Becoming an Atheist (how to leave another religion?)

[LukeMC]

*Luke does likewise...

[Purple Rabbit]

Seconds, minutes, hours(?) ticking away in futile despair.

[AtheistPhil]

I was christened as a baby and haven't believed in any religion since I can remember.
I never went to church etc..
I was wondering is there any way I can formally renounce the attachment to Church Of England that I have due to being christened??

Strange question I know but my husband says I can't be an Atheist because I was christened and am technically Church of England even though I haven't believed in it at all or ever practiced it.

Looks like you've never been a christian at all, so why do you think you need a deconversion ceremony ? It's not like you were moving to another cult, because atheism is no religion (it looks like your husband see atheism as one). Does people who believed in astrology need a formal deconversion ?
I think your husband's argument is used to prevent people from leaving their religion: "you're a lost sheep but you're still one of us. Even if you deny god, he still loves you...blablabla" That kind of speech makes any undecided people feel guilty about leaving their religion (which is absolutely no good reason to remain a christian).

Nevertheless, some kind of deconversion ceremony can help you leave your emotional attachment to religion I guess.


*waits for Adrian's post"

[Eilonnwy]

I've been meaning to call my local parish and get my name taken from their list.

I do find it very amusing that there is an eHow for leaving the Catholic church http://www.ehow.com/how_2107239_leave-ca...hurch.html

[Edwardo Piet]

If you can truthfully say to yourself "I don't believe in a god or gods" then you are an atheist. Simple as that.

I'm afraid that your husband is wrong!

I don't think that the church do any form of anti-christening apart for ex-communication but that's a catholic thing and pretty middle ages stuff.

If he's right then I'm a Christian lol! I was christened as a baby but I'm a very strong (in the informal sense, I'm still de-facto I don't "KNOW" of course) atheist!
I don't believe in a God or gods. Therefore I'm an atheist by definition. That's what makes you an atheist. Sod the christening I say! Otherwise it means I'm a Christian afterall! And I'm not a Christian lol.
I merely live in a Christian culture. I'm an atheist.
EmmaM, if you don't believe in a God or gods. You're an atheist by definition
Evf.

[Dotard]

Easy.

Next Sunday get up and go to Church with your Husband. Walk up to the podium, turn the mic on and announce:

"I hereby deny the existance of, and denounce any belief in God the father, Jesus the son and the holy spirit." Then walk out.

That oughta do it. Problem solved.

[Kyuuketsuki]

I was christened as a baby and haven't believed in any religion since I can remember.
I never went to church etc..
I was wondering is there any way I can formally renounce the attachment to Church Of England that I have due to being christened??

Strange question I know but my husband says I can't be an Atheist because I was christened and am technically Church of England even though I haven't believed in it at all or ever practiced it.

I tried that with the Catholics ... I did it because I was very militant (still can be now) and it irritated me that I was effectively still "on their books" as a believer.

I wrote a letter to the Bishop of Arundel (the diocese or whatever it's called where I was born and would have been Christened) and asked to be ex-communicated, but I was informed that it wasn't possible. I had a second stage planned (broadly speaking talking about all the things I would like to do to the Catholic Church, you know burning their churches and so on, but I never quite got round to it).

I might try again some day ... I would be so proud of being ex-communicated.

Kyu

---

On second thoughts, I've just thought of something extremely fun we could do as a forum.

Hold onto your hats folks...I'll be back.

Intrigued (pr. In-tree-gwed) I am!

Kyu

[leo-rcc]

Easy.

Next Sunday get up and go to Church with your Husband. Walk up to the podium, turn the mic on and announce:

"I hereby deny the existance of, and denounce any belief in God the father, Jesus the son and the holy spirit." Then walk out.

That oughta do it. Problem solved.

That will do it alright.

[Purple Rabbit]

Baptism means nothing if you don't believe it.

That means most of the catholic community has been illegally baptised. Can we prosecute someone for this?

[Edwardo Piet]

The thing is, if you don't believe it why would you and should you care?
If you want to be de-baptissed and it can be arranged then that would be cool though