It was gradual, very gradual for me.
I was raised (Midwest conservative) Methodist, and the family took it pretty seriously. I realize now, however, 60s to mid 70s, Methodism was evolving. The church was more ecumenical, minister participated with other churches in the area to impress upon the (public) school board to keep one weekday evening free of school activities and the area churches would/could use that night for their activities and not compete for attendees with the school.
I was in MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship) and it was, as they say, good clean wholesome fun. One of our activities was a tour of other religious facilities in the area. I recall going to the local Jehovah Witness building, abd even Temple Israel in Omaha. LOL, we even went to a rehab facility, I picked up on some funny ideas on that tour.
My first really negative experience with a churchy group was Campus Crusade for Christ. This was mid 70s Iowa, and as soon as I arrived at college, I started my coming out process. CCfC was unabashedly anti-Gay, then as now I suppose, and I returned their hostility with hostility of my own.
Being so busy with classes, partying and coming out, I did not spend much time with the local Methodists in that town. I think I went to 1 Sunday service and a couple of activities; a roller skating party comes to mind.
Back in the 70s, there was no shortage of open hostility to Gays from most churchy orgs, and soon my unhappiness with CCfC spread to other religious groups too. Anita Bryant was a big deal back then, and she was ecumenically Christian (read that generic) and her and her movement weren't shy about advocating all manner of Draconian solutions to the 'gay problem'. (stripping what legal protections existed, prisons, concentration camps, blind eye towards 'street justice', medical treatments)
I eventually put in a couple years at a Unitarian church. Their take on faith was/is pretty diluted, LOL, and I kept progressing to atheism.
Mid 80s on, I was otherwise occupied with HIV and 12 Stepping so didn't spend too much time on faith matters beyond hating every second of the fundie funerals I wound up attending.
I've never had much sympathy for Moral Majority types, TV preachers, and the idiots that come to my door. (BTW, I've had JWs, a Methodist, Moonies and Bahgwan followers, don't recall LDS more than once or twice in 40 years, although a sister worked with an LDS volunteer for months at her job and I experienced a jot or tittle of prosly from her)
If I had to apportion credit for my atheism, I'd say churchy folks being assholes would merit the biggest tip of the hat.
And I know it sounds snarky, but Last Temptation of Christ really had quite an impact on me, and the majority of churchy folks HATING it squelched whatever chance their was for that of keeping me at whatever level of religious I was when I saw it first run when it came out.
(BTW, I just received the Blu-ray of it, and I'll do a topic on it when I'm ready)
I was raised (Midwest conservative) Methodist, and the family took it pretty seriously. I realize now, however, 60s to mid 70s, Methodism was evolving. The church was more ecumenical, minister participated with other churches in the area to impress upon the (public) school board to keep one weekday evening free of school activities and the area churches would/could use that night for their activities and not compete for attendees with the school.
I was in MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship) and it was, as they say, good clean wholesome fun. One of our activities was a tour of other religious facilities in the area. I recall going to the local Jehovah Witness building, abd even Temple Israel in Omaha. LOL, we even went to a rehab facility, I picked up on some funny ideas on that tour.
My first really negative experience with a churchy group was Campus Crusade for Christ. This was mid 70s Iowa, and as soon as I arrived at college, I started my coming out process. CCfC was unabashedly anti-Gay, then as now I suppose, and I returned their hostility with hostility of my own.
Being so busy with classes, partying and coming out, I did not spend much time with the local Methodists in that town. I think I went to 1 Sunday service and a couple of activities; a roller skating party comes to mind.
Back in the 70s, there was no shortage of open hostility to Gays from most churchy orgs, and soon my unhappiness with CCfC spread to other religious groups too. Anita Bryant was a big deal back then, and she was ecumenically Christian (read that generic) and her and her movement weren't shy about advocating all manner of Draconian solutions to the 'gay problem'. (stripping what legal protections existed, prisons, concentration camps, blind eye towards 'street justice', medical treatments)
I eventually put in a couple years at a Unitarian church. Their take on faith was/is pretty diluted, LOL, and I kept progressing to atheism.
Mid 80s on, I was otherwise occupied with HIV and 12 Stepping so didn't spend too much time on faith matters beyond hating every second of the fundie funerals I wound up attending.
I've never had much sympathy for Moral Majority types, TV preachers, and the idiots that come to my door. (BTW, I've had JWs, a Methodist, Moonies and Bahgwan followers, don't recall LDS more than once or twice in 40 years, although a sister worked with an LDS volunteer for months at her job and I experienced a jot or tittle of prosly from her)
If I had to apportion credit for my atheism, I'd say churchy folks being assholes would merit the biggest tip of the hat.
And I know it sounds snarky, but Last Temptation of Christ really had quite an impact on me, and the majority of churchy folks HATING it squelched whatever chance their was for that of keeping me at whatever level of religious I was when I saw it first run when it came out.
(BTW, I just received the Blu-ray of it, and I'll do a topic on it when I'm ready)
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.
