How long have you been an atheist?

[binny]

All of my adult life and maybe a little more. I'm 47....No, wait...I'm 29

[Disinter]

I'm brought up in a hardcore, religiously fanatic, fundamentalist christian household among the other fanatics in the bible belt of the US. Deluded and brainwashed since the beginning of my life, and I even went to a fanatically christian private school. I've been 100% atheistic for a year or so (recently turned 17). You will not find someone who is so sure of the non-existence of a god/deity than I. I'm extremely thankful that I have an amoral, stubbornly logical and scientific mind. Without it I'd still be that which I am ashamed I once was.

[LEDO]

Feb. 15, 1990 11:45 PM EST. I was age 35. Room 125 at L&K Inn, Port Clinton, Ohio. I was in the bed closest to the bathroom at the time. The "spirits" were working in me when I saw the light.

[Loki_999]

Practically all my life (almost 40 now). My mum tried to steer me into religion, taking me to church when i was young (as if nothing will turn a kid away from religion quicker than having to sit through boring sermons!).

The firm realization came though the same time I realized Santa Clause was also a big pile of rubbish. Somewhere about 6 or 7 years old i think, hard to be certain.

I went to tell me sister (2 years younger than me) that there was no Santa Clause, and p.s. no God, Tooth Fairy, or Easter Bunny either. She said i was lying and ran crying to my mum and i got a real earful from her. Her reaction was "Of course you believe in God." - typical, she hasn't changed much.

[KichigaiNeko]

Roughly 46 years.

Mum tried to do the "right thing and give us a religious grounding" and then when I was about 12 said that it was a load of crap, "What Fucking Benevolent god kills a newborn with cot death??" and we were to make up or own minds.

I tried the "Bible study groups" in early High school (peer pressure trying to fit in) and realised @ about 14 that they were just pretentious forums so the "Good xtian girls could get laid" for me though I actually READ the stupid text and decided that "religion" was not for me.

So while in some respects I 'fit' the Atheist template I generally don't deal with labels because I don't really fit the stereotyping that comes with them.....meh

[Xyster]

Well not sure realy... Ive been everything hell I was even SATANIC once I even took a name of the underlord "Abbodon". That didnt last long... then I became Apiscapalian (how ever its spelled) got lured into a gosphel church once.... we started to pray I lowered my head folded my hands then was startled out of my boots by yelling and one guy was even convulsing on the ground....I was like WTF!?! wheres the fuckn door im outa here. Then i went from religious to deist to weak deist and at some point crossed over to Atheist.... Im not sure exactly when but I jumped ouf the closet about 2 years ago and came out swinging. Now at work they will call me on the phone or pass in the hall and say "Bless you" just to hear my responce..."Fuck you"... Now ill chalenge anyone head on... With the help of the Non-prophets and The Atheist experience.. I start my encounters with " What do you believe and why and more importantly WHY should I believe it".... And changed my licence plate on my car to "GOD LES"............

[chatpilot]

Darkwolf I have been an atheist for the past 15 years. I used to be a Pentecostal evangelist for about 4 years before that.

[Paul the Human]

I have been atheistic for 29 years, proceeded by 4 years of research, doubt, and agnosticism. My family were less than enthusiastic Catholics in my childhood.

[Rev. Rye]

Well, I never really was devout, and I admit that I first remember doubting when I was about six or so, due to the fridge logic behind John 3:16 [God sacrificing himself to himself to change a rule he made himself], and I first referred to myself as an atheist at about 15, when I read Lord Russell's "Why I am Not a Christian." I'm 20 now. You do the math.

[Edwardo Piet]

It's only belief in the literal sense of your extreme delusion in reality, and that is the opposite of sane religion.

But "sane religion" is an oxymoron

There are sane religious people, there are insane religious people. But religion itself is indeed total insane, you've only got to look at it's combination of ridiculous claims without any rational support (and then some).

I believed a God existed. So in that sense I believed in God. I was also insane, yes, but I still believed there was a God at the time (and then afterwards I thought I *was* "He", hardly more absurd than merely believing in God really - just much less socially acceptable).

EvF