I've noticed that quite a few people on here that are now Atheists....?

Question

Were once devout in their religion, and even went to "bible college".

So why does this seem to be a trend? If anyone viewing this question has had this experience, could you explain to me why your mind changed? If you haven't, then your thoughts are most welcome as well!

Oh I know that there has always been a switch from one side or to the other, that is not what I am asking. But what I am asking is specifically about the trend in people coming out of bible college as atheists.

Bratnumb...you are an imbecile.

Answer 1

Studying the bible makes many realize just how silly it is.

Answer 2

I was raised as a fundamentalist Christian, but now I'm no longer Christian... or an atheist.

My change of mind took a very long time and a lot of investigation. One of the big events that got me thinking was when my best friend from high school was shot and killed. He was Jewish, and since he was an "unbeliever" I had been taught that he would go to hell. I could not believe that God would be so cruel to send my friend, who was very devout and studying to be a Rabbi, to hell. I couldn't believe God would do that to sincere people of other faiths, either. I continued to believe in Jesus, but became a more liberal Christian who thought that perhaps the Christian God would not always send people to hell if they sincerely did what they thought was correct according to the faith they were raised in.

But this question about hell was not the only one that bugged me. Over time, many more surfaced. When I looked into those, and then when I started learning other things about history, science, and other religions, I began to see how incorrect and manipulative my former religion had been.

There's a lot more to it than just this, but that's probably enough for now.


Psycho said:
"One cannot look at the history and sociology of religion and mankind without coming to the conlusion that it's junk."
Now this I have to disagree with. I've looked at the history and sociology of religion as well, and although it does show that many organized religions have become as they are for political or otherwise very un-spiritual reasons, one other aspect of religious history suggests to me that it's not all junk: religious experiences. Yes, I know that some people write all of these off as hallucinations, but if you really look into the issue more closely, it's just not that simple. There are some very real ways in which people are helped by religious experiences, and sometimes the results of those experiences provide a vision which can help a large portion of society. When these experiences become codified into a restrictive dogma is where the problems begin, IMO.

For what it's worth, I would encourage anybody who wants to look into religious experiences to read psychologist William James' classic text on this issue: The Varieties of Religious Experience.

Answer 3

I was never devout in any religion. I was (or thought I was) agnostic for awhile, toyed with Paganism a bit, but I could never quite wrap my mind around the whole deity thing. At the very most, if we were "created," then our "maker(s)" has no interest in us outside of perhaps a morbid fascination...

I create things every day. Sometimes I look at them, sometimes I scrutinize them, and sometimes I just hit the handle and flush them down.

There was a great segment in A Beautiful Mind - at one point, Russell Crowe and another character are talking about God (or gods? I don't quite remember and can't find a description online) and Crowe says something like, "to a cockroach, a human is a supreme being. When was the last time you conversed with a cockroach?"

That's sort of how I feel. I don't believe there are deities...but even if there were, what makes us so arrogant as to think that they'd want anything to do with us, that they'd even care that we exist? Or that we are anything more than maggots flying around on a heap of flotsam in the universe?

Answer 4

I was on the fence for a while. Then I went into the field of Theology, studied various religions and religious history, and I realized that religion is merely a social construct with no real truth to be found.

For most people, knowledge is the kicker.

"But what I am asking is specifically about the trend in people coming out of bible college as atheists."

Well, you give one enough information about the history of religion, and it's almost a sure thing that Atheism will follow. One cannot look at the history and sociology of religion and mankind without coming to the conlusion that it's junk.

Answer 5

I dont feel it is a trend. Some are just not afraid of saying so anymore. Where I live if I were to randomly go advertising my lack of faith, I would be publicly humiliated etc. I am somewhat quiet about it but no longer totally silent. I never went to Bible college but after studying the Bible I figured out it could not be true. Since my faith was totally bible-based well it all just went hand in hand

Answer 6

It is interesting to point out that Jesus never started a bible college and the disciples that He selected for the most part probably had a rather poor educational background. I suppose it is the process of the educational environment itself, stressing what can be understood with the mind, that inadvertantly drowns out the faith that comes from hearing God's word. I know that I myself am very leary bible colleges and would not consider going to one. I much prefer that God lead me into the truth per Jesus promise in John 16, than depend on the fallible conclusions of men who just come to logical conclusions.

BTW - 1 Timothy 6:20-21 says "O Timothy! Guard what was committed to your trust, avoiding the profane and idle babblings and contradictions of what is falsely called knowledge - by professing it some have strayed concerning the faith."

Answer 7

You are very observant. I personally believe that the teaching is one sided and not for God's benefit in the least in public education. If you have ever read the Humanist Manifestos you will see that the statements in those documents is becoming true in government, and in secular society. Even in places that are religious. You probably already knew that Yale and Harvard were once religious schools. But that was usurped ages ago by secularism.

I never hesitated or changed my mind since I became a believer years ago. But it has been sad that over the years, so few of us are left who hold onto the faith of our fathers that is living still.

I remember an episode in Start Trek where Captain Kirk and Spock broke away from a god. And in the last scene. The god mourns and says to other Gods who left long ago that they were right. For man there is no room for the gods.

Answer 8

That should signify to you that the things that Christians are saying about bible colleges and religion are true, and that even though young people are being attacked by those teaching atheistic philosophies in a devious manner in the place where believers believe they will learn how to minister the word of God there is still faith and converts to the faith once delivered, the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer 9

It's pretty simple...I was raised an evangelical and attended a Christian school when I was younger. I always had doubts about my faith and whenever I asked them I was either met with disapproval and instructed to have "faith like a child" when it came to my relationship with God. Either that, or I was faced with stock answers like "the Lord works in mysterious ways" or "we just aren't meant to know everything" or "God's just testing our faith." I was scared to give my doubts too much thought because I didn't want to make God angry or make my parents angry. The older I got, though, the bolder I became in vocalizing my skepticism and I allowed myself to question the world around me more and more. Eventually I just simply came to the conclusion that the way I was raised is irreconcilable to logic. But even though I've "given up on God," as some might say, and I feel freer because of it, it doesn't mean that I've given up living ethically and treating others with love and respect.

Answer 10

I'd venture to say that a complete reading of the Bible would turn most people away from that God.

Most of the major religions do a fine job of turning people away as well.

Answer 11

After studying it I realized how ridiculous the whole story is and everything that happened in it. Not to mention it was written by man and man cannot be trusted. Though, it is a good piece of literature.