Former Fundamentalist Turned Atheist After 8 Years of Belief

sent in by Chris Campbell

Ever since I was a young child, I believed in the Christian god. I remember from an early age my mother bought me a childrens' Bible, and I thumbed through it but didn't really understand it. Over time, I somewhat forgot about this god.

My home life wasn't all that great. A product of a broken home, and a neglectful alcoholic mother, I turned to religion in my late teens. I ended up going to a church a couple of times with a girl I was dating, but really didn't follow through with it.

I ended up joining the Navy at age 18, and prior to getting out, I picked up a Bible and started reading. I willingly believed everything in it, "knowing" it was true. Upon coming back to California, I immediately enrolled in a Bible study/fellowship group, and fell head long into eight long years of fundamentalist Christianity. I swalled it hook, line, and sinker.

Throughout my journey as a Christian, there were periods of "falling away" and doing my own thing. I was always fiercely independant. The whole time, I still believed in a diety. I ended up coming back to it a couple of years later, having an emotional breakdown in the process of "re-conversion".

I pursued Christianty for another year or so, and then fell away again for a couple more years. After two years of guilt and self condemnation, I decided to end the question once and for all about whether or not what I believed was true. I ended to trying to break through the wall of my mind by asking myself very basic, inductive questions. It wasn't long thereafter that I hit and devoured internet sites like "Infidels.org". I read everything I could get my hands on, and from that point on Christianity collapsed like the house of cards it is.

I have never looked back, and never will. I know for certain that Bible god doesn't exist. Every law of nature, the question of evil (to mention of couple of things) militates against any loving sky daddy existing. To me, it's common sense.

Since my deconversion, I have pursued all sorts of interests and studies: Evolution vs. Creationism, science, and the study of world religions just to name a few. I have come to the conclusion that all religions are nothing but dogma and bunk, especially the monotheistic ones.

I am so glad to be rid of Christianity and the prision that binds the mind, once and for all.


Sex: Male
City: Fair Oaks
State: California
Country: USA
Became a Christian: How old were you when you became a christian?: 20
Ceased being a Christian: How old were you when you ceased being a christian? 28
Labels before: Calvary Chapel, Fundamentalist
Labels now: Atheist/Free Thinker
Why I joined: Wanted to be closer to "god".
Why I left: I wanted to challenge what I believed, to see if it held up to the light of reason. Also, I didn't see why god would give us the ability to reason if he didn't intend for us the use it.
Email Address: deathsheaddivision at yahoo dot com