From catholic to atheist

[Luddly Neddite]

What It's Like to Go from a Hard-Core Catholic Upbringing to Atheism | Alternet

... Growing up, we went to mass every Sunday. I was baptized, received Holy Communion, went to confession, and was confirmed. I was raised to believe homosexuality, sex before marriage, and abortion are sins. I remember as a kid taking issue with all of those teachings and more, but I bit my tongue and strived to be the most devout little Catholic lady ever. When I turned 15, my dad went missing without explanation and my mom continued to go to mass. She’d sob her way through it every single time, and it wasn’t long before I refused to go with her anymore. I realized that the Catholic Church was, for me, a negative environment. I rarely go to mass now, except to accompany family.

So, a year ago, when my mom told me the story of the “miracle” of my conception, I had to sit down and think. If the Catholic Church had had such a big hand in my existence, what else had this organization that stands for so much I disagree with given me?

First, it had given my family a community to be part of. The Church had hosted so many events I went to as a kid and babysat me on Sundays while my parents went grocery shopping. It had been the one consistent thing in our lifestyle when I was growing up moving every 2 years around the world. Going to mass had been the one ritual that had remained constant whether we lived in Cote d’Ivoire, Botswana, Curacao, Virginia, wherever. As an international organization, I’ve seen the negative reaches of the Catholic Church, but it’d given me some sense of identity, too. Furthermore, I’d met some truly incredible Catholics — people who I respect the shit out of for the love and devotion I’ve seen them display.

Second, although the Bible is full of a lot of bullshit, it’s still a book that every person should read. It gives one incredible insight into history and is just plain interesting, honestly. Also, in between all the “stone your wife” and “kill your son” stuff, there are some pretty powerful and invaluable teachings in the Bible. Who doesn’t need to practice humility, love, respect, and patience more in their life? There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t benefit from some self-evaluation and reflection, and the Bible is provocative in that sense (and the Church in general promotes this).

When I was 15 and lost my virginity (fairly early), I thought I was going to Hell and cried for days. Little did I know that everyone in my family is very sexual and my parents did not wait until marriage to have sex. When I learned to masturbate, I felt incredible guilt and self-disgust, thinking it was a sin. When I made gay friends, I was embarrassed to bring them home to my parents. When I helped a friend with an abortion, I cried for days agonizing over not being able to talk to anyone about something that my friend had every right and good intentions in doing (and was a good choice, ultimately).

However, regardless of all this negativity the Church brought into my life (and there is much, much more), I have respect for my roots. I understand the things the Church has done for me, despite me not being a member in it. I refuse to demonize religion now as so many other atheists do, because I cannot deny that the Catholic Church has made me the person I am proud to be today.

My boyfriend is an avid atheist also, but a much more aggressive one. He believes religion is totally negative, that organized religion is inherently bad. So, we were talking the other day about our hypothetical kids and got into a huge fight.

Read the rest at the link.

Anyone else religious but became atheist or the other way around - atheist but became a believer?

I can't say I ever believed. I went to Sunday school because I was a kid and adults made my decisions. At 14, I finally planted my feet and never went back. No big epiphany, no light bulbs going on in my head. There were some family fights but there were always fights in my family.

I just never entertained the possibility that the story they were telling was true. I didn't buy it, not for one moment and I can remember sitting quietly in Sunday school class, and having to match up little cut out figures to felt covered boards and bible verses. I can remember looking around and wondering what the heck we were doing there. (It was an old church, lots of dark wood, mildew smell and cold and dank. I just hated being there.)

Except for the occasional wedding or funeral, I haven't been inside a church and have no plans to change that.

Anyone else?

(- and, please, would the bible thumpers restrain from their nasty-mouth preaching? If you want to discuss your own experience, I'd like to read it. If you want to post more miles of bible verses and insults, just please don't. Thanks)

 

[Sunni Man]

Face it Luddly........you're going to Hell ..

 

[Pennywise]

Atheists are usually this kind of reactionary moron. I assume Luddy relates fully.

 

[Mr. H.]

A negative environment. That's for sure.
I've held on to a very few teachings and tenets of the Church, but other than that I've had it.
Certainly not an atheist, but more into the physical than the spiritual these days.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

A negative environment. That's for sure.
I've held on to a very few teachings and tenets of the Church, but other than that I've had it.
Certainly not an atheist, but more into the physical than the spiritual these days.

You and I have struck sparks in the past but I think I might understand what you mean.

Thanks for a respectful and thoughtful answer.

 

[Jarlaxle]

I was never truly a believer...my father made me go for a while, never let me go back after someone remarked on how oddly I was moving. (He'd bruised my ribs and walking or sitting normally hurt.)

 

[Mr. H.]

Daughter turns 19 in September. Not once in her young life have we spoken to her about Church, God, Jesus, Religion, etc., etc. She's been to weddings in churches, funerals in churches, fish fries in churches...

She's fine.

Last year she did express an interest in taking an elective at school... a World Religions class. When she later decided against it, I found an old book that belonged to my mother (devout Catholic) titled "The World's Great Religions". I gave it to her and suggested she take it back to school with her. Which she did.

If she chooses to seek out something, I'll point her in the general direction. I did tell her once that if she ever wanted to talk about ANYTHING that I wouldn't judge her nor would I preach to her.

 

[Mr. H.]

Oh, I almost forgot....

A negative environment. That's for sure.
I've held on to a very few teachings and tenets of the Church, but other than that I've had it.
Certainly not an atheist, but more into the physical than the spiritual these days.

You and I have struck sparks in the past but I think I might understand what you mean.

Thanks for a respectful and thoughtful answer.

Just keeping it real, LN.

 

[guno]

Atheists are usually this kind of reactionary moron. I assume Luddy relates fully.

Just keep braying to your jackass god hanging on two sticks

 

[Avatar4321]

A person who completely ignores living their religion becomes an atheist. I wish I could say it was shocking, but it's not.

 

[Inevitable]

I don't know exactly what to call myself. I am not atheist because I do believe in God but I find Christians to be steadily becoming more and more hateful since my coming out. My folks dragged me kicking and screaming to the catholic church, forced me through there asinine catechism. I was confirmed and then baptized. In my youth I never felt any spiritual tickle in my heart. It wasn't until I was an adult and then subsequently left the church that I felt any spiritual things in my life.

 

[Pennywise]

Atheists are usually this kind of reactionary moron. I assume Luddy relates fully.

Just keep braying to your jackass god hanging on two sticks

I'm agnostic, moron. Keep braying excrement out of your gaping maw once you remove your foot.

 

[PostmodernProph]

(- and, please, would the bible thumpers restrain from their nasty-mouth preaching?

lol.....are you saying you don't want the sort of posts you make on other threads?....

 

[ZenBubba]

A lot of Catholics that become atheists come back to Catholicism in their 50s.

 

[Disir]

I did. Well, not Catholicism. My mother's side is Catholic and Italian. I think that I was about 7 and I told her that I wanted to become a Nun. She said, "Absolutely not".

It was gradual. I went from religious to spiritual to atheist. I had come across an author who had written something to the effect of if you are going to study a religion then you need to read abut the economy, political climate, wars and culture of the area. So, I did. In fact, I did this with several religions. I did this until my questions were answered and I was done.

 

[rightwinger]

What It's Like to Go from a Hard-Core Catholic Upbringing to Atheism | Alternet

... Growing up, we went to mass every Sunday. I was baptized, received Holy Communion, went to confession, and was confirmed. I was raised to believe homosexuality, sex before marriage, and abortion are sins. I remember as a kid taking issue with all of those teachings and more, but I bit my tongue and strived to be the most devout little Catholic lady ever. When I turned 15, my dad went missing without explanation and my mom continued to go to mass. She’d sob her way through it every single time, and it wasn’t long before I refused to go with her anymore. I realized that the Catholic Church was, for me, a negative environment. I rarely go to mass now, except to accompany family.

So, a year ago, when my mom told me the story of the “miracle” of my conception, I had to sit down and think. If the Catholic Church had had such a big hand in my existence, what else had this organization that stands for so much I disagree with given me?

First, it had given my family a community to be part of. The Church had hosted so many events I went to as a kid and babysat me on Sundays while my parents went grocery shopping. It had been the one consistent thing in our lifestyle when I was growing up moving every 2 years around the world. Going to mass had been the one ritual that had remained constant whether we lived in Cote d’Ivoire, Botswana, Curacao, Virginia, wherever. As an international organization, I’ve seen the negative reaches of the Catholic Church, but it’d given me some sense of identity, too. Furthermore, I’d met some truly incredible Catholics — people who I respect the shit out of for the love and devotion I’ve seen them display.

Second, although the Bible is full of a lot of bullshit, it’s still a book that every person should read. It gives one incredible insight into history and is just plain interesting, honestly. Also, in between all the “stone your wife” and “kill your son” stuff, there are some pretty powerful and invaluable teachings in the Bible. Who doesn’t need to practice humility, love, respect, and patience more in their life? There isn’t a person alive who doesn’t benefit from some self-evaluation and reflection, and the Bible is provocative in that sense (and the Church in general promotes this).

When I was 15 and lost my virginity (fairly early), I thought I was going to Hell and cried for days. Little did I know that everyone in my family is very sexual and my parents did not wait until marriage to have sex. When I learned to masturbate, I felt incredible guilt and self-disgust, thinking it was a sin. When I made gay friends, I was embarrassed to bring them home to my parents. When I helped a friend with an abortion, I cried for days agonizing over not being able to talk to anyone about something that my friend had every right and good intentions in doing (and was a good choice, ultimately).

However, regardless of all this negativity the Church brought into my life (and there is much, much more), I have respect for my roots. I understand the things the Church has done for me, despite me not being a member in it. I refuse to demonize religion now as so many other atheists do, because I cannot deny that the Catholic Church has made me the person I am proud to be today.

My boyfriend is an avid atheist also, but a much more aggressive one. He believes religion is totally negative, that organized religion is inherently bad. So, we were talking the other day about our hypothetical kids and got into a huge fight.

Read the rest at the link.

Anyone else religious but became atheist or the other way around - atheist but became a believer?

I can't say I ever believed. I went to Sunday school because I was a kid and adults made my decisions. At 14, I finally planted my feet and never went back. No big epiphany, no light bulbs going on in my head. There were some family fights but there were always fights in my family.

I just never entertained the possibility that the story they were telling was true. I didn't buy it, not for one moment and I can remember sitting quietly in Sunday school class, and having to match up little cut out figures to felt covered boards and bible verses. I can remember looking around and wondering what the heck we were doing there. (It was an old church, lots of dark wood, mildew smell and cold and dank. I just hated being there.)

Except for the occasional wedding or funeral, I haven't been inside a church and have no plans to change that.

Anyone else?

(- and, please, would the bible thumpers restrain from their nasty-mouth preaching? If you want to discuss your own experience, I'd like to read it. If you want to post more miles of bible verses and insults, just please don't. Thanks)

I was raised in the Catholic Church. Overall, it was a positive experience. But by the age of 12 or so, I started to suspect that none of this crap was true. It seemed to be a bunch of simplistic fairy tales to placate the masses.
By 18, I stopped going to church except for weddings and funerals

 

[martybegan]

Atheists are usually this kind of reactionary moron. I assume Luddy relates fully.

Just keep braying to your jackass god hanging on two sticks

I'm agnostic, moron. Keep braying excrement out of your gaping maw once you remove your foot.

Here's a simple guide for atheist vs. agnostic.

If a person questions the reasons for a religions positions on things, and questions why god has so many rules, you got an agnostic.

If a person insults your religion, calls you a sheep, and starts spouting crap about freethinking, you got yourself an atheist.

As an aside, according to Dante, agnostics get to spend eternity following a banner being bitten by insects outside the gates of hell, atheists get to hang with the apostates in flaming tombs.

 

[Avatar4321]

A lot of Catholics that become atheists come back to Catholicism in their 50s.

Alot have become mormon as well

 

[Disir]

Why Mormons flee their church ? USATODAY.com

That was a wrap for LDS.

 

[Avatar4321]

Why Mormons flee their church ? USATODAY.com

That was a wrap for LDS.

Im supposed to be impressed with a column with no data when I see more people flock to the Church every week?