What percentage of atheists do you think were churchgoers until reaching some age?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

27. It might depend on whether the person was brought up in an oppressive

or fanatical religion, or otherwise had unpleasant experiences. I know a few former Catholics who are pretty intense about their dislike of the Catholic church, though not all are atheists. My own upbringing was mainly in the pretty liberal United Church of Christ (the Congregational Church at that time), and I didn't find it offensive or particularly negative - just boring and irrelevant. Later on I became a fairly regular church-goer (ELCA Lutheran and Episcopalian) but only because I enjoyed singing in the choir, not because I really believed in what they were telling us. I would have to call myself an agnostic, since I can't disprove the existence of the Christian god, or any other god, any more than believers can prove it. As far as belief systems go I'm somewhat attracted to Buddhism, which doesn't have a deity.

I have never been offended by what I heard at these churches, which at least in recent years have been liberal and accepting, with no hellfire and damnation. The clergy I've dealt with were very kind and helpful when my parents passed away. I have no axe to grind with religion in general as long as it does not insinuate itself into legislation or other oppressive behavior (that's a big "if" these days, unfortunately). Yes, there is a lot of hypocrisy and assholery among religious people, but the biggest and most hypocritical asshole I know of (and if you don't know who I'm talking about, here's a hint: he's orange) is not religious at all. Religion doesn't make people bad unless they were bad in the first place; it just gives them the excuse that "God" wants them to do something they would have done anyhow.

A lot of the attraction of religious institutions seems to come from the social benefits - the sense of community they offer. And if a person's religious beliefs give them comfort, who am I to tell them they're being stupid or superstitious? It's all OK with me.