I’m in advisory. A classmate calls for my attention. I turn and hear “Hey. Hey. You don’t believe in God, do you?” asked in a voice that is trying to anger me. I say, “No, I don’t.”. He laughs, His name is Austin. He throws a 75 miles per hour fastball. And hates atheists.

Anyone who dares to say that atheists are hateful, well, they’re wrong. In my school, no atheists bully Christian kids. No one would yell at the captain of the football team: “Ha! You believe in God!”. I’ve never bullied a Christian kid. Some of my best friends are devout Christians. I have, however, been bullied for my non-faith.

If a Christian asks me why I don’t believe in God, all they’ll get is the same answer they’d give me if I asked them why they do believe in God: I just do. I thought and thought, and figured out, I don’t believe in God. It felt logical to me. If believing in God feels logical to some kids…to each their own.

I just wish the popular, jock, jerk-kids would understand this. There’s nothing Satanist about me. I don’t worship the Devil, a fairly stupid rumor about atheists. I don’t hate Christians. I don’t dance around naked on Saturday nights chanting spells at full moons. I just don’t believe.

Christianity was never appealing to me. What happens after I die? Hopefully, my grandkids will have fond memories of me. Hopefully, I’ll have helped some people. Hopefully, I’ll have made an impact on my world. Living a life in which all you do is in preparation for the afterlife is somewhat selfish in my opinion.

If I do some good deed, I want it to be for no reason but to help. I don’t want to have done something only so I can get into a golden paradise. Helping people should be common sense. People who need the promise of Heaven to keep them nice and helpful, don’t seem too Christian-like.

One day, awhile back in Language Arts class, one jock, ladykiller, class-clown, scumbag asked me if I believed in God. I replied with the standard “No.” He then proceeded to question me. “Why not?”, “How is that even possible?”, and other questions that, if posed correctly, annoy the crap out of me. I turned sarcastic, which on my part, was a bad choice. “Yes. I go out and have naked rituals with all my friends.”

I really wish I hadn’t done that. This guy, Devon, later in class, sat on top of my desk and wiped his Christian ass all over my short story. Now, please tell me: Would Jesus wipe his ass across my Language Arts desk? I’m hoping not.

This is what I’m confused about! These so-called Christians, persecute me for not believing in their God and then do things to me that would surely be considered sins. To me. I thought Jesus taught acceptance. If Jesus is their lord, they’re totally suckish listeners.

All I want is for people to understand that atheists aren’t heathens. We’re people. People with consciousness. People with understanding. People with good hearts. Surely, a good Christian wouldn’t persecute an atheist and I’ll assure you: there are many good atheists who won’t persecute Christians. We can live together. Thank you for reading.