Kunena Site Syndication http://mnatheists.org Sun, 14 Mar 2010 06:18:03 -0600 Kunena 1.0.10 http://mnatheists.org/components/com_kunena/template/default_ex/images/english/emoticons/rss.gif http://mnatheists.org Kunena Site Syndication http://mnatheists.org/component/option,com_kunena/Itemid,171/func,view/catid,12/id,1226/#1228 Wow! 16! I am 28 yrs old and went through a lot of the same things you are too. I was raised in a lutheren neighborhood where if you wanted to fit-in (and stay out of trouble) you had to be christian. These were people who would gladly ostracize me and make me a complete social outcast if I didn't prove that I was the same too. It was nice to know that it didn't matter that I had acne or was overweight. It didn't matter that my mom had a drinking problem or I was getting bad grades. I felt accepted and completely loved by these people until I started voicing opinions that differed or started questioning the morality of what we were beliving. Eventually you will grow into yourself and realize that YOU are who defines who you are and not your friends and family. My family was a little easier. My two uncles are athiests and so I was given a warm reception. My family has never really taken religion seriously and never forced it on us kids. It was just something you did. My neice will be the first in our family to not be baptised and it came to something as a shock to my grandmother, but she quickly got over it knowing that she will be raised in a family that understands that just because you're athiest doesn't mean that you are amoral. Moralism doesn't necessaraly spring right from religion, meaning that you can be a good, moral person without religion in your life. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Don't ever think that noone will understand you or care for you because you don't subscribe to a religious belief system. Live your life because it's the only one you will ever get, and this is your time to do something meaningful with it. I love you and I don't even know you. You are a beautiful human being and never forget that! Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:44:45 -0700