This is a big, complicated issue (to say the least), and I'll try to be brief...no promises, though. Sorry!

I'm an atheist. I wasn't raised religiously (my parents are Unitarian Universalist). In my family, analysis and independent thought are valued very highly, and I learned both at a young age. I like that--I am a true skeptic with a passion for learning. It's also helped me to be able to look at different beliefs/points of view objectively. I joke that I'm biologically incapable of faith...it's not biological, but I feel like I just don't have it in me. I want double-blind empirical studies for everything.

Maybe I need to become a true believer to find that proof, but I can't become a believer without it. I've tried, actually--I have some good friends that are very religious (Christian) that I've talked to a lot about religion. I've tried to understand their faith because I envy it--they have it to rely on, to give them strength...I don't have that.

Overall, I think that spirituality is a wonderful thing. My issue lies more with religion. From my outside perspective, a relationship with [your deity/dieties here] should be personal, not proscribed and regulated by an organization. It seems to me that religion/spirituality gives people strength, peace, understanding, etc. It makes them feel better and safer--good! I feel that way about ALL religions/beliefs, though. If it makes you feel better about things, fine. I don't care if it's Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism, Hindu, Wicca/Pagan, animistic beliefs...it's all the same to me, regardless of how many people believe it.

The people I know who have really examined their beliefs and faith really are pretty happy and well-adjusted and they have their faith to support them. Unfortunately, it seems that many (most?) people never truly examine their beliefs and whether they're right for them.

I refer to myself as an atheist. That doesn't mean I can't be wrong! I'm sure of myself, but I don't know everything. I figure that if I am wrong, then either [diety] will forgive me for not believing because I needed proof or I'll be punished, in which case I didn't want to believe in [deity] anyway!

A lot of people have very negative views of atheism. We're not all bad people! I have my own moral code and values that I adhere to--some things are NOT ok and never will be. Just because I do not believe in any sort of higher power does not mean I'm immoral. I do believe in people. I think everyone has the potential to do great things, and people will (almost always) do what they think is right. I can believe in that, I can see that...I just can't make the leap of faith it takes to believe in something I can't see, hear, feel, or prove.

Does any of that make sense? Sorry to ramble on like that...