This is something I told Mr. Anony when we met in London but I didnt tell the full story. So, here goes.


I come from a christian and wealthy background. I moved to the UK when I was an older teenager and soon I became an atheist. I never had any problems in my life until I became an atheist. You see, I never really had much to worry about as my pops paid my bills and directed my life. I am well educated and very healthy.


As soon as I told my parents that I was an atheist, my problems started to come one by one. First, my dad was reluctant to give me money and my eyes were opened to the fact that I had been a lazy douchebag all my life because I never ventured on my own to get a job. Being broke is no joke when you are used to wealth.

I also had siblings who were not happy with my atheism. They thought that I had become a cultist. It was not funny at all. I was engaged in deep arguments all the time with my siblings. The arguments even lead to serious insults and abuses.


Not surprisingly, frustration and depression kicked in. Broke and being the black sheep of the family was traumatic. I started thinking of suicide because, there was no way I wanted to be broke or without my family. I turned to alcohol but alcohol was too bitter- I have never been a heavy drinker. It was like everything turned against me. I also started having nightmares. Even during the day, I was constantly thinking about death


Escaping the clutches of depression and suicide;

There were 2 things that saved me- the internet and the catholic church (yes the catholic church, ironically).

1) The catholic church;
I couldnt live broke and so I became a hypocrite rather than a broke azz. I went to church to impress my parents even though I hated every moment of it. It was working and my parents were happy. I even started forming born again and "goodie-goodie" to get more favours from my family.

This is the good thing about being educated and studying business and psychology. I made a strategy to get back on good terms with my family. I had to meet their demands with a supply of what they wanted. Furthermore, at church I would sit down and meditate while ignoring the lies that the priest would be spouting. My mediation would be on my life and how to make it better.

One thing that the catholic church helped me was to see the value in my life. The church I went to had many illegal immigrants. It was full with Nigerians, most of whom were depressingly poor. I wondered to myself how these people could still be happy and praise god while being poor and committing a criminal offense (illegla immigration). I reasoned that if these people could have hope in fairytales, why couldnt I have certainty in my common sense and intelligence?



The internet (youtube and nairaland)

I always spend a lot of time on the internet researching and blogging and so, I started watching youtube videos. There are many youtube videos that are out there to help the disenfranchised atheist. They were consoling to my soul (no, I am not talking about a spiritual soul ). I also watched as how many atheists lived and enjoyed their lives. What I learnt is that one has to be independent and live a good life before on can be left alone peacefully as an atheist. There are youtube videos that tell atheists how to live with their christian families.

I also started chatting on many websites about religion and I found people even younger than myself not afraid to stand up to the backlash from their families. With all these being said, I want people reading this to note that I didnt go to internet to find arguments for atheism; I made my own arguments (as evidenced by my unique arguing style here on Nairaland). I went to the internet for help with my frustration.


After some months, I confirmed with my family that I am still an atheist and that there is no need for me to continue living a lie. I asked my parents if they wanted a truthful son or a lying one that said what they wanted to hear. I started behaving "ultra goodie goodie" so that my family could see that atheists were not evil.

I made my family sit down and have a discussion on atheism. This was difficult but worthwhile. I refined my arguments to make the see my position. My grandfathers were pagan and died so. I told my family that the granpas were in hell. They were furious but they couldnt shout at me because I was telling the hones consequence of accepting the hell dogma of christianity. I also made many good arguments.

As of today, my family is now mostly skeptic christian or agnostic. My family is educated and this goes a long way. Another thing that helped was being catholics. Catholics look down on other churches because catholics dont do the extravagant things like tithing or speaking tongues or special delieverance. Catholics are already skeptical about miracle/magic. My family dont believe in witches but there were witches in the bible.

Nairaland

One of the best websites for me being a Nigerian and atheist is Nairaland. I was telling Anony that nairaland offers a way of meeting fellow Nigerian atheists and this gives us a refreshing feeling. It is nice to meet your fellow countrymen who have the same belief or disbelief as you. Nairaland is also part of healing process.

Now, people wonder why I can be calm on some threads and abusive on others. For me, when I first joined Nairaland, I was still hurting and so it offered a place for me to blast and hammer that frustration on religionists. It was a good psychological healing process. Let me explain the feeling;

"bashing religion, gives an outlet to remove pent up anger from atheist discrimination in real life unto potential religous bigots in the virtual world. It also gives a sense of charity as you are informing people about the dangers of religon".






NB; this story has had some salt and pepper (fiction) added to it o make it sweeter but it remains largely true.
Also, not all atheists go through this or come here to bash religion for the above reasons.

This is super story

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9Ng9--ubZc

mumumugu: This is super story

It is mostly a true story.

You try...its easy to know whats made up....

mkmyers45: You try...its easy to know whats made up....

Really? Ask Mr anony about the Nairaland part.


What part is made up? The church with illegal immigrants?

Atheists being depressed by discrimination?

Touching.
U will have a reason to serve God someday.

Reyginus: Touching.
U will have a reason to serve God someday.

never

Logicboy03:


never

lol. You can never tell. Same way you never knew you would become an atheist.

Logicboy03,

How is it fair to take out your frustrations on those who do not share your dis-belief? If you are very confident in your atheism, you should have peace in it and as such should have no frustrations in the matter of faith to take out on believers.

Very touching story...but I believe that God would arrest you someday just as he did to Saul in the bible.

I believe that God has plans for you, and with time, he'll reveal himself to you by the help of the holy spirit.

Reyginus: lol. You can never tell. Same way you never knew you would become an atheist.

Atheists hardly convert to religion. Very difficult.

seyibrown: Logicboy03,

How is it fair to take out your frustrations on those who do not share your dis-belief? If you are very confident in your atheism, you should have peace in it and as such should have no frustrations in the matter of faith to take out on believers.

Atheism is just a disbelief in God, it is not meant to give you peace.


However, anger and frustration are normal reactions to discrimination received.


I'm at peace with myself but I will bash any religionist that claims "all atheists are fools/evil" and I will complain anytime I see discrimination from religionists.

CrazyMan: Very touching story...but I believe that God would arrest you someday just as he did to Saul in the bible.

I believe that God has plans for you, and with time, he'll reveal himself to you by the help of the holy spirit.

Saul to Paul. We shall see...

The discrimination against atheists and agnostics is really bad. And its an example of how impractical love is to the Christians.

Kay 17: The discrimination against atheists and agnostics is really bad. And its an example of how impractical love is to the Christians.

Very great irony and hypocrisy.


The christians claim that God is love and christianity is loving their neighbour

Keep questioning, until you have something to hold on to.
For me, I still refer to myself as agnostic, cos I choose to believe there's something mysterious about my existence.

As for the religious gods, they remain a bunch of irrelevant bs.


Great to know you were able to battle depression and suicide. Letting go off religion was also a bit difficult for me. There was always something 'reassuring' about feeling there was this super God that got your back...

It's bravery to turn your back to the light at the end of the tunnel, face the darkness and turn on your own light..

At the end, I hope we all play our parts in making our country a better place. That's all that bothers me now.

Logicboy03: This is something I told Mr. Anony when we met in London but I didnt tell the full story. So, here goes.


I come from a christian and wealthy background. I moved to the UK when I was an older teenager and soon I became an atheist. I never had any problems in my life until I became an atheist. You see, I never really had much to worry about as my pops paid my bills and directed my life. I am well educated and very healthy.


As soon as I told my parents that I was an atheist, my problems started to come one by one. First, my dad was reluctant to give me money and my eyes were opened to the fact that I had been a lazy douchebag all my life because I never ventured on my own to get a job. Being broke is no joke when you are used to wealth.

I also had siblings who were not happy with my atheism. They thought that I had become a cultist. It was not funny at all. I was engaged in deep arguments all the time with my siblings. The arguments even lead to serious insults and abuses.


Not surprisingly, frustration and depression kicked in. Broke and being the black sheep of the family was traumatic. I started thinking of suicide because, there was no way I wanted to be broke or without my family. I turned to alcohol but alcohol was too bitter- I have never been a heavy drinker. It was like everything turned against me. I also started having nightmares. Even during the day, I was constantly thinking about death


Escaping the clutches of depression and suicide;

There were 2 things that saved me- the internet and the catholic church (yes the catholic church, ironically).

1) The catholic church;
I couldnt live broke and so I became a hypocrite rather than a broke azz. I went to church to impress my parents even though I hated every moment of it. It was working and my parents were happy. I even started forming born again and "goodie-goodie" to get more favours from my family.

This is the good thing about being educated and studying business and psychology. I made a strategy to get back on good terms with my family. I had to meet their demands with a supply of what they wanted. Furthermore, at church I would sit down and meditate while ignoring the lies that the priest would be spouting. My mediation would be on my life and how to make it better.

One thing that the catholic church helped me was to see the value in my life. The church I went to had many illegal immigrants. It was full with Nigerians, most of whom were depressingly poor. I wondered to myself how these people could still be happy and praise god while being poor and committing a criminal offense (illegla immigration). I reasoned that if these people could have hope in fairytales, why couldnt I have certainty in my common sense and intelligence?



The internet (youtube and nairaland)

I always spend a lot of time on the internet researching and blogging and so, I started watching youtube videos. There are many youtube videos that are out there to help the disenfranchised atheist. They were consoling to my soul (no, I am not talking about a spiritual soul ). I also watched as how many atheists lived and enjoyed their lives. What I learnt is that one has to be independent and live a good life before on can be left alone peacefully as an atheist. There are youtube videos that tell atheists how to live with their christian families.

I also started chatting on many websites about religion and I found people even younger than myself not afraid to stand up to the backlash from their families. With all these being said, I want people reading this to note that I didnt go to internet to find arguments for atheism; I made my own arguments (as evidenced by my unique arguing style here on Nairaland). I went to the internet for help with my frustration.


After some months, I confirmed with my family that I am still an atheist and that there is no need for me to continue living a lie. I asked my parents if they wanted a truthful son or a lying one that said what they wanted to hear. I started behaving "ultra goodie goodie" so that my family could see that atheists were not evil.

I made my family sit down and have a discussion on atheism. This was difficult but worthwhile. I refined my arguments to make the see my position. My grandfathers were pagan and died so. I told my family that the granpas were in hell. They were furious but they couldnt shout at me because I was telling the hones consequence of accepting the hell dogma of christianity. I also made many good arguments.

As of today, my family is now mostly skeptic christian or agnostic. My family is educated and this goes a long way. Another thing that helped was being catholics. Catholics look down on other churches because catholics dont do the extravagant things like tithing or speaking tongues or special delieverance. Catholics are already skeptical about miracle/magic. My family dont believe in witches but there were witches in the bible.

Nairaland

One of the best websites for me being a Nigerian and atheist is Nairaland. I was telling Anony that nairaland offers a way of meeting fellow Nigerian atheists and this gives us a refreshing feeling. It is nice to meet your fellow countrymen who have the same belief or disbelief as you. Nairaland is also part of healing process.

Now, people wonder why I can be calm on some threads and abusive on others. For me, when I first joined Nairaland, I was still hurting and so it offered a place for me to blast and hammer that frustration on religionists. It was a good psychological healing process. Let me explain the feeling;

"bashing religion, gives an outlet to remove pent up anger from atheist discrimination in real life unto potential religous bigots in the virtual world. It also gives a sense of charity as you are informing people about the dangers of religon".






NB; this story has had some salt and pepper (fiction) added to it o make it sweeter but it remains largely true.
Also, not all atheists go through this or come here to bash religion for the above reasons.

A very touching post bro! No doubts, God will surely call you home someday! Peace

@Logicboy03, i believe you, but you are different from the regular atheists, you went into atheism for similar reasons i became an atheist a long way back.

And i would have remained so, but i had ancestral gods/spirits from my bloodline line who started coming after me and tried to force me to worship them - i refused but was seriously punished physically and spiritually, and i discovered that it was only Jesus that worked against them, so this brought me back to christianity, after going through various other religions but not finding solutions.

Well, continue using your logic since it works for you, but i have seen into your future (was shown without my asking), and i have already seen that your atheism is only for a time (believe it or not).

pastormustwacc: @Logicboy03, i believe you, but you are different from the regular atheists, you went into atheism for similar reasons i became an atheist a long way back.

And i would have remained so, but i had ancestral gods/spirits from my bloodline line who started coming after me and tried to force me to worship them - i refused but was seriously punished physically and spiritually, and i discovered that it was only Jesus that worked against them, so this brought me back to christianity, after going through various other religions but not finding solutions.

Well, continue using your logic since it works for you, but i have seen into your future (was shown without my asking), and i have already seen that your atheism is only for a time (believe it or not).

Piece of crap.

musKeeto: Keep questioning, until you have something to hold on to.
For me, I still refer to myself as agnostic, cos I choose to believe there's something mysterious about my existence.

As for the religious gods, they remain a bunch of irrelevant bs.


Great to know you were able to battle depression and suicide. Letting go off religion was also a bit difficult for me. There was always something 'reassuring' about feeling there was this super God that got your back...

It's bravery to turn away your back to the light at the end of the tunnel, face the darkness and turn on your own light..

At the end, I hope we all play our parts in making our country a better place. That's all that bothers me now.

Cheers bro!


Still hate your signature though

pastormustwacc: @Logicboy03, i believe you, but you are different from the regular atheists, you went into atheism for similar reasons i became an atheist a long way back.

And i would have remained so, but i had ancestral gods/spirits from my bloodline line who started coming after me and tried to force me to worship them - i refused but was seriously punished physically and spiritually, and i discovered that it was only Jesus that worked against them, so this brought me back to christianity, after going through various other religions but not finding solutions.

Well, continue using your logic since it works for you, but i have seen into your future (was shown without my asking), and i have already seen that your atheism is only for a time (believe it or not).

Thanks men!


Unfortunately, I dont believe in spirits!

Logicboy03: Unfortunately, I dont believe in spirits!

Is it that you deliberately choose not to believe, or you're unaware of their existence?

CrazyMan:
Is it that you deliberately choose not to believe, or you're unaware of their existence?

They dont exist. You cant even define them

Logicboy03:
Thanks men!
Unfortunately, I dont believe in spirits!

Which is a good thing, i wish i could be like that too, but i could not control the circumstances of my birth.

I was born with some psychic abilities from the start, i tried my best to believe there is nothing like that - that it was just watching televisions that makes stuffs like that seem so - but so many people have given testimonies that some seemingly rubbish things i said actually happened eventually.

At the age of 4, i was said to have claimed that someone that was apparently well was going to die in a certain way and it did happened - and i was thought to posses witchcraft. And so many other evidences surround me. In fact, all these got me pissed off and i tried my best to disbelieve in everything, and became an atheist hoping i can live an ordinary life, but that period unfortunately did not last.

I have accepted myself the way I am, and have accepted the salvation of Jesus in my life, that seem to be the best alternative for me.

Frostyzone:
Piece of crap.

If it had been, i would gladly have been an atheist, in fact i used to "envy" the atheists in a way. So much freedom to do a lot of things without worrying yourself about all these religious mumbo-jumbos, witchcraft, satanism, afterlife, reincarnation, angels, demons, binding and casting, religious wars, 666
implantation, pastors chopping our money, pay tithe, no tithe etc.

And i did enjoyed my life as an atheist back then despite the shortness of the period. The christian life is a very complicated one, and sadly many are still going to get lost despite the great effort they spend serving the church.

Human beings will usually blame everything else but themselves.

"My parents did wrong." "My siblings did wrong." "The Catholic Church did wrong." "God did wrong."

Anything but "I DID WRONG."

PRIDE!

^^^Yes, it is normal human nature. Self-preservation is the first law of nature (or now all them people used to say it).

Logicboy03:



Cheers bro!


Still hate your signature though

Lolz.. Feeling guilty?

pastormustwacc:
Which is a good thing, i wish i could be like that too, but i could not control the circumstances of my birth.

I was born with some psychic abilities from the start, i tried my best to believe there is nothing like that - that it was just watching televisions that makes stuffs like that seem so - but so many people have given testimonies that some seemingly rubbish things i said actually happened eventually.

At the age of 4, i was said to have claimed that someone that was apparently well was going to die in a certain way and it did happened - and i was thought to posses witchcraft. And so many other evidences surround me. In fact, all these got me pissed off and i tried my best to disbelieve in everything, and became an atheist hoping i can live an ordinary life, but that period unfortunately did not last.

I have accepted myself the way I am, and have accepted the salvation of Jesus in my life, that seem to be the best alternative for me.


If it had been, i would gladly have been an atheist, in fact i used to "envy" the atheists in a way. So much freedom to do a lot of things without worrying yourself about all these religious mumbo-jumbos, witchcraft, satanism, afterlife, reincarnation, angels, demons, binding and casting, religious wars, 666
implantation, pastors chopping our money, pay tithe, no tithe etc.

And i did enjoyed my life as an atheist back then despite the shortness of the period. The christian life is a very complicated one, and sadly many are still going to get lost despite the great effort they spend serving the church.

There is no such thing as clairvoyance Dude. Saying that you can see someone's future in a vision is the same as saying earth is the centre of the universe. If you are psychic, then I'm also psychic and so is everyone. Oh yes, I can do some pretty good cold readings. Now, does that make me a real psychic? No, cos there is no such thing.

pastormustwacc:
Which is a good thing, i wish i could be like that too, but i could not control the circumstances of my birth.

I was born with some psychic abilities from the start, i tried my best to believe there is nothing like that - that it was just watching televisions that makes stuffs like that seem so - but so many people have given testimonies that some seemingly rubbish things i said actually happened eventually.

At the age of 4, i was said to have claimed that someone that was apparently well was going to die in a certain way and it did happened - and i was thought to posses witchcraft. And so many other evidences surround me. In fact, all these got me pissed off and i tried my best to disbelieve in everything, and became an atheist hoping i can live an ordinary life, but that period unfortunately did not last.

I have accepted myself the way I am, and have accepted the salvation of Jesus in my life, that seem to be the best alternative for me.


If it had been, i would gladly have been an atheist, in fact i used to "envy" the atheists in a way. So much freedom to do a lot of things without worrying yourself about all these religious mumbo-jumbos, witchcraft, satanism, afterlife, reincarnation, angels, demons, binding and casting, religious wars, 666
implantation, pastors chopping our money, pay tithe, no tithe etc.

And i did enjoyed my life as an atheist back then despite the shortness of the period. The christian life is a very complicated one, and sadly many are still going to get lost despite the great effort they spend serving the church.

Blah bla blahh blaaah blah..

Once I was a sinner, now I'm saved, behold old things have passed way, all things have become new...

We've heard these stories before... Bring something new to the table for the love of God....

And if u had those powers at the age of four, u should have kept them...

musKeeto:
Lolz.. Feeling guilty?

Sharaap

musKeeto:

Blah bla blahh blaaah blah..

Once I was a sinner, now I'm saved, behold old things have passed way, all things have become new...

We've heard these stories before... Bring something new to the table for the love of God....

And if u had those powers at the age of four, u should have kept them...

Did i mention losing my psychic abilities at any time?

Frostyzone:
There is no such thing as clairvoyance Dude. Saying that you can see someone's future in a vision is the same as saying earth is the centre of the universe. If you are psychic, then I'm also psychic and so is everyone. Oh yes, I can do some pretty good cold readings. Now, does that make me a real psychic? No, cos there is no such thing.

Of course there is no such thing, i think i need to see a "shrink", and do some electro-convulsive-therapy to straighten my head. Thanks.