Atheists, before identifying yourself as an "atheist", what pre-conceived notions did you associate with...

Question

usage of the word?

(this question is directed, of course, to atheists that were once adherents to some form of the theistic religion)

I myself had only heard the word used in a negative context, and I generally lopped atheists into the same category as theistic satanists and the like (which were all oh so despicable :p ) without really knowing what the term meant.

Answer 1

I really just didn't know... I hadn't heard alot about atheism. They were not made "evil" in my home growing up, in fact, I'm pretty sure I was an atheist before I had ever heard the word. I didn't know it was an option, and felt like I was the only one, with no word to describe me....

Answer 2

I had much the same experience that you did. I was raised a Christian, and an Atheist was always something bad, it had much the same feel as hippie, although much more negative. An atheist was someone who not only had no morals, but wanted everyone else to have none as well. Needless to say, things changed once I questioned all the BS that had been shoved down my throat over the years. In fact, I've done an about face: Christian holds almost the same degree of negativity that atheist once did.

Answer 3

Before I knew what an atheist actually was the only thing I would hear were negative. Devil worshipers, intolerant, selfish, ignorant, and anything else that people could think of to make them sound like horrible people. However being the person I am I took the time to find out what the word meant and realized that all the time people were saying these nasty things they were talking about me!

Answer 4

I remember my father telling me that he was an atheist when I was a little child. I had asked him why he didn't go to church with us. He explained that he didn't believe in God, but it was okay if I wanted to. He was my beloved Daddy, so I didn't think it was a bad thing at all. The older I got, the more he talked about it, but I was rooted in Christianity at that time and I actually felt a little sorry for him. I moved from church to church, searching for the religion that was right for me. The Baptist church was too strict and inflexible, the Congregational church believed in the Trinity and to me that was wrong and when I tried to understand it by asking questions, I was told that it was a mystery and I would understand it when I died. Then I became a Mormon, and my dad was really distressed about that. He talked more about atheism and he wanted me to read Darwin. So, at the age of 16 I read "On the Origin of Species" and he was supposed to read the Bible, but he never did. Darwin did open my eyes, though. And when I rejected the Mormon religion, I studied the Bible myself for five years. I came to the conclusion that the Bible was very wrong in many areas. My father's atheism made more sense all the time. Since I had not had any bad preconceptions of atheism, I was ready to seriously consider it myself.

atheist

Answer 5

A few years ago I couldn't understand how anyone could be an atheist. I thought it was for very closed minded people. Then I started looking into what neuroscience had to say and within a short time I considered myself an atheist, because every reason I had for believing in a nonphysical soul was demolished by arguments from neuroscience.

Answer 6

Well Queen, I was raised in the South, so I probably fit any ones pre-conceived notions . It is a wonder my wife puts up with me. I own a Chevy 2500HD, a Chevy 3500HD. I own guns. I have a car in the yard up on blocks. I have a tractor. I listen to country, blue grass, and southern gospel music. I believe in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. Oh and I live in a mobile home.

Answer 7

Some say I was born a Catholic, but I know that I was born naked. The Catholic religion taught me that nonbelievers were the most loathsome slugs ever to walk the planet. You didn't associate with them in any way, shape, or form. Atheists ate meat on Friday during Lent! Those terrible heathens!
Carl Sagan's Cosmos and many books on science and skepticism changed all that...Thank...er...the stars!

Answer 8

THE WORD ATHEIST WAS SPOKEN IN HORROR IN MY COUNTRY.IT WAS LIKE SAYING "THE WORST CRIMINAL".THE PROBLEM WAS THAT I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY.IT HAS A CLEAR DEFINITION AND I HAD REJECTED THE BIBLE AND THE CHURCH-BEFORE I READ THE BOOK-.I BECAME A CHRISTIAN FOR 2-3 YEARS WHEN 20 YEARS OLD-ALCOHOL- AND FINALY I WAS ABLE TO SAY I'M AN ATHEIST AT 26.EVERY NEW CYCLE HAD MORE QUALITY THAN THE PREVIOUS ONES

Answer 9

Before I became an atheist, I had no preconceived notions of what atheists were except people who did not believe in any gods.

I still do not have any preconceived notions of what atheists are beyond that simple definition.

Answer 10

I know what you mean I was raised old school Catholic when it was a sin to look at another religion but over the years have become a well informed atheist.