Were You Ever an Atheist/Agnostic?

[kblc06]

If so, what prompted you to become a Christian or other Abrahamic religion? Were you raised in the church and stopped believing or was religion/spirituality not brought up in your home? This is a question I've been thinking about recently due to the fact that most atheists/agnostics I've personally encountered were once either Catholic or Baptist/Methodist fate . I've never met anyone who was raised in a non-believing household come to any Abrahamic religion (Christianity, Judaism, Islam). If you have ...please share your story-I'm really curious to know why this is

This should be a positive and enlightening thread. Please do not make it turn for the worse Thank you

 

[gone_fishing]

I never was but there is a man who was an aetheist. Him name was C.S. Lewis. He converted and published a book about it called Mere Christianity. It is one very interesting read.

 

[plainj]

I'm not sure I was an atheist but at one point in my life I wasn't sure if I believed in Christ. This was due to a social relationship with a friend who was an Israelite. Israelites are African Americans that have similar values and beliefs as Jews. I also grew up in church (until mid teens) but was never given a solid foundation in Christianity or taught how to have a relationship with God. I recently became saved and now have that wonderful relationship that I never knew existed. It's such a wonderful feeling. I feel like a brand new person. It's surreal even for me sometimes.

 

[mrselle]

I was never an atheist, but I didn't have anyone around me to show me how to have a good, solid relationship with God. I didn't become saved until my early 20's, but prior to that I never questioned HIS existence. I don't think that's something that ever occured to me.

 

[klb120475]

I'm not sure I was an atheist but at one point in my life I wasn't sure if I believed in Christ. This was due to a social relationship with a friend who was an Israelite. Israelites are African Americans that have similar values and beliefs as Jews. I also grew up in church (until mid teens) but was never given a solid foundation in Christianity or taught how to have a relationship with God. I recently became saved and now have that wonderful relationship that I never knew existed. It's such a wonderful feeling. I feel like a brand new person. It's surreal even for me sometimes.

Aww that's sooo beautiful!

 

[Dee Raven]

Honestly, I was. I grew up in a spiritual household, and went to Lutheran and Anglican schools growing up. So I had a really good relationship with God, but in high school I decided to get to know the Bible better and actually become a member of a church. The church that I joined, although they did know their bibles and try to follow it, used cult tactics to keep their members. After a year and a half, I was spiritually bankrupt. It took like 6 - 7 years for me to get my relationship back with God. It was a horrible experience. To this day, it is still very difficult for me to actually go to church with other people and worship. The trauma is still there.

 

[shalom]

No, I was never and atheist. I was raised in a christian home my mom was an ordained minister.

I've my times where I was in and out of the church, but there is just SOMETHING ABOUT JESUS that makes me want to love him, get to know him and workship him.

 

[kweenameena]

great thread....I look forward to more posts in here.

 

[poookie]

i wasn't, but my sister is

we weren't raised to believe anything, but our mother started making us to to church (baptist) when i was 9, and she was 7. about 2 years of attending, she forced us to join a salvation class, and a week afterwards, she forced us to accept the altar call and get saved.

as a 12 year old, i understood that being saved was important, and the year long salvation class the church offered for children did teach me a lot, but it wasn't until a few years later, in a different setting, that i truly accepted jesus as my savior ON MY OWN ACCORD and not my mother's (hmm... i think i might make a spinoff of this...).

my sister refused to go. when it go to the point where she'd say things like "God doesn't exist", my mother just gave up.

the difference between my sister and i, is that the classes sank in for me, whereas my sister only ever saw church as something that was boring, and she was very angry at my mother for making us go. so in her mind, being angry at her and believing that God can't be real went hand in hand.

i'm still trying to work with her.

 

[BlkOnyx488]

I would say I was agnostic at one point in my life. I was raised Jehovah's Witness but I didn't agree with what I had learn but I had been taught all other religon's were false. so I struggled with my sprituality for years.

The turning point for me was after my oldest son was born. I realized I had everything you are suppose to have to be happy but something was still missing in my life. by everything I mean husband, house, kids, "good job".

Anyway, I didn't realize but I was meditating and praying about finding that missing link. And one day i was approached by two women. They talked to me for a second and invited me to their bible study.

At that moment that seem to make the most since to study the bible. All my adult life people would approach me about bible studies, praying for me, I even had someone at my job just stop me in the hallway and say "I know this is crazy but I am being directed by the holy spirit to talk to you." and I looked at him and said,"Well tell the holy spirit you tried but I wasn't home." LOL

As I begin to study God's word I realize God had been with me the whole time in my life. Even when I was staying up til 4am discussing with my Atheist friends how he could not possibly exsist. I could now pinpoint times in my life when it was only God who was with me and carring me through a situation.

So now I believe.

 

[NGraceO]

I would say I was agnostic at one point in my life. I was raised Jehovah's Witness but I didn't agree with what I had learn but I had been taught all other religon's were false. so I struggled with my sprituality for years.

The turning point for me was after my oldest son was born. I realized I had everything you are suppose to have to be happy but something was still missing in my life. by everything I mean husband, house, kids, "good job".

Anyway, I didn't realize but I was meditating and praying about finding that missing link. And one day i was approached by two women. They talked to me for a second and invited me to their bible study.

At that moment that seem to make the most since to study the bible. All my adult life people would approach me about bible studies, praying for me, I even had someone at my job just stop me in the hallway and say "I know this is crazy but I am being directed by the holy spirit to talk to you." and I looked at him and said,"Well tell the holy spirit you tried but I wasn't home." LOL

As I begin to study God's word I realize God had been with me the whole time in my life. Even when I was staying up til 4am discussing with my Atheist friends how he could not possibly exsist. I could now pinpoint times in my life when it was only God who was with me and carring me through a situation.

So now I believe.

Hallelujah! That is an AWESOME testimony! As for poookie i am praying for your sister!

Btw, I have never been an atheist/agnostic, but all the same I have never been as close to God as I am now. In my opinon, being around Him but not knowing Him can be just as bad as believing he doesn't exist!

 

[kblc06]

Wow-there have been some powerful testimonies in this thread . Keep it coming

 

[HWAY]

Honestly, I was. I grew up in a spiritual household, and went to Lutheran and Anglican schools growing up. So I had a really good relationship with God, but in high school I decided to get to know the Bible better and actually become a member of a church. The church that I joined, although they did know their bibles and try to follow it, used cult tactics to keep their members. After a year and a half, I was spiritually bankrupt. It took like 6 - 7 years for me to get my relationship back with God. It was a horrible experience. To this day, it is still very difficult for me to actually go to church with other people and worship. The trauma is still there.

I had a similar experience. I grew up attending Baptist churches, but became disenchanted as a teenager. I became a member of what most people consider a cult at age 22. I finally left them over 18 months ago and have been attending a wonderful bible-based Baptist church since last year. I'm still unlearning some teachings and growing in my relationship with God. My 22 yr old daughter left them but still won't attend church with me.

 

[Supergirl]

God bless you ladies for sharing your stories.

 

[Duchesse]

I was never a serious atheist, the idea of a Creator-less universe just never added up to me. But I was an agnostic for several years, from my teenage years up unto about 2 years ago (im 25).

I was raised Christian and used to go to Sunday school as a child, but as we got older we never were forced to go with my mother to church. I always had spiritual yearnings to be connected with God and a philosophy that would help guide my life, but I do think that not frequently going to church as a child, made it easier for me to stray. My mother is a very spiritual/religious person, but she is a "church hopper" so not having a church home was also an issue. Plus my dad is about as religious as a stick, so we never really had a Sunday ritual.

As a teenager I went through a rebellious stage where I thought religion in general and Christianity in particular was stupid, mind control. Oh, the things I would say , The funny thing is as much as I would talk down on religion, I was so depressed and lonely, that the few times I did go to church, I would cry over my feelings of disattachment and envy people who had such strong faith and community.

My college years were my years of searching. I took classes on Buddhism, Sufism, Islam, African traditional religions, and read so many books on different religions, really hoping to have an Aha! moment and find that one religion that would make everything make sense. None of my close friends are into religion and are agnostic/spiritual/at times mocking, so this was a very personal journey for me. At one moment, I was very close to converting to Islam, but something always help me back.

It really wasnt until about 3 years ago, when I was living the worst possible life for me. I wont go into details but those were my most shameful years and I really hit some low points, and did some things that I try to erase from my mind. When I moved back home to get myself together and finish up with school, I started becoming interested in Christianity again. I know that my family was praying for me during my crazy years, and I thank God for them. I really think their silent prayers, particularly my mom,aunt,and nana, helped to boot kick me into living better.

I would have moments during contemplation where I would feel extreme peace and optimism, and I really felt that God was trying to get me to listen to let me know to stop doubting his existence, and once I did, my life got 1000 times better!

I'm definitely noooo saint,nor am I a theological wizard, nor is my faith as strong as granite. But I know now in my heart that God is real, and he wants us to live our lives the RIGHT way. There are still many things about myself that need improvement, and I'm nowhere where I want to be, but faaar from where I was!

I'ts crazy, but back in the day, I would hate listening to gospel music, now I love it!

woooh, sorry for this essay ladies! but thanks for this thread to let me express it.

 

[Bubblingbrownshuga]

Thanks so much everyone, for your testimonies.

 

[motherx2esq]

At one point in my life I referred to myself as an Atheist. I was raised in the Baptist church. I think I did it more so because I did not believe in anything at that point because of things that were happening. But my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ found favor in me and I returned to him humbled!
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