God? Nah, I'll take science thank you.

God? Nah, never needed it.

So where to start, I guess most of you who will read this will probably be aware of my feelings of organised religion and that I am an atheist, not agnostic. Not blinded by a faith dreamt up 2000 years ago, nor blinded by science. Evolution is FACT. The evidence is there. It makes me chuckle that an argument against evolution is that it is called The Theory Of Evolution which shows a massive misunderstanding of what theory means in this context. I have part read the bible when we were given one in secondary school, and found it dull and uninspiring.  Why do you need a book to tell you how to live your life? "The 10 Commandments" = good shit to live your life by sure but what about all the other stuff contained within the monotheistic religious texts; condoning of rape, the legal murder of "heretics" by the Jewish army in the old testament I could go on but this not about listing all the shit wrong in the Bible. http://www.infidels.org/library/modern/jim_meritt/bible-contradictions.html http://www.thethinkingatheist.com/page/bible-contradictions

Visit these two sites for more information on the contradictions/inconsistencies found within the book. Yes, evidence suggests that the historical character of Jesus may have existed and that his message may have been one of peace and love but his message and biography is very similar to deities that went before him, but when I see the vitriol spouted from hateful people in God's name then something seems to have gone wrong? but what about the evidence that has been ignored or hidden as suggested by the Dead Sea Scrolls Deception.  Websites like Godhatesfags.com amongst others horrify me, they really do.  If there is a god which there isn't, would he/she/it/they give a single solitary fuck about where people are putting there sexual organs? The idea that God is like man is a fairly gross distortion from the original idea of god being ineffable and something we would never be able to understand read The History of God by Karen Armstrong is a very interesting read starting from the beginning which is a very good place to start. I don't judge people for holding religious beliefs as long as they keep them private and DO NOT use it to think they are better than another group of people or to keep a certain demographic down such as the role Christianity has played in trying to prevent equality for women for starters.

Yes I know the Bible is a collection of stories to lead a better life but when it is used to be shitty to another group? Then surely the point has been missed, and people are so blinkered that they go "look this bit is good" but ignore the horribleness found within it. Give me wonderful science and the natural world any time of a day than someone in the sky judging my actions.  I know science does not have all the answers, and there is so much about the human body we don't understand but I will take science with its evolution and gravity and its testable hypothesises. 

Following some  reading which I have done what worries me is that not necessarily in this country, but definitely in America that atheists are viewed with suspicion, that somehow the ability to think for oneself and not follow the crowd is a bad thing?! and that somehow being atheist means that we struggle with morality, I don't need a book to tell me what is right and wrong, I have had a good upbringing which was warm, affectionate and treated me respect.  Watch this clip  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgHoyTvyh4o  to watch Richard Dawkins slap someone down who suggests atheists can't have absolute morality. Some of the most amoral people have been so-called Christians, or people acting in the name of god, which if you think about it is very conceited. The fact that they think they would know what god would somehow meant. I am sorry if this is coming across as an attack on Christians, that is not my intention but majority of my reading has been around Christianity, no religion is free from attacking like dicks against another ethnic group even different cults within the same religion Protestants Vs Catholics, Sunnis Vs Shia.

I will never comprehend the fundamentalism of right wing Christians who kill doctors performing abortions, the Taliban and Saudi govt for their apparent hatred of women shown by the stoning and beheading of women on a regular basis or the gross female circumcision. Or the impact of the Conquistadors on the Americas or the impact of those escaping religious intolerance had on the native tribes of North America, the war on women in the dark ages and the role that the Catholic Church had in this.

I believe in religious freedom but not when it is entwined with hatred, and I don't agree with tax free status they seem to get. There is no place for religion in government and this is why in my opinion it means that people who get into power can then use their power to push their own agenda which may be against the wishes of the electorate. All you need to see is how the Right Wing Fundamentalists have hijacked the Republican Party in America.

I never push my beliefs on others and would like the same back.

And have Jehovah Witnesses' ever been successful in converting someone by knocking on their door? I was once asked if I knew of anyone on the street who would be interested in what they say? I wanted to reply "let me just check my idiot list, yes number 42 are up for a bit of religion".

If you have faith in religion and it gives you strength then good for you, but God, Nah I don't need it.  In my eyes there is so much wrong with organised religion and I don't need to be part of a group who follows blindly and tries to take a moral high-road on a number of issues. 

(One day I may write something which flows a bit better than this, and yes I realise I could save this as a draft and hone it but I have said what I need to say)