A question for Atheists: Were you once religious and then abandoned those beliefs or were always Atheist?

Question

I used to be religious, but abandoned those beliefs after research into religion.

Answer 1

I was once religious (Messianic Jew), but abandoned those beliefs. Of course, we are all BORN Atheists. Religion gets thrown on us later as we are learning to walk, talk and tie our shoes.

Answer 2

I was born into a fundamentalist family and had rules and superstitions forced on me. I thought it was all ridiculous when I was a child but was so wanting to please people that I actually went to a Bible College when I finished college and due to my mother's "calling" married a preacher against my better judgement. (I remember telling my mom..."I think I'm making a big mistake." My mom kept assuring me it was "GOD's" will and that all things work together for good for those who love "GOD" so I went ahead with the marriage.)

As it turned out, he was having affairs everywhere, had an unnatural attraction to children and once sent a 13 year old a dozen roses. Religious people have only one agenda and that is promoting their religion so that they don't feel alone in the world. Religious people have a great fear of being alone in the universe and can not cope with that reality so God is invented and pushed on their children due to their own fears.

Because their religion is so inefficient, they are always falling down the same stairs again and again and can not in any way practice what they preach. It is physical proof that religion is a failing regime. I knew that as a child but kept hoping there was some truth in it but there is not and I am at peace with myself about that discovery.

Answer 3

I went with the flow as a child although I was never really on board because I didn't go to church because I was not indoctrinated via religious "education". (It's funny how intense the indoctrination must be in order to create the frame of mind necessary to believe the stories in the bible.)

I considered god as an outsider. When you approach any belief system with a clean slate and no preconceived notions it looks much different than it does to someone who takes such beliefs for granted. The only impact god had on me growing up were cultural references and the random true believer who just creeped me out.

Answer 4

I was raised christian by an ordained minister who was also a college professor of biblical interpretation. He encouraged me to find my own answers and to find the truth for myself. When I started studying I found that all religions were flawed. When I talked to him about that he said he'd hoped I would have found my path with christianity, but I had to do what was right for me. And that god would still be there when I decided to come back. That was many years ago. We are now able to sit and have long philosophical debates about the existance of deities. (He's an incredibly intelligent man). My mother, however, is not so open minded about my choices, so we don't talk religion at all.

Answer 5

Abandoned religion after seeing that the religious leaders were hypocrites. Then after a period of examining and questioning, saw that when you get right down to it, there is no evidence whatsoever for any god or religious doctrine and nearly all religious explanations are a bunch of meaningless gobbledygook.

Answer 6

Research is soooo important....!!!

Actually...

In my mind, God got tossed out with...

Santa Clause, The Tooth Fairy, The Easter Bunny, Paul Bunyon, Rip Van Winkle, Zeus & and his whole crazy Greek Family, Puff The Magic Dragon, Tinkerbell, and a plethora of other fictional characters swimming around in the minds of men...

I DO still believe in "The Great Pumpkin," however...

I did some research, and I think HE might be real...!!!

Answer 7

I was religious. I really wanted God to be real, but I was always kind of uncertain, due to there being no evidence of anything they were telling me. My father taught Bible Camp, my Mother led church groups. I was there on summer vacations from school, every Sunday, and sometimes Saturday. I was told not to question God, and rely on faith. I'm afraid my brain got the better of me, because I have abandoned all religious beliefs.


Agnostic Atheist.

Answer 8

Well, sorta. I was raised in a religious household (pastor's kid) Southern Baptist, and did many religious things while in that environment. But from an early age I never really "felt it" like those around me seemed to. So, I searched, tried praying and asking for signs alot, but never got any answers or even the tinyest of signs to let me know what my family and all their friends were worshipping was real. So, no it never was real to me.

Answer 9

I want that lipstick. Not for everyday use, but you know, it could be used in the right setting.

Oh, and I was born atheists and went to church as a teenager because I was lonely and had friends there. I use to piss the youth minister off because I would argue everything with him. I now do not attend church. I like going to different churches for fun sometimes. Like I went to a Catholic church once and that was like a workout. Stand up sit down. Kneel. It's fun to see how people worship and try to wrap your mind around some of the things people swallow.

Answer 10

I was baptised Catholic, but I was too young to understand it. I would submit that there is no such thing as a Christian child, or a Muslim child, or a Hindu child because they don't understand what people are telling them. When I grew old enough to ask questions, I realized I didn't believe in any of it. So while i've been to Catholic Churches, and said the Lord's prayer, spoken the Creed, I wouldn't say I was Catholic. I didn't even know what it meant.