Why it's great to be an atheist

There are many reasons why it's great to be an atheist. For one thing, you are no longer held back by religious teachings that make no sense in the real world. For example, when I was a Christian, I was taught that gay relationships were wrong and that all gay people were going to hell. This seems to make no sense to me - my gay friends were compassionate, intelligent, and genuinely loved their partners. They didn't seem sinful to me. Yet I was made to believe that they were all terrible sinners that were going to hell merely because they loved people of the same sex. All this because the Bible says, in certain places, that homosexuality is wrong and that gay people are going to be condemned by God. Because this antiquated, self-contradictory book written by ignorant primitive people said something, a whole segment of the population was evil and was going to burn in fire for all eternity. That is very sick. When I was a Christian, I knew that this was a sick teaching and that it was disgusting. Yet because I was a Christian, I had to believe it - I had to believe that all gays were evil and were going to hell. This made it very awkward for me to be around my gay friends. I was taught that I had to save them by making them no longer gay. I had to turn them heterosexual, which of course is impossible.

And that leads to the next reason why being an atheist is wonderful. You don't have to worry about converting people. When I was a Christian, I was always afraid that my friends and loved ones were going to hell. Many people in my family and among my friends were not Christian. Therefore, according to the Bible, I was taught that they were going to suffer in fiery agony for all eternity. I was the only thing that stood between them and this horrible fate - I must convince them to become Christians as soon as possible. Well, my arguments did not convince them. Therefore, I had to live with the belief that all my loved ones were going to be separated from me for all eternity, and worse, that they would be suffering for all eternity. I couldn't understand how I could be happy in heaven, surrounded by angels, while my loved ones are being tortured in hell.

Another wonderful thing about being an atheist is that I no longer have to be afraid. As a Christian, I was constantly afraid of what God would do if I didn't please him. I was also afraid of going to Hell. Every time I had doubts, I felt guilty and frightened about them. I knew, or thought I knew, that if I lost my faith I would go to hell. That meant that I had to avoid certain books and conversations. 

Anything that led me away from my religion or challenged my beliefs had to be evil, and I had to avoid it if I wanted to stay in God's good graces. If I lost my faith, I would be burning for all eternity in agony. This made me scared to think and to use my mind to question what I was taught. Because of terrorism, religious terrorism, I was afraid to think and be my own person.

Another reason why I'm happy to be an atheist is that I am now free to be the person I want to be. I can be good and do good things without having to be motivated by hope of a reward. Now when I do something loving or kind, I'm doing it out of love or kindness, not because I want to make brownie points with an invisible God. I think this makes me a better person than some Christians. (though it may be arrogant for me to say that) Many Christians going around doing good deeds do so only because they want a higher place in heaven. Some churches teach, for example, that a person achieves a higher level in heaven for every soul that they save.

Finally, my mind is free - I'm not constrained to believe certain things or avoid certain conversations. My thoughts are free, and I am no longer a slave to religious dogma. I can study things like science and evolution without being afraid that they will conflict with my religion and therefore lead me to hell.

Being an atheist is absolutely wonderful. It is the best decision I ever made for myself. I feel so sorry for Christians who are caught up in the misery of religion in the way that I was. I hope that they can be set free. Being a Christian was a nightmare. Now I am finally free.