I first encountered Courtney about 8 years ago when I was blogging on xanga in between classes. She was engaged to a particularly obtuse young evangelical (who really took that label seriously) named Gabe. It was a weekly chore almost to take whatever Gabe and Courtney were saying about the lord and rip it to shreds as a break between assignments. Gabe was always indignant and cocky, insisting the tatters at his feet that used to be his arguments were instead an impenetrable fortress.

Courtney, on the other hand, didn’t care for what I did, but she would always respond to what I said. Eventually she and Gabe both stopped commenting on my blog. A few years later, she asked me if I would read a blog post of hers. I consented, expecting to spend half an hour setting her straight. Instead, I found a post trashing religion and the political right. Courtney had abandoned her faith.

I met Courtney for the first time at the North Texas Secular Student Convention this last year and we hit it off. She’s married now, to a particularly nice dude. She also came to Skepticon this year and saw me get all engaged.

During the weekend, she sent me this email.

At first you were my adversary. I “debated” you (and by “debated” I mean “got my ass publicly kicked by”) and you left me with so many things to ponder. I never left our conversations feeling apathetic. Initially I set out to prove you wrong. It proved too great a task. So I converted to atheism. Fast forward a few years. I went to my first “actual” atheist convention – The North Texas Secular Student Convention. I met a lot of great people (I finally met you, despite the fact I’d “known” you for several years at that point). I started becoming more active in the community, but I was always more a participant than a leader. Soon, I am going to change that. I’ve been asked to be the Volunteer Coordinator at this year’s North Texas Secular Convention – and I’ve agreed. I’m very excited to give the tiniest bit back to a community that has changed my life in so many super-amazing ways. There’s no way I could possibly pay back what this community has done for me – but I’m going to do my damnedest. Without this community, I’d be incredibly lonely. Social interaction has never been my strong suit, but these great people (first and foremost you, because you introduced me to so many great folks) have always made me feel like one of their own. I wouldn’t know this community without you, and I thank you for that. So, to summarize – thank you. Thank you for making me think. Thank you for making me challenge what I considered to be real. And mostly, thank you for introducing me to this amazing group of people. This is the best community one could ask for, and I’d never have known that except for you. I can’t thank you enough. <3, Courtney P.S. There are no word to describe how happy I am for you and Michaelyn. I can’t wait for your wedding. You two epitomize true, beautiful, love. Also you’re uber-disgusting. And I mean that in the most complimentary way ever. 🙂

For those of you who say arguing with Christians never changes anything, you could not be more wrong. As I’ve written before…

I am told by many other atheists that we should be careful not to offend religious people. Though I do not advocate offending people for the sake of offending people, when this argument gets applied to genuine criticism of religion it does not move me in the slightest. I do not want religious people to be comfortable in their beliefs. I want them to worry that when they step out of church that they will lose an argument if Jesus gets brought up. I want them to view me as the enemy – hell, I am the enemy of their religion. I want them to be mad at atheists so much they either stop bringing Jesus up in public (win) or they engage atheists (win). I want them to want to beat me because that means they’re learning, even if it’s in the interest of besting me. As long as people are learning, as long as they’re exposing themselves to the facts, and as long as they’re thinking, religion is losing. I may not convert them, but knowledge mixed with reality will.

And now atheism gets yet another activist. What a great way to start my morning.