Atheist Poll: Were you ever a Christian?

Question

I'll start with a "yes"...

Answer 1

No.

My parents allowed us to choose whether we wanted to join/follow any religion. None of my siblings are actively involved with any religion. We are all either atheist or agnostic.

Answer 2

I was indoctrinated into Catholicism as a child, Catholic home and Catholic schooling...total immersion, I chose a co-ed High School instead of an all boys Catholic one because I felt I needed a different perspective. I went on to University, and the religious conditioning slowly receded a bit at a time until one day it was at last gone and I fully recognised the fact.
It really can take a long time to fully recover from religious indoctrination, many never manage to overcome the religious conditioning and some of us obviously have been left with scars that make us come here regularly I suspect, maybe to find solace in the knowledge that others have been through similar ordeals and survived.

Answer 3

I guess so - as a child that didn't know my *** from my elbow regarding things philosophical.
I started to reject it all at age 12 and finally stepped over that line at about 15, even though I was still forced to attend church services by the military. I should have been stronger then. Perhaps that has made my atheism that much stronger now.
Either way, it was the best thing I have ever done for me. The sense of freedom from stupidity was enormous at the time and the satisfaction of being outside the religious loop now is exhilarating. The pity that I have for the gullible weighs on me a little - but not much.

Answer 4

Yes

Answer 5

a million. Are you Christian or an Atheist? - Christian 2. Do you drink or have inebriated alcohol? - sure 3. have you ever achieved drugs? - nope 4. Did you graduate severe college? - yup 5. Do you have a job? if so how plenty funds do you're making an hour? - sure, modern one is $11.30/hour, my new one that i'll with a bit of luck be commencing this week - $25/hour 6. Do you like Steve Urkel? if so how plenty!? i assume, he's large

Answer 6

Yes, until I was about 14.

Answer 7

Yes, from roughly ages 5-9.

Answer 8

I was raised a christian, I went to a private christian school. Then my mother made the mistake of letting me read science books, in 3rd and 4th grade I started questioning my teachers and pastors about the bible and god. Their answers were unsatisfactory, and they kept trying to change the subject. At the end of 5th grade I told my parents that I wanted to be moved to a public school. They were devastated. I ended up getting my way. Once I was out of the brainwashing institution know as private school, I was free to think for myself. I quickly became agnostic till about freshman year in highschool. When I became a freshman, my beliefs changed to that of weak atheism. Now I'm 3 years out of highschool, I'm going to be going to college to become a biologist and am currently a strong atheist.

I forgot to mention just how hard it is to move away from an upbringing like that. You're brainwashed as a child. It's rough to stop believing, but it would have been harder to continue to believe in something so unreal.

Answer 9

Yes.

Answer 10

Yes, I'm a greatful recovering christian.

I started seeing through all the brainwashing and sheer ridculousness of christianity when I was about 12. I was a "searching agnostic" until I was about 18, when I finally accepted that I was an atheist.

Answer 11

Yes, I was Lutheran and I actually used to believe it. Oddly enough, at a time I was so affected by this religion that when I started doubting the existence of God, I felt ashamed of myself. Crazy.