Calling all Atheists...?

Question

Were you raised Atheist?
If not:
What religion were you raised with?
When did you break away from the religion of your youth?
Would you say you were enticed away by something new or pushed away by something you disagreed with?

Answer 1

Can't believe I missed the Pagan Pizza Party! That's my real way, but in the fact that I believe mankind has evolved its own spirit, its own gods and so on, I might just be able to squeak under the door into the Atheist bunfight.

I was raised as an Apathist - my grandmother believed inthe Pope, but not quite as much as she believed in Mrs Thatcher or hanging. My mother believed vaguely in new age spiritualism. My father believed in the redeeming, and indeed philosophically stimulating powers of alcohol. It seemed I was the first one in my family to believe in Reading.

So I kind of broke away from any of my religious moulds early on. I went radical as a teenager, but largely only because Damien: Omen II came out round about then, and its identification of the problems of teenaged young men seemed to offer more comfort and sense than anything in any of the other choices open to me at the time. So, pulled away by identification, I guess.

That was of course only a silly adolescent phase, and I eventually I chose my own way, which I loosely, and probably falsely, call Thinking For Myself. It's cool, because it allows me to objectively assess likelihoods, possibilities and the undeniably mad, while still keeping my mind open enough to know that I don't know everything.

Now, about that pizza...

Answer 2

As I grew, I questioned and saw and heard the contradictions... I decided long before I knew the meaning of the word "atheist" that it was all superstitious and nonsensical myths and rituals ,and those who encouraged the beliefs were profitting from those believers... and they also lived better and ate better and had better cars, too, and putting themselves above others...

I was always taught to be able to prove and qualify statesments with tangible and concrete facts and proof, like historical proof. Religions that cannot show any historical proof but tell everyone to have faith (belief without proof). Also, I honestly don't feel that they are telling us the whole truth! They align themselves with the super-rich and powerful, with politicians that are known liars, cheats, crooks, etc... what does that tell ME? I did research and read everything I could find until I reached the one inevitable LOGICAL conclusion: it's all a bunch of lies!

I was raised in a family that is represented by three religions: Judaism, Roman Catholics and Protestants.

I broke away when I was about 10-11 years old but wouldn't share this with anyone until I left home and went on my own as a teenager, putting myself through high school and college.

It was not a matter of disagreeing but moreso of seeing things for what they truly were: superstitious nonsense used to herd people around by those profitting off others. It had nothing to do with bitterness or anger or rebellion or anything else other than an awakening or enlightenment.

I have a cousin, a pastor, who is living very, very well... in a home and property worth more than $1 million. He was a former boxer, spent most of his youth in dances and chasing after women, and ripping them off (yeah, he was a giggolo) and doesn't know how many kids he's fathered... today he's a pastor...? A rightful progression of events; he's chosen a good, profitable profession.

I once dated a former nun... the stories she told me really confirmed my (dis)beliefs!

To those who believe and are comfortable... good for you! Live and let me live as I have chosen but don't impose your beliefs on me and leave me alone with the nonsense! And keep it out of government affairs and out of the schools... church is for religious matters and schools are for academic matters!

Answer 3

It relies upon on who you ask. Your theory became printed in a e book through Sam Harris noted as "Letter To A Christian united states". He thinks basically like you that Atheist is a be conscious that would want to no longer exist. in case you ask a clean Atheist, they'll inform you Atheist skill one extremely user-friendly aspect and by no skill something else. the problem is they're mendacity. they're re-inventing reality. fairly, dictionaries disagree on the definition. So if some New Atheist comes alongside and tells you it basically skill one user-friendly aspect, who's mendacity? Dictionaries or the hot Atheist? Atheist is a be conscious invented in fifth century B.C. Greece. It became used to convict Socrates. He refused to well known the Greek gods as worth of praise. accordingly, they killed him. i visit hyperlink you to an excellent e book on the problem. It became written through a guy who became putting at the same time a dictionary of non secular words in 1922. "Atheism In Pagan Antiquity".

Answer 4

I was raised in a liberal Christian denomination. However, none of their sermons or messages did anything for me except bore me. When I encountered the doctrines of conservative Christianity, I was more horrified than bored. The dressed-up xenophobia and idealized ignorance was repulsive to me. I've read the Bible back and forth and never been particularly impressed with it. Neither the Torah or the Quaran did anything for me either.

Many Christians claim that by reading the Bible the "truth" will magically make itself known in my brain. Nada. Zip. No uplift, no epiphanies, nothing. Just old stories, ancient mythology, and a story about a man who was executed for being politically inconvienent.

The ludicrous claims, the insistence on belief without proof, the demand for obedience to authority...all of it left me cold. I never really fell away since I was never really part of it to begin with.

Answer 5

Being from a very religious family, I have to play along and this makes me really seek. But the freedom is not far away.

Answer 6

I was raised Catholic. My parents are reasonably pious. They are not fanatics or anything.

What really pushed me away is reading about our universe and about other people and about logic and learning to question things. I found what people and the bible say about god to be greatly based on opinion and none on real logical thinking. I also found out there is life without god and I dont need a belief in a deity to function.

Answer 7

I am a pastor! The bible has taught me that every one has freedom of choice! Thus, if you wish to believe in elves, vampires, werewolves or bird droppings, that's OK with me as God has given you the right to do so. As you have the right to believe what you wish, but, so do I no matter, if you like it or not!
It's really no believers job to prove to you or anyone else God's word or anything else concerning him! You choose for yourself!

Answer 8

1. No, but my parents weren't really religious either. I went to church at a young age on my own accord and it scared me terribly.

2. My folks were christian, just not the church-going religious kind.

3. I read the bible on my own accord and I simply never believed it. Just like I never really believed in Jack and the Beanstalk or Rapunzel.

4. Neither. I just never had the belief of these superstitions and fairy tales.

Answer 9

right im an atheist but i wasnt raised one... when i was little i went to church and stuff(my family is christian) but around age 11 or so religon didnt really make sense to me anymore.. i didnt and still dont understand why millions+ people follow the words of a book... and some dont just follow they build theyre whole life around it.. i just dont get it

Answer 10

I was raised Mormon and now I am Agnostic. I believe that no one can know God.