sent in by Chris "Daye"

I was 15, a Freshman in high school. I left Christianity for Paganism and Wicca. I live in the Southern Baptist capitol of Oklahoma, by the way. The Baptists of the area didn't like my idea much (I actually started thinking for myself! ), so they decided to preach to me. They did so, excessively: at school (both students and teachers. At one point, I was pulled out of my Algebra class by a Bible-thumper teacher so he could preach to me about how worried he is. He even used the words "You think too much when it comes to religion." Fancy that!), at school-sponsored football and basketball games, and even at my house, physically and via telephone, violating my constitutional rights. After about 4 months, I threatene legal action against the school and church, and the harrassment dropped off, for a bit. At one point, however, I was beaten - severely beaten - for being a "satanist".

The near-end of that school year was the most "fun", though. My interest in the military and Communist Russia pissed the Patriot-Christians off yet again. They thought it'd be a good idea to gossip about me, and maybe I'd "see the light", or something. They did such a good job, the police eventually investigated. They searched my locker at school and found "satanic literature" (which, in reality, was a book on the beliefs of Paganism and Wicca. They also searched my house for "guns, bombs, and homemade weapons". They forgot the fact that I live in rural Oklahoma... anybody that doesn't own some gun is a fool. However, I don't keep any guns in my room, which was the one they searched. Both searches were without warrants and, therefore, not legal.

The accusations that prompted this investigation? Owning and maintaining a hit list; planning to assassinate the people in the hit list (duh); planning to bomb and shoot-up the school; planning to steal a plane and do who knows what with it; and performing Satanic rituals (which is not a crime).

This incident has quite literally taken three years of my life from me, based on the immature actions of the members of the Christian faith. For this, I can not and will not forgive these Bible-thumping, intolerant, and disrespectful "sumbitches". Any "anti-Christian" statement I make, I believe I have every right to make. If I piss a Christian off, then you can keep your declaration of offense to yourself. I have been slandered, abused and offended by you people, and, in my opinion, your beliefs should be illegal to preach or act against another upon. Just my opinion.



Sex: Male

City: Wayne

State: Oklahoma

Country: USA

Became a Christian: 15

Ceased being a Christian: 15

Labels before: Atheist, Satanist, Pagan

Labels now: Unitarian Universalist / Pagan / Shintoist / Buddhist / Taoist / Jedi Realist / Vampire / Elf

Why I joined: I was brainwashed into it, of course...

Why I left: I got un-brainwashed...