First topic - were you raised atheist or did you come by way of religion?

[PoeticHeart]

I was raised in a cult, text book definition and everything.

[Tessa James]

As some have wryly noted the best cures for religiosity is to read the so called holy books that prescribe horrible deaths and plagues for any number of imagined sins or simply being born "wrong."  I was raised Catholic and survived corporal and phsycological abuse by the "brides of Christ," nuns, as a kid.   The priests and brothers added more to my dosage of hypocrisy.   The many scandals have multiple witnesses but don't get too close if you're a cute alter boy.  The mother churches dictates about reproduction have consigned millions to premature death and then there is that pathological nonsense about sexuality that would throw most of us here in some hell or purgatory.  But hey they built beautiful cathedrals and wrote some good music too.  I am a Humanist as I feel responsible for my own life, happiness and success without recourse to the supernatural.  We need not abdicate ethical debate and moral discussion to religion.  We all have a stake in what happens in real time and the secular world is far easier to accommodate than some fantasy lands of heaven and hell.  Let's start with what is real and demonstrable by the scientific method.  We may end up with lot's of questions and that is OK too.

We do get some choices, make them count.

[AnnaCannibal]

I came to the finality of atheism by just suddenly realizing, no matter how hard I try, my brain will simply not accept the possibility of religion, higher powers, creative design, or any thing that goes along with it.

[Blue Senpai]

Raised in a catholic home, later turned atheist around 14 years old. At least I thought I was an atheist until I realized that I am a god so I converted to LaVeyan Satanism.

[ThatCatGuy]

I was raised as an atheist by my parents. I then joined a church that was down the road from me since I had an interest in religion. When I came out as bi, they told me that I was no longer welcome. I had been having doubts before that, so this amplified them, and I became an atheist again. I find atheism to be way more peaceful because I don't have to worry about sin and things like that anymore. I do things for myself instead of for a god.

[Annabella]

My parents were fundamentalist christian missionaries. I was born on a missionary base in a trailer park. I was home schooled for half of my life, including taking classes at the Institute for Creation Research museum. At nineteen, after starting my first romantic relationship (yes I was not allowed to have any romantic contact until 19) I started to revisit the scriptures I had been taught as a child. I had moved away from home and was finally no longer being forced to attend church. Even a cursory reading through the old testament at this point destroyed the religion I was raised in.

Soon thereafter I discovered Bertrand Russell's philosophy, followed by Hitchens, Dawkins, Dennett, and Harris.
Being the type of person who obsesses over learning everything there is to know about a subject, I became fascinated by the philosophical arguments and watched every debate and argument I could get my hands on.

Needless to say, I am not a fan of religion at this point. I am not angry at the religious, but I regard the substance of religious doctrine much as one would regard the DNA code of a potentially lethal pathogen.

-Anna

[Xenguy]

Came from a strictly Catholic family, raised with religion, went to church ((not by choice)) at a young age, and everything. When I figured out I was a human with choice and identity, I left religion. I didn't agree with much of it and I found anything other than religion to be much more peaceful for me XP. Me and my brother are the youngest of our bloodline, and we are the only non-believers in my family. I'm a Deist ((Belief in the possible existence of a deity, but no religious association.)) and my brother is an Atheist because he loves science and felt religion kinda got in the way of that. Safe to say, none of us were raised Atheist.

[OreSama]

My mom was Catholic when I was younger so I did go to church every week back then, but then she read the Bible and stopped believing.  I still ended up being forced to attend church whenever I was staying with family members and I hated it for the most part, although there was one priest whose sermons I really liked listening to.  I wish I didn't have fundamentalist Christian family, I love them but getting over the fear that nearly everyone would hate me because of my gender identity took years that I'll never get back to get over.  I don't believe or disbelieve, but I wouldn't worship any kind of god even if they do exist.

[Illuminess]

I was raised in a Methodist home, and I was probably more hardcore than my grandparents who raised me. My grandmother said to read my Bible, and I did. In fact, I had two of them full of highlights, underlines, and tabs. Eventually, everything started to seem fishy. So many philosophical and mythological contradictions between Testaments that I couldn't help but question. That didn't make me an atheist in the sense that I stopped believing in anything spiritual, but the Christian mythos was no longer swallowable. I had to investigate further only to discover that there was a language beneath the surface. That language was what we call astro-theology.

So, today, I don't subscribe to the God of Abraham (for a couple reasons), or that a deity (or deities) is responsible for life, morality or spiritual connection. I think "God" is something immeasurable, without gender, without hierarchy, and without judgment. There will never be any valid reason to try to prove the existence of the God of Abraham, or Allah, because these are just anthropomorphic representations of something nobody could really describe. Unfortunately, people build religions around these images, and insisting their idea of God is the right one.

God, to me, is just something beyond measure and beyond reason, and yet seems to prove itself as an active, yet impersonal force, but only when you tap into it. If you don't tap into it then you'll never understand why so many people believe in something you can't detect empirically. God only becomes personal (and personified) when someone decides for themselves it is so. That's where delusion can kick in, and where religion becomes dangerous.

[Jimjam]

I was raised in a cult, text book definition and everything.

Same raised in the Moonies you?

[AnneK]

When I was a kid, my family went to church every week.  However, as I got older, the more I realized religion was nonsense, especially after looking around at all the bigotry, hatred and violence that was inspired by religion.  Then there are the pedophile priests, as well as other sexual, physical and psychological abuse inflicted by practitioners of religion.

Recently, in Toronto, there was news of assault, called "hazing", at a private Catholic school.  Apparently, this had been going on for many years.  The principal of the school did not report the assault to police.  The police found out about it, after it had been reported in the media.  Even more, many of the parents criticized the media for reporting the incident, as it tarnished the school's reputation.  Yep, these parents were more worried about protecting the school than their own kids!

Last year, a Baptist, who came to my door, called me a sodomite for wearing nail polish, after I told him to leave.

Years ago, I was told I couldn't have morals, if I didn't believe in "God".

Years ago, when I was still going to church, I was told, by a friend, that I wouldn't be going to heaven, if I didn't go to HIS church.

There is no historical or archaeological or historical evidence to support the bible, but plenty that contradicts it.  There are even parts of the bible that contradict other parts.

It's a very long list that shows why I know religion to be nonsense.

There will no doubt always be things we don't fully understand, but we certainly don't need fairy tales to explain them.

[Nina]

While I was baptized Catholic, we never attended church.
10 years ago via some weird circumstances, I sought out faith...not necessarily religion.
To this day, faith os what has kept me strong, and how I treat others. 10 years ago, I was a pretty self-centered person who seemed to revel in material goods.
Life has changed for the good.
I never ever have laid my faith on anyone.

[JudiBlueEyes]

I was raised Catholic too but no longer attend church or practice the religion.  I have found, for me, that I don't need religion in order to live a good life and have a sense of faith.  I am at peace with who I am and my place in the world. 

I also think faith is a very personal thing that no-one else should question.  I may not agree with another's faith but I will defend their right to believe as they wish.

[itsApril]

My parents made me go to Methodist Sunday School, but I never believed a word of it.  Not even for a minute.  I'm a "Gold Star" atheist!

[Kylo]

I got baptized Catholic and had some Catholic input so technically I'm "lapsed", one that doesn't attend church or bother maintaining the connection with the church. My father was Catholic and my mother was an atheist. I've got my own ideas about it all and it doesn't interfere with life or make me feel like a "sinner" or anything. That's other people's schtick.

[Swedishgirl96]

I grew up with a mother that have some christian faith. My fader is a atheist and so are my brothers.

And I grew up in one of the worlds most secularized countries. When I was born every newborn child became a member of the Swedish church automatically. It's not like that anymore. And now I have left the church. Sure as a little child I was wondering if there might be a good since I visited some churches and was told about christianity. But quite soon I understood that there is not.

So I have been an atheist almost as long as I can remember. Living in a country where you are seen as odd and a bit crazy if you are religious may have impacted this to some extent but I don't care actually. I don't miss anything religious in my life.

[Chloe]

Share your story.

lol a typical *blast from the past* Nero thread!

Throw the 'topic q' out there . . .

And see what happens!  *sigh* I'd like to think he's still watching!

[Madison2002]

I went to a Christian school for about 14 years of my life. The dress code didn't allow me to grow my hair out, and was opposed to homosexuality, and I was spiteful of that. The school danced around the issue of evolution, which was also irritating because I wanted the full story. In college (Biology Major) learning about evolution cemented my atheistic worldview I guess.

[Devlyn]

lol a typical *blast from the past* Nero thread!

Throw the 'topic q' out there . . .

And see what happens!  *sigh* I'd like to think he's still watching!

Ya, his "Why are women useless after the age of 26" topic was a regular
barrel full of laughs. 

[Tessa James]

I went to a Christian school for about 14 years of my life. The dress code didn't allow me to grow my hair out, and was opposed to homosexuality, and I was spiteful of that. The school danced around the issue of evolution, which was also irritating because I wanted the full story. In college (Biology Major) learning about evolution cemented my atheistic worldview I guess.

Hello Madison,  Welcome to the Place and thank you for sharing here with others.  Many of us have found that religious regimentation, oppression and magical answers unsatisfying for a curious mind.  Perhaps worse is the senseless demonization of sexuality and harm of prejudice and discrimination against personal freedoms, queer people and women in general.  Having facilitated support groups for LGBTQ+ people for decades it seems the pain of religiously based hate and exclusion is an ongoing problem for us.  We can do better and more people are choosing to step away from churches and religion all together.