Welcome To A Free & Open Mind!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

"History is a set of lies agreed upon."

-Napoleon Bonaparte

COMING SOON:

Videos on blog posts Concerning Black Freethinkers and Black Atheism as a tribute to Black History Month!

Ending Religion (Part 1)

Why should a person concern themselves with a religion in the first place? To answer this I will first list the three main reasons people practice religion and or believe in a god/higher power.
• To explain things that is difficult to explain, understand, and or accept.
• For self comfort and as a coping mechanism.
• To establish a concept of an afterlife so that death will not be the end.
You probably have noticed that all three main reasons are tied together and are pretty much the same. People tend to want answers even for things that may not be able to be explained at the time, i.e., how did the universe begin in the first place? To explain this unknown people tend to plug in the god factor. The reason is simple. If something is unknown then this becomes difficult to understand and makes people feel uncomfortable. In order to solve this problem people explain the unknown with god or a higher power. People also are uncomfortable with the fact that when you die there is nothing else. This is difficult for the mind to understand being it wants to explain everything and cannot fathom an end to thinking and life. Again, this makes people uncomfortable and so they tend to pacify this problem with the god factor and the concept of an afterlife
So, why is this a problem? This is a problem because it causes people to become closed-minded and full of hatred and bigotry. Religion often punishes the things that are not understandable by traditional means and often demeans women. This is because when most religions were created this was an acceptable form of society. Also religion was established to explain the unexplainable so naturally it will be harsh to the unexplainable and also it will gather an irrational explanation to things. A perfect example of this is the Christian religion and the bible.
Christianity teaches that women are responsible for the original sin and should be obedient to their husbands. It also advocates slavery, beating your slaves, and teaches that homosexuals are evil and an abomination to the human race. Christians often feel it is their Christian duty to spread their beliefs across the world and are often not tolerant of others’ beliefs and religions. This is practicing and teaching hatred and intolerance and is very dangerous.
Christianity is not the only religion that is dangerous. In fact, all religions are dangerous. In part two, I will discuss this and talk about other religions. I will also be discussing how religion is not needed in today’s time as well. Please be sure you look for part two next week.

Christianitys Effect on Black Americans!

Where Are All Of The Black Atheists In America?

So many nonbelievers choose to remain in the closet. There are many contributing factors that cause this to happen. Some of those factors being, fear of isolation, fear of losing one's job, or even fear of being physically threaten or harmed. I believe that the reason there are not many black atheists in America compared to the nonblack atheists is because religion is the center of everything in the black community. Everything that happens in the black community is centered on the church. This goes all the way back to the plantation times when black Americans were still slaves. The plantation owners and field overseers would encourage black preachers to emerge from the crowd on the plantations and preach the Christian faith to the slaves in order to keep the slave mentally in bondage, making it less likely for a slave to try to escape. The philosophy was that God wanted the black people in this world to be slaves and that if the slaves were obedient then they would in return have a better afterlife. You'll probably think that this is pretty missed up. You are right but sadly to say it is true. During the Civil Rights movement black preachers once again emerged and lead this movement, although contrary to popular opinion the movement was started by black secularists. Even today black Americans get their political, moral, and family guidelines from the church. For a black American to come out of the closet as an atheist will mean that that person can very likely be cut off from their own family and community. It is also likely that they may lose their job and even face cruel isolation. It is highly likely that they will be discriminated against and looked down on. Most black Americans simply do not wish to face this and chooses to deny themselves the ability of being free from religion when they know something isn't right with religion. As far as the ones who do become atheists, most will hide it for the apparent reasons I have listed above. I became an atheist at the age of fourteen although at that time I called myself an agnostic. I have faced some discrimination and isolation even from my own family as an atheist. I also am looked down upon by my community and my family daily still to this day. I am happy that I became an atheist and revealed it to my family despite all of the drama I have to endure. I encourage all atheists who have not came out of the closet to do so. As far as those sitting on the sidelines, it's time to drop religion and become a freethinker.

Orign of Religion.

Most people never stop to ask the question, what is the origin of religion?. Also, most people never genuinely engage in any research or study tracing back the origins of their own religion. This is a shame because religion is so dangerous and if one would simply conduct just a little research they will surely discover that their religion may not be so true after all. The video links below are from YouTube. Hopefully it will encourage you to do a bit more research on the origins of religion. There are other great videos on this subject on my YouTube channel under my favorites. There is a link to my YouTube channel at the bottom right corner of this page so feel free to check it out.

Separation of Church and State In America

Throughout history religion has torn apart all types of governments. Religion has oppressed so many people throughout the history of mankind to include the oppression of Europe even in the late eighteenth century. This is why our founding fathers imagined and sought to build a nation free from religion and oppression. A nation where everyone can live freely and not be subjected to religious influences or oppression. A nation that would last through the ages because there would be no religion to tear it apart but still reserving the right of every citizen to privately practice their own religion. Our founding fathers knew the importance of Separation of Church and State. Without this crucial separation no government will stand. It is important not to nationally, statewide, or locally sponsor any religion. America has been slowly torn apart by religion for decades but for the past few years it seems this process has accelerated. As separation of church and state is dissipating in this nation religion is quickly dividing this nation. As a divided nation, torn apart by religion, and barred down from progress by the restrictions and ignorance brought upon by religion America will soon collapse. This country has decided to sponsor religion despite the vigorous opposition set forth by our founding fathers. The disparaging words, In God We Trust lie despicably on our nation’s currency and on our nation’s coins. Any argument made in the defense of these words on the basis that our founding fathers were Christian men and thus founded our nation on Christian principles is a false one. In fact, as many of our founding fathers were spiritual men they were not deeply religious. In fact, based on many of the both private and public writings of Thomas Jefferson, it can be reasonably argued and concluded that Thomas Jefferson was very anti-Christian and anti-religion. Also, our founding fathers clearly expressed their wishes for separation of church and state. Some will argue that because the words, all men are created equal … that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights……, lies in the Declaration of Independence then this nation was founded on Christian principles and our founding fathers were religious. But, as I said before, our founding fathers were spiritual but not religious. However, more importantly, as the Declaration of Independence is an incredible symbol of bravery and freedom it is not a part of the structure and design of this government. Our founding fathers drafted a constitution for this and nowhere in the U.S. Constitution is the word God and nowhere is religion mentioned. It does say in the constitution though that this government must have separation of church and state. Any notion to say that it is not possible or worth maintaining separation of church and state is just an underhanded attempt to inflict personal religious doctrines into this government and thus destroying this government. A totalitarian style government is neither a better government nor a suitable government. Our founding fathers knew this and made clear in the constitution that this government should not be ruled by any religious influences. The answer to the question of the importance of removing the words, In God We Trust, and Under God, from our nation’s currency, coins, and pledge is that if you allow such contradictory and discriminatory representation of this nation then what are you saying about this nation. Let us not forget that the words, Under God, were not added to our pledge until 1954 despite the countless numbers of objections. The words, In God We Trust, weren’t added to our nation’s coins until 1864 during strong Christian sentiment emerging during the Civil War and it wasn’t added officially to our currency until 1956. By these dates alone shows you that our founding fathers had nothing to do with these destructive actions. These two destructive actions have led to some of the countless problems you see today in terms of default state license plates sponsoring and advertising religion. In South Carolina as well as other States (not all southern) the default license plate read for some time In God We Trust and still reads this in a lot of states. Religious sayings and structures are posted in State Capital buildings, public schools and libraries, and even in court houses. The Supreme Court Justices enters the courtroom under the words God save the Supreme Court. It’s like something out of the Holy Roman Empire. Judges depends more and more on religion, a major political party coordinates with the religious only, politicians can’t be elected to office without a religious belief and faith, and religion is taking over inch of society. Religion is tearing this nation apart. Because our government has respected the establishment of Christianity, Muslims, non-Christians, and non-believers in this country have found themselves without freedom and without America. It is illegal in a few states for atheists to run for public office but no one says anything about this terrible atrocity except for the non-believers ourselves and we are simply ignored. Religious convictions and ignorance has caused this nation to become prejudice and caused this nation and citizens of this nation to force personal religious convictions onto all Americans. Proposes has been made for marriage inequality and a vast majority of states have denied same sex couples the right to marry and the right to adopt a child. Not only this, same-sex couples have no rights as in traditional marriages in terms of healthcare, tax benefits, burial benefits, social security survival and death benefits and hospital visitation and life-death decision benefits. The government have also decided to pass special laws allowing religious organizations, churches, and institutions to conduct businesses as any other organizations and institutions yet remain tax exempt and have even decided to give tax payers’ dollars to these religious intuitions, organizations, and churches while denying these special benefits to ordinary institutions and organizations. This is not only discriminatory but also a direct violation of separation of church and state. The government has denied crucial medical and scientific research for the advancement and improvement of mankind. These denials of advancement and improvement where made solely based on personal religious convictions which should never be included nor influence any legal or government decisions. Religion have further divided this nation and is destroying the promises of our future, our children, by further tainting them by pushing religion on them and teaching them to frown upon and disrespect others’ religions and non-believers. Judges and this government have done nothing about parents who are forcing and influencing their children to attend church and religious schools despite the dangers and prejudice that will come from this and despite the child’s objection in some cases. The courts have done nothing about the fact that children are sometimes abused, neglected, thrown from their homes, and even sometimes considered to have behavioral problems when rejecting religion and God as a whole. Children are disciplined in the school houses and home every day because of their refusal to recite the pledge to the flag but no one wants to talk about this and even if you are successful in involving someone in a discussion about this you will quickly discover that they will simple argue the child has a disciplinary problem. Atheist children have been and continue to be denied their right of freedom of speech due to religions’ takeover of this country, Atheist children find that they can’t speak about atheism or against religion without disciplinary consequences. Religion have caused so much destruction to this nation that if anyone was to run for any public office or private office for that matter and holds public to an absence of a belief in a god of higher power they will never be elected or appointed to any position because society, much through the government recognition of religion, believes that one should never hold office without at minimum a rudementrery belief in God. Along with this belief Americans also believe that atheists are ill moral and evil when in fact it’s the other way around. The atheists in this nation only make up .25% of this nation’s prison population. Religion further destroys the future of this nation and divides this nation through the ongoing attacks on evolution being taught in school and the attempts to teach creationism in school. Religion causes lives not only through war but through religious extremists who kill abortionist doctors and pro-choice activists. Religion is praised for being the greatest factor in keeping the American family together when in fact it has destroyed the American family. When atheists come out to their friends and families as non-believers they are generally isolated and frowned upon mainly because of religious ignorance and the negative stigma attached to being an atheist. Atheists by the same principles are isolated and even in some cases banned and forced to leave certain neighborhoods and housing communities. In addition to religion destroying families who have atheist family members who seek to come out of the closet, religion similarly destroys families who have gay family members because of the bigotry, prejudice, and intolerance that religion teaches. Religion continues to oppress over thirty million American atheists and continues to divide this nation as a whole. Religion has caused this nation and continues to cause this nation to be deeply involved in unprovoked, ill moral, and illegal wars. It hinders this nation from positive change and future progress and punishes those who choose to remain open minded and a free thinker. Separation of church and state desperately needs to be restored in this nation and religion should never be consulted or influence any government decisions. Without restoring separation of church and state this nation will further divide and will completely collapse. The America our founding fathers envisioned and created over 200 years ago will die and the cruel dreadful times of the Holy Roman Empire will return and destroy this planet. Now is the time to change things and end Christianity’s hold on America so that the gears of progress will turn once more.

Testimony of A Southern Atheist

My name is Marquell Garrett. I was born in Aiken, SC on July 27, 1985 and was raised by a single mother. I was raised in Edgefield County until the age of 13 and then moved to North Augusta, SC (Aiken County) with my sister after my mother passed. At age fourteen I officially declared myself an atheist internally (not solely of dominantly based on my mother’s death). This isn’t to say I was hiding being an atheist but I wasn’t shouting it to the world either. I categorized myself as an agnostic for about four years in a subconscious attempt to protect myself from the negative stigma, isolation, and discrimination that comes along with being an atheist. After becoming an equal rights and political activist at age 18 I decided to make it clear that I was an atheist while not making myself out to be anti-religion. So I changed my category from agnostic to agnostic-atheist but this too was a subconscious attempt to avoid the negative stigma, isolation, and discrimination that comes along with being an atheist. After being an equal rights and political activist for three years and realizing that hiding the fact that I am an atheist was very hypocritical and wasn’t going to change things for the better in this country or world I decided to change my category to just plain old atheist and now refuses to hide my lack of a belief in a god or higher power/supernatural being. I specifically called it a lack of belief intentionally because atheism is simply a lack of a belief in a higher power or supernatural being and not the disbelief in a higher power or supernatural being. Atheism is not a religion and does not define what a person believes in. I personally believe in evolution, science, and proposing theories and hypothesis and rationally setting out to prove the theories and hypothesis true. I do not believe in hiding my lack of a belief in a higher power or supernatural being and will tell anyone who asks me of my religious beliefs that I am in fact an atheist. Matter of fact I have a State license plate frame on the front and back of my vehicle that reads, “Life Long Atheist”, and “Atheist For Life”. I was raised in a very religious family. Since I was a baby my mother took my sisters, brother, and myself to church every Sunday for Sunday school and church services. We also went to bible study on Wednesdays. It was unacceptable to question your belief in God and unacceptable to miss church. Even once my mother became too ill to go to church the church van would still come by the house to take my sisters, brother, and myself to Sunday school and church services on Sunday as well as bible study on Wednesdays. Before my mother passed I was secretly already questioning my religion since the age of 8. After my mother passed I continued to secretly question my religion being that it was unacceptable to openly do so. Even though my mother was dead and I then lived with my sister, my sister continued my mother’s religious traditions and convictions and so my brother and I would go to bible study every Wednesday and Sunday school and church services every Sunday. I began to study several different religions and at the age of 14 I declared myself an agnostic (secretly while subconsciously being atheist). I continued to study various religions and still do to this day. I even studied with Jehovah Witnesses and went to “Kingdom Hall” (Jehovah Witnesses’ place of worship) on multiple occasions. When I lost my faith in God and in any god for that matter (at age 14) I was terrified. I had been taught and was still being taught that without God and a religion you stood no chance in this world. I know now that this is not true but it was hard for me being young, black, and an atheist in the south. I must say that it is very difficult for atheists in the south than in any other place in this country. My first major test of discrimination and prejudice school wise came when I was in my senior year of high school when like every morning we all had to stand and recite the pledge. Being I was an agnostic but really an atheist I decided not to stand up and recite the pledge in protest as I had done a few times before. As I had done in the past, I did not make any noise and did not disturb the rest of the class. I guess the teacher finally got upset about the matter enough to send me to the disciplinary principal. I walked down to the principal’s office thinking I had done nothing wrong so nothing is going to happen to me. Boy was I wrong. I was told that I needed to apologize to my teacher and my class and that I would be getting two days of Saturday school detention. I couldn’t believe this and immediately called my sister to tell her what had happened. In her biasness and hatred against atheists she decided to take the side of the principal versus her own brother and so I was given 4 days of Saturday school detention due to the fact I refused to apologize to my teacher and my class. My sister decided to punish me by kicking me out the house. I then went to live with my older sister for some time who also knew I was an atheist. I had to agree to tone down my behavior as long as I stayed with her which I did while I was in her house but definitely didn’t when I wasn’t in her house. I decided to never recite the pledge to flag again until the phrase Under God is taken out of the pledge. My school was pretty upset with the matter and gave me three weeks of in-school suspension but after I still refused to recite the pledge to the flag they finally gave up. My first major test of discrimination and prejudice family wise was not being kicked out of my sister house, although this was pretty dramatic. My first major test was being screamed at, talked down to, and isolated by my uncle and family while being home on leave from the Army. I had a State license plate frame on the front and back of my vehicle that read, “Life Long Atheist”, and “Atheist For Life”. This is what started up the dramatic event as most people in the room at the time, including my uncle had no clue that I was an atheist. My first major test of discrimination and prejudice society wise was when I was driving to the Airport to drop a friend off. I was going 44mph in a 40mph zone when a police officer pulled me over. I was polite and corroborated with the police officer although I strongly felt it was unacceptable for him to pull me over in a 40mph zone for going 44mph. The police officer gave me a ticket for $125.00 and then asked me what was wrong with my license plate. He told me that it was hanging off to one side. I told him I wasn’t aware of the matter and I would get it fixed ASAP. I then watched him walk back to his car and drive off going about 45mph in a 40mph zone and did not have his police lights or sirens on so why didn’t he give himself a ticket? I then got out of my car and looked at my license plate. There was absolutely nothing wrong with my license plate. I then thought well maybe he fixed it but I realized that I watched him come to my car and leave and he never touched my license plate. Then it occurred to me. My license plates have a frame on the front and back of my car that reads, “Life Long Atheist”, and “Atheist For Life”. Was I a victim of profiling just because I was an atheist? It is hard being an atheist in the south, this I know from a firsthand basis. Still this does not mean that there shouldn't be more protests, boycotts, lawsuits and other mechanisms set in place to fight for equality in the south for atheists. It does atheists no good for southern atheists to hang out in the closet, we need the numbers and financing to fight back right wing America and claim our place in this nation as well. Never give up, and never forget that being an atheist doesn’t make you a bad, evil, ill moral person but rather a person free to advance and achieve anything.

Marquell's Examination & Conclusion Upon Religion!!!

After I found the truth about religion and its origin, I felt like a complete fool on the matter. After fourteen years of being religious, I knew nothing about it. This is my final conclusion on what I ascertained about religion. If you would like to know the truth, don't hesitate to read it. Enjoy the absolute truth!

Marquell's Examination & Conclusion upon Religion
August 19, 2004; Thursday

(This report has no political influences or motivations, it is not attacking religious people nor is it trying to deter people away from their faith. It is made up of all facts and can be taking as a genuine document. These facts have been researched and checked several times. The conclusion concludes facts and my final say upon religion. My final conclusion is based upon facts upon religion that I may have not included in the explanation of the report.)



The Origin of Religion:



Following meticulous scrutinizing of religion, one was not successful in ascertaining the very true origin of religion*, however, one was successful in tracing the origin of religion back to the oldest know civilization to have practiced religion. One has discovered that during the Paleolithic period (Old Stone Age); religion was one of civilization's primary focuses. In fact, religion dictated the everyday lives of the cave men during this period in humanity history. Humanity's religion wasn't the concept of monotheism, one god; rather instead they based their religious beliefs upon polytheism, many gods. The mere reason why religion came into existence, one ascertains to be very simple. One can probably imagine all of the many questions surrounding humanity at the beginning of humanity history. Many of these questions were impossible to answer at the time and impossible to even imagine reasonable ways to come up with an educated conclusion containing to these questions, essentially, a valid answer for the unanswered questions could not be obtained. In an extreme way the human imagination expanded by addressing the complex concept of explanations to these questions. For the first time, the questions, how did we get here, who made the earth/universe, why does it storm or other strange events happen on the globe, and what happens after death could finally be answered. Also the concept of good versus evil was finally addressed. These ultimate questions were finally able to be answered by the concept that supernatural beings were in control of the universe. The concept of one god hadn't entered and conquered the human mind yet, but through thousands of years it would eventually do so. For each thing that could not be answered, there was a god. For instance, the sun could not be explained and so there was the god of the sun, and death could not be explained and so there was the god of the underworld or afterlife. From this ultimate idea of the gods sprung the idea of reincarnation.

Religious Influences on Humanity:



One has discovered religion have shaped and rule civilizations all over the globe throughout humanity's history. One civilization in which falls under this category happens to be the Nile civilization, also known as the Old Egyptian civilization. This civilization was polytheism and from the Neolithic time frame (New Stone Age). They were affirmed believers of reincarnation and based their lives upon this. They believed that once you die and was buried, the body would rise once again at its desired time and you would begin your second, or after/final life. Since you would be using the same body they attempted to make your body look presentable after death primarily by mummification, however, only the royal family, (pharaohs), the mummificationners, royal pets, and upper classmen received mummification. The pharaohs were also saw as gods, however, living gods. What ever the pharaohs said, went because not only were they your leader, but essentially, your god. With religion they dictated the laws of the land, hence, created the famous quote, "so shall it be written, so shall it be done". The Egyptian citizens were strong believers of the gods and so the gods were not questioned. However, if the gods were questioned, the person to question them would be killed. A similar civilization to the Egyptians were the Aztecs, who believed in many gods and that the sun god was the supreme god. They essentially made human sacrifices to their gods, symbolizing that they obviously believed the reality of the gods. The reason why civilizations such as the Egyptians and Aztecs believed in these gods were due to family passing the belief, without the fact of the origin, from one generation to the next. Scholars give the Egyptians credit for the expansion of the human mind, by coming up with the concept of one god, the god Atum. Atum controlled everything and was less complex like the concept of many gods, and obviously more powerful. This god didn't last long, however, the Judaism religion was simultaneously developing and began to spread beyond the Nile civilization. Their god was called God*, and was the one and powerful god, also the only god.

Monotheism:



Monotheism shared many of the traits as polytheism. Like polytheism, monotheism had magnificent tales about heroic, and other events that supposable took place. One of the most famous tales of the monotheism religion is that of Jesus. Judaism sprung off Christianity and christians believe that Jesus was the Son of God. Gods have been seen with sons before, such as Zeus and Hercules, but for the first time in humanity, the son of a god was making himself a sacrifice for mortal beings, those that were not gods. The human mind had developed to another stage in the imagination of religion. Jesus made himself a sacrifice so that all good souls, still distinguishing from good versus evil, may receive a paradise like life. There are many Christianity groups, but the main ones seem to be Catholic, and Baptist. Wars are fought between nations in response to Christianity but it is nothing compared to the holy wars in the Middle Eastern region. Developed from both Christianity and Judaism, all believing in one god, Muslim is a dominant religion of the world as well. Majority of the religious members of the world are in fact monotheism. Buddhism, Hinduism*, even Methodist are monotheism. Humanity is no longer accepting polytheism as an answer to these questions but now one god as an answer to these questions. Muslims, Judaism, and Christians fight each other everyday over a strip of land that they all think is theirs. All three of these dominant religions believe that they are direct descendents from Abraham. Abraham, according to these three dominant religions, was promised land by God and so now his direct descendents are claiming the land. The only problem is that more than one religious tribe believes that they are direct descendents from Abraham, hence, more than one tribe is claiming the narrow strip of land. This idea of religion has caused all of this, leading one to only imagine what else it can cause, or more accurately, what has it already caused. Monotheism is an important improvement in human comprehension, however, the human mind has lots of more things to comprehend before we truly understand the universe and answer the ultimate questions. Many of the ultimate questions, such as why does it storm, and what happens after death have already been rationally and realistically explained by science, however, many simple refuse to accept this rational explanation because it eliminates the need for the idea of religion. The human mind is steadily developing and will eventually develop the concept of there being no god, and that we must think rationally.

Conclusion:



After wary examination upon the origin of religion, the facts of religion, and other major things containing to religion, not in this report, one have reached his conclusion upon this vigorous idea of religion. One is explicitly left with the question, who is God and is he real? To answer this question one must answer another question, what is religion? Religion is an idea developed by humanity, to answer questions that cannot be rationally answered at the time. God, essentially, is religion. He is the supernatural being to answer these questions, however, is he real? The idea of God is certainly real but not rational. God is the irrational and unrealistic explanation of the questions how did we get here, etc. There is no concrete proof with God and instead science offers proof. We have not yet achieved our max objective with science but should look to science rather than religion. God is an idea; hence, in this sense God is unreal. The possibility of a god or higher being is true but not evident to one devoting his life to it, also making God unreal. One must remain agnostic on the subject of religion and say that God is no more than religion itself, so is religion acceptable. One believes that we are all endowed with the right to practice the idea of religion or not to practice it, in that aspect religion is acceptable. However, we do not obtain the right to push our religion upon others directly, as done in the past, or indirectly, as being done today. In this aspect religion is not and will never be acceptable. One has decided that it would be irrational and irresponsible to practice religion or worship God. God and religion is overwhelmingly not real and participation in religion would mean a violation in ones realistic and rationalistic views. When it comes to religion humanity should return to the drawing board and attempt to answer questions rationally and realistically and not with an extreme gesture such as religion. It is ones final conclusion that one shall not precipitate in any religion or believe in any god. Religion is the cause of many things, mostly discrimination, segregation, and hatred. Religion goes against the five platforms* and therefore one is against religion. Religion is acceptable to practice but not to force others to practice and it is not acceptable to push religious beliefs upon others. Religion is an old involving idea and is an idea only of the imagination.

Self-Proclamation of Life!

(After departing from religion I sat down some basic morals that I shall live by. I am not a bad person and so I value these good virtues. I vowed to live my life in freedom and understanding, not confusion. In doing this I drafted the "Self-Proclamation of Life".)

Self-Proclamation of Life


On this day, one do hereby vow to live
ones life in reason, and logic.
One vow to never turn away from the phases of life.
One does not need religion or guidance from a superstitious source.
One is self-reliant and independent from all.
From this day forward,
hence now and forever more,
one vows to remain in control of ones self,
think about ones surroundings,
think bigger and outside the box of religion,
remain independent from the bible and religion,
accept science as truth but never stop thinking, questioning, and challenging,
remain a rationalist thinker and being,
fight for freedom for all,
question the ways of life and question other things,
accept atheists and agnostics as reasonable people and learn of their ways of thinking and fear not in joining them,
and always be ones self.
This one does hereby vow to for ones entire life.
To live by these codes.
The codes:
Self-control,
Thinking,
Independence,
Questioning,
Challenging,
Freedom,
Rationalist,
Atheist,
Agnostic,
and Science.
These codes are ones way of living and existence.

MEMORANDUM:

JUST BECAUSE WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT AND A NEW POLITICAL PARTY IN POWER DOESN'T MEAN THE FIGHT FOR EQUALITY IS OVER OR GOING TO BE EASIER. AS EQUAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND AS THE FUTURE LEADERS OF AMERICA, WE AS AMERICANS HAVE THE OBLIGATION TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR EQUALITY FOR ALL IN THIS NATION NO MATTER WHAT. WE MUST REMAIN STRONG AND CONSCIOUS OF THE PREJUDICE AND INEQUALITY IN THIS NATION. JUST BECAUSE THE MEDIA OR LEADERS IN THIS NATION DOESN'T ADMIT OR EXHIBIT SUCH INEQUALITY AND PREJUDICE CRISES, DOESN'T MEAN THERE ISN'T A CRISES. IT IS UN-AMERICAN TO IGNORE SUCH PROBLEMS AND WILL NOT BE STAND FOR IN AMERICA. THE TIME WILL COME WHEN WE ARE ALL FREE AND EQUAL, BUT UNTIL WE ARE THERE WE MUST CONTINUE TO FIGHT TO ARRIVE THERE. WE MUST PRESS ON FOR LIFE, LIBERTY, JUSTICE, EQUALITY, AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS!



SINCERELY,
MARQUELL GARRETT
THE FUTURE LEADER OF AMERICA