Six years ago, when I was about nine, my primary school class studied ancient Greece. We did the usual stuff- the scientific contributions, the art, the mythology. One afternoon we had a lesson on the gods, which I very much enjoyed. I was thinking about how cool and badass Zeus was with his lighting bolts and toga, and in came the local reverend to tell us a story from the Bible. (In retrospect, this should never have happened and I should have used my seat on the pupil council to prevent this and the Christian songs in assembly from ever happening ever again, but I didn’t really notice at the time.) I paid little attention to the reverend, thinking about Zeus and Hermes and Aphrodite and Hades and Poseidon and how much better they were than this capital-G ‘God’ that the reverend was talking about. But I still knew that they were the wrong gods and the one in the bible was the right one, the real one. After all, if he was just another story like Apollo and Ares, why would we sing his praises every Monday and pray to him every day before lunch? It was then that it hit me. The god that the Reverend was talking about was just another story. He was no different from Zeus and Poseidon: just as false, just as much a story. That is when I became an atheist.
Kyle
Scotland.
Good for you.
As unacceptable as I find it, having someone talk to children about religion right after they were taught about the Greek gods is rather sweet… if only it could enlighten more kids!
Well, actually no, let’s keep with no
non-sensereligion in the classroom (or elsewhere? Pretty pleaaaaaaaase?).Love it. I never really bought into the whole God or Jesus concept, but mostly kept my mouth shut. Surely, I was the one missing something?
Later I asked a friend what he believed and he referenced the Greek Gods, saying, “I think the people have believed in all sorts Gods that were just made up. And they were kind of dumb – if they really believed. We should know better.” That helped me put things into perspective.
I think anthropology and psychology can explain a lot about how religions are formed and sustained.
I just wish I would have been so clear thinking at such an age – it took me almost another decade.
You’re a smarter man than I am Gunga Din!
By Jove!
Incidentally Jupiter (as Zeus was renamed) really does exist. You can can look up any night and see him.
Of course, it helps if you have a decent telescope and he is somewhat of a gasbag. We had a spaceprobe orbiting him a decade or so ago now (Galileo, Galileo, Galileo JPL!*) and another Juno is currently on her way to consort with and explore the secrets of his body and deliver a lego tribute.
* Preceeeded by : “Thunderbolts and lightning, auroras really brightening me!”
Followed by : “Befalling in, makes a fiery, fiery end for me!”
(With apologies to Queen, y’all know the tune I mean right?)
For thsoe who don’t know see:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/news/lego20110803.html
for that reference.
I don’t know about Scotland, but south of the border the law requires state schools to have a daily “act of collective worship”, which will be christian in nature unless the school is for a different faith.
There’s also nothing stopping a school from inviting an external speaker to a religious education lesson.
I only hope that Scotland is more progressive and, if so, that the rest of the UK catches up.
The falsity of constructs like religion is usually exposed by the Balaam principle, i.e, some talking ass gives it away.
For me, one of the most frustrating parts of “discussing” religion with biblievers is their complete inability to see the parallels between the mythological greek gods and their current mythological christian god. I’m glad you were able to draw that line.
Nice one, Kyle; it’s good to see a fellow Scot writing here!And one so young – go you!
*shaundenney. My impression is that Scotland is, in some ways at least, more progressive than England. Sadly, though, that’s not saying much. Then again, compared to much of the US (where I have lived)we tend to be a pretty forward-thinking bunch.
Excellent! Enjoy your journey as a human being. Imagine all those people going through life brainwashed. And you have figured it out at such a young age. More power to ya.