Hello! My name is Andy and I am a 58 year old male thst apparently gets to deal with not only RTS but also other addictions. The two most prominent are alcohol and my own opinion. The three together often leave me restless, irritable and discontent, sometimes just because I woke up this morning. Alcoholism dominated my life from 17-42 years of age. Getting sober was also the time I found myself drifting from beliver in any form of theistic world view to an atheist. Not an easy or acceptable path in the rooms. I haven’t had a drink in over 16 years and AA had been very helpful with continued sobriety. That being said, though I still attend a few meetings (mainly Freethinkers meetings) I find the god-shouting distatsteful and the groupthink cultish. Having been born and raised a Baptist and subsequently in and out of cults of both the Christian variety and non-Christian, I (usually) can smell a cult a mile off. Cults are legion and very subtle in their mind-fuck of devotees. But I digress.

Atheism came about through reading and researching and after awhile daring to doubt. it was not easy, but numerous voices from the Atheisr blog/youtube community and just reading what scientist’s had say about this bizarre and inexplicable universe (a grateful nod to the late Douglas Adams for that handy quote) have eased me into a life that I get to give meaning and purpose to. No longer from a book purportedly authored by a genocidal diety whose adherents really are no different in behavior from the rest of us no matter the chant, spell or ritual they claim males them so (really tired here of the ”god-glasses” and special auditory messages tripe).

Lastly for now the rage. Rage at deliberate deception, lies, half-truths, misinformation, strawmen arguments and downright sleazy used car salesmen techniques. Most days I don’t suffer much. Most days I love my existence (such as it is). Most days I love reading non-fiction about this lovely pale blue dot we call home and birding with my partner. And then there are the days where, ” Like one who on a lonely road/doth walk in fear and dread/and, having once turned round/walks on, and turns no more his head/Because he knows anfrightful fiend/Doth close behind him tread.” Then cometh Rage. And I rarely know what shadow crosed my mindscape to trigger it.

Finally, I am happy to be sober and happy to be an atheist. Happy also to know I am not alone.