I am a Freethinker, that is, a person who doesn't have any religion. Once before, I was educated in a Catholic primary school (That will be elementary school in America.) and was taught all about Christianity. Indeed, at that point I was young and impressionable, and considered converting to Christianity. Fortunately for me, I saw the error of my thinking and has been on the straight ever since.

Some high-handed Christians might point out to me that I will be going to hell for that - but if God is so good and forgiving as Christians say him to be, he won't put good people to hell for that kind of stupid reason. Besides, I believe in Afterlife, not Heaven.

As a matter of fact, between 13 to 15 years old, was a period during which I disliked Christianity immensely. It was largely influenced by the history of Christianity, which was pretty much all persecution and bloodshed (Done largely by Roman Catholics first, and then Protestants.). Also, it was because of pushy Christians sticking pamphlets under my nose and telling me to go to church and be saved.

Now? I don't hate Christianity before. I quite admire the Christians for keeping faith in something that may or may not exist. It must take a lot of trust to have such strong belief like that. Also, Christianity preach good values nowadays - if it helps people, why not? The Bible is actually filled with morals and great advice for everyday life. The New Testament, at least.

As Gandhi once said: I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. While I may not like some points of Christianity, nothing is perfect - it's already pretty good compared to the version a few centuries back.

It's the pushy ones I can't deal with. I know that they have good intentions, but if someone already told you for the fifth time that he doesn't wants to go to church, leave it as that. Please don't nag people until they have to drop the polite and say it the harsh way. Even worse are the ones that tell you that you're going to Hell for *insert anything that offends them in a religious or personal way*. Isn't there that group in America who said that the American soldiers in Iraq deserves to die, turning up at soldiers' funerals to picket them, shout insults, and all that?

See, it's a few bad eggs like the ones mentioned above who make other people get a bad impression of Christianity. I have many Christian friends who are perfectly nice people. It's because they're not pushy, that if they mention their church is holding a play or something, I'll go along with it.

Just because I'm a Freethinker, doesn't means I'm an atheist! I believe that all the Gods and Goddesses live up there in harmoney, dropping in on each other, sharing some roast chicken that a worshipper just delivered - that kinda stuff. I don't take any religion because to me, God is like a pillar to hold you steady and support you. I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, but I prefer to have faith in myself ^^.

You know about the Vatican right? It's almost the centre of Christianity - a huge, beautiful place filled with statues on the outside and marble on the inside. By the way, all those marble in St. Peter's Basilica was taken from the Roman Coliseum.

(See? Totally stripped. Think how magnificent it must have been in its heydays. Picture from http://www.toms.net.nz/ . Nice angle, don't you think?)

(Look at all those statues perched up there. All life-sized, and they line the whole circle around and on top of the main building. From About.com, a site that I recommend.)

(This is really a photo of great quality! Saint Peter's Basilica is huge, and the entire roof is like that. How many years of hard work and dedication do you think it took to finish this? I have great respect for the artists of old. Nowadays, splash some paint on a canvas and call it abstract art. From Andrew Hux's Flickr.)

(Look at how magnificent the marble carvings are! Four statues representing Charity, Truth, Prudence, and Justice surrounds Death. He's the one holding up an hourglass and being suffocated by a blanket. Looks kinda like he's waving for help. From About.com as well.)

(It's not all marble in there, you know. This black and gold creation is right in the front of the Basilica and grabs your attention as soon as you're in sight of it. A piece of the chair of Saint Peter is believed to be enclosed in the altar piece. Saint Peter must have been a huge man. From Pete Reed's Flickr. Another photo of fantastic quality.)

I've been to Vatican before, and it is far more awesome than the stuff I showed here. If you ever travel to Italy, you must go to see it!