#ex hindu

[ratttailz]

you really can worship anything. as someone who (left?) the faith i was raised in and was averse to **anything** of the sort, making a small pocket shrine and having my little rituals for the moon just . happened. i dont really call myself spiritual or anything like that. just showing the thing that's been watching over me how much i appreciate her

[apostateoverrubies]

Children don't need religion to develop good morals. I'd argue that certain religions get in the way of that because they encourage you to do things because a deity approves and it will lead to you having a good afterlife or whatever. And I don't know about you but I find that to be self-serving.

Not to mention, the fact that religion can advocate for immoral things.

Let's just teach children to be good just because.

[vyankarak]

But mother, he tries to fix me and I try not to ruin him.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Atheist Day: An Atheist Coming Out Day | A Global Event

An Atheist Coming Out Day presented by Atheist Republic in collaboration with Ex-Muslims of North America and the Council of Ex-Muslims of B

Preamble

We atheists and atheist allies hereby declare that from now on, March 23rd is Atheist Day. We recognize the struggle of atheists to live authentic lives in many parts of the world. The struggle to openly affirm one’s atheism. The fear of intolerant governments, mobs, and religious zealots.

This struggle often includes the risk of professional, social and familial ostracization. Sometimes, this authenticity results in paying the ultimate price — one’s life. Many of our brethren have been brutally murdered for professing the very principles that this day represents: the freedom of and from religion, the right to be free of discrimination and persecution, and the freedom to profess one’s beliefs.

Many of us happily interact with people whom we admire and trust who unbeknownst to us, are closeted atheists. The world is full of atheists who are silent about their true convictions. Why? Simply this: a fear of reprisal and discrimination based on misinformation, ranging from the subtle to the life-threatening.

People should not be persecuted for their lack of belief in a god or a religion. That’s all we’re asking.

Some people however, believe that disagreeing with deeply held beliefs is hate. But it’s not.

We wish to remind our fellow human beings that many of the most powerful ideas — ideas that changed our world — were once heretical.

Many of the most radical thinkers and reformists in past eras were blasphemers against the established order of their day.

Freedom and Self-Determination

Atheists, just like adherents of religion, deserve the freedom to openly identify, profess and promote their views. No belief system or perspective on belief should enjoy special treatment.

Rejection of Bigotry and Discrimination

While atheism is a position on only one very narrow question — the evidence for a god or gods — we the proponents of Atheist Day also share a commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

As such, to be associated with the Atheist Day campaign — whether you are a believer or not — is to necessarily reject bigotry and discrimination based on religious belief (or lack thereof), on race and on sexual orientation.

Just as you don't need to be gay to support gay rights, you don’t need to be an atheist to show your support for Atheist Day.

Awareness Campaign

A central component of Atheist Day is raising awareness of the discrimination and stigma faced by atheists around the world. Atheists are your loved ones, your friends, your doctors, your social workers, your teachers, your police officers and in short, the people in your life who are hiding in plain sight.

Our awareness campaign seeks to clear some misconceptions too. We Atheists and Atheist Allies want our fellow brothers and sisters in humanity to realize that we needn’t believe in an external force to encourage correct moral action. Isn’t true morality that which is done for its intrinsic value, and not under the threat of punishment or reward? Surely it is possible to act morally from intrinsic motivations, rather than extrinsic ones.

Many atheists would argue that our modern sensibilities, our ability for empathy, and our sense of universal human rights today often surpass the moral codes of largely subscribed-to religious scriptures of the past. Proof positive that we can live moral and ethical lives without a belief in the supernatural. This perspective also does not preclude atheists showing solidarity with religious people and their right to believe and to be inspired by their respective religious traditions.

To help atheists realize that they are not alone, we will promote a unified coming out on social media. Whether an atheist or an atheist ally, please support the campaign with the hashtag #AtheistDay.

Our Atheist Day awareness campaign is focused on removing the misconceptions, removing the stigma, and remembering the fallen. We aspire to normalize atheism so that people who are atheists no longer need live double lives.

We aspire to hold information events, public talks, marches, and embassy protests for those countries who would persecute us. Events will be organized at the city level, across the world.

Whether we march in the streets or we protest in secret, our voices will be heard. Your marching with us will encourage people in the Arab world to be steadfast. Many people in such regions of the world don't know that they have your support. Show them. Let them hear you. Stand with us.

A Coordinated Coming Out

Many who leave religion are fearful of “coming out”. For those who live in a region of the world where leaving their religion doesn’t entail a risk of physical harm, we also have a coordinated coming out campaign.

This campaign is central to Atheist Day. Even if you’ve not adopted the atheist label but have chosen to leave your religion, your conscious choice to come out is what our day represents.

We believe that people who leave a religion need not keep it to themselves for lack of solidarity. Atheist Day is your day to tell your story. To share your pride in making a conscious choice to define your own identity vis-a-vis religion.

A Celebration of Life

In addition to our awareness campaign, Atheist Day will encompass a second vital theme: a celebration of life.

This is a day for atheists especially, to meet face to face. It’s a day for atheists in hiding in many parts of the world, to connect with one another, where that can be done safely. These real world connections are vital. They help atheists overcome the feeling of isolation that need not be felt.

As this life on Earth is the one and only life that we can be certain of, we believe it wise to live this life to it’s fullest potential, and to help others who are less fortunate, also do the same.

We will host dinners, parties, concerts, and festivities across the world in a celebration of life, freedom, dignity and our common humanity. As an atheist or atheist ally, you are most welcome to join us in these celebrations.

Gratitude

We the founders and proponents of Atheist Day are grateful to our Atheist Allies. You do not need to be an atheist to be a vocal supporter of Atheist Day and an Atheist Ally.

Respect for the right to self-determination, free speech and a level playing field for ideological criticism is what we and our allies all share — even those Atheist Allies who profess a strong religious belief.

It’s not about respecting ideas; it’s about respecting people and their right to choose their own beliefs.

For our Atheist Allies across the entire belief spectrum, we are truly and deeply grateful for your support. We may not share a god-belief, but know that we see you as our brothers and sisters in humanity. Gratitude, solidarity, and love.

[apostateoverrubies]

Guys, if you see anyone proselytizing in any of the ex-religious tags, just block and move on. Nothing has happened but I don't want anyone interacting with them, as tempting as it may seem. There's a high chance it'll be counterproductive on both ends anyways.

[apostateoverrubies]

By the way, since my blog is meant to be a safe space for ex religious people of all kinds, my asks and submissions are open. You can even send asks anonymously if you like. I want ex religious people to be heard, especially ones from religions that tend to be overlooked in favor of Christianity.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

hey

i know which part is lying to me. It's the part that says god is real. I know god doesn't exist. I'm just having trouble believing it. You mentioned ex-xians and ex-muslims who have a fear of hell and that is it for me. I have an intense fear of hell eventhough science completely disapproves it's existence (narak is to the south of the earth while, in reality, there is nothing in the direct south of earth in space at the distance mentioned in scriptures). What really does it for me is the contrasting beliefs in the religion itself.

No two scriptures agree on anything mentioned.

goddesses are sexual beings and worshipping them as lovers is good and recommended \\ // goddesses are either mother's or sisters or sisters in law but never wives and lovers and viewing them in a sexual manner is a sin which the goddess personally administer's punishment for.

women are pure on their periods as the sins committed by them flow out with the blood \\// women are impure on their periods as they are bleeding

parent's are gods \\// there is only one god who cannot be seen by mortal eyes (which god is this? no one agrees on it)

mahakali grants moksha \\// krishna grants moksha \\// shiv grants moksha

I'm 16, bisexual and female. Telling my parents i don't believe in god could result in me being thrown out or in an early marriage (perhaps just a few days after i turn 18).

“We went to a temple and it was instinctual. It's an old habit that I no longer subscribe to"

At my house the worship happens twice a day. I’m the one who does it in the evenings (my mother or father in the morning) so I think that is something that brings back the belief. I haven’t gone to a temple in years. I think if I could stop doing this worship permanently for about a month, i would be able to get rid of belief. But I don’t have any choice but to do it (cause i have a physically abusive family. yay!).

Writing some of these things down in some form, which doesn't have to be for public consumption can help

I think keeping a hidden journal will be safe and good. I think the issue is the worship i do everyday along with an unhealthy fear of hell and also this feeling of peace when I chant a particular mantra.

There’s this book, Why There Is No God: Simple Responses to 20 Common Arguments for the Existence of God (-Armin Navabi), If i can find it online I think it will be helpful to read that as well.

I’ll go through those links and watch that video in the evening so I don’t get caught by my parents. You’ve been a huge help. Thank you!

If you're after a copy of Why There is No God, you can get a free copy via Atheist Republic, by signing up for their newsletter.

https://www.atheistrepublic.com/newsletter

I don't think Armin would mind if I link to an alternate source:

https://b-ok.cc/book/2550566/54938f (EPUB)

https://b-ok.cc/book/5371270/20a727 (PDF)

These resources relating to Religious Trauma Syndrome may also be useful:

https://journeyfree.org/rts/

https://www.daretodoubt.org/religious-trauma-syndrome

Leaving the Fold: A Guide for Former Fundamentalists and Others Leaving Their Religion (EPUB)

==

Hell (Naraka) seems to be one of the most persistent hangover for apostates of any religion. Some people have an intellectual "a ha!" moment and it vanishes, for others it's not so easy. I don't think there's a magic bullet here, just keep listening to ex-Hindus, and since it's sufficiently universal, ex-Xians and ex-Muslims as well about how they overcame it, and see what works for you.

Perhaps consider not just the scientific aspect of whether hell can exist (it can't), but the philosophical implications. Certainly I hope that you realize that it's not just scientifically nonsensical, but it's also profoundly immoral. I'm not fully across how the HIndu system works, but there are some general things to consider.

A system which awards completely binary outcomes - "heaven" or "hell" - for all of human behavior is pathetic and absurd. And a system which punishes you for being intellectually honest about what you believe and what you can claim to know, is a system created by a villain. A system which would punish you for not believing, and ignoring that you're a good person, is the system of a tyrant who wants compliance not morality.

Are you that bad of a person that you deserve eternal punishment? No, you're not. What kind of people would be found in "hell"? What kind of people would get to "heaven"? Does this seem right to you? What kind of god(s) would create this kind of system? What would you say to, or ask, of a god who set this up? What kind of behavior does it foster in believers, either deliberately or inadvertently? Could you respect such a god(s)? Or would you rise up and oppose them for how astonishingly immoral their system is?

I've never ever heard anyone describe a system of heaven and hell that was not vomitously depraved.

==

Unfortunately you're in a really awkward position as your options are limited by your age and the resources available to you. My best advice is simply to do what you can. Look after yourself the best you can. It's going to be messy for a while until you're in a position to get out and away and be independent. Again, alluding to the LGBT "coming out" concept, "it gets better." Keep your eye on and plan for your future. Opportunities are not far away, you just have to make it there. You'll trip and stumble but that's okay. Your life as it currently is, is just for now.

I've mentioned before that people say "you can pick your friends but not your family." I disagree with this. I think it's more accurate to say that "you can pick your friends but not your relatives." You can pick your family. You can pick who you spend and share your life with. You can decide what your life looks like, who is in it, who is not, and any boundaries surrounding them; for example, you may decide to keep certain immediate relatives at arm's length unless they obey your boundaries, or refuse them entirely. This is not always easy, but it becomes within your power.

You can instead surround yourself with people who care about you for you. They are your family.

And the thing about the family you choose is that you can put an end to all of this toxic nonsense. Whether you decide to have kids or maybe you don't, you can be the end of the line for the all the shit that has been handed down from generation to generation.

==

If it's not possible to end the worship responsibilities, it may be that you instead need to find a way to manage it. Understand that it's going to temporarily put you into a weird frame of mind, and that's okay. It doesn't make you a bad atheist. It's not forever either. Instead, create a sort of "undo" ritual for yourself. Something that will help you come back from that frame of mind.

Maybe you could think of it like a performance. There are actors on Broadway or wherever else who play intense characters or depraved killers or whatever night after night on stage. They have to take on that persona and perform it convincingly. And I imagine they need to shed that persona afterwards, or they'd probably go mad.

Recognize it as a performance, don't worry or kick yourself about believing for a while - it's part of the performance, your character, your mathod. And afterwards, wind down. Read your copy of "Why There's No God." Write something. Take a bath. Pound out the most head-banging hard-core metal music you've got. Whatever works for you, whatever helps you return to you. Whatever helps you shake off that character, that role that you play and bring back the person you really are. The performance is a thing you do, not who you are.

==

Hope this helps in some way. And look after yourself.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

Hey again! (last time i think this is really risky lol)

Thank you for the links to the book! I can’t sign up for the newsletter so the alternate links are appreciated.

The reason I never consider the philosophical implications of narak being unable to exist are that Hindus never burn in hell for eternity (unlike Xian and Muslim hells). The worst Hindus usually burn in Hell for a long time before being reborn with bad karma. Since no sinner burns in hell forever and a person with good deeds can go to heaven after they have finished burning (Mahabharat ; Mahaprastanika Parva), Hinduism is supposed to be a very great religion which gives justice to all. Fortunately, it’s actually really stupid.

I am pretty sure I am going to have kids one day so thank fuck I am ending all the generational trauma that’s been passed down cause there’s a LOT.

Everything you said about the worship being a performance, I’ve thought about it a lot. It actually helped. From now on whenever I’m home alone, I’m not going to actually do it. I’ll just light the lamp and wave some incense around and that’s it. And for when everyone’s home, I’ll just wave it around the god's pictures without chanting bullshit sanskrit mantras I can’t understand. After I ‘prayed’ last evening, I went to my room and wrote a bit of a story and scrolled through quite a few atheist blogs (including yours) to calm down cause shit it feels so weird.

Another hard thing to stop doing is praying before I eat. I pray before my main meals and I started praying again yesterday before eating before I caught myself.

Thank you for your help. Have a great day/night ahead. I hope you get everything you’ve been working for.

Bye!

<3

Thanks for the info about Hindu hell. That's interesting and I plan to do some follow up reading. It is still messed up though - consider the "best" person who went to Narak, compared to the "worst" person who went straight to heaven, and what the difference between them is.

One thing you might consider doing is creating a secular version of some of your religious rituals, particularly for when you're in a position where you're forced to do them.

I'm not 100% on how Hindu prayer works exactly, but what I mean is that if you have to lead it out loud, for others, you go into your actor/performance mode. You're playing the part of someone who believes. You're Dame Judy Dench or whoever. You understand this character, but you're not this character.

But if everyone prays or recites to themselves privately, then do something else instead of the traditional prayers, since they kind of mess with your head. Perhaps some kind of personal reflection.

e.g. "I am fortunate because I found my way out of religion; I need no gods in order to be a good person. I am grateful to the farmers who worked to provide our food. Things are not perfect, but this is only temporary; I have a plan to make them better."

That was me just throwing shit out there. If you're going to do it, make it helpful to you. You have an inner world that others can't see or control. Healthy personal affirmations can be helpful.

If you can get out of the habit of it when you're alone, that's probably the most healthy thing, to make not praying your new default. But again if you find yourself doing it, don't beat yourself up about it. Notice it, have a little laugh - e.g. "who am I talking to; it's like beaming a wishlist to Santa by telepathy!" - remind yourself these are old habits you're getting rid of, and then move on. It takes practice to unlearn old habits and reflexes.

Some days you're going to be tired or distracted and just on auto-pilot. Some days you won't be. That's okay. Remember that in science, there's no such thing as a failure, just more data you can learn from. It'll help you figure out what works for you and what doesn't, so you can do more of the former and less of the latter.

If you're feeling this is getting risky, better not to push your luck. But once you're in a better position - and you will be - I'd like to hear how you've gone.

Look after yourself.