Catherine	Edit: I do believe there is some sort of creator out there, some sort of God, but I don't believe in religion. I do not believe in the various sets of ideals people set down as their "faith". How can you wholeheartedly trust in something there is no standard proof or evidene of? True, there were scriptures made thousands of years before our existance, but how do we know those weren't made up stories? I'm sure they had storytelling back then too. With so many religions, it's impossible to be sure that the God in your own religion is the one that really exists. How do we know that everything religion tells us wasn't just a hopeful notion? There is trust in knowing and fear in the unknown, perhaps that's why so many people believe. Religion has been thrusted down our throats for so long. Students pledge their allegiance to god 180 times a year. We are instilling faith in God everytime we exchange US currency. America has been brought up on hopeful ideals, but maybe it's time for us to start thinking with facts. Government officials can not let their faith interfere with their descision making. A catholic president would probably automatically sign a bill that makes abortion illegal, because he was brought up hearing it's murder and the "work of the devil". There are thousands of women under the unfortunate consequences of rape, accidents, etc that are told they will go to hell. Go to hell for what? For splitting an embryo? Oh, shame. If there really is a God out there, I doubt he would condemn people to burn in eternal hellfire for prefering the wrong chromosome (homosexuality) or abortion. I am not scornful of religious people, but i am annoyed with religious fanatics that are closed minded and unwilling to hear another perspective on religion. It's the 21st century in America... people have a right to what they think. You can't tell an athiest they are a bad person for not believing in God anymore.
Anna	In this world, there are over 22 major religions. Each one with millions, in some cases billions of followers. Each one with its own set of ideals that thinks it's right and the other is wrong. So how do we know who’s right? We don’t. We blindly follow what others have believed for centuries. Many times, religion is changed by people trying to gain more power. Two religions are fused together, religions die out with people. For some religion gives a reason to live, something to use as a crutch because they can’t handle the reality of their own lives. Religion is the cause of many murders and wars, using the word holy in front like a shield for question about the justification of such slaughter. Although no one will openly admit it, religion silently influences every aspect of our lives whether we believe in a divine power or not. From the words written on American currency “In God We Trust,” to the line each of us recites when we pledge our allegiance to the flag, “One nation under God.” If a candidate running for president admitted that they were atheist, they wouldn’t have a chance in hell of winning. How can something that has such little evidence have such a huge impact? Are people scared to think that maybe, we are alone in the world? That maybe, stuff just happens and there isn’t someone sitting up on a cloud to make sure your life turns out great?
Allie	Religion. Probably the most debated topic since its own dawning, it has more implications and possibilities than anything else mankind has invented. Religion is really a matter of choice- do you want to believe you are guided, that you are simply put on this earth for a greater purpose, happily sinning because you have firm belief that you will be forgiven in the end? If you are a cynical person, you probably look for any flaw possible, breaking the ancient cracks in the Bible, the Torah- looking only for imperfection to prove your self-proclaimed truth: there is no one looking after us. Or you are the good Christian, believing in God, salvation, and the reappearance of Jesus to take his faithful to Heaven? Either way, you believe or you don't. Some people need religion to live. Others bask in the knowledge that they survive so well without it. Either way, wisdom comes with age, and a need for religion could grow as you do.
Rebecca	I admit the fact that I am a very religious person. I try to go to church every week and I faithfully pray everynight, thanking God and asking Him to help me with my problems. In prayer (and even out), God gives me the hope that someday, maybe my life and other people's lives will get better...even if it they do in the tiniest way. Some may say I am a fool for me to believe it is God who is helping me. Some may say I am a good Catholic. I say that if it wasn't for God, well, I don't think I would be the same person. At all. See, God gives me a reason to believe that I can keep on going everyday. That I don't have to succumb to all the pain and malicious things surrounding me sometimes. He gives me a tiny strand of hope, driving me on into this world; pushing me on to try to help myself. Okay, so what that you don't think God is real because there is no totally true evidence? So what that you may pray for something, and never get it? All those things are just the point of religion...the blatant BELIEF and TRUST that there is someone out there, even though it may be hard to tell sometimes or even at all. Religion is not truly a boundary. It is not religion’s fault that some people inside it decide out what is right and wrong. It is not religion’s fault that there may be misinterpretations. It is easy and very common for ideals to get mixed up and turned in to something that seems wrong to the masses. It is just plainly not the fault of religion that there are many extremists and (if Christian), bible-bangers. Religion is not ment to be painful. Though many may find this an oxy-moron, religion is actually more about freedom to feel the love and peace that all people rightfully deserve.