Wasted Time

I was thinking today about how wonderful my Christmas vacation was, I did what I wanted when I wanted. As I went back to work I heard so many people say that they had worked on Church Christmas parties and plays practically the whole break and didn't get to do things they really wanted to do.

I still look back and think about how much time I wasted and how many opportunities I may have missed out on because of religious activities. I know that if I had been able to work on Sunday's throughout high school I would have been able to make a lot more money to put towards college and other things that I wanted. I also would have qualified for a promotion and pay increase earlier.

Of course, at the time I didn't realize that I was wasting my time. I was brainwashed enough to think that by sacrificing my time to serve God I would be rewarded. I also did have fun socializing with all my friends during religious activities.

Even since I have come out to everyone as an atheist I have gone to a few religious activities because I didn't really want to rock the boat. Well, as another new year resolution I am not going to go to any religious activity that I don't want to. I feel that by going to religious activities now I am not only doing something I don't want to do I also giving false hope the Christians in my family. I really don't want to make them think that a sermon is going to change my mind.

New Year Goals

This is the first year that I am completely out as an Atheist and I am not going to hide anymore. For the last year or so I have just kept my mouth closed when the topic of religion has come up in conversations. Also, when situations made me uncomfortable I kept quiet and in doing that I have given religion the respect that it doesn't deserve. It is time to stand up for what I believe and tell people that they don't have the right to trample over my freedoms because of their beliefs.

Another goal that I have set for myself is to read a lot more. My husband and I have a bookshelf that is filled with books that I would love to read but I just haven't taken the time to do so. Most of the books are about atheism and would really help we when writing blog posts and when debating Christians. There are also books on evolution, which is a subject that I know very little about and really wish that I knew more.

If anyone would like to share their goals for this new year I would love to know them. Happy new years everyone!