During my first week of college, I casually mentioned that I was an atheist to one of my new friends. She, with all seriousness, asked me if I would be offended if she said bless you. I promised her I would not, and we shared some laughs.

Although it was a funny encounter, it made me realize all the misconceptions christians tend to have about atheism. A lot of students at Butler grew up in small towns where Chrstianity was the only thing taught, so I've had to explain myself a few times after this first encounter. I don't blame anyone, I don't really understand Christianity. I tend to mix up Jesus and Moses (one walked on water, one parted water, but don't ask me which guy did which).

So let's clear some things up.

First, please say bless you. I understand that technically you're inferring "God bless you" but nowadays it's just freaking common courtesy. I say bless you any time I hear someone sneeze. I'll be more offended if you don't say bless you. If someone does get mad at you for saying bless you because "you're pushing their religion on them", push them off their high horse. Please don't try to convert me, but you can say bless you or talk about your faith with me.

Second, I'm not an arrogant asshole. Well I might be, but it has nothing to do with my lack of religion. Some people say it's arrogant to be an atheist because that means I think a lot of people are wrong. But I only believe in one less religion than you. There are thousands of religions (especially if you break them down into different denominations) and you (I assume) only believe in one. I just believe in one less. If you are a catholic, then you believe protestants, Jews, Muslims, and etc. are all wrong. Is it so crazy to think that none of us are capable of figuring "everything" out?

Third, I don't hate religion. I actually love religion. I love studying it. I've been to a church, a synagogue, a Hindu temple, and a Buddhist zen center. I love studying religion and I think the range of faiths that people have are very interesting. I just don't personally believe in any of them.

But yes, I don't believe in God or any afterlife. I'm pretty positive that when we die, we just stop existing. I mean your body is probably still there, decomposing, but your personality and memories are gone, because your neurons aren't firing anymore.

I could write an entire article just about why I am an atheist, but that isn't my point today. What I am trying to say is that I'm just as valid as you are. Why is the norm in our society to believe in such a complex story? Why is it that Christianity is just accepted but atheism is wild? It takes effort and choice to believe in something, like God and Jesus. So why is it so crazy that I haven't done that?

I respect religion, I think it's a great thing. When people tell me they're a christian (which nobody really does because we all just assume everyone in America is unless they're wearing a hijab or holding a menorah), I don't try to change their mind or convince them God isn't real. So please, let me be a heathen in peace. If you're right and I'm wrong, you can say I told you so in the afterlife.