Is there any Christians who became atheist and any atheists who became Christians?

Question

just curious as to what caused you to change beliefs?

Please respect each others choice, be Nice guys No bashing.

Answer 1

Actually quite a few who have gone both ways. Among the more famous Atheist to Christian Converts are C.S. Lewis and William Murray, the son of Madelyn Murray O'Hare.

Answer 2

I became atheist after fifteen years as an adult Christian.

Study of the bible, it's history, church history, issues in cosmology, physics, biology...
Not one proof text or idea that I might simply have wrongly interpreted, but a whole interconnecting framework.
But reading the whole of the bible, and reading what was there rather than what I'd been told, was a big part of it.

The atheistic paradigm makes more sense, even though I still know how to interpret things from the theistic point of view.

(Billiam: I've read the works of Josh McDowell and C S Lewis while a Christian, but didn't find sufficient grounds to remain a Christian)

Answer 3

I was raised Christian Catholic. I questioned religion from a very young age. The answers I received from my Aunt who was a nun sufficed until my mid-twenties. I began believing in reincarnation and it didn't fit with mainstream Christianity. Through life's experiences, a couple decades later and I had to admit I was an atheist. I don't believe in one God or many gods.

Everything became increasingly silly though it wasn't funny as I went through years of anger until I finally let go and let go of god having anything to do with anything. I took responsibility of my decisions, actions, and no actions.

I embraced atheism to let go of anger and it worked. I don't question as much any more ... though I still research for facts. I didn't have to read any philosopher or intellectual crap.

It was a process becoming atheist. I fought against it for years within myself. When I finally made this huge financial decision that was purely Christian Faith based that left me with nothing, that was the final turning point. It wasn't "god's plan". It was my lack of due diligence. Losing my business wasn't the first and only time prayers were not answered or I felt misled by my own spiritual convictions, but it was the last.

I read somewhere that many atheist became atheist after reading the whole bible. I thought that was interesting as I was in that group.

Being atheist amongst a strong Christian family and with Christian friends of varying degrees is not easy, but I was used to being the outsider type. They don't question me because they don't want to know why or perhaps they are afraid. They know I can quote scripture even more so than them.

I keep it low key because of the little children in my more extended family. Christians think they are persecuted by proclaiming their faith, yet they have no idea how much atheist like myself choose to be quiet.

I believe that atheist who have a need to argue with a religious person about the existence of God are in fact NOT true atheist. They are seekers, looking to be convinced of what they don't think they believe. Those are more than likely the stereotyped angry atheist.

For a raised Christian to become atheist is a process. It doesn't happen overnight. It isn't contagious. It doesn't come from a single reading or even many.

Think about what it was that made you the kind of believer that you are. There are a set of circumstances and a process to finally lead to your conviction. It is the same for the non-believer.

Answer 4

I was raised Catholic and I became an atheistic agnostic through logic. As a child I could see the hypocrisy and contradicitons that exist in Chrisitanity, and all religions for that matter.

Answer 5

i know several christians who became atheists, and at least one atheist who became a christian.

on the latter case, it was unusual. he was very certain of his disbelief. but out of the blue, he became an evangelical. i think the regular bombardment by the herd eventually planted a seed of doubt.

Answer 6

I'm atheist. I don't believe in god because there is no proof, no logical explanation of the existence of god. I became an atheist because as a child I realized that there was no one listening when I prayed.

Answer 7

I was raised mormon, I became atheist when I realized that religion doesn't make any sense
Christian doctrine seems ridiculous to me. I personally don't believe in any sort of higher power, but if I did it wouldn't be the Christian God

Answer 8

Two famous Atiest to Christian conversions are Josh McDowell and Lee Strobel.
They have both written books on why they changed their mind.

Can you sense the anger from the Atheists? I'm not bashing... just an observation.

Answer 9

The truth about Christianity drove me away from it. Religion is a lie.

Answer 10

I was an Atheist throughout my teens until God smacked me upside the head (figuratively) and made Himself so *present* in my life that I could no longer deny Him. He dragged me in kicking and screaming, I put up quite the fight, but in the end He won. (Not that I'm complaining about it now!)