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Atheists & Agnostics

AlbertCat

(17,505 posts)

21. Lordy....

Reply to salparadise1000 (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2012, 03:18 PM

Jun 2012

.... My parents.... my mother was head of nursing and my father was a surgeon....only went to church on Christmas and Easter, reluctantly. They used to drop me and my sister off at church on Sundays but not go themselves. What's a kid supposed to think? I always knew it was just a social thing with little substance. It wasn't until I was about 8 I realized adults actually BELIEVED that baloney. I thought it was just theatre to everyone before then.

To this day, I still see it as a social thing. Real truly true believers seem to have trouble functioning. Most people are part of what Daniel Dennett calls "belief in belief". They believe it's good for them socially to believe. But they still go to the doctor and trust science.

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Highlight:

Does your experience with religion as a child influence how you approach Atheism? [View all] salparadise1000 Jun 2012 OP

I'm no more hostile to Christianity than I am to the Tooth Fairy Warpy Jun 2012 #1

+100 I feel exactly the same. Starboard Tack Jun 2012 #23

My grandfather taught me how to sing "Jesus Loves Me" in Swahili. dimbear Jun 2012 #2

Nope. laconicsax Jun 2012 #3

I'm still largely closeted, both politically and religiously Rittermeister Jun 2012 #4

I was Catholic in my early days SwissTony Jun 2012 #5

Hmmm.. not for me seemingly dmallind Jun 2012 #6

Indian atheists also have to refute and challenge Islam and Christianity. What a drag! nt daaron Jun 2012 #8

Sure - and you could say US ones do too, plus Judaism etc. But the big risks to secularism dmallind Jun 2012 #9

I am not hostile toward Christianity, I just reject it now. RebelOne Jun 2012 #7

Interesting questions all - been thinking about this lately, too. daaron Jun 2012 #10

Yes. FiveGoodMen Jun 2012 #11

I don't think my childhood experiences have any impact Curmudgeoness Jun 2012 #12

I know! "Being good" while the grown-ups pray. daaron Jun 2012 #13

I never thought of that one. Curmudgeoness Jun 2012 #15

Oh, you definitely should. It's your patriotic duty, as well as moral obligation. :) nt daaron Jun 2012 #16

I'd say my experience as a child directly influences my attitudes about religion... cynatnite Jun 2012 #14

No. I grew up in a mainstream Lutheran household. Odin2005 Jun 2012 #17

My 'first love' broke my heart because I wasn't a 'dedicated Christian.' wyldwolf Jun 2012 #18

There's nothing there to "practice". Iggo Jun 2012 #19

Wow, that leads to yet another circuitous story in my life Kennah Jun 2012 #20

Lordy.... AlbertCat Jun 2012 #21

"It wasn't until I was about 8 I realized adults actually BELIEVED that baloney" Lucy Goosey Jun 2012 #22

Yes. In elementary school... HopeHoops Jul 2012 #24