IndexMy Personal Experience with GodQuestioning GodComing to Terms with GodWorks CitedThe Philippines is one of the most religious countries in Asia and my personal experience with God has been shaped by this prevalent religiosity. The data may vary depending on the sources, but the percentage of religious people is around 90%; 81% are Roman Catholics, 6% are Muslims and 3% belong to other Christian denominations. That said, one can easily imagine what it means to be a Filipino atheist: you always have to prepare yourself to end up in the crosshairs. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay My Personal Experience with God I am Roman Catholic by default. This means I couldn't choose which faith to follow. I was born and then baptized as a Roman Catholic without my approval, like most of us. Although I was Roman Catholic, I grew up in a family where I was not forced to wear Sunday best and go to church mechanically. Both of my parents are not devout Catholics. We only went on special occasions like birthdays and Christmas, to thank Jesus. I also remember reciting the holy rosary with my mother before going to bed, but I never learned it by heart. In high school, my friends and I attended Wednesday mass after school hours (I don't remember what it's called). And in college and sometime after graduation, I only went to church because the boy I was in love with did too. To put it simply, my religiosity was superficial. I never thought of that touching moment with God that most believers say they experience; not the close and personal relationship with him. And it never even occurred to me to question its existence. I just believed…blindly. Questioning God When I started reading books by Kurt Vonnegut, Albert Camus, Franz Kafka, Friedrich Nietzsche, and other non-traditional writers, I started asking questions. Their books are what radicalized my relationship with God and Roman Catholicism. Aside from these books, all the others I have read have radicalized my perspective of the world. I started choosing what kind of people to welcome into my life, what hobbies to spend my time on, and whose opinion I should value. I started conversing with open-minded people from different parts of the world. Most of the people I talk to regularly are agnostics, atheists, or deists. I began to value reason over faith. I began to doubt claims that have no evidence. I simply started asking questions. I started to feel responsible for myself. Now I choose what I want to do and I commit to embracing whatever the consequences are. I am not begging for any divine intervention. I do what I can and thank or blame myself for the outcome. So, unlike some atheists, I have no traumatic experience that could explain my non-belief. Many of you will probably say that my world has shrunk since I lost my delicate faith. Yes, it was like that. And it's one of the most liberating moments of my life. My cup overflows. Please note: this is just a sample. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Coming to terms with God It almost came naturally to me to let my family know that I am not a believer. Maybe it was partly because of the less rigid religiosity in the family, and partly because of my stubbornness. They knew they couldn't dictate or alter my will, so they just let me be. It's not an internal issue, 1991.