Are there any Christians here who were once Atheist or Agnostic who converted to Christianity?

Question

If so would you like to share your story or testimonial? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

I fell out of faith when I was 14 and not required to attend church. I was never ready to completely give up the idea of a creator. I delved hard core into physics. I was so immersed, Quantum Mechanics became a familiar friend. From that, I began seeing parallels with religion and science. Certainly the two must agree somewhere if both are true. I know there are things which the five senses cannot detect, but I pressed on. I later read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis. It described how he went from being Atheist to having faith. He reasoned that all things were too perfect to be an accident. I immediately thought of dinosaur bones. It would be absurd to imagine that rocks could form themselves into animal shapes that never existed. It was also absurd to me to think the universe always was, like Buddists and Hindus believe. Life has a beginning and an end, so should the universe. Laws of nature must remain consistent or be improved. There is no valid reason for regression of laws. I thought about why there should be a God. Christians believe He is holy and deserving of worship. I agree. Anything capable of building a universe from scratch is worthy of praise. But it didn't satisfy me, enough. Why should Jesus be Christ? Back in the OT, every prophet carried some kind of miracle. Joseph was kept safe. Moses is the most prolific prophet of the OT. Joshua lived a righteous life. David was blessed. Each had something very special. Jesus performed so many miracles they could not all be included. But is that reason enough? Muhammed is claimed to be a prophet. Certainly knowledge is a gift, but he used it to slander. I came back to Christianity, not for fear of going to hell, but because I have absolutely no doubt that Jesus is the Messiah. He will return. He loves you more than you know.

Answer 2

The assumption that all Christians were brain washed from birth and never question their faith is pretty popular with many people who don't believe. Thank you for posting your question. I hope some former atheist has the courage to speak up. I was raised a Christian but had doubts in my early teens. My grandfather had studied the Bible his entire life so I took my questions to him. I was surprised that he told me not to blindly accept what was taught or told to me but to research and find my own answers. I did just that. I can understand both the non believer and the believer. After considering both sides I concluded that there is more reason too believe then there is not to believe. After all is said and done the fear that there is a God drives the atheist to attack those of faith. At best all they have to look forward to is non-existence. So why else are they so confrontational? What drives the Christian is a sense of moral obligation to save them from hell. After life on earth there is a wonderful eternal life to look forward to.

Answer 3

I was raised Catholic and left at 15, I was agnostic for about 10 years. Then at about 24, I started reading the Word trying to refute a Jehovah's Witness' beliefs. God really does have a sense of humor lol Anyhow, It got me to reading His word, and after alot of resistance over the course of a few months, I finally accepted Jesus to be my Lord. As I look back, I see certain people and things in my life where God has been reaching out to me all that time. I have such freedom now that I know who my creator is and what He has done so I and everyone else may live. Amen! Gods peace to you and great question!

Answer 4

I did. The process took around 15 years. Long story. I read the entire Bible (including the so-called "Apocrypha"). I read lots of stuff. The writers who made the biggest differences were Pirsig ("Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance"), Solzhenitsyn (various works), Dostoevsky ("The Brothers Karamazov"), and C.S. Lewis (the non-fiction). Later, Kallistos (Timothy) Ware. I'm Eastern Orthodox. No, I don't have ethnic ties to Eastern Orthodoxy -- ethnically I'm a northern European mixture.

Answer 5

I was not raised with any firm religious upbringing, and when I was 18 or so, I did consider myself an agnostic. But even though no one else cared, I wasn't satisfied with it internally. I knew there was more out there, I just didn't know where to look. I looked in some strange directions. But God called me His way. When I was ready to hear, He gave me His word, and I haven't gone back since. I'm 36 now.

Answer 6

I wasn't really atheist or agnostic, just had no specific interest in religion.

I didn't grow up religious. My mother is a spiritual agnostic -- she doesn't acknowledge the existence of a Creator, but she believes in energy, spirits, Tarot, Chakras ... you get the picture. My father is a Pagan; he's been practicing for almost 30 years and follows the Egyptian pantheon.

Neither of my parents ever brought me up into their religion. They basically told me that God was different things to different people, and I'd have to determine what God was for myself one day. I didn't honestly give it very much thought until I was about seventeen, when I started attending church with a friend. I wasn't sure about everything that went along with Christianity, but the teachings of Christ appealed me to first thing.

After doing alot of study, I found most of the Old Testament to be allegory and symbolic; and I found most of Paul's New Testament teachings to be hateful and contradictory to the teachings of Jesus that had become so important to me. Basically, I decided to put everything I wasn't sure of off to the side and try following Jesus's commandments -- to love God with all my heart, and to love other people as myself. And not to sound corny -- but wow, what a difference that made in my life. I felt close to God, and I felt a closer, better relationship with the world as well. After two years, I decided to follow Christ -- not the church, and not other followers. I've been happy and content ever since. Many other people don't quite understand my logic, and I've been accused of hypocrisy by other Christians, but I just continue to live by those two basic rules.

Answer 7

Kirk Camerons of the world! People who became atheists for all the wrong reasons then turned to Christianity.

Answer 8

I would like to say God bless those Christians who used to be atheist or agnostic and have come to the truth. I hope that you guys realize that God really can use you guys to draw in more souls to the Kingdom. You guys really have a testimony that cannot be denied. God bless you guys!!

Answer 9

All of them...You are not born a believer in Christ, you become one. I was an agnostic for 37 years before I picked up a bible one day and started reading it...I knew the words I was reading were living words and I wanted so much to know if they were true....I went to God with a sincere desire to know the truth...I searched for him, just like the scripture says,,,with all my heart and soul and many tears...He answered my pleas...

I was saved in 1980 and I have never looked back...You couldn't pay me enough money to go back to the life I had before..I love serving God and I love Jesus so much for dying for me on that cross...He gave his life freely,,,he didn't have to do that,,but he did..He loves me and he loves you that much.

Answer 10

I had a 'burning bush' moment. My son was suicidal, my husband was diagnosed with cancer, my daughter started having seizures, and I was suffering severe depression and felt as if life was spiraling out of control.
I fell to the floor in a heap of sobs, in what could be classified as a nervous breakdown, and I heard God, I felt God. He told me He was here with me, and I could feel him envelope me.
My heart stopped racing, I could breathe. I got up, took a shower, fixed my hair, put on makeup and made dinner. All that was there before was still there, but my burdon was lighter.
Sadly, though, it was another year before I finally gave myself to him.