I can't speak for other atheists, but for me it was the complete lack of evidence to support a deity in conjunction with actual evidence supporting evolution.
Thank you! Came here to say this. If you became an atheist because you're angry at a religion, that is not real atheism, it's just anti-religion. (Which I'm fine with, but it's an emotional stance rather than rational argument.)
I became an atheist before I became anti-religion. I stopped believing in the GOD story about 13 years ago but I became anti-religion in 2016 when I saw how Trump used religious hypocrites to get him in office so they could attack other races & creeds.
I agree with you, to a certain extent. After studying more progressive authors like Spong, Crossan, and Borg, I came to not believe substitutionary atonement. Since, however, religion relies on pushing emotional buttons, not logical ones, i not surprising to see people leave for emotional reasons
I’m a musician and often think about the lingering impact of the history of western music(main driver being churches and religious rulers offering patronage to composers and performers) on our psyches and beliefs. It’s curious being an atheist being drawn to all sorts of music, much of it religious
I mean, a lot of religious is moving to me. Created by humans, expressing human experiences. It doesn’t make a difference to me that I don’t share the metaphysics of the composer.
Couldn't agree more. I will never forget the awe of being in a 1000 year old wood church that served pilgrims walking through the Carpathian mountains. Incredible, intricate woodwork and etchings that humbled me as a human being. It would suck if those things didn't exist. ❤️
Agreed as well! I just kinda flinch when atheists use the anti-church argument because it implies that if the people in a religion were kind and charitable, it would be a reason to believe in its teachings.
I probably shouldn't have said "real atheists" because I'm sure some of those people are...
It’s sort of a grey area too as there are all sorts of atheistic stances… such as those who celebrate church holidays but don’t believe the premise behind them. I don’t think it’s unusual either for agnostics or atheists to drift around extensively before settling on a position.
Spot on. It took me a little time to come to terms with it, because I felt bad for not believing. I still do every once in awhile. Guilt is a powerful motivator too, I guess. 🤷🏼♀️
Baptized Christian, SundaySchool as child.
I was a quiet kid, spent time watching & listening to adults around me.
By the time I was 8 I knew I'd never 'be' Christian.
Sent to multi religious faith gatherings by parents to 'check out' options.
'50s SK, religions all 'PalacesOrHellfire'.
I would disagree. Hypocrisy certainly helps with rejecting formal religious structure but logic and reason are the true reasons most people become atheists.
100%. Jesus and I are fine. I can get behind his message. It’s the Christians who have a mouth full of scripture and a heart full of hate that ran me from the church!
I am an atheist not out of any belief or feelings about Christians. God’s non-existence doesn’t need my affirmation.
I “believe” in the Loch Ness Monster, because the world is a better place with a Nessie. But all my belief and desire and hope doesn’t impact sad biological truths.
The fun thing is watching religious people try to understand why people reject their religion, and still having zero clue as to atheist views and values.
Or the mere lack of physical evidence for the existence of "god" or "Jesus"! First mentions of anyone named "Jesus" wasn't until 50-75 years after he was alleged to have died. No first hand accounts exist.
Agreed. I was raised Methodist, and read the Bible. I try to live by the teachings of Jesus without being manipulated by a minister. It was the hypocrisy that drove and continues to drive me away. Somewhere along the line, they ignored, reinterpreted and radicalized the Word.
You have no leg to stand on if you argue with the Bible or Jesus cause it also states that you have to accept every leadership of government, because every government comes from God.
So, you have two contrary ideas coming from the same book. How do you want to determine what's right or wrong?
It was a "you" in reference to a body of people, not to you specifically.
English is not my first language, so sorry if this sounds as if I had attacked you.
No. I found the true Jesus and so did the sages 2,000 years ago. Remember, they brought Him gold, frankincense and myrrh? My only purpose is the pursuit of absolute truth. I will absolve any wrong-held belief for truth, no matter how uncomfortable. Would you?
I spent 4 years at Christian college getting a degree in Theology. I became a liberal Christian. I was fully cured the day I walked out of church because the minister objected to a gay man being allowed to remain in the job of ministry in another church.
Had long convos with family about this while in PR this week. Bunch of Sunday thumpers but the other 6 days doing everything but following the teachings. I am not a religious man but these folks irk me.
I agree. Too many so-called "Christians" get caught up in the dogma and forget the teachings. Meanwhile, many non-Christians are actually following the teachings, and welcome all to journey with them without attaching any conditions.
Read about the Heritage Foundation, Evangelicals who, since the 1970s, have been working on their views and values, becoming Americans views and values. Hence, Project 2025. These people are white supremacists, hiding behind religion. This is my understanding of them. Federalist Society is bad, too.
As a former Mormon who broke cause he only felt the cold removal of any semblance of “God” in the halls of the church building he walked, this is more true than you could have ever imagine.
Very similar to you. I stopped going around 2015 after I lost the battle keeping my shelf from collapsing. I haven’t removed my records yet, but I will someday. My life instantly got better afterwards and it was the best decision I made.
I REALLY wanted religion to be a source of comfort, connection and belonging. I have been through many Christian religions and I can say, they all share the same toxic culture in different ways. I've thought about starting my own gathering space where people can "Sunday" and be lifted up.
Also, since the divine Christian presence is 3 powers, the quote should replace He/Him with They/Them. It's more accurate, plus it will make the hypocrites' heads explode.
I want to say Science made me an atheist. But it really was exactly as this saying states, the BLATANT hypocrisy of the church members was what triggered my "Santa's not real" moment as a 9 yr old. Too many people use religion for power over others, not as a guide post for empathy.
Very true. It is exactly why I left. I am able to practice the tenents of religion outside of the church. Following the golden rule and the ten commandments. I was able to remove the anger of being in fellowship with "Christians" who were anything but. They never practiced Christ-like behavior.
When dealing with ANY supposedly "Christian" denomination, don't listen to what they say. Watch what they do. That is the only place there will be any truth. #Evangelicals are supposedly Christian. Keep that in mind.
They are actually Satan worshippers. But call themselves Christians.
They starve people to death, they don’t care about the elderly or the poor, and they certainly don’t care about educating children . Biggest hypocrites I’ve ever met in my entire life.
The author of this quote, Karl Rahner, was a great Jesuit mystic. He is closer to the beliefs of anti- Christians here than the pseudo dead again crowd that has taken over the Republican Party
But he ain't real so atheism is logical. For minds that take reality on realities terms. God is for people who don't like reality and never accept it, therefore they use filler.
The problem with atheism is the notion that you can use logic to understand God and failure to establish facts to atheists means God is non-existent. God is to be believed via faith not rationalised through human intelligence which is extremely limited. No human being can conceptualise how babies
are conceived and carried to term until they're born. Humans can't manufacture sperm or eggs but they can 'harvest' them which admittedly is pretty impressive, but a baby developing and able to breathe in the womb is beyond human understanding. Science can explain but it can't conceptualise.
By his followers making arguments like this. How did you make it this far in life with that low level processor?
God isn't real, his followers still age themselves tryna "do God's will" and that causes them AND all of us extreme grief. Kinda like your pedantic question.
God is not real to you and that's fine. You're entitled to your beliefs as am I. That's the beauty of the world. I happen to believe in a higher power, you don't. We are guided by whatever principles and beliefs we hold that's how I've made it this far in life as have you 🤷.
There is a huge category of things that can only be believed by faith: things that aren't real.
What makes you think your god isn't one of those things?
As I've explained, I choose to believe by faith because not everything in this life can be conceptualised or rationalised that's why I believe someone else beyond human existence is responsible. Can you explain the point of life and death? Why can't we prevent death for example? 🤷
Why can't science/medicine find a cure for certain diseases, how do we prevent floods? Why can't we do something so that when it rains it's not excessive? So, their must be an intelligence behind all these things that humans can't control don't you think?
This is a stupid post that assumes Christians would be good people if they didn't "deny jesus" its just Christian supremacist bullshit from an asshoke who thinks only jesus freaks are capable of morality
You nailed it. Seeing how church elders conducted themselves the rest of the week resulted in my "losing my religion." Now, as a humanist (or atheist ), I believe it is up to the individual to behave ethically without the wish for reward or fear of punishment (heaven or hell).
That take is a lot more insulting than you think. You're accusing us of ceasing to believe in the Christian god out of spite towards mean people. Every former Christian I've ever met stopped because they sincerely ceased to believe the doctrines are true.
I wasn’t raised christian, but the hypocrisy around the christian church is the main reason I started questioning a higher power, and now I’m an atheist. Occasionally, I do pray for a certain orange 🍊 a$$holes death.
I believe in God and I believe in Jesus. But I don’t believe in the God and Jesus most so called Christians do. And of course they hate me because I question. Baptists are THE WORST.
It's so true. My dad turned atheist after being abused by nuns at Sunday school for many years. He was such a raging anti-theist my entire childhood. Never had a chance to develop faith, but was taught to see through collective illusions used as instruments of control. All because of abusive nuns.
It still amazes me how people blindly "believe" in stories that have a very strong control undertone & concocted by other humans, instead of focusing on REALITY and their present condition in the grand societal scheme.
#ReligionBlinds , not enlighten people
A Effing Men! I was raised in the Southern Baptist cult and they tried their damnedest to brainwash me for life! Thankfully I joined the military and traveled the world and my eyes were opened to the lies and guilt-trips and control that religion in-general uses to retain power over followers.
This feeds into that old saw that atheists are just angry with God or believers. I’m only upset with believers for treating the real world like it can be managed through their poor understanding of ancient fables.
You know how we smile whimsically at societies like the Norse who thought Thor made thunder and Fenrir ate the sun during eclipses, and think 'we can see how they'd come up with those simple superstitions as a more primitive people but obviously it's tosh'?
Having graduated from a Jesuit University .....Jesuits have a way of getting to the gist of a problem .....and are not shy about letting you know about it .!!!
It's always amazed me how accepting we are of the Talibangelicals claiming moral high ground while the pedophile kids on the daily, then we elected an actual pedophile to POTUS and it proved how few people care if children are abused.
I was wandering around youtube a few days ago and watched an altercation between a fat white woman in a black and white dress claiming to be Christian and a young Mexican woman. The fat lady pushed the other woman and got her face slapped hard for her trouble. I stood and cheered.
I have found more atheist follow the teachings of Christ while denying his existence. On the other hand, most self-proclaimed Christians acknowledge Christ's existence but ignore his teachings.
Very true, I was raised Christian and was never taught to hate anyone. MAGA Christians aren't Christians, they are a petty and hate filled radical cult.
I did not have religion crammed down my throat as a kid, we were taught to respect others, respect ourselves and make good decisions. We were not taught to lie, cheat and treat people anyway we wanted and then get on our knees and pray, we didn’t need to we were taught to have morals and kindness
I’m not an atheist because of believers. I’m an atheist because I read the Bible, the Qur’an etc. and they’re not believable, they’re unverified, and based on previous mythologies. Believers don’t help the case but they’re not the reason.
I studied the Bible at length, for years, with homelytics. It was definitely not the eye opening experience my instructors had in mind. But it was eye opening.
Reading the Bible made me an athiest. I mean do people actually read the whole thing? I don't think many do, because if you do it becomes blindingly obvious it could not possibly be what it claims to be. It's a wildly immoral, self-contradictory, frequently boring mess.
It had hundreds of contributors over millennia and was edited by unknown men, definitely some misogynists and definitely some with a suspect agenda. No wonder it can be used to justify what's going on in the United States of America.
Yes. You can find a textural justification for just about anything somewhere in there. What you can't find is anything resembling a consistent and coherent message. Jesus got most of basic human morality right, but it comes with some extra deep weirdness and human sacrifice/scapegoating thrown in.
I understand it is possible to read the Bible and get positive things from it, and there are many beautiful and arguably profound bits in it, but that doesn't remove the contradictions and the immoral parts; and nothing that begins to suggest it wasn't written by men.
? Unless you've been secretly following me around you have no idea what my position on Israeli aggression is, and my personal behaviour has no bearing whatsoever on the Bible's immorality.
I was raised a Christian and have spent a lot of time engaging with the best defences of it, and I find the mental acrobatics employed to excuse the Bible's manifest shortcomings woefully unconvincing. The Bible is not defensible as a remotely reliable text without the miraculous power of faith.
You obviously don’t know what you’re talking about considering you’re referring to WHITE American Christianity. You’re still orientalist and it’s embarrassing at your big age to not even acknowledge Jesus’ Palestinian origins—let alone his presence and contributions in history.
The fact is that Jesus in the BIble beautifully articulates many parts of universal human morality in a way that resonates with many people, and many people have used these stories and the example of Jesus as inspiration. Again, this has no bearing on the historicity or coherence of the Bible.
I'm not American, and I'm perfectly aware where Jesus was supposed to have been born. Nor am I denying the influence of the religion that claims him as their own and cherry picks his reported words as it suits their particular sect.
I mean, you can look it up it’s a lot. The point is a few people decided what would and would not be included in the Bible. For example, the gospel of Thomas is not canon. The inconsistencies are pretty well known regarding Jesus‘s life and family and church.
How do you expect the gospel of Thomas to be accepted when nobody knows when it was written and the apostles made no reference to his writings or account of the events?
You’re orientalist. That’s what made you an atheist. Had you white people preserved Christianity’s West Asian origins and NOT use the religion for your colonial ends, you wouldn’t be the paternalist you think you aren’t.
James Baldwin: I can't trust what you say, because I see what you do.
Religion should be a personal conversation with your higher power, and a way to make sense of the world. Regilion is not a blunt instrument for trouncing people you don't like.
As a lifelong Atheist, I beg to differ.
It's not the followers of any religion who made me think that those religions are dumb.
It's the dumb ideas presented to me that does the trick.
For real... I actually went to a lovely, charitable, accepting church (Dumbarton Methodist in DC), and I just remember looking around and thinking "Wait, am I supposed to think this is real?" at about 12. It didn't matter that I liked the people sitting around me in the Bible study.
Watching what many Christians do (often in the name of their god) is only the epiphany moment that opens their eyes from prior indoctrination.
The resulting reasoning and common sense is the actual reason that leads to atheism
Yes, that is why so many people don't go to church. Many churches say they believe in the word of GOD, however their actions say otherwise. If you are a Christian, then you should act like one.
It's a reason. Another is that no one questions anything, and if you do, you're shunned. There's a reason I don't believe in any religion. If I were to "worship" anything, it'd be the sun, the earth, and water. Since those things literally give life.
It’s why I left the church. I was 9 when I first noticed the hypocrisy and 17 when I walked away. That said, I have some wonderful Christian friends who walk the talk.
Can’t stand the hypocrisy
Jesus, via the biblical writings, saw corruption happening all around him in church & state. He preached against it… hence “Christians”
Today’s “Christians” fall in one of a few buckets.
People who claim to be Christian but vote for a serial adulterer, rapist, convicted felon, habitual liar, with no empathy for the less fortunate. The total antithesis of Jesus.
Behind this behavior stand's the idea of an almighty power that rules above everything and has a plan for everyone.
It's the same scheme: Love and fear me or get mowed down.
Christianity gets along with every dictator pretty well cause it's a belief system with an eternal dictator.
I don’t know who told you that God is a dictator but that is B.S. Free will is the problem, we would all be better off if God were a dictator, then we would not be able to make the bad choices which cause so much human misery. Like voting for the Don.
Those people kept me away from Jesus for a long time until I met my husband. I believed in God but wanted nothing to do with the Jesus “those” people modeled. My husband never insisted I become a believer…just quietly and patiently modeled true faith. I hope I’m like that, too.
Well, actually I became an atheist after reading the bible - twice. There's no way any intelligent, thinking person can possibly swallow that much bullshit.
I reckon the number one cause of atheism is that god is a delusion.
The secondary cause may be that the belief is forced upon the population by people that want to control and have power over people - your christians amongst them.
Christians are the reason I find religion as a whole humanity's final boss fight. They're the image I used to realize that ALL religions reallllly soften people up for being conned, for dangerous living bc they believe a magical being will keep everything in order, and policing people's lives.
I came from a church-going family. My dad was the choir director; I was organist. When I was 17, I invited my best friend to join the choir for our Easter concert. The night of the concert, the pastor told my gay friend he was not welcome. I quit that night, left the church, and never looked back!
Comments
I probably shouldn't have said "real atheists" because I'm sure some of those people are...
JOIN THE PROTEST SATURDAY, APRIL 5. Click the link and find a protest near you or organize one.
I was a quiet kid, spent time watching & listening to adults around me.
By the time I was 8 I knew I'd never 'be' Christian.
Sent to multi religious faith gatherings by parents to 'check out' options.
'50s SK, religions all 'PalacesOrHellfire'.
So, 'nope'.
Cheech & Chong?
I “believe” in the Loch Ness Monster, because the world is a better place with a Nessie. But all my belief and desire and hope doesn’t impact sad biological truths.
Drat that Christine, she's always up to something.
Jesus said that about his critics in the bible yet they totally apply to huge numbers of 'christians' now.
So, you have two contrary ideas coming from the same book. How do you want to determine what's right or wrong?
English is not my first language, so sorry if this sounds as if I had attacked you.
Don't know what that is good for, but you are entitled to whatever floats your boat.
In my opinion, there is no absolute truth, because truth is subjective, depending on timeframe, social structure and circumstances of life.
That was the biggest factor for me
Gandhi
It's how these things always work
sorry, write a better book
The Christian church is simply evidence of that.
This is a strawman argument and completely invalid.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-origins-of-human-morality/
There’s no love like christian hate.
Christianity is part of the reason we are here today. They only want the entire country to share their beliefs.
It’s nothing more than a way to
control us.
They starve people to death, they don’t care about the elderly or the poor, and they certainly don’t care about educating children . Biggest hypocrites I’ve ever met in my entire life.
God isn't real, his followers still age themselves tryna "do God's will" and that causes them AND all of us extreme grief. Kinda like your pedantic question.
What makes you think your god isn't one of those things?
I know lots of kind and loving Muslims, Jews, Atheists, and Christians. I hope you meet some.
the whole debate is a waste of time and a distraction from real problems.
But you wash yourself in sin..."
Read Enlil and Enki
We thought they were gods lololol
Old ways
Plus 12 illiterate people wrote the Bible?
#ReligionBlinds , not enlighten people
Now you know how atheists view religion.
You must always stand your ground against these wretches.
THAT is what makes atheists, not the actions of christians
[see True Scotsman fallacy]
https://americanhumanist.org/what-is-humanism/reasons-humanists-reject-bible/#:~:text=In%20the%20New%20Testament%2C%20there,the%20east%20had%20brought%20gifts.
Religion should be a personal conversation with your higher power, and a way to make sense of the world. Regilion is not a blunt instrument for trouncing people you don't like.
the prince of peace everybody
It's not the followers of any religion who made me think that those religions are dumb.
It's the dumb ideas presented to me that does the trick.
The resulting reasoning and common sense is the actual reason that leads to atheism
https://bsky.app/profile/testonewrites.bsky.social/post/3ldf5hjwgpc2d
thinking people recognize fiction when they read it.
the Bible is fiction b/c miracles, prophecies, and resurrections don't happen in this universe.
ever.
only in fictional books.
true for the hundreds of gods invented by ignorant humans.
same for Jesus.
Jesus, via the biblical writings, saw corruption happening all around him in church & state. He preached against it… hence “Christians”
Today’s “Christians” fall in one of a few buckets.
1. Con-men
2. Conned
3. Sheep
Zero evidence of past Christianity I grew up with
If good evidence, other than faith-based, became available, then it would be reasonable for an atheist to change their position.
A bit like believing in fairies.
It's the same scheme: Love and fear me or get mowed down.
Christianity gets along with every dictator pretty well cause it's a belief system with an eternal dictator.
So go find some of the people using #witchsky (many of them believe in magic, obviously) and try to convince them that Christianity is 100% true.
After all, someone convinced them to believe in magic, so it should be easy, right?
If you can achieve this cognition then it's reasonable to say you can be convinced of anything, Yes.
Why are you doing such a bad job, if I supposedly "can be convinced of anything"?
I was making a statement based upon my observations.
"Can be convinced of anything" is a very strong statement, and I'm challenging you to back it up.
The secondary cause may be that the belief is forced upon the population by people that want to control and have power over people - your christians amongst them.