The next part of my decision, to be an atheist, isn't easy to put into words. It was a process of accumulated life experiences.
My daughter has a degree in anthropology and religion. We talked many times about other choices for me. She was aware that my feelings toward Christianity had become quite hostile. With her guidance, I continued my search. There had to be something for me to believe in.
During these years, I watched many documentaries on cable. Often, my husband (a history buff & Catholic school graduate) would comment on discrepancies between documented history and biblical history. I started, for the first time, putting some thought and research into these matters. I was shocked to realize I'd never had any independent thoughts or questions about religion. But, I knew I could no longer follow what I'd been taught growing-up. What I'd been taught was to follow along and do what was "right", not how to think.
I started looking into atheism and began reading books by current day atheists. One of my favorites is The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins. The more I learned about things that were misrepresented, distorted and similar to other religions, the easier it was to question the validity of all religions.
In my opinion, most people would turn away from religion if they were exposed to the truth about how today's version of the bible came to be. But the response of many (particularly evangelicals) when presented with thought provoking questions is, "If its in the bible, then its true." end of discussion.
For these reasons, and others, I became an atheist.
My parents (Part 1), who were so afraid my husband would turn me into a Catholic, are not aware that he helped turn me into an atheist.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Why I became an Atheist. Part 2
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6 comments:
I need to read that book. I just started "God is Not Great" by Christopher Hitchens. I'm interested in that one because it is apparently the book that got my mom to more or less acknowledge that she's really an atheist. I have known that for years, but for some reason she still goes to her American Baptist church (for the music) and Sunday School (in the most liberal class where they talk more about how to be good people than anything else).
S
I have the "God is Not Great" book also, but found it difficult reading. I know the point of the book is to justify atheism but his explanations were to convoluted for me to follow.
Three cheers for your mom!
I can see not getting into Hitchens. I'm not that far into it and already it's taken some work to figure out his style of expressing himself.
The Dawkins book is another one on my list.
I have a question for you. You said you always knew your mom was an atheist. How long have you called yourself an atheist or is this your first venture into it?
We never went to church or talked about religion at all when I was growing up. We celebrated Christmas and even Easter, but it was always in a very secular way. Then we moved to a new town when I was 14 and all of a sudden my parents announced they were going to find a church, which shocked me. I was the sort of academic and geeky 14 year-old who would willingly go along to learn and understand more. But I never claimed belief, even though I let the church baptize me at 15. My parents never explicitly said that they believed in god, but it seemed clear to me that they didn't. I only really went to church regularly (and later on visits home) because the cutest, most popular boy in school went to the same church.
Atheism is the thing I've had all my life. Trying to believe in a god is something I did in my teen years. I never really fell for it (though I put on a good act the summer I was 19 because I was living with my two born-again cousins whose social circle was the church group - it was just easier to give in a bit because I didn't have my own car or my own friends that summer).
Isn't peer pressure a wonderful thing! (That was sarcasm.)
Your parents may have joined a church, after moving, because it's an easy way to connect with a new community. If your new in town, asking where the atheists meet might be off-putting. LOL
I never signed up for baptism, but I did fall for being "saved". I distinctly remember wishing I could take it back that same day. I hated the flurry of attention it caused me.
Religious pressure, from extended family and the community, is one of the reasons I moved 1500 miles away @ the age of 20. I just wanted to live my life without having people looking over my shoulder.
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