I don't know if atheists need more like me but I need more like me...I miss the experience of simply "being" without religion playing any type of part. But I also totally understand how someone moving over from religious to non believer would sincerely need to communicate to others about that deep of a change. Id think there would be confusion, anger, probably some mourning too in their position.

It may be that my living on a farm in the Bible belt now vs Chicago for 30 years just adds some fuel to that fire. Since all they EVER want to talk about is first: what church you belong to and then "libtard atheists" even though there are plenty of conservative atheists as well. Kind of like they think libtards don't own guns, when every liberal I know is armed.

I don't like feeling like a unicorn. And I really miss just going out with friends to dinner or a play or out for a beer on a patio in summer and catching up on our lives. No religious talk involved. Good times.

you know, I never thought it was strange til a fe years ago when one of my friends said, "You realize that you are rare. You didnt have to shed any religious dogma in order to become who you are.. Most atheists are first gen and so have battles within themselves"

I come from a long line of individualists. Im 56. My maternal grandfather was a rationalist. His daughter refused to go to church and so she was allowed out of it. My dad was also an atheist. (btw, they were all from the Missouri Ozarks) which is shocking to most people.

My sister and brother and I were raised atheist...and now my nieces and nephews are all atheists and one had a daughter who she is raising atheist. SO 5 generations of atheists so far.

My friend brought it up because it puts me in a strange situation with both religious and atheist people. Obviously religious people have no use for me. But when I have tried to have relationships with atheists, its really something they talk about a lot. And for me, since it is a non issue, ... I find it difficult to talk a lot about it beyond agreeing that religion is ridiculous. If that makes sense. I was never damaged by it or had to relate to it ever.

I want to state that anyone coming out of a religious family as an atheist has my highest admiration. I can't imagine how difficult that would be. I have spoken to many new atheists and Im in awe. I mean bravo! You really are a free thinker.

You can ask questions.

First, thanks for telling me a bit of your story. I'm a bit envious but really more curious and intrigued. I wouldn't be the person I am today had I not lived the life I've lived so I don't have regrets that I was raised Christian.

As I mentioned, I am a first generation atheist and I'm the only one I know of in my family. In fact, my stepmother and my half-sister are both born again Christians. They used to "work" on me to get me converted until I finally asked them to stop. Their thinking was that I was misguided at best and just dead wrong at worst. They love me and want to see me for all eternity in heaven so they have to convert me. They pray for me all the time but at least I got them to stop doing it in front of me and expecting me to listen. I just patiently and quietly wait them out. I don't pick fights and I don't make scenes. My thinking is that if their faith helps make them better people or gives them joy then who am I to try to take that away from them. Yes, I think they are delusional but that my opinion and I keep it to myself. We have an implied agreement of never talking about religion. It works so as to keep domestic tranquility and maintain two relationships that are important to me. I can live with that.

@KLMFTFW I don't know why Im never alerted to any messages or responses, but look, its 2020 and In seeing this now. You know whats really funny? If there's a nun in the room, Im there. I have known some of the most hilarious radical nuns in my life. I have a parish nurse out here who I adore and was, you guessed it, a nun before deciding to marry and become a nurse. Still deeply religious. And I just adore her.

She recently called me and asked if she could come over to talk a while. Absolutely! And when she came here almost the first thing out of her mouth was, "I want to talk with you about global warming. Can we do that?" and I almost fell over. Yes, of course we can.

So we sat down to a lunch of leftover whole hog sausage and cabbage and did just that. Of all the people out here with their crazy religious blinders on, here's this 75 yr old ex nun, parish nurse who after we spoke about global warming, global dimming, that we don't have the 50 years everybody keeps batting around and what to expect as far as a raging planet, she thanked me and said she was sure she would be able to talk to me about these things and get the truth.

Big heart emoji She's so lovely and real.

But still, she can't wait to sit at the feet of her savior and lord Jesus Christ in Heaven. So........ there's that. But she never judges and never pushes.

you are a free thinker in the truest form then.