Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Atheists & Agnostics

rurallib

(62,406 posts)

58. Like many I was raised Catholic and went to parochial school

Reply to angstlessk (Original post)

Wed Apr 18, 2018, 09:07 PM

Apr 2018

taught by nuns mostly. Had many fears instilled in me.
Many things happened from 7th - 12th grade that chipped, chipped, chipped away at the lies they told me.
- Molested by priest at 13 and spent 2 years hiding while he pursued me - parents took his side.
- ate meat on a Friday at my part time job - didn't die and go to hell.
- missed a Sunday mass and didn't die and go to hell
- dated many non-Catholic girls - didn't die and go to hell.
- married one of them - pretty much gone from the church by then.

After HS was pretty much non-religious. When I would think about religion it was mostly negative but not fully atheist.

But when the tool of the devil - the internet - came around and I had some time I started looking for answers to questions I had had for decades. After @ a year I was well over to the atheist side.

As someone upthread had done I also started watched atheist you tubes landing mostly on Atheist Experience. They really helped clear up many, many questions.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

59 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Does anyone remember when you became an unbeliever? [View all] angstlessk Apr 2018 OP

Yes. I was an alter boy at the time. padfun Apr 2018 #1

At about 16 years vlyons Apr 2018 #2

I read some books on Buddhism. angstlessk Apr 2018 #14

600k-plus Rohingya refugees beg to differ. malchickiwick Apr 2018 #51

I don't remember the date but I remember how I began questioning The Genealogist Apr 2018 #3

What kind of deity would be so cruel? Cartoonist Apr 2018 #6

I've certainly encountered some cruel theists The Genealogist Apr 2018 #7

Yes, and atheists are immoral!!! angstlessk Apr 2018 #15

Why shouldn't a deity be cruel? Mariana Apr 2018 #46

Same here. Comatose Sphagetti Apr 2018 #41

I don't think I ever believed. I tried to believe but could not MaryMagdaline Apr 2018 #4

Now there is an answer for the ages angstlessk Apr 2018 #8

It used to be convincing enough, I guess. :) MaryMagdaline Apr 2018 #27

At that age, I endured a weird sermon with a mention of Jesus following you everywhere and watching. Snarkoleptic Apr 2018 #5

Jesus as a balloon! angstlessk Apr 2018 #9

It was in college (I'm a late bloomer). 3Hotdogs Apr 2018 #10

THAT IS christianity! angstlessk Apr 2018 #16

Not JUST Christianity -- RandomAccess Apr 2018 #36

Raised in the Catholic Church...cannot remember EVER "believing" any of it... Moostache Apr 2018 #11

Indeed, why the first born sons to sacrifice? angstlessk Apr 2018 #17

Early, 12? years old, likely @ services in synagogue, elleng Apr 2018 #12

I started feeling skeptical Faux pas Apr 2018 #13

I remember not wanting to go to heaven angstlessk Apr 2018 #19

Who would want to go to heaven if it was filled with a bunch of smarmy bastards? 3Hotdogs Apr 2018 #31

I was a devout Catholic all the way through my teens. GreenEyedLefty Apr 2018 #18

I agree with being a closet atheist.. angstlessk Apr 2018 #21

Same here. Only a few family members and close friends know that Arkansas Granny Apr 2018 #29

Belief in supernatural beings just does not compute for me. unblock Apr 2018 #20

You musta been lucky outta the gate! angstlessk Apr 2018 #22

Raised by the ungodly. Voltaire2 Apr 2018 #23

When I asked a nun ... GeorgeGist Apr 2018 #24

Did you get the ruler or just told not to come around again? n/t The Genealogist Apr 2018 #33

7 or 8, i can't remember Butterflylady Apr 2018 #25

First CCD class, age 7 JenniferJuniper Apr 2018 #26

They can't answer those questions Cartoonist Apr 2018 #30

i was young CelticWinter Apr 2018 #28

When I found out Santa wasn't real, they all fell like dominoes after that. CrispyQ Apr 2018 #32

Same thing here. Mr.Bill Apr 2018 #37

I never did believe iwillalwayswonderwhy Apr 2018 #34

Church was where I learned to sing harmony. CrispyQ Apr 2018 #38

yes, so called heaven05 Apr 2018 #35

I was very young too, maybe around 6-7 when I refused to recite procon Apr 2018 #39

I was 12 and asked to "confirm" my belief Thunderbeast Apr 2018 #40

Guilt was and is all Catholicism teaches angstlessk Apr 2018 #50

It wasnt til recently that I realized that Jesus wasnt a Christian LakeArenal Apr 2018 #42

Age 4 Runningdawg Apr 2018 #43

Pets are the arbitrators of god angstlessk Apr 2018 #44

When I was about 55 years old. Delmette2.0 Apr 2018 #45

I have been crawling through the Atheist Experience videos for about 2 years rurallib Apr 2018 #47

I always was. Susan Calvin Apr 2018 #48

This message was self-deleted by its author Freelancer Apr 2018 #49

Nice to see someone mention Castaneda Runningdawg Apr 2018 #52

This message was self-deleted by its author Freelancer Apr 2018 #53

the trigility angstlessk Apr 2018 #56

Can't really say there was a specific point. trotsky Apr 2018 #54

That Which Is frogmarch Apr 2018 #55

Before I was 13. sakabatou Apr 2018 #57

Like many I was raised Catholic and went to parochial school rurallib Apr 2018 #58

Never did believe that crap, yortsed snacilbuper Apr 2018 #59