17)

the other week, there was this guy on campus proselytizing to the students of the fine institution i attend. i first became aware of him around lunchtime—hard to miss, his sign read:

“WARNING: POT SMOKERS, DRUNKARDS, SODOMITES, IMMODEST WOMEN, PAGANS, SEX FREAKS, PARTIERS, PORN FREAKS, ABORTIONISTS, FEMINISTS, LIARS, EVILUTIONIST, MUSIC IDOLATERS, AND ALL NON-CHRISTIANS: JUDGMENT IS COMING”

trying to be an open-minded individual, i stopped briefly to listen. he was going on about how feminism is the devil and that women should submit to their husbands without question. nearby in the crowd, there was a girl arguing back and forth with him. (she was an evil woman and she was going to hell, by the way.) i would have stayed to listen, but i needed to go take a midterm. when i was finished with my exam i walked back through the commons. he was still there, and his crowd had grown larger. as i passed by, i had the following exchange:

group of three students on the fringe of the group: join us. save yourself from hell.
me (slowing down some, looking them in the eye): there’s no such thing as hell.
one of the guys in the group: umm, of course there is.
me: do you have any quantitative proof of the existence of hell?
group: um…uh…well listen to this guy and he’ll tell you!
me: that’s what i thought (then i turned and kept walking.)

yes, i am a happy non-believer. an atheist. why? there are two major reasons:

1.) as a rational, forward thinking human being, believing in some higher power who may or may not be there and ascribing to the fact that when i die, i’m either going to heaven or hell completely denies human logic.

i have no quantitative proof of the existence of god. i feel like it’s somewhat preposterous to think that i’m going to live on after i die in any way other than through memories, photographs, and words. i really have difficulty buying into the whole “god is ever present; he is everywhere” thing. it’s all a bit silly.

and anyway, why should i place my entire life, all of my thoughts and actions and decisions and everything that occurs, off of a story book? it’s more or less fiction. i have free will and faith in myself. i don’t need religion to be spiritual.

2.) christians/religious individuals seem to be always preaching about love and acceptance and all of those positive virtues. and yet, they manage to contradict themselves in the very same breath—that day on campus being a perfect example of this, in my opinion. how many wars, how many battles, how many people have lost their lives because of the violence and hate that is birthed from religion? they speak of all these things, of loving your neighbor, of being non-judgmental and open when really, they are promoting…anger.

i cannot stand by something that propagates negativity, ignorance, and hate. i do not need bible verses or belief in a higher power to be a good person. do not call me evil because i don’t believe; do not call me a bad person. i have morals and i am intrinsically motivated to do good for the better of everyone. it has nothing to do with religion or god or anything of that sort. (i will not, am not, standing out there waving my sign. i am simply stating my opinion on the matter.)

i believe in nature, in science, in truth, beauty, and reality. it is possible to be a good person without religion.