If I had to choose a religion, it would be music. I worship melodies, songwriting, and instruments like you worship your god. I share lyrics like you share scripture verses. I believe it can comfort you when you're down and inspire you to do good. I have bonded more with people over music than anything else. I look at my life as a bunch of chords and harmonies strung together making a very long tune. This tune has millions of verses and bridges and riffs and mistakes. Sometimes I go for ...
We're all little products of evolution and mystery. The future is unknown. We worry, we fight, we love, we feel. The stars reside in our bodies. Our bodies reside in a stream of dust. We're all bits and pieces of each other. Our thoughts bind us together or tug us away. We're still bound together. We're all living the unknown. Preaching to choirs we've never met and worshiping gods we can't trust. We demand unity but tear them down when they disagree. Our minds get lost, get back ...
Whenever I see an old friend and ask what's new in their life, I secretly hope I'll hear the word travel. Not "oh you know, school and work.." or the same old general routine. It seems like that's all I ever hear around this neck of the woods. But, as rare as it is, I love hearing stories about peoples' minds being opened by leaving their hometown. If there's anything that I could wish ...
Humans can be so beautiful. One bad apple can cause hate for an entire orchard, but we need to get past that. Let go. I will be the first to admit that after leaving religion I became bitter with the world. I couldn't understand why people would put religious practices before anything else. I couldn't grasp the idea that they were being taught to judge others, ...
Mormonism You were put here on this earth as part of God's plan. Me I cannot bring myself to believe that I was put here on this planet, like a puzzle piece, with a plan set out for me. There is more to this universe than Earth. What about the collapsing stars that made it possible for us to even be here? I couldn't be here without those dying stars and evolution. Mormonism There are three kingdoms in heaven. You will be split up (even with your family) depending on how good you were. Me Is ...
Have you ever tried to escape your own mind? See things differently? Fit a square-shaped thought through a circular passageway? Sometimes, my own mind gets the best of me. The human brain is something that can be toyed with tampered with and easily deceived. Mine has taken it's beating. I don't generally like to use the term brainwashing, but that's exactly what my mind has ...
The other day I was talking to a friend of mine who was questioning the LDS church. He said something that was so beautifully worded that I wish I could remember it to the dot. It went something like this: "I'd like to compare religion to the sunglasses shop I worked at. I enjoyed learning about all the different types of sunglasses. I liked telling other people about them when they'd ...
I was taught over and over again in church that those without God are extremely unhappy. Stereotype. I was told those people don't have strong relationships. Stereotype. I was also told that Atheists can't find purpose or meaning in life. Stereotype. It has taken me a long time (what feels like decades) to realize that I am in charge of my own life. There isn't a plan ...
“The world is so exquisite with so much love and moral depth, that there is no reason to deceive ourselves with pretty stories for which there's little good evidence. Far better it seems to me, in our vulnerability, is to look death in the eye and to be grateful every day for the brief but magnificent opportunity that life provides.” - Carl Sagan When I was a kid, I was promised that I would be with my family forever. Sounds great, right? But there were exceptions. I had to make sure I followed ...
It was a Sunday. Three years ago. I woke up, got ready for church, and mindlessly sat through hours of preaching. I read words from a book that was written by somebody I knew nothing about. I didn't question anything. It was a Sunday. One year ago. I said the most heartfelt prayer I've ever said in my life. I was promised I would get an answer if only I kept praying. No answer. Just confusion and guilt for not being able to feel what I was supposed to feel. It was a Sunday. Today. I ...
