At what age did you become an atheist?

[Whateverist]

So I was thinking about how it would have been different to become an atheist at one age versus another. That led me to wondering how prevalent deconversion may be at various stages in ones life. So I thought I'd put together a poll.

In trying to decide on what would make good break points, I remembered reading about Piaget's theory of cognitive development. It isn't anything I'm invested in or think a lot about but why not?

Piaget has some earlier stages of development that happen younger than 4 years of age but who would remember? So I'm lumping the earlier stages together everything after birth together with the Pre-operational stage to about age 7.

The Concrete Operational stage extends from 7 to 11.

Formal Operational stage takes us from 11 to 20.

After that I thought I'd just go by decades up to 50-and-later.

So if you're willing to add yourself to my poll I'd be grateful. Those who ever became atheist (fr0d0 I'm looking at you), even if they re-converted to theism, are encouraged to add the time at which they had become atheist. I usually make all polls completely public but I won't this one just in case anyone would rather keep it private. But please do elaborate if you're willing.

[Heywood]

I was born an atheist.

[Whateverist]

I was born an atheist.

So that would place you in the first option, you never had to de-convert from any theistic tradition.

[Fidel_Castronaut]

As above, I, along with everyone else, was born an atheist.

Luckily I was never indoctrinated, so I've never been religious.

[Raeven]

I find this one of the most fascinating things about my own experience as an atheist and the experience of others who have deconverted. I can listen to deconversion stories all day long. From what I gather, the experience of getting rid of someone else inside your head is a much more challenging process than having never had a guest there. My impression from having listened to so many of these tales is, it's an ongoing battle for a very long time. Makes me glad I never had my thinking processes cluttered up this way.

I have a good friend who was raised in a fundamentalist home and who now practices something she refers to as 'Torah.' I don't know how this is different from classic Judaism and I don't really care. She has a keen mind, is very inquisitive and has the makings of a good critical thinker. Yet there are places she simply doesn't permit her fine brain to go -- evolution being chief among them. I simply can't fathom how someone who enjoys thinking as much as she does will allow such barriers to be placed in front of her thoughts. But she does, and quite vehemently, too. (I think I will win out in the end, with patience and relentless insidiousness. Heheh.)

[truthBtold]

I was born an atheist.

HA.... I got u beat.. I was an atheist before my mom and dad conceived. . God made me an atheist.. it was in his grand plan..

[Angrboda]

I don't remember when I became an atheist. Some time in my childhood before my teens.

[My imaginary friend is GOD]

Atheist 4 Lyfe Motherfuckers!


Seriously, though, as soon as I was capable of rational thought, which was when I was 3, when people talked to me about God, I thought they were just stupid or crazy.

[Nine]

I never believed but I think I was 8 when I first actually thought about it. I was 16-17 when I actually found out not believing bothered other people so much.

[downbeatplumb]

Born atheist, remained atheist.