Question for Atheists...?

Question

I've heard many say things to the effect of "I don't believe in God because I grew up / learned to think for myself / came into reality..."

My question is, were you raised in a home with practicing Christian parents? (I was raised in a home where we went to church on holidays, that was about it. ) And when I say "practicing Christian parents," I mean did your parents put Christ as the foundation at home?

I'm not being flippant or insulting and I'm not trying to "figure you out." I'm just curious. Thanks.

To Al M - Thanks. I stand corrected.

Answer 1

I am an agnostic.

You need to be aware that an Athiest is not someone who rejects Christianity, but someone who rejects ALL religions ... Christianity, Judaism, Muslim, Druids, Sun Gods, Buddhists, Sikh, you name it.

Belief in God is not a matter of intellectual reasoning, but of faith. It is like LOVE. You love someone because of what is in your heart, not because you have reasoned out with logic that it makes sense.

Answer 2

Yes, I was raised in a house with a practicing Christian parent. We went to church every Wednesday and Sunday and the first book I read from was the bible when I was four.

True maturity in life comes when you learn 2 things.

1. You cannot change other people, you can only change the way you react to them.

and the most important thing you learn is:

2. You can never erase, or forget, your past but you can make the decision to blaze your own path to success and happiness.

I shed Christianity because of the blatant hypocrisy while still a child. I came to be an atheist because of decades of learning of the world's history and the role that all religions have played in the torture and death of mankind.

Hope I helped you "figure" me out, a little.

Answer 3

Well, I was raised in a Jewish home. My mom's side of the family is Christian and my dad's is Jewish. My paternal grandmother is extremely well-known in her synagogue, goes to the synagogue every Saturday (at the least), and has been a pillar of that community for many many years. One of my mother's sisters is a fairly devout Baptist (this happened about a few years ago, before that religion wasn't really as important), goes to church every week, participates in church groups and activities, etc. In my parent's household, however, religion never really had a place. We'd celebrate hanukkah and rosh hashunah (sp?) and yom kippur (sp?), and we'd usually go to the synagogue on holidays, too. Other than that, we never really talked about religion or god or anything like that. I came to be an atheist on my own. When I was a child I tried so hard to make myself believe in god but never actually did believe. I realized in my teens that I shouldn't have to make myself believe and that it was an option to not believe in god. That's how I got to where I am now.

Answer 4

I went to church nearly every Saturday growing up. My family used to take time study the Bible on the weekends as well. We were very religious.


I would study on my own every so often. I prayed before every meal, and any other time that I thought appropriate. I even went to a private Christian school for a little bit, know what I found? That the local public school had more accepting peers!


As I've grown older I have found many contradictions and horrors in the Bible and of those who practice it. My journey to becoming an atheist wasn't overnight, but rather a realization over several years of slowly disappearing belief.

Answer 5

I was raised by Christian (Presbyterian) parents, and I went to church every Sunday (except while on the road or when sick) between being born and moving into the college dorm. I became WAY too obsessed with the religion when I was 14/15, during the depths of my depression. I denied that evolution happened, argued that there was no way in hell that Jesus got married, had kids, or was gay, and I begged and pleaded with God constantly to get out of depression. Nothing worked until I went on medication.
I figured things out from 17 on. Took almost three years, but I'm atheist now. :)

Answer 6

My folks were the definition of 'practicing Christians'. Church at least once a week, more often than not twice or three times. A specific time set aside to read and study the Bible, prayer before meals, before bed, after waking up, always participating in church activities...

So yeah, I was raising in a 'super Christian' hope, and became an Atheist after all that.

Answer 7

Raised in Catholic home Catholic school. Attended mass 6 x/wk plus holidays. Was taught not to have any questions or even to wonder about any other way than what i was taught. I started reading and learning and haven't stopped. If you research it all it just doesn't make sense any more. It's all religious addiction and nonsense.And yes I have studied the bible and I don't believe it is the word of God.

Answer 8

We went to church and Sunday school every week. Not much 'practicing' at home, but my mother was and is an avid believer. It wasn't until high-school when I began researching all manor of things and actually read the whole Bible that I became agnostic, and later an atheist.

Answer 9

My parents were Methodists who took us to church every Sunday against our will. In the home, we focused on schoolwork, discussed science and current events and I had a well rounded upbringing.

So no, I was not raised in a crazed, Jesus-First! household. My parents were logical.

Answer 10

Yes - church every Sunday