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Coming Out Atheist: How to Do It, How to Help Each Other, and Why
Coming out as an atheist is a powerful, liberating act. It makes life better for you, for other atheists, and for the world. But telling people you’re an atheist can be risky. What are the best ways to do it? And how can we help each other take this step? In this compassionate, friendly, down-to-earth how-to guide, popular author of Why Are You Atheists So Angry? 99 Things That Piss Off the Godless and blogger Greta Christina, offers concrete strategies and guiding philosophies for coming out as an atheist. Based on hundreds of coming-out stories, the book offers a map of the territory atheists are likely to encounter and ideas on how to pick the path that’s best for you. Inspiring and realistic, kind and powerful, Coming Out Atheist is the much-needed guidebook atheists have been waiting for. Author Greta Christina is donating 10 percent of her income from this book to atheist organizations, charities, and projects.
396 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2014
9 people are currently reading
285 people want to read
About the author
Greta Christina
19 books97 followersGreta Christina has been writing professionally since 1989, on topics including atheism, sexuality and sex-positivity, LGBT issues, politics, culture, and whatever crosses her mind. She is on the speakers's bureaus of the Secular Student Alliance and the Center for Inquiry. She is editor of the "Best Erotic Comics" anthology series, and of "Paying For It: A Guide by Sex Workers for Their Clients." Her writing has appeared in multiple magazines and newspapers, including Ms., Penthouse, Chicago Sun-Times, On Our Backs, and Skeptical Inquirer, and numerous anthologies, including "Everything You Know About God Is Wrong" and three volumes of "Best American Erotica." She lives in San Francisco with her wife, Ingrid.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
April 18, 2014
I have been out as an atheist for four years, I still found stuff here interesting and useful. I would especially recommend this to anyone considering telling friends , family and /or others . For those already out as a non believer, there are many tips ( plus a wonderful resource section at the end ) that you might be able to share. five stars. not sure about recommending to believers unless they want to understand non believers a bit more (?). ie this is not selling atheism, rather it concentrates on the issue of coming pit, and does a Great ( Greta anagram ! ) job at this.
May 17, 2014
Coming Out Atheist: How to Do It, How to Help Each Other, and Why by Greta Christina
“Coming Out Atheist" is a handy reference guide on how to come out that covers a wide spectrum of situations. The book is based on over four hundred “coming out atheist stories”, data gathered from other sources and Christina’s astute observations. Iconic voice of the atheist movement and widely read blogger Greta Christina provides a much-needed coming-out guide for the masses, a great tool for coming out. This 396-page book includes thirty-two chapters and it’s broken out in three parts: 1. Why Come Out As An Atheist?, 2. Coming Out, and 3. Helping Each Other Come Out.
Positives:
1. Christina is a gifted writer. Well-written and well-reasoned book. Engaging, accessible and a treat to read.
2. A great topic; how to come out as an atheist depending on the specific situation and circumstances. True to her title, Christina never loses focus. “The focus of this book is on telling people you’re an atheist, not on becoming one in the first place.”
3. A very reasonable and sound approach. Christina never bites more than she chews.
4. The appetizer is released before the entrée is served. “Coming out atheist can make your life better. Coming out helps other atheists. Coming out cultivates other atheists. And coming out creates a better world.”
5. Compelling reasons to come out. “But ultimately, what changes people’s minds about atheists is simply coming into contact with us: seeing that someone they know, someone they love or respect or just think is a basically decent person, is an atheist.” Bonus, “Religion relies on social consent to perpetuate itself. And coming out atheist denies it that consent.”
6. This book covers a lot of specific situations on coming out as an atheist in: conservative communities, progressive communities, theocracies, U.S. military, the Internet, etc.
7. The reality of coming out. “There isn’t one magical coming out formula that’s right for everyone. So while it’s great to encourage each other to come out, we all need to do it on our own timetable, and in our own way. And we need to support each other in that.”
8. There are many parallels between coming out LGBT and atheist and many of those experiences are shared here.
9. The book is loaded with examples. One or multiple examples are bound to resonate with you. Funs stories too. “’Oklahoma tornado survivor Rebecca Vitsmun became a national atheist hero when CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked if she was thanking the Lord for her family surviving the tornado, and she replied, ‘I’m actually an atheist.’”
10. Coming out to your family provides a number of very interesting situations.
11. The impact of the Internet.
12. Quotes of wisdom, “I would rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I’m not.”
13. The chapter on U.S. Military presents some eye-opening challenges for our atheist soldiers. “Atheists in the U.S. military have the right to have “Atheist” recorded as their official religious preference, on official records, ID tags, and military headstones. But it’s common for atheists to be pressured to list “No Religious Preference” instead—or even for their preference to be ignored.”
14. Facts. “According to a 2013 Harris poll, 36% of Americans under age 35 don’t believe in God—a number that’s going up rapidly, and a trend that seems to be true around the world.” There is hope after all.
15. Personality comes to play. “Depending on your personality—and on your school culture—a “Why should I care what you think of me?” attitude can be a powerful shield against hostility. Ostracizing atheists is unacceptable and messed-up—but it has less power if you make it clear that you don’t want their society in the first place.”
16. An outstanding chapter on “The Already Marginalized: People of Color, Women, LGBT People, And Others”. I always learn something new. “For many women, coming out as atheist doesn’t just mean upsetting people’s view of us as good Christians or Jews or Muslims or whatever. It means upsetting their view of us as women.”
17. Find out Christina’s favorite story.
18. The importance of social justice. “And it’s especially important for men to talk about gender, and for white people to talk about race. I know that’s hard. Believe me, I know. It can feel like you’re walking in a minefield; it can feel like you’re going to put your foot in your mouth every ten seconds. It’s uncomfortable for me, too. We have to do it anyway.” Thank you.
19. The snowball effect. “I would argue that the snowball effect is even more powerful for atheists than it is for LGBT people. After all, coming out gay isn’t going to turn anyone else gay. It’s just going to make people who are already gay feel more comfortable saying so. But coming out atheist does make other people atheist.”
20. The Resource Guide provided is worth the price of the book alone!
Negatives:
1. Not necessarily a negative but a matter of preference. This is a more professorial Christina not the fiery, out-spoken Christina from her first digital book, “Why Are You Atheists So Angry.” I just so happen to prefer the fiery version, which resonates with my Puerto Rican roots.
2. Repetitive. Though to be fair, this book appears to be constructed to allow readers to jump into their favorite topic. Those of us who read books from cover to cover will find the repetition in say how JWs treat apostates.
3. Christina does share her personal story but I wanted to know more about what atheist arguments resonate most with her versus her disdain for the childish Pascal’s Wager.
4. I would have added a chapter on people with high-visibility/celebrities who came out while in the public eye. Atheist comedians…something to that effect.
In summary, a very solid reference guide on how to come out atheist. Christina does a wonderful job of covering a number of situations and provides guidance on how best to come out. Her advice is sound and optimistic. The reference material alone is worth the price of the book. If you are looking to help somebody come out atheist including yourself this is the book to get. I had more fun with Christina’s first book because it was an emotional experience but this one may in fact be a more important one to a movement that is dear and near my heart. I highly recommend it!
Further suggestions: “Why Are You Atheists So Angry?: 99 Things That Piss Off the Godless” by Greta Christina, “A Manual for Creating Atheists” by Peter Boghosian, “The Friendly Atheist” by Hemant Mehta, “God Is Not Great” by Christopher Hitchens, “The God Virus” by Darrel Ray, “Godless Americana” and “Moral Combat” by Sikivu Hutchinson, “Infidel” by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, “Why Evolution Is True” by Jerry A. Coyne, “Atheism for Dummies” by Dale McGowan, “Nonbeliever Nation” by David Niose, “Good Without God” by Greg Epstein, “Freethinkers” by Susan Jacoby, “Nailed” by David Fitzgerald, and “Think” by Guy P. Harrison.
“Coming Out Atheist" is a handy reference guide on how to come out that covers a wide spectrum of situations. The book is based on over four hundred “coming out atheist stories”, data gathered from other sources and Christina’s astute observations. Iconic voice of the atheist movement and widely read blogger Greta Christina provides a much-needed coming-out guide for the masses, a great tool for coming out. This 396-page book includes thirty-two chapters and it’s broken out in three parts: 1. Why Come Out As An Atheist?, 2. Coming Out, and 3. Helping Each Other Come Out.
Positives:
1. Christina is a gifted writer. Well-written and well-reasoned book. Engaging, accessible and a treat to read.
2. A great topic; how to come out as an atheist depending on the specific situation and circumstances. True to her title, Christina never loses focus. “The focus of this book is on telling people you’re an atheist, not on becoming one in the first place.”
3. A very reasonable and sound approach. Christina never bites more than she chews.
4. The appetizer is released before the entrée is served. “Coming out atheist can make your life better. Coming out helps other atheists. Coming out cultivates other atheists. And coming out creates a better world.”
5. Compelling reasons to come out. “But ultimately, what changes people’s minds about atheists is simply coming into contact with us: seeing that someone they know, someone they love or respect or just think is a basically decent person, is an atheist.” Bonus, “Religion relies on social consent to perpetuate itself. And coming out atheist denies it that consent.”
6. This book covers a lot of specific situations on coming out as an atheist in: conservative communities, progressive communities, theocracies, U.S. military, the Internet, etc.
7. The reality of coming out. “There isn’t one magical coming out formula that’s right for everyone. So while it’s great to encourage each other to come out, we all need to do it on our own timetable, and in our own way. And we need to support each other in that.”
8. There are many parallels between coming out LGBT and atheist and many of those experiences are shared here.
9. The book is loaded with examples. One or multiple examples are bound to resonate with you. Funs stories too. “’Oklahoma tornado survivor Rebecca Vitsmun became a national atheist hero when CNN’s Wolf Blitzer asked if she was thanking the Lord for her family surviving the tornado, and she replied, ‘I’m actually an atheist.’”
10. Coming out to your family provides a number of very interesting situations.
11. The impact of the Internet.
12. Quotes of wisdom, “I would rather be hated for who I am, than loved for who I’m not.”
13. The chapter on U.S. Military presents some eye-opening challenges for our atheist soldiers. “Atheists in the U.S. military have the right to have “Atheist” recorded as their official religious preference, on official records, ID tags, and military headstones. But it’s common for atheists to be pressured to list “No Religious Preference” instead—or even for their preference to be ignored.”
14. Facts. “According to a 2013 Harris poll, 36% of Americans under age 35 don’t believe in God—a number that’s going up rapidly, and a trend that seems to be true around the world.” There is hope after all.
15. Personality comes to play. “Depending on your personality—and on your school culture—a “Why should I care what you think of me?” attitude can be a powerful shield against hostility. Ostracizing atheists is unacceptable and messed-up—but it has less power if you make it clear that you don’t want their society in the first place.”
16. An outstanding chapter on “The Already Marginalized: People of Color, Women, LGBT People, And Others”. I always learn something new. “For many women, coming out as atheist doesn’t just mean upsetting people’s view of us as good Christians or Jews or Muslims or whatever. It means upsetting their view of us as women.”
17. Find out Christina’s favorite story.
18. The importance of social justice. “And it’s especially important for men to talk about gender, and for white people to talk about race. I know that’s hard. Believe me, I know. It can feel like you’re walking in a minefield; it can feel like you’re going to put your foot in your mouth every ten seconds. It’s uncomfortable for me, too. We have to do it anyway.” Thank you.
19. The snowball effect. “I would argue that the snowball effect is even more powerful for atheists than it is for LGBT people. After all, coming out gay isn’t going to turn anyone else gay. It’s just going to make people who are already gay feel more comfortable saying so. But coming out atheist does make other people atheist.”
20. The Resource Guide provided is worth the price of the book alone!
Negatives:
1. Not necessarily a negative but a matter of preference. This is a more professorial Christina not the fiery, out-spoken Christina from her first digital book, “Why Are You Atheists So Angry.” I just so happen to prefer the fiery version, which resonates with my Puerto Rican roots.
2. Repetitive. Though to be fair, this book appears to be constructed to allow readers to jump into their favorite topic. Those of us who read books from cover to cover will find the repetition in say how JWs treat apostates.
3. Christina does share her personal story but I wanted to know more about what atheist arguments resonate most with her versus her disdain for the childish Pascal’s Wager.
4. I would have added a chapter on people with high-visibility/celebrities who came out while in the public eye. Atheist comedians…something to that effect.
In summary, a very solid reference guide on how to come out atheist. Christina does a wonderful job of covering a number of situations and provides guidance on how best to come out. Her advice is sound and optimistic. The reference material alone is worth the price of the book. If you are looking to help somebody come out atheist including yourself this is the book to get. I had more fun with Christina’s first book because it was an emotional experience but this one may in fact be a more important one to a movement that is dear and near my heart. I highly recommend it!
Further suggestions: “Why Are You Atheists So Angry?: 99 Things That Piss Off the Godless” by Greta Christina, “A Manual for Creating Atheists” by Peter Boghosian, “The Friendly Atheist” by Hemant Mehta, “God Is Not Great” by Christopher Hitchens, “The God Virus” by Darrel Ray, “Godless Americana” and “Moral Combat” by Sikivu Hutchinson, “Infidel” by Ayaan Hirsi Ali, “Why Evolution Is True” by Jerry A. Coyne, “Atheism for Dummies” by Dale McGowan, “Nonbeliever Nation” by David Niose, “Good Without God” by Greg Epstein, “Freethinkers” by Susan Jacoby, “Nailed” by David Fitzgerald, and “Think” by Guy P. Harrison.
December 20, 2014
Even though this book is aimed at atheists/agnostics/humanists that are in the closet and are thinking about coming out, I still found it valuable from my out-and-vocal-for-years perspective. The closeted nonbeliever will find excellent advice on when, how, and if they should consider coming out. After outlining general advice that would apply to anyone, she drills down to special considerations for family, friends, students, women, POC, LBGT -- even non-believing clergy.
As a very 'out' atheist, I didn't expect to find a lot of information that applied to me, but I was wrong. Greta included chapters on helping others come out, community-building, and diversity considerations -- all topics that resonated with me. The final section of the book includes an extensive list of resources from websites to books to podcasts that will be of interest to out and closeted atheists alike.
The best part about this book? Greta writes just as she speaks. It was like spending a few hours with her sitting behind my shoulder telling me stories and sharing what she's learned.
As a very 'out' atheist, I didn't expect to find a lot of information that applied to me, but I was wrong. Greta included chapters on helping others come out, community-building, and diversity considerations -- all topics that resonated with me. The final section of the book includes an extensive list of resources from websites to books to podcasts that will be of interest to out and closeted atheists alike.
The best part about this book? Greta writes just as she speaks. It was like spending a few hours with her sitting behind my shoulder telling me stories and sharing what she's learned.
July 14, 2015
tl:dr -- Even though Coming Out Atheist was not what I expected, I enjoyed it and thought it had lots of great ideas relevant to new atheists as well as those who are already out of the God closet.
When I picked up Coming Out Atheist (kudos to New Orleans Public Library for ordering it!), not having read any of Christina's earlier books, I imagined that it would be much more academic in nature, with comments from psychologists, sociologists, etc, with personal stories from ordinary atheists used to string the pieces together. Instead, the commentary forms the backbone of the book. Christina had solicited these stories from readers of her blog as well as through other atheist outlets, and she pulled some from previously published books. (The copyright nerd in me sincerely hopes she obtained permission from those authors -- her acknowledgment wasn't particularly clear.)
Most of the book is structured according to who you'll be coming out to and the particular environment you're in: e.g., parents, family, work, the military, conservative communities. This structure works well to address the particular concerns and issues each one might hold, although much of the content overlaps. These central points include that coming out is usually not as negative an experience as one might expect (and often may bring out other nonbelievers who thought they were the only ones), that you shouldn't come out to anyone unless you're prepared to come out to everyone (thanks to family and personal grapevines and such), and that very few people Christina spoke with regretted identifying publicly as a nonbeliever.
I have to give special mention to the final section on building community. Every atheist, nonbelieving, skeptical organization in the country as well as their leadership all need to read that text. (I resisted the urge to scan and send it to my own board of directors.) All of the controversy about intersectionality and Atheism Plus: She nails the reasons why they are vital.
When I picked up Coming Out Atheist (kudos to New Orleans Public Library for ordering it!), not having read any of Christina's earlier books, I imagined that it would be much more academic in nature, with comments from psychologists, sociologists, etc, with personal stories from ordinary atheists used to string the pieces together. Instead, the commentary forms the backbone of the book. Christina had solicited these stories from readers of her blog as well as through other atheist outlets, and she pulled some from previously published books. (The copyright nerd in me sincerely hopes she obtained permission from those authors -- her acknowledgment wasn't particularly clear.)
Most of the book is structured according to who you'll be coming out to and the particular environment you're in: e.g., parents, family, work, the military, conservative communities. This structure works well to address the particular concerns and issues each one might hold, although much of the content overlaps. These central points include that coming out is usually not as negative an experience as one might expect (and often may bring out other nonbelievers who thought they were the only ones), that you shouldn't come out to anyone unless you're prepared to come out to everyone (thanks to family and personal grapevines and such), and that very few people Christina spoke with regretted identifying publicly as a nonbeliever.
I have to give special mention to the final section on building community. Every atheist, nonbelieving, skeptical organization in the country as well as their leadership all need to read that text. (I resisted the urge to scan and send it to my own board of directors.) All of the controversy about intersectionality and Atheism Plus: She nails the reasons why they are vital.
August 28, 2015
This was excellent. I really had no idea there were so many organizations supporting atheists. I also didn't realize how hard some people have it in parts of this country. Yet another reason I will never move to the bible belt.
October 2, 2016
Like with all of her other books, Greta's writing here is conversational and easy to read and follow. If you've ever heard her speak, in person or in an online video or on a podcast, you can easily read this while imagining her literally speaking the words to you. I love the conversational and compassionate, empathetic style of writing she has. In addition to that, while this book is more or less geared toward atheists who are thinking of coming out, there is more than a little something in here for everyone. For atheists who are already partially out, already completely out. Even theists can get something out of reading this. Great book.
June 17, 2014
Greta has a lot of experience working with the LGBT movement and draws parallels on "coming out" as an atheist to friends, family, co-workers, strangers etc. She has such a wonderful conversational tone. Even though I had a lot of the knowledge presented in this book, it's made it easier for me to frame in my own mind and apply when needed.
November 27, 2015
Repetitive.
July 6, 2017
This book surprised me by challenging me so much. Greta Christina makes a very strong case for coming out as an atheist, and I found her ideas extremely thought-provoking... although I was not ultimately convinced that I need to completely come out to, say, my parents. Christina is a very good writer, using clear prose and sharp wit. However, she repeats her thesis over and over and over as the book goes on, making it about 100 pages longer than necessary. It would be quite possible to skip a good chunk of the middle of the book, and then return for the final few chapters, without really missing anything. Still, I recommend this highly to atheists considering coming out to family, friends, colleagues, etc.
May 11, 2019
I am not really the audience for this book as I live in the UK where it is weird to be a Christian. What I was hoping to get from the book was sound and amusing arguments against Christianity. Instead, what I got was an enormous amount of repetition. There were 400 pages that could easily have been condensed to 200. I find this frustrating when there are so many other books that I want to read.
However, there is a chapter towards the end of the book that discusses how it is that the atheist movement is dominated by white men and delivers outstanding, rock-solid advice on how to correct this state of affairs. It is worth reading the book for this chapter alone.
However, there is a chapter towards the end of the book that discusses how it is that the atheist movement is dominated by white men and delivers outstanding, rock-solid advice on how to correct this state of affairs. It is worth reading the book for this chapter alone.
February 15, 2019
Very informative book on how to approach coming out as an atheist; Great Christina not only covers all possible scenarios of coming out (accompanied with numerous real life examples and stories) but also gives a detailed overview of atheist communities and resources available online that can greatly help the process.
I would definitely recommend it as a read to a person who is planning to quit religion and is looking for an advice or just wants to make things right.
I would definitely recommend it as a read to a person who is planning to quit religion and is looking for an advice or just wants to make things right.
November 2, 2017
Overall was a good book about all the details about coming out but I feel like the author is really repetitive in some of her material. Also I feel like the book could have trimmed the fat a bit and been maybe about 1/4 shorter
January 29, 2018
The author offers practical, legal, financial, safety, emotional considerations of stating secularity within many diverse groups. Lists MANY resources, references and support groups. Encouraging to the point of repetition.
December 11, 2019
There aren't many books on this topic, so I'm appreciative that it simply exists. It has good content, and is very comprehensive. It is repetitive in places, though, and I feel the writing could have been better organized.
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February 12, 2022In case you didn't know, I'm an atheist (also a naturalist).
I enjoyed hearing the stories in this book. I especially appreciated the author comparing and contrasting coming out LGBTQ and coming out as atheist, as well discussions around around intersectionality and community inclusivity.
I enjoyed hearing the stories in this book. I especially appreciated the author comparing and contrasting coming out LGBTQ and coming out as atheist, as well discussions around around intersectionality and community inclusivity.
April 24, 2014
Read this book.
If you are an atheist, or think you might be one and are contemplating telling someone about it, but not sure how to go about it, read this book. There are chapters on everything from talking to parents, other family members, spouses and partners, kids, friends, coworkers, bosses, and strangers. There are chapters specific to conservative communities, progressive communities, other marginalized communities, and even the US military. It's not a step by step guide; but it has lots of personal stories from people of a variety of backgrounds and situations and will definitely get you think about the factors that will be important to you when considering how - and whether - to come out. There's also a fantastic resource guide at the back of the book.
If you are an out atheist in some areas of your life but not others, read this book. It will give you some good ideas to think about and maybe help other people along.
If you are a fully or mostly out atheist with your atheism plastered all over your Facebook, Twitter, car, and wardrobe, read this book. It will give you some great insight on issues other people from different backgrounds can face when coming out, ideas to help others, and ideas on community building, if that's your thing.
If you're not an atheist and have no intention of being one, you might consider reading this book too. It won't talk you out of your theism. That's not the point of the book. But atheism is on the rise and it's very likely that there is someone in your life who you care about who is one and may want to talk to you about it, but won't for fear of rejection, not being taken seriously, or anger. If the idea that someone you care about is afraid to talk to you for those reasons makes you feel bad, reading this book and getting a feel for the issues they might be experiencing may make it easier on both of you.
If you are an atheist, or think you might be one and are contemplating telling someone about it, but not sure how to go about it, read this book. There are chapters on everything from talking to parents, other family members, spouses and partners, kids, friends, coworkers, bosses, and strangers. There are chapters specific to conservative communities, progressive communities, other marginalized communities, and even the US military. It's not a step by step guide; but it has lots of personal stories from people of a variety of backgrounds and situations and will definitely get you think about the factors that will be important to you when considering how - and whether - to come out. There's also a fantastic resource guide at the back of the book.
If you are an out atheist in some areas of your life but not others, read this book. It will give you some good ideas to think about and maybe help other people along.
If you are a fully or mostly out atheist with your atheism plastered all over your Facebook, Twitter, car, and wardrobe, read this book. It will give you some great insight on issues other people from different backgrounds can face when coming out, ideas to help others, and ideas on community building, if that's your thing.
If you're not an atheist and have no intention of being one, you might consider reading this book too. It won't talk you out of your theism. That's not the point of the book. But atheism is on the rise and it's very likely that there is someone in your life who you care about who is one and may want to talk to you about it, but won't for fear of rejection, not being taken seriously, or anger. If the idea that someone you care about is afraid to talk to you for those reasons makes you feel bad, reading this book and getting a feel for the issues they might be experiencing may make it easier on both of you.
August 27, 2014
A long book filled with stories of people from all social backgrounds and living all over the world coming out as atheist, with advice for those still in the closet considering doing so. For those like me, who never had to "come out" because they live in a society where atheism is extremely common, it's mostly a sobering read, about how many people all over the world (atheists and others) can't safely say what they think without fear of retribution. Good book, though.
June 30, 2014
As a very 'out' atheist I didn't expect to find this as insightful as I did. A great resource for those seeking to come out, and also fantastic for those of us in 'the movement.' Not only does this cover how to come out to friends, family and others... but it also provides useful tips on how to make our meet-ups more accessible. I'm passing this on to other CFI Canada folk.
September 13, 2014
Excellent book. She covers a huge amount of ground; although focused on the process of coming out, there are discussions about atheist community, the atheist movement, discussing religion with believers, and many other related topics. She avoids one-size-fits-all advice extremely well. Lots of compassion, wisdom, and plain old good sense in this book.
October 2, 2014
Three stars not because there's anything wrong with this book -- it's fine. It's a good overview of its subject -- but simply because there weren't a whole lot of new insights, I thought. The big one is "coming out almost certainly isn't as bad as you fear."
June 24, 2014
Taking a page from the LGBTQ movement, Greta writes to the atheist audience about coming or being out as an atheist.
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January 31, 2019I was indoctrinated since birth by my parents to believe in their invisible friend. But honesty and integrity have always been important to me, and I simply could not reconcile my magical beliefs with reality. Nevertheless, I continued to try to do so for decades, which resulted in a lot of frustration. I kept hoping god (or the universe, or something) would rescue me from loneliness, depression, and anxiety, and therapists and self-help books did not discourage that hope. That's why once I understood that I wasn't required to believe, that there were lots of atheists, and that there were other, more fulfilling, reality-based ways to be happy, I got very excited. I was in the "shout it from the rooftops" phase for a while. I do wish I'd been more thoughtful in my coming out to my family, especially my mother, who was into a warm and fuzzy, positive-thinking kind of religion (Norman Vincent Peale, Unity Church). She sent me religious literature for years, sometimes against my express wishes. She thought she was being helpful, but her pressuring me with this feel-good brand of christianity was one of the factors that delayed my switch to atheism. I argued against her beliefs in prayer and guardian angels, and not very nicely.
Since my deconversion I've experienced a level of contentment and serenity that I never expected to feel. As I gave up magical beliefs, I became seriously interested in science, rationality, and critical thinking, and I learned a lot from books and blogs and websites. The theory of natural selection explains so much about life, and much of my reading helped me understand why we believe weird things. But I wish I'd had this book earlier. It would have helped me temper my enthusiasm and come out more gently.
Since my deconversion I've experienced a level of contentment and serenity that I never expected to feel. As I gave up magical beliefs, I became seriously interested in science, rationality, and critical thinking, and I learned a lot from books and blogs and websites. The theory of natural selection explains so much about life, and much of my reading helped me understand why we believe weird things. But I wish I'd had this book earlier. It would have helped me temper my enthusiasm and come out more gently.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews