Godless Girl

“Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”
What if–instead of swearing on a bible, holy book, or other boring document–we could pinky swear? I’d even go for a “cross my heart” every once in a while.

Well, the folks over at secularpinkyswear.org have got the right idea. They’ve written out a pledge for those who wish to live by secular principals.

Here are the ideals you would affirm:

1. I will be open about my secular values and will not feign religious values due to pressure from friends, family, employers and/or the general public.
2. If I face religious pressure in the future, I will be mindful that as an individual I have a right to believe and act in a way that I deem appropriate. To accept dogma, superstition or creeds that I don’t believe in would be to sacrifice freedom of conscience and expression on the altar of conformism.
3. Without need for religious reference, I will make every effort to take a mature, intelligent approach to decisions regarding my sexuality. I understand the appropriate context for sexual abstinence and appreciate the benefits that communication and maturity bring to intimacy.
4. If I marry, my wedding ceremony will be either humanist, secular, or a joint ceremony that avoids the implication that I hold to views not actually my own.
5. If I have children, I will recognize the importance of letting my humanist values inform my childrearing, and won’t yield to cultural, family, or other pressures to indoctrinate them into traditional religious beliefs or force them to participate in religious rites of passage.
6. Without losing sight of the importance of diverse viewpoints, I will encourage others to appreciate the value of reason, compassion, equality, and other enlightened principles that make the world a better and safer place for humanity, now and in the future.
7. In all of my actions, and without threat of divine retribution, I will strive to respect the dignity of all people.

That first one is a real challenge for me, since I’m still in the closet. I don’t pretend to have religious values, but I am not public about the fact that my views are godless. Think I could still put my name down?

What do you think of these affirmations? Would you add any others? Will you pinky swear?

(via @Pharyngula)