I'm a woman; I'm European. I am short, and a little bit overweight.
And I am an Atheist.
I live in a world where nations try to enforce peace, by going to war.
I live in a world, where unarmed people protesting to get the most basic human rights, are met with brute force.
Atheism is, by definition, not believing in a god or a religious system; a lot of religious people however think that atheists are actively against god; how can I be against something I don't believe to exist?
They also believe that atheists can't tell right from wrong or have morals, because we don't believe in the religious teachings.
So does this mean that all people were killers and thieves before the prophets came along? They couldn't have been, or no mankind would have survived long enough to witness the beginning of modern religion.
I have nothing against people who follow a religion - as long as they don't try to enforce it on anybody else.
I just think it's unbelievable that in this century, and even in a modern society in Europe, I can't openly say that I'm an atheist; I think it's unbelievable that religious extremists are tolerated, because no matter how crazy, they still believe in god - but I'm looked down at if I say "I don't believe".
And if this happens here - it's easy to imagine how much worse it is in societies which are openly dominated by religion; how many people live a life they don't wish for, in the name of a god they don't believe in.
I don't want to convince anyone else not to believe; I don't want to force anyone else into my way of thinking.
I am what I am.
And I just want to see the day where all atheists, all over the world, can be who they are; the day when none of them will have to pretend, sometimes just to be allowed to live.
S.F.
And I am an Atheist.
I live in a world where nations try to enforce peace, by going to war.
I live in a world, where unarmed people protesting to get the most basic human rights, are met with brute force.
Atheism is, by definition, not believing in a god or a religious system; a lot of religious people however think that atheists are actively against god; how can I be against something I don't believe to exist?
They also believe that atheists can't tell right from wrong or have morals, because we don't believe in the religious teachings.
So does this mean that all people were killers and thieves before the prophets came along? They couldn't have been, or no mankind would have survived long enough to witness the beginning of modern religion.
I have nothing against people who follow a religion - as long as they don't try to enforce it on anybody else.
I just think it's unbelievable that in this century, and even in a modern society in Europe, I can't openly say that I'm an atheist; I think it's unbelievable that religious extremists are tolerated, because no matter how crazy, they still believe in god - but I'm looked down at if I say "I don't believe".
And if this happens here - it's easy to imagine how much worse it is in societies which are openly dominated by religion; how many people live a life they don't wish for, in the name of a god they don't believe in.
I don't want to convince anyone else not to believe; I don't want to force anyone else into my way of thinking.
I am what I am.
And I just want to see the day where all atheists, all over the world, can be who they are; the day when none of them will have to pretend, sometimes just to be allowed to live.
S.F.
