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[quote=Anonymous]I'm an atheist because I have never seen any physical phenomenon that was not explainable through scientific methodology. I've never seen anything genuinely magical, nothing paranormal, nothing miraculous. I do not mean to say that I have never seen anything wonderful or awe-inspiring. The more complex things are, the more they inspire and intrigue me, whether it's a painting, a novel, a sunrise, or a snow-covered mountain. If a sculpture is amazing, I admire the artist. If a flower is beautiful, I don't admire God - I am amazed instead by the countless evolutionary processes that produced such an incredible object.

I used to want to believe in God or gods. Who wouldn't like there to be magic (although magic could do bad things as well as good). As I matured, however, I realized something - it didn't matter whether there was a God or not. Truthfully, if you did not believe in God, would you be a different person? Would you go out and kill people? Is that the only thing that's stopping you? Of course not. We all live together in a society, and our happiness is biologically dependent upon our living together harmoniously and acting, at times, altruistically. You would do the sames things, have the same goals, love the same people, if there was no God. What good is God then? If you are a good person, do good things, do you really think that if there is a God after all He wouldn't let you into heaven? Be a good person, help your community, and you will get your reward in this life and, if there is one, in the next. You don;t need God at all. Belief in God or non-belief is not a meaningful issue.

The real issue is religion. Lots of people believe in God or are "spiritual" but don't go to church or belong in a religion. What is a church/religion? Apart from a community of people - a community you could remain in or not regardless of whether you choose to believe in God - religion is about setting the rules. If you're Catholic, you must confess the acts the church says are sinful; if you're Muslim, you must fast during Ramadan - or else! If you pick and choose the rules you like (e.g., being a Catholic who uses birth control), then you're not really in the religion at all. Using the example above, you could be in the Catholic community and attend church and celebrate Christmas and Easter, but if you're not playing by the church's rules, then you are not really practicing that religion. We all have our own sense of right and wrong, and sometimes we believe it's moral to do something a religion says is wrong, or immoral to do something the religion says is right. Everyone picks and chooses. And, if you are not choosing for yourself, it only means you are letting others choose for you. Who are those people choosing for you - a Pope? an Imam? a Rabbi? And what happens if you are required to do something you feel is immoral - do you comply or resist at the risk of your immortal soul? This is where self-determination, free will, human instinct, and humanism MUST come into play. Take my advice - forget the church. Be the best person you can be, contribute to the wonderful world we live in, help those around you as you will rely upon them when you need help.

Make good choices and be a moral person, and you can forget about the rules of a specific religion and forget the issue of whether there is a God or not - none of that is helping you to be happy or be a positive member of society.

Good luck![/quote]

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