JackBizzle:


Ogbeni.

Kindly keep your suggestions to yourself. The op might not have the solutions. That is why everyone can comment on a thread. Others can contribute.

Furthermore, there are other threads that have advise for atheists living in Nigeria

butterflylion:



Oh yes there are but surely none with such detailed complaints listed out.

So far all I have read about is that Atheists need to hustle for money so they would be accepted.

Is that the only coping mechanism out there?

You can contribute yours too you know.

I would like to read about your coping mechanism. I am sure it would be something amazing

hopefulLandlord:


leave that one abeg

1. he's so concerned about the usefulness of this thread to future atheist, makes you wonder what makes him so concerned

2. says we are consoling ourselves which even if true is of no business of his

can you see how his attention seeking is getting more and more obvious?

starve him of it in this thread bro

but hey, he's "on our side" and that's got to count for something

hopefulLandlord:


leave that one abeg

1. he's so concerned about the usefulness of this thread to future atheist, makes you wonder what makes him so concerned

2. says we are consoling ourselves which even if true is of no business of his

can you see how his attention seeking is getting more and more obvious?

starve him of it in this thread bro

but hey, "he's on our side" and that's got to count for something ;P

JackBizzle:


Swerve

JackBizzle:



I remember one of my friends arguing with me about tithe. He said tithing will bring further blessings. I then asked him that why then is he broke and asking me for money since he has been tithing for over 5 years. He got angry and left. The next time I saw him, he was looking for a partner for his business. I then asked him jokingly to tithe more so that he would have enough money to start his business. He just kept quiet at first then switched the conversation to his business proposition.

Money is the only thing that silences a hungry Nigerian.

dalaman:


You'd be suprised that they'll even support you sometimes against their own when you have money and they know you are going to give them. Nigerians only care that you have money and you are going to give them. They don't CARE how you make your money, they don't CARE about anything at all, all they CARE about is that you HAVE money and you are going to GIVE them. They can only talk behind your back but when you come to them they will do as you say. They will even bring gossips to you to report those that are saying bad things about you to you just to enter your good books.They keep reporting themselves to me everyday while I sit back and laugh at them all. I am seriously enjoying the show.

2 years ago I went to the hospital to visit a sick relative, prior to going there I had already informed my mum that I was going to help my widowed aunt settle the remaining bills for her sick daughter when I get there and my mum told her. When I got there her church people were there praying for my cousin that was already recovering very well, but the way they went about the prayers was just crazy, instead of silently praying and going there way they started this mountain of fire kind of prayers inside a hospital oo, disturbing other patients and the doctors, one female doctor came and told them to just stop it and they started saying that their prayers was disturbing the doctor and her spirits that are tying the people down on their sick beds, openly suggesting that she's a witch or some demon that's why she was telling them to stop praying, bla bla bla.

I was shocked. I immediately jumped in and told them to shut up or they will be thrown out. It almost lead to a physical altercation. If their useless shouting works then why were they there in the hospital in the first place I told them. They should have taken my cousin to the church and prayed for her and shout all they want instead of coming to the hospital. I was suprised when my aunt came to my support ooo. She supported me and told them to stop it. She knows that if they annoy me and I leave they will have to pray for the money to come down for her. They know she's an underemployed widow, they also know that she needed money but they didn't come with 1 naira to help her out, only to come and be shouting and disturbing people inside the hospital with their useless prayers. I was shocked that she supported me. She did not tell them to tone their shouting down she just told them to stop it.

If you have money and they know that you'll give them they will support you. Unless if you foolishly start telling them that there is no God to their faces in a mocking and disparaging way or you tell them that the bible or Koran is a lie in a mocking way, only then will you enter wahala even as a rich person. But if you do it subtly they will tolerate you and support you sef, so long as they know that money will reach them from your side.

JackBizzle:



Nice one bro.

I am very calm in real life. I learnt how mad religious people can be very early as my very own cousin threatened me with a knife for "disrepecting Jesus". Na only nairaland i get mouth.


But every once in while, I let righteous anger get the best of me. There was a day in my office where I had to blast a colleague for interjecting with her religious bullshite. I didnt respond to her when she said "Jesus loves you" to me randomly- which made her to start asking me if I am a real christian that likes christ. I simply told her that I cannot love christ as i am not a homosexual that is into Jewish men. You should have seen the reaction on her face. Some of my colleagues bursted out in laughter.

hopefulLandlord:


yeah but I have to admit Nigerian theists are consistent in this instance and would call anybody richer than them thieves, kidnappers, corrupt and ritualists amongst many other adjectives regardless of religious affiliation

many Nigerians regard dangote as a ritualist and even think whoever its many trucks kill is a ritualistic sacrifice despite the fact that he's a Muslim

they also believe almost all our politicians are ritualists too that have human heads in their wardrobes where hard currencies are vomited on daily basis despite the fact that all our politicians are theists

although I must add that being an atheist makes the rumours much more believable as most Nigerians believe no one can get rich without some supernatural backing, be it from their own imaginary friend (Jesus Yahweh Allah) or imaginary enemies (witches, wizards, Mermaids, spiritual herbalists, cults, pagan gods etc) so once someone doesn't give credit to one of their imaginary friends for the successes, it must automatically mean that the successes came from their imaginary enemies, its a dichotomy to them and there's no middle ground

Ajakayekoke:


Mr If you are rich as You said,Can You help me?i am trying to start a transportation business,i have over 40%,of the capital,still saving up,Can/will you help?You are kuku rich...

hopefulLandlord:


bro, where in this thread did I claim to be "rich?"

are you sure you aren't quoting the wrong person? maybe you're tryna troll me?

chemystery:
There are some disappointments and difficulties that comes along with being an atheist.
Below is not an exhaustive list but just what I could remember or relate with at the moment.
If you have yours, you can also share.


Everyone assumes you are a christian
Everyone assumes you are a christian, they want to conduct prayers and other religious activities every now and then. Even some nonreligious WhatsApp group would get bombarded with messages promoting Christianity.

I was at a training session in my workplace today, the trainer made a statement saying "...I believe everyone here is a christian....blah blah blah". And this is an instance of what you go through on a daily basis.

Everyone takes you as an alien
People see you as an alien. There are many people out there who doesnt know there exists people who doesn't believe in any god. To them, it is impossible not to believe in god and also nothing else! You just have to believe in something.

My response to this has always been I don't like football (yeah, truly I don't) and I'm not a fan of any club. Is that possible? The reply is always a YES. Now will you insist I can't just exist without being a fan of any football club?

No afterlife
As an atheist, you don't believe in afterlife thus losing your dear ones to a tragic event usually leaveasses because they have the money and power to escape justice on earth? Well, they shall not go unpunished! Hell surely awaits them afterlife. But now, karma is your only hope

No more invisible helper
The thought of someone watching over you from the sky alone was so comforting. But now, you know that there is nobody there.

Difficulties in finding a spouse
It is quite difficult finding someone who would understand your non-belief. Every woman wants to marry a believer in church or mosque. Then if you have AS genotype, even babalawos cannot solve your compounded problems

Ajakayekoke:


Mr If you are rich as You said,Can You help me?i am trying to start a transportation business,i have over 40%,of the capital,still saving up,Can/will you help?You are kuku rich...

Ajakayekoke:


Mr If you are rich as You said,Can You help me?i am trying to start a transportation business,i have over 40%,of the capital,still saving up,Can/will you help?You are kuku rich...

hopefulLandlord:


bro, where in this thread did I claim to be "rich?"

are you sure you aren't quoting the wrong person? maybe you're tryna troll me?

QuietHammer:

You are still quoting the wrong person. Dalaman is your man. Before you ask him, are you a theist? Have you asked your God?

frank317:
For me, I don't feel this way... My family, my friends and co workers all know I am an atheist.

I am the kind of guy the takes charge of my environment... Rule my world and have a way of making people listen to me. I also have a way of making people look stupid.

My self esteem is at top notch... I make Religious folks look stupid because I talk better than them all.

My study in psychology made me make myself an authority.

My fiance is a Catholic (trad wedding is on 30th sept by the way, u are invited) and loves listening to me argue, she says she likes the way I present my case despite not in agreement. She thinks am the smartest and nicest guys she has dated.

People still love me as an atheist... Friends and well wisher all want to be at my wedding, knowing I have openly declared war on their belief but I see no difference in the way they relate to me... I receive at least 150k as dash every week since the day I announced my trad date and more is coming that I might not touch my savings.

Am not rich, just an average guy, yet my belief does not affect me in any way.

People have always loved me for being real and outspoken... I am just the kind of guy u can't be an enemy to.. ask analice. This is because u will definitely be on the loosing side.

frank317:
For me, I don't feel this way... My family, my friends and co workers all know I am an atheist.

I am the kind of guy the takes charge of my environment... Rule my world and have a way of making people listen to me. I also have a way of making people look stupid.

My self esteem is at top notch... I make Religious folks look stupid because I talk better than them all.

My study in psychology made me make myself an authority.

My fiance is a Catholic (trad wedding is on 30th sept by the way, u are invited) and loves listening to me argue, she says she likes the way I present my case despite not in agreement. She thinks am the smartest and nicest guys she has dated.

People still love me as an atheist... Friends and well wisher all want to be at my wedding, knowing I have openly declared war on their belief but I see no difference in the way they relate to me... I receive at least 150k as dash every week since the day I announced my trad date and more is coming that I might not touch my savings.

Am not rich, just an average guy, yet my belief does not affect me in any way.

People have always loved me for being real and outspoken... I am just the kind of guy u can't be an enemy to.. ask analice. This is because u will definitely be on the loosing side.

dalaman:


Nice. Glad to hear that your ways work for you as an open athiest. The only person that knows am an atheist is my wife (but she encourages me not to tell people). My father inlaw is suspecting me maybe that's because he's a closet athiest himself. He doesn't go to church or engage in any religious activity.

That has made my wife to accept my atheism because she grew up with a dad that stopped going to church when she was a teenager. That kind of made her to accept that some people can be irreligious when I came out and told her that I am no longer a believer. I became an atheist after we got married and she is now very cool with it. She always tells me that she'll beg her God to take me to heaven.

vaxx:
even as an African traditional faithful ,I do find it difficult to cope among my Nigeria friends(students ) here

when ever i try making them see reasons why they need to appreciate African religion. it is usually taken as a metaphor for the opposite of everything considered good about Western religion. Christian and Muslim in particular.



but i found the Hindu and the Buddhist interesting as they are more than willing to learn. I will like to know if any of them are on nairaland

my encounter with atheist are not much?

chemystery:
dalaman, since your wife is a christian, does she take your kid(s) to church? Cos this was the problem i'm having with my fiancee. According to her doesn't have problem with me being an atheists, but her marriage must be done in church and blessed by a priest. And that her kids must also go to church, and they must be Christians. This is just a problem to me. Tell me how you do it

chemystery:
Where is the location of your wedding frank317?

dalaman:


My children are christians. They will grow up to be very liberal christains. They don't have the kind of indoctrination I had. My wife attends COZA so she takes them with her. But I still teach them some of my ways. I tell them witches and wizards are fictional and not real, I let them know that most of the superstitions they hear around are not real.

Luckily kids today are growing in a very different environment compared to ours, they have access to information we never had. Over time as they get old and reason better I'll tell them about the history of Christianity and how it came to be, how the bible came to be, let them read about other religions and how they came about. Just let them read about religion from a historical point of view and let them know why I am an atheist. I really don't care if they end up as atheist or not. I just want them to understand why I am not a christian and accept my choice the way their mum has accepted it and is very cool with it.

Ajakayekoke:


I give up,aint Quoting him no more.@my God,he ain't my God&not even close&can never be close,all you fake ass atheist,just be thankful to God cos he's merciful,if cancer/a deadly killer points a Gun@You,you are definitely,Gon say your last prayer,won't you?

frank317:


My village... Mbaise in imo state

But I stay in ajah Lagos

chemystery:
You are a pagan! - according to Christian or Muslim definition. But you don't need to worry. So long as there is an atheists by the corner, you are their best friend

chemystery:


Hypatia said:

"Fables should be taught as fables, myths as myths, and miracles as poetic fantasies. To teach superstitions as truths is a most terrible thing. The child mind accepts and believes them, and only through great pain and perhaps tragedy can he be in after years relieved of them"

Don't you think introducing a child to Christianity first will cause them to accept and believe in it and it will eventually take greater pain and much effort for that child to free himself.

Don't you think it would have been better they start with "No religion" (not atheism), then you teach them about Christianity as well as other religion. Then teach them to think rationally about these believes and leave the choice for them to make.

For me, I won't mind my kids being a christian, Muslim or any other religion, but they must make their own choices. They mustn't be an atheist like me. No!
But starting them with any particular religion or atheism is what I won't do.

Well, your case might be different. You might probably have been going to church with them before you became an atheists.

chemystery:
Not too far from me. I will contact you before then if I'd be coming.

dalaman:


Yeah, I strarted going to church with my first daughter. The second was lIle a year when I became an atheist so she's never seen me engage in any religious activity.

Letting your children grow up in Nigeria without religion isn't a good thing in my opinion. It will lead them to different types of trouble especially in school.

If you are living in Europe or America then fine you can do that.