I remeber when I was really young- maybe 6 and I was reading the Childrens Bible one night. My parents had never pushed religion on us and as Australians it was never an issue in our lives. I got really scared reading Noah's Ark and raced to ask my parents why God did that. They told be it was just a story and not true. Greatly comforted I went to bed.

I attended a prestigous Church of England high school. I did really well in Religous Education but only because I was a good reader not because I actually believed a word of it. At Chapel I always felt uncomfortable praying but would bow my head anyway. I really didnt think anyone was up there.

Then in about year 11 (16 years old) my group of friends starting becoming fractured. I felt like the odd one out with all the new groups. Then I started praying because I wanted things like my friends to be nice to oneanother or to get an invite to a party. Since alot of it came true I thought there 'proberley' was someone up there.

AT the end of Year 12 I went to the U.S for a year. I lived on the Iron Range in Minnesota with a Baptist Pastor and his family. I went to the youth group the first time and the 'good homeschooled Christian girls' were bitching about homosexuals and them having sex with horses. I (from a Liberal country and Liberal family) was shocked. I had been bought up to see it as a valid lifestyle and indeed had a few gay friends and relatives. They found verses in the bible that involved homosexuality as a sin. My best friend was also in the youth group and she said she didnt belive that to me but said nothing in the group. I asked to be excused and went downstairs till the end.

I rarely went to church but on Easter Day I went. My host dad preached baout how Christianity was the ONLY way and even good people would go to hell if they didnt accept Jesus in their lives. I was soooo pissed off. What about all those millions of people who have lived without ever hearing of Jesus? They too would have to burn in hell? And who put them in Hell? God.

I arrived back to Australia and my mum gave me 'Farewell to God: My reasons for rejecting the Christian Faith' by Charles Templeton and decided what he said made sense. Since then I have been learning how full of contradictins the bible has and if there was a god he would be cruel and unfeeling, plus there is no evidence (outside the bible) to suggest Jesus ever lived or that the bible is authentic.

I am now an athiest and my brother and mother agree with me. My sister is nothing (she hasn't got an inquiring mind so will blindly accept what people tell her so I am loth to classify her) and my father is agnostic.

Thats my story-not very interesting but if you want a read full of murder, rape, incest and lies read the bible. It's actually quite amusing.

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