[ WP ] You , a religious believer , describe life under The Supreme Government , which has just banned all religion .

They could n't really ban religion. We all knew that. They could ban what they *thought* was religion, but that was n't belief. Belief comes from within; I had found this out when I was younger, my parents had laughed at my beliefs, they had shunned me, and stopped me from praying. But it had n't stopped me, I could pray within, and they could n't stop that. I prayed for their forgiveness, even when they beat me and hid me from the outside I had prayed for them. It was then that I had realised that I was the better person because of my religion, and I did n't need books or masses. I had always thought that the Christian religion drove people away, it required people to go to mass every Sunday. For me that was n't what religion was, religion was the belief, the faith and the devotion, that things would get better, and not worse. I have believed since the day of my first beating, I cowered in the corner not sure what to do, I could say I slept like that but that would be a lie. I hid my bruises and made excuses for 7 years 3 months and 12 days, I never once hit back, I believed. Some say I was crazy for believing in a God after all that I had goner through, but I believe that my God gave me the courage and want to live on. It was with these memories in my mind that I walked to local market, a simple place that reminded me of the days before my beatings. I had n't repressed the memories, I had used them to make me the person I am today; I'm not a perfect person, but I have the experience to help others around me. 
 
 As I walked past the rubble that used to be the local church and thought about the lost souls that would wander without the routine of mass on Sundays. I wish I could help them and show them the way, but they would n't listen, they would turn away and hide, hide from The Supreme Government, and hide from their God, ashamed. I went through the same thing, having my religion being an embarrassment, I wish I could show them what I know, and show them how to be strong. But I ca n't, so I live on knowing that I ca n't help the helpless. 
 
 `` Salvation Lies Within'' 
 
 [ This was my first writing prompt! Please leave constructive criticism! Thanks for reading. ]
