TN Atheist

Welcome to the TN_Atheist.com website- a blog dedicated to describing life as an atheist in the bible belt and spreading rational thought.

Hi, I’m your host The TN Atheist. This  blog is where I share my views and experiences as an atheist living in Tennessee. Throughout the site I attempt to illustrate just how irritating and difficult life can be as an atheist in the buckle of the bible belt where the strong majority of people are devout bible thumping christians whom cannot phathom the idea god might not exist.

It is truly amazing the grip religion has on every aspect of life here in the Volunteer state.   I know TN is not the only place in the country nor the world that is plagued with religious dogma, but unless you have spent some time in the bible belt you quite haven’t seen the christian flavor of extremism in full force.  For some useful information on Tennessee in general and why it is a cornerstone for religious fundamentalism and ignorance in the US see my Tennessee information page.

Along with documenting my encounters with delusion and irrational thought I hope this site serves as a good source of information on atheism, skepticism and rational thinking. I want visitors to be able to see how religion has pushed its way into society and politics and threatens the very freedoms the United States of America was founded on.

A little about the author

I am an atheist in my mid 20′s.  I was born and raised in TN, attended school out of state and then moved back after finding a good job near where I grew up. I am married, to a moderate christian I might add, and have a son.

When I was young I was indoctrinated into a southern baptist church,   saved and baptized around the age of 9.  I went some church camps and was very active in Boy Scouts of America and even achieved their highest rank of Eagle Scout.

Through a love of world history, math and science I learned to use reason and realized what I was taught as a young child was really no different than any other religious beliefs that have come and gone throught known history and really that those beliefs didn’t fit in with observable reality.   I began to realize just how irrational religious dogma truly is and the negative effects it has had and continues to have on the world.  Far to much suffering has occured due to blind faith in the supernatural.

Read my personal story to atheism in my multi-article series My Path to Atheism.

Why not openly give your name and specific details?

I am purposely vague on details that could easily reveal my identity because i am not completely out as an atheist.  Family and friends know but generally it is not something I bring up with co-workers or others I come in contact with.

This is not because I am dishonest with myself or others, I simply choose to bite my tongue for the most part because I believe it could be dangerous to do otherwise. Personal convictions are one thing, feeding on my family is something far more important.

I wish it wasn’t this way but here in TN religious extremism is so rampant that even suggesting god doesn’t exist is asking for trouble.  Here christianity is the normal and diviation is not easily tolerated.  Therefore I will wrap my atheism with the warm blanket of aminimity for as long as possible.