Atheists, did you go straight from the religion you were taught into atheism?

Question

Or did you explore other religions/beliefs first?

Answer 1

I did, but I was already a liberal theist (sort of pantheist worldview). From what I've heard, people who are raised in a more fundamentalist Christian religion are more likely to try to hang on to the god belief by going to a liberal religion.

If you are interested, the links below have a number of "deconversion" stories written by atheists.

Note to people responding: please learn to read English. She asked if you went from "the religion you were taught" INTO atheism.

Answer 2

I was raised in a Catholic family and went to Catholic school. I was pretty hard core when I was little, saying and believing all the right things.

When I realized I was an animal, doubt started to set in and I began to see the harm theism can cause in the real world. I studied and read about many other religions. For quite a long time I was content being a doubting Christian while advocating a secular attitude towards the world. It was about three or four years before I ultimately decided there was no God.

As my worldview matured and I learned more and more things about the world around us, and kept reading about religion and books concerned with the topic, I discovered the word Animism which pretty much encapsulated my value system. Animism, though, is not a religion or a belief system in any way, shape or form.

Depending on the audience and why I would bring it up, I alternately describe myself as an atheist or an animist. Few people have heard of animism, so that, I find, tends to make them more open to discussion.

Answer 3

I believe that the atheists here misunderstood the question. The question was "did you go from the religion you were taught..." not "did you go from a religion and then were taught atheism". I think the author is trying to determine if anyone was a part of a religion, and then went straight to atheism from there, or explored other religions different from the one they began learning. I believe atheists that never had religion are exempt from the question. Sorry if I'm wrong.

Answer 4

Straight to it. I was a Catholic. By the time I was of the age to be confirmed, I had pretty much determined that I didn't believe any of it.

As far as exploring other religions/beliefs, I am reading the Bible, I've read the Koran. I also have several books on witchcraft and paganism. I've long been fascinated with Buddhism from a philosophical standpoint. But all that came later.

edit: Punch, good call! I was reading too fast apparently :)

Answer 5

I was never taught or brought up in any religion. I was given freedom to explore all the belief systems on my own and choose the one that seemed right to me. After reading, thinking, observing and then finally turning 10, I realized that atheism was for me.

Answer 6

I went on a long and bendy spiritual path, exploring various New Age ideas and concepts first (I was Christian when I was very young). Then I explored Buddhism a little bit before I hit on the ideas in Taoism that I'm so interested in today. I dabbled a bit with Taoism before getting serious about studying it, and meanwhile I also was learning a lot about Wicca and various forms of paganism, some of which I practice (the fun stuff).

But ever since reading about the Tao I haven't been able to think of deities the same way since. To me, they've become merely symbols and metaphors and archetypes.

Answer 7

Someone else here said atheists are not sheep like the one who asked this question. It is interesting that we are supposed to be like sheep, as a follower of Christ. In the end, those who follow the True Shepherd will not be separated from the flock, for destruction. I would not brag about not being a sheep...but that is the difference. God calls His followers to be different from the worldly people. God's Ways are foolishness to the ways of man.
Jim L...if I had been endoctrinated into the LDS organization as you had, I would probably be agnostic too...although I have read for myself and have selected an organization which follows the Holy Bible rather than the traditions of man, which are a huge turn-off to religion.

Answer 8

This may not apply to me as much since I am agnostic, but I mainly do not believe in the Christian God.

I was born into an atheist family that did not promote or restrict religion.

I became a Christian on my own later on.

I left Christianity several years later and still clinged to beliefs for a while even though I did not believe in them in my heart.

Eventually I became an Agnostic, and now my hobby is just studying religions of the world. :)

Answer 9

I was raised Baptist. When my children were young I learned about some churches going to church on Sat. I lived in a small town in the bible belt and we did not have much of that around. I studied one of these religions for about a year and decided to go to that church. I went there for about 10 years. After that time is when I became an Atheist. This is where I will stay.

Answer 10

Mostly started baptist christian, Because of my aunt. My dad pretty much let me make up my own mind, But my aunt was right there with a bible every chance she got. I read about other religions but that was as far as the exploring went. I realize religion was pretty silly, at least to me.

Oh and she said "religion you were taught" not "taught into atheism" Slow year reading down.