Name: Leah Dermott
Born: May 16 1990
Location: Kingston, Ontario
Label:Atheist
Former Religious Affiliation: Anglican
My Story: I have been an atheist for several years now. I think I always doubted the existence of a deity but I was always afraid to say so to my family because of the disappointment I would face. A message I have to send to young atheists is that never conform to a something you don\’t believe in out of fear. If you know in your heart that you truly do not believe in it then that is the very thing you should listen to. Don\’t ever let anyone tell you that you are evil or not moral because you choose to not have religion in your life. If you are a good person and treat people with respect, then you are doing exactly what you should be. There is nothing wrong with the way you feel, it is just different from the majority
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Well done Leah, those who criticize and wave all those demonic threats at you are indoctrinated and blind. Stand proud.
You could go back at them with something like “But babies are so tasty!”
Good for you. You absolutely do not need religion to be a good person, morality comes from humanity. You are obviously intelligent and articulate and without a doubt a great person I’d be proud to call a friend.
Great video Leah! It’s good to see a young person who’s so intelligent, wise, & comfortable in your own skin. I’m also in Kingston, Ontario, & I find most people in our city, are fairly open minded about people with a lack of belief. Know that there are several other atheists/humanists in Kingston, I know several. Thanks for doing this video….you’re doing a wonderful public service.
Thank you for speaking out. You are right… religion does not provide you with anything you don’t already have, except superstition and bigotry. You seem to understand that those “good” and “moral” ideas that people try to convince you are derived from religion are actually ideas that you bring to any philosophy of life you may choose to adopt.
Good job, Leah. I agree completely with you, and agree that our world is beautiful as it is, without any need for an extra “supernatural” component. And as you say, treat your friends as you would like to be treated. That is just simple human nature. Religion has “hijacked” our normal human nature, and claimed it as it own. We need to take ourselves back from these “hijackers”, and reclaim what is already our own, our emotions and feelings, our natural social nature where we work hard to fit into our group of family and friends. That is what we do naturally, without any need of a “book” to tell us how. Some of will turn out to be bad, most will turn out to be good, regardless of our religious affiliation or lack of it. That is the way it is in all cultures in all times. But I think we are truest to ourselves when we strip away the false trappings of religion, and just lean into our deepest selves. Go for it!
Good to see like minded people in the Kingston area. I am a recovering Roman Catholic myself, and have been a skeptic / Atheist for the last 10 years or so……It’s so bloody liberating..! Sundays are so much more exciting now….Better late than never I suppose..?
I live in Kingston & work within the prison system. My love of science made the journey to atheism somewhat easier, especially with the help of Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris , Dennett & others….