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How does one become an atheist?
138 Answers
Tweaker asked this in the thread on JWs
Personally I grew up in a familly that wasn't particularly religious, and it slowly grew on me.
I certainly remember at the age of 12 the Headmaster doing a role call of who was Christian, Jewish etc. and then asked "any others" - I put up my hand and said I was an atheist.
There then followed much consternation and d bluster before he said rather arrogantly "Well I hope you find a religion one day"
I guess that was when I first identified myself as an atheist.
How about the rest of you? Do you remember when you first identified yourselves as atheists?
Personally I grew up in a familly that wasn't particularly religious, and it slowly grew on me.
I certainly remember at the age of 12 the Headmaster doing a role call of who was Christian, Jewish etc. and then asked "any others" - I put up my hand and said I was an atheist.
There then followed much consternation and d bluster before he said rather arrogantly "Well I hope you find a religion one day"
I guess that was when I first identified myself as an atheist.
How about the rest of you? Do you remember when you first identified yourselves as atheists?
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I simply meant that some of the atheists here in R&S seem to mirror the behaviour of the JWs in not being backward in coming forward to present their views.
In a more general sense, I know that political religion can be a very dangerous thing. Not so very long ago in my home town people were shot dead in the street by sectarian murder gangs for no other reason than they were thought to be of a different religion from the gunmen. The harmful effects of militant Islam, or Zionism, are well known.
So, I'll ask the atheists here this: If religion works for me, and I don't try to impose it on anyone else, where's the harm in it?
In a more general sense, I know that political religion can be a very dangerous thing. Not so very long ago in my home town people were shot dead in the street by sectarian murder gangs for no other reason than they were thought to be of a different religion from the gunmen. The harmful effects of militant Islam, or Zionism, are well known.
So, I'll ask the atheists here this: If religion works for me, and I don't try to impose it on anyone else, where's the harm in it?
My parents were CoE, Sandy, and decent people, though not preachy. I, and I imagine most of the other atheists on AB, would not dream of trying to convert people like that, far less mock or deride their beliefs. That's not because the beliefs are not worthy of contempt and derision, but because to do so would be unkind. The fact is most decent believers are so because of their culture and far superior to their holy books and their self-serving priests and mullahs.
But if a Mormon or JW accosts me I will argue my case, which is a strong one.
When religious zealots go further and try to poison education, deny free speech and impose their ignorant views by force or the threat of it, I think not just atheists, but everyone who believes in civil society should oppose them. I'm a big-A Atheist in that respect, Sandy.
By the way, to answer your question, I see none harm in SandyRoe.
But if a Mormon or JW accosts me I will argue my case, which is a strong one.
When religious zealots go further and try to poison education, deny free speech and impose their ignorant views by force or the threat of it, I think not just atheists, but everyone who believes in civil society should oppose them. I'm a big-A Atheist in that respect, Sandy.
By the way, to answer your question, I see none harm in SandyRoe.
How Does One Become An Atheist?
Fundamentally, one realises one always was or comes to realise they adopted an erroneous belief, most often by examining the basis for adopting it or the lack of basis for and contradictory nature of what it is they believe.
I never have bought into 'the virtue of believing for the sake of believing'. I've since learned that such is a departure from the realm of objectivity essential to establishing the rational certainty one derives from acquiring an understanding of what knowledge is and how one knows it. My need for understanding has always precluded believing in something I do not understand and eventually led me to an understanding of why some things not only do not but by virtue of that which does, can not exist. I realise the difficultly many face in coming to the conclusion that god/s do not exist upon reflection of how difficult and often frustrating it was for me to grasp the methods and means by which one comes to know and understand, but for what was for me an arduous process was made necessary by what I was told were the consequences of non-belief in spite ignorance of which contradiction to embrace only to ultimately discover that contradictions do not exist in reality . . . only in ones thinking.
Fundamentally, one realises one always was or comes to realise they adopted an erroneous belief, most often by examining the basis for adopting it or the lack of basis for and contradictory nature of what it is they believe.
I never have bought into 'the virtue of believing for the sake of believing'. I've since learned that such is a departure from the realm of objectivity essential to establishing the rational certainty one derives from acquiring an understanding of what knowledge is and how one knows it. My need for understanding has always precluded believing in something I do not understand and eventually led me to an understanding of why some things not only do not but by virtue of that which does, can not exist. I realise the difficultly many face in coming to the conclusion that god/s do not exist upon reflection of how difficult and often frustrating it was for me to grasp the methods and means by which one comes to know and understand, but for what was for me an arduous process was made necessary by what I was told were the consequences of non-belief in spite ignorance of which contradiction to embrace only to ultimately discover that contradictions do not exist in reality . . . only in ones thinking.
andy-hughes, //sandyRoe - based on previous posts, i think you re deliberately trying to be provocative, comparfing aetheists to JW's.//
Nothing to worry about. I don’t think most of the regulars here are overly sensitive to Sandy's penchant for posting provocative comments - or to anyone else's for that matter. It’s his way, it’s often fun, it encourages discussion, and we like to keep a sense of humour. I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s compared me to a nun! :o)
To answer the question, as Ludwig said, we are all born atheists. Like Vetuste, I was raised by decent CofE parents, and I went to church regularly. Believe it or not I was a fervent believer until I read a book that told the truth about what the bible contained. Having only ever listened to sermons, or read the bits of the bible that other people told me I should read, I checked every single biblical reference given in that book – and found it to be right – and the bible to be so very wrong. Hence, I retrieved my brain. Thank Zeus for that book. ;o)
Nothing to worry about. I don’t think most of the regulars here are overly sensitive to Sandy's penchant for posting provocative comments - or to anyone else's for that matter. It’s his way, it’s often fun, it encourages discussion, and we like to keep a sense of humour. I’ve lost count of the number of times he’s compared me to a nun! :o)
To answer the question, as Ludwig said, we are all born atheists. Like Vetuste, I was raised by decent CofE parents, and I went to church regularly. Believe it or not I was a fervent believer until I read a book that told the truth about what the bible contained. Having only ever listened to sermons, or read the bits of the bible that other people told me I should read, I checked every single biblical reference given in that book – and found it to be right – and the bible to be so very wrong. Hence, I retrieved my brain. Thank Zeus for that book. ;o)
As others have said here - I was born an atheist. To answer tweakers point - of course you can be born an atheist - every single child born on earth is because atheism is simply non belief in a supernatural entity - and how can you believe in something unless you have been indoctrinated into it first?
My parents were considerate enough to let me find my own way, but for me the clashes between religion and science meant I would chose the scientific worldview every time.
My parents were considerate enough to let me find my own way, but for me the clashes between religion and science meant I would chose the scientific worldview every time.
Gradual in my case, plus plenty of reading...esp on Einstein's theories on religion.
Methodist family, strict grandfather as a practising lay preacher, only book on Sunday the Bible, biblical toys only on Sunday and the chapel twice a day - inc Sunday school.
My father, once out of his clutches, did not "preach" or enforce though.
Middle School prize in Divinity (on comparative religion - still interested in the philosophies and logic) but managed to fail the O level (bible cramming - and I had Ad Maths the same day. I realised, aged 15, that I did not want to be a Bishop.
General apathy about religion at As and then, after a gap year, through reading science and philosophy, a gradual appreciation of the hogwash, but also an appreciation that the Bible and the Koran writers etc were brilliant at explaining the unexplainable to the uneducated masses....
Einstein's views are interesting in that he does not believe in a personal deity but questions if there is some higher form that has led to the symmetry of the universe.....
And to me, one realises that there has always been space, no beginning, no end, just a continual process (or trillions and trillions of processes) at work, some of which we know, many that we do not yet and the advancement of science will gradually reveal the "onion" to us.
Methodist family, strict grandfather as a practising lay preacher, only book on Sunday the Bible, biblical toys only on Sunday and the chapel twice a day - inc Sunday school.
My father, once out of his clutches, did not "preach" or enforce though.
Middle School prize in Divinity (on comparative religion - still interested in the philosophies and logic) but managed to fail the O level (bible cramming - and I had Ad Maths the same day. I realised, aged 15, that I did not want to be a Bishop.
General apathy about religion at As and then, after a gap year, through reading science and philosophy, a gradual appreciation of the hogwash, but also an appreciation that the Bible and the Koran writers etc were brilliant at explaining the unexplainable to the uneducated masses....
Einstein's views are interesting in that he does not believe in a personal deity but questions if there is some higher form that has led to the symmetry of the universe.....
And to me, one realises that there has always been space, no beginning, no end, just a continual process (or trillions and trillions of processes) at work, some of which we know, many that we do not yet and the advancement of science will gradually reveal the "onion" to us.
Yes DT I think Einstein was a fan of "Spinoza's God"
However I wouldn't advise taking him too much as a model - he wasted the last half of his life trying to show Quantum mechanics was wrong.
It was an act of faith on his part - it simply didn't fit with his world view and he couldn't accept it.
IMHO he was the last 19th Century Physicist who stumbled into the twentieth century by mistake.
However I wouldn't advise taking him too much as a model - he wasted the last half of his life trying to show Quantum mechanics was wrong.
It was an act of faith on his part - it simply didn't fit with his world view and he couldn't accept it.
IMHO he was the last 19th Century Physicist who stumbled into the twentieth century by mistake.
OG, Of course everyone is an atheist at birth. How many babies are born with a belief in a god?
Actually, the word shouldn’t exist, and if there had never been any suggestion of the existence of a god, it wouldn’t exist. This from Sam Harris.
“No one ever needs to identify himself as a 'non-astrologer' or a 'non-alchemist'."
Actually, the word shouldn’t exist, and if there had never been any suggestion of the existence of a god, it wouldn’t exist. This from Sam Harris.
“No one ever needs to identify himself as a 'non-astrologer' or a 'non-alchemist'."
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