I've recently entered college, and my college of choice was fortunate enough to be 20 miles down the road from my aunt, who has agreed to let me stay with her for free. Upon the conditions that allow me to stay here are doing chores around the house, taking care of her autistic son with her (he's my cousin, it's not like I was going to say no...) and attending church with the family on Sundays.

Does this make me a "bad" atheist? I mean, singing and pretending I believe in the…

Contemplating Jesus on the cross it is hard to miss how violent religion really is. For all its talk about the “peace that passeth all understanding” religion, at least in its Western constructs, is one gigantic blood-letting. Before one finds peace and unification with God there must first be blood, destruction and death. This violence occurs at all levels personal, institutional and societal.

Violence can be self imposed suffering on one owns psyche and violence to the body…