Most ancestors of Western Atheists were originally Christians. Do you agree?

Question

At some point in the past, I would think most of the Atheists on Y!A had Christian ancestors, maybe grandfathers, grandmothers...or further back.

Is it correct to assume that?

I'm not trying to offend anyone. I just want to get my facts straight...

gorgeoustxwoman: Nothing! I just wanted to find out if there are other religions Western Atheists are not affiliated to any longer.

Thank you all for your answer!

Answer 1

Yes, that is a reasonable assumption. After all, despite the recent swell in immigration from non-European countries, most "Western Atheists" are of mostly European ancestry. And until quite recently, Europe was mostly Christian -- as long as you are willing to count even Protestants as Christian;)

Answer 2

hard to say, i mean in the west here we have people from all over the world. I'd say that the distant eurpoean ancestors may have been christians, or at least closet athiests to avoid the persecution, torture, etc.

but also the ancestors of most christians would be pagans, and you'd get back to athiests again if you go far enough back before anybody thought up religion...

Answer 3

My grandmas were all that I knew growing up. My mom's side was regular people, meaning that, if asked they would say that they were christian, but they didn't go to church or anything like that. My dad's mom was a regular church goer all the time according to my him. He was a raging atheist and would say stuff like, " Money is my God, and drink is my master!" , when he was drunk. He didn't get along with me and vice versa so, if I could have found it in myself to love Jesus and God .. I would have done it. Turns out that I was cursed with an IQ well above average and that alone deals a huge blow to the unquestioned status quo. I'm sorry, but you just have to be smart not to instinctively fear death enough to hold anything sacred.

Answer 4

Christianity as an entire, has "outgrown" its penchant for fanatical radicalism and geopolitical international domination. that isn't the "middle a protracted time" to any extent further. And we are no longer all Catholics. mutually as there are nevertheless some Radicals approximately, they are too few in variety and too fractionalized interior the Christian physique to pose any danger to the international. Radical Islam, on the different hand, controls finished worldwide places. great numbers of moslems could be seen the two radical and unified (extra or much less). it is in many circumstances a real danger to Western Society. additionally they have ALLIES in western communities such as Socialists and Communists who sense that they are able to apply the communities to smash Western "capitalist" society that they hate lots---And sense that they are able to apply their classic draconian techniques to eliminate the Muslim danger whilst they get into means. "The enemy of my enemy is my buddy"----till they are not mandatory to any extent further. The danger is clean to Christians and Atheists alike. The hobbies of the two are in threat. ---whether the Atheists might concern the Christians for a similar motives.

Answer 5

Of course. The United States was based on christianity, and therefor, it was taught and forced onto people. But now, we, as atheists, have a voice.

Answer 6

Yea...I was a christian till about 2 years ago and my whole family is full of em.

Answer 7

and most christians had some ancestors that were atheists.

THey might not have been VOCAL about their non-belief (for fear of persicution), but they did not believe.

Answer 8

That could be but everybody has to make their own decision regarding Christ. There are no grandchildren in Heaven.

Answer 9

That is true for me. Probably most.

Answer 10

they grew out of their childishness...