The following was taken from my old website, and written in 2004
Gods? Yes, I say ‘gods’ because to say I don’t believe in ‘God’ looks like I am in denial of the usual ‘God’ that the majority of my culture believe in, that being the Christian God known as Jehovah, I think, but generally called God. I don’t believe in that one any more than I believe in Allah, or Odin, or Zeus etc. I do not believe in the existence of any deities. In fact I see them as mythological characters. Yes that includes the ‘God’ that is prevalent in the culture of the nation I live in. I don’t believe Jesus was a son of a god, was divine, or was conceived immaculately nor rose after dying.
I can’t remember at what age I realised that something didn’t seem right about the Bible and stuff we were told at school, but I know I saw through it with an open mind at a fairly young age. I now see it as mankind’s way of explaining our existence, and with a lack of scientific understanding, for the most part, a way of looking at the Earth, nature, and the Universe. Unfortunately, what may have started out as a philosophical way of earlier man’s existence, soon turned into political control and became corrupted, and had various flavours added to embellish it.
Having no beliefs in deities, I have no concept of a ‘Devil’. I do not accept the existence of this myth, nor do I fear it. Perhaps it’s just a way of seeing bad in people. But I am inclined to think that it’s a way of exerting political control through fear.
I don’t have a problem with religion so long as nobody mentions it within earshot or view of me. I don’t object to people having their own beliefs, as I enjoy having the freedom to hold my own. I consider myself lucky to live in the era that I do, or I may have been burned alive or something similar (by religious types). Freedom is a very important thing – for everyone. Freedom of thought, speech, movement, religious persuasion, sexuality etc.
I think the nearest concept of a deity – if I had to choose – would be the Sun and the Moon, as well as the Earth, as they are what gave life*. That’s pretty basic and could be argued… but will have to do for now as I have to go and eat.
Alan Wyatt 2004
*This was presumably a nod towards nature (religions). But I would correct it now to say: Enable life to evolve and continue exist(?). The Moon:- Global tides (winter mixing, weather systems), provision of nocturnal light for predation, effects on reproduction, etc., the Sun:- provision of energy to support life via food chains. Can my naivety be overlooked? I was rambling after all.
This post was extracted from my old website files, dating about 2004. Though it is a little embarrassing (I never really thought there would be an audience, and was rambling), it is interesting that it pre-dates The God Delusion.
Added: I had read the Blind Watchmaker around then so probably borrowed that idea of ‘not believing in Zeus, etc.’ from Prof. Dawkins after all.
