Hello!

[karatalaamalaka]

Hi all,

I've been lurking here and on the Facebook page for a while now.

I have always been a freethinker. However, without exposure to a community like Nirmukta, I now feel that I had been refusing till recently (5 on Dawkins-scale), to fully acknowledge the naturalist/atheist in me. It may be hard for others to believe, but I wasn't aware of atheist/rationalist communities anywhere till I stumbled upon PZ Myers' blog several years ago. Since PZ Myers and co. mostly focused on criticism related to Abrahamic religions, I found it hard to relate to some of their literature as most of my experiences pertained to religion in India.

Before I start sounding too much like someone who has just discovered religion, here's how I have been influenced by the community: The articles and discussions here have helped me consolidate my views and reject religion with more conviction. Several months into following Nirmukta.com/forums/Facebook group, I can now say with full conviction that I am a 6 on Dawkins scale. I won't score myself as 7, as a hedge against a future Contact-ish discovery of this kind (a juvenile fantasy I've always had)



I must thank my friends, A and T for leading me here.

[Ajita Kamal]

Hi and welcome to the community.

I look forward to our conversations!

[sojourner]

Hi karatalaamalaka. I am also glad to that you joined Nirmukta. I am an IIScer too but from way back when. I recall some god conversations in the H Block Hostel, which is within walking distance of Yeshwantpur temple.

"Being a scientist, unfortunately, does not always equal a rationalistic outlook, says Ankur" in The Hindu article. Far from it. Over the years, I have received chain letters from Indian post-doc type people in fields like biochemistry and places like Yale. These were people I just met once and exchanged addresses.

[Aside: Ajita: I am waiting to get a two hour block of uninterrupted time before I continue on the Biological Intelligence thread.]

[karatalaamalaka]

(17-Aug-2011, 04:50 PM)sojourner Wrote: Hi karatalaamalaka. I am also glad to that you joined Nirmukta. I am an IIScer too but from way back when. I recall some god conversations in the H Block Hostel, which is within walking distance of Yeshwantpur temple.

I myself haven't been a student of IISc. I was associated with IISc via proximity and some collaboration. I know A from undergraduate.

A religious quirk there: a temple has sprung up just outside the IISc gate closest to Malleswaram. In an interesting reversal of roles, the temple and deity are named after the road, in this case- "Circle Maramma" temple.

sojourner, I am reading your BF Skinner posts on this forum and nirmukta.com. Very interesting!