Has anyone else been an atheist as long as they remember?

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Permalink Reply by Ursula on October 8, 2009 at 1:13am

Raised in a very strict Roman Catholic household. I was always the rebellious one, the black sheep in my family (still am). When I moved out I started church hopping looking for something that I always felt was missing in the whole god equation. Finally in one moment I questioned the whole darn god thing and instantly knew that god(s) did not exist. Then everything started to fall into place. And now I am complete and free of the whole thing.

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Permalink Reply by Alex McCullie on October 8, 2009 at 6:14am

I cannot remember believing in god. I grew up in a secular household where god and religion was hardly ever mentioned. It wasn't seen as important unless religious people attempt to impose their faith on our society.

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Permalink Reply by Clifford Gliddon on October 13, 2009 at 12:24pm

I was never a theist, although I attempted it a couple of times. My parents and their friends were free-thinkers, mostly elitist socialist librul college professor types, so I had a lot of friends in childhood who had a similar upbringing to mine. I am fifty-ish and have never uttered a "foxhole prayer" as some religionists would insist is inevitable in life. I consider myself not so much an atheist as a human. Magical stuff and woo can be entertaining (I love bad horror/sci-fi films), but if I need to make a decision of any importance, show me data, or at least plausible experience.
Awhile back I declared my mind a "no-meddling zone" and subsequently have no interest in debating the fate of my immortal soul (whatever that is) with any religionists.

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Permalink Reply by D.O.S on October 21, 2009 at 9:28am

I'm in my late 30s. I was surrounded by people who were religious in some way. That's why I actually tried believing on three separate theistic binges; once in middle school, once in high school, and once very briefly in college. Since then I've come to the decision that I am who I am and there is nothing wrong with that. So to the "no-meddle zone" I say damn straight!

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Permalink Reply by Mark Peterson on October 21, 2009 at 8:33am

I think it was something I did not think about much, but I do remember when I was 9 I was in church, and thought the Pastor was saying about the most boring, silly things I have heard.

When I was about 19, I had a discussion with my Mother and brother (they are xtians). I asked if they thought people who had never heard of Jesus went to Hell. They said yes and at that time, it removed any doubt I had left that a god existed. I told them I would not want to worship a god that would be that cruel. Needles to say, they weren't very happy with that.

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Permalink Reply by D.O.S on October 21, 2009 at 9:22am

I've been an atheist for as long as I've thought about such things. I'm guessing that when I was 4 or 5 I probably believed in God about as much as I believed in Santa Claus and Leprechauns. I didn't know there was a term for how I felt about such things until around middle school. That said I do see myself as always having been an atheist. I think I had a generally pleasant childhood. I can't say I know that it is true or why it might be but it seems that some of us are just born skeptics. Personally, I think its a good thing. Try imagining the world without skepticism. :)

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Permalink Reply by Paulette Harris on October 23, 2009 at 10:53pm

My Mom is religious but my Dad is not. He did study the bible as a child and know it inside out. Because my Mom had to work most Sundays and my Dad did not push us, it was up to us if we wanted to go to church with the neighbors. I would go to get out of the house & away from fighting with my brother. My Sister came once in a while. I would just fall asleep anyway. When my mother started making me memorize scriptures, I looked at it as mothergoose stories. When I was around 10 it became more than real that this god that answered your pleads was not showing me any signs of existance. I was very upset and yelled out that "you are not there, there is no god!" Ever since I have always searched for scientific truths in everything. My Dad was very strict but he did allow us to be free thinkers, as he would constantly and still do today, question my Mom and her beliefs every chance he gets. I do feel sad for her sometimes because she is so blind. My dad made sure we watched Nova and other shows about science, nature, and other cultures. We are a Jamaican family.
I have not told my Mom outright how I feelabout religion but she knows. My dad and I are always joking about shakespeare writting the bible and the numerouse unbelievable stories...

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Permalink Reply by Towelie on November 1, 2009 at 12:57pm

I had serious authority isuues as a child aswell, and i think i saw religion as a controll mechanism and hated it, i couldnt stand being expected to accept something withought questioning it.....Jewish slaves built the Pyramids - the evidence pointing to the contrary means nothing........Its just laughable to me and always was.
I was an Atheist long before i ever knew what an Atheist was, i cant beieve withought some proof.

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Permalink Reply by Chris G on November 17, 2009 at 6:38am

My mom took me to Sunday school when I was about 5 to expose me to religion. I rejected the Noah story and therefore the rest of it seemed like B/S. I don't like being lied too.

The older I became and the more I learned about science the more ridiculous god sounded. Watching Cosmos (Carl Sagan) helped me understand the universe.

When I was a teenager my girlfriend's parents became born again pentecostals and demanded that all of her friends be baptized in their church. A lot of my friends went along with this. I didn't so they had the preacher come over to talk to me to scare the hell out of me. He said that if I didn't accept the lord Jesus into my life that I would go to hell when I died and I could die at anytime - even on my way home that evening from a car accident. I told him that there is no such thing as heaven, or hell. He said that there was nothing he could do to save me. Her family were a bunch of nut cases as far as I could tell - speaking in tongues and rolling around on the floor in epileptic type fits. Going to church with them was like watching a movie. The first time I saw it I laughed uncontrollably and had to leave.

Later as the Christian Coalition movement gained strength I saw Christianity as a political movement more than anything else. As time goes on I continue to see religion as more of a political and profit making movement.

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Permalink Reply by exodia on November 17, 2009 at 8:16am

Yes, I have been an atheist as I long as I remember... In a since, pretty much since birth.

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Permalink Reply by Allison Schreier on November 17, 2009 at 9:17am

I remember being six and in church and the teachers asking us to draw a picture of what we thought God looked liked and I told the teachers I didnt believe in him so I couldnt draw him.. I have never believed :)

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Permalink Reply by Goodie Faithless on November 23, 2009 at 12:16am

I remember that some of my school teachers were really really mad when I didn't want to say the pledge because of the 'Under God' part or to sing obviously religious music in music class. But, I was 100 percent right. My grade school teacher did not have the right to make us sing Bible songs. Still, I was even more disgusted about the John Denver songs.

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