If you're going solo, what did your friends say?

[tash3]

i get the same crap from most my family and friends. i have started refering to it as a science convention to avoid the look. they all ask me that say bloody question "are u all gonna talk about what u dont belive" or "so...your gonna spend 3 days saying god is fake". for me its not about atheism, its just about the science. im there to learn, pure and simple.

[Praxis]

Originally Posted by tash3

i get the same crap from most my family and friends. i have started refering to it as a science convention to avoid the look. they all ask me that say bloody question "are u all gonna talk about what u dont belive" or "so...your gonna spend 3 days saying god is fake". for me its not about atheism, its just about the science. im there to learn, pure and simple.

I learned an enormous amount last time. It's such a privilege to hear these speakers on so many topics. Funnily enough, the one thing no one talks about is god and his/her/its existence!

But you just can't seem to get that through to some people.

[Bolero]

Because my man lives in Melbourne, most people I talk to about it think I'm just going for a dirty weekend, and the GAC is by-the-by. No disrespect to the man or the undoubtedly huge amounts of dirtiness that will ensue, but I am always quick to point out that the GAC trip was planned before the man was met.

I get The Look and the sarky bollocks from some people, but most of my close friends are insanely jealous. The haters are all the same - apathetic. Funnily enough, I find the xtians I know get it completely...they understand the value of (to borrow a term which they have co-opted) fellowship.


Sent from my fone.

[mophosophical]

Originally Posted by Logic please

FWIW, I find it interesting that your best friends couldn't find it within themselves to be happy that you were going to have an enjoyable weekend, at least.

Well, I think the problem was that they couldn't wrap their heads around why it would be enjoyable. And no, apart from now I don't think it's ever troubled them, as far as I know. I don't often bring the subject up, I know it bores them. I just get rather enthused when the subject brings itself up

Barker was no doubt talking about being an atheist surrounded by no one but christians, that would suck hard, I feel for people in that situation. But here I am whinging about being an atheist with atheist friends that aren't hardcore atheist enough

Originally Posted by the_gelf

I think you will make some much more interesting friends. Seriously if they live in the western world and don't know (let alone love) Richard Dawkins, you are excused for thinking they are idiots D:

Haha, I know right? But I meet hardly anyone who's heard of Richard Dawkins.

Originally Posted by Logic

.... I just think they are lucky someone in their life (us) gives enough of a shit to stand up and fight for a secular society.

Well said.

Originally Posted by Praxis

Don't worry, you'll meet stacks of fabulous people but remember, the only way everyone going 'thinks like you' though is that they don't believe in god(s). Everything else is up for grabs

Yeah, by 'thinks like me' I only really meant at a minimum level, like interested enough to go to an atheist convention in the first place, and only believing things based on evidence and reason. I actually like it when someone who's reasonable and intellectually honest disagrees with me, because it makes for lively discussion And either I learn something, or they do, fun either way.

Originally Posted by coffee

.....will make a refreshing change from being the oddball in a small town (pop. approx 3000) with 8 churches and/but where hypocrisy and xenophobia rule.

It's a shame that churches have the monopoly on singing. Church goers misinterpret the endorphins of social singing as invisible man touching them or something, and atheists often miss out. I get that kind of high a few times a year, but only from drunkenly singing around a campfire with mates, much to the dismay of anyone who is sober

Originally Posted by Worldslaziestbusker

I return the look when a friend or family member starts up about teh gay, or abortion, or exemptions from anti-discrimination legislation, or...

I'll try to remember to get my 'look' ready next time I sense any of that coming up

Originally Posted by THWOTH

mophosophical,
Perhaps your friends think that you've got religion; that you've become one of those militant atheist fundamentalists that are so often chided in the media, a so-called 'aggressive secularist,' as Mr Pope likes to call us.

Little do they know that you're really going for the beer and the free-love!

Yeah, I hate it when people say "atheists are just as bad as the religious, always pushing religion down your throat". Was Martin Luther King Jr just as bad as the KKK because they both talk about race?

Originally Posted by Dancer

Hence I started this thread because I wanted to get some other people's responses.

My favourite response was Praxis' "Because I can." That's all I use now

cheers for the link

Originally Posted by tash3

for me its not about atheism, its just about the science. im there to learn, pure and simple.

Yeah, being a science nerd, and then ending up arguing with creationists was how I got into the whole atheism thing. I figured scientists have bloody important work to do and they shouldn't have to waste their time arguing about this nonsense! That, and I secretly love when creationists are about so that I can enjoy debating them

Originally Posted by Bolero

Funnily enough, I find the xtians I know get it completely...they understand the value of (to borrow a term which they have co-opted) fellowship.

Haha, that is indeed funnily enough

[Bolero]

Originally Posted by mophosophical

Yeah, I hate it when people say "atheists are just as bad as the religious, always pushing religion down your throat". Was Martin Luther King Jr just as bad as the KKK because they both talk about race?

Nice one - must remember that.

[ArchaeoAngel]

Originally Posted by mophosophical

They're no stranger to the fact I'm a serious atheist, they've been subject to my ranting and raving on about religion, and borne witness to me debating with a couple of christians a couple of times.


My reply was something like "Of course I'm serious, it's going to be awesome. It'll be a 3 day pissup with people who think like me."

Then questions became mocking; "What are you going to do, all stand around talking about what you don't believe in?" To which I started talking about the speakers, comedians, the dinner, the type of crowd that will surely be there and the awesome people I'll surely meet, how Dawkins, Harris, Myers, Krauss, AronRa (all rockstars in my world) were all going to be there!

Hey! I'm from Townsville too and I actually had a work mate who is educated and non-religious ask me "what do you do? Sit around and talk about satan?" I just laughed and said atheists don't believe in any imaginary friends, not even satan.

I am hard-core anti-religion and into science and rationalism and most of my friends think it's just normal for me to go to academic or ideological conferences.

This is actually the first time I am meeting a friend at a conference, I usually go solo because no one else is interested. It's fun meeting new people!

When are you flying down?

[mophosophical]

Ah, nice to meet you then ArchaeoAngel! Theoretically I should be arriving in Melbourne at about 1pm on the Friday

[faith]

Originally Posted by mophosophical

...Like it was something I should be embarrassed or ashamed about or something. It kinda stung a little actually.....
...My friends are great, but none of them read the things I read, watch the things I watch, listen to the podcasts I listen to, get angry at the things I get angry about. And vice versa. We only half overlap on a Venn diagram. I want to mostly overlap with some people! Not in a dirty way, but I won't rule that out either

I think it's good that you are friends with people who have different believes and different thoughts... to be there for them when they have questions to discuss.

Wish you a good time at the GAC

[Podblack]

Originally Posted by mophosophical

When I mentioned to two of my best friends that I was flying down to Melbourne for it, I was met with this look... a look my vocabulary is failing to label at the moment.. but like they thought I must be joking, like they were hoping I was joking, but at the same instant realizing I was not. Like it was something I should be embarrassed or ashamed about or something. It kinda stung a little actually.

This might have almost made sense if they were religious, but they're not. I was the best man at their completely secular wedding. They would both say they're atheists themselves. I've been friends with one of them about 12 years now, since high school, and the other is his wife, who I've known about 7 years I think. They're no stranger to the fact I'm a serious atheist, they've been subject to my ranting and raving on about religion, and borne witness to me debating with a couple of christians a couple of times.

Immediately after the look the questions were "Are you serious?" from one, "Man.. that's just as bad as <theist friend> going off on a catholic youth trip to Israel" from the other.

My reply was something like "Of course I'm serious, it's going to be awesome. It'll be a 3 day pissup with people who think like me."

Then questions became mocking; "What are you going to do, all stand around talking about what you don't believe in?" To which I started talking about the speakers, comedians, the dinner, the type of crowd that will surely be there and the awesome people I'll surely meet, how Dawkins, Harris, Myers, Krauss, AronRa (all rockstars in my world) were all going to be there!

"I have no idea who any of those people are. Anyway...."

And the conversation shifted on with the air of avoiding a subject.

Upon further pondering while driving home, I figured out the strongest reason I'm going. It's because I got that look, even from my best friends. It's because they don't understand why I'm going that I am going. It's not only the lure of people who think like me at the convention, but the absolute lack of them here (that I know). I'm an alien up here, and I want to feel like there are other members of my species for once.

My friends are great, but none of them read the things I read, watch the things I watch, listen to the podcasts I listen to, get angry at the things I get angry about. And vice versa. We only half overlap on a Venn diagram. I want to mostly overlap with some people! Not in a dirty way, but I won't rule that out either

I don't think I have any friends (or family) from a long-term (years and years) basis who quite "get" it, but I married an atheist, so I'm fortunate in that respect. I'll be alone at this convention, as I was at the other one, but it's generally so busy with new friends and old that it doesn't matter!

My family don't quite know what a podcast is. Or what the conventions I go to are. It kind of doesn't matter, we have other things to talk about. It's all good.

[Quark]

I've just said I'm attending a "science conference". Nobody blinks at that as I actually do attend science conferences with some regularity for work. It's easier than dealing with the alternative for the most part.

My family are (unfortunately) pretty religious types, so it's not something I discuss with them in the first place. We're barely on speaking terms over the subject as it is.

My friends, while mostly bordering on atheist/agnostic tend to be more religious apologetics than me. So religion seems to be one of those subjects that we avoid these days. I tend to be highly critical of religion and make fun of it, they tell me I'm being a bully.

It will be nice to meet some more like minded individuals though.