People change their minds about important things all the time. Sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it doesn't. Life events like aging, loneliness, depression, dependency, etc. may alter a person's perception of themselves and their place in the world.

Are you sure they were an atheist? Christians often claim to have been atheists, or drug users, or sex addicts. Most will adopt some lie to tell the others and then embellish it over time. It's part of the degradation process... Francis Collins claims to have been an atheist, but doesn't know the definition of it, using the bogus pejorative Christian definition instead (that atheists are God-deniers rather than not believing).

The difficulty commenters are having believing that an intelligent, free-thinking person could authentically transition from atheist to Christian reminds me of the responses to cognitive dissonance outlined by Festinger.

In our efforts to stabilize internal consistency we will use any contorted rationale available rather than simply changing our worldview to align with the evidence. Identity overrules rationality.

“If a person has made a choice different from my choice they must be of less intelligence than me.” “I can’t possibly be wrong.” “They weren’t really a true Scotsman, er, I mean atheist to start with.” “They’re delusional (not me).” “They have less noble motivations than I do - they’re hedging their bets as they reach old age.”

The very last thing we want to consider is that the other person may understand something we don’t. In fact it’s worse than the last thing - it isn’t even up for consideration. What kind of “free-thinking” is that?

But, according to Festinger, it should be the first thing we consider, because, if after examination it turns out to be true, it is the shortest and most stable route to genuine, lasting cognitive consonance (to align oneself with objective reality rather than with our comfortable status quo). Also it is the only path to personal growth. If we deny the possibility we could be wrong, we have no opportunity to become right.

Among comments I see a repeated reference to the word “believer” in place of the OP’s use of the word “Christian”, but being Christian isn’t solely or even primarily, about believing. Atheism is. People will say atheism is not about believing - it is just the absence of belief. But the absence of belief is still about belief. Religious people have beliefs, just like atheists do, but they have something atheists don’t. They have a coherent “practice” (or at least it is offered by their religion. How well they use it varies).

This is not to say that non-believers don’t adopt some practices along the way, but ironically, to whatever extent they do... they have become religious practitioners.

Religion equals practice.
Practice equals religion.

Belief equals belief. And conversely, belief is nothing but belief.

Belief is inert.
Practice is active.

The very most natural and authentic progression for the truly open, truly free-thinking mind is from believing to doubting to practicing.

Certainly there are people who identify with one camp and then another, and then back again, all on shaky or incomplete justifications.

But this in no way precludes the possibility that the same outward appearance might accompany an honest and authentic practice.

It is rather easy to understand. Atheists just like the religious who come in all flavors and colors. All are not the same, all are not thoughtful and freethinkers. Then there are weaklings, unsures and shakables.

There are many people in this world who are not sure well into their adulthood about who they are, what they want, what they want to be and what they believe in. They are one thing today and another next year. Some go with the flow, go with the wind, go with the opportunity or go with the circumstance. They change colors. People think integrity is only about honesty but it is also about your value system, about beliefs, about who you are. Your views can deviate some but you cannot change who are. That is a lack of integrity.

These people are like sheep in a herd. they go wherever the herd goes. If they came in a company of atheists, they think this rebellion is cool and they go along. They love the idea of being different, cool. When they come in the influence of religious, they go along there.

Among atheists, we have some including members here who don't believe in the church or what it does and god possibly due to bad experiences with the church, childhood, family etc. but have really not been freethinkers. They still like to follow all occasions, holidays, customs and traditions created and started by religion like Christmas, the tree, gift-giving, saying bless you, rest in peace (RIP) etc. Leaving religion means leaving all bullshit, it is not pick and choose to your convenience. It is a new state of mind and lifestyle. It is independent thinking, it is free thinking. I like that word better than the word - "non-religious'. Even the word spiritual is ridiculous to me. It is neither here, nor there or I am not primitive thinking but I can't dare deny god. I am yet to meet one who can explain what "spiritual" exactly means.

I raised my daughter atheist, but not with a dictate. I took her to temples, mosques, churches and explained what they do, how they treat women and why the concept is irrelevant to life. I gave her a choice. She is strong willed but not an independent thinker. She wanted what her friends did whether Pokemon, beanie babies, Nintendo, Wii, art, coding, poetry, debating, drama and after high school she wanted to go colleges her friends were going to (after topping in SAT/ACT). It scared the hell out of me. We put her in the best (elementary/middle/high) school, moved to another state, moved to an affluent neighborhood, dedicated plenty of time, never ever had a baby-sitter and we were fully involved in school. After excruciating troubles, I finally was able to divert her mind. Every month she has a new idea about career. Now I am worried about what she will do if she madly falls in love with a religious boy. I will accept but be disappointed inside.

She would be a candidate for the example you mentioned in the post.

Anne Rice was born into Catholicism yet turned agnostic in her teens. She seemed agnostic while married to her atheist husband Stan writing vampire books, making s lot of money. Then she found god and wrote some Christian books when he died and she made money. 2010 she realized the Catholic faith was against gay marriage and her son was gay. She ‘saw the light’ and left the church again. She seems more of an opportunist than a rational thinker.

Yep, same baffling thing happened to my ex-husband, after 60+ years of being a firm atheist, he suddenly joined the mormon church, after a 15 year "friendship" with a mormon lady he started seeing before we were divorced. Baffled the kids and me all firm atheists. Not sure why he did that, when the mere thought of church used to bring him to almost wretch, but I'm assuming he thinks he'll find a subservient wife or something at some point.

It was said of Voltaire (one of my favorite authors) that he he recanted and confessed on his death bed. However, given that he was denied a Christian burial it seems an unlikely story that was spread by his enemies.

With regard to all arguments and disagreements between religious believers and non believers it is notable that both attend churches and meeting places or online forums. Places where they tacitly or overtly receive approval and encouragement.

In more extreme instances of such congregations whether actual meeting places or online forums it takes the form of substantiation by negation, that is, each believer and non believer substantiates his or her position by negating the other. The only thing that both have in common is a sense of community

How or why it happens is anyone's guess. Perhaps some people cannot bear uncertainty and take refuge in religion.

If I were to start going to the Kingdom Hall of the JW's again, it would make my aged mother so very happy and ease her mind, plus it would probably give my sisterinlaw a heart attack as icing on the cake. Having read their stupid book from cover to cover twice it wouldn't be difficult at all to work my way up to Elder in a couple of years, expecially since I am already a good public speaker. My share of the inheritance would go up so there would be a monetary incentive as well.
Unfortunately, while I have no morals I do have scruples and that makes this an untenable proposition. I may mention it the next time I see my sisterinlaw, just to see if she faints. lol

Baffles the shit out of me too…

Anything is possible.

I never heard of anything like this…….but there’s a first time for everything.

The main question is. Was he ever truly an atheist ? Among Christians the term, atheist, can be used for all sorts of often slight and vague losses of faith in the absolutes of their dogma.

While using the claim that you are a recovered atheist, wins a lot of hand claps among Christians, so there is a strong incentive to exaggerate claims. And exaggeration is easy to do for Christians, because you have already adjusted your brain and conscience to moving in the world of total dishonesty, required to believe anyway.

A friend of mine went from atheist to Muslim. She was a legit atheist before. I don't know how it happened- baffles me!

You are talking about mentally deranged people here.

A person can be an atheist for bad reasons, and may not have actually looked into the (lack of) evidence. Then they meet an attractive person who’s a Christian and for the same bad reasons, they decide they’re a Christian. I can’t think of much of anything that would make me a Christian again, but strange things happen all the time.

I guess I could fake it for a couple mil.

Atheism is a solitary thing. I think many people have a need to belong which overrules thair rational mind. Humans are animals which evolved to gather in groups or herds, as a means of safety. That instinct to gather in and belong in groups is still a part of human animal instincts. Whenever a person does something where it appears their rational brain has been shut off, it is almost always a case where animal instincts overruled their rational brain. Old animal instincts are still active in humans, although most people like to think they are totally rational.

In the case of atheists converting to a religion, it goes back to the instinct to gather in groups for safety. They feel better (safer) a member of a group, even if that group isn't rational.

My reasons for being atheist are the vast time frame difference in the 66 bible books and the simple fact that the bible as we know it came into being over 300 years after the time of Jesus. That speaks volumes against itself. As for other atheists going back to Christianity let's look at stupidity, loneliness, and the attraction of the opposite sex. These are my best reasons that people play the roles that they do.

The person was never really an Atheist.

as they get older they feel their mortality and need to believe

In my experience, some people who were atheists turn to religion later in their lives after they have some crisis that scares them about being without a god to look after or help them. But in most cases, it has been after they get old or get sick with a terminal or life-threatening illness, so they seek religion to offer them hope of being cured or at least having something beyond this life waiting for them after they die. I don't judge them for their caving in to their fears or weakness, I actually pity them when this happens, and hope I prove to be stronger when I eventually become tested the same way.

The brain is a spooky, complicated, barely-understood thing. The content (not just the quality, but the actual content) of its thoughts can be altered by altering its chemicals or its structure. We see this most clearly in survivors of strokes or trauma, and in those who use drugs.

But if you haven't suffered a head injury, and don't use drugs, you assume that your brain tick-tocks along, perceiving everything as it actually is, and only good evidence could possibly change its thoughts...right? And the soup of neurochemicals has nothing to do with it, because it's in perfect balance too, right?

But what if it isn't that black and white, working or not-working? What if a little change here, a little tweak there, a SLIGHTLY different mix of neurochemicals could change your perception? Cause you to notice things that you hadn't noticed before? Release a rush of endorphins that made you extremely happy with your new thought?

What if a slightly different mix of neurochemicals or a slight change in brain structure could make a believer out of you? Or a nonbeliever out of the most devout?

The Fact is; Everything/EveryOne has a Breaking Point, Imagine you have stage 3-4 Cancer and there's just and just Church to help you with payments! or there's someone who wants to help you in hardships, and he/she is a hardcore Christian! my Point is; it's not simply just up to you, the social bonds, your family, the Survival Instinct, Crises and ...etc somehow can lead you somewhere you don't belong to.
On the other hand, the Lack of knowledge is an atheist's Achilles' heel!

It happens even to an evil person like a gangster.

People adopt new clothes based on changing trends. People paint their faces differently depending on mood and setting. People give different answers to the same question in public versus private. People even change their behaviors if they realize their behavior is causing other people to not like them. People do a lot of things to try to fit in and feel more accepted, especially if they feel distant from others or are having a lonely moment. Religion and stated belief are subject to these same whims.

Many of the Philosophes of the Eighteenth-Century
Enlightenment opted to become Theists towards the end of their lives, presumably to be on the safe side, just in case there really was a Sky Daddy. These people had been raised Christian, but had become Atheist or Agnostic by early or middle adulthood.