The religion of God is one of the most well-known if not the most well-known religions. Other religions have at least one or more Gods, like the Egyptian Gods or the Gods of Olympus or the...you get the idea. Throughout the whole world, in January 2022, Christianity was, and probably still is, the largest religion, approximately 31.2% of the world's population has identified themselves as loyal Christians.  The figures can however change due to demographic shifts, conversions, and other factors. Individuals have thrived to preach the word of God to anywhere they possibly could. They say God is the divine and almighty. He is the higher being and the creator of everything we know. Christianity is widespread, the religion consists of three branches, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Eastern Orthodoxy. They believe in one God, one higher being, God goes by many names, God the Father, God the Son (Jesus Christ), God the Holy Spirit, and Jehovah. The belief in God is a very complex and multifaceted phenomenon, and individuals hold varying beliefs for different reasons.

  The cultural and social influences in the Christian religion play a big role. Many people who have the belief in God or are involved in the Christian religion, are born into it. They inherit their beliefs from their families and cultural backgrounds. The environment in which they are raised also plays a role in their beliefs. In their families and their communities, Christianity is most likely the dominant religion. This dominant religion in their society shapes their identity, and who they become. Most of the time they become followers of The Father. Children born and raised in Christian families, often receive religious education through attending church services, Sunday schools, and participating in religious activities, rituals, and ceremonies. This exposure to such things helps instill Christian beliefs and values. Beyond the family, in the broader community, this includes their friends, neighbors, and local institutes, help with the instilling of Christian beliefs and values, along with the child's religious identity. While there are those who are born into the Christian religion, there are those who want to choose their own beliefs Sometimes, those who want this, usually accomplish it, while there are those who are too afraid of choosing their own beliefs because their families, friends, and neighbors might turn their backs on them. They are taught to accept their beliefs without questioning them and are pressured to conform.

  Christianity provides a moral and ethical framework for its followers through the teachings found in the Bible, particularly in the Old and New Testaments. The guidance provided by the Christian religion is rooted in their beliefs of a loving just God who has revealed his ethical principles for human conduct. Following these ethical principles and guidelines are the Ten Commandments. If you don’t know the Ten Commandments, they are, Commandment I, “You should have no other gods before me.” Commandment II, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.” Commandment III, “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” Commandment IV, “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it, you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.” Commandment V, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.” Commandment VI, “You shall not murder.” Commandment VII, “You shall not commit adultery.” Commandment VIII, “You shall not steal.” Commandment IX, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” Commandment X, “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” These are the Ten Commandments that were given by the Lord their God.

  In the New Testament, particularly in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus delivers the Sermon on the Mount.  This sermon includes the Beatitudes, which outline virtues such as humility, meekness, mercy, and peacemaking. It also emphasizes the importance of love, forgiveness, and ethical behavior in various life situations. Central to Christian ethics is the commandment to love one another in the Christian community, and other communities, not just the Christian community. The teaching of this is delivered from Jesus ‘statement that the two greatest commandments are to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Christian morality encourages compassion, kindness, and empathy toward others. It gives people a sense of purpose. It makes them want to do good in the world, the world needs that.

  On the other hand, the whole Christian religion is something I don’t agree with. Everyone tells me not all Christians are the same, and I know that it all depends on the person who is committed to the Christian religion. However, there are individuals, such as myself, who do not believe in God, and our reasons are equally diverse.

  The scientific and rational inquiry over the context of the Christian religion has evolved over time. The relationship between faith and reasoning has been a subject of discussion within the Christian tradition. Atheists and agnostics often prioritize empirical evidence and scientific reasoning. We may find that religious explanations lack empirical support and prefer naturalistic explanations based on evidence. Many of the early pioneers of modern science were in fact, Christians. They believed that understanding the natural world was a way of appreciating the work of God. Famous figures such as Nicolaus Copernicus, Johannes Kepler, Galileo Galilei, and Sir Isaac Newton, were deeply religious individuals who have made significant contributions to the development of scientific thought. The idea of the creation of our universe comes in many stories and ways. The Christians believed it to be God’s work. In the more scientific view, the universe was created through the Big Bang Theory. The Big Bang Theory states the universe started from an incredibly small, hot, and dense state called the singularity. Around 13.8 billion years ago, the universe began expanding rapidly. This expansion is not an explosion in a scientific location; instead, it means that space itself is stretching. I'm pretty sure you know the rest, the stars form, the planets, electrons, neutral hydrogen atoms, earth, etc. In Christian terms, the creation story emphasizes that God created the universe “ex nihilo” which means out of nothing. In Genesis 1:1 (New International Version), it is stated, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” This brings the creation of six days. Day one, light and darkness. Day two, sky and water. Day three, land, seas, and vegetation. Day four, sun, moon, and stars. Day five, birds and sea creatures. Day six, land animals and humans. These were then considered and named the days of the week that you know now. However, I don’t believe in it either.

  In my terms, the creation of the universe is somewhat simple but not too complex. I believe that in the old days, way back. We as humans are always trying to find answers to everything, so in the process of trying to find answers, we come up with many versions of our truths and many stories to tell. Coming along those answers I think, came the religion of God. Nobody has proved that God is real. Most of the Christian religion is based on pure faith and trust. So, if that is so, then where is the proof that God might be real? All the teachings, preaching, and stories of God, all come from mankind. People can say their stories and teachings are from God or God has called them to teach or write the stories about him. How factual can the stories be, the Bible, a novel of truth as they say, is the story of the old times when God would reign over his glory days as his son Jesus walked the earth, expanding the word of the Lord. The Bible in general is a history book, a history book of the old days just like any other history book. The only difference is that in those books, The New Testament, The Old Testament, The Book of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, the wisdom literature of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, the major prophets of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, The minor prophets of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, the books of Mathew, Mark, Luke, John, all of it comes from mankind. We wrote the stories, and we can change them however we want to change them.

  The sightings of God, the dreams, and visions, all come from mankind. Their truth is God is the divine and higher being of the heavens. Have they ever considered the thought of God being a woman? Some critics have focused on gendered anthropomorphism, where God is depicted in masculinity terms. It raises concerns about reinforcing gender stereotypes and exclusionary language in religious traditions, contributing to the marginalization of women in religious disclosure. Many religious believers consider God to be beyond gender and human characteristics. Nevertheless, there have been discussions on the gender of God if God is to have a gender. Many believe him to be male, just like how many have considered the possibility of Jesus being African American. In the Bible, it has stated Jesus to have the hair of an African American. The religious believers have made many accommodations to their God or to Jesus so they could feel comfortable to whom they are praising and worshiping. Most will refuse the possibility of their savior being anything other than what they are taught growing up.

     Staying on the topic of Christian morality and ethics, morality without religion, often referred to as secular morality, is a system of ethical principles and values that does not rely on religious doctrines or divine commandments. Meaning, that people are capable of achieving success or finding their purpose in life without the help of a higher being. I struggle with the concept of achieving greatness for a higher being and not doing it for yourself. Non-believers, such as I, in the Christian religion, such as atheists, agnostics, and other individuals from secular humanist perspectives, often derive their moral framework from a variety of sources. Secular morality is often grounded in reason, critical thinking, and rational inquiry. Instead of relying on religious texts or authority, non-believers may and will use logical reasoning and evidence-based arguments to formulate ethical principles. Many secular moral systems prioritize the well-being of individuals, communities, and society. Concepts such as human flourishing, happiness, and minimizing suffering become central to ethical decision-making. Secular morality often emphasizes empathy and compassion as fundamental to ethical behavior. The ability to share and understand the feelings of others serves as a basis for moral considerations and actions. Christian morals and ethics are not needed for individuals to be able to act on these. More and more in our society are realizing that they would rather have their ethics and morals on their own standards and not set by someone or something else. They don’t need God to lay out their whole life, beliefs, principles, or anything else. They are more than capable of doing it themselves.

  Coming off the topic of secular morality is the problem of evil. It’s a philosophical, challenge that questions how the existence of powerful, almighty God can be reconciled with the presence of evil and suffering in the world, along with many others. I raise this point to question the consistency of the concept of God. The logical problem of evil argues that the coexistence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and benevolent God with the existence of evil is logically inconsistent. If God is truly powerful, he could prevent or eliminate all evil; If God is all-knowing, he would be aware of the evil; and if God is benevolent, he would want to eliminate the evil.  Since evil exists, then at least one of the attributes could be compromised, suggesting that such a God could not exist. There is an evidential problem of evil that takes a more probabilistic approach. Claiming a logical contradiction between God’s attributes and the existence of evil is not what is being said but more of the fact that the nature of observed evil makes the existence of an all-powerful and benevolent God highly improbable. The prevalence and intensity of suffering and evil in the world seem incompatible with the idea of a loving and caring deity.

  The existence of human suffering, injustice, and violence is cited as evidence against the existence of a benevolent and all-powerful God. If God is compassionate and capable of preventing such suffering, he would do so. The theological responses to the problem of evil often include the concept of free will, suggesting that God granted humans free will and the misuse of that free will by individuals results in evil. I now point to the apparent ineffectiveness of prayer or alleviating suffering. If prayer is seen as a means of seeking divine intervention, the persistence of suffering can be perceived as evidence against the efficiency of such requests. Coming along is the unanswered prayers. The experience of unanswered prayers can be a source of confusion or doubt for Christians. Despite sincere and heartfelt prayers, believers will most of the time encounter situations where their requests do not seem to be answered or fulfilled. This leads to more questions about God’s existence if he is all-powerful, all-knowing, and caring, then his follower's most sincere and heartfelt prayers shouldn’t go unanswered.

  I prefer to criticize the concept of God as being anthropomorphic, projecting human attributes onto a divine being. It is argued that this anthropomorphism is a product of human imagination rather than an accurate representation of a transcendent deity. The divine is considered beyond human comprehension and attempts to portray God in human terms may fall short and result in an incomplete and inadequate representation. Some religious traditions and theological perspectives may also criticize anthropomorphism on grounds of potential idolatry. The concern is that overly humanizing deceptions of God, especially in visual arts and imagery, might lead to the worship of an image or symbol rather than the transcendent and formless divine. I would like to argue, along with other critics, that the anthropomorphic descriptions of God in religious texts might be misunderstood as literal representations, leading to theological misconceptions.

  Which leads me to my conclusion. Individuals have the right to believe what they want to believe, trust what they want to trust, and be who they want to be. In my personal experience, I have done these, tried these, and acted on everything I could do in the name of The Lord. Nothing has come out of it. Not all Christians are the same and not all religions are the same, but I am more leaning toward the facts, and there are no compatible facts or truth about there being a God. Non-believers, like I place a high value on scientific explanations for natural phenomena. We may adhere to naturalistic worldviews, which explain the universe's origins, development, and operation without invoking supernatural entities. It’s important to recognize that these reasons are not exhaustive, and individual believers may have their own unique perspectives and motivations. The diversity of viewpoints among us non-believers reflects the complexity of human thought and the various factors that contribute to individual beliefs.