What was the turning point, in your life, that helped you become an atheist?

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Permalink Reply by Joseph Gray on May 5, 2010 at 1:01pm

I grew up Catholic, but that's not all! I began to flee religion in my teenage years, and by the time I moved out of the parent's house, church was a thing of the past. I guess at that point I still believed, but wasn't motivated in any way. When I was 22, I had a brain surgery. I know it's weird, but it's like they flipped a switch while they were in there. Recovering from surgery, I remember things being somehow more clear and easy to separate the ridiculous. It's been 14 years since, and I am all the better. I don't mean to make it sound like it was soley brain surgery, but that is the "turning point". Recovery, education, self-awareness, all stimulate the mind in certain manners.

Mr. Horton, please let me know if there is any way I can help with your cause.

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Permalink Reply by Gabby on May 8, 2010 at 7:17pm

When I was a young teen (12-14) both of my grandparents (mom's parents) were dying of cancer. They were SUPER religious and saw this as a test from God and God's will. Outside of nurses, I was their sole caretaker through all this while my mother ran the family business. There simply wasn't anyone else. Watching two people die while in horrible pain did a lot to show me that either God's a dick, or he doesn't exist. I had never really attended church as a child (occasionally with the grandparents, but I mostly played outside during the service), but after their death my mother started taking us to church (I think because she was super lonely having lost her career and parents in less than a year...oh and she was a single parent of 2) and as soon as I stepped foot into the building, I realized I was completely opposite from all of the people in the building. I tried to fit in, tried to read the Bible but it just further proved to me how ridiculous it all is. And so I decided God doesn't exist.

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Permalink Reply by Damond on May 8, 2010 at 11:24pm

It was pretty difficult for me being that I was "raised" in the church! But my actual turning point was when I was in Iraq! I had my doubts while I was deployed but too much bad shit went down for me and the people that were on the FOB! We got bombed everyday! That's when I realized that there was no god watching over me! I can go more in depth if anyone would like to know!!!! Just let me know! My email is king_damond01@yahoo.com

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Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on May 15, 2010 at 12:09pm

Wow Damond - quite the opposite of "No Atheists in foxholes" eh?

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Permalink Reply by Anthony T. Ferrari on May 9, 2010 at 6:35am

All the stories make me feel more like I belong somewhere now.

My story starts in a catholic school with the church playing a BIG role in my families life. I was in Catholic school for 10 years where i served as an alter boy for 5 years (1 year was my freshmen year in high school). My parents decided (with my permission) to put me and my 2 brothers into public school because money was getting tight.

My junior year in high school i found a vocational class that introduced me to natural resources ( wildlife research, environmental rehab, nature interpretation ect.). After 2 years I found out threw the grape vine that both of my teachers atheist. This got the ball rolling. I enrolled in the collage that my vocational school was prepping me for, and graduated with grades better then I've thought I could possibly see out of myself. Needless to say, graduating with a background in Wildlife Research, I became VERY familiar with the scientific method. Can you feel it happening yet? wait for it :)

After Graduation I returned home. In search of a job. By this time my mother had quite going to church, which suited me just fine (strike 3 if anyone is keeping count but we get more then 3 strikes in this game) I worked construction for a while and even talked about the bible on the weekends with a Johova's(sp?) witness, this started stir tons of questions that the little old lady couldn't answer so she brought her pastor/priest (whatever they have), still no sufficient answers(strike 4)

Finally, I began trying to convince myself that "the big sky daddy" did not exist. but i fail each time. Then the last straw hit about 2 years ago. Mom was " BORN AGAIN". Never before had I had someone try to cram religion down my throat in such a manner that it felt like force feeding. I had had enough. Soon after I found that my youngest brother, "the genius" as i call him, was also a closet case. "Finally, some one to talk to". We exchanged ideas from time to time until one day, I ran across a guy on youtube by the name of Thunderfoot. He had a titled series entitled "Why atheists laugh at creationists". Now i start challenging mom and her pastor to debates AND winning!!!! (The closet door is opening)

The final part of my story came just a day or 2 ago when i saw a video posted by CVA (Connecticut Vally Atheists). His video was so inspirational that the closet door didn't just open, it came off the hinges. Last night i posted links and stated in my status on Facebook to over 200 people that I was an atheist. I could not have been more surprised at the response. Theists started asking me inquisitive questions about how i came to be and an ex-girlfriend and said "I KNEW IT!"

Well, Thanks for listening and allowing me to share my store that began so long ago and ended so very recently. Now i have to copy and past this to a notebook. I don't want to have to type it again

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Permalink Reply by Jo Jerome on May 15, 2010 at 12:12pm

the closet door didn't just open, it came off the hinges.

I'd say 'welcome to the world of the unhinged' but it might give the wrong impression.

Glad you found Atheist Nexus!

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Permalink Reply by deepthought42 on June 11, 2010 at 11:44pm

Welcome! :)

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Permalink Reply by brent on May 15, 2010 at 12:48pm

None of it made sense to me, but I was really good at rationalizations. I think my biggest question that has yet to be answered is, if 'god' loves us so much that he is, not only, willing to kill his son (or himself, depending on the branch) for our benefit, but author a cannon AND ensure it's survival into our day, for our benefit, then why would 'he' in turn write one so vague that we spend centuries and generations slaughtering each other over the very meaning of it? Sorta defeats the purpose of having a devil, doesn't it. A PERFECT being would have been able to make it PERFECTLY clear to EVERYONE, so it cannot be misinterpreted and actually be beneficial and productive.

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Permalink Reply by Brian on May 15, 2010 at 2:35pm

I grew up in a Christianity-based cult which shored me up in their particular apologetics at a very early age. I'd say the turning point was during one of our meetings there was a very in-depth discussion in which they really overreached much more than usual on a particular interpretation. I realized that nothing they were saying was actually being taught in the scripture. Even though I still believed the Bible for a long time after that, that was probably the first "crack in the wall" I saw in my group's teachings. Eventually after having dialogue with atheists online on social news sites like digg and reddit I finally gave myself permission to look at things without using the filtered lens of the religious organization, and I realized that I was an atheist. Throughout my life I tried desperately to make God "feel real," and I did psych myself up a few times into thinking I had actually "felt" something, but it never lasted.

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Permalink Reply by George on May 15, 2010 at 4:37pm

9/11

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Permalink Reply by Robert "Kapkao" Hester on June 15, 2010 at 7:05am

9/11 made you atheist. Interesting, but weird.

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Permalink Reply by Robert "Kapkao" Hester on May 21, 2010 at 3:50am

Age 10, had doubts since I was 6. I decided on my own that most "believers" were themselves so egotistical, dishonest, and near-perfect followers of the "Do as I say, not as I do" rule. I also realized that belief seemed to obstruct me from self-fulfillment a great deal more often then it did not, and it also appeared to discourage independent thinking. I would later learn that this wasn't an appearance so much as actual fact.

My dad (predictably) started getting really anxious when I told him what I had decided own-my-own about "God". I distinctly remember hearing something along the lines of "that's what Communists think!!!" with stepmom trying to calm him down from his angst, as per usual. This was all in 1994.

I (now realize I) had some unintentional help: the same person who seemed heavily propagandized against atheists/communists for as long as he's been breathing, is the very same person who warned me against the likes of Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Roy Moore, faith healers, and televangelists: again, Dad.

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