Faith-a-faith-a-faith ahhhhhhh
As a yoof, I was a relatively religious Carrot. Went to the local church and Sunday School (but never forced to go) and got baptised at 6 and confirmed at 16. Both were my choices. I was a fairly regular church goer until I joined uni. I even joined the christian union and started going out with a girl until I realised:

1) She aint going to give out until she's married.
2) Her idea of Christianity scares the cunting fuck out of me.
3) She's a bit of a nutter.
4) Ah bollocks. I prefer blokes.

Soo...I kinda left CU. And then I had to explain to someone (who by the way was training to be a nurse) WHY I left CU. He told me that being gay was against God's will and therefore, congratulations Mr Carrot, you've got a suite reserved in Hell. Eternal damnation is your friend.

This fucked me up by some not inconsiderable amount. I completely abandoned my beliefs and my religion. I got depressed severely. Until one of my best mates (sometimes reads on here, so Dave, you're a wonderful bloke) pulled me together and reminded me of some things:

Either:
a) God made you this way and you cannot be damned for something YOU were made as,
Or:
b) There is no God, so there's nothing to worry about.

Which made me think. A lot. And I realised several things. This evolved my own peculiar version of faith. Basically it reads:

1: Don't judge people on faith or religion, but by actions. You can be a total cunt and still be a "Christian". Going to church no more makes you a good person than going to a garage makes you a car.

2: God does not exist as an old chappy who smites the unrighteous and lives in a cloud. But I do think there is some supreme being or force or something that ties everything together.

3: Swearing is fine. Making tasteless jokes is fine. Drinking is fine. Enjoying loving with people with the same bits as yourself is fine. You were made to enjoy life. And that is what you should do.

4: But equally, indulging in your own religious beliefs is fine. But as long as it is private to you and doesn't hurt or upset anyone. If it gives you comfort, then good stuff.

5: Preaching to people who don't want to hear it will likely lead to pain. This doesn't make you a martyr or superior, it just makes you a twat.

6: Religion is not like Top Trumps. You don't win any prizes if you are more christian-y or jew-y or whatever than your mates. Again, all this proves is you are really a complete twat.

7: On the other hand, being offensively dismissive to people who have faith, whatever that may be, is the mark of a pure, dyed-in-the-wool cunt. To be an atheist requires a degree of intelligence and awareness. Being derogatory to a belief that someone else takes comfort in is really a twattish thing to do. Fine, please by all means feel free to take issues with parts of belief (subjugation of women, circumcision, creationism, whatever) but AGREE TO DISAGREE, and DON'T dismiss it as being a "superstition" or "silly witchcraft" or "not agreeing with what my book says". Whatever. I have the ultimate respect for people like Enzyme who can provide reasoned argument for their viewpoint and accept that sometimes people might disagree with them. It happens. Live with it.

8: Being alive means being a decent human being. Don't do it for reward, either now or in the afterlife. Do it because it's the right thing to do.

By the way, just before the mudslinging starts, I'm not offering this as the only view, or even the right view. It's just my view. And I'm not posting it to sound smug. It's just what works for me. But if any of you want to join the Church of Carrot, simply send £300 pounds in used, non-sequential notes to my Swiss bank account.

Right, I'm off for a wank.
( Undercovercarrot got done for gross misconduct on..., Wed 25 Mar 2009, 20:48, 6 replies)

good call
your mate had it down pretty early. nice work that guy.

i got fucked up by my college CU too... went there (foolishly) looking for intelligent discussion as i was neither here nor there at the time, and left every time feeling black and blue.

good for you for not letting em shit on who you are
( greenish, Wed 25 Mar 2009, 22:11, closed)

You're wrong about Enzyme though.
He's a cunt.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Wed 25 Mar 2009, 23:13, closed)

Well done
That made me laugh on the train home.
( Ghoti Fingers, Wed 25 Mar 2009, 23:17, closed)

Clicks for you
Fucking brilliant summation.

I love this
"Going to church no more makes you a good person than going to a garage makes you a car."
Mind if I use it?
(David CopAFeel Used to be The_Elcat - Spouting crap since 1970., Thu 26 Mar 2009, 6:17, closed)

Why did I read that "Sunburn" stylee?

(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Thu 26 Mar 2009, 8:52, closed)

...
Most enjoyed reading this, confirmed some of my own beliefs in religion and how to treat other people.

Good to hear that you survived the CU hell and learned to love ze male form.
(Helo, Thu 26 Mar 2009, 15:06, closed)