Atheism at age 10?

[maestroanth]

I was just wondering if anyone had a similar experience.  I was a baptized Catholic and a believer until age 10. I was actually never told there was a Santa Claus (I figured it out by myself); however, the same logic that made me come to that conclusion was also the same logic that 6 or so months later gave me the chilling epiphany that the bible couldn't be real either.

Was anyone else a child that 'found' atheism by themselves (as opposed to your liberal parents just raising you as one)?

[Excited Penguin]

Became an atheist at age fourteen. Not by myself, had help from two friends, a female classmate of mine and an obscure writer called Nietzsche.

[Jaames44123]

I became an atheist at thirteen. With all the crap my friggen grandparents shoveled into my brain i'm glad i came up on top.
Never tell them bluntly just so you know. It's really bad.

[Jenny A]

I remember wondering sometime around five how adults could believe the stories in the Bible. I didn't know the word atheist or even agnostic for some time after that though. Unbeliever is the word I used in the privacy of my mind.

My daughter figured out Santa Claus at about three and promptly disillusioned her five year old sister,

[AFTT47]

About 12 for me. Like Jenny, I recall being puzzled at around 5 years old why the adults told the weird Genesis story. I rejected it long before casting off the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus. I accepted God but not Genesis. It wasn't until I was in my middle teens that I realized the adults actually believed the whole Adam and Eve thing and I was totally blown away.

[SteelCurtain]

I never really bought into it. I didn't know what to call it, as I thought atheists lived under bridges until I was 17 or so.

And my mother is a super fundie. I heard her tell my sister when I was home for Christmas (also a super-fundie) when she thought I couldn't hear her that she feels like she's lost two sons. Myself for being an atheist, and my brother for being a liberal Christian. Seriously, he's pro-choice and a Bernie Sanders supporter, therefore he's going to hell with me.

I count myself so incredibly lucky that I escaped that.

[Minimalist]

I was 11 when I began having doubts about the humanity of the fucks who claimed they were so holy.  By the time I was 13 I gave their bullshit up totally in favor of sleeping late on Sunday.

[Excited Penguin]

About 12 for me. Like Jenny, I recall being puzzled at around 5 years old why the adults told the weird Genesis story. I rejected it long before casting off the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and Santa Claus. I accepted God but not Genesis. It wasn't until I was in my middle teens that I realized the adults actually believed the whole Adam and Eve thing and I was totally blown away.

Actually that's my story as well. I remember doubting religion at around the age five but I stuck with God until my early teens.

[maestroanth]

I remember wondering sometime around five how adults could believe the stories in the Bible.  I didn't know the word atheist or even agnostic for some time after that though.  Unbeliever is the word I used in the privacy of my mind.

My daughter figured out Santa Claus at about three and promptly disillusioned her five year old sister,

Ahh...Santa is too much fun to not believe in at three! ;P

Anyway, I like the point you made about how adults could believe in the bible stories.  I remember back as a kid my reasoning for why I thought the bible was true was because adults believed in them.  

Of course now, I see some kids at 8 with more maturity than adults at 80.  Man, the human species is f*cked up.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

I've been an atheist my entire life. I first encountered people promoting Jesus at around 5 or 6 (I went to a CofE primary school) and never believed in any of it then. Still don't now.