Why?

[Zombie]

More specifically, your religious beliefs.

In fact, this thread might just be directed at the atheists (and gnostics?)among us. Those who, at one point or another, decided - or concluded - that Religion, in any form whatsoever, was not for them to follow.

What made you question your beliefs? Why did you pull yourself away from what you thought you had in you?

I wanted to ask this a long time ago, but i can't seem to understand why I became what i am today, a non-believer - an "infidel". The past is so blurry for me right now, so forgive me if I'm unable to be the first to answer my thread.

[bluerev002]

I was one of those lucky children whose parents were too lazy to take them to church. So I guess that helped a lot.

[Pete]

I was raised questioning. As soon as you can criticize your central beliefs I think you become a floater. At the moment I am not an atheist. To the question: Which religion? I say: Who the fuck cares?

Perhaps that is atheism, but regardless. If there is or isn't a supreme diety (or many) I have no care for its existance or lack of existance.

[Bradyman]

My parents didn't take me to church much, so I never got into that whole thing. Science and technology has been chipping away at religion, such as Darwin with evolution. Plus, the morals of religions seem to be based on the times, such as its view of slavery. Also, I always wondered about all the religions before Christianity such as the Greek Gods and which religion was right. So I came up with a solution, none of them are right.

I do, though, respect the beliefs of others.

[BuyOurEverything]

Well my my mom is a really liberal jew and my dad was raised catholic but now is extremely atheist so that might have had something to do with it. I guess I was taught to believe in religion and one day I just realized that none of it made any sense and that I never actually believed in god I just assumed I did.

[Eastside Revolt]

I've been an athiest since I was about 6 or 7.

I remember the first thing that struck a blow with me, was when I thought about it, that hell seemed pretey-much an impossible concept for me. Knowing in my heart that 'criminals' and or 'sinners' were obviously not completely bad and therfore did not deserve to experience eternal torture.

Over time I guess I slowly built upon that.

[RED CHARO]

I don't think anyone really belives in 'god' :P

[redstar2000]

Like many working class families, my parents were not church-goers and I don't think I was ever in a church more than three or four times prior to the civil rights movement.

I do recall, vaguely, that around the age of 6 or 7 I had "heard" of a "super being" in the sky that "took requests". So I tried it out; all I remember now is that I "prayed" for something not to happen.

Whatever it was, it happened anyway.

Being rational, I concluded that "god" was just another one of those lies that grown-ups tell kids, like Santa Claus or "the policeman is your friend", etc.

I don't, by the way, "respect" any religious beliefs. But I guess you knew that.



The RedStar2000 Papers
A site about communist ideas

[The Feral Underclass]

I am an atheist because God dosnt exist. How I became an atheist was because I became a Marxist and then a Anarchist.

My mother is very religious. not in the bible bashing sense, and she does not follow christianity, but she does believe that their is a higher being, who guides us and who supports us through hard times. My mom has been through alot and I do not hold it against her if it makes her happy.

I have never had a storng belief in god and being gay has made me extremly dubious of any religion. Then Marx came along and stole me before I had chance to really sit down and think about it. I don't think I could ever believe in god now or follow a religion unless he came down from the skies in a big flash of thunder for all to see and made the sea part and made evryone live in peace and happiness and said "Behold...for I am he...God almighty, creater of the universe and I bring you the meaning of life" and then actually showed me the meaning of life.

[Invader Zim]

When I was a brainwashed child indoctronated by school, I believed, but slowly common sense must have dawned, because Around 8-9 I was a convinced athiest.

[RyeN]

I was raised by very religious people. My mother is a misionary for the reformed church. I prayed before every meal and we would read the bible every night at dinner. My parents would send me to christian school and summer camps. One year when I was 11 all my friends at the summer camp were giving their lives over to jesus. Thats when I decided it wasnt for me. I wanted to live my own life.

Once you get over the fear of god it is easy to look and see how silly such stories and belifs are.

[hawarameen]

it started off pretty petty with me with things like "why does god hate me" and "why has god given me such a shit life" etc..... this was when i was a kid. a few years ago, in the space of a year my grandad, granmother and 2 uncles died and i was furious, not with anything in particular just with my situation. when my first uncle died (after my grandparents) i was filled with rage, nothing else, i found out and i trashed my room demolishing a few things, i cried for days. after that the rage subsided and i began to think about it. how many billions of people base their lives on something that someone wrote thousands of years ago? i started to look at the hypocracy of religion, growing up in a non practicing islamic family i saw my dad drink (not excessively) nobody in my family prayed and eating non halal meat wasnt very important.
what about that phrase "non practicing etc.." how stupid does that sound im muslim but i dont practice islam! so i drink, eat pork never mind non halal meat!
it seams to me that years ago people gained notariety and fame by claiming they have a message from god and that people should follow their religion...the true religion. some were intelligent enough to carry it off and i will bet any money that for each succesfull religion that has remained to this day from its birth thousands of years ago that there were thousands of other religions that didnt gain popularity. my personal example is that originally the kurds had their own religion called Zardasht, how many of you have heard of this?

in conclusion religion doesnt make sense, its hypocrytical in its values and its messengers are out drinking, eating pork, developing hobbies such as peadophilia etc.

[Eastside Revolt]

What really bugs me about the majority of religions is I never hear them adress, or even question the idea that although It's impossible to agrue over whether something created the universe. It very easy to argue that it was just an event, or possiby created by an unconsious being, as opposed to a super-consious diety.

[hawarameen]

exactly - most answers are along the lines of "it just happens" or " we cant question god" or "it says so in the bible/koran" CRAP!

[Iepilei]

Growing up, sitting in a church on Sunday just seemed like a pointless gesture. Face it, it was boring, tedious, you had to wake up early for it, and I had no interest at all in attending "sunday school" with the other kids. But it wasn't all of this that turned me away (although for many people, it would have) - it was the fact that I would sit around watching all of these people listen to these stories this man would tell us, and become "overwhelmed" by it. I never felt the "presence" of God in my life, I mean, my family was lower-classed. I'd see my parents pray to God to make things "all better" - to fix all the wrong in life. But day by day, everything kept getting smashed down in some way, shape, or form. Nothing ever got better. Things only got worse. It wasn't just for us, but it was for the majority of the Catholic families (mostly hispanic) I grew up around. The most religious people I knew suffered the most.

That's when I determined that it's not God, or Jesus, or whoever the hell it is, who makes the world go around. It's individuals like myself, my parents, and my community. Anytime something good happened, it was because our small town rallied together. We could earn money for the even more worse off than us. We could help kids with nothing enjoy a holiday. It was around this time that I began to doubt the existance of an 'omnipotent' god.

Today, I have yet to claim a side. Primarily because it doesn't matter to me right now. I don't want to live for some crazy orwellian afterlife if it means I don't get to enjoy what I have around me now. I don't think I like the concept of "heaven" where one "knows no pain."

I mean, if 1/3 of its population staged an insurrection against it... how great can it really be?

But I disagree with overly aggressive techniques used by atheists, whom to me sound like areligious zealots. Is there a god or isn't there? Who knows?

You guys can struggle with that... I'll just focus on the problems we have at hand, now.

[Hawker]

Well my parents took me to church every sunday,I was a bit devoted but that wore off as I grew up because I read about things that religion did to people,and I was horrified with what I read,so I decided that I don't want to become one of those slaves to the church,so I decided that I would secretly give up my religion.My parents don't know about me being atheist,because they will disown me.How did any of you guys parents handled it when you explained to them your atheist?

[RevolucioN NoW]

Religion is and always has been a means of exploitation of the oppressed by the rich. The Bible for instance has been proven incorrect or inconsistant innumerable times.

The pope is supposedly gods representative but he is simply chosen by a bunch of clergy. A very undemocratic institution if i ever saw one.

It is bullshit how Religious organisations are able to come to secular, state schools on "invitation". They let these religious fanatics in and they recruit for some sort of bible club and hand out bibles.

Never mind that a good percentage of the school is non-christian!

So i tear up any copies of the bible that thy hand out.

h34r:

[Pete]

Originally posted by hawarameen@Oct 20 2003, 03:21 PM
exactly - most answers are along the lines of "it just happens" or " we cant question god" or "it says so in the bible/koran" CRAP!

Let me quote from the Rg Veda. It will be a breathe of fresh air.

This is from Rg Veda 10.129.7

Whence this creation has arisen - perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not - the one who looks down on it, in the highest heaven, only he knows - or perhaps he does not.

Just thought you would enjoy that. It is the Wendy O'Flaherty translation, not as pretty as some of the other ones, but it does the job.

Ielipi said in his last paragraph what I meant to say, only coherently.

[hawarameen]

pete thats about the funniest thing i have ever read

[Pete]

Hey that is the oldest and perhaps holiest hindu text for you. If all religions could look at themselves like that, then they would probaly fall apart. I think it is a testament to hinduism that they can and do question their founding narriative and beliefs in such a way, but keep them regardless. I'm sure Christianity rejects any idea that their god did not exist in the beginning....

Anyways...

-Pete