My nonbelief started in Sunday school when I was about eight. No one could answer my questions. I wanted to be a very good little girl so I tried to convince myself that I believed and was baptized at 12. That's a very normal age for baptism. Before the baptism I went into the preachers office and ask for some reading material about what the Methodist Church believed in. He looked at me like I was crazy and essentially told me it didn't matter what the Methodist Church believed in and if I wanted to be a good little girl I would just believe in Jesus. It seemed that after that I began believing less and less in Jesus. I continued with church until I was about 17. My friends all went and I wanted to fit in. I've always loved nonfiction and as I read about other cultures that kind of cinched the deal for me. I didn't like the leaving the unsaved out and all the wars between religions. College and new friends sealed the deal.

i never really had or needed one. i didn't feel alone in my atheism; i was already alone for being a jew. i got chased, hit, called names, had pennies thrown at me -- but i didn't feel alone by virtue of believing something different, since i was religious and i couldn't tell that my tormentors were either. it was all social bullying, not like they were trying to convert me or anything. kill me maybe lol. so when at 15 i realized there were no gods -- and i did this without any inspiration from any books or speakers or anyone at all -- it wasn't as if i was going to make an announcement. i think i told my best friend and she turned out also to be an atheist; it couldn't have been a big deal because i don't remember how we found out; we just always talked about everything, as best friends do. so i never felt the need to do any research or anything.

g

George Carlin.

The inspirations are all the people of this community that helped me to be enlightened person I am today.

My parents and grandparents.

My Mum

Carl Sagan.

Bill Nye the Science Guy

Matt Dillahunty and Hement Mehta

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, childhood obsession with dinosaurs and growing up in a fossiliferous area.