Are there general difference between Atheists who were born into Atheism and those who chose Atheism after...?

Question

being deeply religious? Have you noticed trends and what are they?

Hmmm, apparently I need to clarify. "Born into Atheism" - born into a family of Atheists and raised as an Atheist.

Answer 1

I think the ex-religious have a deeper disappointment and disgust about religion.

I'm a smoker. Not one non-smoker has ever bugged me about that. Many ex-smokers have. It somehow works the same with religion probably.

To say it a little more blunt. To me, born and raised atheist, religion is like a funny freak show most of the time. I simply don't understand it. To many ex-religious people, religion is a horror show.

I see many ex-christians being seriously hurt by Christianity, they seem truly angry at Christianity.

I don't know if it's a trend, of course. It's just what I see on Y!A.

Answer 2

Well, it just depends on the way they were raised.

Those who were not born into Atheism may have more resentment towards religions because they may have been forced to go, had trouble handling what they were raised to believe was not true, or they are being rebelious. There are many possibilities. However,after their bout with religion they may have searched far and wide and learned a lot about this said religion. Their knowledge of the religion may have caused them to stray away from the religion because it does not seem possible that it could exist due to various contraditions and it just sounding silly etc.

People born into atheism (like myself) were most likely just never pressured into becoming religious and had the choice left up to them. I became a christian once, and then left it. I'm now happily agnostic. People born into Atheism may feel like they were raised better and are more intellegent than those who believe in "fairy tales" or they may be extremely accepting because they just don't care.

It's all up to the person. I can't say that I've seen an unwavering pattern, but those are my observations.

Answer 3

Well it's hard to say from having only one of those perspectives. (I was born and raised an atheist.) I don't notice too much difference really. If anything maybe some that became atheists are still as adamant about their opinion, and thinking others should change, just as much as they were as a believer. Probably just an old mindset that is hard to wear off.

But, however, they are probably the most easily vocal and help give atheists in general a voice when us 'born intos' may have just grown up with the concept that you hide what you are and just put up with any crap.

Answer 4

Religious or not, folks that believe as they were taught, are like parrots. You can teach a child that the world is round for 12 years, and when he graduates high-school, he probably still won't have a solid mental image of a globe in his mind. But, if he seriously tries to draw a picture of the moon, he will develop his own, personal image that won't get confused with the memorized, superstitious opinions of others.

Trying to explain, or teaching your own personal image, (moon or belief system) forces your mind to solidify that concept. And the difference between a parrot reciting memorized sounds, and atheist who actually has a concept in his head is monumental.

Fundamentalists are parrots, also. Atheists without a clue, and Fundamentalists with a cut and paste mentality are equidistant from God, and maturity.

Answer 5

The difference is that an atheist that was always one doesn't care much whether others are or not, but some one who becomes one will try to convince everyone that they now have it right. Same as some one who found their religion later will always try and convince others that they have now found the truth. Just like a reformed smoker will be harder on other smokers than those who don't, and never did. And a reformed alcoholic will be harder on drinkers than a non-drinker. Just the way it is.
Me, I say each to their own. And even if I don't agree with their opinion, I will defend their right to hold it.

Answer 6

I don't really know all that many atheists. My father was one for many years until he got older but he certainly didn't have any atheist friends that I am aware of. I probaby know more pagans than atheists---and I am a Christian. Go figure.

Of the few that I DO know, the trend I have seen is that they tend towards atheism in their youth and middle age. As they become aged, oftentimes they find religion.

Answer 7

The definition comes from a nicely time-honored atheist, as a result i will in basic terms think of it being a not so veiled grievance to pantheism as a "made over" and extra glamourous (or sought after) version of atheism. the version between the two, aside from the obtrusive language conflict between pan- and a-, is the commencing factor; atheists think of there is not any god in besides, subsequently no debate on him/her/that's needed. Even the definition of atheist is amazingly absurd, in case you think of roughly it, for what might take place if all people have been defined by ability of what one isn't or would not have self assurance in? we would have a-dragonists, a-winnipooists, a-spidermanists, a-pinkelephantists etc. A pantheist, on the different hand, believes the entire universe is god and god is in each and every thing . In doing so, he/she denies the existence of a transcendent deity, that's on the backside of each and every faith from monotheist to pagan, subsequently Dawkins' odd simile.

Answer 8

It seems that,to me, the older an atheist is(not age wise) the more calm they are. It seen like the newer the convert the more anger seem to be involved. I have also noticed the newer they are to Y!A . the more they have to prove. I have gained a new respect for the atheist and I know the main difference is nothing more that philosophical.difference.

Answer 9

Ex-Christians who (de)convert are like former smokers.

We can't stand the smell of it and we tend to be very vocal about it when someone lights up. And we have more of a tendency to be 'preachy' or evangelical about it, possibly due to having once been Christians.

My experience is a little different. Raised agnostic, converted after my father remarried, and then deconverted as an adult, after spending a decade as a 'born again'.

Answer 10

As an ex-christian turned atheist, I think that atheists who have actually experienced organized religion are probably a little more zealous in arguing against it. However, its harder to argue against an atheist who was once religious. For those who were born into atheism, its easy to write them off because they've never been to church and read the bible.