The Bible claims that women who bear female children remain unclean for fourteen days (less days if it were a male, mind you). I’m also in awe by the verse that labels me an “abomination”. In childhood, I was made to recite unintelligible statements whilst rocking back and forth in a squatting position because, you know, English is, quite frankly, beneath Allah’s attention. The Quran is the most beautiful and well composed book ever written.

If you detect a hint of sarcasm, it’s probably because I’m being sarcastic. Sarcasm aside however, these are statements delivered and actions recommended to me as I was growing up. Needless to say, they culminated in nothing extraordinarily beneficial. You may even say I have a homosexual chip on my shoulder, but the poor women though, what about them?

I don’t believe I should have to read or examine any holy books to be an atheist. There is a benefit to reading them however. When you argue any religious zealot, you can confidently say, “yes, I read that too”. Surprisingly, I’ve never heard a zealot quote the above statements. Why would anyone want to?

Take a few steps closer and it’s feasible that a book with such instructions can be wholly disregarded. There are no morals or insider secrets to be gained. Mantras, meditation and spirituality have not only been proven to be separate and universally humanist in nature, they can be scientifically explained.

Holy books may have had a purpose, in fact they did and still do. On the other hand, there are adherents that are no more or less moralistic than any other person. A quick glimpse at the goings on in religious extremist states and you’d be even pressed to say religion is fundamentally good.

Back to the books. I’ve admittedly read few pages of the Quran and three books of the Bible directly. I find no evidence of divine inspiration or lessons I haven’t learnt from experience. I hesitate, but I can say with surety, my engagement with the criticality of atheism, has opened my mind to a lot more in terms of morality.

There was a book given to me as a very young child. It was called “The Little Red Hen”. I believe that book was a lot more meaningful than any holy book I’ve come into contact with, and, I didn’t have to wash my already clean hands to read it.