by Michael Mikolajczyk

Created on: January 18, 2009

I am a sinner, a corrupter, a shameful being, an unpatriotic citizen, a blasphemer - if you ask many people around our nation and world.

I am an atheist.

I think that perhaps atheism, even more so than many of the world's religions, is dreadfully misunderstood and reviled. Many religious people equate the term of atheism as merely being a religion for those who refuse to take the accountability of Christianity or Islam or any other religion. It's often said that it takes more faith to be an atheist than it does to be religious.

Obviously, I disagree. Atheism is not a religion. What it can be, however, is a tenant or doctrine of a religion. Religion, by definition, is "a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons or sects." Note the complete lack of divinity. Atheism is, quite simply, the lack of belief in god/gods.

So what about me? How do I
feel about being an atheist? As any other atheist can relate to, being an open atheist is a sure-fire way to get you in trouble with any number of people. In fact, I'd say that more so than any other singular belief system, atheism will consistently offend people at a greater rate. It would be impossible for me to describe the amount of times in which the mere fact that I do not see something as divine has caused vile reactions in people that are normally very calm and rational.

I went through what I call my de-conversion from Christianity when I was 16 and a senior in high school. Through many different resources, primarily the internet and books, my faith began to show little cracks here and there. Over time, I began to read more and more, becoming ever-increasingly consumed by my search for knowledge and the truth. Thankfully, I was raised to be open-minded within my faith, so I was not conflicted with much of the self-loathing that characterizes many
de-conversions.

Within a few months, I was a full-blown atheist.

Since then, I can honestly say that my life has improved. No longer do I view life as merely the first step in a long, eternal process. I feel no guilt about natural feelings in my mind and body. The idea that this is ultimately the only life that I will ever have is both humbling and empowering. Suddenly everything seems crisper, more valuable, and more deserving of my complete attention. Is it entirely unsurprising that many of these emotions of elation and graciousness are shared by those going through conversions into religious faith?

I think not. We, as human beings, for whatever reason crave some sort of knowledge about what is "out there" and if there will be something after our puny 75 years or so on our rock. For me, the knowledge that there is, in fact, nothing out there was equally as empowering as many people "discovering" that there is a god that loves them.

Let me be clear: as an atheist, I do not despise religion or religious people. I pity them, in a way, but I hold no ill will towards them. I do, however, take great offense to when religion attempts to influence my life in ways that I believe it has no right. For this reason, I am a strict supporter of separation of church and state.
Still, I find no harm in someone else choosing to believe that there is a great God out there somewhere.

As an atheist, I have no creed. I have no church. I have no pastor. As such, I follow one very simple, ancient rule. Do whatever you want; believe whatever you want; feel whatever you want as long as you do not infringe on anyone else's right to do the same.

I may be no saint, but I am no sinner either. I am merely an atheist.

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