Originally posted by WillFightForBeer
My religous standing has thus far been one that I feel is not only overcomplicated, but ultimately bothersome. I was born and (am) being raised Jewish. Exported out of Aetheist Russia when I was two to be able to speak and worship freely here in the US, my whole family is fairly religous. I went to the equivalent of Catholic school for Jews, and religion was always a main subject in every discussion and activity that we had the "joy" of partaking in. My older brother, perhaps one of the most intelligent people that I have had the chance to know, rejected the existence of God at an early age. His transendence into Aetheism coincided with my Bar Mitzvah. When I asked him how he could reject God, he answered in a way that most Aetheists will respond if asked the same question. He had taken the path of logic, however I did not understand at the time.
I was fairly happy with my beliefs, never questioning them. The existence of God was never questionable, how could you challenge the being that created you and everything around you? Then, by means that I shall not reveal at this time, I came across a discussion about the existence of God. It was quite interesting, and I studied every aspect and detail of it. It was not the discussion itself that changed my mind, but rather, the fact that here were people willing to reject everything that they had been taught. The mere fact that others were thinking for themselves opened my mind, and I challenged everything that I learned. I finally came to my current religious standing, one that is only common among the minority of people. Although I stuck with Deism for a while, I ultimately ended up with Aetheism.
I refuse to sit here and preach about the benefits of becoming an Aetheist, for there truly are none. There is nothing good about rejecting God, even though I have done so. In the end, although I do not believe in the existence of a Higher Intelligence, I do believe that the moral codes and laws that we derive from religion are the only things that keep the human race from near-certain extinction.
After coming to the conclusion that there is an absence of a Higher Intelligence, my mind wandered into more complicated questions. At one point, I wondered about the existence of life after death, and once again, I decided that post-mortem activity does not exist. This belief, although I still hold it today, has caused me more pain and suffering than anything physical could ever inflict. I realized how insignificant life is, and that pleasure and happiness are only temporary solutions to the inevitable: that we will all die and rot in the ground, with no way of being able to recall those moments of pleasure.
I read Hume, Nietzsche, Locke, Hobbes, everything that I could get my hands on, but none of it helped. Ever since that one change of mindset, I have lived my life subconciously. I sometimes wonder if existence itself is real. These thoughts plague me, and I find them overcoming me whenever I think too much about them. I believe that soon they will either subside, or I will just get used to them, one way or the other I hope that the solution arrives soon.
My beliefs changed when I was 13. I am now 14.
J/K You are NOT going to hell for not believing. If GOD is ever loving and ever forgiving (as advertised for over 2000 years!!! must be some truth in it, huh? lol), then GOD would not be so petty as to condemn those who are "yet to return to accept His grace"
And I was about to come religeous......:shrug:
Eventhough I am sure he was j/k, on the slim chance that his inquisitive mind might want to explore, I figured I might as well throw the name of the book up there. 
