In The Beginning....

I am an atheist. I have been for pretty much all my life. And though I do not believe there is a god, I believe very strongly in religious freedom. All of you who believe in a god my be wrong, but you have the right to be wrong in your own way. I will even fight for your right to be wrong*. Of course, I expect the same from you, too (your fighting for my right to be wrong).

I am not a "militant atheist" - last I checked, I had not firebombed a church, nor shot any doctors, flown any planes into any buildings, etc., nor are those actions part of any plan I have. I've never tried to convert somebody from belief in a god to atheism, nor do I think I ever will. I will debate beliefs with somebody if they bring it up, but pox on me if I ever go door to door to instruct people about the lack of god (and pox on those that do go door to door to instruct people about their god).

As an American, I grew up with the idea of the separation of church and state. The US government, as well as all the state and local governments, are in the business of governing, not proselytizing. I'm not a fan of "In God We Trust" being on our money, but it has been there for a hundred years, so that falls into tradition. I do want to see "under god" removed from the Pledge of Allegiance - it was placed there as an overreaction to "them godless commies". Besides, schoolkids recite The Pledge daily (at least here in North Carolina they do - it's the law), so it essentially becomes government-sponsored indoctrination of the existence of a god.

Religious fundamentalists/evangelicals worry me, and they should worry you, too. Anybody who feels they MUST push their beliefs on you and that you MUST believe the way you do lacks respect for others. And that is just wrong.


*However, if your belief system involved suppression of women, or others who may not be like you, or if it involved sex with kids, you are not believers, you are vile scum who should be prosecuted to the extent of the law.