Senior Brittany Walsh has chosen her own path in regards to religion — atheism.

“Personally, I just believe that everyone lives life,” Walsh said. “Once you’re done, you’re done. I just think you should do whatever you want, not on the basis that you’re trying to get in to Heaven. You should just do what makes you happy because that’s all you’ve got — one life.”
Walsh said she comes from a family of various religious backgrounds.

“My dad’s Catholic, and my mom is undecided, but she grew up a Jehovah’s Witness,” she said. “Personally, [the idea of religion] just doesn’t make sense to me.”

Although she has support from her close family, she said her extended family tend to not be as open to atheism.

“Some of my other family that are super religious, like my extended family, often think that I’m a bad person because I’m an atheist,” Walsh said.

She said she wishes people were more educated about atheism before assuming things that are not true.

“I think a lot of people think that without religion, you don’t have morals,” Walsh said. “But, I find that to be wrong. There’s a disconnect between the two that not many people realize. You know and have morals regardless of what religion you grew up in.”

Walsh said although she’s a strong atheist, she’s understands people associating with a religion.

“I’m fine with other people having their own different view,” Walsh said. “I don’t dislike any religion — I think it’s interesting learning about them. I just personally don’t agree with any of them.”

Walsh said she now doesn’t care what people think about her and her religion.

“Usually people just kind of make a weird face [when I tell them I’m an atheist],” she said.  “The people that aren’t already super religious don’t really care — a good majority of people don’t care. But, of course, there [are] the few super religious people that think it’s bad. I tend to not really care or notice anymore.”