Ex-Christians

[Tnmusicman]

I know a lot of atheists will say they are former Christians. How did you know you were a Christian ?? Did you participate in a ritual or say a prayer or go to confession?
Did you have some sort of affirmation that you were a Christian ?
I apologize if this has been asked before but I'm fairly new to atheist forums.

[pocaracas]

I was christian in the kid sense of the word.
I was a kid, I believed my elders and they claimed there was a god, everywhere, but invisible.
We didn't go to church much, but did the parties: Easter and Christmas.
I thought everyone was the same, so I was too.

Then, when I was about 10, I figured they must be wrong.... and a world of possibilities opened... plus, I discovered there are other religions.

Given this, I'm not the sort of person that would say "I was once a christian"... I was once a kid who believed whatever he was told, just like most kids in the world. Then I became an atheist.

[Aractus]

Tnmusicman what's your definition of a Christian?

[Darth]

As a kid/young teen, I believed in Jesus, God and the holy spirit, I believed they/god as one existed and watched over us, I wanted to spread the word/love of Jesus to the point of considering becoming a priest as a kid. Believed the bible was the word of God (till I read past the 4 gospels and basic stories we were told as a kid)

I did my 'confirmation' (as a young highschooler) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confirmatio...ic_Church) , went to confessions, found the stations of the cross to be incredibly moving, said prayers regularly (and meant them, not the nonsense grace before dinner stuff)....

[Faith No More]

My parents took me to church every day, yet I was in no way, shape, or form a Christian. Even so, that church does consider me a Christian, because I was confirmed at the church on orders from my parents.

[Something completely different]

Well I dont think I realy ever was a christian, since my parents were both from different confessions (dad anglican, mum catholic) they very oftern argued over "how to pray" etc.
I remember pritty well how my dad, angrily refused to let me go to catholic confession because to him all catholic priest were nothing but potential pedophiles.
After a certain time my parents agreed that we (their two sons) should decide for themselves, as a result we didn`t go to church anymore and other.
I didn`t care much, european churches are medieval buildings designed to defend against a medieval army - therefor cold and depressing in the inside.
An our catholic priest was an asshole.

[Strongbad]

I know a lot of atheists will say they are former Christians. How did you know you were a Christian ?? Did you participate in a ritual or say a prayer or go to confession?
Did you have some sort of affirmation that you were a Christian ?
I apologize if this has been asked before but I'm fairly new to atheist forums.

How did I "know"? Well, let's see:

My parents were devout Catholics. I was "baptized" when I was a few days old. I was taken to church twice a week, and I walked around with black crap on my forehead every "Ash Wednesday". I went to Catholic school, and was an altar boy. I went to confession twice a week (and confessed all of my "sins", you know "fighting with my brother", "talking back to my mother", etc.) I said my penance prayers, and I knew how to work the Rosary beads. I went through "confirmation", and regularly "took communion". I was as christian as a christian can be.

However, as I am now an atheist (for the past 40 years or so), I suppose a genuine True Christian would say that I never actually was a christian, because I never "truly accepted Jesus in my heart".

[The Grand Nudger]

I had a girlfriend in highschool (catholic) that "knew how to work the rosary beads" as well....I'm fairly certain she wasn't a christian.

[Strongbad]

I had a girlfriend in highschool (catholic) that "knew how to work the rosary beads" as well....I'm fairly certain she wasn't a christian.

I'm sure if you know how to work the rosary beads well enough in a certain way, you can have a fairly religious experience with them.

[The Grand Nudger]

Would explain why I had my head buried at that altar for years eh?