When did you become an atheist?

[Kiaori Moon Warrior]

I just borned atheist.....My parents are and the ask me "you wanna believe? Believe! you are free" And I decide not to believe and now....I'm like this ! biggrin  

[Southwest]

It's kind of hard to remember... I would swear that for the first twelve years of my life, I didn't have the same brain I do now.

Good lord.

Let's see... In the beginning, I was an atheist. If you ask me, we're all born atheist, and then the ridiculous concepts get put into our heads. I never went to church-- I've only been twice, and neither with my immediate family but with my grandparents-- but, as would be expected, I eventually got the concept of "God" in my skull.

I wasn't sure what to think of "God". For a while, I asked questions of myself that are almost exactly what I asked again during my atheist awakening a couple years ago-- which either suggests that I had a sense of reasoning far beyond my years, or that religion somehow inhibits your ability to think, judge, and criticize. I asked things along the lines of "Why is there no proof of 'God'?", "If 'God' made everything, who or what made 'God'?", and the like. Nevertheless, I held onto the concept, leaving me a kindergarten agnostic.

"God" wasn't a big part of my life for a long time. In fifth grade, when I was ten, the World Trade Center attacks occurred. Don't ask me why, I really don't understand it even today, because it goes against practically everything that's driven my life-- suddenly, I became immensely patriotic. I remember (with more than a little shame) hearing some radio station's jingle, "Portland's best coun-try", altered to "We love our coun-try", and I walked into my mom's room, all fakely morose, and explained it to my mom as if it were astonishing, and just amazing what patriotism we had.

Gah. Gives me the jibblies.

At any rate, I was suddenly insanely patriotic, and with the flame of patriotism, my belief in "God" suddenly flared-- probably due subconsciously to the phrase, "God Bless America". I couldn't remember exactly what that little prayer was that you said before you went to sleep, so I kinda improvised it, being sure that if I died before I woke, if my family and I died (you know, in case I wasn't there to pray for them) before we woke, if I died while I was awake, or if we died while awake, our souls would be covered. At the end, I'd throw in some kind of extra, usually for a girl to like me.

Blech.

That persisted for a while, about until I entered middle school. I wasn't really an agnostic for very long, and not very many memorable things marked that time period. The big thing was when, in something that almost seems crazy enough to be made up, I was doing my little bedtime prayer while at the same time thinking, "I don't believe in God." After a couple of months, I realized that this wasn't going to work, so I cut the crap somewhere during seventh grade, and stood proud as an atheist.

In short? I've been secure in my atheism for about two years, but I've got a long history of skepticism.

Wow, I write too much. Like anyone's gonna read that.  

[Dathu]

Southwest

It's kind of hard to remember... I would swear that for the first twelve years of my life, I didn't have the same brain I do now.

Good lord.

Let's see... In the beginning, I was an atheist. If you ask me, we're all born atheist, and then the ridiculous concepts get put into our heads. I never went to church-- I've only been twice, and neither with my immediate family but with my grandparents-- but, as would be expected, I eventually got the concept of "God" in my skull.

I wasn't sure what to think of "God". For a while, I asked questions of myself that are almost exactly what I asked again during my atheist awakening a couple years ago-- which either suggests that I had a sense of reasoning far beyond my years, or that religion somehow inhibits your ability to think, judge, and criticize. I asked things along the lines of "Why is there no proof of 'God'?", "If 'God' made everything, who or what made 'God'?", and the like. Nevertheless, I held onto the concept, leaving me a kindergarten agnostic.

"God" wasn't a big part of my life for a long time. In fifth grade, when I was ten, the World Trade Center attacks occurred. Don't ask me why, I really don't understand it even today, because it goes against practically everything that's driven my life-- suddenly, I became immensely patriotic. I remember (with more than a little shame) hearing some radio station's jingle, "Portland's best coun-try", altered to "We love our coun-try", and I walked into my mom's room, all fakely morose, and explained it to my mom as if it were astonishing, and just amazing what patriotism we had.

Gah. Gives me the jibblies.

At any rate, I was suddenly insanely patriotic, and with the flame of patriotism, my belief in "God" suddenly flared-- probably due subconsciously to the phrase, "God Bless America". I couldn't remember exactly what that little prayer was that you said before you went to sleep, so I kinda improvised it, being sure that if I died before I woke, if my family and I died (you know, in case I wasn't there to pray for them) before we woke, if I died while I was awake, or if we died while awake, our souls would be covered. At the end, I'd throw in some kind of extra, usually for a girl to like me.

Blech.

That persisted for a while, about until I entered middle school. I wasn't really an agnostic for very long, and not very many memorable things marked that time period. The big thing was when, in something that almost seems crazy enough to be made up, I was doing my little bedtime prayer while at the same time thinking, "I don't believe in God." After a couple of months, I realized that this wasn't going to work, so I cut the crap somewhere during seventh grade, and stood proud as an atheist.

In short? I've been secure in my atheism for about two years, but I've got a long history of skepticism.

Wow, I write too much. Like anyone's gonna read that.

I don't comment that often, but I read EVERYTHING that is posted in the guild. Glad you came around. Welcome to the truth.  

[DivideByZero14]

I read that, Southwest! If you keep posting so well, unlike the bull you see elsewhere, you'll be read at any length.  

[Waffle Dem0n]

I was baptised catholic, and "believed" until I got on Gaia. A lot about me changed when I was exposed to all the seperate cultures and people on gaia, honestly. I started to realize my potential for not being a moron and all that. 3nodding Anyway, I was catholic until then, but I didn't really believe in god. I thought I did, though. At that age, I couldn't even truly understand the concept of a God.

Southwest

It's kind of hard to remember... I would swear that for the first twelve years of my life, I didn't have the same brain I do now.

Yep.  

[iviary]

Southwest

The big thing was when, in something that almost seems crazy enough to be made up, I was doing my little bedtime prayer while at the same time thinking, "I don't believe in God." After a couple of months, I realized that this wasn't going to work, so I cut the crap somewhere during seventh grade, and stood proud as an atheist.

I did basically the exact same thing. I'd be saying in the back of my mind, "Yeah. Like anyone is actually listening. This is silly." while simultaneously praying for better faith in God. It doesn't sound crazy to me. It sounds like the gradual process of losing faith.  

[Dande_Lion]

Becoming an atheist took me a long time.

First I looked around the church I was raised in and realized that I had nothing in common with these people. We didn't value the same things. I realized that there wasn't a single person among them who I felt much liking or respect for.

Furthermore, I noticed that there were doctrinal issues that I strongly disagreed with. And when I asked people about those issues, their answers were either that they didn't know, they hadn't thought about it, or else they said something racist or sexist as though god is as racist or sexist as them or as though racism and sexism is right.

Then I started looking around at other religions. None of them seemed too great to me. Lots of them looked great before I got too close, but the closer I looked, I found the same things as I'd found in my parents' religion.

Then I figured that I was too young and that I'd figure it out later. I thought maybe I was missing something.

Then I met a person who blogs about atheism. He has long logical arguments, religion in the news stories, and other useful things.

And it suddenly came to me, what I've heard others call their "The Emperor is Naked" moment. It suddenly seemed to me that as in the fairy tale, The Emperor's New Clothes, everyone makes excuses when religion doesn't work. So everyone thinks it works for everyone but them, or that it usually works. And I faced the fact that religion had never worked for me, and I faced the fact that there wasn't some secret that would come to me when I was older. I already knew everything I needed to know to know that it wasn't true or at least wasn't for me.

It was like a sudden clarity. It wasn't that I'd been doing it wrong all these years. It just didn't work. It had never worked.

But even so, it was a few years before I started calling myself an atheist.

But eventually, I made it over that hurdle, and here I am, happier than ever.  

[[Subject to Availability]]

Well, I went to a heavily Christian Primary school.

But I started questioning what information I was spoonfed about school year 4. That'd be when I was 8.

Seems about right. I was always flitting on Agnostism after that though, as I wouldn't totally confirm what I was, as I wouldn't be that arrogant.

But yeah, eventually, I just fell into Atheism.

I no longer accept things at face value and demand proof.

-Matt

 

[Sanguvixen]

I think the floating around bit happens to a lot of people. After all...the decision to drop the idea of god, and just be a non-beleiver(which is labeled Athiest) does take some thought.

I think you all gave pretty good answers.

Why is it that so many people who get sent to religious schools as children, end up athiest? It seems like there quite a few here that share that story.

Isn't it ironic how sending children to a religious school helped turn them away from religion?

 

[[Subject to Availability]]

Well, it wasn't strictly religious, but we did have to pray and sing hymns every assembly.

I just stopped. Got in trouble a few times with people telling on me, but that's what kids do.

-Matt

 

[Yami_Ichi]

I have recently become an atheist.

I was one of those good little Christian girls for the longest time. But then I started to question things. I got to the age where I was paying attention now, and not nodding off in the sermons. I heard some things that confused me. I decided that I would ask my pastor and parents about it.

They provided me with bible verses to read. My dad tried to explain them to me, and there was always that nagging thought in the back of my mind that something wasn't quite right. When I asked them all to explain things a little clearer and provide me with solid evidence, they proceeded to tell me that I need not question the religion I had. "God will help you understand this if you just believe," as my father said.

Well, I just never could quite grasp what they were telling me. I saw no REAL evidence; unless you want to count the thousand year old book they quoted from. I don't see that as standing ground on this matter. That is when I saw all the holes and flaws. I couldn't believe in something that was so inconsistent, and proceeded to become the atheist that I am today.

I have loved being the atheist I am. My mom and dad still think I am a Christian. I know more about the bible than alot of actual Christians do. And because I know so much, I think that is what turned me off. I could go into a lot of detail about why I think they all choose to believe in something they have no proof of, but that is not what this thread is for.

 

[~Fashionably~Challanged~]

Eh, pretty much since I was born. I had a few years when I was in daycare where I kinda belived, but my mom pointed out all the bullshit when I came home trying to convert her and i'm noticing it more and more on my own now 'cause i'm trying to learn it. Why? Some of the stuff that is taught is indeed good.