I've always understood there are two versions of atheism; one is a total disbelief in any sort of God and the other is a lack of believing in Gods etc.
For me, I was a rude little prick in primary school and after four years in a public school I was put into a Catholic school. I assume it was to improve my behavior and make me pay some more attention. I went to a Catholic secondary school and they really rammed the god message home. I paid attention but have never actually believed in the stories and the notion of Catholicism, it's always struck me as something that requires a person to dedicate their life to a belief that doesn't seem to be a happy existence. Go to church every week, not have sex with beautiful people until you marry them, put some cash in a collection tray, be nice to everyone regardless of their attitude towards you, forgive people who sin..............that's all boring shit that I won't have dictated to me by some imaginary fiction that has no proof of ever existing.
I don't follow the workings of other religions but the notion of condemning a person for being gay is such a horrible thing to make people believe. Honestly, if a person wants to love a person who has the same dangley bits then whoopdy doda? Why should a bearded dude who got high with his mates and told their homies he walked on water have a say in what happens to people in the future? Fuck that shit, that's such a tragic belief and I pity you if you feel otherwise.
I get one shot at this gig. I'm not inclined to be made to believe that I need to be a good boy so I can go to Heaven and do..............whatever you do in heaven. I want to live healthy, I want to live happy. A religion isn't going to bring me that as I'm a realist and am not going to have my life consumed by such a smothering brainwash.
Like I said, I was taught to believe the dribble but never have. It hit home over the course of a few years when I was younger when the religious side of my family suffered losses at the hands of horrible illnesses. These three people; My Nan, My Aunty and Uncle were the kindest and most adorable people in my life and they were ruined by things that were out of their control. They did pray, they asked for the help of a God but believing they had any assistance from the heaven's isn't something I will ever believe.
The other reason I think it's a brainwash is the extreme beliefs of the fuckers who think it's okay to take people down with bombs and terror attacks. That right there, that one notion of a religious existence is one undeniable reason why humans are better off without it. All of it, all religion should be outlawed in schools and races of people. Teach love, preach happiness and stop giving people false hope on things that do not exist in the one life you have.