Question to Godless Heathens: What Made You Become Atheist?

[Free Soviets]

i remember wondering about the genesis story at 8 years old - where were the dinosaurs? a year or two later, i met a kid from a hindu family. and i wondered why jesus had only showed up in palestine and not in india...or china or south america or anywhere else, now that i thought about it. i was still going to church every week, but i started thinking of my religion more like a kind of ritual with a story involved - one i knew wasn't literally true - rather than some sort of participation in divine truth or whatever. by the time i was 13, i'd decided that the story wasn't even very good, and the ritual was boring.

and then i wondered about evidence. and realized all religions have the exact same amount.
none at all.

or at least, nobody seemed to be able to convince anyone else in any large-scale way without simply conquering them and converting by force. which seemed like an inherently unlikely scenario if religion was supposed to be so very important.

[Genivaria]

In relevance to the OP's question; How is it relevant?

He was born an atheist. Then he was converted to Christianity, becoming a theist. Then he read the Christian Bible and stopped believing in the Christian God, thus becoming an atheist once again.

Objecting to some parts of one of the many theistic religions doesn't seem a very good reason to abandon all those religions and theism itself. Not that I'm suggesting that people who do this aren't "real" atheists, just that there's a pretty big hole in that reasoning.

What reason is there to believe in any of them? Why do you think I should have sought out another religion?
I see no reason to.

[Grave_n_idle]

I read the bible.

I was raised up in a religious conservative family.

Then I hit 14 and realized that I had never really felt God. Or "talked" or "had a relationship" with him, and that I had never actually been a very strong Christian. I still held on, believing that I was just doubting or whatever.

Then I read the Bible.

same question i asked the OP. why didn't you give reconstructed hellenismos a try? or shinto? how did the bible make you dismiss all the other options?

If you've come to the conclusion that one claimed 'truth' is not all it's cracked up to be, you're likely to at least skeptical about other claims.

Especially when, as in the case of Christianity, the Christians have already done the legwork for you, by dismissing all the other religions as lies.

[Naughtania]

Why are you searching for a religion?

Because science is no more than religion, its just theoretical except for the few things we know as concrete. I can't explain to you why I am moving on the path that I am, it's just a feeling I know that is right.

At least science claims things to exist due to reason and evidence, not vague feelings without proof. Also, science is different and better because it acknowledges that its current beliefs might be disproved and can never be totally 100% proved. Unlike religion, which requires dogmatic adherence and belief.

[Djang]

It might have something to do with a need to feel like your a part of something.

Perhaps, perhaps not.

When we are born we see that there are objects and things that can change aforementioned objects, like a ball is an object but it cannot move without interaction of some kind. Using this analogue it is clear that things like animals (including humans), however when the cause of something is not clear it is quite natural to assume that there is a higher force causing these things to happen; “God “. Studies have shown that babies do not need the action to be from something like an animal, they can attribute cause and effect to other things and they don’t need to be tangible. This behaviour doesn’t end with childhood, however, as adults often apply this cause and effect reasoning. This behaviour, coupled with a search for purpose, form the rudimentary beginnings of religion.

[Free Soviets]

In relevance to the OP's question; How is it relevant?

He was born an atheist. Then he was converted to Christianity, becoming a theist. Then he read the Christian Bible and stopped believing in the Christian God, thus becoming an atheist once again.

Objecting to some parts of one of the many theistic religions doesn't seem a very good reason to abandon all those religions and theism itself. Not that I'm suggesting that people who do this aren't "real" atheists, just that there's a pretty big hole in that reasoning.

exactly

[Grave_n_idle]

Why are you searching for a religion?

Because science is no more than religion...

It's testable.

1-0.

[Risottia]

Because science is no more than religion, its just theoretical except for the few things we know as concrete

People who don't know anything about science should refrain from talking about it.

[Copenhagen Metropolis]

In relevance to the OP's question; How is it relevant?

He was born an atheist. Then he was converted to Christianity, becoming a theist. Then he read the Christian Bible and stopped believing in the Christian God, thus becoming an atheist once again.

You skipped my brief stint of Deism before I became an Atheist.

You were still a theist when you classified yourself as a deist, though.

[Urusial]

In essence though, no matter how you look at religion, they all are basically the same thing. Similar stories, with similar events. Whose to say that all religions brought about were all revealed to by the same God, and they interrupted it as only their culture could. They have the same basis for right and wrong, and morality, but as humans we are in nature imperfect, hence the why I am right and your not.

[Ifreann]

Objecting to some parts of one of the many theistic religions doesn't seem a very good reason to abandon all those religions and theism itself. Not that I'm suggesting that people who do this aren't "real" atheists, just that there's a pretty big hole in that reasoning.

What reason is there to believe in any of them? Why do you think I should have sought out another religion?
I see no reason to.

Finding, on examination, that you have no desire to be part of any religion or to worship any god does fill the hole, yes.

---

same question i asked the OP. why didn't you give reconstructed hellenismos a try? or shinto? how did the bible make you dismiss all the other options?

If you've come to the conclusion that one claimed 'truth' is not all it's cracked up to be, you're likely to at least skeptical about other claims.

Especially when, as in the case of Christianity, the Christians have already done the legwork for you, by dismissing all the other religions as lies.

If you're rejecting Christianity, wouldn't that imply rejection their dismissal of other religions too?

[Genivaria]

What reason is there to believe in any of them? Why do you think I should have sought out another religion?
I see no reason to.

Finding, on examination, that you have no desire to be part of any religion or to worship any god does fill the hole, yes.

---

What hole? I keep hearing about this 'hole' from theists.
I spend my time reading about philosophy and politics.

[Urusial]

Because science is no more than religion, its just theoretical except for the few things we know as concrete

People who don't know anything about science should refrain from talking about it.

There is always basis for how theoretical science comes about. It would be illogical for you to tell me that the Big Bang Theory is correct. Since it is a theory, you can not tell me it happened, because you don't know, you just can only generalize and assume.

[Grave_n_idle]

I doubted about whether God existed. And I prayed about it, and God answered my prayers.

I'm sure you can see why this is not convincing testimony.

[Naughtania]

Finding, on examination, that you have no desire to be part of any religion or to worship any god does fill the hole, yes.

---

What hole? I keep hearing about this 'hole' from theists.

Precisely. There is no reason why people could not lead life well, even without the very concept of religion existing.

[Imsogone]

When I started studying comparative religions (independently, thank you - and the study was of all religions that I knew existed - running the gamut from atheism to Zoroasterism), I became, not atheist, but areligious.

When I started looking into what various religions taught about deity per se, I became agnostic.

I can't claim to be an atheist because I truly don't have enough scientfically verifiable information to make that decision. I do lean that way, however. More to the point, I simply don't see a deity, whether he/she/it/they exist(s) or not, being relevant.

[Ashmoria]

Why are you searching for a religion?

Because science is no more than religion, its just theoretical except for the few things we know as concrete. I can't explain to you why I am moving on the path that I am, it's just a feeling I know that is right.

where do you live?

while islam is the best abrahamic religion--who can argue with the idea of submission to the will of god and universal brotherhood?--it doesnt bother you that you will be expected, in fact, to submit to someone else's interpretation of the will of god? (not to mention all that stupid sunni/shiite/sufi infighting that will become part of your religious life)

[Naughtania]

People who don't know anything about science should refrain from talking about it.

There is always basis for how theoretical science comes about. It would be illogical for you to tell me that the Big Bang Theory is correct. Since it is a theory, you can not tell me it happened, because you don't know, you just can only generalize and assume.

A definition: in science, the word 'theory' can mean an unproven idea, but also an idea that has been tested and is backed up by evidence. Therefore the Theory of Evolution is not a theory but a practically-proven phenomenon.
Granted, the Big Bang is less proveable, but it's the best we have.

[The Alma Mater]

Since it is a theory, you can not tell me it happened, because you don't know, you just can only generalize and assume.

Wrong interpretation of the word theory there. But let us not derail this topic while there is a perfectly serviceable evolution vs creationism thread which no doubt explains this in great detail, and keep talking about de-conversions.

[Grave_n_idle]

If you're rejecting Christianity, wouldn't that imply rejection their dismissal of other religions too?

Sure. You might even be MORE interested in other religions, initially - simply because the absolute rejection of them inherent in the scripture starts to look very suspect.

But then you're likely to find that each tradition you investigate is much the same. Prejudiced against all the others, and completely without real evidence.

[Ifreann]

Finding, on examination, that you have no desire to be part of any religion or to worship any god does fill the hole, yes.

---

What hole? I keep hearing about this 'hole' from theists.

A hole in one's reasoning. A missed step in the process from "Christian theist" to "non-religious atheist". Explaining why one rejected Christianity(Biblical contradictions, horrible actions attributed to or endorsed by God, whatever) doesn't really explain why one is an atheist, which is the question at hand. I don't think it's a stretch to presume that one would know there are other options, so to properly explain why one is an atheist one must explain why those options were also rejected, no?

[Urusial]

What hole? I keep hearing about this 'hole' from theists.

Precisely. There is no reason why people could not lead life well, even without the very concept of religion existing.

You do not need religion to lead a good life, if your talking about what makes you understand whats right and wrong. One could argue society implants the idea of right and wrong onto you. Even as a child though we understand if I take this away from someone and they cry I feel bad inside. I think the question is what is the basis of why we distinguish between whats right and wrong? What is morality? Are we to assume we just understand it, then you should ask the question why does humanity just understand that concept?

[Genivaria]

People who don't know anything about science should refrain from talking about it.

There is always basis for how theoretical science comes about. It would be illogical for you to tell me that the Big Bang Theory is correct. Since it is a theory, you can not tell me it happened, because you don't know, you just can only generalize and assume.

The Big Bang is a well-tested scientific theory which is widely accepted within the scientific community because it is the most accurate and comprehensive explanation for the full range of phenomena astronomers observe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang

[Genivaria]

Precisely. There is no reason why people could not lead life well, even without the very concept of religion existing.

You do not need religion to lead a good life, if your talking about what makes you understand whats right and wrong. One could argue society implants the idea of right and wrong onto you. Even as a child though we understand if I take this away from someone and they cry I feel bad inside. I think the question is what is the basis of why we distinguish between whats right and wrong? What is morality? Are we to assume we just understand it, then you should ask the question why does humanity just understand that concept?

I believe that our natural empathy plays a part.
Doing good feels good, doing bad feels bad.

[Ovisterra]

Reading the bible, dissatisfaction with the Vatican, lack of true belief in god, dislike of bigotry displayed by some members of the church etc.