Atheism

An atheist could be the most altruistic, outgoing, charitable person you've ever met, or the most evil person on this planet, or somewhere in between. The good, the bad or the ugly. We cannot say anything about them other than they don't use religion to justify how they live.

That said I've run into atheist forums that became borderline cults. And I say that as an atheist and a skeptic. I remember reading a site by PZ Myers called Pharyngula which was ostensibly about evolution but turned into a cult called Atheism+ which tacked its own beliefs onto a lack of belief. It became so obnoxious it reminded me of Globo Gym in Dodgeball "we're better than you and we know it!" . Fortunately they're nothing these days but it shows cults don't need the supernatural, they just need groupthink.

B-b-but what's stopping you from cursing and drinking if you don't believe in god?

Oh! Right! I'd forgotten about that. I don't drink, smoke, and I limit swearing. That did lead people to assume I was religious, when the exact opposite was true.

As an atheist vegan, I.... fuck I've done it again.

People who think they can "always tell" if someone is trans

"Toupée fallacy"? Interesting, I only know that as survivorship or selection bias.

I've never met IRL someone who fully rejects all types of supernatural belief, as I do.

You have now. I think of all religion the exact same way as I think of Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, Roman and Greek Gods, Harry Potter, etc.

And I don't mind sharing that belief, either. I'm not rude about it, I NEVER bring it up ony own, but I also won't politely accept their superstitions as a logical argument for ANYTHING. If we're doing something because God wants us to, then I'm against it. Show me a real reason that isn't a fantasy, and I'll consider it.

Religious reasons are the same as saying Mickey Mouse told me so, and I would have absolutely no problem saying "I'm not doing this just because your "God" says so, give me a real reason," no matter who is in the room. That's not being rude, being rude is demanding I do something stupid because YOUR psychopathic imaginary friend says so, and you're terrified that he will punish you if we don't. I'm not doing something I disagree with, just because you are afraid of your own imaginary friend. Go fuck yourself with your childish nonsense.

It helps that I'm self-employed, and my incompetent boss has the same beliefs as me.

Hello! Fully atheist 79+ over here. I grew up in a Protestant Christian home, even taught Sunday school, but somehow never really caught the bug. I flirted with a mother goddess/earth spirits flimflam for a while when I was in a hippy phase, but soon came to my current stance: I'm glad some people find comfort in myths and fairy stories, but I don't buy any of it. Death is the end, there is no soul (I mean, look around you!), no afterlife, no heaven or hell. It's all methods of social control or (at best) self-soothing.

Luckily I've never had to deal with being ostracised for my atheism. The closest I've come was a friend chastising me for blasphemy. I pointed out that you had to be a believer for it to count as blasphemy. She also tutted about some Mexican-style skull decorations in a cafe, and I had to break it to her that it was some weird Christian thing, a bit like the Roman torture device she was wearing, lol.

Not just any though, MY form of atheism.

Unified Atheist League or United Atheist Alliance?