(Via Hasan Khan)
I am an ex-Muslim from Pakistan (now an atheist). My path towards freedom from religion started when I was in 10th grade and 15 years old. I began to have much doubts concerning existence of god and the veracity of the attributes awarded to him. However, the news of my doubts spread among my class mates and I was beginning to be branded as some type of an infidel. Worse came when a religious teacher approached me to guide me towards the so-called right path (its almost a death sentence to be awarded as an infidel over here). However, I was able to keep out of further trouble owing to my good grades. At the same time however, I somewhat reverted back to faith due to pressure from peers and family.
The next phase began 4-5 years ago when I became acquainted with the works of great British philosophers like David Hume and Bertrand Russell. This phase was intoxicating and I began to feel the knots tied around myself from religious teachings begin to lose and the air of reason pouring in. I have never looked back since then and have observed a very significant increase in my happiness, reasoning capabilities, and love for my fellow beings.
Tags: Bertrand Russell, David Hume
August 12th, 2007 at 6:47 pm
…great!
August 13th, 2007 at 1:23 am
I sympathize completely. Hume and Russell have reinforced my non-belief as well.
February 18th, 2010 at 3:38 am
Hasan, glad you got to the higher level reasoning, increased happiness, and increased capacity for love: I can relate; all of those are also true for me.
I came from Christian (somewhere between moderate and fundamentalist w/o creationism) upbringing, sort of coupled with humanistic principles. I peeled back my faith through philosophical Taoism (as opposed to religious or the other one -there are three basic types, according to Huston Smith) and just good old fashioned secular humanism. Now, I feel free to make the meaning and the change I want to see.
If anyone who reads this can relate and would like to have further contact on such matters, feel welcome to.
James
May 28th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
Great man! Great! Wish all these inhuman frauds called'religions' disappear from the face of this earth!