Is is just me, or does this title fit a good portion of the people that post in the Rant & Raves? Personally, I am a Heterosexual Conservative, God-fearing Christian, but to each their own. Before you get all froggy & jump, I have many friends from all walks of life & that includes homosexual liberal.....well, I don't know any atheists.

Basically, I just wanted a reason to post this pic. Ya'll can Rant & Rave about it. Have fun & I'll enjoy reading.

I didn't "decide" one day to be an atheist, I came to understand and accept it. Big difference from what I wrote in the previous post.

It's amazing how many people don't understand that. Atheism isn't something that one day we just randomly decide sounds good. I firmly believe that for most of us, it is a gradual realization. Sort of like coming to the conclusion that "wow, so that's what I am". And even after coming to that conclusion, it's something that most of us struggle with for years before we accept. I saw on the news about two weeks ago, that Atheists are the most distrusted segment of the population, and to me that's horrible. That's exactly why most of us struggle with the realization that we are Atheists. We understand that simply because we happen to believe differently than the vast majority of the world, we are looked down upon, considered to be second-class citizens in many cases, and likely to be discriminated against. I think that Atheism is very much like homosexuality in that we don't actively choose to be the way we are. We just are. For me, even after 18 years, church and the Bible just never felt right. It felt like someone was trying to tell me this huge story that didn't make sense. My Atheism isn't something I am open about, though, unless I am close to the people around me and someone asks me what I believe. That's simply because I know how people react. Wheetsin's said it before, you can tell how people really feel about Atheism and Atheists when you tell them. In many cases, you can see the disgust cross their faces.

You guys should see the taxes in Tennessee. We have 9.75 percent sales tax.

Tell me, did you claim to be agnostic before you became an atheist? Or did you just go straight from religion into atheism?

Tejas.. I like that a great deal!!!

Does that mean like AZ you don't know if you are part of the US or Mexico?

Actually, we think we are still an independent republic.

laurend: That is disgusting! 9.75 percent sales tax? Far out! When I moved to Texas from Orlando, which had 6% sales tax, I went into shock everytime I bought anything. But 9.75%! Good grief!!!

Bubble: Once again, I'm a little slow on the uptake. Do you live in Texas? Or own property here? I thought you lived in Arizona? How is Texas' tax situation worse (?) than Arizona. Admittedly it was a long time ago since I lived in Arizona and things could be much different there now. If that's the case, I wouldn't mind moving there when DH retires.

If I remember correctly, back then the sales tax was high in AZ as well as a nasty personal property tax that we had to pay every year.

Carlene: Now you're beginning to sound like Quebec, Canada.

Bubble- most people do think that TEJAS refers to the Mexican influence, but we toured something or other in San Antonio and they told us that using the word Tejas didn't originate from Mexican influence.

Carlene could probably enlighten us further. I'm not a real Texan. Only married one and hopefully that stuff doesn't rub off on me with any regularlity. I'm from Oklahoma and proud of it. Although I try not to proclaim that aloud around here. There is some cowboy discrimination here against us redskins. And many of those ya-hoos pack pistols!

GASP!!!! You toured "something or other" in San Antonio???? Do you mean the sacred-to-all-Texans shrine of the Alamo???

As far as I know, tejas is Spanish for "friends" and was the name given the region we now know as Texas.

laurend: That is disgusting! 9.75 percent sales tax? Far out! When I moved to Texas from Orlando, which had 6% sales tax, I went into shock everytime I bought anything. But 9.75%! Good grief!!!

My sales tax, state and local, is 8.25%. But remember, we have NO state income tax.

It's amazing how many people don't understand that. Atheism isn't something that one day we just randomly decide sounds good. I firmly believe that for most of us, it is a gradual realization. Sort of like coming to the conclusion that "wow, so that's what I am". And even after coming to that conclusion, it's something that most of us struggle with for years before we accept. I saw on the news about two weeks ago, that Atheists are the most distrusted segment of the population, and to me that's horrible. That's exactly why most of us struggle with the realization that we are Atheists. We understand that simply because we happen to believe differently than the vast majority of the world, we are looked down upon, considered to be second-class citizens in many cases, and likely to be discriminated against. I think that Atheism is very much like homosexuality in that we don't actively choose to be the way we are. We just are. For me, even after 18 years, church and the Bible just never felt right. It felt like someone was trying to tell me this huge story that didn't make sense. My Atheism isn't something I am open about, though, unless I am close to the people around me and someone asks me what I believe. That's simply because I know how people react. Wheetsin's said it before, you can tell how people really feel about Atheism and Atheists when you tell them. In many cases, you can see the disgust cross their faces.

You know what I still laugh about? I used to work for Mayo Clinic, actually I'm on an extended LOA from there. But at Mayo you can't stand on your tippy toes with arms outstretched while spinning without hitting an atheist. The people LEAST likely to look down their collective noses at us are the nuns. But the patients... if they knew they would go into shock agian.

It is the patients we care for (and do a mighty fine job of it, btw) that snub their noses at atheists. I've been chastised for being a good Christian girl working on Sundays before. HELLLLOOOOOO?? Who would take care of them if we didn't?

I've been slam dunked from other atheists for not being honest about my atheism at work. Well, why should I? I've lied through my teeth about my lack of beliefs before. And I'll likely do it again. If I have some older lady going to surgery and she asks me to stop and pray before she has major surgery, is that really the right time to debate religion? HELL no! I bow my head with everyone else and while they pray I think about if the OR is prepared for the procedure or if I have missed anything. The patient is comforted, I have my 3rd chance to get things organized, and all is good.

I don't understand why people just don't get it. Atheism is not a choice, it is something one comes to accept and acknowledge. That does not mean we suffer the loss of theism (while some do miss the fellowship and friendships it brings), it means we accept reality and that we can't always tell others our lack of belief.

Was that what that little building was??

Ok whatever they told us said that most people would think that Tejas was the term for friend and that most people think that's why it is so accepted in Texas, but that it really didn't start out that way.

I will ask the "other" half (he's in trouble tonight) if he remembers what they told us. To be honest, I don't think it was the Alamo.

Bubble I realize that this will be a lot like asking if I know a friend of yours who lives in Texas, but I have a friend who worked in Oncology at the Mayo - Carol Kane, later Carol Lemke. Any knowledge of her? An awesome, awesome lady who took great pride in the work she did at Mayo. A few years ago, they saved her husband too, from esophogeal cancer.

I'm from Oklahoma and proud of it. Although I try not to proclaim that aloud around here. There is some cowboy discrimination here against us redskins. And many of those ya-hoos pack pistols!

Actually, we Texans owe Oklahoma a huge debt of gratitude. It is what keeps the great state of Texas from sliding into the Gulf of Mexico because......

OKLAHOMA SUCKS!

******This is a joke, and an old one at that, so don't anyone take it personally. Texas/Oklahoma rivalry is an honored tradition. You are welcome to even the score by posting your favorite Texas jokes, and I promise not to take offense.*******

Tell me, did you claim to be agnostic before you became an atheist? Or did you just go straight from religion into atheism?

I didn't go straight from anything to anything.

I was really struggling with Catholicism and I decided to honestly study the bible and try to understand it. The more I read the more I knew I couldn't believe that no matter what. The priest is supposed to go over the entire bible in sermons every three years. Yeah, MY priest sure left out a lot of juicy parts. So I realized that it was Catholicism that just wasn't for me. I searched high and low, I joined non-demoninational churches, I studied other brands of Christianity and I just couldn't find one that I could believe. But, I liked Jewish people. So I took a leap of faith and went to Jew classes. Did all the right things and converted to the Jewish faith. Wow, that didn't work either.

Then I tried New Age. I was an official New Age Twinkie. I chanted mantras, I kept crystals in my bra, I went to Bell's Rock in AZ and waited for martians, I did it all. I'll have you know that I didn't just channel spirits, I taught others to do it as well. There are still people that not only talk to their dead gma but they hear her too, thanks to me.

Finally I just gave up and realized that no matter how hard I try I am what I am. I know too much, I know how Christianity came to be, I know how the formal religion came to be, I know the good and the bad and I can't force myself to believe it. I just know too much.

So today my religion is to be the best person I can be. If that isn't good enough for some God that might be out there then I just simply can't do better. The only other thing I can do is lie and pretend I believe. Maybe that is what a God requires, but I require something different. My best quality and my biggest fault is my honesty. That just isn't something I am going to change so I am atheist and I'm totally okay with that.