How I Became an Atheist

"Your ignorance of Scientific knowledge is NOT proof of God."

I thought I would start this adventure by telling everyone a little bit about myself, and how I came to realize that there is no God. 

This story begins when I was born. It starts there because I was born in a small town, a very religious, small town, in Kentucky. I lived in a town that had nearly as many churches as people, so I was destined to be a Christian. My mom and dad were no longer together but I remember visiting him on the weekends and sitting in the pews most Sundays. Like most children, raised by God-fearing parents, I was told that if I didn't do exactly what God wanted me to do then I would burn in Hell for eternity, and I very much believed that. 

I eventually stopped visiting my father, because despite him being a Christian, he was also a drunk. I would love to tell you more about the amazing person that he was but we will save that for a future post. Anyway, my maternal side of the family were still Christians but they did not attend church. Since I was still afraid of an eternity in hell, I had to find another way to go, so I did. I became friends with a girl that lived down the road and started going to church with her. It was not the same faith that I had been used to but that didn't matter, so long as I had a way to worship God. This went on for several years, until I finally realized that I didn't need church in order to worship God. There was nothing I could do at church (other than give them my money) that I couldn't do at home.

I continued to fear God for a long time. Even when I would do the least little thing wrong, I would pray for his forgiveness. After all, I had been told that I would burn in Hell's everlasting fire if I didn't. This went on for many years, even into adulthood. 

Several years ago, I began to question God. Why would an all-powerful God allow so much suffering? Why are people starving? Why are people homeless? The list goes on and on. I know there are many bullshit, Christian excuses for these things but I don't buy any of them. I then became an Agnostic. It wasn't until I found out that my mom had converted to Atheism, that I, too, decided to do some research. I had no idea, until then, that there was an Atheist community on the internet. I didn't really even know what Atheism was all about. I was always taught that Atheists were Satan worshipers, because that is a part of the brain washing process of Christianity.  

The research and an open mind was all that it took to convince me that God is as real as Santa Claus. When you open your mind to the possibility that The Bible is JUST a story and look this shit up for yourself, you realize that Science is more logical than a magical man in the sky. The freedom from this was indescribable. It was freedom unlike any other. Not because I wanted to sin, but because I no longer had to worry about God and Hell.  

Religious freedom is not a reality for children. Kids growing up in a religious household do not get a choice. That is one, of many things, that separates most Atheists from Christians. I have a 5 year old daughter and I would never tell her what to believe. It's not fair to them. It is mentally abusive to tell your child that they will burn in hell for eternity. It makes me sad to think that kids are subjected to this because there parents are too fucking ignorant to realize that God is nothing more than an imaginary friend. God isn't really even a friend, either, if you think about it. God isn't even good. He is cruel and vengeful. Even if he was real he would not be worth worshiping.

This story is merely one piece of my fucked up life. I wanted to tell it first, in hopes that it reaches someone.