The idea of “becoming” an atheist is weird.

Religion requires indoctrination, Atheism exists without. Therefore one doesn’t become an atheist, one just exists without the indoctrination of a religion.

I was educated in religion, even went to a private Christian school, but I never believed it to be a reality. There were too many inconsistencies in the religious teachings. None of it made sense to me. You literally have to accept fiction as reality.

I don’t recall how young I was when I realized it didn’t fit together, because I never believed any of it.

My family always knew I didn’t believe it, though I went through the motions until I was in my early teens. It was simply existing in society and being polite. It was never a point of contention witnin the family, I was just accepted.

I started to question my belief when I was fairly young. I remember being in religion class and a priest came to talk to us, and I remember him saying that only Catholics could go to heaven, and that didn't sit right with me. So I asked him, "so my friends who are Jewish and my dad with a Lutheran can't go to heaven when they die?" and he more or less said yes. That there was the first strike. A few years later, when my mom forced me to attend confirmation class, I was put in the "problem" group for asking too many questions (ex. if there is only one God, but Jesus is the son of God, doesn't that make him a God too? What about the holy spirit? Are they not demigods?" -- I was expected to accept their word and teachings blindly and without question, and I just couldn't. For years after I said I was agnostic but then realized that that was just a cop out. I didn't believe in a god, or gods, so why not just fully commit to that? So I did. I openly state the fact that I am atheist to my family, it isn't a secret. My mom is in denial about it, and probably always will be. To answer the other question, my dad and sister are also [now] atheists, but that has nothing to do with me... we all came to this conclusion for our own reasons in our own time.

In my town you were Christian unless proven Jewish. At age twelve I realized I (my family) was not Christian. Not only that but upon short reflection, I did not believe in God.

i just never did find a good answer as to why god created mosquitoes, cancer etc...so it's got to be bullshit

What made you become an Atheist?
Logic. Arguments. Robert Green Ingersoll's work. The problem of evil. And so on ... it was a gradual progression.

Are there any other members in your family who are atheists or did you become one independently?
I'm the only nonbeliever in my clan, and I came about it thoroughly independently.

Have you told your family about your religous [sic] thoughts and what did they say?
No, my family remains unaware.

Peace!

For starters, I have my own thoughts.....

Lack of evidence combined with a questioning and scientific mind (an interest in nutritional therapies made me aware of the scientific method, placebo effect, controlling for variables, double-blinding, etc.) had me half way there by the age of 17 (Agnostic, non-religious, secular). It was more than 20 years later before I could bring myself to embrace the label Atheist, which came about within a year of becoming aware of all the evidence that religion is bogus. It probably started with seeing some Hitchslap vids on youtube. Further research led to knowledge of all the errancies, contradictions, absurdities, mistranslations, and shady origins of the Abrahamic religions (embellishment, fraud, political power/control.) Before that I thought Atheism was a somewhat dishonest and arrogant position. But I simply didn't know enough yet. Do your homework.

I am an only child and my father is deceased. My mother is a believer to this day, but didn't have much to say about it when I revealed my doubts at age 17. These days I largely avoid the topic at work, but if anyone wishes to challenge me on the issue, I know enough that they will get destroyed in argument, and probably flee as their faith starts to become shaken LOL. The main stress for me of being an Atheist is concern that I am not making the most of this one life. But that is also a motivator to try to make the most of things.

I often jokingly answer that question by saying reading the bible -- I started Genesis a Xtian and finished Revelations an atheist. It's not that simple, of course, tho that was a big part of my beginning to drift away from belief. In the end, after investigating a lot of different religions from Western to Eastern to Pagan,I simply accepted that I couldn't believe in the supernatural no matter how it was packaged or who was packaging it.

To the best of my knowledge, I'm the only family atheist. They all know I'm an atheist -- I don't parade it but I don't hide it either -- but no one has ever said anything to me about it. We're not a talking or sharing feelings type family.

Altho my Dad would sometimes use my atheism to his advantage. He and my stepmother joined a Presbyterian church and when I visited them Dad liked to take me with him to his Men's Sunday Bible study group. I could ask the questions he was too polite to, and discomfit the group bully.

Common sense, math was my favorite subject so I guess what they were teaching me didnt add up. I always wondered what happened to the dinosaurs, how Cain and Able had wives since they were Adam and Eve's kids. And so much more bs.

Born that way. When people told me otherwise, I looked for evidence and saw none.

I’m am independently atheist, independently vegan, independently secular meditation/mindfulness person. I don’t know anyone that does the things I do, it would be nice but I do what I do because I am creating my own path and not following people I don’t resonate with.

I'm a 3rd generation atheist. Everyone in my immediate family is an Atheist, as are all of my aunts, uncles, first cousins, and many of my second cousins.

We weren't raised religious, obviously, but we were taught and shown many religions as stories that others believed. We celebrated chanukah with some neighbors, celebrated Ramadan with some co-workers, etc.

Short answer: I never became an atheist... Instead, I never believed as a child and I never became convinced of any gods.

Three reasons:

1. I never saw any evidence for gods existing.
2. I didn't need any gods to explain everything that I understood to be true about the Universe.
3. Every holy book I read contradicted these truths, so their messages were useless to me.

I was raised by an agnostic, culturally Christian mother and an agnostic, rabidly anti-christian but deistic father. I'm married to an atheist and most of my friends are athists... My kid doesn't believe, but she's eight so has a long way to go in working out her own position on the question.

Liberating!

I was born an atheist, just like everyone else.
The religious indoctrination my family insisted upon, didn't take.
I've been on my own since 17 and they've not had any influence.
Some of them know, most don't.
Their acceptance is unnecessary, and I don't care what they think of me.

Birth father was out of my life early. Vietnam infantry officer with anger issues, met himyears later and he was surprised I was not religious. Mom was apathetic, never really talked religion with her until I was 44, shared myreasons and she was yeah, I always thought it was bullshit. Grew up in the Bible belt and learned to say I was agnostic to avoid being told every spilled milk wastage punishing me. After I grew up I dropped agnostic andthink I treat others well enough I want them to know a decent atheist.

I saw a sign on a telephone pole saying "Free atheist lessons with ice cream to follow each session." The receptionist took one look at me and said, "You already know how to discern reality from groundless theological and supernatural fantasies, right?" With one nod, I was admitted to the ice cream social.

It was either that or I knew I was being handed a bunch of malarkey from a very early age.

My vast reading audience is free to decide which version is eminently more likely.

Education: as I developed the power of logic and reasoning, I began to see the irrationality of religions and the belief in supernatural things called god.

I was born in a very religious family. I practised Hinduism as I grew up. But I also had to opportunity to go to school and learn to read and write. The more I read the more I discover. I started studying Psychology and Science. My views changed and my outlook on religion took transformation. Everything I need in my life is already inside me. The power is within. Thus comes liberation.

Born that way! No religion practiced in my home and neither parent was a believer so....plus, giving it some thought, it just is logical

Study of the Bible made me an atheist. Any religion that does not have an actual God requires faith. I have not found any religion that does not require faith.
" Athiesm is not chosen it is discovered," -Christopher Hitchens.

What caused me to become atheist? Well, several things. My curiosity is and has always been insatiable. I have always been an avid reader. I learned how to think critically at a young age. Logic comes naturally. I have never been bashful. Because of the foregoing, I have always asked questions and those questions have never been easy ones. I read everything, including the small print on labels. I have always weighed things carefully. As a result, it is doubtful anything else could have happened. This occurred independently of other family members. The family was made aware by simple declaration. A couple had nothing to say about it and were not surprised. The responses of the remainder ranged from incredulity to total shock.

I suspect you may not understand the meaning of atheist. Would you care to explain what it is you think an atheist is? That's the old curiosity at work.

Born a nonbeliever.
Have a family of kitchen Catholics.
Told them, they don't approve and I couldn't care less.
What's it like? Liberating.

You aren't an Atheist? You really should try it....it's addicting.

Logic - I've asked Protestants what they are protesting against and have never gotten a really clear answer...?

I grew up without any religious guidance. I noticed everyone else going off to church on Sundays and asked my dad what religion we were and his answer: "Protestant". It was YEARS before I found out how much of a non-answer that was! Frankly, being adrift like that helped me because it begged the question: "Is one religion better than another?" And prompted me to make a determination for myself, putting me at odds with the rest of my family - which, in and of itself, was an affirmation of the direction I was heading in. So, whether the question related to good/evil, ethics, history, anthropology, metaphysics, or anything else, after decades of poking around and asking all the wrong people the right questions, I concluded that I sure as shit wasn't going to find any answers in the bible and that those who do are customizing answers to suit their questions.