There is a significant amount of freedom with "coming out" as it were. Syncing up who you are, with how the world sees you.
I feel like it might be time to come out on Facebook.
Part of me is terrified that I'll lose friends, but if friends are going to ditch me over a shift in my beliefs, they aren't really friends now, are they?
I've been toying with updating my religious status. Currently it's hidden.
Agnostic doesn't quite describe how I feel though.
Atheist probably best describes it, but that may be a hard pill for people to swallow.
Pantheist is a term I like, simply because Richard Dawkins describes it as sexed up Atheism.
But I think at the end of the day, I may actually go with Humanism...
Wikipedia has this definition:
A secular ideology which espouses reason, ethics, and justice, whilst specifically rejecting supernatural and religious dogma as a basis of morality and decision-making.
I think that about covers it... The lack of belief in religion and supernatural forces, but adds to it the believe in reason, ethics and justice.
It's like saying I'm an atheist, and since y'all think atheists are evil creeps, let me add that I still believe in ethics and morality...
Or am I trying to justify too much to people who wouldn't mind if they actually cared.
Still not entirely willing to bite the bullet though, because I know there will be some backlash...
Friend count currently stands at 369.
I'll let you know if I do decide to go for it though.
Go for it! I double-dog-dare you!
ReplyDeleteNo, seriously. I can't understand what a tough decision this must be for you because I've never had that radical of a shift in my lifetime, at least not one that would potentially alienate friends and family. So, I'm not really in a position to provide advice, except to say that this topic is obviously on your mind at, at some point, is going to need some kind of resolution. As our friend, e, would say, you're out of alignment.
And, although it won't make it any easier if/when people criticize your stance initially, you are very right in saying that those who matter won't mind and those who mind don't matter. It may take some time to sort through it all, though, so I get the hesitation.
BTW, I LOVE "Humanism". You're right, Atheism has this horrible stigma attached to it, as if you "hate" God and sleep with the devil or something. If I had a religious status on FB, I would write that. Right now, mine just reads: Everyone should believe in something. I believe I'll have another drink!
I guess there is no backing out of a double-dog-dare now is there!!!
ReplyDeleteTHE DEED IS DONE
Perhaps I'm over-thinking the potential reaction... But I guess we'll see.
Wow. Good luck. Your online buds are rooting for you.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I think you inspired me to do something about mine too ... though I still consider myself Catholic in a way. Might have to make something up. :D
ReplyDelete