Religious history of atheists?

Question

Hey, I was wondering how other atheists' lives were - religiously - before they were atheists. Were you raised to think freely and came to this conclusion? Were you raised an atheist? Christian? Something else? How often did you switch religions, and why are you an atheist now?

I'll point out that I was raised a Lutheran Christian up to the age of 12, and then I just started thinking and considering the lack of evidence, so now I'm an atheist.

This is kind of a survey thing.. I don't know what I'll do in regards to best answer.

Seriously, no need for answers from non-atheists.

Agnostic and other non-religious is fine, though. I should have included that from the start.

That detail was directed towards Tribble Macher.

Judas, it's very similar for me.

Answer 1

It all fits.
I (and my younger sister) were despatched to Sunday School every week but I discovered that it was all nonsense by the magic age of 12.
I then asked my father what his religion was and he explained that he was a 'realist' (another word for an atheist he said)and explained why. He also told me that our being sent to sunday school was for a dual purpose - to provide us with some knowledge of the subject at hand and in the hope that we would come to assess the whole business for ourselves without parental influence AND so that my parents could have at least one day in the week when they were alone for many hours and could jump each other without being disturbed. Fair enough reasons.
There followed some church attendance on my part but I was only going through the motions and only going at all because there was one girl there that I had 'taken a shine to'.. Once that relationship became a fact, we both stopped going.
There followed compulsory church attendance in my early days in the military, all of which was, once more, pretense.
At about 15, I had already made up my mind that god was fictitious - and all that went with it - heaven, hell, angels, satan, soul and so on. Complete rubbish.
I welcomed the freedom of atheism, the satisfaction in my own intelligence being an added factor.
Heartily recommended as a life-style choice.

The best answer is the one that tells you what you want to know in the most agreeable and understandable way. There may be plenty of them! Choose one - or not.

Answer 2

I was raised in a Lutheran home as well. But, I was always a person with a lot of questions. I was also not a person who accepted "believe what we tell you to believe" as an answer. So, I started reading, researching, and studying all kinds of religious material. During high school and into when I joined the military, I was agnostic. Eventually, after more reading, I came to the conclusion that there were no gods.

My parents were always open to the questions I had, and encouraged me to read and learn as much as possible. I know they hoped it would strengthen my beliefs, but realized that I came to this decision with a lot of time and thought. My mom was told by a woman in her church not too long ago(when they found out my parent's oldest son was an atheist.) they should introduce me to the bible and its teachings. My mom, according to my father, told the woman she was willing to bet her "oldest son"(me) knew more about the bible, and other religions than the majority of the people in their church.

This is how I will also raise my children when they are old enough to understand.

Answer 3

My father was Lutheran and my mother Catholic. They took me to Sunday school every week for about two years when I was really young (four maybe five years old). When I started regular school, they pulled me out of Sunday school for some reason. I guess they figured two years was enough god for one boy. I have never seen the inside of a church since then. Shortly after, my parents explained the mythology of Santa Claus and the Easter bunny. It wasn't long before I began to lump god into the same category. As I grew older I began to question the nature of god. Specifically, why he allows war, violence, hatred, and suffering in the world. When I reached high school, I learned about this thing they called evolution. To this day, I don't fully support evolution, but I think it makes a lot more sense than creation. Of course my parents were devestated when I broke the news that I was an atheist. Funny thing is, they forbid me to discuss religion with my grandparents--all of whom are extremely religious.

Answer 4

I was a Christian for 20 years, raised Southern Baptist, later non-denominational.

Also exposed to Mormon ideas via my brother who became a Mormon in his late teens, and Catholicism via going to Catholic school for a year.

I was very strong in belief, but went to church on and off. I was going to church when I deconverted last year. I then went through a period of "I don't know what I believe" and finally rested on atheism.

I was taught by my father, who was a very non-vocal atheist/agnostic for much of my young life, to think critically and to never be afraid to ask questions or learn about things. So, that attitude probably helped me when I did begin to doubt my religion.

Answer 5

I was a product of a Baptist mom and Mormon Dad. Mom converted dad when I was pretty young and we went to a fundy bible church. I was taught not to question. I was always very curious and kinda a studious person so wanted to study the bible. I went to bible college and there began my path to atheism - when I saw how flawed the bible was in it's original languages.

I was a "Deeist" for a while on my way out of Christianity. So basically from my early 20s I started thinking my way out and in my mid 20s I finally got there :)

((For best answer you can just choose the one with the most thumbs up - thats what I do often. Or let ppl vote on it))

Answer 6

I was raised in a Southern Baptist family. I tried really hard to be a Christian, but it just never felt right. I always felt like I was just going through the motions. So much never made sense, but I had no choice in the matter til I was out on my own. When I went away to college, I just turned away and never looked back.

Answer 7

Raise Christian, agnostic at 11.

Answer 8

I was raised Catholic, and then I came to the only logical conclusion at around age 16. I've been an atheist ever since.

Answer 9

I grew up in a free-thinking nonreligious household. We never went to church, I was never baptized, etc. In my early teen years I got really into learning about beliefs. I studied with Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists--really any religion that appealed to me.
After a time I saw that none of these 'belief systems' were for me. I needed proof, logic, facts. I started to see myself as agnostic, and as I got older I started to consider myself mostly atheist.

Answer 10

50 years of living and watching. I have heard from and read the books of more faiths than I care to even try to remember. They all claim to be the one and only true. They all do horrible things for God. You do whatever it takes for you to be healthy and happy. God(s) will not be harmed by you not feeding him, her, it. whatever.

Flip a coin for best answer or pick whoever looks like they might need them, you could do as laptop says, I send some to voting. Points are not much use to me. It is not like you can spend them anywhere.