I’ve done a lot of thinking about religion lately, mostly spurred by a close friend going through a tough time and “finding Jesus” as a result.

I’ve come to the conclusion that there are lots of different ways to be a happy, fulfilled, moral person. Many of them involve religion of one form or another, and some don’t. That’s it. A largely scientific world view works for me and makes sense to me, so that’s what I believe in. The important thing is not what you believe, but how it affects your life. If you find a way of existing that feels true and right and helps you make the world a better place, I’m happy for you, no matter what you believe.*

I’ve been skirting this realization for a while now, but I always felt an urge to argue with religious people and try to make them see the logic of my beliefs. But why? If they’re happy, and they’ve found a system that works for them, why not just leave them alone? Acceptance and tolerance work both ways. I think people forget that sometimes- I know I do.

*Note: This does not include people who try to make the world better through genocide, discrimination, or other not-actually-good things. They should examine their beliefs and think about the fact that people are people, no matter where you go.