If you are an atheist now were you ever a believer and if so, what religion were you.?

Question

I saw a question that made me think, I wonder if most of you were Christians. Christianity is the most absurd and hate filled, in my opinion. The wonderful Christians who are intelligent enough not to take the bible literally would not be the cause of anyone turning away from God. Do you agree?

I'll bet not one atheist was Wiccan or Buddhist. Why? Because those beliefs do not claim to be the ONLY right way. Those beliefs do not judge based on some idiotic 2000 year old book.

Or were you always atheist? Did you just never see any reason to believe in a supreme being?

I have often wondered if man hasn't always needed a supreme being to offer answers to question for which there are no answers. Not on this side of life anyway.

Hi Lokasenna I knew you were Asatruar but I thought that was more Pagan than Wicaan.

Answer 1

I was raised and baptised by my southern baptist preacher father and music minister mom. I attended several different xian schools, memorized scriptures and apologized in front of the congregation for stealing candybars. The behavior of christians, as I observed it, includeing my own didn't reflect what was taught that they were supposed to act like. But that's not why I became an atheist. So far science has been the only reliable source of answers to big questions that have plagued my mind like...."where did we come from" "why did a good person die, when bad people live and prosper" . And I truly searched myself and appealed to whatever god or gods might be listening to make themselves known to me so I can happily worship them and be a very faithful follower. But no answer ever came. I therefore concluded I was either not wanted, or no one was there to hear me. The latter made more sense and allowed me to skip the feelings of devine rejection.

Answer 2

I was raised to be Catholic, although I attended a Baptist school for a while.

I can't really claim that I was ever a believer. I'm sure that as a child I must have assumed that whatever I was told was right, but I don't know if that constitutes belief. By the time I was old enough to ever really consider the issue, I couldn't find anything believable in religion. It was all based on some very old and contradictory stories written by people, and people have a demonstrated ability to generate fiction. Also, those same people had no idea about the causes of disease, atomic nature of matter, scale of the universe, forces behind lightning or the sun, etc. I am supposed to take their word on an issue as big as the ultimate force behind the universe?

Sorry, I'm afraid I can't be gullible just because it may be comforting.

Answer 3

I was raised a Catholic, I am now atheist/agnostic. I see too many fundamental floors when I look at the teachings in their entirety, I am have been thrown even more doubt over the actual history of the faith and its apparent changing of views over the centuries. I mean Inquisitors, and the burning of heretics, these days no catholic would admit to condoning this behavior. This is one of many changes in doctrine.

I have broken 7 of the 10 commandments at some time in my life im sure. Why is it I would not wish someone cast in to the fiery pits of hell? surely I am a sinner. Maybe I simply believe I am an affront to God, fear his wrath and dont want to believe, I don't know.

I have however taken on morals taught to me through religion, and still live my life by them.

I think its possible there may be greater cause if we give ourselves one in life, but I do not believe in a perfect entity that created us, and we must prove ourselves too.

Answer 4

I was raised as a Baptist. My path to atheism was one of searching and questioning, including reading the bible cover-to-cover and not being happy or satisfied with its answers.

However, your bet concerning Wiccans and Buddhists would be a lost one. I know several atheists who were formerly followers of those, and they left for the same reason I left: because there is insufficient evidence for belief. Wiccans, in particular, often discover their rituals have no more effectiveness than prayer, and hence discard them as silly. However, I will grant that neither is as hate-producing as the Christian mythology.

Answer 5

if there is a god and a devil, they must be sitting at a table right now playing chess and deciding our faith in the game. obviously, the divil is winning and god can't do a thing about it. hear this: there is a god, who watches us upon every act we do, everywhere we go he is there, he follows all our steps, sometimes he claims, he carries us on his back, watching ...watching and watching us and is always ready to punish us for what we think, do or say, or touch, when we do what is not pleasant to him , and gives us a devil to tease us in revenge, for eating a bite of an apple, and make our lives miserable, and he is suffering about our suffering, but what the heck for him, and then burn in hell if we are not strong enough to sustain, but he made us so weak! and a sinner if one complains, he!, who gave us his blood for our sins, still he wants us to earn it, or else one is sent to hell, but...he loves us? hummmm... am i an atheist? not really, I think there is something going out there that we don't have control about and we don't understand. but religion, in my opinion was created to control the masses and profit from it too. is like having your cake and eating it too! i don't believe in religion or any religious person (except for mother theresa) besides, no one can avoid sin, forget about that! we are doomed anyways. that i have experienced miracles, yes!, but also big trials. so everything goes down to chance. yet, the bible is good to read because it gives us great advice on how to be human and kind to one another, so our lives will be more comfortable. these wise men ( with special talents, as many of us have too, but not that ammazing as them) who wrote it, thought about what was good for us. and about the appocalypse, this is all the mystery and the great fear. future predicted. some kind of thing. in any ways, after puting my thinking cap on, and after deep thoughts, i think that from now on i'll better be safe that sorry.

Answer 6

Actually, I'm Pagan and athiest. Many Buddhists are also athiests. They aren't mutually exclusive, you know.

However, I stopped believeing in an omniscient, supernatural being around the age of 9. That was during a religiously ambivalent phase in my life.

Answer 7

i'm getting the psychology of why they suspect yet no longer the rational so no. i do no longer go searching and spot the writer. I see nature in easy terms. they might cite the butterfly, kittens, newborn toddlers, sunsets, and rainbows yet they supply the impact of being to forget the butterfly death interior the spider cyber web, toddlers who're born with terrible delivery defects or ailments, the thoroughly organic reasons we've for a manner those issues artwork. they could hotel to introducing a clean fictional character without data for issues like delivery defects, affliction, "evil" on an identical time as science components logical reasons supported via information. they only argument they have in any respect that i could at one time form of see is the beginning of the universe. the genuine answer nonetheless is purely we don't understand. A naturalistic clarification is extra probably to me purely as a naturalistic clarification replaced our concept demons brought about epilepsy, Zeus threw lightening, sin brought about ailment, etc.... i inspect the very foundation of the predator/prey equipment the international relies upon and good judgment precludes this style of god maximum folk are peddling at any fee.

Answer 8

I was a very devout baptist, baptised and active in the church until I was enlightened and realized that all religions are just manmade mythologies some old farts came up with 2000 years ago or more, and were embellished over and over; religion has no place in modern times, unfortunately most people have not yet evolved into modern man.

Answer 9

I was raised as a strict Christian and studied the bible for 16 years, but i was never a believer.

I am now agnostic. It just never made sense, and the spewing of false doctrines mixed in just makes everything even less believable.

Answer 10

I was raised in the Episcopal church, which is kind of 'Catholic Lite'. While I don't consider myself to be an athiest and I definitely believe in a higher power, angels, etc., my beliefs have shifted from the teachings and dogma of the Episcopal church to something more personal better reflect my experiences and observations about life.