Interview

Wes
Cole Louis
Non-religious

1. What exactly happened or made you realize that there is no higher deity, in your opinion ?
- I was always hesistate, I was raised in a Christian household. I was told my whole life that
the bible was true through everyword. But through my readings of it I saw a lot of its
contradictions and it made it more difficult to believe in a god that also says that I am
damned at birth.

2. Along with the conclusion that you dont believe in any god existing, do you claim to be atheist
? agnostic ?
-more agnostic, more atheist in the Christian god, because of its contradiction. Christianity also
annoys me as much as atheism because they claim to have all the answers when in reality we
have such a finite amount of knowledge and understanding. The belief that one has lost all
delusion is the final delusion.

3. If yes, how would you consider that believing in the belief that there is no god, or youre unsure
about the existence is actually still a belief?
-thats a fair word to use, I dont believe by faith, I believe on how I see and perceive the things.
But perception can also be distorted so, yes is do have a belief.

4. Is there any practices that you perform that are different from those that are religious?
-its many the things that I dont practice, such as stoning or things that are extreme. But I do,
do things that are common like, loving thy neighbors, that Christians do as well. I dont believe
in morals but I do, do things that makes my conscious feel good.

5. What is your opinion of religion? Organized or not? And religious people (consider all
theologies)
-in general I believe that religion is deeply rooted in a desire for humans to be good, its a belief
systems. Kinda like a business, with unnecessary laws and customs with no real explanantion
why they believe that way.

6. How does this affect you socially

-doesnt affect me to much in the moment, doesnt really effect conversation. Just makes for
uncomfortably situations that I tend to keep myself out of
7. Politically?
-makes me less of a conservative like I was raised , but at the same time despise the irrational
socialist views of the liberalistic party. I tend to view myself as a libertarian and centralize and
take certain beliefs from both sides of the party. Along with that I perceive that the political
parties in the US is a complete joke

8. What does your parents and immediate family think of this?

-they dont know about it and they never will, makes a very stressful and uncomfortable
lifestyle, but it makes it better on them in a way. I feel no moral obligation to tell them, so
justifying that by lying I give them a false sense of happiness

9. Do you have religious friends?

-yes, a lot. I come from the bible belt. Its hard not to find people whom are not.
Im not very close with them but yes

10. Have you ever explored the teachings of other religions and consider giving them a try
- Yes, after Christianity I kinda didnt care, but ive read the Koran, explored Jehovah witness,
went to Buddhism studies and I have broadened my mind with different perspective of
what the universe is and what its perceived as.

11. Have you ever been raised in church? Or raised around Christians at any point in your life ?
-yes I have till this day, very very religious family.

Steven barrera