Godless Mom in the Bible Belt

The moment I realized that I was no longer encumbered by belief in God was the most freeing and exulting moment of my life. I felt as though I had stepped into a vast new world that is full of real, observable truth and free from scary monsters in the closet.

So how does Atheism effect the way I view the world and my relation to it?

I believe that this life, here on this planet is all we have. As a result, we must do everything in our power to make it as perfect as possible and leave the world even better than we found it. A lot of time is wasted worrying about what will happen after we die, rather than worrying about what we do now while living.

I try to approach things logically without letting irrational fears or superstition effect the decisions I make (sometimes easier said than done!)

When I have a problem in my life, I know that I have to rely on myself to solve it. There is no god to guide me or assist me. There is security in knowing that I have control over my own life, that I'm not at the mercy of some supernatural being.

I try to be kind to my fellow man and do things for the benefit of others who may not be as fortunate as I am. Not because I think this behavior will be rewarded in the after life but because it is the right thing to do for humanity.

I make a point of being kind and considerate to the other species with whom we share this planet, both plant and animal. We are not something special, we are just one of many life forms that inhabit Earth. It is extreme arrogance to assume that just because we have big brains we must be the rulers of the planet. We are not rulers, we are merely a very small piece of a very large puzzle.

I cannot deny that I believe the world would be better off without religion. There is so much hatred and bigotry, so much war and oppression in the name of one deity or another. Sure religion has it's good points, but I truly believe that the good things offered by religion are just as easily accessible without it.

I don't need a god to recognize the beauty of the world and to feel an emotional connection to that beauty. I don't need a god to tell me what is right and what is wrong, I am a social being and as such I am more than capable of discerning those things for myself. I do not need a god to validate my existence, I am part of the universe as we know it, in all it's mystery and that is enough. I do not need to give credit to a god when I succeed at some difficult task, I am responsible for my failures and I take credit for my accomplishments. I don't need a god to act as my conscience and I eschew the guilt associated with artificially restrictive moral laws.

I am happy, content and at peace with myself. I do not know where the rest of my spiritual journey will take me but I've sure enjoyed the ride thus far.