I have lost my faith... and im happy to say IM HAPPY!!

Its extremely difficult to write this considering my deeply religious background but reality has finally set in and i simply can not continue to deny it no matter how hard i try. So I have been a Catholic most of my childhood and then moved into a more conventional christian church. I following my parents and siblings into Christianity. However, over the last 16 months, all my doubts and questions about the bible and religion at large have become overwhelming to the extent that i can no longer believe any of it. My logic dictates that i seek satisfactory answers about everything i have been taught. I have sought counsel and advice from as many church leaders as i could but i keep getting the same nonsensical responses to basic questions. My own research and learning has lead me to the realization that i was forced into something that i really would never have wanted had i been given the choice. Frightened to death as child about how the god of the bible would get me if i didn't just believe and obey, the thought of burning in hell for all eternity scared me. The thought that i wasted 22 years on this foolishness makes me sick to my stomach. It sickens me even more that the majority of my black brothers and sisters are so deeply caught in this stuff that the mere questioning of their beloved faith elicits a violent response. I'm not sure how black Christians can reconcile 'black' culture and traditions with Christianity.How does anyone not see a problem with the fact that bibles only arrived in this country in the 1700s? And how does anyone reconcile morality with the god of the old testament? A god that punishes you for eternity for committing finite crimes? That's love? I know that question wont make any sense to most since reading the bible is not top of peoples priorities. I am however thankful that i read it in full several times and discovered just how crazy it is. What terrifies me is what i see around me. Both the crazy level of intolerance against non believers and the fear in little brothers eyes.Fear dressed up as pity. I see him asking the same questions i was asking and i see the fear in his eyes when he is threatened with eternal torment for even asking. I'm terrified that he will lose friends like i did. That some of his family will reject him just like they did me.At 18 years old I just don't know if he is that strong. Life is immeasurably happier, more valuable and more precious since this nonsense has been removed from my life and i know that if he chooses the same route, it will be the same for him as well but i just cant stand to watch the emotional battle that my quiet little bro has to endure. Religion is damaging on so many levels its just unbelievable. I decided not to set logic aside for blind faith and am happy for it. I have found incredibly intelligent and engaging atheists and agnostics to replace all the intolerant and bigoted christians who now see me as the devil herself. I learn so much more on a daily basis that i would previously have shut my eyes to.i can only hope that society as a whole will move towards a place where education and reason are respected more than a book put together by bunch of woman hating perverts...We all know by now that us mere mortals sin, well Christians call it sins and they believe we are born into this world with sin because we are human, atheist embrace being human we just don’t give things names that we have to explain away later on, because we love life and don’t waste time on such unimportant silliness, hypocrisy is reserved for them name givers that can't live up to their own religious rules and regulations, like Jesus and the story of his crucifixion. Hope none of you guys who happen to be firmly grounded in your beliefs as christian dont find this offensive

True Happines can be obtained!!

Compliments of the new year blogger...We are still fresh in the fresh new year. We are still trying to get acquitted with the new year. Every new year rejuvenate our daily tired ways of living. It is with the dawning of a new year that sometimes we make some personal introspection. We try to look at ourselves find reason for concern and then seek to reset things. These are the times when we seek to get out of the old shell and experience the magic of the fresh breeze that comes with a new year. So with this new year, the year 2013 we are afforded that opportunity! The dominant issues that arrests us is mostly money and personal relationships with other people. It seems as the world moves forward we are more and more less equal to the task of living and loving. We find our lives struggling under the weight of financial and personal relationships concerns. When coming to personal finances many people who have the opportunity and blessing of having a job, or having a profitable business are ever hobbling under severe debts and all kinds of burdens. And also there is this issue of personal relationships where are lot of people are muddling through in heaviness. But beyond these two aspects of your life there is a new world that is truly satisfying and that can give you inner worth and inner tranquility. That is you having positive impact to the world. But finances and relationships are the things that consume your attention and you find yourself a slave that is being led hither and thither. You need to get on with these things. These issues are methods or process to true happiness and true blessedness. As with every method there are still other methods to true happiness and true blessedness. What you may not be aware of is that you can achieve true happiness and true blessedness without worrying about money. That goes also to personal relationships. I know this statement nowadays may seemed like I am speaking one of the dead languages. Today people are transformed by politicians, television, radio and all kinds of media to live a lie making truth to become stranger than fiction. What you need to do is to leverage yourself above the average person. Change your thoughts – those thoughts that were brutally pumped in your head by television, radio, newspapers, politicians and your idle friends. Take a road that is less traveled and become genuine in a diseased world. You can only if you take the first step. In this way you can use your life – your personal story as a light to the world. You can become a genuine life coach to others, to your family, friends, your community and the world. It is all comesdown to managing your thoughts, self discipline and self control. That is how greatness is achieved....