Name? “ Koretta King”

Age ? ”34”  

Ethnicity?  “Guyanese”

Where you grew ?

Koretta: “Half of my childhood was in the Caribbean and the other half in queens. I came around 10.

Parent/ previously practiced religion?

Koretta:Very religions they’re both Jehovah’s witness.

When did you sever your affiliation with your previous religion/ how did you come to your decision / what events lead up to your mistrust/ disbelief?

Koretta:I would say I stopped going to the Jehovah meetings at about 19 years old. I always questioned it when I was a little kid, but I think it got cristalyzed in my mind when I was like 15. Nothing traumatic happened, but  one day this speaker came and they were interviewing her; because if you wanna work internationally like preaching as a Jehovah’s Witness, the women have to be married to a man. So this woman was married to this old guy and I felt so sorry for her, because in order for her to fulfill what she wants to do she has to marry this person that she didn’t really seem to be into. But I was just like this is just wrong. It’s so archaic and that’s what had me really thinking about it. But men can go alone. I get that there are some safety issues because there are some countries where it’s easier for married women to get around. Like if it’s such an issue just don’t send them to that country.

That was definitely the last straw for me.

If there was no previous religion? What ideas made you disagree with others on religion? What convinced you that Atheism was the way to go?

Koretta: “Because the Jehovah’s preach a lot and are always trying to get others to come to their religion; they have a lot of arguments against all of the other religions. So once I started questioning my religion I didn’t believe any of the others because I knew all of those opposing arguments.”

Me: What were some of those arguments?

Koretta:“Because Jehovah’s are Christian we know Christ already came, the Jews don’t see Christ as the messiah; they’re still waiting.So they’re wrong. If you are Muslim you’re worshiping Mohammed and you shouldn’t do that, you should only worship god. Jehovah’s witness are also very strict, interpret things specifically, and sometimes incorrectly. Like Jehovah’s witness don’t celebrate birthdays or Christmas because those were pagan holidays. They don’t celebrate birthday’s because everything in the Bible that involves a birthday, had something go wrong. For example in one case there was a beheading. Getting blood even if your life depends on it is wrong. Because they interpret it in this specific way you have to put your life on this interpretation if not you’re not gonna get into heaven. It’s very extreme. If it’s so strict they don’t really have a choice and then that’s not free will. Like if you’re so almighty why do you need these little creatures, on this spinning rock to worship you; like what type of validation do you need , like what’s your problem. All of these very specific interpretations on these important life choices just couldn’t be accurate so it makes no sense to me. Once you don’t believe in that then you don’t believe In anything else especially if your religion spent so much time picking apart other religions.”

Me: “I never understood how supposedly we’re supposed to love all and not judge but they go around hating on everyone.”

Koretta: “Well we’re jehovah’s  witness we’re bearing witness to what god wants other people to do. It is your responsibility to go around telling other people what god wants. If they’re walking around living their lives you have to show them the Bible and show them what they need to do to not be destroyed.”

What would a religion have to contain to make you believe in it?

Koretta: “Evidence “

Me: *Laughs* You and Kevon had the same answer.

Koretta: *Giggles * “we’re so similar oh gosh it’s irritating “

Out of all the religions that exist today which do you agree with most even if you’re not a follower?

Koretta: “Buddhism because they focus on meditation and reflection. It’s good to calm yourself, be still, sit back and think.”

Do you believe in hell and heaven?

Koretta: “No”

Is there anything about religion that scares you?

Koretta:“When people believe so strongly and think other people are less than, inhuman, wrong, or evil because of things that are just very miniscule, subjective, and situational. “

why are you atheist rather than agnostic or other secular belief?

Koretta:“Because I’m more skeptical. I feel like Agnostics are more like you can’t know.”

How has religion or its presence affected your life?

Koretta:“I think because of the one I was raised in, I’ve become very critical of other religions, which makes me analyze it more. My experiences with religion make me weary of it. I make a lot of connections with religion and archaic ideas that still affect us especially involving women. It also affects who I choose to partner with. I wouldn’t be with someone who’s religious because I think they’re too irrational. I also don’t wanna burden my kids with ideas of things that don’t make any sense. Like I believe in sanity and treating people well. I also don’t think morality is connected to religion necessarily; I think it’s something we’ve come up with over time, as humans.”

Was religion ever something on your mind when making certain decisions?

Koretta:“Not really I just focus on helping people and being a good person on earth that’s the only thing I can account for.”

What do you think about or look to when your in danger/scared or in stressful situations to give you hope/support if not god?

Koretta:“That’s hard because I have a lot of anxiety but I try not to think about negative things. If I have a problem and can’t find a solution I try to refocus and calm my mind and then come back to it. When I have stressful issues I try not to over analyze it. It is a little unsettling to not have the answers”

Do you feel that religion should not exist? If so why or why not?

Koretta:“No because back then everyone developed into their own cultures and beliefs; but at this point in technology we are all able to communicate so we should just go by some basic ground ideas that we all agree on.”

What do you think are some negative effects of religion on society youth/adults/govt.?

Koretta:“People who think that there is something wrong with them because their gay. Because if you think something’s wrong with you because if religion then that’s just sad.”

What parts if any do you like about religion or your original religion/parents religion?

Koretta:“Good sense of community even if it was cultish and believing that we should help others.”

Other

Koretta:“Catholicism in particular instilled these rules for priests not to marry so that they would not have to split up the land and if you had no family they wanted you to pore your whole life into the church. And in order to get you to be devoted and do baptisms they had to make you believe that the Bible had some power. So it’s all manipulation. “

1hr ½ of Interview dialog.