My fellow enlightened people not giving in to blackmail of the hypocritical wave of religiousity in Nigeria, I beg you it is time to have our own organisation (our church if you like). I can no longer cope on my own. They think I am the problem. They think I have a mental problem. They make me feel like a bad person who hates and disrespects God. I have a terrible reversal of fortunes and they have adjudged it to have been caused by my "anti-God" stance.

Let us come together physically and show them each of us suffering under their persecution isn't really alone or mad. Successful one amongst us please come and show that not all of us are having a hard time because we do not follow religion.

Please if you are in Lagos, register here so we can start quickly once we attain the modest number of 10 people. Some people else should please start similar for other states. Drop any means of contact please. Let's form our own church and help one-another. These people give one-another practical assistance and attribute the success to "God" while we come here to blow big big grammar and refuse to close ranks and show them we know what we're saying. Jesus started with an oppressed 12; today they're billions oppressing people like me. More details later. LET'S DO IT.

Mods: FP things pls except you're also one of the religion gurus, in which case, I'll understand

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I'm with you buddy. I'm not based in Lagos so might not be of help location-wise.

I'm not an atheist. I'm just someone whose knack for asking hard questions is leading me on the path away from religion.

I used to be very sophisticatedly religious. You know the ones that think their high scriptural consumption puts them on a pedestral. Those that think the Jehovah Witnesses, Deeper Lifers, and majority of christians are not in tune with the real doctrines of Christ, the New Creation Reality guys. I was so zealous and knew scriptures from front to back. I could quote copiously from it and in different translations of the Bible simultaneously. I evangelised and 'led' many to Christ unfortunately, believing Christ death was the ultimate.

Then I started digging scientific materials and found out that the real foundation of my Belief, the Bible, is hogwash. Until then, I was so blinded that I didnt know it was so badly written. I had spent time trying to rationalize the contradictions therein that I didnt take time to vet the logic.

I launched into more and more resources and felt very deceived at my previous beliefs.

I'll be back.
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You could join the preexisting Nigerian Humanist Association.

I am an atheist based in lagos . I am in

[b]
I try to avoid absolutes, I have tried that as a religious zealot, the more reason I won't categorically say I'm an atheist. But if there indeed is a god, then it is not an Abrahamic god. It cannot be an abrahamic god!

I still have questions especially about 'miracles' but the more I research, the more my dogma is blown to pieces about the supposed 'supernatural' experiences.

It's indeed enlightening and saddening at the same time to see the things we call supernatural due to our ignorance.

If the Christian god is bad, then the Islam god is worse. The level of deep indoctrination cannot be seen until you take a step back and see what majority of people do due to emotions and crowd mentality.

Ages past, a thunder is seen as a voice from the gods. Almost all diseases were attributed to witches and wizards. Therefore, the things we don't know now, which the religious attribute to their gods for lack of explanations, will be revealed. Give science time to unveil these mysteries.

There is no harm in saying, "I don't know yet", but the religious are always quick to attribute the unknown to their god. Yet over and over again, science comes up to provide valid explanations.
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mmsen: You could join the preexisting Nigerian Humanist Association.

It doesnt exist, smartazz


They arent registered in Nigeria (they've been continuously turned down from being regsitered for "religiously bigoted unspecific"reasons)...but they have a facebook

TheBigUrban2:


It doesnt exist, smartazz


They arent registered in Nigeria (they've been continuously turned down from being regsitered for "religiously bigoted unspecific"reasons)...but they have a facebook

Not being registered means that they are not recognised by the state that is not the same as not existing.

mmsen:


Not being registered means that they are not recognised by the state that is not the same as not existing.

You are right

Please let someone volunteer a means by which we put down our contacts, location and get others they know to do same so we move to the next stage of looking for a place to begin meeting. To those interested in the normal long talk with no result, trust me, I know Nigeria and will try to avoid the trap. If you lived my life, you wouldn't be engaged in abstractions. I had joined the Humanist Movement on fb, saw mostly one person blowing all his high philosophical argument with nothing to show for it. I wrote and begged for real meetings, citing reasons, all to no avail. I excused myself. Interestingly, all my posts on their page vanished. You would have read all I wrote.
Simple requirement is to drop your contact and prepare to meet others on a scheduled basis, share birthdays and other celebrations, do business, etc. The list is endless.

Am in also. Am a astrologer/numerologist by profession.

#teamagnoctism

Subscribing with Alacrity. #TeamAgnostic

#team atheist
#team agnostic

joseph1013:
I'm yet to physically meet someone who shares my skeptical views, and knowing what I know, it's not difficult to know why.

Nigeria is such a religious place that you don't want to be at the receiving end of persecution from these folks.

Leaving direct phone numbers here will be readily abused by the religious. Heard tales of calls to verbally harass.

So, I suggest we keep this thread active, and get folks interested to send you a Nairaland Private Message. We exchange details of physical meeting places via such a platform. That way, folks in same locations get get to congregate and others who happen to travel alot can breeze in to venues anytime they find themselves in such locations.

More ideas needed.

Thanks man. That's well thought out. This is the reason I'm not asking and haven't myself put any such personal details on here. From my estimation, it is almost 10 people already. What remains now is to exchange contacts and plan venue. Remember, this isn't a place to meet and express anti-religion. It's a place to actually forget religion for once and enjoy one-another's company. I envisage we will have a time for anyone to give a talk on any area of knowledge including religion so that others might learn new stuff. But mostly, it would be a club where we look out for one-another, present ourselves on any member's celebratory occasions or sad occasions. Truth is, as things stand right now, most high-sounding atheist or whatever they're labelled as, will be buried in a religious way with a prayer to God to forgive their "stupidity" except there's an organisation they also belong to that's strong enough. We have to reverse the losses and persecution we face in Nigeria as a result of our position (not belief as I feel it is the religious people that have beliefs)

Let me take a lead on this thing and do this: please send your contact to shouterosi@yahoo.com

The contact may be e-mail, twitter handle or whatsapp number. I'm unlikely to make voice calls to individuals at this stage.

Thanks to you all

blackprowler:

Thanks man. That's well thought out. This is the reason I'm not asking and haven't myself put any such personal details on here. From my estimation, it is almost 10 people already. What remains now is to exchange contacts and plan venue. Remember, this isn't a place to meet and express anti-religion. It's a place to actually forget religion for once and enjoy one-another's company. I envisage we will have a time for anyone to give a talk on any area of knowledge

[b]
I agree. It should not be a place to be overly negative and be an avenue for religious bashing. Despite my knowledge level of both sides, I still resist calling the religious unintelligent. In my interactions, I prefer laying down facts and leave those who want to consider them to do so. I rarely bash religion on nairaland. I'm just not interested in the ego-driven arguments. I do my sports and occassional politics 'jejely' on nairaland.

To those sending me PMs (I've seen three already) telling me what I'm losing in Christianity, I understand your concerns and love. I'm not angry at god. Infact I still consciously look for evidences to be a Christian again but all the facts fall flat and can't stand up to honest scrutiny. I really do want to believe again! Who wants to be alienated from loving friends and families? I have led men to Christ and evangelized earnestly. An awkward moment came a few months ago when someone I had led to Christ in the University came up to me and thanked me profusely because according to him, his christianity helped him in his trying time years later after encountering Christ.

But I can't see reasons to believe. I dare any sincere christian to pick up 'Why I believed' by Kenneth Daniels (It's available freely online) and read it with an open mind.

There is nothing to be gained for living an illusion. WE ONLY GOT ONE LIFE!
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NO CANNIBALIST IN HERE...?


I'M OUT!

Why would I wanna join an Organisation and overcomplicate my life all over again? One of the very reason that facilitated my self-exile from Christiandom is prevailing among the very people that calls themselves free thinkers?? SMH

I prefer my freedom and flexibility, thank you very much!

RayMcBlue: Why would I wanna join an Organisation and overcomplicate my life all over again? One of the very reason that facilitated my self-exile from Christiandom is prevailing among the very people that calls themselves free thinkers?? SMH

I prefer my freedom and flexibility, thank you very much!

No one is begging you to join.


Everyone belongs to an organisation...work, rotary clubs, book clubs, women's associations etc

TheBigUrban2:


No one is begging you to join.


Everyone belongs to an organisation...work, rotary clubs, book clubs, women's associations etc

What I am doesn't have a name, and I refused to dub it one by joining a cult-like internet organisation.

RayMcBlue:

What I am doesn't have a name, and I refused to dub it one by joining a cult-like internet organisation.

No one is begging you. You mistake us for christians begging to save your soul through Christ.


"Cult" is a strong word. Humanists arent a cult- they have no fetish practices other than being yourself

Doesn't matter. I'm not joining. Qualifying myself as a name in general is simply too undermining for my taste. Bye.

RayMcBlue: Doesn't matter. I'm not joining. Qualifying myself as a name in general is simply too undermining for my taste. Bye.

Bye....you've succeeded in commenting here for nothing smh

RayMcBlue: Why would I wanna join an Organisation and overcomplicate my life all over again? One of the very reason that facilitated my self-exile from Christiandom is prevailing among the very people that calls themselves free thinkers?? SMH

I prefer my freedom and flexibility, thank you very much!

[b]
I really do get your point. Very valid! It's very appealing to wanna fly off, be flexible and live life on your own terms without being in the ring of rules. To be unaccountable to no one. I also see you're in South Africa, a country that's not as religious as Nigeria. It makes sense!

But believe me, some really do need a group to belong. Some die in silence because they venture into skepticism has paved the way for exclusions and outright persecutions; they've become the objects of ridicule amongst their contemporaries. Some have gone back to trying their best to believe a 'lie' just to belong.

So it's a two-way thing. If you wanna go solo and fly off your handle and do your thing, no one is holding you. No one cares really. But if you just need a group of friends to interact, share your struggles and questions with, then this group MIGHT just be of help.

There is no need to be outrightly condemning of the efforts of others to love in the same situation.

WITH DUE RESPECT, THERE REALLY WAS NO NEED FOR YOU TO COMMENT ON THIS THREAD.
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Tried to ignore this thread at first, but my principles persisted. You refer to yourselves as free thinkers, right? Y'all mock the theist and their cultist ways, and yet you see absolutely nothing wrong in starting an online organisation of your own?? What's next on the agenda? Hold meetings, pay tithes, appoint a leader, or hold mass? The whole point of being a free thinker is to divorce yourself from all the constraints of religion and all of it's implications, right?

If you feel lonely, simply create a thread and invite the other free thinkers in for discussions but pleased don't call it an "Organisation". The name alone is absurd and makes y'all look ridiculous and fake. I imagine the theists smirking right now.

RayMcBlue: Tried to ignore this thread at first, but my principles persisted. You refer to yourselves as free thinkers, right? Y'all mock the theist and their cultist ways, and yet you see absolutely nothing wrong in starting an online organisation of your own?? What's next on the agenda? Hold meetings, pay tithes, appoint a leader, or hold mass? The whole point of being a free thinker is to divorce yourself from all the constraints of religion and all of it's implications, right?

If you feel lonely, simply create a thread and invite the other free thinkers in for discussions but pleased don't call it an "Organisation". The name alone is absurd and makes y'all look ridiculous and fake. I imagine the theists smirking right now.

You are quite silly.

Organisation is not the reason most atheists leave religion. It is because of the lies.


If 10 atheist or agnostic chose to become a group due to their shared experiences in disbelief, SO WHAT?

Are you saying that atheists or humanists or deists can not come together?


We can form chess groups
We can form gardening society
We can form debating society
We can form cultural groups
We can form a rotary club
But when we form an atheist association, IT IS BLASPHEMY!!!!


THIS IS ME SAYING TO YOU- FAWK YOU AND FAWK OFF THIS THREAD with due respects, of course

So vulgar...

You're really an embarrassment, and completely dim-witted cuz you don't get the point I'm tryna make, at all.

RayMcBlue: So vulgar...

You're really an embarrassment, and completely dim-witted cuz you don't get the point I'm tryna make, at all.

A more sensible atheist would have ignored this thread if he didnt want to join any atheist group.

But you came in here, called us an online cult and even compared us to religious creeps who are ridiculous and fake.

TheBigUrban2:

But you came in here, called us an online cult and even compared us to religious creeps who are ridiculous and fake.

Awww! So that's the cause of the grievance? Well, truth hurts, get over it. And do some growing up while you're at it. Your online behaviour is so juvenile.

RayMcBlue:

Awww! So that's the cause of the grievance? Well, truth hurts, get over it. And do some growing up while you're at it. Your online behaviour is so juvenile.

Says the troll that came to a thread he supposedly didnt have interest in and added nothing but insults

Allah's way is d the true way.