How long have you been an atheist?

[KichigaiNeko]

Only four years. Not nearly long enough.

I so wish I could have been an atheist my entire life, but alas, my parents choose to pass on the very worse dogmatic beliefs onto me. I mean we were so hopelessly convinced we used to starve ourselves for three days and nights to mark the Easter Weekend, I'm deadly serious, we were proper fundies. We hated the world and couldn't wait for God to destroy it as in Revelations. However despite their religious ideas stagnating capacity for intellectual discussion they have wonderful qualities too my parents, I love them, and that's how I can honestly tell them face-to-face I'd never dream of repeating their mistakes.

De-converting was one of the most heart-wrenchingly painful processes I've ever gone through; several times I came close to contemplating suicide. I never could have initially thought letting go of that faith-based system that once dominated me so completely would have been so long drawn out.

Now I'm a liberated freethinker and I face everyday with scientific curiosity and awe at the natural universe in motion. I've come to appreciate and value this world, this uncommon small planet that can actually support life. I've gained a much more positive outlook on reality and the people in it.

Ya know, I have often wondered if there can't be some sort of class action brought against religion for the amount of psychiatric pain and suffering infflicted on the planet's population.

One thing is for certain... without the cathollic church psychiatry would have little to investigate is my thinking.