I do not beg nor whimper to an unanswerable force.

I do not cower to a ghostly menace.

I need no external judge to inform me of right and wrong.

That which I cannot know through my own intellect, reason and wisdom, must be postponed or rejected, but surely not accepted by mystical faith.

I do not doubt myself or my worth; I need no outside acceptance or rejection.

Through the power of my intellect, reason and wisdom, I can be well informed, so that others cannot abuse me with clever, self-serving appeals and clichés that benefit them but are destructive to me.

I have the power to identify and eliminate, from my personality, self-destructive elements forced upon me before I was able to identify and reject them.

I have the power to make myself healthy and even wealthy, if I so desire.

I have the power to be generous, kind, sympathetic, happy, excited, enthusiastic, courageous, passionate, understanding, creative, ambitious, loving or the opposite of these without letting any of them misguide, overpower or destroy me.

I have the power to recognize a need or desire for self-improvement and the courage to make the changes.

I need only one commandment - I will, needlessly, harm no one or no thing; nor will I allow no one or no thing to harm me or mine.

With all this power and ability why would I want to be anything other than I am. I like who I am. I am an Atheist.

George Shiffer,
Michigan Atheists