lack there of) I am not ashamed. My father is very accepting my mom begs to differ thou lol.
My boss emails us and asks us to pray every time she hears of a misfortune of someone she knows. If she knew I was an atheist I would get bad evaluations and would lose my job. That is why I am a closet atheist.
Because you choose to tolerate intolerance, your kids and going to grow up Christian. How can you live with that. Imposing religion on young kids is akin to child abuse.
Families raise their kids with religion and it's child abuse? wtf dude, I'm all for religious tolerance but that's such bullshit. As kids they don't know what religion is anyways, as in the true meaning behind it. You could impose the religion on them to educate them about it and then when they mature they can make their own researched decision on the matter. Child abuse? fuck that, next thing you know telling your kids that santa claus exists will be child abuse because of the emotional trauma
I'm somewhere between skepticism and Christian universalism......whilst attending Assemblies of God church!!! Boy, am I a black sheep. Anyway, about kids, my 10yo daughter who senses I no longer believe like the church teaches asked me if I want her to believe what I believe. I told her that's your decision, but really I don't care what you believe as long as it doesn't make you crazy or make you do evil or stupid things. What really matters in life is what you do, not what you profess.
on the good side its great that you are an athiest but a coward you are in the closet. the only valid point you can make is that your wifes business may suffer. as for your parents and children suffering there are ways to express yourself and your beliefs without hurting others. remember, your kids are yours and not your parents, raise them with the beliefs you want to instill in them and let them sort it out when they can think for themselves.
what a sorry ass video... i figured this is from rural u.s. hopefully more people will come out of the atheist closet and change things for others like u
What this video shows is that there can be great costs and sacrifices to be made in return for upholding our beliefs (or unbelief). However, that doesn't mean that the costs aren't worth it...
lol you are so lost without the lord...i was just like you...thought the bible was nothing but fairy tails! but being a christian just seems right! i mean i know theres a god this all couldnt have just come here on its own...ask yourself why are you here??? Do you have a purpose? go outside and look how perfect the grass or the flowers or the clouds are! no big bang could make that happen..if that did happen then wouldnt everything be so different???God bless you
I'm afraid that's not evidence and it's not a valid argument.
"kalam cosmological argument"
Just type those words into youtube search and you'll see why atheists don't accept the other half your statement (well that and the anthropic principle).
if you read about evolutionary biology you can easily understand how all of this could have happened. yes i do have a purpose and it is tormenting christians. my grass looks perfect not because of any god but because of scotts,craftsman and a lot of hard work..it still doesnt even look that great.
lol i know god's real..thats why im not athiest, i was but one day he came to me in a dream, and a bible that ive threw away 2 years ago was (when i woke up) was on the side table by me. and since then ive been a christian, you have to believe to see god clearly...believe i was stupid like you, and chritianity just makes me feel great, cause i see god through every good thing in my life, in the bible it says if you open to me, i will open too you
the bible does have some great things to say but it also tells when its ok to kill your wife and how to treat your slaves. god to you is a real as the voices a schitzophenic hears. real to you, yes, but real to the world, no.
badasscajun, you can't "know" god exists, that's why they call it "Faith." Just because you had a dream and a bible 'mysteriously' appeared on your bedside table does not mean that FACT God exists. I do believe in a God, what that God is I'm not sure yet. What I do know is that I don't believe that Christianity got it right. My search continues. As for you I guess you found your niche, Kudoz to you. Don't call people stupid for having their beliefs, because yours is not yet a fact, just faith.
Hey, go easy on him. I have no kids, but me and my wife are both closet atheists as well. If our inlaws found out, it'd basically ruin our relationship with them. I work with fellow members of my faith. If I came out, I'd lose job opportunities, it would impact my ability to make a living. Being brave is great and all, but people also have responsibilities to provide for their families. Faking a religion sucks. Growing up destitute would suck more. Give the man some leeway.
me 2 if i was GOD i wouldnt put someone to hell for eternity! i would make them suffer 10 seconds in hell for every sin they made....all eternity is harsh...thats why im. christian athiest!
Completely agree with your reasons, although i wouldn't consider number 2 as a very important reason... unless your parents are REALLY religious. And as to #3, not only the reasons you gave but also socially in a small town your kids will most likely be alienated, teased, picked on.
I think these are all good reasons to be a closet atheist, I wish you the best of luck. Its sad that being honest about who you are will risk everything you care about. I suspect this is the same thing that LGBT's go through when they grow up in a small town. There are no easy answers here. Maybe god is testing you, lol just kidding :)
In this comment i will prove to you there is a god. I want this to be an active conversation, so PLEASE REPLY! Ok, so first of an example, you see a watch on the ground, how do u think it got there? Someone left it there. Right? So how do u think that watch was made? Now answer honestly! Tell me what u think.
Haha, that tired old argument? I'd assume a watchmaker made the watch, so where do I think the even more complicated world came from, and then I'm supposed to go "I never thought of that" and convert to your religion? Sorry, but we have a fairly good (and rapidly improving) understanding of the forces that have shaped our world, and neither your god, nor anyone elses god, shows up.
no. If there has to be a watch maker to have a watch, then wouldnt it make sence that there would have to be a dna maker to have dna. And a human creator to have a human. Not the same arguement, once again an atheist thinking they know everything. Ha ha
Plan, I have said this before. The watch is inanimate. Inanimate objects NEED creators. A watch isn't made by ONE person. The components are not either. And it has been observed that order CAN come from chaos. You do not understand what you're talking about so quit spamming. And you're still creating the argument of "what created god?". OF course you can then say that "God doesn't need a creator" which is utter bullshit. Offspring isn't conceived with ONE animal. It takes TWO!!! So many flaws...
I love this video because I feel the same way. I was raised in a fundamental, bible preaching family. It's not just my immediate family but all of my extended family. I would be looked at like an outcast and an evil person if I were to admit my true feelings. I would never want to see that disappointing look on my parents face. I think it would be heart breaking for me.
b1rdn05 1 month ago
I sympathize with your situation but heck no you should come out. you do FAR more damage to your family, children and others like you by not. This world NEEDS to know that we exist. There are I would bet around 30% or more of people in areas like yours that are stuck like you seem to be. And it would make it a LOT easier if they knew they weren't the only ones.
yashaouchan 1 month ago
Time to move my friend.
joemantex 2 months ago
you are a coward. you are making up excuses. stop being a coward.
069maverick 2 months ago
omg I love this song! :( but it is also the theme song to losing my faith
MyEmmaLeeRose 2 months ago
Be tolerant but keep in mind the importance of coming out. The kids r more resilient than you think and they need an honest, opposing view.
julzabro 3 months ago
I am sorry that you apparently live in such a closed minded environment. I am an atheist and have been since I can remember. Though my parents are not (my dad is a Catholic and my mom is Lutheran), I still grew up an atheist and I have never made any attempt at hiding it. I remember having discussions with friends in the fourth grade about religion and have always been a very vocal atheist. I love fighting religion with extended family. If your family can't accept your beliefs, fuck em.
SisMorphine 3 months ago
While your reasons are totally understandable, it is for this reason that we are minorities here. While you say you are tolerating religion you yourself are scared that no one will tolerate your choice. It's kind of tug of war between what you definitely feel is right vs. what you have to do to keep your family safe in a certain environment. It must be tough. Maybe some day you can move somewhere a little more populated and won't feel as unaccepted.
Antimidation 4 months ago
!! word net wakker !! jul sal nog eendag die lig sien ... vir die wat dit vertaal, hoop jou storie is reg
Arramasta 5 months ago
most americans dont realize that america was founded because people wanted to get away from religious intollorance. i truly belive our founding fathers would be ashamed by how much christianity controls this country. and yet it seems the most religously oppresive christians are the ones waving american flags. because they dont understand that what once made this a great country has been lost in their need for leaders to be of the same faith as them. and they wonder why the terrorists hate us.
panda0100 5 months ago
:-( Don't teach your kids to besheep. It'sss not about you or them. As countless revolutions in the past someone has to take a stand to make change. Rosa Parks etc. You don't have to just say, I'm an non thest bitches. You can be quite suttle and gain thest symppathies.
NarlyZX12 6 months ago
I think you meant to say "Religious Intolerance" at the end there.
deedeevanbraeden 6 months ago 8
@deedeevanbraeden No, he meant "Religious tolerance" cause he has to tolerant religious people.
sunstar7watcher 1 month ago
I had compulsory religion all my school years, was an atheist at the age of 14 and come out only 30 years later.
People could have taken me for a non-practicing Christian; I wasn’t an issue remaining in the closet, it more of an ignoring the religious pressures, and kindly refuting any religious invitation.
saintpine 6 months ago
Don't hide, we need more people to come forward and not be afraid. We live in a world of reason now. Its ripe for the taking, we just can't hide anymore.
TheMasterHippy 7 months ago
grow up
danielfact 7 months ago
I find this video sad. You used very appropriate music. Thank you for answering the question of why you are what your screen name means. I understand all too well your situation. I won't judge you. Come out...but only when YOU are ready :) .
Jaybird196 8 months ago
Is it really that bad in the USA? : /
MrDelusionalPenguin 8 months ago
@MrDelusionalPenguin it is where i live. in a 1 mile stretch of road i counted six cult houses, and last weeken i had 2 different cult members knock on my door and try to sell me on there crazy,primitive,cultic,crap.
maestro4110 8 months ago
or maybe fear....
kevinpwalsh 8 months ago
I think you are getting mixed up. Religion is not God.
sidecrank 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@sidecrank "think you are getting mixed up. Religion is not God."
You’re right, religion cannot be something that doesn't exist, religion affects us, it's all around us, god is nowhere.
saintpine 6 months ago
why do WE have to hide though? we're the only ones helping this rotten, religious world.
dathotki 8 months ago
@dathotki well we are living in the united states of jesusland where it's everyone thinks there god is right and all other religions are wrong.. I once watched a muslim kid get attacked for praying by "christians". it's a sad sick world...or nation.
kpgpwi64 8 months ago
You need to grow a pair.
robweenerpi 9 months ago
Religious Tolerance: oxymoron
steveb0503 10 months ago 2
It doesn't matter if your wife loses business. Principles before profit.
Being truthful won't make your parents won't drop dead of a heart attack. I guarantee it.
If you truly care about your kids you won't let them live one more second with the psychological torment that is religion.
CambridgeHeights 10 months ago 2
I hope the final comment was sarcastic, because you're not being tolerant by hiding your beliefs for the sake of others. You're just merely responding to others' intolerance.
If I were you, I'd get out of that town as soon as possible, then eventually come out on trips back. If your so-called friends and family disown you for it, then fuck them. They aren't worth it.
bms2535 10 months ago 2
OK, I was all in there agreeing totally, until that last caption came up. Are you saying it goes counter to religious tolerance to even say out loud to theists that you're an atheist...that doing so is somehow intolerant??
ChuckyJesus666 10 months ago
@ChuckyJesus666 No what he most likely meant by religious tolerance was that there isn't any in his town. That if he came out as an atheist there would be close to no tolerance for him or his family should it turn out that they share the same position. Being an atheist in the southern states can be quite difficult sometimes.
slickwick45 10 months ago
@slickwick45 Yes, and I know this first hand all too well!
ChuckyJesus666 10 months ago
Change the end to "Because I care about my family"
iliveon 11 months ago
It is perfectly fine for you to be a closet atheist. The only requirement is that you never try to convert other people or to assert that your belief is better than others. In order to that you would need to backup that by being open.
I see no problem for you. For your kids though. If you are raising them as religious when you are an atheist then there is a problem. If your kids ever ask you about your faith in god and you lie, then you are morally small.
BornOfSong 11 months ago
@BornOfSong "The only requirement is that you never try to convert other people or to assert that your belief is better than others"
?? I don't undersand, it's OK for religious people to tell a lie to kids, but not ok for an atheist to tell the truth ?
"If your kids ever ask you about your faith in god and you lie, then you are morally small."
At most, he's making sacrifices for his kids for what he believes the best for them. and who's moral standard can you judge this as small ?
saintpine 6 months ago
@saintpine Half quoting only gets half of what I said. The whole point is that if you are a closet atheist then you can not ethically tell others why they should be atheists. Be a closet atheist, just not a closet atheist that tries to convert people.
He/she is not making the sacrifice for his kids. He/she is doing it for himself. I am sure his kids would appreciate honesty. If the kids adopted atheism and decided to keep it a secret and he supported them, that would be for them. This is not.
BornOfSong 6 months ago
Amen! for "in the closet" is where the Holy of Holies truly hears you.
mythmanjay 1 year ago
Congratulations on being featured.
CadicusTheDamned 1 year ago
No need to sweat it - just stop going to church. You don't need to make a big thing of it. If people ask tell them that your beliefs are a personal thing and you don't feel the need to share with them.
shumble32 1 year ago
I am very grateful to be a mathematics professor; atheism is more the norm in at least certain segments of academia.
ultraollie 1 year ago
That must really suck, I can understand why you're doing this. Tell you what though, if it becomes unbearable; migrate! There are many countries where atheism is much better tolerated; I'm a fairly outspoken atheist in Australia and that has no effect on my life. I have friends of all different religions, or atheists, and there is no animosity between us; we all have different beliefs and for the most part, respect them. Sometimes I wonder how "free" America really is :p
suracs 1 year ago
you got my empathy dude
i wasn't a closet atheist anymore. The good thing is I end up convince my mom and some of my friends but three of my siblings hate me for that and one of them never want to see my face even if it's a family meeting.
But in the end we are family and things seem to get better as time goes by.
Th0usandMaster 1 year ago
My sympathies for you my compatriot.
The idea of standing up for what you believe in is never as harsh as the reality.
GrapplingIgnorance had the same trouble.
StealthMarmot 1 year ago
Go ahead tolerating religion until it kills us all. Then will you still be worried about your dad dying of a heart attack? Oh wait, he was evaporated in the nuclear bomb as well.
Why was I so tolerant?!? Nooooooooooooooo!!!
eatingperson 1 year ago
I am not a closet atheist myself. I am very open about being an atheist, and it's something I'm proud of...
I grew up in a fanatic christian family, being told exactly what I should believe. A few years back I started making my own decisions, and I broke free from the chains of christianity and told my parents the truth, that I were an atheist. Sure, they got upset at first, but over the years they have learned to deal with it.
Don't be afraid, this is a free world. Admit that you're an atheist.
RealmofJocken 1 year ago
whenever i became an atheist, i had no idea that there was so much animosity towards it! it was a big mistake coming out.
no worries tho, now im a reborn christian closet atheist!
2nDoppelganger 1 year ago
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2nDoppelganger 1 year ago
people who are closet atheist are fucking cowards
maestro4110 1 year ago
@maestro4110 Tell that to someone in a country where they could be killed or practically exiled for it.
smiledammit24 1 year ago
@maestro4110 The scene from "School Ties" comes to mind... I think if I called you out on that you wouldn't show up... would you bitch?
2nDoppelganger 1 year ago
Your poor children, what a horrible father you are for trying to send your children to hell.
God have mercy on you & your families souls.
CNANDEZ9 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@CNANDEZ9 "Your poor children, what a horrible father you are for trying to send your children to hell. God have mercy on you & your families souls."
How sick of you, on your standards, at best he is going to hell, but his kids don't even know he is an atheist.
Come to reason before that fairy tale takes over your life.
saintpine 6 months ago
great points. I can't blame you for your decision. I love how each of your reasons are out of concern for someone else, too. My only criticism is that the term 'religious intolerance' seems for fitting. Sure, it's a more negative perspective, but the intolerant don't deserve any sugar-coating.
rhcp500 1 year ago
those are pretty good reasons. its pretty lame that it has to be that way
johnnythesailorman 1 year ago
this feels kinda strange, because in scandinavia there are more atheists than christians. its even hard to understand this actually happens
ratmrulesyou1 1 year ago 29
@ratmrulesyou1 I live in Scandinavia too and I also find this hard to believe.
Come on America, leave the dark ages like the rest of us!
HailTheLulz 1 year ago
@ratmrulesyou1
Only in America!
Charmolution 9 months ago
@ratmrulesyou1 More Icelandic horses and more intelligent people. Time to move?
MegF142857 9 months ago
@MegF142857 haha maybe so ;)
ratmrulesyou1 9 months ago
@ratmrulesyou1 I can imagine. I don't know where you live in Scandanavia but i read somewhere that 89% of people in Sweden are not religious which is strange for me because i live in Britain and the percentage of non-religious people is somewhere between 40 and 50%.
ifanguitar 8 months ago
@ifanguitar live live in sweden, so yeah.
ratmrulesyou1 8 months ago
@ratmrulesyou1 Scandinavia, here I come!
RighteousRebel430 2 months ago
@RighteousRebel430 seriously
nanabanana3893 2 months ago
@nanabanana3893 We are 85% atheists in Sweden.
Awzomk 1 month ago
@Awzomk I'm totally in the wrong country.
nanabanana3893 1 month ago
@RighteousRebel430 but im not sure about norway :s
ratmrulesyou1 2 months ago
I think these are good reasons to be closeted. Spread your thoughts here on youtube instead! Don't commit social suicide for some sort of 'greater good' that's the privilege of the religious...
Ignorantf00l 1 year ago
Shouldn't have you fiinshed on a slide rather saying: "religious intolerance" ?
Acrimonator 1 year ago
I'm the only who couldn't give less what people think of me?
Londron 1 year ago
Dude, move. Get away from those people! Atheists are everywhere! Sure you love your parents! But, in order to be yourself, you've got to move away! Don't let the world around you be the only world you know! Move to a better place! Get a new job! Tell your kids the truth! AND BE FREE! BE FREE!!!
demandevidence 1 year ago
I completely agree with the video. It isn't worth what it would do to my parents if they thought my eternal soul was damned. Religious tolerance is precisely my point. As Thomas Jefferson said "What do I care if my neighbor worships one god or twenty." I bite my tongue because I don't need to destroy my family.
imstillalive0331 1 year ago
@imstillalive0331 Well, how can progress be made toward true religious tolerance if you stay closeted? That will only allow people to hold on to their misguided understandings of the world. I admit I've lost friends over my atheism and I now my relationship with my father is even more estranged, but I've found it to be worth it because I've made new friends and I'm proud of spreading awareness. Also, it's your family's misguided beliefs that may destroy them and not you!
lgbuzals 1 year ago
@lgbuzals the only person i hide it from is my mom. the woman had to deal with me going to iraq for four years, i'm not going to slap her in the face. she isn't out there saying "fags should die" or anything like that. all i'm saying is that if my mom needs to pray to an invisible man so she doesn't worry about me, or if she needs to believe that she will see me again if i get killed, i'm willing to tell my mom i'll see her on the other side. frankly, i think anything else would be selfish
imstillalive0331 1 year ago
@imstillalive0331 this condemening all hope of progress as a society... Yeah, let's tolerte their intolerance to the level where we have to hide ourselves... What tolerance are you talking about ?
Acrimonator 1 year ago
@Acrimonator i mean i can tolerate my mom telling me 'jesus saves' because she is a nice woman that had to rely on something for four years while i was in iraq. i guess what it comes down to is that i'm not an asshole that wants to make my mom cry. who the fuck are you to judge my family and call them intolerant? you don't know a fucking thing about me you limp dick little fuck. if i could reach you, i would choke every breath of life out of you for saying it. look up the definition of tolerance
imstillalive0331 1 year ago
@imstillalive0331 I've judge your family ? Are you paranoid ? I was talking more globally, answering you about religious tolerance being only one way, that we must tolerate their intolerance toward us.
Looks like this intolerance has contaminated you to the point where you reject what you are. How frustrated.
And you dare to tell me to look for the word tolerance after your burst of hatred and threatening me of death...
Sorry, but you're the only asshole here actually.
Acrimonator 1 year ago
This has been flagged as spam show
@Acrimonator @imstillalive0331 i fully acknowledge that beating the shit out of you would be a primitive and barbaric response, but i don't care. while i may have exagerated the extent of the damage, there would be no doubt who won. my parents recieve scorn from their friendsbecause of their stance on homosexuality and mutual respect of differences with other religions.
imstillalive0331 1 year ago
@imstillalive0331 Yes, perhaps you'd won... But what would you really win... Being the bully, nothing to be proud of... And where's the "freedom" you defend in your reaction ?
Acrimonator 1 year ago
@imstillalive0331 Came to think a little about your rant... No wonder you're in the army with such hatred and will to do harm to other without any good reason. You demonstrated so eloquently that your intolerance is your motive to kill others. I can deduce from there that you're also selectively racist, surely homophobic and definitely a dangerous person.
Acrimonator 1 year ago
@Acrimonator wow. "selectively racist, homophobic, and dangerous"!? you only prove yourself to be a presumptive prick. you call my family intolerant without knowing their doctrinal beliefs? you dare to accuse me of reckless disregard for my fellow man based purely off of my job title? you judgemental ass! no wonder you are a condescending little shit- you base your views off of preconscieved notions of a certain minority of people. almost like a racist... and i PROTECTED OTHERS from being killed
imstillalive0331 1 year ago
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imstillalive0331 1 year ago
@imstillalive0331 LOL, "i PROTECTED OTHERS from being killed". In Irak ? LOL Continue to lie to yourself... You've only protected the economical interests of a minority who brandish patriotism as a virtue so that some people like you have something to fight for, and as I already said, an excuse for a barbaric behaviour they couldn't unleash in any decent society. You're their pawn.
And again, I wasn't talking specifically about your family, but you're blind to that, only to justify your anger.
Acrimonator 1 year ago
@Acrimonator they are libertarian and don't believe that they have the right to force anyone to believe or act a certain way any more than anyone has the right to tell them what to believe or act. in that respect they are far more tolerant than you. the fact that they would be sad if they thought i was going to hell has NOTHING to do with tolerance and everything to do with what they feel. you are intolerant of what they believe based on YOUR beliefs. stop being so elitist
imstillalive0331 1 year ago
@imstillalive0331 Again, I wasn't specific about your parents but as you insist on bringing the subject up, here what I think.
They don't have the right to force anyone's belief but think that people who don't think like them goes to hell and deserve ETERNAL TORTURE... That's what you call tolerance ? And actually YOU bring these beliefs they-don't-push-onto-others here. I was putting in perspective the fact that believing atheists deserve hell IS intolerance. And that is not an insult.
Acrimonator 1 year ago
@Acrimonator I for one was able to see the flaws my parents had (i fought over my dad's racism for 20 years) as they were not perfect, you on the other hand react like a little child who's unable to realize that his parents are human normal being that can be criticized like the others. They even had sex, isn' that crazy ?
Acrimonator 1 year ago
this underlines the basic principles of why myself as an atheist wants to believe but simply cant.
WilkoPhilip 1 year ago 6
i feel sorry that you have to hide the fact that you are an atheist. i too was afraid of what happends to me if i reveal that i am atheist.
gooddarkjedi 1 year ago
it would be fun if your entire village were closet atheist, none willing to risk the possibility of rejection, none willing to stand up for their beliefs, maybe you should contact someone from outside your village, ask them if they could have a speech somewhere about atheism, maybe some people that dont have as much to loose as you will stand up for their disbeliefs and form a community, maybe the result will be tolerence towards atheists..
just an idea :)
JollSSteR 1 year ago
My situation is different but there are still members of my family I will never tell. My grandmoster is in her 90s and very religious. I do not see the point in upsetting her. One of my uncles is a preacher I do not see the point of telling him so he can try to save me. He saved me enough times when I was a Christian because he though I went to the wrong church. I don't have children but I have seen what can happen to kids who are atheist so I definately don't blame you.
zodiakranch 1 year ago
its too bad that such a double standard exists! we Atheists have to tolerate the hatred and the violence and bad will of theists, and in return we are expected to have 'religious tolerance' for them.
mathdude28 1 year ago
then i found a second job. difficult to do in 2008 when everything was going out of business!
i am still all by myself. but at least my sense of self is intact. and no one can take that away from me.
mathdude28 1 year ago
stay strong friend. i know it is hard to b a closet atheist. i have been through some religious shit myself. even physically attacked once, when it was discovered that I didn't beleive in a god!
i grew up in utah. as a mormon. when I discovered myself my entire family rejected me. the whole neighborhood rejected me. it was surreal.
having been turned suddenly out on the streets like that, and no freinds to go to, i speant time on the streets and in shelters for a while.
mathdude28 1 year ago
There is no such thing as religious tolerance.
wesselbindt 1 year ago
MOVE TO DENMARK :)
northernateist 1 year ago
@ClosetAtheist
Those loved ones are not your loved ones because if they were they'd accept you without you having to fit their mold. This is conditional love, Jesus did not teach this, why do people take the text and their religion first and then the teachings last?
gokebe 1 year ago
Don't let them religious douchebags try to manipulate you.
POWER TO ATHEISM, FUCK INTOLERANT CHRISTIANS.
Imhornydadcomeinside 1 year ago
@VictorphoenixDMvault You see, here is the real answer. I can show you proof, I can give you the correct answer, but that doesn't mean you will be persuaded. You wish to believe a lie because it fulfills your intent. Your intent is to discredit the truth of the Bible, so you will always take a contrary view of any passage that needs deeper scrutiny. You will say the same about me I am sure, so we must just agree to disagree.
orderofmelchizedek1 1 year ago
@VictorphoenixDMvault) Here is the explanation for your original example. (Matthew 1:1) The genealogy establishes the linage of Jesus through His step father Joseph. Luke 3:23-38 is Jesus' linage through Mary his mother. Luke states in verse 23 ..."And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli." The differences in the two genealogies is that Matthew 1 is Joseph's linage and Luke 3 is Mary's.The Bible is trustworthy.
orderofmelchizedek1 1 year ago
@VictorphoenixDMvault @VictorphoenixDMvault )( 1 of 4) I could defend my beliefs to you, but I think a better approach would be to make an Illustration, then ask a question. In Isaiah 45:7, we read where God says in part; "I make peace and create evil". Now, to an atheist, this is a prime bit of info to slam Christians with, God creates evil, so how is man guilty of evil on his own? This is a classic case of a verse being mis-understood. If we look deeper at the origin of the verse we find that
orderofmelchizedek1 1 year ago
( 2 of 4) there are two key facts that need to be considered.(1), The word translated “evil” is from a Hebrew word that means “adversity, affliction, calamity, distress, misery.” Notice how the other major English Bible translations render the word: “disaster” (NIV, HCSB), “calamity” (NKJV, NAS, ESV), and “woe". (2) The context of Isaiah 45:7 makes it clear that something other than “bringing moral evil into existence” is in mind. The context of Isaiah 45:7 is God rewarding Israel for obedience
orderofmelchizedek1 1 year ago
( 3 of 4) and punishing Israel for disobedience. This is normal. My point here is that while it is easy to just take the verse at face value and condemn God, it would be an error to do this. The real meaning of the verse can be found by digging a little deeper, but in order to do this, you must want to know the truth, and herein lies the question, are you interested in truth, or are you just wanting to collect more ammunition to attack Christians with. Friend, the passage you mentioned.
orderofmelchizedek1 1 year ago
( 4 of 4) can be explained in a similar way, but I wanted to use this one because it is a very strong example. You must remember, the Bible was written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. It would be unlikely that there would be no words whose meanings need closer attention. Be careful about passing quick judgement. The Bible deserves to be cautiously disseminated.
orderofmelchizedek1 1 year ago
@VictorphoenixDMvault Friend, my only comment to your post is the part about it being safe to live as if God doesn't exist. You are in great peril, but I am under no Illusion that my words will have any effect. As far as the balance of your post, only the God of the Bible inspired prophets to write down His Words, exactly as He dictated them, this is why the prophecies came true exactly as the author wrote them, in many cases long after the author had died. Again, I know you do not believe it.
orderofmelchizedek1 1 year ago
In small town US, I would not put it past your kids being assaulted and your property destroyed for being an atheist. I have a friend whose house was burned to the ground by a rabid fundamentalist.
1RadicalOne 1 year ago
My dad personally said to me, and i quote," I will take this foot and shove it up your ass." if i was.
MrB0BS4g3t 1 year ago
That's so sad ...I really feel for you guys ...I probably don't have to tell u this, but do what ever you think is right for your kids and your lively hood, and we in the atheist community support you wholeheartedly.
slimdeala4life 1 year ago
I can totally understand where you're coming from. Just don't lie to your kids!
freethinker923 1 year ago
If you insist upon disbelief in God, what you must say is, "Having the limited knowledge I have at present, I believe that there is no God." Owing to a lack of knowledge on your part, you don't know if God exists. So, in the strict sense of the word, you cannot be an atheist. The only true qualifier for the title is the One who has absolute knowledge, and why on earth would God want to deny His own existence?
orderofmelchizedek1 1 year ago
Quit being such a pussy, it's better to stand up for what u believe than to cower behind the thought of what others think. I too live in a small town with the same sort of small town thinking. Believe me when i say i'm an atheist people freak but unless we stand up for what we believe we'll never be heard. Bill Maher says that there's 12 percent here in the USA already(Atheists that is)
RomanContreras420 1 year ago
So sad you have those problems in America. Things like those make me happy for living in West Europe :-) In most European countries atheists and agnostics are about 40-50% of the population so there is NO social presion against us. At least not in my country although the Catholic Church is always trying to force the Government to do what they say about certain issues.
Fortunately we have a 'liberal' Government so we're free from its influence by now.
HuanManwe 1 year ago
wow that sucks.
Christine
christinepeace 1 year ago
If people discriminate me for who I am, they don't deserve to know me. This includes relatives. If they tell me how to live my life, I will never talk to them or ask for advice from them again. Period.
JuniorDExchangecore 1 year ago
The main reason I haven't come out is because of my grandparents. They are extremely devout Catholics and I don't want to cause them the pain that would come with my atheism. They've had enough troubles. I doubt my parents would care too much. My mom is episcopalian, dad is catholic. We attend catholic church maybe 5 times a year and my dad doesn't even receive communion, so neither is very religious. The shit will hit the fan when confirmation time rolls around though.
dumhole327 1 year ago
If I were you, I would have gotten out of that town a long time ago. If your folks and neighbors are going to try to deny you sovereignty in holding beliefs, it's this simple: **FUCK EM**
odenskrigare 1 year ago
I myself live in a 99.9%-religious country. Christians and Muslims basically make up our society in general. We atheists are considered as more than just a minority, and finding a fellow atheist (in person), for me, is like finding a needle in a haystack. Living in a religious society is hard for many atheists, especially if you don't have someone who respects your beliefs or who is an atheist him/herself to aid you.
I feel your pain, dude. Just remember you're NOT alone.
daangelo29 1 year ago
Im so sorry. I know personally exactly how you feel.
Vegans4judaism 2 years ago
I'm so sorry to hear this story. It breaks the heart. I would suggest that if you didn't mind uprooting your family, move to a place like The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and (ironically) St. Paul. Its very nice here and we have a good atheist community. If you choose not to then I hope you remain well and well hidden.
rbmc3 2 years ago
Really? I'm from there/here and i RARELY meet any :(
UDontThinkMuchHuh 2 years ago
move to Denver? I'm VERY openly atheist here and nobody openly judges me here. In fact I feel free due to my lack of religion. Sure, my family doesn't appreciate my conclusions and would rather believe what they grew up in, and I'm sure my grandparent's aren't aware, but I've been an atheist since I was maybe 15 or 14 and i've been one for many years. In fact, I rather enjoy expressing my commitment to the scientific and methodological pursuit of understanding what is truly reality. I'm happy :]
FallOfTheColossus 2 years ago
wow!! im so sad for you!!! be you!!! stop the worring of others!! god or no god,,, be good, thats what you teach your kids.... just be good!!!
out4blood34 2 years ago
@out4blood34 As wonderful as this sentiment would be in an ideal world, people suck in the real world. I wish he and his family could be open, but I wouldn't wish the persecution his kids would suffer at the hands of their "friends" on anybody.
joe3eagles 1 year ago
You can become a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church. They welcome atheists there.
The UUist Church also respects parents' wishes of giving children a physicalist oriented education, and can provide competent science teachers.
LiberdadeHedonista 2 years ago
@LiberadadeHedonista Hey, are you the same person who suggested me to be the member of the UUist Church? Just wanna ask if there's a UUist Church here in our country (Philippines).
daangelo29 1 year ago
You're a closet atheist because of religious tolerance? What is that suppose to mean? Also, why would you surround yourself with people like that? I really can't see why someone would feel that living a lie would be worth it (I'm not you so I don't know your mentality but it is something I just cannot grasp). My relationship with my mother suffers because I am an Atheist but my life is so much fuller because I live true to myself. I can't imagine lying everyday.
rylraven13 2 years ago
To me the idea that Americans have to be closet Atheists is so bizarre, it's like being a closet Vegetarian or a closet punk rock listener, or a closet Anime fan or something. If you ever get a chance to travel you'll find that non believers are the majority outside of the US... and any Muslim country.
luke666808g 2 years ago
I'm sorry that you feel you have to be a closet atheist.. I do hope you will come out soon..
Good luck to you and your family.
angryatheistdotnet 2 years ago
If your family and friends abandoned you, they aren't worth it. Give your kids more credit.
audiesmomma 2 years ago 11
Thats pretty much about it. I however have been increasingly more and more vocal.. especially when I am told I will burn in hell.
The thing all religions have in common is that they are all wrong.
The truth shall set you free.
iversonmatthew 2 years ago
A man's ethical behavior should be based effectually on sympathy, education, and social ties and needs; no religious basis is necessary. Man would indeed be in a poor way if he had to be restrained by fear of punishment and hope of reward after death. (Albert Einstein)
sweffe96 2 years ago
In this case, as in many mental disorders, the cure lies in a clear knowledge of one's condition and its causes. We must be conscious of our alien race and draw the logical conclusions from it. It is no use trying to convince the others of our spiritual and intellectual equality by arguments addressed to the reason, when the attitude of these others does not originate in their intellects at all. (Albert Einstein, 1934)
sweffe96 2 years ago
The reason you are a closet atheist is you are a coward. you support discrimination by hiding and giving the impression that atheism is something to be ashamed of. When the bigots suss you out and make you and yours suffer, don't come crying to me or other out atheists, you are enabler of discrimination, selfish, and without regard for those who must follow. You are in collusion with hate. I hope you are exposed and find yourself alone to face the ugly music. Shame on you.
Rubberspaz 2 years ago
It's a double-edged sword...
If you come out, you face the wrath of all those who disagree.
If you don't come out, your voice is not heard, you are not true to yourself or to your family.
I'm not saying 'flaunt it'...I'm just saying that it is better to announce than to not (if asked, of course).
supermanlives1973 2 years ago
When the gays and lesbians came out of the closet years ago,they didn't think about losing their jobs, or being ostracized. Some of them even lost their lives in doing so. I think we atheists need some big gay balls.
Come out of the closet right the fuck now. Start with your parents,tell them that you are an atheist,then call your siblings,cousins, and other family members. If they really love you they won't care about your religious preferences. Don't forget your friends too!
prgamer 2 years ago 15
@prgamer I just told my parents there is no need for a big show saying i am an atheist...if anyone asks I tell them what I beleive (or lack there of) I am not ashamed. My father is very accepting my mom begs to differ thou lol.
degillin 1 year ago
My boss emails us and asks us to pray every time she hears of a misfortune of someone she knows. If she knew I was an atheist I would get bad evaluations and would lose my job. That is why I am a closet atheist.
ohsnap31 2 years ago
If you get promoted,then come out of the closet,that way they cant do anything and if they do, call the ACLU.
prgamer 2 years ago
Because you choose to tolerate intolerance, your kids and going to grow up Christian. How can you live with that. Imposing religion on young kids is akin to child abuse.
morphinemoniza 2 years ago
Families raise their kids with religion and it's child abuse? wtf dude, I'm all for religious tolerance but that's such bullshit. As kids they don't know what religion is anyways, as in the true meaning behind it. You could impose the religion on them to educate them about it and then when they mature they can make their own researched decision on the matter. Child abuse? fuck that, next thing you know telling your kids that santa claus exists will be child abuse because of the emotional trauma
noxert323 2 years ago
Some people start thinking after they're mature enough, but many are so brainwashed by the time they get old, there is no change.
xxxrrrxxxrrr 2 years ago
I'm somewhere between skepticism and Christian universalism......whilst attending Assemblies of God church!!! Boy, am I a black sheep. Anyway, about kids, my 10yo daughter who senses I no longer believe like the church teaches asked me if I want her to believe what I believe. I told her that's your decision, but really I don't care what you believe as long as it doesn't make you crazy or make you do evil or stupid things. What really matters in life is what you do, not what you profess.
averagebear1 2 years ago
on the good side its great that you are an athiest but a coward you are in the closet. the only valid point you can make is that your wifes business may suffer. as for your parents and children suffering there are ways to express yourself and your beliefs without hurting others. remember, your kids are yours and not your parents, raise them with the beliefs you want to instill in them and let them sort it out when they can think for themselves.
deanfaust 2 years ago
what a sorry ass video... i figured this is from rural u.s. hopefully more people will come out of the atheist closet and change things for others like u
saadaya 2 years ago
What this video shows is that there can be great costs and sacrifices to be made in return for upholding our beliefs (or unbelief). However, that doesn't mean that the costs aren't worth it...
rakoon3434 2 years ago
lol you are so lost without the lord...i was just like you...thought the bible was nothing but fairy tails! but being a christian just seems right! i mean i know theres a god this all couldnt have just come here on its own...ask yourself why are you here??? Do you have a purpose? go outside and look how perfect the grass or the flowers or the clouds are! no big bang could make that happen..if that did happen then wouldnt everything be so different???God bless you
badasscajun17 2 years ago
"just seems right"
I'm afraid that's not evidence and it's not a valid argument.
"kalam cosmological argument"
Just type those words into youtube search and you'll see why atheists don't accept the other half your statement (well that and the anthropic principle).
borrofburi 2 years ago
if you read about evolutionary biology you can easily understand how all of this could have happened. yes i do have a purpose and it is tormenting christians. my grass looks perfect not because of any god but because of scotts,craftsman and a lot of hard work..it still doesnt even look that great.
deanfaust 2 years ago
lol i know god's real..thats why im not athiest, i was but one day he came to me in a dream, and a bible that ive threw away 2 years ago was (when i woke up) was on the side table by me. and since then ive been a christian, you have to believe to see god clearly...believe i was stupid like you, and chritianity just makes me feel great, cause i see god through every good thing in my life, in the bible it says if you open to me, i will open too you
badasscajun17 2 years ago
the bible does have some great things to say but it also tells when its ok to kill your wife and how to treat your slaves. god to you is a real as the voices a schitzophenic hears. real to you, yes, but real to the world, no.
deanfaust 2 years ago 2
JESUS FUCKING H CHRIST that is fucking retarded and nobody cares
prgamer 2 years ago
badasscajun, you can't "know" god exists, that's why they call it "Faith." Just because you had a dream and a bible 'mysteriously' appeared on your bedside table does not mean that FACT God exists. I do believe in a God, what that God is I'm not sure yet. What I do know is that I don't believe that Christianity got it right. My search continues. As for you I guess you found your niche, Kudoz to you. Don't call people stupid for having their beliefs, because yours is not yet a fact, just faith.
noxert323 2 years ago
"lol you are so lost without the lord"
So you believe someone is lost and as a christian your response is to laugh at them and mock them!?! seriously dude... Bad form.
Rubberspaz 2 years ago
I still think we should all come out even for the reasons stated. Although a good video, we owe it to our species.
muzeus 2 years ago
Congratulations. So let your kids do the difficult job of coming out as freethinking atheists. YOU OWE IT TO YOUR CHILDREN TO SPEAK OUT, COWARD!
NeedsEvidence 2 years ago
Hey, go easy on him. I have no kids, but me and my wife are both closet atheists as well. If our inlaws found out, it'd basically ruin our relationship with them. I work with fellow members of my faith. If I came out, I'd lose job opportunities, it would impact my ability to make a living. Being brave is great and all, but people also have responsibilities to provide for their families. Faking a religion sucks. Growing up destitute would suck more. Give the man some leeway.
NoAntecessor 2 years ago
Don't worry friends. Better days are coming. One day we will all be able to speak our minds and not fear repercussion. Keep on the good fight!
chefschult 2 years ago
me 2 if i was GOD i wouldnt put someone to hell for eternity! i would make them suffer 10 seconds in hell for every sin they made....all eternity is harsh...thats why im. christian athiest!
badasscajun17 2 years ago
I hate being a Closet Atheist.
If my parents found out,
They wouldnt love me
anymore.
Swinging8thsman 2 years ago
Do you live in the bible belt of america?
bombarderoazul 2 years ago
Completely agree with your reasons, although i wouldn't consider number 2 as a very important reason... unless your parents are REALLY religious. And as to #3, not only the reasons you gave but also socially in a small town your kids will most likely be alienated, teased, picked on.
ZeusPR 2 years ago
I think these are all good reasons to be a closet atheist, I wish you the best of luck. Its sad that being honest about who you are will risk everything you care about. I suspect this is the same thing that LGBT's go through when they grow up in a small town. There are no easy answers here. Maybe god is testing you, lol just kidding :)
fireflygirl246 2 years ago
I think you're an idiot
AdamNagele 2 years ago
okay. ANY ATHEIST READING THIS READ ON!!!
In this comment i will prove to you there is a god. I want this to be an active conversation, so PLEASE REPLY! Ok, so first of an example, you see a watch on the ground, how do u think it got there? Someone left it there. Right? So how do u think that watch was made? Now answer honestly! Tell me what u think.
Planb2276 2 years ago
Haha, that tired old argument? I'd assume a watchmaker made the watch, so where do I think the even more complicated world came from, and then I'm supposed to go "I never thought of that" and convert to your religion? Sorry, but we have a fairly good (and rapidly improving) understanding of the forces that have shaped our world, and neither your god, nor anyone elses god, shows up.
snarkhunter 2 years ago
no. If there has to be a watch maker to have a watch, then wouldnt it make sence that there would have to be a dna maker to have dna. And a human creator to have a human. Not the same arguement, once again an atheist thinking they know everything. Ha ha
Planb2276 2 years ago
a watch does not self replicate like organisms do therefore it does not have the potential to undergo biological evolution.
theamazingmac 2 years ago
"If there has to be a watch maker to have a watch, then wouldnt it make sence that there would have to be a dna maker to have dna."
and a god-maker to have a god, and a god-maker-maker to have a god-maker, and...
altonhare 2 years ago
Plan, I have said this before. The watch is inanimate. Inanimate objects NEED creators. A watch isn't made by ONE person. The components are not either. And it has been observed that order CAN come from chaos. You do not understand what you're talking about so quit spamming. And you're still creating the argument of "what created god?". OF course you can then say that "God doesn't need a creator" which is utter bullshit. Offspring isn't conceived with ONE animal. It takes TWO!!! So many flaws...
DemonicCathode 2 years