I’m Valerie, 23 and a brand new atheist. I was directed to LW on a (also newly atheist) friend’s recommendation and fell in love with it.
Since identifying as an atheist, I’ve struggled a bit with ‘now what?’ I feel like a whole new world has opened up to me and there is so much out there that I didn’t even know existed. It’s a bit overwhelming, but I’m loving the influx of new knowledge. I’m still working to shed old patterns of thinking and work my way into new ones. I have the difficulty of reading something and feeling that I understand it, but not being able to articulate it again (something left over from defending my theistic beliefs, which had no solid basis). I think I just need some practice :)
EDIT: Your link to the series of posts on why LW is generally atheistic is broken. Which makes me sad.
The page on LW’s views on religion (or something like that page — not sure if the old wiki’s content was migrated directly or just replaced) is now here. The Mysterious Answers to Mysterious Questions, Reductionism, and How To Actually Change Your Mind sequences are also relevant, in that they provide the background knowledge sufficient to make theism seem obviously wrong. Sounds like you’re already convinced, but those sequences contain some pretty crucial core rationalist material, so I’d recommend reading them anyway (if you haven’t already).
If there’s anything in particular you’re thinking “now what?” about, I and others here would be happy to direct you to relevant posts/sequences and help with any other questions about life, the universe, and everything. (Me, I recently decided to go back to the very beginning and read every post and the comments on most of them… but I realize not everyone’s as dedicated/crazy (dedicrazy?) as me. :P)
I’m Valerie, 23 and a brand new atheist. I was directed to LW on a (also newly atheist) friend’s recommendation and fell in love with it.
Since identifying as an atheist, I’ve struggled a bit with ‘now what?’ I feel like a whole new world has opened up to me and there is so much out there that I didn’t even know existed. It’s a bit overwhelming, but I’m loving the influx of new knowledge. I’m still working to shed old patterns of thinking and work my way into new ones. I have the difficulty of reading something and feeling that I understand it, but not being able to articulate it again (something left over from defending my theistic beliefs, which had no solid basis). I think I just need some practice :)
EDIT: Your link to the series of posts on why LW is generally atheistic is broken. Which makes me sad.
Welcome!
The page on LW’s views on religion (or something like that page — not sure if the old wiki’s content was migrated directly or just replaced) is now here. The Mysterious Answers to Mysterious Questions, Reductionism, and How To Actually Change Your Mind sequences are also relevant, in that they provide the background knowledge sufficient to make theism seem obviously wrong. Sounds like you’re already convinced, but those sequences contain some pretty crucial core rationalist material, so I’d recommend reading them anyway (if you haven’t already).
If there’s anything in particular you’re thinking “now what?” about, I and others here would be happy to direct you to relevant posts/sequences and help with any other questions about life, the universe, and everything. (Me, I recently decided to go back to the very beginning and read every post and the comments on most of them… but I realize not everyone’s as dedicated/crazy (dedicrazy?) as me. :P)
Welcome! I hope you enjoy the posts and discussion here, and suggest ways that it could be improved.