They helped us to keep our apartment when we were lagging because we have been experiencing a lagging income for several months now. We owed for several months’ worth of late fees, one month’s rent, several other fees, and something about owing them for certain utilities.

These same people helped us to pay off a good part of our debts. Most of this was not debt from me personally, rather my significant other. However, legally they are now as much my concern as they are still for him.

I have my opinions and reservations about dogmatic religions, yes, but the love I have for my friends and family — regardless of their beliefs, morals, faith, or ideals — are more valuable to me than any theistic — or atheistic — ideas I myself have come to hold.

When you grew up in a world where you knew friends and family who were Jews, Lutherans, Methodists, practicing and latent Catholics, Muslims, Orthodox, Buddhists, Hindus, as well as once being a Vaishnava, Buddhist, atheist, Christian, and almost-Muslim myself personally, you learn to love and accept people for who they are.

You also learn that perhaps ultimate truth has a thousand different versions, or that truth is perhaps in the end nothing more than reality as the way we perceive it. The Buddhists themselves have a saying about how when reaching the peak of a mountain, there are many paths one can take to get there.

– Jersey

(5)”And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. (6)But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (7)And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. (8)Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. – Matthew 6.5-8 NASB

Much of the religious talk going on from the presidential candidates has to do with the fact that Iowa, whose caucus was 3 January, and several other Bible-Belt states are a state full of evangelicals (that’s what the media is portraying, I guess). Many of these people are older and grew up in an era when schools, football games, and other major public venues and events had a time set aside for public prayer. Unfortunately, thanks to various lawsuits, people of Generations X and Y (the latter I am from) have grown up in a society that most of these events no longer have.

Both of my parents are very secular; my father went to public school while my mother attended parochial school up through the 8th grade. Both had prayer during homeroom before the school started for the day. (They also had to say the Pledge of Allegiance whether they wanted to or not. It was the law of the time.) Guess what? Both my parents wish schools had public prayer, or at least the more inclusive “moment of silence” to start the day off with.

Most of my friends, family, church members, and others around here (eastern Washington is much more conservative/traditional than the western half, remember) want that back, but because of the liberals out west, state law still no longer allows it. (Such is considered “violation of church and state”.)

Here’s what I do not get. How come what Jesus stated in the passage above – and I think I gave a good passage to read, not just a one-liner like many other bloggers do – states that His followers are to “go into your room, close the door and pray to [their] Father”? (Matthew 6.6 NASB) I mean, group prayer like dinners at public places I guess is okay — but do you need to speak so loud for the whole dining area to hear you? To the rest of us you appear something like the ancient Pharisees, as in you appear to be self-righteous.

Before I state the next thing, let me tell you I am very limited in my Bible knowledge, so I may be wrong. Tell me where public prayer is encouraged, I will look it up, and I will post an updated opinion, capisce?

People who are asking – even demanding for – public prayer are asking for something that perhaps is contrary to what their “Lord and Savior” tells them to do.

- Jersey

I have just recently heard of something called the “Bright” movement. Essentially, the term “bright” is, according to the “official” website, someone “who has a naturalistic worldview”, has “a worldview free of supernatural and mystical elements”, and “the ethics and morals [...] are based on a natural worldview.”

I understand why some people who disbelieve in higher deities would want to avoid the term “atheist” as a title: to many, the word connotes an angry, amoral person who will try anything to rid society of religious influence. (Correct me if I am wrong, this is my perception of how theists view the stereotypical atheist.)

However, to me, the term “bright” also brings on an air of self-righteousness, arrogance, and the same determination to prove religion wrong. If you ask me, I think if you are wary of using the word atheist to describe your “religious views”, there are already plenty of common and old-school terms that are still just as popular: non-theist, irreligious, cynic, skeptic, (secular) humanist, secularist, naturalist, or my personal favorite…freethinker.

As much as we detest labels, the English language – and thus our society – has become very dependent on labels and classifications. Should I need to label my beliefs…call me a freethinker or a humanist…just don’t call me late to dinner.

- Jersey