Boston Atheists member Brett writes:
It's funny that we are doing this. In Christian circles this is a very common activity called giving testimony (sharing your come to Jesus moment).
That said, I was brought up in a pretty ordinary Protestant home. My family went to church regularly but they weren't evangelicals. But though my youth group I became pretty involved in evangelical Christianity to the point that I spent a year at bible college.
Before you think that the college was some nut house and that it sent me away let me tell you that the college was in England. Christians in Europe are different than here, they are more concerned with social justice and equality than promoting some doctrine and are just as likely to vote socialist as conservative. While there were plenty of nutters at the college it was my exposure to a new way of thinking about the world and how inequality is not necessarily what god wants that ultimately led to my fall from faith.
Upon my return to the US I found I was totally unable to reconcile my new beliefs to my fellow Christians who in this country are completely married to the existing social order and seem to think that inequality and ignorance are some sort of virtues. I slowly drifted away from the church and one by one rejected all doctrines in favor of scientific ideas. My fears of going to hell for my lack of faith slowly gave way to a realization that there is no heaven or hell. Then one day about 10 years ago a co-worker of mine made a comment about how there is not god. Suddenly I realized I was not alone there were other people like me! I am now an outspoken atheist and am happy to play the role of the devil in the lives of the faithful, sowing seeds of doubt whenever I can.
*
This post is part of a series, in which members of the Boston secular community explain how they came to the decision to identify as atheists. To read more posts in the series, click here. To submit your own story, email bostonatheists@gmail.com.
It's funny that we are doing this. In Christian circles this is a very common activity called giving testimony (sharing your come to Jesus moment).
That said, I was brought up in a pretty ordinary Protestant home. My family went to church regularly but they weren't evangelicals. But though my youth group I became pretty involved in evangelical Christianity to the point that I spent a year at bible college.
Before you think that the college was some nut house and that it sent me away let me tell you that the college was in England. Christians in Europe are different than here, they are more concerned with social justice and equality than promoting some doctrine and are just as likely to vote socialist as conservative. While there were plenty of nutters at the college it was my exposure to a new way of thinking about the world and how inequality is not necessarily what god wants that ultimately led to my fall from faith.
Upon my return to the US I found I was totally unable to reconcile my new beliefs to my fellow Christians who in this country are completely married to the existing social order and seem to think that inequality and ignorance are some sort of virtues. I slowly drifted away from the church and one by one rejected all doctrines in favor of scientific ideas. My fears of going to hell for my lack of faith slowly gave way to a realization that there is no heaven or hell. Then one day about 10 years ago a co-worker of mine made a comment about how there is not god. Suddenly I realized I was not alone there were other people like me! I am now an outspoken atheist and am happy to play the role of the devil in the lives of the faithful, sowing seeds of doubt whenever I can.
*
This post is part of a series, in which members of the Boston secular community explain how they came to the decision to identify as atheists. To read more posts in the series, click here. To submit your own story, email bostonatheists@gmail.com.
