The Dawkins Conversion

Yes, conversion. The rationality of the argument was the final cinch - If there was something before everything so complex that it was capable of actuating the universe in all its detail, how is such a super-creature explained? There must be an explanation for it - denying the necessity of an explanation for it is equivalent to a denial of human nature and history, both religious and secular. Religious movements have invariably always involved philosophical explanations for the meaning of life and the rest of human history provided explanations for everything else. While a large portion of my life was spent in belief, mockery came easily enough when absurdities were spotted. This eventually led to a mildly agnostic stance of being comfortable with lack of proof. After getting through the God Delusion (very eagerly, I might add), the fence sitter crossed the great divide once and for all.

Yet the world demands that religious doctrines are to be “respected”, while irreligious ones are to be condemned when they dare raise their ugly heads. Believe me, I'm all for freedom of religion, but I'm even more for freedom from religion. Since the world takes upon itself the right to propagate and profess religious doctrines, I shall take it upon myself to propagate and profess atheism with equal vehemence when faced with other propagators. We can take turns at being offended.

The sentiment hurting part was always a mystery. Being a woman, it became even more personal than it does for most non-women people. Naturally, I assume one would not care to be aware of some idiocy if it did not directly affect one. It’s all fine if a woman’s sentiments are hurt when someone dictates her behaviour and controls her body, but it’s her funeral if she dares hurt the sentiments of the rest by refusing to comply.

It was very easy to walk down the slippery slope of disillusionment with the castles religion had built in the air, but when it came to letting go entirely, there was that one cushion called destiny that was such a comfort, I could not let go of it until a few years ago. I can’t say why I let go, or pinpoint a moment in time when I thought my life could do without it, but in the end, I did walk away. My comfort now lies in the wonder of the incredibility of life and the extremely rare opportunity to be conscious of it. The joys of experiencing emotion are so much more thrilling and my relationships with others are a million times more precious.