Alon gave me a great idea based on asking some simple questions about religion (personal beliefs, that is).  The point is only for me to gain a better understanding of what you think while also sharing the same information from my perspecive.  Therefore, I’ll ask the questions here, then I will respond to them below the fold.  I’m really interested in what all of you have to say on these topics.

Let me make clear ahead of time that the point is not to have a discussion or debate on them.  I’m simply asking the questions and looking for your answers much like a test, although in this case there are no right or wrong answers.  It’s nothing more than an interesting exercise in understanding.

You may be as verbose or succinct as you deem necessary to explain your answers.  The point is only to describe your own beliefs, not to convert anyone, so keep that in mind.

So, the questions are shown below, and my responses are below the fold as mentioned.  If you care to provide some personal insight, feel free to do so via the comments.

1. What is your religion?
2. How long have you claimed these beliefs?
3. Short explanation of how you arrived at these beliefs.
4. What do you do for a living?
5. Education level, if you are interested in sharing.
6. Anything else relevant to the conversation that you think might be important.

If you deign to grace us with your responses, I ask that you do so while remaining respectful.  As I said, this is not a debate or opportunity to bash; it’s just a way to better understand the depth of your personal views.

Also, allow me to modify question 1 a wee bit: describe both your religious background and your current view if they are different.

1. I am an atheist, humanist, and naturalist.  I grew up Christian, although this was not isolated to any particular denomination.  Ultimately, I dabbled in the following churches: Baptist, Assembly of God, Non-Denominational, Catholic, Episcopalian, Pentecostal/Evangelical, Protestant, Orthodox, Presbyterian, and Methodist.  After realizing Christianity could not offer me anything, I took it upon myself to explore all of the major religions and philosophies as I grew older.  This was in response to the skeptic in me who was becoming increasingly separated from Christianity and its beliefs, and more generally with religion in toto.  I studied Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Neopaganism, Juche, Paganism (various, including Druidism, diasporic beliefs [various], Traditionalism, Indigenous, etc.), Deism/Theism, Spiritism, Bahá’í, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Cao Dai, Tenrikyo, Shinto, Rastafarianism, Confucianism, Taoism, Scientology, Unitarianism, ancient religions (various, including Egyptian, Roman, Greek, Mayan, Aztec, Norse, and Babylonian), and undoubtedly a handful (or more) that I do not remember at present.  At the end of that quest, I concluded that religion was unnecessary for me and ultimately counter to my scientific propensity and growing philosophy of naturalism and humanism.

2. I have been an atheist for approximately 15 years.  I am midway between 35 and 36 years of age, so I spent the prior 20-21 years of my life doing the religion thing.

3. See #1.  Ultimately, I spent much time trying to even the scales between my scientific nature (and general belief in a naturalistic [i.e. a belief that science can explain the universe and all that’s in it, and that no supernatural or spiritual explanations are necessary] and humanistic [i.e. humans are capable of defining superior moralism without the need for supernatural guidance] philosophy) and my desire to fit in by being religious.  Even as a child growing up in various churches, I was always a skeptic who questioned those beliefs and why they were deemed necessary by others.  Much examination of the facts and underlying forces behind religiosity helped me realize I was being untrue to myself and those around me by continuing to play faithful when in fact I was not.  Also, as I became accepting of my own sexuality, I learned quickly how unwelcome I was in most religions despite their declarations of welcoming everyone so that they might be saved.  I felt this was hypocritical and contrary to the very foundations of their beliefs, and it was then I realized how those beliefs and tenets were selectively practiced.  Realizing I felt no need for spiritual afterlifes, understanding my very nature made me an enemy to most faiths, and seeing my questioning and skeptical personality presented significant challenges to religion that it would not tolerate, I found myself finally concluding I did not believe in such things.

4. My career for nearly two decades has been in IT, from application development to electronic messaging to management to a great many other areas.  I bounced around quite a bit trying to find my own niche.  Now I’m trying desperately to switch careers and make something of my writing in its various and many forms.  The jury’s still out on that one.

5. I graduated high school with flying colors.  While I had completed my first two full years and a partial third of college before ever receiving my high school diploma, I never returned to complete my degree or seek further education.  Instead, I was already working and simply allowed my career to move forward.  The lack of a degree never harmed me due to the complexity and depth of my experience and knowledge in computers.  What was I majoring in before I left college?  Double major: mathematics and physics (more specifically, cosmology/astrophysics).  Yes, I’m a geek.  What can I say?

6. While I harbor a great deal of animosity toward religion for its exclusivity, tendency to use me for target practice because I’m gay and an atheist, I believe religion should be held to the standards which it claims to uphold, and the fact that religious beliefs have caused more death and destruction, including wars, than anything else in history, I still respect people of faith who practice honestly, sincerely, lovingly, and justly.  The use of religion as a weapon has killed more humans and destroyed more lives than anything else, so I am always pleased to know people who forsake such evil and instead focus on the best their faiths have to offer (e.g., Mom, xocobra & LD, Slacker, Blindf8th, and many others in my life).