A Theist. Atheist.

Easy to Tell What You Are.

If someone tells you that they are a Theist, you don't think much about it. But if they say they are an Atheist, you may get nervous. So relax. I am not an Atheist but I definitely do not believe in any kind of god. As I understand religion, all of them, you have to take the “god” on faith. That is what belief is all about. NO EVIDENCE.
The Atheist's problem is the same: no evidence that there isn't one somewhere. So personally I think there isn't one.
I also think that there is much absence of any god actually giving a damn.
I was raised to be a Christian. Confirmed. Baptized. Even thought about becoming a priest! Then the science soaked in. Where is the evidence? I asked myself. Couldn't find any I answered. Why not I asked? Isn't any I answered.
So. I had to "come out" as an atheist. Not easy to a lapsed Catholic mother and a "pillar of the church" father. They "clucked" and essentially told me that I would eventually come to my senses. I have, and there still is no evidence.
Even now I avoid the inevitable fruitless discussions by answering to the inevitable question: "I don't go to church. I'm not a Christian." Very few follow up. One of the perks of being a non-believer is no fear of eternal punishment and damnation from a loving god. I sleep at night. Another perk is no tithe to a sexist homophobic chauvinist bunch of old men (yes, some young ones too).
And, I don't always have to find out WWJD before doing anything. I pretty much know WWJD and pretty much agree with him. Instead I ask WWWD, and then just DO it.
On balance I probably miss some social contact with nice people, but many are kind of closed minded, and wouldn't want to hear the facts as I understand them anyway. Over the years the majority of my friends have been and are believers. Real friends. The kind that accept you for what and who you are, not what they think you should believe.
And as for being a former Atheist? Well, the absence of proof does not in and of itself constitute proof. So having no proof of the absence of any kind of god makes those who claim no god a kind of reverse believer. So in that sense I am definitely a believer. I believe that there are no gods. Many of you believe that there are. Who is right? Why I am, of course. “Woody said it, I believe it and that is the end of it.”

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