I'm curious about the ratio of atheists who were raised in a theistic household (both parents/all guardians were theistic) to those who were raised in a household where at least one parent/one guardian was atheistic.
(I'm an atheist who was raised in a theistic household.)
2007-03-29 16:27:40 · 25 answers · asked by ? 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
My parents were, and still are, Christians.
Atheist raised in theistic household.
2007-03-29 16:30:20 · answer #1 · answered by iamnoone 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
My mother's agnostic, my father's an atheist. All four of my grandparents are theists.
This probably isn't a very accurate cross section of the atheistic community. People wouldn't be here unless they had some interest in religion, which I would expect to be more likely among atheists raised in theistic households.
2007-03-29 23:32:12 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Exactly the same as bill's little one: Agnostic mom, atheist dad. I am an agnostic, and I am definitely more spiritual/mystical than my dad. I don't know where my mom's beliefs lie quite as much, as she is (while a smart woman) not that into religion/philosophy chats. I think a lot of that is because she was raised Presbyterian and her mom was very strict and non-philosophical.
I was taken to all different religious services and all different branches of the religions that were available (lucky to live in the capital of New York state from 5th grade through highschool - though it was a small city, it was diverse because of all the people transplanted from New York and Boston.)
I was never censored for reading material, was encouraged to read all sorts of religious texts, to watch Nova and Bill Moyers, and to make my own decision on things.
2007-03-29 23:49:08 · answer #3 · answered by Kate S 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My parents are both Christians. In fact, they were Sunday school teachers when I was a kid. They quickly realized that the church was not for me, ironically because of how they raised me. They taught me at an early age to feel free to ask any questions and to never except "because I told you so" or anything similar to that effect as an answer. I quickly related that to "because the Bible says it" and "because it is God's will." Finding out the truth about Santa didn't help, because I related one fictional figure to the invisible spirit. They had to take me out of the church because I was being "disruptive" by asking my questions. But my parents are pretty cool about things, and they have always allowed me to form my own opinions on things. They know I'm an atheist, but they don't care as long as I do right by others. Incidentally, they stopped going to church because of the way the church leaders would try to convince them to get me to conform. They are both of the opinion that God is not found only in a church, and my mom has said on numerous occasions that if she wanted to, she could pray to God in the bathroom and that He'd listen just as well there.
2007-03-30 11:38:41 · answer #4 · answered by seattlefan74 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My parents are Catholics, and raised my siblings and I as practicing Catholics. I got confirmed at 18 years of age at the demands of my parents, even though I was already rebelling against organized religion.
I was an atheist when I was 15, fell back to religion when I was 17, and finally gave up organized religion and theism at 18. I wasn't stripped of all of my irrational beliefs until I was 23. I wasn't "out" as an atheist to my parents, close friends, and siblings until I was 25.
On the other side of the coin, I have heard from atheist parents whose children decided to become Christian.
2007-04-02 15:16:27 · answer #5 · answered by psykomakia 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was raised in a theistic household, studied the bible for years and now I am a Satanist!
Does that count?
2007-03-29 23:31:30 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
entire family is theistic. I'm an atheist. Guess I'm a black sheep, lol. I'm also one of the only ones in my family going to college and getting a master's degree and traveling the world, though.
2007-03-29 23:34:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Raised Methodist.
2007-03-29 23:31:41 · answer #8 · answered by Doc Occam 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Im agnostic....so my opinion doesn't count, say hi as you pass me sitting on the fence!!!
Mother was an ex Mormon turned "spiritual" and now athiest, father was an athiest till the day he died of a long battle with cancer. He was a very logical, intelligent man not even swayed by the knowledge of his own impending death.
I am hopeful there is more to come after death but very sceptical...and I think religious documents are mostly stories written by men with little education and passed on and modified over thousands of years.
Ever tried whispering in someones ear, then they wisper in someones ear what they heard and on down the line till it comes out something else entirely...I think the bible is a bit like that.
anyway....good luck with your survey.
2007-03-29 23:48:48 · answer #9 · answered by universatile love 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm an atheist. My brother's a devout Catholic. We were raised in a nominally Protestant household.
2007-03-29 23:31:18 · answer #10 · answered by ivorytowerboy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋