Are you there god, it's me... oh wait, I take it back. Nevermind.

I have a confession to make... I am an Atheist. Yes, that's right, a card-carrying god-hater. Actually that is not right, I don't hate god, I don't think it is real. Simple as that. You will not convince me otherwise no matter how hard you may try.

I was baptised and raised Catholic so I have the moral foundation I suppose but I know lots of people, including my own daughter, that weren't raised with religion and they also have a solid moral foundation. I think it's pretty common sense stuff to not steal, kill, cheat on your spouse, etc.. The only thing being Catholic gave me was smaller class sizes and a healthy fear of a meter stick. It also enabled me to lie in confession, drink wine as a minor and wear short dresses. That's not too bad is it?

One thing I am not is agnostic so don't try to lump me into that category either. I believe in absolutely nothing and am quite happy with my decision to lead a life completely devoid of religion and higher powers. Does this make me a bad person? Not at all. In fact, I would go so far as to say I am a better person than a lot of religious folks we hear about in the news. Kool-aid and Westboro Baptist Church ring any bells? Paedophilia runs rampant in the Catholic Church and their leader, who claims to speak for god, turns a blind eye? Goodness me, I had no idea raping children was an acceptable practise. If I am mistaken, please, somebody, step up and let me know.

While I am a non-believer, I am also very schooled in most religions; Christianity, Judaism, Mormonism, Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, Jainism, Wicca, etc.. For those who believe that Atheism is on par with Satanism, you are wrong. In order for me to believe in the devil, I would have to believe in god. This pretty much means no heaven or hell either. My body will be burned and the ashes will be given to charity or somebody who really likes me. My soul will go nowhere as I don't have one and I will not be reincarnated into a duck as I had once hoped.

Anyway back to my religious education, for you perverts out there I am not referring to my Catholic school education. As I stated, I have done much research and study into many religions and none of them ring true to me. The amount of hypocrisy, death and destruction that has gone on throughout history in the name of god seriously disturbs me. How can people that claim to be loved and protected by a god wreak so much havoc in his/her/it's name? Live and let live, no? Why does it matter if your god goes by a different name than her god or if her religion came before yours? Is it worth all of the bloodshed and hatred humans have subjected one another to? I guess if your goal is to have less people on the planet, this might be a good idea but if that is the case, why do so many religious people insist on having a flock of children? It's all so confusing and I know what is going on. What about the people that are ignorant to the ins and outs of different religions? They follow blindly and hope for the best I suppose.

Please do not misunderstand what I am saying here. I am not opposed to people who choose to believe in the various gods and indoctrinate themselves into the various religions; whatever gets you through the day. It's the ones that insist on me being evil for not believing or the others who try to save my soul. If I wanted to believe in something, I would. My belief is that my knowledge of the world around me will help me through life's trials, not some sky fairy with a beard and toga. I prefer to be fearful of real life issues such as global warming and drunk driving.

Why do religious folks insist on shoving their religion down the throats of others? People knock on our doors, accost us at the train, infiltrate our schools and government and bomb random buildings just to get us to see things their way. Why? If the religion is so wonderful, won't people just flock to it like flies to shit? Apparently not. I wonder why that is? What's to be scared of? Eternal damnation for using a condom? Fire and brimstone on a random day in May 2011, October 2011 or December 2012? Getting your peepee slapped for premarital sex? Maybe it's being forced to blow yourself up for allah. I really do not know and I doubt I will ever understand.

It's one thing to be a child and have blind faith but when you start growing up and become a teenager and eventually an adult, why aren't you asking the hard questions? Why not question the contradictions and chicanery? Why were massive plagues inflicted on non-believers before records were kept? Why has my non-believing neighbour not been struck down with gonorrhoea? If an infidel man forces himself on a nine year old girl, he is called a paedophile but if that man were Mohammad, it is rationalised with all sorts of excuses. Polygamy is "abominable before me!" (Book of Mormon Jacob 2:24) however, FUNDAMENTALIST aka "hardcore" mormons still practice it. Hmmm...also according to the Book of Mormon, "God is unchanging" (3 Nephi 24:6). No wonder these people are fucked up! It's hard enough trying to figure out the complexities of life without the spiritual stuff thrown in. As a teenager your hormones are telling you to masturbate but god says no! I cannot imagine feeling guilty every time I decided to dance with myself.

Maybe my words will start you thinking about your own beliefs and how religion, yours or otherwise affects the world or you will blow this off as another sinner going to hell. Either way, make sure you think long and hard about your decision and do the research. This shit affects the rest of your life for better or worse. Don't go into it ignorant.