I was raised a Quaker (Society of Friends) & had a Catholic mother. Her family baptized me as an infant & tried to make me a Catholic. I did not spend enough time with her family to do more than learn a lot about Catholicism without accepting it as a belief system.
I attended Quaker Sunday school & went to a Quaker elementary school. I went on to a Quaker boarding school for grades 9-12 & graduated from a Quaker college. I probably have a better knowledge of theology & various religious beliefs than many church/synagogue going believers.
When I was about 7 or 8, Job was the Sunday school subject. My reaction to it was very negative. I felt that Job was mistreated by god even though he was incredibly faithful & one of god’s very best believers.
I considered god’s treatment of Job to be unfair. I argued with the Sunday school teacher who was not able to convince me that I should focus on Job’s faith and accept anything that god did as okay.
The Job story & the view of the teacher started me questioning religious beliefs.
By the time I was 15-16, I called myself an agnostic. In college, I read the following witticism: “An agnostic is a cowardly atheist.” It made me realize that I was really an atheist who was not willing to admit to that view considered so extreme by classmates, teachers, family, et cetera.
I have been an atheist for well over 60 years. I avoided letting it be known to my mother because she was a very devout Catholic & I knew my belief system would cause her real grief. While I do not go out of my way to state that I am an atheist, most of my friends & associates know my views.
My path to atheism started with the story of Job.
I do not look for arguments with theists & tend to avoid discussion of theology & arguments on that subject with them.
In some circumstances I make my anti-theist views well known. I express contempt for & advocate criminal charges for those who deny medical care for children. I will make disparaging remarks when theology is presented as an equal alternative to a scientific view of reality. I express doubt when miracles are described. I defend the ethics of atheists against theist claims that atheists are liars, cheats, lacking in integrity, cannot be trusted to keep their promises, are willing to steal, kill, et cetera.
I attended Quaker Sunday school & went to a Quaker elementary school. I went on to a Quaker boarding school for grades 9-12 & graduated from a Quaker college. I probably have a better knowledge of theology & various religious beliefs than many church/synagogue going believers.
When I was about 7 or 8, Job was the Sunday school subject. My reaction to it was very negative. I felt that Job was mistreated by god even though he was incredibly faithful & one of god’s very best believers.
I considered god’s treatment of Job to be unfair. I argued with the Sunday school teacher who was not able to convince me that I should focus on Job’s faith and accept anything that god did as okay.
The Job story & the view of the teacher started me questioning religious beliefs.
By the time I was 15-16, I called myself an agnostic. In college, I read the following witticism: “An agnostic is a cowardly atheist.” It made me realize that I was really an atheist who was not willing to admit to that view considered so extreme by classmates, teachers, family, et cetera.
I have been an atheist for well over 60 years. I avoided letting it be known to my mother because she was a very devout Catholic & I knew my belief system would cause her real grief. While I do not go out of my way to state that I am an atheist, most of my friends & associates know my views.
My path to atheism started with the story of Job.
I do not look for arguments with theists & tend to avoid discussion of theology & arguments on that subject with them.
In some circumstances I make my anti-theist views well known. I express contempt for & advocate criminal charges for those who deny medical care for children. I will make disparaging remarks when theology is presented as an equal alternative to a scientific view of reality. I express doubt when miracles are described. I defend the ethics of atheists against theist claims that atheists are liars, cheats, lacking in integrity, cannot be trusted to keep their promises, are willing to steal, kill, et cetera.
