The reason I am here on HubPages.

Many people dislike me for my opinion on religion. Many people also dislike the straightforward, no nonsense way I have of presenting my opinion. I can be brutally honest and I don't back down. If you expect that from me - leave my page now and consider yourself warned so that you know what you're getting yourself into if you choose to debate with me.

I do not believe in "God".

I do not believe the Bible is true.

I believe that people who simply accept the Bible as full and complete truth are deluding themselves with the lies of previous people.

Now that I have offended at least one of the people who are certain to read this Hub, shall we delve into why I believe the way I do? You're not here to read a short dodging of questions - you want answers, just like me.

I was born vulnerable to suggestion just like everyone else. I was also literally born with an insatiable thirst for knowledge and exploration. For the first 8 years of my life I questioned rules, pushed them, defied my parents and got discipline meted out accordingly. :) Every child pushes the boundaries of their tiny world and expects to know exactly what will happen in consequence - it is what provides us the security we need to function every day. As is to be expected, I was told by various adults in my life that I should be a good girl and follow God ... natural curiosity kicked in and I began attending church and Sunday School and every single Bible study I could find. I am notorious (to the people who know me personally) for reading nonstop and always seeking answers. Whereas most people accepted the doctrine they were fed, I questioned it and frustrated my advisors to no end. There is no proof to the idea that Agnosticism is taught - Atheism, Agnosticism and Religion are all a personal belief and are held as truth by each person who adopts said ideas to live by.

The day arrived wherein I was told that I must bring my mother and father and siblings to church for salvation lest my own soul be lost. I asked where in the Bible that was and was met with indignation and vague scripture reference. Being only 8 years old, I was confused and went home to talk it over with my mother and her response was to research it myself. She told me that day that she and my father would never attend church with me due to the fact that she has her personal relationship with God and that no church would make her more of a believer than she already was. She showed me scripture, also, stating that a church is made up of 2 or more people witnessing or discussing scripture at any given time, not a building. She also is a free-thinking woman who chose not to marry my father just because I was born, so that she would not be in an unhappy marriage and so that I would not be raised in an unhappy home. She believed in peace and happiness with oneself - not going along with society just because it's the acceptable thing to do. She taught me to think for myself and seek answers to questions I have and back up all of MY answers with research, whether right or wrong.

I started reading the Bible more and more from that day forward, not always consistently, but each time with a goal towards understanding the doctrine set forth before me and to find out for myself why I felt unsettled with the blatant belief in the words written in the Bible. I went to bible studies, summer bible school every year, classes on Sundays and Wednesdays with a desire to be open and learn. Each new contradiction disheartened me and caused me to push forward even more determined than I was before. The years I have spent studying the Bible have only shown that the contradictions are rampant and that many religions pick and choose certain happenings and mutate others to suit their purposes. All religions have one base - defining the life-force that drives us and the universe. All depict a single entity that is above all else, and that has humanistic abilities, actions and reactions. My studies have consumed my life previously to the point of leaving me despondent and constantly depressed. The more I read and researched, the more I grew uneasy and questioned the doctrine of all religions.

I do not believe the life force can be defined as anything other than Life. I do not believe that Life can be defined as "God" and I do not believe ANYONE can define the interactions between Life and each living creature on this planet or anywhere in the universe. I do not believe the Big Bang Theory has it all right, nor do I believe "God" created everything in 7 days, regardless of the analysis that the 7 days represent 7,000 years ... I do not believe in talking snakes, visions being infallible truth, nor assumptions that because a written-by-man book claims to have all the answers, that it actually does. I believe religion helps people get through each and every day by giving them answers to each question they ask - it helps not to be scared of the unknown and undefinable if everything is claimed to be known and defined.

I could go so much more in depth with this, nearly book-length in the comparisons, but that would take ages to write out in detail. I am willing to respect each person regardless of their opinion or religion, but I will not agree with all people. I am here to learn and debate - I am not interested in flaming wars in the forums.