Atheists, how many of you used to have a religion?

Question

I have atheist friends who used to have a religion, I have atheist friends who were only baptized as children but never actually believed, and also I know atheist people who were never part of any religion, cause their parents were also atheists.

Wich one is you?

Ponting that's not what I asked, are you really that slow or do you love advertising your religion too much?

Answer 1

I'm an agnostic. i don't know if there's a God and never will. Nor will anyone. But, thinking scientifically, (which I try to) there must be a scientific reason for the existance of the universe and us. Following these lines all thinking atheists must be agnostic like me! (Hope that's clear!). Now - follow that argument. Use this hypothesis; if you asked a goldfish if there was a god he/she would say, "Of course there is, who changes the water?" My point is that we have the intellience of a goldfish in the vast universe around us and things unknown. And to create a religion to give answers when they are not known is immature and ridiculous. But of course, nature makes us fear death so we need a God and an afterlife. Or do we?

Answer 2

I was baptized, attended Catholic School for 10 years, attended Church every Sunday, and I did believe some of it. But many of the stories that were told didn't make sense to me and asking questions and wondering whether or not they were true filled me with such guilt and fear of sins and hell that there were times I worried for months that my family would die because of my "religious questioning". My faithful parents had me speak to a "father" about my fears, because I was becoming quite depressed. When he just added to my confusion more by telling my not to fear the very thing I had been taught to fear every day of my life, I started to question whether I was just a bad girl who was destined to burn in hell, because I couldn't control my thoughts, and I couldn't figure out right from wrong. Religion did a real number on me, so my transformation to Atheism was long and at times difficult ~ as I shed my Catholic guilt and fear. I found my freedom through knowledge. The more I read and learned, the more I realized that I wasn't the crazy one after all. It was very liberating.

Every single other person in my family, and extended family (families that were married into), is Christian as well. So this change was resisted even further by them. I found my way here completely on my own and I'm so thankful I did. Not just for myself, but for my children. If I would have "figured it out" too late, after I'd already subjected them to the upbringing I was raised in, I would have been filled with guilt the rest of my days.

I recently read a statistic that was both startling and revealing. It was that only 1 out of 15 children, having been indoctrinated into religion, turn away from it as an adult. I'm thankful to be capable of being a 1, but more thankful that I didn't chance those odds with my own children. While I'll support anything they choose to believe, that's quite different than telling them what they have to believe.... like was done to me.

So, now I'm an atheist who teaches her kids about all things and lets their hearts and minds guide them toward that which they desire to know and experience.

Answer 3

I've never followed any religion. I've been raised by ex-catholic, agnostic parents, I spent 3 years at a presbyterian school, but I never believed in God, since the moment I understood the concept.

Answer 4

I was raised in a Catholic home environment and attended Catholic schools, one day the teacher asked, "Hands up those who want to go into the priesthood"... I put my hand up and teacher said, "I think God has other plans for you".
I chose a co-ed State High school rather than go to an all boys Catholic college where they trained pupils mainly for football or the priesthood.
I left home to go to University and met people from every conceivable background.and finally managed to escape the previous religious immersion of home and I'm very glad I did.

Answer 5

I was born and raised around my family's belief in god and practice in religion. I was pretty much confused but knew I didn't and couldn't believe for me it. I had my grand mother getting me to pray I grew accustom to try it on my own but over a period of time the confusion, became too much eventually stop pretending to believe and felt better when I announced that I'm not christian.

Answer 6

I went to church with my parents when I was younger, but once I started growing up I started to realize that it was all crap,
and I've been atheist for a few months now, or now people know. And I've lost alot of friends over it too which is kinda sad. but I haven't believed for years.

Answer 7

I would say the vast majority of atheists were raised as believers, simply because it's almost impossible escape religion as a child in our culture. It's only when you develop an independent way of thinking that you can shake off this superstition.

Answer 8

i took my roman catholic faith very seriously. in fact it was as a result of trying to manage a difficult point in catholic dogma that i finally left the faith.

my parents and the rest of my family were much less committed believers. it was many years before they joined me outside the church.

i am grateful to my catholic upbringing for many things, but most of all for making me so serious in my believing, since that seriousness was what finally made me an atheist.

Answer 9

I was in the Christian ministry for most of my life and I got to the point that I can't fool people any more with fairy tales... My mind is more realistic , more objective, more fair minded than most preachers, I guess... It came as a shock in my family, the rest of my family is still active in the Gospel ministry! The fairy tale in the Bible became so obvious to me, but not to them... no matter what I tell them... they are totally brainwashed!

Answer 10

My parents were closet atheists in the early fifties and I only found out when I reached the age of 12 and decided for myself (after lots of attendance at Sunday Schools) that it was all cr&p.
Best decision I ever made.
Highly recommended.