This is a question that bothers me really....I'm an engineering student in my late teens from a very religious background, for a while I've had subsiting doubts about the existence of god and the rationality(or otherwise) of religion so to some extent I had been basically agnostic....I wasn't open about it although I don't equally pretend to be religious...
Lately though I've been reading the works of the prominent atheists like Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Sam Harris, Daniel Dennett,Stephen Fry etc..also been undertaking individual research, watching youtube videos of bill maher and george carlin, learning about evolutionary biology and natural selection and I guess it didn't take much for me to realize the obvious 'that God is non-existent and religion is irrational'.
Forthwith, I decided not too toe the path of intellectual cowardice and be open about my convictions......I guess that was a huge mistake,
Aside posting random atheist memes and quotes on my facebook wall, twitter page and bbm wall..also I started to openly dissent against participating in religious activities at home.....well to cut my long story short..I can tell you its been hell....I've been at the receiving end of unending backlash both from family and friends....its not been funny at all...I guess I didn't anticipate such response and it has only resulted in my feeling so depressed and lonely, almost suicidal... Ostracised by friends, condemned by family and church...I'm almost lost....
I don't even know why I am writing this....I don't requite anyone's pity or condemnation...I just want to be heard....I just wonder why treat people with dissenting views especially atheists so terribly,I'm not asking for anyone to like me, I'm just asking for my convictions to be respected,its not like I'm blowing myself up for some god
I'm no monster...I'm just a rational person who sees the obvious.....You believe in a god, I don't..So What

Sorry, double post, this is the actual thread
https://www.nairaland.com/1414534/why-atheists-agnostics-viewed-vilely