Once you become an atheist is it possible to go back to go back to religion?

Question

I don't think it is. Even if I suffered severe brain trauma and become a totally different person, I don't think I could ever subscribe to any faith ever again b/c that doubt would always be there...I also think that anyone who claims to have been turned away from atheism was probably not an atheist in the first place.

What do you think?

Answer 1

Good question-Although I'm not an atheist, I tried to put myself in those shoes, and I see your point. It would be difficult for me to not have my faith, my belief in God, especially after it has evolved over time, for so many years, and I have done my "homework" and come up with my own personal conclusions-also trying really hard to respect other's. I can see that it would be really difficult for you or anyone else to change what you believe. The "doubt" you speak of can really eat you up sometimes, and it's eaten me up as well. I have really questioned my faith at times, and I'm glad I can do that. We all should question what we believe every once in a while. However, no one (Christians, Muslims, etc.) can "convert" you and they shouldn't try. It is your path, your journey, your life.

Answer 2

First of all, there's no contradiction between "religion" and "atheism." Most Buddhists are atheists. There are also religious naturalists who don't believe in a personal God.

Second of all, it's completely possible that someone might reject the superstitious supernaturalistic religion they once practiced and then find their home in a religious community of freethinkers. There are more atheists than theists among the Unitarian Universalists.

Part of it depends what you mean by "faith." The naive definition is usually that faith means holding beliefs unsupported by any evidence or reason. A better definition is that faith means the orientation of the whole person towards that which one regards as worthy of one's ultimate commitment. Thus one can have a "faith" which expresses itself in scientific inquiry, in work for the amelioration of human suffering, etc.

Read some contemporary theologians on the subject -- Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman, for example. I especially recommend Wieman's book "The Source of Human Good." You might also like Ursula Goodenough's book "The Sacred Depths of Nature." Google "religious naturalism" and see what you find.

Answer 3

Who knows someone else's mind? In the past a number of people have been atheist and converted to Christianity. They may have converted to other religions also. The most noteworthy Atheist to become a Christian was C S Lewis.

I have noted over the years that Atheists tend to be intellectuals or at least intellectual driven. This is remarkable because a true intellectual does reexamine their position from time to time. It is the people of lesser intellect who take dogmatic fixed intransigent positions and never examine them. So it should not come as a surprise to any one that an Atheist would reexamine their thoughts and adopt a different conclusion as Lewis did so many years ago.

Answer 4

The key issue here is what exactly is "faith"? People use the word all the time without giving it the slightest thought. In essence, 'Faith' is the abandoning of reason and critical judgement, and letting someone else, some text, or some organization tell you what you should think. Most atheists come to their understanding of the world thru thinking, reasoning and using their own minds rather than letting someone else do the thinking. Those who say that religious people also use their minds should remember the scripture that says the opposite: "...and do not rely on your own understanding..." Once a person has learned this and started using their own mind and the reasoning process to figure things out it is very difficult to go back to giving in to some other authority for your beliefs. Difficult but not impossible. All you have to do is toss out your critical thinking, your reasoning ability and take leave of your senses!

Answer 5

I believe that we choose our own religion. Atheism is not a religion, but more a scientific concern. In the end of all things, I believe that when it comes time to be judged, religion doesn't matter, it is simply based on how you treated others in your life.

And yes, i do believe we can always come back to religion. You claim that even if you were in a terrible circumstance where you lost all thinking or consciousness that you still wouldn't be able to come back because of having a bad taste in your mouth. Well, if you has amnesia or didn't know anything about who you wanted to be, then you wouldn't know anything about atheism. I have known atheists before and when something in their life turned or something drastic happened to them, boy, did they convert to a religion.

No matter what you choose, just treat others with respect, kindness, always put yourself in their shoes and feel what they may be going through. Don't ever judge, because in the end you will be judged.

So many people claim that their religions are better than all the rest, while, little does everybody realize that we are all worshiping the same God. he just goes under various names. In the end, it's all the same.

Best of luck to you in whatever you choose for your life.
Seek out life and search for your destiny through your soul.
J.F.

Answer 6

First, it is possible you just haven't found the right religion yet. Remember, any belief in an after life, even if scientifically based, is religion. I follow ancient beliefs, Egyptian is my preference, because theirs say that all things can be answered with science and math, even religion. Magic, something the neo-wicca want you to believe is some fantastic force, is merely a science yet understood, such as computers which would be considered magic in if you took one to the 1600's, B.C. times would be more curious of it and probably try to understand it because they were not afraid of the unknown then. Modern life fears the unknown and most people go to the extremes of religion OR science, yet they both coexist seamlessly in reality. To deny one is to invalidate the other, so keep your options open. I know there is something more powerfull than us, could be a god like many of the religious fanatics believe or it could be aliens, or maybe something in between. Just keep looking for answers and it doesn't matter what you call yourself, as long as you are always open to new information and possibilities.

Answer 7

Yes, but normally those that do prove that they have issues with commitment.

I've heard people say how they were an atheist and decided to turn to faith, but I really don't understand how they can do that. Of course, since I'm an atheist and was never particularly religious before I became one (my parents rarely took me to church as a child), I can't really understand why one-time atheists can become so enamoured in religion all of a sudden.

So, yes, there are a few, but those people probably weren't true atheists- it's more likely that they were agnostics, and, if they WERE atheists, they must've never been particularly out-spoken about their beliefs (or lack of them).

Actually, shouldn't this question be asking about agnostics, not atheists? It just makes sense that someone would go from atheist to agnostic to theist... I doubt that someone just suddenly goes from, "Oh, of COURSE a God doesn't exist!" to, "God will save us all," without any steps in between.

Answer 8

Anything is possible. Faith is seldom a matter for argument, but more a result of experience. Everyone has their belief systems. They change when theirs is no longer working for them. Asking, "Why do you ________s do this?" doesn't convince anyone to change. But a "cold-world" atheist who newly experiences sincere acceptance and care from a believing community, or a believer who discerns hypocrisy and oppression in their church community, may begin to reevaluate their belief system. People who feel like they have a place in their culture are least likely to change.

As an agnostic, I believe in the community aspects and the general moral character of my faith culture, but find the theology and the reasoning behind some doctrines irrational and contrived. I don't believe a "supreme being" could be that petty, yet I can conceive of a deity that, with the right attributes, could function, even though no one recognized it.

Answer 9

I was raised to become an ordained minister. I gave up the faith because of men and society and the thought that if there was a god he would not let the world become what it is today. I have days where I do not beleive in god and I have fewer days that I do beleive. It's all based on Faith. If you want to beleive you will. If you don't you wont. Science will give us facts that almost prove that there isn't a god. But then theres the thought that because of some bang theory we evolve into what we are today. It's quite a choice to make. Good Luck!

Answer 10

I've never been atheist and I doubt I will ever be a true atheist

I still have that knowledge in my mind that anything supranatural can never be disproven, or proven...now that is a fact!

however, now whether or not it is the God that the bible or otherwise mentions, who knows;...but the doubt that sticks in my mind (and I'm studying science at uni) is where the hell did it all come from in the first place?...our scope of thought just simply cannot account for that, and we may never know

so in light of that, I will always have an open mind to any possibilities...

but to answer your question (sorry)...I seriously doubt that I will ever return to organized religion...I grew up naive, ignorant and in the control of others....now at least, I have my own mind, to make my own judgements

:)