I was raised in a home that went to church 2-3 times a week – Protestant, Lutheran, Missouri Synod. I had a lot of questions about religion growing up, but always assumed that it was my own lack of understanding that caused it. One week prior to confirmation, my pastor allowed us to sit down with him and ask any lingering questions we had. By this time I had formulated an unsophisticated, old-earth creationism, 13 year-old version of my beliefs that attempted to meld what I learned in junior high with what I learned in Sunday school. First question for the pastor – What’s up with dinosaurs? Answer: There were dinosaurs on the ark. Second question – But the six days it took to create the universe weren’t really six days, right? Answer: It took six 24 hour days to do everything that Genesis says. At this point I realized that my pastor, the man that I trusted as much as my parents and teachers, would’ve failed 6th grade Science class. So I decided to take matters in my own hands. I read the Bible. That was a mistake. I came away confused and disgusted. I continued going to church for a few years after that, but I noticed that they always talked about the same stories from the Bible, and they glossed over the other half of the Bible, which is filled with some repugnant stuff. I read the Bible a second time when I was about 20, and from there I was convinced of its ridiculousness. I have been an atheist since.
Cory Cunico
United States
But he believes and belief is more important than mere facts and logic.
One of the quickest ways to get many thinking young people to reject religion is to get them to thoughtfully read that book from cover to cover, with a questioning — not accepting — mind.
The same can be said for the koran, book of Mormon, etc.
They’re all rather stupid and unbelievable.
This is why the Catholic church didn’t want to translate out of Latin. Who knows what people will do when they can understand scripture…
In reading all of these stories what strikes me is the path from religious belief goes from as with this story from the religion of childhood to no religion and not from childhood religion to a different religion then to no religion.
Has anybody passed through a different religion than the one they were taught in childhood then to no religion?
uncle frogy
@unclefrogy, #4
I find that interesting too. Many people do seem to pass through a phase of being ‘spiritual’ before finally kicking it all aside. I did, and I know several others who did too. I identified as ‘pagan’ for quite a few years before realizing that I had really become an atheist.
I know a few who took that route, often to quasi-Buddhist or pagan beliefs, but mostly I’ve encountered people who switched to what they thought was a more tame version of Christianity or Judaism, which barely counts as a “different religion” if there are only differences in a few points of doctrine.
Personally, I was very young when I stopped being a believing Catholic, so my options to convert seemed limited while I was dependent on my parents (and especially while I was still attending a Catholic school). I studied some other religions casually (and somewhat secretly) to find out if they were any better, but they weren’t, so I made a gradual shift to militant,
baby-throwing, bomb-eating,bomb-throwing, baby-eating atheism and haven’t regretted it since.Great entry, Cory.
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So many Christians have never read the Bible from cover to cover. Which makes just as much sense as becoming a fan of Harry Potter, dressing up like him, buying all the merchandise, attending all the conventions, getting a lightning bolt tattoo, and having only read the back cover of the third book.