By John Botha

Hi there, my name is John and my story is a long and arduous one so I'll just hit on some highlights rather than risk boring you to death.

I grew up Roman Catholic thanks to my Mum and attended Catholic School run by Marist Brothers (poor me). From there I turned into a fundamentalist Christian when some friends of mine coerced me into attending Pentecostal services.

As an 18 year old I was vulnerable at the time (that's why the Christians target the young as most convert before this age) and soon found myself speaking in tongues and singing Jesus' praises! Oh Hallelujah.

From then, yada yada, found out about Ray Comfort's Way of the master and was turned into a hell fire and brimstone preacher! I bugged people on the street, in movies, hospitals, wherever I could find victims, I mean sinners. I became a worship leader/evangelist for a church over this way. I recorded worship song that I wrote (some pretty damn good apart from the stupid lyrics).

A year or so ago I really started to question my faith, not because of the rampant hypocrisy, sex scandals, or any of the usual reasons. I was not disappointed by god, the church or other Christians (even though they treated me like shit) but rather came to a realisation that the whole belief system was dumb. I mean, c'mon folks, believing in talking snakes, worldwide floods and dead people coming back to life and flying off to heaven is pretty dumb. Not to mention all the bigotry and cruelty done by the god taught in the Bible is a little off-putting to say the least!

I now see Christianity as a sham, and a dangerous one at that. The hate mongering god of the bible who created the eternal oven called hell to throw people into is not worthy of worship - even if he existed (which of course he does not).

I now prefer rational thought and am really enjoying the new-found ablility I now have to think for myself.

I don't hate god or sonny Jesus. It would be ridiculous to do so, but I like to provoke these Christians to stop and think - just for a moment.

So if you are Christian or any other religion, know that what you believe is farcical and unprovable and that there are other options to living rather than being brainwashed and living in fear or in servitude to an invisible deity who does not even exist.

I hope some day you'll "see the light" and that you open your brains and receive intelligence into your life!