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Nontheist mother

Hi!
I live in the fantastic mountains of east TN( about 30 minutes from three other states). I've been without religion since the age of 11 after being kicked out of Sunday school and then "politely" being kicked out of church a month later. I've haven't looked back since but living in east TN( dominantly Christian) I'm finding it very hard being accepted as a mother, wife, person, etc. I'm very enthusiastic about this website. It's very comforting to me to find others that are similar in their views(for once). If you're a non theist mom and are or have raised your children as such feel free to give me a shout! Or just feel like giving me a shout just because do so! Look forward to everyone on here ^_^

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Permalink Reply by Stef on January 21, 2010 at 4:52pm

Hey Anna, welcome to Atheist Nexus! I'm an atheist mom in Georgia; Nexus is a welcoming safe haven especially for us southerners! Glad to see you found the Parenting Little Heathens group, it is a wonderful resource.

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Permalink Reply by Anna on January 21, 2010 at 8:49pm

Thank you! I feel like I may have found an online "security blankie" here. It's refreshing.

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Permalink Reply by qıƃ ɟ ǝıɔɐɹʇ on January 21, 2010 at 9:43pm

Hi! You may be interested to view a short web page I wrote about parenting during a period that ranged from five to ten years ago. My son's 19, now.

Parenting, à la Carte©: 'Alternative' Child Raising
www.lacarte.org/freedom/parenting

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Permalink Reply by Armand on January 25, 2010 at 8:45am

Hi Anna, I'm just amazed re your comment you find it hard being accepted as a mother, wife, person etc... are things really that bad in the USA? Do you find yourself feeling excluded or banished from your society? I'm actually feeling pretty riled up about this.

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Permalink Reply by Anna on January 25, 2010 at 3:25pm

Hi Armand, as a non theist mother,wife, yes things are a tad confined to women who belong to church groups(in this region) etc. I think banished my be a strong word for the situation. But excluded most definitely. That's why I'm so pleased that this website/network exists, it's great knowing I'm not the only mom and wife like doing other activities with people and not have to belong to a religious group to do so.

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Permalink Reply by Matt on January 25, 2010 at 4:12pm

Sounds like an interesting story, should you ever choose to share it.

I will say that it is indeed alienating to live as an atheist in a predominately Christian part of the US. If each of us were to look back at some of the most painful experiences we've endured, we may agree that the extent to which we had to suffer through them without the support of anyone else was a major factor in how painful they were. A human being shouldn't have to experience that added degree of lonliness due to his or her convictions.

The only advice I can give it to just be true to yourself, yet seek common ground. Don't shut them out as they may seem to do to you: for as an atheist, perhaps you can offer another human being non-judemental and unqualified support that (surprise, surprise) they've been denied by their co-religionists.

As an analogy, I work in a heavily mixed-race workplace, and the lines where well-drawn long before any of us were born, no denying that. But the trick is to not use those lines a guidelines, and, as happened with me, I stopped being "that white guy," and evolved into "Matt" in their recognition.