I went to a Catholic school. In the UK since I was a small child. My devout Catholic Teacher taught us, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam, Protestantism, Paganism and many other religions/Belief systems. Including a big lesson plan on Atheism. This was in Religious Education, at a Catholic school. They also eventually taught us about Catholic doctrine and stuff. Evolution was taught and mentioned as factual. I can't remember if we learnt about Homosexuality, but I remember it being skimmed over and said everyone should be treated with love and acceptance. Sin didn't come into it or even remotely mentioned. And I remember a kid saying it was disgusting and the teacher told him off and sent him to the principle for homophobia. Everyone thought he was a horrible chav for being homophobic.

I've heard of American Catholic schools being slightly more conservative and apparently, Private schools? We even had Atheists go to our Catholic school. I went to a non religious public school once, for a few months. I kept my religion to myself there even though my teacher knew I was the only Catholic at the school. Everyone there was publicly Atheist and I was scared to speak up and correct misconceptions in a lesson about Catholics. The thing I've learnt is that too much of any one group or in general fundamental beliefs systems are dangerous and I've never felt more intimidated when they all looked at me with death stares when my teacher said "You're catholic aren't you? want us to tell us about your beliefs" I denied and denied. She understood why I was quiet and changed the subject. When I did go return back to my old Catholic school I remember having to start praying again at the start of lessons, I've never liked the praying, when I did pray I would pray for a room to be full of Big Mac meals (My logic was God is so powerful he can do that for me? Right? Instead of them shitty roast dinner school lunches on wednesdays! Such a fatty ) I never thought of God while praying... like many think we are doing when we pray. I personally was thinking of "Can't wait to get home, so I can play some more san andreas, I wonder if my friend is lying about that jet pack cheat code" FYI. He wasn't lying and it was one of the best cheat codes ever!!! Praying for me, was time to think about things in my life. I only have ever prayed at school. The one thing I did hate about Catholic school or just in society in general is not wanting to being indoctrinated from a young age. As a adult I think its good in general to learn about other belief structures. Its healthy and makes you learn compassion for things that are different, instead of fear. My belief structure is, Keep it to yourself. Only talk about it, if everyone is in agreement to keep it civil. I'm only mentioning it here since their is misunderstanding on how we're taught at catholic schools and how Catholics believe or think, we're all unique and have different belief structures. Some follow the vatican to the T, others pick and mix, thats okay. Your brain, your body. Never let anyone tell you any different. I personally, have nothing in common and get irritated by devout Catholics who believe in women being lesser than men or talking about love one minute but saying you're a sinner and destined for hell. Fucking hypercritical. These people have a God complex. Obnoxious as fuck. Reason wont get past them. I don't go to mass. I've faced discrimination, when my dads partner knew I was catholic, she took me to a Church of England Christmas mass to try and convert me. That was pretty offensive, even though I am not religious now, it was rude and fucked up. I would never dream of doing that to someone. Right now, I am not religious. I would honestly love to think there is a God, but I doubt there is. That sucks to know I am all alone, but I'll survive. To be honest, I don't know either way. Death is fine for me, if its pearly gates or just like sleeping, not knowing, just blank, thats cool. I'll only know when I die. And if I go to hell when I die because I've lived a life of sin and being me was not enough for this Godly figure, then send me to hell baby, I don't even want to be up there with you if some can and some can't go to heaven. All or nothing, even hitler should be welcome. Forgiveness and all? Right? Or is this Godly figure just as hypocritical as some of his/hers followers? For me as a personal belief structure as of now, religions come and go, some are new and different, some are not. two thousand years ago, where I am right now if I was born at this location I would be pagan. In the future, their may be no religion. My goal is to run my own Charity. I've travelled a lot and spoke to a lot of people and suffering is sadly a massive part of the human experience, I want to help people. But because I grew up Catholic, their is a stigma attached which unfortunately people say I only want to do this because I want the keys to the kingdom of heaven. I would of taken this path if I wasn't catholic. Earth is a shit show full of inequality. The injustice is unfair, its not because I grew up in a catholic environment. That annoys me though, if you're religious, that can be the only reason you are a good person because I am afraid of hell. I am in now way scared of burning for eternity. Its sad, I identify as agnostic moving slightly towards atheism. if people only do charity work because they want to please god and live eternity in heaven, then I feel fucking sorry for them and mankind and we should just go extinct if everyone who is a good person is faking it to for the reward which may or may not even be real or even just doing charity work to improve your image to look good. I hate narcissistic people like that. "Look at me, I'm helping these poor africans, but I'm only doing it to get tax breaks, I'm such a better person than you, because I'm helping others."
I dabble in my beliefs, some days I think religion is nothing more than a mental illness that needs to be eradicated, like the virus it is, then I meet some wonderful people who are religious and you just have to remember, some people are cunts and some are not. if there was no religion, they would find something, anything, false scientific papers to prove their bigotry is infallible. I have to remember if I grew up in a environment that was racist, you better expect me to grow up racist. Changing a view point is hard, and only the individual can do that, no one can change anyone's mind. If they do, its all down to the individual. Bigotry stems from environment and quite a lot of the time, religion plays a part in that role, along with money among other factors.

The one thing the Catholic school I went to taught me, was that to see others perspectives and belief structures. I usually always put my perspective into others viewpoints if I'm having trouble seeing eye to eye, then I usually change my perspective to their perspective. Not many people do this. Once I understand the different environment they grew up in I can understand their view points, I may not agree, but I get it and their is not anger towards them. Slightly disappointed and hurt, sure, yeah, but I'll get over it. Thats why as a Gay guy, I am not angry at homophobes, I get it, I wish I could change your opinion, but hopefully me being myself, in time will change how you view me. Probably won't but that's okay, I just wont speak to you and you likewise. Calling people stupid, bigots, does nothing to change them. Atheists in this thread are being given shit by Catholics. That's totally unfair, It doesn't make a belief system more tolerant or better or even progressive if a geneticist discovered something and they happened to be a Catholic, for all we know he could of be a huge dick. Its just that person with a certain set of beliefs discovered something important. I get why some are atheists believe what they believe and from time to time, I believe the same things. They're not stupid for believing what they believe. Just different experiences in life that brought them to that conclusion. So stop being dicks.

Be a muslim, be hindu, but non of that matters if you're a obnoxious, hateful, sexist, homophobic cunt. It doesn't make you a good person, it only shapes our view points. Its down to you if you want to be nice to people. Being nice never hurt anyone. Being spiritual or religious doesn't make you automatically nice, I've met many a terrible people who were religious. Its all down to the individual. Okay, I Didn't intend to take the moral high ground with my rant there. Just so you know I cannot stand people who justify raping, killing people in the name of God. Religious texts have a part in why they do what they do. But so does inequality, lack of education. Many factors contribute to this, but religion is a big part of it and I won't downplay that or defend religion over it.

after that rant/ I think I am agnostic, leaning towards atheism.

If you read this, terribly sorry, I think I needed to write it all down to solidify what I believe, since I have been questioning everything as of late.