Religious does NOT equal moral

Random memory and thought struck me just the other day. Can't remember what triggered it, but this has been bouncing around in my head for a few days now. It strikes me as unbelievable how so many of the overly types equate religion and morality, and how so many of them fall short of what they preach.

The memory triggered was me being told that I could not be any kind of a moral person, because I wasn't Christian. And at the time, it was gotten second hand from someone who claimed to find the statement as offensive as I did...but who later said it themselves. And the original person to say it...was a reverend, who had also committed rape and child molestation. This person somehow thought they had anyplace to call me amoral, because I don't share the same religion that he apparently later adopted. Both of these same people also had no problems with lying to get what they wanted...and no problems betraying people who had done things for them, even encouraging me to do the same. I even ended up screwing over two friends who had done me a favor at the behest of these people, something that even now I feel guilty about.

No, I am not Christian. In fact, I follow no organized religion. I was raised Southern Baptist, but I left the flock early. I think I was eight; at a sleepover with a friend, I turned to him, and told him I couldn't think of myself as Christian anymore. My mother, and at least most of the rest of my family has never asked, probably don't need to, and they don't judge. Because they know I still have morals, and I have honor. And to those religious types who equate the two: I don't need the fear of a father-figure deity, or the fear of an eternal punishment in the afterlife, to make me so. I do it on my own, knowing in my heart what is right and what is wrong. And I act on it without needing the carrot of some ephemeral reward. Unique concept, huh?