I'm just so damn disturbed by this, I needed to share it.

I teach computers to elementary kids, so I have a lot of friends on Facebook who are middle schoolers (former students of mine). Often, I find it entertaining to watch the myriad varieties of adolscent dramas taking place, but throw religion into the mix and it can get damn disturbing.

There's this one boy, who we'll call "Carl" (not his real name). At some point in the last few months, Carl got "saved" and nearly every status he posts and every reply to someone else is Jesus this and Jesus that. Well, I don't un-friend former students cuz they're kids and I don't want to hurt their feelings, so I hid his updates from my page to prevent me from seeing anything else he posts. Honestly, if he'd been a friend my own age, i would've shitcanned him quick. But whatever, at least with him hidden, I wouldn't have to put up with his religious bullshit.

Yesterday, a mutual friend on FB pops up in chat to ask if I've seen where Carl's status is now "single" and the comments. This mutual friend is also a former student, but is 16, an old family friend (as is his mother and brothers), and a fellow atheist. In other words, someone I'm free to speak openly with. We'll call him "Josh."

So anyway, Josh asks me if I've seen Carl's change from "in a relationship" to "single" and the comments on it. I tell him that I haven't, because I have Carl hidden so I don't have to see all his religious crap. Josh is like "Dude, you HAVE to go read this! Go to his page!"

I go to Carl's page and scroll down to where it says he's now single and I start reading the comments. First off were a few girls asking why he dumped his girlfriend who, apparently, was quite sweet and devoted to him. Then came Carl's reply. He said that she was a distraction to his relationship with God and that HIS GOD was an awesome God and he loves Jesus so much blah blah blah.

Let's take just a minute to soak that in. An adolescent boy with a girlfriend who absolutely ADORED him, chose to break her heart because she was a distraction from Jesus. An adolescent boy chose God over a GIRL! What. The. FUCK?!

Josh had replied also, telling Carl that this was a girl with a heart and feelings and that his actions were morally wrong and insensitive. My hands were tied, sadly, since I teach in his school district (even though I don't teach him anymore) and I also work with his mother, who is a teacher.

The comments continued, with other kids his age (mostly girls) admonishing him for being such an insensitive little ass.

Finally, the last comment summed it all up nicely. The status has since been deleted (and most likely because of this last comment). A boy his age (another former student) posted, simply, "You are so fucking stupid."

Perhaps I'm an asshole for laughing at that last comment and agreeing with it. Carl is, after all, a poor brainwashed victim of religion just like so many millions of others. But once your kooky bullshit starts hurting people who care about you and alienating those around you, it's hard to feel pity anymore.

I wanted to share this with other atheists because I hope I'm not the only one who is PROFOUNDLY AND DEEPLY DISTURBED by this. It's just plain SICK! I am disgusted by this on so many levels. Really.