What is your Path to Atheism?

[suncowiam]

Hi everyone,

I just joined recently and am curious to everyone's path to atheism.

My path is pretty boring. My parents were buddhists that barely practiced. They never really taught me anything concerning Buddhism. I've always been interested in science. My dad worked for Atari in the 80s and we've always had a computer in the house starting with an Atari 800. Ever since, I've been a video gamer and SW programmer. I've always excelled at science, particularly mathematics, physics and engineering. Given the knowledge I acquired, it was just easy for me not to believe in God or a religion.

During some difficult times in high school, I did start pondering about religion and had several friends that were Christians. These same friends attended the same church every week and since they kept asking me to attend, I eventually tried it. The truth was I was lonely and needed more companionship. They also talked about having a lot of cute girls there too. Well, in the end, I admired how everyone was so nice and had their conviction of God but I couldn't get myself to pass that hurdle. I still did not believe in God. Only after this did I learn the meaning of athiesm and agnosticism. I didn't really put much thought into this as I too busy trying to get a girl friend and simply having fun. Oh, and let me add that my area and school was very secular. I really had no religious pressure growing up. After reading various stories and other people's accounts, I think this was a blessing. That might offend some, but I honestly feel this way.

If you are curious I wouldn't mind relating more. I just don't want to bore anyone.

I would love to hear your story if you don't mind sharing it! =)

 

[Bunyip]

I was raised Roman Catholic, and just gradually began to realise as a child that what I was being taught in Church was clearly a fantasy - like Santa. I kept going to church until I was about 13 to please my father but had lost my faith by about 11.

 

[LuisDantas]

Far as I can tell, I was always an atheist. What did change along time was my unwillingness to admit it, or to realize that not everyone was.

I remember assuming that people thought of Christianity as inspiring mythology, much like, say, Robin Hood or King Arthur. It was very disconcerting to me when I learned otherwise.

As for my raising... well, everyone around me seemed to be basically non-practicing Catholics, until a shift towards Kardecists Spiritism happened. There was a fair amount of pressure, often to obnoxious levels, but hardly any example. I would be hard pressed to say any of them were religious, although many were credulous.

 

[dgirl1986]

Its kind of a really long story and so I shall try to keep it short.
- Grew up in a non religious home
- Went to christian school in year 7
- Became a christian through postal sunday school
- Started going to youth group etc
- Tried hard to be a christian.
- Had issue with other christians
- Learnt critical and logical thinking through new job.
- Had issues with the bible
- Had issues with Jesus worship
- Had issues with my questions not being answered
- The more I tried to participate the more I hated it
- Floated for a while looking at different things and then latched onto paganism
- Went pagan ADHD and kind of made it my project more than anything.
- Realised that the original purpose for religion was no longer needed because science.
- Downloaded an atheist podcast...became an atheist not long after
- Still flirt with paganism now and then but trying to break the habit. Usually happens when my brain is bored.

 

[Sapiens]

My path to atheism was the birth canal.

 

[s2a]

Hi everyone,

I just joined recently and am curious to everyone's path to atheism.

My path is pretty boring. My parents were buddhists that barely practiced. They never really taught me anything concerning Buddhism. I've always been interested in science. My dad worked for Atari in the 80s and we've always had a computer in the house starting with an Atari 800. Ever since, I've been a video gamer and SW programmer. I've always excelled at science, particularly mathematics, physics and engineering. Given the knowledge I acquired, it was just easy for me not to believe in God or a religion.

During some difficult times in high school, I did start pondering about religion and had several friends that were Christians. These same friends attended the same church every week and since they kept asking me to attend, I eventually tried it. The truth was I was lonely and needed more companionship. They also talked about having a lot of cute girls there too. Well, in the end, I admired how everyone was so nice and had their conviction of God but I couldn't get myself to pass that hurdle. I still did not believe in God. Only after this did I learn the meaning of athiesm and agnosticism. I didn't really put much thought into this as I too busy trying to get a girl friend and simply having fun. Oh, and let me add that my area and school was very secular. I really had no religious pressure growing up. After reading various stories and other people's accounts, I think this was a blessing. That might offend some, but I honestly feel this way.

If you are curious I wouldn't mind relating more. I just don't want to bore anyone.

I would love to hear your story if you don't mind sharing it! =)

Well, you did ask...so...

I can not account to any "path" followed...

..in truth, and in my youth, I sought "god"/"Jesus" as might be expected of others of my upbringing and relative contemporaries. which is also to note that I "won" many "souls" to Christ in that limited period of time. I tried, I really did, to "believe" then.

And to my credit or shame, I was deemed overall (at that time) as a "success" in doing so. Woo hoo! I never kept score or numbers then (it just would have been vane and rude), but let's allow that I may have "converted hundreds, if not thousands of "believers" spared from the depths of an inevitable "Hell". In those days...

...I won.! Check your programs peeps. I won!

But within the superficial scrapings of even a most modest consciousness, I never really was a "believer". Not even a little. I committed to memory literally hundreds of quotable scripture and notable testimonies to, um, "share" with any others of "lacking" faith. In retrospect these efforts were a last ditch effort to retain an affectionate attachment to a high school sweetheart. And...she was just that. A "true believer", and a fine gal too. She really was. The "problem" (lacking a better term, was..me) both ongoing and ultimately unavoidable, was founded within the facts that I was a damn good salesperson pushing a product I never believed in. Not even a little. Not the best fodder to sprout energized evangelists.

It has been noted no by myself, but may others, that "FAITH" is something that either defines or encompasses a willing suspension of disbelief in favor ofa (any) super-naturalist causation.

In effect, "if I can't understand/explain it"... THAT MUST be evidence of a "god".

OK. Understandable BS.

Yet, really...

... here's where knowledge, understanding, and that evil preponderance of "science" introduces their evil "facts" that steamroll the "beliefs and adherents of divine intervention/outcomes.

It's likely fair enough to either acknowledge/accept the varied claims of organized religion alone (well ok, the "world" may be unfair, but that's just the way it's meant to be, or, a better answer just may be available by any daily use of evolved and human reason offers as superior alternative.

Again, simply to acknowledge and accept a simple fact..."faith" is a psychological result of a personalized willingness to accept in any "belief" that a pesron "chooses" to believe (in) as "real"...


Of course we know that "belief" may have absolutely nothing at all to do with facts, knowledge, nor prospective enlightenmenats associated to discover/experiments.


While we may choose to respect and even admire the aspects of a "belief" resident within any individual..it continually remains difficult yo lend deference to any brand/model of extremism, or any elements of enforced and irrevocable policies that neith exhibit nor retain anything that even resembles either a tolerant peace, or some war of imposed "ultimatums"


All I know..at thy shared moment, if we nay choose to believe and accept any tyrant/dictator, etc.., as any ultimate dispensary of "truth", I retain the real confidence that neither believers of a qualified sec, or uncounted numbers oft "stolen" yo theo advertise and pursue any "truths" that only "believers" choose to echo and insist upon a singular outcome/result.

 

[suncowiam]

My path to atheism was the birth canal.

Lolol!

 

[Sapiens]

Lolol!

I mean it. I did all the "normal" things, church, sunday school, etc., but I can never remember a time, at any age, that I took it for anything other that an interesting social experience built around what I later came to understand was a bout of ritual cannibalism. It did not repulse me, it did not attract me, I just remember that I liked Girl Scout mint cookies and milk a lot better. So I went to lots of different churches, especially with my friends ... I can pass for a "native" in most protestant churches, from Baptist to Anglican; Russian and Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Jewish, and likely a few others, but even at a young age, it was my Sunday anthropology field trip, not worship by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

I mean it. I did all the "normal" things, church, sunday school, etc., but I can never remember a time, at any age, that I took it for anything other that an interesting social experience built around what I later came to understand was a bout of ritual cannibalism. It did not repulse me, it did not attract me, I just remember that I liked Girl Scout mint cookies and milk a lot better. So I went to lots of different churches, especially with my friends ... I can pass for a "native" in most protestant churches, from Baptist to Anglican; Russian and Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Jewish, and likely a few others, but even at a young age, it was my Sunday anthropology field trip, not worship by any stretch of the imagination.

This isn't massively different from my experience, to be honest.
I was in Church of England's version of Scouts (Australian Cebs Home Page) and passed my badges (via prayer recitation amongst other things). Had Religious Education at school, although it was a public school. Parents were Christian, but non-practising. Didn't have any issues with Church or religion, was really only exposed to various flavours of Christianity in any detail (limited direct exposure to Orthodox).

Just never struck me as anything there to worship. Never quite connected those dots, to be honest.

 

[Sapiens]

...

Just never struck me as anything there to worship. Never quite connected those dots, to be honest.

Good description.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I never viewed atheism as a path. Rather, it's just returning back "home".

 

[Revoltingest]

Born that way.
Stayed that way.

 

[Monk Of Reason]

Raised Christian. Started doubting when I was about 5. Asked a bunch of questions and didn't get an answer but was told I would go to hell otherwise.

Continued in Christianity with doubt till about 11-13 when I really stopped believing except for a brief month when I was 15. But I didn't stop believing in god "totally" but pushed it out of my mind "just in case" he existed. Pascals wager and all that.

Then when I was 17 I thew out religion and became an apatheist. Still at 17 I met a Wiccan girl and became Wiccan because I was thinking with the wrong head mostly. Stayed in and out of that till about 19 (still am part of the community and I enjoy pagan holidays and the like) and I became a huge anti-theist and hardcore Atheist with a capital A mocking people for no apparent reason. And at about 21 I found out that religion itself (while I don't believe it) isn't indicative of stupidity. I delved deeper into science and philosophy.

And I have stayed at my current evolution for about 2 years with a few changes here and there to my overall viewpoint

 

[Majikthise]

The path with the most bars.

 

[KnightOwl]

I was born atheist, like everyone else.
Simplifying the situation, I would say I was raised Protestant and was a true, if not fervent believer till I hit 18. At that time I moved out and was trying to figure out what church to attend. About a week later, I was an agnostic with a challenge offered to God, if he was there, to make himself known to me. Over the years I slowly grew into my atheism to the point where I would be beyond shocked if my challenge were answered. For about the last 10 years, I have become very open and vocal about my lack of faith.

 

[Yerda]

I was raised as a catholic because my mum wanted it so, but she wasn't really a believer - only a believer's daughter. My dad has been atheist all my life. So when I got bored of it all I asked to be removed from catholic school and I was and I thought little of the matter for about ten years.

The only time I ever engaged in discussion or debate was with a teacher who was a Jehovah's Witness. We were always pleasant to one another and I found the chat quite engaging and stimulating. When I found this forum I remembered those conversations so I joined. I realised soon after that I was an atheist (I hadn't known this or much cared about it before) and I became interested in what these things meant.

 

[Oregon Alley Cat]

My story? Sure, although I tend to be a bit long-winded. You best take a bathroom break or get something to drink before reading this one.

I grew up in a loving and supportive marginally religious home. By this I mean my mother described herself as a Christian (although she doesnt go to church or pray often or read the Bible) and my dad identified as an agnostic. Most of my childhood I didnt think about god and/or religion at all. More interested in video games and riding my four wheeler in the hills on old logging roads around our house. Anyway, when I was fifteen my older sister, and only sibling, got "saved" at a Pentecostal church nearby. Being the older sister (AKA vice mother and very much a type A personality to her type B brother) she got me to go to youth group at her church. Boy, did I ever see and hear things that were weird to me. People lifting hands in worship, speaking in tongues, sharing prophetic utterances, etc. All that holy roller pentecostal/charismatic stuff. Eventually, partly because I was impressed by how welcoming the people were and partly to get my sister off my back (not that it worked) I said "the sinners prayer". A rather formulaic prayer which is the pretty standard form of conversion in Evangelical and charismatic churches like this one. I had a rather, you could say sublime experience. I felt light as a feather. As if a huge weight had been lifted from me and I might just float up to the ceiling. I, of course, interpreted this as being release from "the bondage of sin" and being a blessing from god.

Anyway, I started attending church and gradually became more and more involved. Over the next eighteen years, through the rest of my teens and throughout my twenties, I was very zealous for my faith as a Christian. I prayed daily, read my Bible usually twice a day (once devotionally and once in more serious study), went to church usually more than once a week (Sunday and midweek service!). I also participated in just about every kind of layperson leadership roles that I could during that time. Helped lead youth groups, headed up children's ministries, was in the worship team, taught Sunday school, lead small group meetings, prayer meetings, attended and graduated from Bible college, etc. I viewed my faith in Jesus as the lens through which I viewed everything. A fundamentalist, in other words. However, there were things I always doubted. I had been raptly interested in science when I was a child. Geology in particular, and volcanology to be more exact. I have early childhood memories of the 1980 Mt. St. Helens eruption, which was plainly visible from Portland, OR when I lived at the time. On one level I knew that the earth was around 4.5 billion years old and that humans evolved over millennia. There was conflict between my scientific knowledge and my Christian faith. My faith, at least at the time, won out. I simply squashed those doubts in my mind and focused on what I viewed was a privilege and a duty as a believer, to serve the church.

I was around thirty when I finally managed to get my bachelors degree from the aforementioned Bible college, having spent most of my twenties moving around from place to place in the Pacific Northwest until I realized I should finish my education if I wanted to move on to bigger and better things. My professors had always encouraged me to ask myself tough questions about my faith. I decided to finally, once and for all, deal with those doubts in my mind and hopefully move beyond them. I began to study other worldviews than Christianity. In particular youtube videos about them. Now, I do not now advocate looking too much at youtube video comments (they will suck out IQ points from your mind, just the incredible stupidity of most of them) but some of them were from atheists. Some of the comments I viewed as just so nasty that they were beyond the pale, but some were more rational and made me think. The questions they asked made sense. The more I analyzed and questioned the core tenets of my Christian faith the more apparent it seemed to me that they didnt hold any water. Anyway, I guess my quest to strengthen my faith backfired since within about a year and a half I was no longer a Christian and soon after that I did not believe in god in any way shape or form.

If you finished this to the end, thanks. Hopefully my spiel helps someone.

 

[Jumi]

I never believed but when I was a kid I thought these were nice stories, about someone living in the belly of a fish and magic of multiplying fish. I was forced into a religious camp one summer it was there being forced to remember and recite prayers from memory that I lost any sympathy with that faith.

 

[Orbit]

I was born into a Presbyterian family, but we never really attended church regularly. Starting in high school I began to notice that certain things in the Bible just didn't make sense. I was attracted to the occult in the 20s, and to eastern religions, but remained a Christian. It wasn't until I was 49 that I left the faith altogether after reading atheist materials on the web and in books. One last read of Genesis sealed it--utterly ridiculous.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Hinduism, Advaita (non-duality).