how old were you

[robvalue]

There's a hell of a difference between a religious education and indoctrination. I would expect that those educated would be more likely to leave, but I would also expect they would take a more balanced approach to their religion if they continue with it. Just my speculation.

Indoctrination is mind rape. Just thought I'd say that again. Don't do it, anyone, ever.

[Allnewoutlook]

I declared myself atheist at ten but I never was religiously inclined. When I was really young maybe 3 or 4 I thought religion was some big joke like Santa Claus or the easter bunny. I finally got that it wasn't a joke when my dad slapped me for calling God a meany at 6. That's the only time my dad ever hit me so I just blindly believed after that until I started anylizing religion at about nine. Then I decided that it all sounded like a pile of horse shit. Now, as an atheist, I'm the happiest I've ever been.

[Kitty Galore]

I was utterly shocked the first time I realized people actually believed in Genesis.

Me too!!

[Alex K]

I became an official atheist (secret decoder ring and all) around 11. But to answer your question, God stopped making sense around 8 when I asked 'if God made us, who made God?' to my parents and they couldn't give me a solid answer.

They couldn't shut you up with sophisticated theology?

---

I was utterly shocked the first time I realized people actually believed in Genesis.

Me too!!

Me too. I was 18 and went to Texas the first time... Mind=blown

[Nope]

I always struggled with the fairy tales of Sunday school. I never believed these things actually happened. Even at my young age I suspected that children's stories are for children. I figured it was a way to make boring church more fun for kids with stories and coloring books.

In my 20's I looked around at being "spiritual". Mother earth and karma, this kind of belief. I was a faux hippy. I loved the style, but not the life style.
Karma was the hardest belief for me to let go of. I did truly believe that there was "something" that kept the balance of good and evil, outside of religion. "Things happen for a reason."

Someone did some very terrible things to me in my early 20's. This person murdered his wife, then killed himself, a couple of years later. This solidified karma for me.

I believed coincidence proved that there was something out there controlling it.

This changed for me about 5 years ago in my early 40's. I started analyzing things critically.

You seem like such an incredibly sweet person, Kitty. I am so sorry that happened to you.

Genesis never made sense to me but I didn't stop believing in a god until I hit my early forties. For several years before that, I really struggled with my faith and went through several denominations trying to find some way to retain belief. Once I finally let go, I wondered why I ever believed in the first place. Actually, I am sort of embarrassed that it took so long to stop believing. My daughter says that she never believed and I have no reason to doubt her.

My childhood was abusive so I wonder if my faith in god was somehow tied in with my trying for so long to please and love my mother. Once she died, I also was able to suddenly accept that there was no deity.

[AFTT47]

Nope, I think some of us are just hard-wired atheists. I don't know that those of us who were atheists when we were children were necessarily less susceptible to bullshit - maybe a certain type of bullshit. I was big into UFOs and ancient astronauts when I was a teenager. I did learn critical thinking later. I got better, as Monty Python might say. My earlier rejection of religion was based on something unconscious. It just didn't feel right at all.

[Roxy904]

Amateurs...
I used Bible pages as my diapers.
Being serious, though, a lot of religion didn't make sense to me when I was little, and then I matured a bit, and really tried to believe, because I wanted to make my parents happy. Then I matured a bit more, and realized I should stop pretending that bullshit is actually gold. Bullshit is bullshit.

[Rev. Rye]

Somewhere between 6 or 8.

[Kitty Galore]

I always struggled with the fairy tales of Sunday school. I never believed these things actually happened. Even at my young age I suspected that children's stories are for children. I figured it was a way to make boring church more fun for kids with stories and coloring books.

In my 20's I looked around at being "spiritual". Mother earth and karma, this kind of belief. I was a faux hippy. I loved the style, but not the life style.
Karma was the hardest belief for me to let go of. I did truly believe that there was "something" that kept the balance of good and evil, outside of religion. "Things happen for a reason."

Someone did some very terrible things to me in my early 20's. This person murdered his wife, then killed himself, a couple of years later. This solidified karma for me.

I believed coincidence proved that there was something out there controlling it.

This changed for me about 5 years ago in my early 40's. I started analyzing things critically.

You seem like such an incredibly sweet person, Kitty. I am so sorry that happened to you.

Genesis never made sense to me but I didn't stop believing in a god until I hit my early forties. For several years before that, I really struggled with my faith and went through several denominations trying to find some way to retain belief. Once I finally let go, I wondered why I ever believed in the first place. Actually, I am sort of embarrassed that it took so long to stop believing. My daughter says that she never believed and I have no reason to doubt her.

My childhood was abusive so I wonder if my faith in god was somehow tied in with my trying for so long to please and love my mother. Once she died, I also was able to suddenly accept that there was no deity.

Bolded by me.

First of all, thank you for that. I'm thankful I came out of it retaining kindness.

Second, that is me all over...lol

[watchamadoodle]

It took me a much longer time than most people:
Age 12 - very suspicious after reading the Bible the first time.
Age 20 - frustrated with my inability to experience God, and decided I didn't believe.
Age 43 - had psychosis and became convinced that Christianity must be true somehow.
Age 45 - became suspicious again and stopped going to church and learning about religion.
Age 48 - atheist again (armed with more information this time)