Why do Christians always assume its some "event" that "made" a person into an Atheist?

Question

Seriously... that would be incredibly childish.

Atheists aren't in "denial" of your god. Atheists aren't "rebelling" against your god. We just don't believe in your god. The vast majority of us never had any kind of "event", we just grew out of it.

Bella, no its not. That question gets asked a hundred times a day on here. So its not "one or two" of you, its many.

Don, that sounds more like a "lack" of an event.

Answer 1

Because their belief system in not intellectually consistent or rational and is, itself, based on specific events (e.g. virgin birth, crucifixion, resurrection) that have no basis in fact and are contrary to human experience and knowledge.

They also, mistakenly, think Atheism is a belief system and that it must, therefore, also be based on some “defining” event or collection of events.

Answer 2

I think the "cause/effect" assumption only applies to atheists that claim to have followed a religion at some point before their conversion. But what exactly is childish about being shaped by any number of "events" throughout our lives...choices, consequences, relationships with others, specific teachers or educational experiences, and more...these things shaped each of us into what we are today.

I think it is a perfectly valid question to ask. If a person at one time truly believed that my God existed AND he really does, then from my perspective, he or she IS in denial and that denial most likely started with rebellion! Something had to have caused them to take that first step away from the faith they had...and then what prompted the second? Like it or not, we're all influenced by our experiences, if you don't want to examine how your experiences might have shaped your beliefs, that's your right of course *smile*...but some people like exploring mysteries and to some Christians at least, it is a mystery how someone could ever turn their back on a personal relationship with the living God.

Answer 3

Because that is often what converted them, or made them become more religious. Millions of Americans suddenly became more religious on 9/11 - which is ironic, because it was religion that caused the event, no matter which theory you accept. Many retreat into religion after someone dies, or join a church when they are lonely and vulnerable and church offers instant friends - that's why churches recruit on campuses.

As well, churches reinforce the myth that atheists are "angry at god," an absurdity that only the twisted logic of faith could accept. Certainly, we should be - if one existed - but it's hard to be mad at something that doesn't exist. Mad at believers for their horrod behavior, well, that's another story.

Answer 4

Ms Fate, I understand what u r saying, but i must say not all Christians believe the same thing, any more than all Atheists do.
Y do u persist in lumping people together, that is bigotry.
I have no problem with ur not believing in my God, & 2 call me childish is very nasty of u.
I don't call u names, although I don't agree with u.
the Bible says u r rebelling against God not me. It was written long before I became born again.
I became a born again believer back in the early 1970's.
If u ever take time 2 think instead of making rash statements u will see u r afraid of facing the truth.
U have nothing to fear from me.
My God, He loves u, He sent His only begotten Son to this earth because of that love, & His Son is returning for the few He can call His friends, I am glad 2 b counted amoung them.

Answer 5

Actually, I can say it was exposure to science books about dinosaurs, the Earth, and the universe that tipped the scales for me. As a young kid (perhaps 9 or 10) I found the whole idea of god, religion, sin, damnation, "being saved", etc, silly and pointless, but I continued to believe out of fear. As soon as I realized there were people in the world who disagreed with the god belief, and that those people weren't struck down by holy lighting for doing so, my thinking changed rather abruptly.

EDIT:
"lack of an event"
Yeah, I guess that's true. Although the theists are still trying to scare me into thinking that the "event" awaits me when I die.

Answer 6

Christians assume that they are so right that someone becomes an atheist due to a personal faith-destroying trauma. They may be overlooking that atheists might not be intellectually convinced about the Bible's reliability and claimed evidences for God's existence.

Answer 7

I was brought up in church and always liked Sunday School as a child. I always loved bible stories and knew that they were stories to teach lessons. I never, related to the immaculate conception, the divinity of Christ (though I believe in him and revere him) or the literal translation of the bible. Not from childhood and not now. So, call me devil spawn, if you will, but there was no event.

Answer 8

Why do SOME Atheist always assume ALL Christians assume some event made them into Atheist.

Answer 9

I think it's because their minds are so steeped in dogma that they can't comprehend someone just simply not believing. Bella: you're so off, sweetie :) The questions asking us what turned us into atheists appear here at least 10 times every single day.

Answer 10

not only that but some of us just never grew into it at all. some of us didnt really have strict religious parents and so we werent growing up with fear.

this led to thinking clearly and well...the rest you can guess

although for some atheists it was an event. some christians are devoted and when bad stuff happens to them they probably question what kind of god would let bad things happen to good people. so actually some christians do have something happen to them that makes them think theres no god.