What leads people to become atheist?

If you are an atheist what led you to believe that what youve been told as a child if you were, God, was not real? Or what do you think leads people to become atheist?

My road to atheism has been very slow and tough. I was born and raised Southern Baptist and was at church every time the doors opened. My whole family are believers.

First, I read the Bible. All of it. I found it contradictory and, in some places, abhorrent. I watched the Christians around me. They did not live like they claimed to believe and they never agreed on what the Bible said. I decided religion was a sham and wondered about the god behind all this.

Later on, I learned about science and the scientific method. As my knowledge grew, I began to realize that God is both a way for people to explain things that they don't understand and make sense of a nonsensical world. In my opinion, science does a better job explaining the world than religion ever could.

This is my personal experience only. I don't make it habit of judging people who believe and it hurts when believers make ugly remarks about me. I can't be too angry with them, however, because it was that sort of hypocrisy that made me open my eyes to begin with.

OK, you must be ignorant:

1) The bible was put together 300 years after Christ. Historical FACT.
2) The new world aka, the Americas, didn't hear the news until 1492 - when they were slaughtered, diseased, tortured, and enslaved. FACT.
3) The Chinese (millions of them) didn't hear the news until hundreds of years later. FACT.
4) One more: there are dozens (perhaps hundreds) of languages that the Bible doesn't exist in. Nor does the Torah (aka, the old testament). So all those people who speak those languages are plain out of luck.

What led me to believe that somehow, God wasn't such a massive ..meanie... as to leave out most of the human WORLD from the wonderful news?

dunno, really, it just kind of made sense at the time. Though NOW that you put it this way, GOSH, there must be a reason that the supreme creator of the universe wanted to make sure that most of the PLANET never got his message until thousands of years later.

Smile. You just got a history lesson.

thnx thedude I did not no that.

What leads people to believe in the supernatural ?
- At birth everyone is an atheist or a free-thinker until they are told to believe in something.

xox
Sika

then you are not atheist
what lead people to be that
I ve seen that many atheists ,,that had shocks in life and thought that if they suffer then god doesn't exist
its like when you are angry with your friend and tell him I don’t want to be your friend anymore and this is bullshit
we dont treat god as human
GOd is there
if he isnt then
go and make a baby from sand
create the bones ,the flesh the eyes make it see ,,smell ,feel have hair and choose the skin color
or why a human ,,it might be difficult
go and create a fly
or the worst creature and the lowest kind
go and create anything
and if you cant just remember that god is there ,and he is looking at you ,listening to your denying him, do you have an answer if he asked you why???
in fact
I don't think that there is a human called atheist
there is someone who believe in power of god and thats I call believer
and there is someone who is thinking that god doesn't know about him so he is fooling and deceiving himself and others with good lectures against GOD
I m not talking about prophets ,angels anything
I m telling that god do exist and we have to believe in this
I wont tell you be a Muslim? Christian/whatever
No
but dont deny god ,unless you can put your finger in your eyes and take it out ,next day create a new one ,,why not ,,any atheist can do it

What leads some to become an atheist is the whole scientific side of the arguement. There is no way you can prove that a god(s) exsists SCIENTIFICALLY. And since some people take science too seriously, they start running around thinking there is no consequence to their immorale actions, if they so choose to become such a prick who doesnt give a sh*t about anyone around themselves.

AND THEN, there is just common sense way of thinking about it, as thedude said before, more than half the world didn't even know about this ever so precious God that you Christians hold so dear. If your God loves everyone ever so much and is all powerfull and mighty, how come he wasn't able to send a messenger till about a couple thousand years AFTER Humans became to be?

Another side of seeing it, is that most Christians go around yelling at anyone who doesn't believe in the same religion, calling them Demonic and Evil, even though those that they try preaching probably have better, or more righteous morales than they do. Is it right to pick on gays just because they were born with mixed up genes, even though they can function properly, nothing evil or satanic about them, just the fact that they don't have the same sexual preference as All enlightened Christians? HELL NO. Just because you have some dude/chick running around yelling that there is a new God or higher power, people assume he/she is the Messiah. ANOTHER THING. As for all of those who think that Rock and Metal are all satanic, and represent nothing but sex, drugs, rebelion, all that fun stuff, your THE MOST CLOSE-MINDED GROUP OF PEOPLE I WILL EVER MEET.

I truly believe that all religion is just that:religion. If you need something to believe in, some kind of faith, then you hold on to it. Keep on to it, but don't go running into peoples faces saying they need to convert, or making it seem like everything you don't agree with is evil.

I HATE Christianity, and any other religion that puts the mind set in peoples heads that any thing that isn't according to their religion is completely and utterly wrong. The reason for that is because they contradict themselves. Christians hate on gays, druggies, blacks(or so they sued to...some still do) so on and so forth, yet Christians are said to be peace keepers, loving and inviting, and accepting of others different from themselves. I am in NO way saying that all or even most Christians are all this way, hell, most of them I have met are some really nice people. I AM saying that Religion is what I consider evil because of what it does to people, it starts wars, it started crusades, it started the holocaust, it caused 9/11, it caused the Iraq War, it causes terrorism, it causes death, segregation, labels. Everything that makes me want to puke whenever I hear how many died from watever it was that happened.

I may be an Atheist, but I still have morales. I am still a human being.

Zach

III asked

If you are an atheist what led you to believe that what you've been told as a child if you were, God, was not real? Or what do you think leads people to become atheist? My dear friend! Thank you so very much for asking that question! I have wondered that myself many times. I just wish one would have not been so sourcastic and demeaning when he answered it.

Even though the Bible was written after Jesus died, doesn't make it less important. It was written by men inspired by God. I don't know about you, but I believe God is a BIG enough God to make sure His 'love-letter' to His children was perfect! Don't you agree? I hope so. There will be many nay-sayers in these last days who will try to throw suspicion and doubt on God's holy Book, but don't allow it to sway you, stand firm. It is truly God's Word every word of it.

Also, there will be millions in heaven who never had a Bible or speak a certain lango to understand who Jesus is, but they'll be there just the same. Why? because God puts His laws in our hearts. Those who desire to follow their good instincts will be in heaven and those who follow their dark side will not.

It does not matter what we were taught as children or what the majority is following, or what our emotional feelings lead us to think or believe. Those factors are perfectly invalid as a test of absolute truth. The ultimate question is; What does the Word of God say on the subject?

Now, why do I think people are atheist? This is real easy. They don't want to live the life of a Christian. There are hundreds of reasons why people don't want to be a Christian. It all boils down to this: They just want to live for themselves.

A willingness to learn and to obey must characterize all of those who expect to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit. It does not any good to pray for the truth if we have no intention to obey it when God answers our prayers.

Many people are guilty of pulling the Bible down to match their poor, weak experience, instead of bringing their experience up to meet the requirements of the Word.

Zack I hear ya. Most who say they are Christians are not Christian at all as you said above, but there are a few true ones who do good to others and not trash them. God wants us, as Christians, to love our fellow mankind. To put God first, others second, and ourselves last. This is not possible unless God reigns in the heart.

He will teach you how to love the unlovely, the gay, the drunkard, the liar...He asks us not to judge others, but to show them Christ. This is what I strive for.

I love this statement from 'night gloom'

God is there
if he isn't then
go and make a baby from sand

AMEN!! Yes, indeed, God is there for all to know if only they would...

George Carlin said it best.
I reached the age of REASON. And figured out that:
God
Easter Bunny
Tooth Fairy
Boogie Man
Ghosts
Leprechauns
Telepathy
Alien abductions
Harry Potter
etc., etc., etc.
are all mythical, (I think that there is probably alien life on other planets, MAYBE it has even visited Earth, but why would a superior alien race be grabbing rednecks and probing butt after butt???)

(And, yes I went to sunday school, church, church choir, and bible study.)

The Universe, and our world, and all life is the result of natural laws and a TREMENDOUS amount of time. Before science, people invoked all sorts of things to explain the world. Now we are learning how things work, and how they came about.

Orion you r just one of those close-minded people I was talking about. I, nor any Atheist I know alive or dead, was just Atheist to be lazy. I am Atheist because I don't believe in your God. Also, you just assumed that I assumed that all Christians are bad people, which is not at all what I said, hell, I EVEN EXPLAINED THAT I DON'T THINK ALL CHRISTIANS ARE BAD OR CLOSE-MINDED. also, you preaching to me or any other Atheist isn't going to change anything, it only pushes us further away. you preaching is EXACLTY why what pisses me off, not only that, but also the fact that religion is what tears this world apart, and yet all you can think of is how The Holy Spirit enlightens people to the 'truth' which is complete bs, and the whole reason terrorists do what they do is for their religion. This world won't ever learn from its mistakes if we all keep thinking that our religion is the only one that is right, or that we just have to have the last word.

Take the stick out of your a*s and stop trying to force your religion down peoples throats. and don't give me that bs where you try and say that you aren't because you JUST did. I'm really getting sick of arguing about this. Atheists are what they will always be: Atheist. You can't convert an Atheist, so don't try.

u know they say the leading cause of atheasim is christians

In the response to thedude

most people who are atheist are not ignorant they are are just as intelligent as you and me and should not be discriminated against because of their choice to believe in god or not. God gives us the choice to believe in him and thats the bottem line it's a choice. People are not ignorant for not believing they are ignorant if they lie to themselves about believing in god. Truth is most atheists have had faith in god but lost it by having swayed opinions and certain life changing events. They have also never been able to feel close to god because he is in a state of mind but most people do not realize that. It's hard to believe in somethings that you can't see. I think people need to walk around in other peoples shoes before they can fully compherend them.

God
Easter Bunny
Tooth Fairy
Boogie Man
Ghosts
Leprechauns
Telepathy
Alien abductions
Harry Potter
etc., etc., etc.

What do all of these things have in common? Except for one?

They are all invented by Satan, to take ones eyes off of the truth.

In my experience, it is near on impossible to have an open discussion with a christian about God.

Whenever one backs them into a corner with a brilliant piece of discussion, they smile sweetly and say something along the lines of, 'Well, you wouldn't really understand because thats where faith comes into it and you don't have faith!

It also drives me crazy when they just quote parts of the bible as answers rather than explain in their own words and allow one to question.

They are all invented by Satan, wow that's REAL silly.
Andbytheway what's with all the religious freaks rating answers helpful!!!

Overit: I don't think you understood thedudes answer, and plus God doesn't exist. And he has good points.

Now to the question, just read night_gloom and see how ignorant people are. She doesn't know how a fly or human came to be so she justifys her faith in God in that. night_gloom we didn't just appear from dirt, that's what evolution is all about. I haven't seen God make creatures from dirt, I see the creatures giving birth or laying eggs, how is that any proof of God?

God today is just an extension of imaginary ancient Gods. Early humans(we haven't been around that long you know)(evolved from primates, and so on) were very astond by nature, and dependant on it that they worshipped it. They associated natruel phenomenon with life force cause they did not understand it. They developed religion and Gods because it was useful for cooperation. Infact Aztecs whorshipped their Gods so strongly that they would sacrifice the lives of human beings kill them to satisfy their Gods.

Christianity is just derived from people alike who worshipped and believed these Gods were real. Though God today is used more as an explanation for existance, rather then natruel phenomenon, because we have explanations for them. Just like now we have explanations for the orgin of life and species. Evolution and abiogenesis.

Of course Christians will say all those Gods were false Gods and our God is the one true God but their God is just AS false as any other. Just because they developed one God idea and added some umph to him is no reason to think he is real, any more to think all the other Gods are.

Now according to Christian logic god is the creator of the Universe, nothing can exist unless it has a creator nothing can just poof into existance-- well they don't know that much about physics. To them God he always has been, How must everything need a creator except for God? Everything came to be tthrough natruel processess and billions of years.

And the Bible, what reason is there to believe a stupid book, people right books all the time. It's just organazation and whatever else, what's so significant about it? It's made up, nonsense. God, what a silly delusion.

Is the human brain programed with a need to believe? Is religious thinking genetic?
This is what some scientists say they have found proof of.

See the following links:

http://www.humanists.net/alisina/origin_of_faith.htm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/oct/13/religion.scienceandnature

I want to say something
if believing in god is gentical then there is god who choose believers
end it guys:P
if you dont want to believe it then its UP TO YOU
I m so open minded but I cant deny all this I see ,feel,hear to the sake of being stubborn and norrow minded
there is no athiest in the world who has open minded
cause when you put blindfold on yoru eyes ,,to avoid watching the truth
then this what I call
narrow mind

I am not an atheist, I do believe. but I do not hold with religions and actually have doubted before. this is not to convince anyone of anything. I especially know where eleni is coming from. I was raised jewish and though I do not attend temple anymore, I would probably go there if I were to return to religion. through the years I have found the behavior of many who profess to be christian some of the most deplorable behavior I have ever witnessed. this is so very sad and it is a complete travesty and they don't either realize or care how their actions and words effect others. I discussed this with my father, a truly kind, loving person, and he said that it wasn't G-d that I hated just the people who use His name to defend their cruel behavior. those words have kept me through the years. I don't know why I believe but I do.
but I do know this, every time I turn on the tv and see a christian show with the huge, expensive sets, jewelry, etc, or see a church that has a day where you can bring your pet to get a blessing but are not welcome if you are gay, or hear christians expounding their views against other religions...I feel sick and I remember my father's words. and yes, maybe I am singling out christians but in this country I have seen christianity become an epidemic. and as a jew, the message is pretty clear that we, or anyone who is not christian is just not welcome.
I will add this, when I meet a truly spiritual christian who practices and lives their
beliefs or meet an atheist who is a good person or anyone of any religion who treads lightly and tries to do no harm, I am happy and thankful that we live in a diverse world and that helps to block out the sound of the frozen chosen.

Truth is most atheists have had faith in god but lost it by having swayed opinions and certain life changing events.

Nope, that's a generalization. Some atheists weren't raise with religion...though I'm not an atheist myself. I firmly believe in the concept of god...however, it's a bit complicated

Once you have traveled the world over a few times (I have) and met people, talked to them about religion (Islam, Christian, Judaism, Hindu, etc) you start to realize: the spiritual ones who don't throw rocks, who are content with their relationship with their own personal diety, can be found among all groups.

However, the bulk of the time, people who I've met and adopted any given religion are filled with hate love to rant about you're going to the bad place unless you believe my way...which, really, should never be a part of a spiritual message.

And once you start to see so much hate among so many believers, is it any wonder that the worlds largest country (China) is officially atheist?

I was raised as a christian.
but after seing/hearing so many good people [and me] going through such awful times, then I lost faith.
I don't believe in God and haven't for years.

After reading all those answers, I, in the slimmist form, actually saw the question answered. eleni was the only one who in its truest form answered it from what seemed to be thebottom of her/his heart. the question was not 'why do different religions hate each other', or 'whats the difference between aethiests and christians', or 'does god really exist and how can you prove it' but simply 'what leads people to become aethiest'. I, myself cannot answer this question, because I refuse to preach something I have no knowledge on. so, is anyone going to actually answer the question? I care not if you all with think I am ignorant or close minded or whatever insult may come to your mind. it seems to me that lll just wants to know from personal experience what caused a person to believe in aetheism (I'm not even sure if that is the right term)

*** 2) The 'new world' aka, the Americas, didn't hear the news until 1492 - when they were slaughtered, diseased, tortured, and enslaved. FACT.
Actually thats wrong. scandinavians had been trading with Native Americans for hundreds of years ( National Geographics) Also from NG, pre-helenistic egypt what believed to possible have trade contact with some central American cultures.
You can also find some interesting reading here.
Roman coins found.
http://paranormal.about.com/library/weekly/aa080700a.htm
More of Rome.
http://books.google.com/books?id=9nNGMjm8VmgCpg=PA115lpg=PA115dq=roman+coin+found+oklahomasource=webots=m7dg-baBMrsig=qe6r3wdYkq5gFeKtymXStrM3G90hl=en#PPA116,M1
And read this
The Oklahoma Thurium Coins- Scroll down to this.
http://www2.privatei.com/~bartjean/chap11.htm
Elbert use to live about a mile from me. . . .