by Alec Hemphill

Created on: September 24, 2009   Last Updated: September 28, 2009

For some of us, atheism is not so much an ideology as it is an inborn fact. Often, when discussing this with religionists, it seems to be ignored that atheism is something I did not learn.

Being born into a non-religious family was at times a luxury. Devoid of the idea of God, I believe I felt a more valid sense of privacy then did my adolescent peers who were, as pre-teens, beginning to better understand what exactly their God expected of them from a moral perspective. I did not share their fantasy of an omnipotent being watching my every move, good and bad, and more or less judging my character against an impossible pretense which would decide the quality of my soul's "afterlife." To some, it seems impossible to imagine having absolutely zero faith in what their religious texts suppose about our world. But shouldn't it interest them that myself, having never been exposed to these ideas until my teenage years, would have no inexplicable mental or physical attachments to ANY deity? Do they forget that the only reason the teachings of mainstream religion are so all-encompassing is their evangelical missions to "uncivilized" areas of the world? I believe these facts show that man's so-called "innate" ability to communicate with a higher power is simply self-created. We crave safety, understanding, and stability; and when we cannot obtain it with physical science and self-motivation, we attempt to implore "God" to show us the light. Just look at the number of prison inmates who miraculously come to Jesus while incarcerated. Even Jeffrey Dahmer claimed to have achieved this connection before his death, chastising his own father for being without God.

I was taught as a young boy that hard work, kindness and self-education were the keys to living in content. I believe that all people are inherently good, not the other way around as found in the Bible. I learned that working towards a greater sense of community, a better connection with your peers and an understanding of human and social behavior is what aids the earth and its people. Religion fuels the fires of war, humility, hate and murder. Minds carrying the potential to be the greatest thinkers are shackled by the mental chains of religious thought and persecution. Religious laws based on "morals" condemn logic, promote sexism, promote racism, condone murder, encourage genocide and imprison free-thought.

The psychology of atheism is a reflection of humanitarian ideals. Once the true motives and repercussions of religious fanaticism is realized, the only question that can logically remain is "Why NOT atheism?"

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