Just out of curiosity...?

Question

does anyone know the relationship between atheism and the atheist's lack of a father/male role model growing up?

I heard this question posed in college awhile back and wondered. Apparently there is a correlation between atheists and being raised without a father or being abandoned by a father. Interesting, wondered if anyone had ever heard that before. (And I'm NOT asking for "What kind of a god would allow child abuse and war and blah blah blah...")

Answer 1

Never heard of any such correlation. I'm very close with my father.

Answer 2

I don't think there is a connection. I am an atheist and have a great father. Even if there were atheists who were abandoned, I'm sure there are many theists of every religion that experienced the same abandonment. If a father's mistreatment led to atheism, there would be many more of us in the world.

Answer 3

As I usually say, I was a force-fed catholic.
And girl, what you say make sense!
My parents were separated and my father was the baddie.
It is extremely difficult in such a situation to see God as a father...
Especially if the emphasis is on a wise, strong and loving father.
Everything my father was not.
Even if I acknowledge he had some excuses, he was truly narcissist and selfish...
So, theoretically if you have been raised without a dad, the Christian God might not appeal to you...

Answer 4

I'd have to see the data and analysis on that in a peer-reviewed scientific journal. I don't think you can base a conclusion like that on anecdotal evidence. Anyone can give examples from their own experience that contradicts this. Like my cousins. They had a strong father figure who taught them to believe in god and now that they are adults only one out of three still believes in god. They all had the same father. I was raised by a father who didn't believe in god and I don't either. My mother was raised by a father who was an atheist and she is an atheist. Only one of her three siblings believes in god. But none of this adds up to anything because these are anecdotes, not research.

Answer 5

Sounds a bit sketchy to me....My parents have been together since 1965. I was brought up in a religious home, and struggled for years with God.

Wouldn't it make more sense that people with father issues, such as abandonment and abuse, would be more likely to be looking for our father who art in heaven? Perfect punishing Daddy?

Answer 6

I never heard that one. I never had a father and was very thankful for it, b/c the guy who would have been in my life was a drunk. I have always been interested in science. I always had great male role models. I don't think it affected my atheism.

Answer 7

That's a myth dreamed up by someone who was predisposed to think of atheism as a disorder of some kind. Probably the same person who created the lie that all homosexuals were sexually abused as children.

Answer 8

Well I don't know...I suppose it would make sense...no father role model here on earth to relate to or perhaps one that wasn't all that great and made that "office" in their mind distasteful....or perhaps an abusive one that believes fathers hurt and don't know how to give or recieve love with a Heavenly Father. who knows.

Answer 9

never heard that to be honest. but it would be an interesting study to read. personally i would think it would have more to do with upbringing and whether or not they were brought up in the church. but just my opinion i guess it's anyones guess as to why people don't believe and i'm sure there are a number of different reasons.

Answer 10

Dear Curious,

There is good and evil in the world.

The parable of the tares of the field is taught by Christ and later is explained to His disciples.

Read and learn.

MATTHEW 13:24-43

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