Atheists who turn to god, why are we doubted?

[Sha'irullah]

Having been an atheist for a while and turning back to religion I find it bizarre being on the other foot because even when I professed being a deist I was not being serious to myself. I just used it as a security blanket to avoid being an atheist as I was appalled by them. But when I finally admitted to being an atheist I felt free and truly believed there was no god yet I was left empty after quickly associating with atheists in person and it was not befitting for my constant depression. Believing in a god never made my depression better but having an unbiased and explorative outlook on the world did and I never found this amongst secularism as a whole.

Thinking about my life and why I became an atheist it seemed like a natural development of a security blanket after leaving 2 mentally exhausting religions being Christianity and Islam. But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the stereotyped unreasonable nature in American Protestantism.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

Atheists aren't a monolith so I'm sure multiple atheists have multiple answers. Some might feel the same way Christians do when they're told 'they never believed in the first place if they left' only instead it's 'you never could accept your own impermanence or mortality so you went back' Frankly I think both views are childish and unreasonable.

Some people just change their mind. Find something they missed before or discovered something new that convinced them. I don't care if someone converts or deconverts. Imo anyone who says they're concerned about 'people being rational and therefore irreligious' are full of crap, and entrenched in the identity politics of 'more of my side=winning.'

You do you.

 

[bobhikes]

Having been an atheist for a while and turning back to religion I find it bizarre being on the other foot because even when I professed being a deist I was not being serious to myself. I just used it as a security blanket to avoid being an atheist as I was appalled by them. But when I finally admitted to being an atheist I felt free and truly believed there was no god yet I was left empty after quickly associating with atheists in person and it was not befitting for my constant depression. Believing in a god never made my depression better but having an unbiased and explorative outlook on the world did and I never found this amongst secularism as a whole.

Thinking about my life and why I became an atheist it seemed like a natural development of a security blanket after leaving 2 mentally exhausting religions being Christianity and Islam. But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

Being Christian, Atheist and then agnostic. I find that we all want to claim associatation with some group and once we do we defend our choice and our group. Depending on how strongly you believe depends on how strongly you defend. What I have discovered is that the labeling in the problem our lives are fluid and we are fluid trying to define ourselves if successful is only momentary. Don't label yourself, be opened minded and don't let others that label themselves influence you, then you'll be fine.

 

[Kuzcotopia]

Having been an atheist for a while and turning back to religion I find it bizarre being on the other foot because even when I professed being a deist I was not being serious to myself. I just used it as a security blanket to avoid being an atheist as I was appalled by them. But when I finally admitted to being an atheist I felt free and truly believed there was no god yet I was left empty after quickly associating with atheists in person and it was not befitting for my constant depression. Believing in a god never made my depression better but having an unbiased and explorative outlook on the world did and I never found this amongst secularism as a whole.

Thinking about my life and why I became an atheist it seemed like a natural development of a security blanket after leaving 2 mentally exhausting religions being Christianity and Islam. But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

So what is your religion now?

You've been Muslim, Christian, Diest, and Atheist. . . . To even begin, you'd have to get very specific about the reasons behind each change. What are the timeframes and specific reasons for each change?

Also, you said you had contact with an atheist community. Where? In person or online? We're these atheists you encountered friends, aquantences, workmates? I honestly don't know any atheists in real life. . . and doing a random meetup of strangers who share nothing in common with me seems pointless.

I'm glad you found a community somewhere. Would you care to be specific about how the interactions went? Thanks!

 

[LuisDantas]

But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

This is what I have a hard time trying to understand. What is there to take seriously in atheism? Far as I can see, nothing.

It is only human to feel a need to bond with others, even to believe (although I don't think that is a proper role for religion, personally).

But atheism, well, it is just about non-demanding as it gets.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

My best guess is that you have been in contact with particularly militant atheists who do not know you well.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Having been an atheist for a while and turning back to religion I find it bizarre being on the other foot because even when I professed being a deist I was not being serious to myself. I just used it as a security blanket to avoid being an atheist as I was appalled by them. But when I finally admitted to being an atheist I felt free and truly believed there was no god yet I was left empty after quickly associating with atheists in person and it was not befitting for my constant depression. Believing in a god never made my depression better but having an unbiased and explorative outlook on the world did and I never found this amongst secularism as a whole.

Thinking about my life and why I became an atheist it seemed like a natural development of a security blanket after leaving 2 mentally exhausting religions being Christianity and Islam. But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

I think it's a sign you missed your former religion.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Having been an atheist for a while and turning back to religion I find it bizarre being on the other foot because even when I professed being a deist I was not being serious to myself. I just used it as a security blanket to avoid being an atheist as I was appalled by them. But when I finally admitted to being an atheist I felt free and truly believed there was no god yet I was left empty after quickly associating with atheists in person and it was not befitting for my constant depression. Believing in a god never made my depression better but having an unbiased and explorative outlook on the world did and I never found this amongst secularism as a whole.

Thinking about my life and why I became an atheist it seemed like a natural development of a security blanket after leaving 2 mentally exhausting religions being Christianity and Islam. But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

Saying "I used to be an atheist, too" is a relatively common tactic for proselytizers to use on atheists in order to create the impression of commonality and to suggest that there's a rational path from atheism to theism. Because it's used this way so often, saying it comes across as a red flag that the speaker is being dishonest... not because it can't ever be true, but because it's used by dishonest people so often.

Think of it like "I have a bridge to sell you" or "I'm selling some prime Florida real estate" - it must suck for people who really do have bridges or Florida property to sell.

 

[Terese]

I always had an atheistic mindset until i was 18, when i found a most magnanimous lord and the religion dedicated to him. Simply put, i became religious because I found it to be the truth

 

[Willamena]

Thinking about my life and why I became an atheist it seemed like a natural development of a security blanket after leaving 2 mentally exhausting religions being Christianity and Islam. But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

Atheists who were surprised no doubt thought you took it seriously.

 

[HonestJoe]

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

Given that you’re talking about atheists doing exactly the same thing that Christians do, what makes you imagine those particular belief positions are a factor? There difference between an person being atheist or theist is really a minuscule element of the individual as a whole. We all have infinitely more in common as we do that differentiates us and people within any specific group you might care to define will have many more individual characteristics than ones they share with their contemporaries.

One of the flaws we pretty much all have in common is a tendency to attribute behaviours (especially “bad” behaviour) expressed by others to groupings we consider them part of but ourselves not. Basically, we need to ask less “Why do they…?” questions and more “Why do we…?”.

 

[idav]

Having been an atheist for a while and turning back to religion I find it bizarre being on the other foot because even when I professed being a deist I was not being serious to myself. I just used it as a security blanket to avoid being an atheist as I was appalled by them. But when I finally admitted to being an atheist I felt free and truly believed there was no god yet I was left empty after quickly associating with atheists in person and it was not befitting for my constant depression. Believing in a god never made my depression better but having an unbiased and explorative outlook on the world did and I never found this amongst secularism as a whole.

Thinking about my life and why I became an atheist it seemed like a natural development of a security blanket after leaving 2 mentally exhausting religions being Christianity and Islam. But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

There can be some zealous atheists but that is definitely a reaction to the world being filled worth mainly Christian and Muslim. When you boil down to it atheism really isn’t an answer or the question ‘where does everything originate’. It’s almost a non answer to that question, an atheist has many reasons I’m sure but the main thing separating them from theists is faith in god. I’m theist and have faith that god exists cause that’s what I believe but it isn’t the type of belief that I can say I know for sure is true. From an atheist stand point they simply don’t take that step in believing something they feel there is not enough proof for. Now often atheists may resort to comparing it to believing in fairy tales but feel that sort of argument does not truly address the issue but I can understand the logic because at the end of the day theism is faith based.

 

[A Vestigial Mote]

One other thing I don't think has been mentioned is that religion-hopping itself is a reason why some atheists tend to view religion as "not the truth". It all seems so easy... one day you're Christian, the next a Pagan, and then you want to go dabble in Buddhism. What ends up being the consequence besides your own (possible) feelings of confusion/persecution/not-belonging? There really aren't any. You'd think that once you latched on to some "cosmological truth" that you'd have some positive, unequivocally noticeable benefit, wouldn't you? And yet is any of that forthcoming, regardless the path you have chosen? And a lot of people just end up choosing yet another path when there isn't!

 

[PureX]

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

It's unwise to become too invested in the righteousness one's own beliefs, as we are almost certainly wrong much of the time.

Once we dial down the delusion of our own righteousness, it no longer matters what others think or say about whatever we choose to believe.

 

[Augustus]

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Often because it's dissonant with their worldview.

Certain kinds of Rationalist atheists have internalised the idea that they have transcended ideology and approach issues from a purely rational perspective. As a result, they find it hard to believe that anyone could think differently to them without suffering from some form of cognitive defect.

They believe humanity evolves teleologically from 'primitive' religious based thought to the apex of its development which is conveniently their own worldview.

Consequently, anyone who moves further away from their own perspective is regressing against the 'natural order' and to be viewed with suspicion.

 

[LuisDantas]

@Sha'irullah , I wonder if the core issue might not be that you expected some form of bonding from atheists when you transitioned into one, and ended up disappointed when you found out that atheism is not a good basis for such bonding.

Atheism is not a religion. It does not provide or even facilitate such bonding, which is very much necessary and a good thing.

You might have better luck seeking other paths to provide that bonding, though.

 

[Augustus]

It does not provide or even facilitate such bonding

Any point of similarity with another person can facilitate bonding.

 

[sun rise]

I was someone who did not think religion was worth even thinking about one way or the other when I was growing up. Then during my college days I had experiences strong enough to get me to change my mind totally along with coming to a conclusion that it does not matter what we believe or don't believe, it matters what we do.

Further, those who love truth will find truth. Those who seek to help other people will be helped. And it does not matter what label they attack to themselves be it Christian, Jew, Muslim or atheist.

 

[David T]

Having been an atheist for a while and turning back to religion I find it bizarre being on the other foot because even when I professed being a deist I was not being serious to myself. I just used it as a security blanket to avoid being an atheist as I was appalled by them. But when I finally admitted to being an atheist I felt free and truly believed there was no god yet I was left empty after quickly associating with atheists in person and it was not befitting for my constant depression. Believing in a god never made my depression better but having an unbiased and explorative outlook on the world did and I never found this amongst secularism as a whole.

Thinking about my life and why I became an atheist it seemed like a natural development of a security blanket after leaving 2 mentally exhausting religions being Christianity and Islam. But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

I sticketh to Poetry or try to. Anyway the pope has a degree in chemistry he is more qualified than about 95 % of the world to converse on science. And if the link doesn't make you smile we'll...

 

[Revoltingest]

Having been an atheist for a while and turning back to religion I find it bizarre being on the other foot because even when I professed being a deist I was not being serious to myself. I just used it as a security blanket to avoid being an atheist as I was appalled by them. But when I finally admitted to being an atheist I felt free and truly believed there was no god yet I was left empty after quickly associating with atheists in person and it was not befitting for my constant depression. Believing in a god never made my depression better but having an unbiased and explorative outlook on the world did and I never found this amongst secularism as a whole.

Thinking about my life and why I became an atheist it seemed like a natural development of a security blanket after leaving 2 mentally exhausting religions being Christianity and Islam. But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

If ever called to atheism again, we'll gladly welcome you back into the fold.
Until then, just continue to be civil & interesting. That's what's important.

 

[Curious George]

Having been an atheist for a while and turning back to religion I find it bizarre being on the other foot because even when I professed being a deist I was not being serious to myself. I just used it as a security blanket to avoid being an atheist as I was appalled by them. But when I finally admitted to being an atheist I felt free and truly believed there was no god yet I was left empty after quickly associating with atheists in person and it was not befitting for my constant depression. Believing in a god never made my depression better but having an unbiased and explorative outlook on the world did and I never found this amongst secularism as a whole.

Thinking about my life and why I became an atheist it seemed like a natural development of a security blanket after leaving 2 mentally exhausting religions being Christianity and Islam. But I never took atheism seriously and overtime I was led right back to religion with a stronger fire than ever.

But when I tell atheists this it is left in utter disbelief because the notion of an atheist returning to religion is just not acceptable and there go the constant push to delegitimize me a former atheist which I have been for a couple of years. I understand Christians do this to atheists who are former Christians yet atheists do the exact tactic for the reverse.

Is this a sign of atheism being turned into a religion or is is merely an American response do to the unreasonable father in Christianity.

I actually enjoy speaking with former atheists. Usually they have a story to tell regarding what shifted in their life to go from one point of view to another. I recognize that the line between belief and disbelief can be very thin. Honestly I am more skeptical of people claiming a "lack of belief" than a person claiming belief either way.

I am not sure how you present your former atheism, but I know that people have a tendency to play to their own egos. So, I can imagine any "I saw the light" or "I found truth" is not going to be well received by all. My point here is that if you are finding a consistent response of negativity among a group of different people, then there is a chance the issue is in your presentation, not in your audience.