by Derek Graff

Created on: July 02, 2007   Last Updated: July 04, 2007

Let's look at this issue logically, whether you're religious or atheist, you rely on faith. You need faith in the hope that the other one is wrong. If you're atheist, then you're royally screwed if all those "you're going to hell" fanatics are right. If you're religious, then you just made sacrifices, restricted your lifestyle, and worshiped constantly for some promised paradise that doesn't exist. The truth is that neither theory can be proven. I can understand having an opinion on the issue or even a belief, but why would you become crazily obsessed and devote your life to something that no one will ever fully understand?

First, let's look at religion. The first thing you must do in any religion is believe in a supreme being with almighty "super" powers. In some you must believe that that supreme being made everything that exists today, can still control anything on the Earth today, and has the final decision on where you go when you die based on your actions on Earth. When you logically look at it, it just seems like a magical way of explaining everything. A supreme being created life, is responsible for all the pain and joy we receive, and will hold us accountable when our time comes. The perk of religion is, of course, heaven. Let's face it, people don't turn to religion because they want to be saved morally-they want into heaven. Heaven is often even used as an "advertisement" for religion. If the leaders of something really had faith, would they need an advertisement? Religion has hope and answers but relies on the belief in magic.

Atheism isn't perfect either. Atheism says that there is no supreme being, and we just came to be where we are through evolution, survival of the fittest. Although this theory can be scientifically proven, there are a lot of holes. How did the first life start? How did what the universe is made of come to be? The big bang theory explains how planets aligned and were jump started, but it doesn't explain what caused the explosion. Also, the big bang theory can't be proven. Most of these scientific explanations are guesses because these events took place so incredibly long ago. One aspect of atheism that turns people off to the idea is the lack of an after-life. Most people need some form of hope. They do not want to think that everything ends at death. This, however, does not take away from the legitimate points atheists bring up. However, most of the atheists' theories cannot be proven, and what they do have explained has many holes and leaves much to be desired.

"If you deny religion, then you're an atheist." Extremely false. You can be like me and many others. You can consider yourself an agnostic. Agnosticism is not being apathetic. It is a mere acceptance. It is acceptance of the fact that we do not know whether religion or atheism is correct. I do not reject the idea of a God. I do not reject the idea of all this occurring naturally. I am at peace with the fact that I won't ever know, nor will anyone else, and I am not willing to devote my life to either belief. I firmly believe that there is no perfect theory of existence to believe in.

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