My Religion (or lack thereof)

As some of you may know, a recent development in my life, albeit very personal, has been my complete and total denouncement of all things religious. Having been raised Catholic, I think it absurd to meet the demands of ridiculous, arbitrary dogma, about which I know more than many practicing Catholics. Beyond this, however, I simply do not believe in any sort of supernatural being. There is simply no emperical evidence of its existence. While I do not make it any sort of life ambition to preach my atheism, I have admitted to it when asked about religion, and more often than not I receive a reaction of shock and dismay, though there have been a couple of understanding if not genuinely interested reactions. In an effort to avoid confrontation in these situations, I give a couple of superficial reasons behind my views and try to end the conversation as quickly as possible. Through my Intellectual History class, however, I have found minds much more brilliant that me that more aptly elucidate said reasonings.

Nietzsche from his Genealogy of Morals - religion originated from the slave morality, that is the morals of the common people, who sought to subjugate the nobles of master morality. Without going into further detail about the two moralities, suffice it to say that through the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth, because they were unable to act out directly, the slave morality imposed its own morals on the ruling class, the Romans. Enter the Roman Catholic Church.

Freud from his Civilization and its Discontents - in his pursuit to ease suffering, man can seek to completely disconnect himself from reality. This hermit life, however, is but a delusion. Religion is simply another example of this delusion. I whole-heartedly agree that it is a form of mass delusion, put in place by those who do not have the courage to act out for their own. As Freud suggests, religion is an artificial creation which calls for man to act contrary to his constitution, because it limits the ways by which he can satisfy his instinctual desires.

Einstein from Religion and Science - religion was initially an effort by which man attempted to escape fear: fear of famine, fear of beasts, fear of death. He created artifical beings which represented this things and gave them tribute in exchange for their blessing. Later religion became a product of morality in which man created and anthropomorphic being, God, though it still had many elements of fear. Morality, however, need not derive from a fear of punishment or a hope for reward after death, and this notion runs contrary to the action of men since it is simply a product of external and internal forces.

To me, Einstein says it best, I do not need God, or religion, to tell me what is right or wrong. I know something is wrong not because doing it will land me in Hell, but because it is simply wrong. The sentiments of Freud and Nietzsche can be best seen in those who act only within the confines of their belief structures; they are simply unable and/or unwilling to think and act on their own. I've spent my fair share of time at Baptist services to see a veritable horde of sheep "caught in the spirit." Some of this may surprise some of you, and you may think this is far from the best way to reveal these thoughts. On the contrary, this is exactly why I started this.