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Atheism is a worldview based on the rejection of belief in a god or gods. Religions are essentially based on relics of the past and serve to manipulate people with hopes, fears, and limited knowledge. Today, I’d like to share a bit about atheism and how you can free yourself from the shackles of religion.

Bound to a Religion from Birth

Many people, including myself, were assigned a religion at birth. In my case, my parents fortunately did not raise me in a very religious environment. Nevertheless, I had to go through the entire process of baptism, first communion, and confirmation. Not because my family was religious, but simply because it was customary. Since religion never held any significance for me, I naturally distanced myself from that religious community.

However, many others do not have the same opportunity to simply abandon their religion. They often face immense pressure from their families and communities or are even socially ostracized and rejected if they question or renounce their faith.

In some societies, laws against apostasy make it a criminal offense to leave one's religion. This can result in legal consequences such as imprisonment or even the death penalty. In such cases, it becomes extremely difficult for people who have doubts about their faith to leave their religion.

Religions and Their Societal Impacts

In the past, numerous wars and conflicts have been waged in the name of religions, such as the Crusades, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the September 11 attacks. These violent confrontations have claimed countless lives and contributed to ongoing instability and insecurity in many countries and regions.

Aside from wars and terrorist attacks, religions also lead to discrimination and oppression, particularly against women and LGBTQ individuals. In many religious traditions, women are still considered inferior today and have fewer rights than men. In some Islamic countries, for example, women need their husband's permission to travel or work. In ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, women are not allowed to sing or pray in public. And in the Catholic Church, women are forbidden from becoming priests.

These forms of discrimination have their roots in religious beliefs and affect the daily lives of millions of people. They restrict freedom, perpetuate inequality, and hinder progress toward an egalitarian and just society.

Religions and Their Influence on Science

Religions often reject scientific findings that contradict their sacred texts. This begins with concepts like the theory of evolution. The idea that all species have arisen naturally through the process of evolution contradicts the literal interpretation of the creation story in the Bible. Some religious groups insist that the world and all organisms in it were literally created by God in just seven days. However, this is just a relatively harmless example.

It becomes more problematic when medical practices are rejected for religious reasons.

For instance, some Muslim groups believe that God alone is responsible for our health and that modern medicine is seen as an intrusion into God's creation. This rejection can have severe consequences, especially in dealing with diseases. In some countries, religious leaders have condemned the use of condoms for HIV/AIDS prevention as a sin, contributing to the spread of the disease.

Certain ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities refuse to vaccinate their children. This refusal to vaccinate has led to dangerous outbreaks of diseases like measles, which could have been prevented with adequate vaccination rates.

The rejection of scientific findings based on evidence-based research and methodology in favor of religious beliefs leads to neglect of important advancements in all areas of life.

Why Distancing Oneself from Religion is Not Enough

Distancing oneself from religion and freeing oneself from constraints and dogmatic structures is an important first step. However, simply rejecting religion is not enough to create a humane and enlightened world free from violence and intolerance.

To counter this nonsense, it is crucial to promote critical thinking and rely on scientific enlightenment. We should support rational and evidence-based approaches grounded in verifiable facts and logical arguments. An enlightened society needs education, not invented deities with discriminatory rules.

Closing Words

Throughout history, countless invented deities have contributed to establishing certain behaviors or explaining specific events. Atheism represents a worldview based on reason, science, and critical thinking. So, free yourself from the shackles of religion and explore the world through objective observation and logical common sense.