Hi! From a Lifelong Atheist and Sceptic

[beyondbelief]

Hi everyone,

Although I was christened at 1 year old, my parents made no attempt to educate me as to Christianity - they weren't even too keen on it. It seems that my christening was a rite of passage more than having any relevance to their or my life. Consequently I was utterly perplexed when I did finally meet religion, in school. In the UK, we still have prayer in assembly - that was quite a shock!

I've obviously learnt a lot more about people's beliefs since then, but I'm so grateful for having started out without belief. So glad I was waterproofed against such garbage, and I'm amazed at the mental gymnastics people put themselves through in order to sustain their beliefs. Madness!

Anyway, I suppose I'm not alone in coming from that starting point and I look forward to meeting you all.

Thanks

[Plu]

Welcome to the forums :)

[SGOS]

Welcome.

I was not born into atheism.  I was born into a topsy turvy Wonderland filled with talking snakes, horned monsters, and wickedness.  All of it created by a magic Man with a Plan, just  for me... and it took me many years to find my way out.

You were born with a clean slate and shocked by the madness when first exposed to it.  I was born in the madness.  I'm shocked looking back at it, but at one time, I believed it was real.  And that may be even more shocking.  I was part of the madness, a madness that I did not create, and that no sane person would choose, but I was born to it, and told by people I trusted and loved that it was real.

[Atheon]

Anyway, I suppose I'm not alone in coming from that starting point and I look forward to meeting you all.

You're not alone at all. Your story is very similar to mine. Brought up in a non-religious family and community, baptized as an infant to pacify religious grandparents, saw little religion growing up, beyond occasionally witnessing my grandparents' church-going and prayers before mealtime.

Like you, my first real exposure to religion was when I attended a C of E school in the UK at the age of 8 (I'm American, by the way). We had "Divinity" class and had to pray and sing during daily assembly. The students didn't take it seriously; probably most of the teachers were just going through the motions, too. In any case, I never bought into the god and jesus mumbo jumbo.

So I'm another lifelong atheist. In some ways it's a disadvantage because it makes it very hard for me to understand the mind of a believer or the struggles people go through when growing out of it. But I'm glad I was brought up without religion.

[Jason78]

Although I was christened at 1 year old

How do you remember what you did when you were 1 year old!?

[Deidre32]

Welcome...my story is the opposite. lol I hope you enjoy your time here. :)

[Mister Agenda]

Howdy!

[beyondbelief]

How do you remember what you did when you were 1 year old!?

Erm.. I was told that I was christened. If you want further evidence, I do have photos of the day, including the actual ceremony. But I don't think you need me to go through all that, as it's not an extraordinary claim!

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone, and pleased to see that you understand me, Atheon, although my school wasn't marked out as being anything other than secular. You're right, assemblies were pretty tame, judging by the standards of faith schools.  There was an enforcement of bowing your head even if you didn't pray. Unless you were of another faith, then suddenly your opinions did matter. If only I had understood at the time!

[aileron]

Welcome, beyondbelief.