The purpose of this document is not to refute the idea that there is a God, nor is it to dissuade anybody from

acting upon his or her belief in God in the way they deem fit. The purpose of this document is not to attack any one particular religion, nor is it to depict any one religion as being correct. This document definitely does not aim to place great focus on my person beliefs in regards to my faith. This document is simply an amalgamation of personal thoughts and ideas taken from intellectual conversations with certain individuals. Ive endeavoured to keep this document as brief and concise as possible, even though this is a subject I genuinely could discuss in great detail. Since emerging centuries ago, religion has caused great problems in society. The world has witnessed great atrocities, said to be committed in the name of religion. From the disastrous events witnessed in America on September 11th, to the explosions during Christmas services in Nigeria orchestrated by Bok Haram, religion is the excuse for many brutalities across the world. A few days ago, I was shocked and deeply grieved to hear someone subscribing to the Christian religion suggest that people who worship idols should be lined up and shot. The purpose of this document is not to attack any one particular religion, nor is it to depict any one religion as being correct, but religion has proved itself to be a divisive force from the onset. I was raised in a Christian home and always was taken (sometimes forced) to church. My parents have instilled into me Christian principles since before I could talk, which has proven to be very beneficial to me in later life and still influences my thought processes and actions today. Now that Im old enough to evaluate things for myself, I have found that I have problems with the way in which contemporary Christianity is being practiced. I find that people like myself, who have been raised within the church, simply emulate their parents and conform to the values being taught to them without questioning. In fact, Id take further this argument in saying that some denominations of Christianity even argue that the things of God are beyond understanding and that one should not even seek to understand them. While I do not refute the idea that academia and human intellect alone has limitations and cannot provide an explanation for everything, I think it is utter foolishness to simply do without thinking. Many people within Christianity do not even understand for themselves why they go to church, why they practice what they practice, but they simply follow instructions from the pastor. Many people within Christianity simply go to church because they do not want to appear as being sinful. Many people within Christianity judge people who dont go to church as this apparently indicates that one is not close to God but there are definitely fundamental flaws with this approach. Many Christians get personally offended when someone questions their faith, but this displays immaturity. The inability to discuss opposing views without being personally offended is wholly immature. One reason for people being offended when you question their religious beliefs is because religion is often inherited from their parents, and questioning their beliefs is like calling their parents liars. The new commandment given by Jesus according to the Bible is to love others as you love yourself. However, many Christians neglect the fundamental basis of their faith and replace it with robotic religious practices. This is also true of other

religions. Some members of the church are so judgemental but forget that the bible states that judgement begins in the house of the Lord. In conclusion, I detest religion. A genuine relationship with God undoubtedly transcends all religious practices and ones relationship with God cannot be judged externally. It is up to each individual to work out for themselves their relationship with God. No relationship with God is homogenous, each person has their own journey and it is important not to impose your own beliefs and practices onto other people - especially when you dont know what youre doing yourself. A few questions to serve as food for thought: Why do you go to church, or the mosque or the temple? Why do you pray? Why do you believe in what you believe in? In the words of the late great Albert Einstein: never stop questioning. Thanks to all who took the time to read this. Sorry for any mistakes, I hate proof-reading. I hope you found it insightful and useful in some way. Also, many thanks to Nick Sullivan, Kaveed Ali, Shekyena Marcelle-Brown, Cella Johnson and all others who have contributed to my thought processes.