There are no atheists in the trenches.

I'm going to need you to listen to THIS SONG (hover over capitals for the link) while reading this... :).

I used to think it was cool, saying I was an atheist. Some of my friends did too. I'd always looked down on religion as something imaginary, something a bit silly for weak people who needed an imaginary friend holding their hand for petty things like walking through the dark or a child's first day of school. When looking from a great height or crossing a busy road, even. Apparently people need guidance from nothing. I studied physics at A-level and read 'The Da Vinci Code', the two of which basically morph together into a large mental projection of Isaac Newton burning crucifixes and dropping apples through the incorporeal, pretend idea commonly referred to as 'God'. Basically science wins, end of. But what if it was a slightly different situation?

Let's go back to the quote in the title; 'There are no atheists in the trenches'. This is obviously referring to World War 1, the only war trench warfare truly applied to all involved. If you did history at GCSE, you may have seen the video of men in the trenches, not the Blackadder version but the real deal. The conditions the bravest men alive would endure for several years, with there sometimes being no advancement for months at a time. Just waiting for some death to claim them. Calling it hell on Earth would be unfair, with it technically being below ground, so maybe just hell. Machine guns had been invented very soon before 1914, without the tactics keeping up with the technology. If a man ventured forth, they would die. How to get around this problem? How about throwing a hundred of them, a few are bound to get good shots off, maybe even get to the opposition trench and do some real damage. The only 'art' of war at this time was suicide. So many men ended their own lives before facing the Germans or disease. In one day the Allied armies lost 20,000 men, the overall death toll reaching over 15,000,000. Conscription came into effect about a year in, hundreds of thousands of young men walking into a battleground full of disease and bullets and no hope or courage or comfort about anything.

That's the history lesson, I'll come back to it soon. I know this hasn't exactly been the happiest post but please hear me out, this feels important. Being my age, anything to do with that level of despair and death are completely incomprehensible. And they are for you too, even if you think you can understand, we can't. Not really. The disease, the panic, the depression, the need to return to wives and children. Who can possibly deny them religion?

So, god is not real. If there is one truth physics can prove, it is that an actual ethereal power that governs anything at a quantum level is bollocks. The bible is useless. Admittedly before making a statement I should probably read it, but it has no fact. I appreciate the meaning, the morals of the stories and messages they encourage are necessary for our race to function properly I think. Simple things like care for thy neighbour etc. are integral to society, but I'd like to think we'd have found it out ourselves. The messages are very helpful and meaningful, god is imaginary, so where is this leading?

Well, basically back to my opening few sentences. Laughing at the idea of needing an imaginary friend holding your hand. To be honest, how dare anyone mock someone for that? How could anyone mock a lonely child, praying that everything would be okay, that parents and siblings would... remain so? What is so wrong with the idea of god? The idea of something there to help, someone always there for the really bad times, guidance through thick and thin. If a person is scared enough, lonely enough, confused enough; denying them anything that could possibly make them feel better is inhumane. No one has the right to remove a comfort from another. It's just... harsh. If you were in the trenches, witnessing the deaths of everyone around you, steadily depleting your group to nothing, would you pray? As you jumped from the trench with ten others, running into no-man's-land, waiting for the rattle of machine gun fire to mow you down like grass in the wind, would you at least consider the idea of a higher power on your side, willing you to continue? To remain strong for family and friends, I would. I think the selfishness of humanity accepts religion for what little protection it may supply at certain times. When scared we hope for god, when content we dismiss it.

I am an atheist. There is no fact in religion, so I don't like it. But the idea of not being alone? Can't that at least seem appealing at certain times? At war, for example?

There are no atheists in the trenches.

...

My great-grandfather was a Polish immigrant, who travelled across war-torn Europe to join the British army and fight the Germans. He survived, dying 10 years later, though only after spending those 10 years with his Engish wife and eleven (i know) children, the youngest of which was my late grandfather, Aaron, the guy I'm named after :). I am one eighth Polish, and very proud to be so. What a brave man :).

Sorry guys, I know I promised a happier post this time but I heard that quote earlier today and realised it applied to me. We're all kinda selfish in that sense, adopting religion in times of torment, don't you think? I actually hate blogging about serious things because talking to people is infinitely better, this was only ever supposed to be for messing around and insulting people. I won't let this become a trend dudes :).

Erm, let's see, work and swimming tomorrow :), been super-chilled these last few days, done absolutely nothing except doss around, go and have a drink occasionally. Life is way too easy for all of us really, most of the time, kinda why we all have this in-built selfishness when things actually get dire.

Be happy people :), this wasn't supposed to make you sad, but maybe hopefully thoughtful? Trying to save the world :).

PEACE X