tehblaed

The fact that religion was invented by human beings in the first place is usually my number one reason.

The following text is basically a giant crapload of thoughts I have on religion. Enjoy.

I am 100% completely, pure atheist. I believe in no supernatural occurences: no ghosts, no spirits. There is no "soul" or "spirit", these are just fictionalized representations of your current personality. Personality does only exist in a living human brain, be it your brain (i.e. your own personality) or the brain of another human being (i.e. remembering how you used to be, or something). I am a scientist at heart and need proof for everything.

Funny, because my parents raised me Presbyterian. What's also humorous is that I got kicked out of Sunday School at their church (for telling the teacher she was lying!)

I guess what actually determines what religion you are is what other people label you as, and since all religions started out as one religion - basically traced back to Sumer and their king/gods - it doesn't really matter anyway.

Want to know what happens when you die? You rot. There you go. That's the answer. Your body rots, your brain rots, your eyes rot, your "soul" rots - since your brain is rotting, there is no soul. Soul is just another word for personality.

I believe the only reason religions still exist and thrive thoroughly is because people still need an excuse to get up off of their butts and do things. While I do agree that religion is a good way of motivating someone to do whatever (quit drugs, get good grades, stay chaste, etc), the motivation should come from within in the first place. There should be no reason to be unmotivated unless you are lazy and are frightened by the fact that when you die you will have things that you have not held responsibility for. Thus the reason for "forgiving" sins would be to remove personal liability for things you have done wrong.

I really really hate how everyone is so very polite to each other at Church, even though they may hate each other's guts. There is absolutely no reason to put on a show - if "God" could really judge you I bet he would be more pissed at you if you lied to yourself and others rather than just being honest.

Religion is all about motivation. I feel the reason I am atheist is because I have absolutely no reason to feel ashamed for anything I have ever done, nor do I lack any self respect or motivation. I get things done; I have never drank alcohol (to get drunk, I mean. I have consumed one (1) beer on three seperate occasions (eating steak.)); I waited quite some time to do any sexual activity.

All these morals, all this responsibility, all without the help of "spiritual guidance". I think religion is just an excuse to take the burden off of getting things done on your own.

Did you know that in the Stephen King book "It", there is a crazy spider monster that transforms itself into a clown and lures children into the sewers and then kills them?

How about if I told you that story was true, would you believe me? Probably not. For the same reasoning, I do not believe that the Bible is a work of complete non-fiction and should be taken literally; It is simply just a book that someone wrote. Well, more like a couple people. Okay, probably a hundred or so different people. But it’s just a book.

Do not feel obligated to believe in any one of the many different religions just because "it makes the most sense" when you have not yet explored the idea that there is no God, no plan, no apocolypse. Wouldn't the thing that would "make the most sense" be something that has actually been scientifically proven to be exact and right many times over? If you answered yes to this question, then Creationism would be completely out of the picture. There is so much backing to evolution it is not even slightly amusing.

I feel no need to believe in anything, no order, no set path. The idea that I have no control over my life's outcome is pure bull to begin with. If fate is what you are to end up being, then I guess whatever the hell I do, that would be my fate, right? So if I work at a soup kitchen, give to the needy, and home the homeless, would my fate be "giving back to the community and being a kind, caring, gentle person"?

How about if one day I just decided to end all that and kill a few people? I guess that would be my new Fate then, huh? I can say loophole, can you? No matter what happens to me, that is always my Fate. That's not all that thought out if you ask me. So many ways to get around it.

The thought that religion is a security blanket is accepted over here on my end. I am independent enough to enjoy my life without my security blanket, as I am mature enough to say "I do not need help, I am fine by myself." And you know what? I am. I enjoy my life to the fullest, and I seriously enjoy my photography/computer hobbies. I always try to live my life every second as if I were to die the next. I am optimistic, because I have no other chance at living. Once I am dead, I am dead. To me, that is maturity - knowing that even though it will all end without reward or fame, doing your best anyway. Kind of like being a "good sport", don't you think? Instead of playing life to win, I play life to enjoy.