Here's my story...
I was raised in a Christian family (technically, I'm still living with that family--not the same one, but yeah--but that doesn't mean that they influence me) and I was a devout Christian most of my life. At 11 years old, I read a science book on the big bang, and questioned god. I told my brother (we shared everything), and he said, "Yeah, well God did it! >( " and I never questioned him again.
I found other religions--pagan religions, namely Wicca--that I found fascinating and sooo much more fun than Christianity, and went back and forth between the two because of my brother convincing me that Wicca was the work of the devil. e_e
So, I was going back and forth with Christianity-Wicca-and back again, over and over, for about five years. At 16, my brother shared with me these "other" new age books--Conversations with God, by Neale Walcsh. Very interesting, to say the least. Anyways, it just promoted all these radical beliefs and such, one of them being, "There is no meaning to life, and that is God's greatest gift of all." My brother and I conversed..."If there is no meaning, then why live at all?" Eric (my bro) took this to heart, apparently, because months later, he killed himself.
Later that year, in the summer, I saw a video about atheism, and the idea was just so strange to me--"No god??? what??"--but I played with the idea, and I went from Paganism-to atheism and back again for a while.
Now, two years later, after reading "The God Delusion" and "Why People Believe Weird Things", I am utterly convinced that there is no god.
And honestly...I feel free! No more having to look over my shoulder and apologize for being human, and I can enjoy being with my friends and my family, and just enjoy myself, and I can read about science and philosophy, and so many things and just LOVE it...
However, my deepest and only regret is that Eric wouldn't ever understand this, and he'll never see life, never live through it and see how beautiful it is.
I was raised in a Christian family (technically, I'm still living with that family--not the same one, but yeah--but that doesn't mean that they influence me) and I was a devout Christian most of my life. At 11 years old, I read a science book on the big bang, and questioned god. I told my brother (we shared everything), and he said, "Yeah, well God did it! >( " and I never questioned him again.
I found other religions--pagan religions, namely Wicca--that I found fascinating and sooo much more fun than Christianity, and went back and forth between the two because of my brother convincing me that Wicca was the work of the devil. e_e
So, I was going back and forth with Christianity-Wicca-and back again, over and over, for about five years. At 16, my brother shared with me these "other" new age books--Conversations with God, by Neale Walcsh. Very interesting, to say the least. Anyways, it just promoted all these radical beliefs and such, one of them being, "There is no meaning to life, and that is God's greatest gift of all." My brother and I conversed..."If there is no meaning, then why live at all?" Eric (my bro) took this to heart, apparently, because months later, he killed himself.
Later that year, in the summer, I saw a video about atheism, and the idea was just so strange to me--"No god??? what??"--but I played with the idea, and I went from Paganism-to atheism and back again for a while.
Now, two years later, after reading "The God Delusion" and "Why People Believe Weird Things", I am utterly convinced that there is no god.
And honestly...I feel free! No more having to look over my shoulder and apologize for being human, and I can enjoy being with my friends and my family, and just enjoy myself, and I can read about science and philosophy, and so many things and just LOVE it...
However, my deepest and only regret is that Eric wouldn't ever understand this, and he'll never see life, never live through it and see how beautiful it is.
