My name is Peter, and I’m an Atheist.

For those who didn’t read the previous 3000+ entries, I’m an atheist, and very outspoken one as well. When I’m in the zone, I’ve often been compared that handsome bloke in the pictured above. While that’s a sincere compliment, I doubt they’ll ever be another man like him. There are plenty of people praying to god for it to stay that way too.

I’ve been an atheist since I was seventeen, so more than half my life. Religion just didn’t seem to stick. The more questions I asked, and the more research I did to find those answers, the less I believed and slowly backed away from organized religions and unproven dogma. Not only was a very active atheist writer on OD during it’s glory days, I was a lively debater on many issues, including religion.

My mother didn’t take my atheism rather well, but my Dad didn’t appear to give a shit (I suspect he’s agnostic). When I attended University, higher education only solidified my non-belief as I studied theology, history and literature to learn more and more about how things really were around here. I started this diary in the middle of that post-secondary education, so when I got back and read, I can literally see the wheels in motion as I physically and mentally grow up. My travels overseas were also as enlightening as my University education, and when I returned from Asia, I like to think that the man who came home was a lot different than the kid that when he was 18 to attend a campus over 3000km away from home.

Despite one less forum to post in, I continued to express my life as a nonbeliever on other social mediums such as Twitter, tumblr and even the old fashioned way. You can say I literally wrote a book about my atheism… three of them actually.

Outspoken: Confessions of a Devout Atheist was my first nonbeliever book, which was released a few years ago. Atheist Under Your Bed and Atheism Shrugged are newer books that were both released earlier this year. I have a forth atheist book in the process of being written, but based on my current workload, it probably won’t be finished until next year, maybe the year after. So 2018 or 2019-ish. None of these books are breaking any bestseller lists, but I don’t seem to mind. When I see copies being downloaded and purchased from sites online, I am humbled that someone has taken the time to read my words. All of these books are collections of thoughts not just from myself but from atheists that I’ve spoken with personally and their words fueled my own. Some of the work I did here also eventually made its way into these books too.

And yet despite all this, people are still shocked with I use the A word around them. A few months ago, I was walking to the store to buy some bus tickets. I was in a bit of a hurry, but this woman who was walking in the opposite direction asked me to stop. I thought she was going to ask for directions, but instead asked if I had Jesus in my heart. My first instinct was to make a job about heart blockages not being good for my heart, but good judgement got the best of me and I just politely said no, I do not. Then she asked why, and I simply told here I was an atheist, that I do not subscribe to any religion. The look on her face was one of absolute shock.

By the look on her face, you would have though I just confessed to mass murder, or that I was an alien spying on the planet to scout for invasion. I was standing there with a smirk on my face. You would have thought I just told her I was Satan’s Unicorn, but no… just said I was an Atheist.

“Why are you an Atheist?” she asked.

“Why are you Christian?” I countered.

“Because I believe!” she told me.

“Well, I don’t believe; it’s really that simple!” I then told her.

I could tell the the look on her face that she wanted to debate about it for 12 rounds, and on a normal day I’d be happy to oblige her… but I had a concert to attend that day and I simply walked away. That encounter lingered with me that day and most of the week. Her response was something I hadn’t seen in a while, but it was still something I recognized from my earlier Atheist days. The anger, the disgust on her face was quite common. She had that ‘how dare you’ look on her face. Like how dare I question the validity of her unproven myths and superstitions? How dare he?

Well I do dare, and I always will. There have been moments when people, even some of my fellow Atheists, have asked why I’m so vocal, so loud and out there when talking about my Atheism. That answer is simple too: it’s just the way I am. This is just the way I approach any issue, with the subtly of a pittbull on steroids. It’s just the way I am and I will not apologize for it. It’s that kind of passion that makes me the person and the writer I am. I attend functions and debates hosted by a local group of Humanists and Atheists in my city, and I hope to one day attend an atheist convention, but my schedule hasn’t matched up well for me thus far. A shame really, a few of my friends got to meet Richard Dawkins last summer. I was totally peanut butter and jealous.

The Spirituality Circle here on OD was always a lively one, mostly because both believers and non-believers exchanged thoughts and comments there. I look forward to its return so I can resume my barrage of logic and reasoning and take it as good as I give it.

I am but one voice in an enormous echo of billions… so the the fact I am heard at all is humbling. I thank you for hearing my words, even if they are only the words of a heathen who is going to burn for all eternity in hell. First round is on me!

I’m just kidding… you know it will be an open bar.

Peter