Yes... Call me. = ]
congratulations brother!!!

Congratulations on joining the world of Reality, please do come out of the 'closet' and be proud of yourself and your great achievement, fear not the ' faithfools' and their insipid responses for that is ALL they have and NOTHING more.

I hear a lot of this and really want to empathize. When I left the church I was living in a very liberal part of the country and no one paid any attention. In fact a woman who was the office manager for the school in the parish I was volunteering for actually took me under her wing and helped me transition out. Later, I met and married an Iranian woman who was atheist from the time she could reason. She did not understand the hold of religion on people. It pains me to hear how difficult is has been for others to have to go through what they do for something, seemingly so simple. This is why I have really grown to despise religions and feel I am an anti-theist.

I find the concept of “coming out” quite strange and am beginning to realise just how lucky and privileged I have been all my life. I have never needed to hide my true self, my opinions and lack of belief in god from anyone. I can’t imagine what it must be like for some of you who have, through doubt and critical analysis, thrown away what must have been something believed and accepted from birth. I admire and respect all of you, especially those whose families and spouses are still believers...it must be almost impossible in some cases to maintain relationships. I live amongst believers in the main, but none of them hold it against me that I’m an atheist and it’s never a topic amongst my friends...we just live and let live. I’m glad that your suicidal thoughts have receded since throwing off the burden and guilt of religion, I know first hand from close relatives of my husband’s that some forms of extreme religious observance can lead to suicidal thoughts. There were three suicides in his family...his father’s generation, all of them were extremely religious, Plymouth and Closed Brethren ....their religion literally drove them mad! One drank Paraquat, a weed killer because he was testing god. If god wanted him to live he would have saved his faithful servant! Crazy, deranged thinking. My advice is....just be true to yourself, if you are attracted to men then say so, you are gay and an atheist....that is what you feel, and what makes you you. Don’t let anyone tell you it’s wrong, because it isn’t.

Suicide? I don't understand. Did someone tell you that atheist were more prone to suicide? I guess that's because I never believed in gods or demons. Mom made me go to church, but it never took. I was disruptive because I asked questions. I don't hold up a banner or wear some 'atheist' symbol. If someone argues or preaches at me, I return the favor.

In my opinion, you did not decide to be an A-theist, you just became one out of observation, logic, reason and intellect.

I don't think I ever decided to be an atheist. How much of what we are able or unable to believe is really a conscious decision? I was in my twenties when I decided to be okay with my atheism, though.