I have been criticised by my fellow skeptics for being too dogmatic, but since I work in an environment where decisions must be rapidly made on often limited information ( viz the emergency department) it becomes a normal way of functioning intellectually after 40 yrs. I became an atheist by my own logical reasoning, I did not have any supportive organisation, and like most atheists kept my secret guiltily because I expected hostility and abuse from theists. Atheism is not authoritarian, and that is what frightens people about us. We are not subject to the political machinations of religious leaders, we are' loose cannons', dangerous, unpredictable.

When I was a child 'self opinionated' was a term of abuse - absence of thought was the norm. One had to be classified into religion, skin colour, income bracket, education level etc. To form your own ideas by reading widely and discussion was frowned upon - thoughts had to be supplied by religious leaders, politicians, the media, teachers and parents.

Religious programming necessitates not asking some very basic questions, because it would question the tenets of the religion. Thus theists assume an a priori truth - the existence of a creator, and all their observations are skewed to fit that assumption. Atheism may be a belief in the absence of such an entity, or it may be an intellectual examination of evidence for and against. Given that there is no objective evidence for such an entity, and theoretical physics continues to be consistent with the observed universe and inconsistent with the one imagined 1-2 millennia ago in the various religious tome; there is more than adequate evidence against.

Religious programming conflicts with many other aspects of science, even mathematics. Those who are programmed do not have insight into their limitations, and atheists are viewed as a threat. The persecution of Socrates, Erasmus and many others are evidence of past threat elimination, David Hume kept his atheism secret as in his era all university life was predicated on following Christianity in England.

Theism is dangerous to all who are not so programmed - theists have a belief in an absolute right to force others to follow their beliefs, and even kill.

I am lucky to live in a country where atheists are not killed, we are discriminated against by the religious lobbyists within organisations and government. Even Universities ( Newcastle in Australia) discriminate against atheists (personal experience).

I am not bigoted against anyone except bigots. I feel sorry for the religiously programmed for their loss of their intellectual capacity and their appalling narrow view of this wondrous universe.

- David Brookman