[iamverybeautiful]

I didn't grow up with any specific religion as a child. My parents are not church-goers. We are not bad people. We are trying to live our life in the most respectable way possible. However, if I had to label myself with a religion, it would be Catholic. I've been baptized and being inside a church makes me feel secure, you know?

However, now that I'm getting older I'm starting to develop my own beliefs. I personally, without a doubt, believe in God. I believe there's a higher force. However, I don't really believe in organized religion anymore. Going to church and "worshiping God" makes me uncomfortable now. I believe that organized religion is not a good thing and it pressures people on how to live their lives, instead of having people make their own choices and decisions. I don't believe anyone has the power to tell people what to do (unless you're hurting other people, ex. killing, which in case you should be held accountable). I feel that organized religion causes more trouble than it tries to solve. Too many people abuse the words in the bible for their own benefit and it really sickens me. I hate that some people take it so seriously. I personally don't believe that the bible was written so people could follow every single rule. The bible should be used as guideline on how to live a good life, not to take it so seriously. If we all did, we would have to chase out of town all the women who are menstruating. What I see sometimes is that people "pick and choose" what they want to follow from the bible. Some use it to discriminate homosexuals because apparently, "in this part of the bible, in this section, God said this. Yet, I wonder how many of them are eating their precious meat on friday.

Also, I'm a strong advocate for safe sex and sex education. I strongly disbelieve in abstinence-only education. I believe that if you want to stay abstinence until marriage, then great. But do it for YOURSELF, because YOU truly believe that, not because what the bible (or you family) tells you to do. Too many people justify abstinence-only education with religion. Come on, if your only facts and reasons are "Because God says so", what does that say about you as a person? Would you do something just because someone told you to do it? Do you really want to follow blindly and never question anything?
Give yourself some credit. We as humans have created spaceships, discovered electricity, yet we are not able to make OUR own decisions when it comes to OUR lives?

What do you think?