Hergest Ridge

To my friends and family whom are not on the path of atheism.

I’ve chosen this pathway a long time ago and have not wavered. Over the years my choice has been steadily reinforced, but the only major shift that took place recently is my new found need to openly talk about my position on the issue.

For the time being, I can’t keep quiet. In having done so thus far, I felt like I’ve found a way to escape my own psychological prison, but have spent the days staying in it so no one finds out that I broke free. You see, I didn’t want to alert anyone of my escape and have the authorities after me. So, I stayed in my cell long after I dug a tunnel out of it. That’s no way to live… I think you’ll agree.

I will not assault you with my ideas. My wish is to voice my opinions, and do so for the benefit of those interested in listening to the scientific message. Most days, I’ll welcome debates and discussion in any form.

Do not insult my intelligence by trying to convert me. Lay out the arguments for your beliefs as they apply to you and your perception of reality, not how you think they should apply to me.

Understand that my stance is based on a life time of gathering evidence.

If tomorrow we both see what can only be describe as an angel, I still won’t be a God fearing Christian. Seeing an angel would ultimately be one piece of potential evidence that angels exist, and while angels are commonly associated with God, that link is strictly mythical. By ultimately proving that angels exist, we may have a piece of evidence that God exists - if we can scientifically link the dependent association of angels with God.

This is what it boils down to: The theory I will subscribe to will be the one with hardest evidence. At this point, there is exactly zero scientific evidence for God, and a lot of evidence for theories which exclude Him. The amount of proof required to sway me on the God issue will be tremendous, and likely cannot be collected over centuries, yet in my life time alone.

Sure, there are many things that science cannot yet explain, but to credit God as the answer to these mysteries is to build a God of gaps. Convictions based on faith alone are irresponsible, and in many cases dangerous. They provide fertile ground for the spread of human rights violations, oppression, disease, and mass irrational behaviour.

I’ll still attend church for select cultural and social reasons. In doing so, I’ll be expressing personal and emotional support for those I care about most. To confuse such occasions with a search for a personal God would be a mistake.

Should we find ourselves together at mealtime, I’ll hold my peace through any prayer you may wish to voice - be it at your, or my table. Each of us has many places where our opinions are sought with interest, and I need not resort to imposing mine where such is not the case. As long we both can agree on this much, we’ll get along just fine.