Intelligent Design (HA!)

Due to a discussion about Darwinism vs. Intelligent Design on a forum and whether or not Inteliigent Design should be taught in schools (in Biology calss no less), I'm reposting what I wrote there to make a right-wing, Protestant moron see that a) you can be a nice ethical and politcally correct person even if you don't believe in God and b) want to show that I don't make fun of other ppl's beliefs as long as they don't show off as rightist moronic idiots.

What do I believe?
Up till my 14th year I was raised a Roman Catholic, then something happened that a) ceased my belief in God and b) made me feel disgusted by the whole concept of a Church (whether Protestant or Catholic).
I'm an atheist. I love facts, and I love sciences. Sciences explain the world and universe around us that expands my mind and leaves the mysticism way behind.
Do I believe in God? No. As I said before, if s/he doesn't tap me on my shoulder and can ID him/herself, I doubt s/he exists.
Do I believe in some living spark that inhabits everything around us, plants, animals, the stars, the universe and all the rest? Yes, but I won't go as far as talking about a Godly spirit or something like that, more like an overall force that inhabits all of us (No I won't go all Star Wars on you, promise). Perhaps it is the balance between matter and anti-matter, perhaps it is just the force that makes the universe expand. Who knows. The spirit, force or whatever you want to call it is what makes me respect my surroundings, other ppl, animals, plants, etc.
I have an ethical code that I try to abide to ... a code that is very much based on respect. Respect towards any living, breathing thing may it be animal, plant or human. But these ethics have not really anything to do with religious beliefs. It has to do with common sense like, don't kill anyone or anything (or you could go to jail), don't lie (because most of the time you get caught anyway) and treat ppl like you want to be treated. That is all I need to be happy.

Religions, in any way, shape and form make me really suspicious because in the course of their history they all some way or the other sought power and supremacy, promising their followers a wonderful afterlife in paradise if they toil and work and sacrifice in the here and now.
IMHO, there is only ONE life for each individuum and we should lead it to the fullest, with all the happiness and sadness that such a life entails, but never should someone try to seek religious, racial or other supremacy over another human being. We all die in the end, and it is highly doubtful that there is an afterlife, whether you call it Heaven, Hell, Nirvana, Paradise, Tir na Og or otherwise.

This is the first time I have publically given testament to what I believe, I don't shove it down anyone's throat. Religion should be something that is experienced within the family and churches but never in schools. The first four years of my school career I was on a Catholic school and even though I sometimes experience the occasional Catholic guilt complex, the morals and beliefs that this school tried to force on my cannot be called benign and ethical. If I would have believed (and still believe) in them then my life would be infnitely less pleasant and would lack a lot of friends in my life, like my gay friends, my Turkish tulip Lale and her family and many, many others.

Intelligent Design (HA!)

Due to a discussion about Darwinism vs. Intelligent Design on a forum and whether or not Inteliigent Design should be taught in schools (in Biology calss no less), I'm reposting what I wrote there to make a right-wing, Protestant moron see that a) you can be a nice ethical and politcally correct person even if you don't believe in God and b) want to show that I don't make fun of other ppl's beliefs as long as they don't show off as rightist moronic idiots.

What do I believe?
Up till my 14th year I was raised a Roman Catholic, then something happened that a) ceased my belief in God and b) made me feel disgusted by the whole concept of a Church (whether Protestant or Catholic).
I'm an atheist. I love facts, and I love sciences. Sciences explain the world and universe around us that expands my mind and leaves the mysticism way behind.
Do I believe in God? No. As I said before, if s/he doesn't tap me on my shoulder and can ID him/herself, I doubt s/he exists.
Do I believe in some living spark that inhabits everything around us, plants, animals, the stars, the universe and all the rest? Yes, but I won't go as far as talking about a Godly spirit or something like that, more like an overall force that inhabits all of us (No I won't go all Star Wars on you, promise). Perhaps it is the balance between matter and anti-matter, perhaps it is just the force that makes the universe expand. Who knows. The spirit, force or whatever you want to call it is what makes me respect my surroundings, other ppl, animals, plants, etc.
I have an ethical code that I try to abide to ... a code that is very much based on respect. Respect towards any living, breathing thing may it be animal, plant or human. But these ethics have not really anything to do with religious beliefs. It has to do with common sense like, don't kill anyone or anything (or you could go to jail), don't lie (because most of the time you get caught anyway) and treat ppl like you want to be treated. That is all I need to be happy.

Religions, in any way, shape and form make me really suspicious because in the course of their history they all some way or the other sought power and supremacy, promising their followers a wonderful afterlife in paradise if they toil and work and sacrifice in the here and now.
IMHO, there is only ONE life for each individuum and we should lead it to the fullest, with all the happiness and sadness that such a life entails, but never should someone try to seek religious, racial or other supremacy over another human being. We all die in the end, and it is highly doubtful that there is an afterlife, whether you call it Heaven, Hell, Nirvana, Paradise, Tir na Og or otherwise.

This is the first time I have publically given testament to what I believe, I don't shove it down anyone's throat. Religion should be something that is experienced within the family and churches but never in schools. The first four years of my school career I was on a Catholic school and even though I sometimes experience the occasional Catholic guilt complex, the morals and beliefs that this school tried to force on my cannot be called benign and ethical. If I would have believed (and still believe) in them then my life would be infnitely less pleasant and would lack a lot of friends in my life, like my gay friends, my Turkish tulip Lale and her family and many, many others.

Intelligent Design (HA!)

Due to a discussion about Darwinism vs. Intelligent Design on a forum and whether or not Inteliigent Design should be taught in schools (in Biology calss no less), I'm reposting what I wrote there to make a right-wing, Protestant moron see that a) you can be a nice ethical and politcally correct person even if you don't believe in God and b) want to show that I don't make fun of other ppl's beliefs as long as they don't show off as rightist moronic idiots.

What do I believe?
Up till my 14th year I was raised a Roman Catholic, then something happened that a) ceased my belief in God and b) made me feel disgusted by the whole concept of a Church (whether Protestant or Catholic).
I'm an atheist. I love facts, and I love sciences. Sciences explain the world and universe around us that expands my mind and leaves the mysticism way behind.
Do I believe in God? No. As I said before, if s/he doesn't tap me on my shoulder and can ID him/herself, I doubt s/he exists.
Do I believe in some living spark that inhabits everything around us, plants, animals, the stars, the universe and all the rest? Yes, but I won't go as far as talking about a Godly spirit or something like that, more like an overall force that inhabits all of us (No I won't go all Star Wars on you, promise). Perhaps it is the balance between matter and anti-matter, perhaps it is just the force that makes the universe expand. Who knows. The spirit, force or whatever you want to call it is what makes me respect my surroundings, other ppl, animals, plants, etc.
I have an ethical code that I try to abide to ... a code that is very much based on respect. Respect towards any living, breathing thing may it be animal, plant or human. But these ethics have not really anything to do with religious beliefs. It has to do with common sense like, don't kill anyone or anything (or you could go to jail), don't lie (because most of the time you get caught anyway) and treat ppl like you want to be treated. That is all I need to be happy.

Religions, in any way, shape and form make me really suspicious because in the course of their history they all some way or the other sought power and supremacy, promising their followers a wonderful afterlife in paradise if they toil and work and sacrifice in the here and now.
IMHO, there is only ONE life for each individuum and we should lead it to the fullest, with all the happiness and sadness that such a life entails, but never should someone try to seek religious, racial or other supremacy over another human being. We all die in the end, and it is highly doubtful that there is an afterlife, whether you call it Heaven, Hell, Nirvana, Paradise, Tir na Og or otherwise.

This is the first time I have publically given testament to what I believe, I don't shove it down anyone's throat. Religion should be something that is experienced within the family and churches but never in schools. The first four years of my school career I was on a Catholic school and even though I sometimes experience the occasional Catholic guilt complex, the morals and beliefs that this school tried to force on my cannot be called benign and ethical. If I would have believed (and still believe) in them then my life would be infnitely less pleasant and would lack a lot of friends in my life, like my gay friends, my Turkish tulip Lale and her family and many, many others.