Why are YOU an Atheist?
October 14, 2012 at 2:25 pm
(This post was last modified: October 14, 2012 at 2:34 pm by Doubting_Thomas.)
Please open up and share.
For me, I cannot remember ever believing. As a young child my school had Christian prayers and hymns during assembly, but like most kids I mimed or hummed, and just pretended to pray. That in itself was no big deal, laziness not rebellion, But by maybe 8 or 9 I was sure I was an atheist although I don't recall anyone ever asking. I remember thinking it was unfair that two other kids whose parents were Jehovah's witnesses were excused from the religious section of school assemblies whereas I could not opt out. That's my first solid memory that I can now say "I was already an atheist by then".
One of my parents is quietly atheist although I cannot remember that being a direct influence. I can guess it may have set a precedence in my mind that it was 'allowed'. Even so, I remember being wary of mentioning my atheism to teachers even though they were just regular teachers (it wasn't a particularly religious school or anything) and may well have been atheists for all I knew.
My other parent is a bit religious, and sent me to Sunday school which I hated. The Sunday school was a different denomination to the proper school, which may have helped give me a broader awareness of religious doctrines and the inherent contradiction that raises. I remember thinking that the preacher was nice and well meaning, a true example of a harmless 'good Christian'. I just didn't buy the fairy tales.
So, I think the single biggest factor for me personally was that I never believed the bible stories. I now know that my personality type is very analytical and independent, but awareness of that only came much later. Looking back, even as a child I could see that the bible stories were no more credible than the fairy tales which even as a kid you know are fiction. Plus they were boring and I never had any interest in the mystical "wisdom" hidden in the pretentious answering question with questions nonsense.
By my teens I was definitely atheist and knew of the word, but I wasn't militant. My only interest in religion was avoiding it. The school didn't sing hymns or say prayers except once a year when we had to go to the local church - I liked the walk there and it was a bit of a skive from regular classes. In the compulsory Religious Education class I found that whilst everyone was disinterested, I was the only atheist in the class - my teacher taught about other religions but clearly was Christian. After years of detecting my lack of belief, she confronted me about it, to which I mischievously answered that I was a Satanist despite having only the vaguest understanding of what that means. She actually cried and I felt bad, but I also couldn't believe that she believed me. I remember thinking that only someone who believes the fairy tales in the bible would be gullible enough to believe a 15 year old kid saying that they are a Satanist.
During collage I met people who came from privileged backgrounds who had been taught debating. I was amazed that well educated and intelligent people were so religious, albeit in a hypocritical way. They introduced me to the rugby anthem "Jerusalem", which I still find a very powerful and moving song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6iaf_jUy2Q
For me there are certain memories and associations that make that song very rousing. The words are nonsense (and I am even quite liberal on the nature of patriotism), but sung in a certain way at certain times it can make Brits cry with patriotic pride. No wonder many armies stick to religion. Experiencing how easily patriotism could be triggered in myself reinforced to me how manipulative religion is; how it is effectively brainwashing and nearly always reinforces some variation of 'them and us' regardless of the "love thy neighbour" wrapping.
Coincidently one of my best friends at the time was studying theology - we never had theological discussions but he is now a vicar.
As an adult I have been very fortunate to have lived in multiple countries, and have friends from even more. I regularly visit countries I never dreamt I would see, and witnessed other religions in a way that I am certain my RE teacher cannot have. I politely follow the etiquette expected when visiting temples or shrines or whatever. Despite the window into certain other religions, enhanced by reading up on what I see, my atheism has only been reinforced. Religion comes from a small mind with limited horizons. I also met American people who were openly amazed that I was an atheist; they had clearly been taught to imagine atheists as either Satanists or communists.
I now realise how damn lucky I am to have been born in modern times, in a country were atheism is widely acceptable (much more so than I found in USA), and despite the best efforts of the religious bigots to undo time. Only now that I value this freedom so much, and am more aware of the religious threats to it, did my disinterest in religion turn to concern about the negative influence it has on everyday lives and threat it is to human progress.
So what about you?
For me, I cannot remember ever believing. As a young child my school had Christian prayers and hymns during assembly, but like most kids I mimed or hummed, and just pretended to pray. That in itself was no big deal, laziness not rebellion, But by maybe 8 or 9 I was sure I was an atheist although I don't recall anyone ever asking. I remember thinking it was unfair that two other kids whose parents were Jehovah's witnesses were excused from the religious section of school assemblies whereas I could not opt out. That's my first solid memory that I can now say "I was already an atheist by then".
One of my parents is quietly atheist although I cannot remember that being a direct influence. I can guess it may have set a precedence in my mind that it was 'allowed'. Even so, I remember being wary of mentioning my atheism to teachers even though they were just regular teachers (it wasn't a particularly religious school or anything) and may well have been atheists for all I knew.
My other parent is a bit religious, and sent me to Sunday school which I hated. The Sunday school was a different denomination to the proper school, which may have helped give me a broader awareness of religious doctrines and the inherent contradiction that raises. I remember thinking that the preacher was nice and well meaning, a true example of a harmless 'good Christian'. I just didn't buy the fairy tales.
So, I think the single biggest factor for me personally was that I never believed the bible stories. I now know that my personality type is very analytical and independent, but awareness of that only came much later. Looking back, even as a child I could see that the bible stories were no more credible than the fairy tales which even as a kid you know are fiction. Plus they were boring and I never had any interest in the mystical "wisdom" hidden in the pretentious answering question with questions nonsense.
By my teens I was definitely atheist and knew of the word, but I wasn't militant. My only interest in religion was avoiding it. The school didn't sing hymns or say prayers except once a year when we had to go to the local church - I liked the walk there and it was a bit of a skive from regular classes. In the compulsory Religious Education class I found that whilst everyone was disinterested, I was the only atheist in the class - my teacher taught about other religions but clearly was Christian. After years of detecting my lack of belief, she confronted me about it, to which I mischievously answered that I was a Satanist despite having only the vaguest understanding of what that means. She actually cried and I felt bad, but I also couldn't believe that she believed me. I remember thinking that only someone who believes the fairy tales in the bible would be gullible enough to believe a 15 year old kid saying that they are a Satanist.
During collage I met people who came from privileged backgrounds who had been taught debating. I was amazed that well educated and intelligent people were so religious, albeit in a hypocritical way. They introduced me to the rugby anthem "Jerusalem", which I still find a very powerful and moving song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g6iaf_jUy2Q
For me there are certain memories and associations that make that song very rousing. The words are nonsense (and I am even quite liberal on the nature of patriotism), but sung in a certain way at certain times it can make Brits cry with patriotic pride. No wonder many armies stick to religion. Experiencing how easily patriotism could be triggered in myself reinforced to me how manipulative religion is; how it is effectively brainwashing and nearly always reinforces some variation of 'them and us' regardless of the "love thy neighbour" wrapping.
Coincidently one of my best friends at the time was studying theology - we never had theological discussions but he is now a vicar.
As an adult I have been very fortunate to have lived in multiple countries, and have friends from even more. I regularly visit countries I never dreamt I would see, and witnessed other religions in a way that I am certain my RE teacher cannot have. I politely follow the etiquette expected when visiting temples or shrines or whatever. Despite the window into certain other religions, enhanced by reading up on what I see, my atheism has only been reinforced. Religion comes from a small mind with limited horizons. I also met American people who were openly amazed that I was an atheist; they had clearly been taught to imagine atheists as either Satanists or communists.
I now realise how damn lucky I am to have been born in modern times, in a country were atheism is widely acceptable (much more so than I found in USA), and despite the best efforts of the religious bigots to undo time. Only now that I value this freedom so much, and am more aware of the religious threats to it, did my disinterest in religion turn to concern about the negative influence it has on everyday lives and threat it is to human progress.
So what about you?
blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” – John 20:26-29
