I am persecuted
everyday.
I am not gay.
I am not Black
I am not poor
I am not female
I am not a foreigner
I am not a Muslim, nor a Jew, Hindu, Seihk, or Christian.
I am an atheist
More below.
I don't know how I came to be an Atheist, there isn't a journey I can tell you. I was born in England. My mother is a Christian, my father not so much.
We went to Sunday school, and church occasionally, but religion never played an important role in our lives.
As with most people, I have had set backs in life, faced dangers, and tragedies, and never felt the need to pray, or look to god.
It really wasn't a big deal. Where I came from no one really talked about religion, or faith, most were apathetic. Then things changed.
I came to the United States and was immediately surprised by the level of religion, and how open it was here.
Where I came from evangelicals are looked upon as a little whacky, not to be taken seriously. Oh how I was surprised that this wasn't the case in the heartland of America, how I was surprised by how many of the people I met and worked with were evangelical.
How they proselytize.
For a while it wasn't so bad. I would have discussions with some of them. I read the bible end to end a number of times and became even more convinced I was right to not believe.
In the last few years I feel suffocated. I haven't openly admitted my atheism to most people, not when my bosses have openly prayed before a group dinner, even the company BBQ.
I go to local council meetings and squirm during the invocation, and the pledge. THAT pledge.
Even though I am a naturalized American now, and I still feel affinity with England rather than the US, that pledge gives me a real problem.
How can I pledge allegiance to a country and a god I don't recognize as existing? Why should I have to? But you have to fit in. So you pretend. You mumble head down.
I do the same thing at the big Christmas get together before dinner, at least until last Christmas when I had had enough.
I purposely missed the all hold hands and pray before dinner, and went outside for a smoke instead. Quite a few more distant family members were not happy.
But there gets a point where you simply can't pretend anymore. At least with family they can understand, but what of work?
Would I get that promotion? Or the interesting project? Will I be one of the first laid off when tough times hit? Why do I have to worry about that? Why should I have to?
No one panders to me. In fact I don't even know of a single politician who is openly atheist, though I suspect many are.
I hear religious leaders, especially form the right telling me because I don't believe in Jesus, I have no morals, I am evil, a heathen. If this were the sixteen hundreds I fear I would be burned at the stake.
I hear them tell me that anything other than their beliefs are illegitimate, and they get the final say.
I see our school boards tell me I must teach my children a science I reject, and which is universally rejected by scientists. Those science books are MY bible that you want to ban and burn.
I hear pundits on TV viciously attacking people who share my beliefs for expressing them openly, or for fighting for them. Heck, I even cringe when I hear about the ACLU getting into a religious matter. I know a storm is brewing.
I am a lucky one though. Coming from England I can simply claim to be Church of England and that religion isn't a big deal where I come from. It can hide the truth effectively.
One day, I hope I don't have to.