How has atheism changed you?

[Whateverist]

Leaving religion behind has made me more self reliant in many ways. I was only religious until about 8 or 10 years of age, and most of what I knew of Christianity was what my parents would say. Nonetheless having been religious also changed me, perhaps for the better in some ways. It is never possible to compare one's actual experience with a hypothetical of course. So lets just say I have no regrets for having had the notion of Christianity in my consciousness .. up until I evicted it.

[The Grand Nudger]

-insert obligatory remark regarding those that have never believed and the strangeness of this question to such people-

[Sciwoman]

Since becoming an atheist at the age of 35, I have become more self-reliant, more curious, more open to new experiences, less afraid, and far happier.

[Tea Earl Grey Hot]

Since becoming an atheist, I have acquired an evil laugh.

[Angrboda]

“Nothing is permanent except change.” — Heraclitus

The origins of my first atheism are lost in the mists of my early childhood. I don't know that I ever was truly atheist or ever wasn't, as madness has fractured my life with a mosaic of truths and untruths, uncaring of each other's existence.

I know why I became a Taoist, analogous to Mencken's comment about the Christian who reads the bible and pencils in the margins, "So true!" At 17 I discovered the Tao Te Ching, and everything just clicked.

If anything, I would say my Taoism has helped me to be more tolerant of ambiguity and indeterminism, and instilled in me a willingness to let others find their own paths, without feeling the need to impose my order on them.

In the years between that and now, I have incorporated Hindu threads and the worship of a wild goddess, which, perhaps helps me allow myself to be wild too.

And meanwhile, the madness continues to destroy. It's probably a good thing I have a high tolerance for this life.

[FallentoReason]

This is for all the people who were theists at one point.
Has atheism changed you in any way? How? Do you think that you are a better person now or back when you were a theist?

A lack of belief in God has given me the ability to think big and wonder about the cosmos without feeling guilty or worrying that Satan has got a grip on me. Intellectual freedom feels good.

I can't say my moral values have changed much. I still hold on to Christian values like not swearing and letting your yes's be yes's. I agree with them even if we're not being judged by a deity.

[KichigaiNeko]

I turned my back on deity over 40 years ago... has it "changed me"? Can't answer that but can say it has left me intolerant of stupidity and blind faith being substituted for knowledge and wisdom

[Ace Otana]

I see, but could you perhaps explain what you mean by atheism not being an 'ism'?

The 'ism' bit comes from 'theism'. The A put in front of the word 'theism' means 'without'. Without theism - A-theism.

Atheism means without theism. It stems from the words Theos and Atheos which is Greek. Theos - With believe in god. Atheos - Without belief in god.

We've merely added an 'A' to the word 'theism'. So the 'ism' bit comes from you guys. If there was no 'theism' there'd be no A-theism. Atheism is merely the response to theism.

[mrlmichael]

I don't really know if it changed me at all. I was raised Catholic but was always skeptical of Religion from a young age. For a long time I considered myself agnostic, but eventually realized I just did not see the possibility of a god and that I was indeed atheist.

My morals have not changed, nor has my overall behavior. I will say that over time I have become less and less tolerant of religion. I don't like hearing about it, especially when people use it as a reason for public policy or violence.

It has made me feel slightly alienated from my devout Catholic family. One good example I can think of this is at the recent funeral of a family member. The service was very religious, people talked about her being with god now, in heaven, and that we would all see her again. Then there is me, sitting there thinking to myself that I have seen the last of this person, and that she will now only live on in my mind as a memory until I die, and that feels strange to me, being around so many people who truly felt this person had now gone to heaven.

[Adjusted Sanity]

I feel pretty much the same. Of course I never took my Christianity seriously anyway, and never let it impede my curious mind. Because of that my religion was bound to die at some point. It just wasn't getting the proper nutrients to grow. So it withered and died eventually.