I write these blogs anonymously.

Why?

I cannot yet bring myself to admit to others, particularly friends and family, that I am not a believer.

Two things:

1. I cannot bring myself to use the word atheist….never liked the word and never seen the need for it
2. I am not sure I will ever be ‘ready’

I happened to announce openly on social media that I was in favour of same sex marriage. As a hetrosexual male (not sure why I felt the need to say that…perhaps the title of this post could be misleading), it felt completely natural to show warmth towards my fellow human beings and support their desire to publically, and formally, commit to one another.

My public post was witnessed by many, liked by a significant amount, and completely ignored by those in my circle of friends and family who are religious. All except my parents who felt embarrassed by my public expression.

I, of course, apologised as this was not my intention. I also made clear that my support did not extend to forcing faith based organisations to carry out same sex marriage ceremonies. This, I believe, is not the point. Religious institutions should be free to practice their religion as long as it doesn’t interfere with the laws that govern our secular society.

I guess it was my parents reaction that is driving my second point above. I simply am not built to be disagreeable, much as I would like to be on occasion.

My drive to make peace, collaborate, be respectful will always count against me in the matter of ‘coming out’, but come out I must.

For those who are in very similar positions, and perhaps don’t have the protection of being on the other side of the world from their friends and family, like me, reach out to like-minded people. Get to know yourself a little better such that you can be confident in expressing how you feel without being disrespectful. I long to get to that point myself and wish those of you in the same boat all the best in your endeavours.

P

As a youngster, Sunday School consisted of general bible teaching, but also involved a degree of examination every year. In the most part, examination was built around knowledge and understanding of the Shorter Catechism, knowledge of the Psalms and the more popular tunes and repetition of well-known biblical verses.

I never quite understood the point until late in life. The whole process was designed to indoctrinate.

My time as an adherent was not always negative and punishing. I did enjoying the singing and found I had inherited my fathers’ singing voice, though I could never quite match his tenor. Nor did I quite have the confidence to lead the praise, despite much encouragement to do so.

The Shorter Catechism was something I never enjoyed. This is probably why I can recall none of it, except its’ primary teaching:

‘Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever’

God always had a capital ‘G’. Forever, is genuinely understood to mean forever. In other words, a Christians primary purpose is to spend this life, the only life we have, glorifying the supernatural, deluded into believing that a subsequent life will follow, be never ending and will be filled with endless praise and enjoyment of a God in whom we must both love and fear at the same time.

Sorry, but it just isn’t for me. I’m not built that way. I see nothing attractive in the proposition whatsoever.

There is something far more noble in understanding that our purpose, if you will, is quite simply to enjoy this precious life we are fortunate to be living, to do good by our fellow humans and to ensure that we leave this world in a better state than when we arrived.

It is a wonderful experiment, of which I am only to thankful to be part of.

P