The "great tragedy" was the realization of what critical thinking can do for you. 35% of the people in this country don't have a clue what this is.

I don't feel a need at all to defend it.

Why should I?

Go stack sand.

I lost my sister due to suicide five years ago, Several months ago a family member got me into a discussion on religion. When I shared I was agnostic they immediately asked whether this loss and my related anger at god turned me into an agnostic. My first response was a "you got to be f-ing kidding me". I did respond with the "how can you be angry at something that does not exist" and the anger I did have was at the mental illness that contributed to her death. Worse part was the look from my cousin that said, "poor thing he is in denial".

when I was young I was raised Catholic, my questions were not answered and I never really believed but went with the program till about high school. I read the Oxford History on Christianity, which is a text book for aspiring reverends, and noticed how the religion (indeed all religion) grew. From that I decided that no thinking person could be Christian.

Most believers are seldom challenged to think.

I just smile and walk away. But in my head, I'm yelling...

I had a supervisor ask me why I abandoned my god. I just shook my head and walked away.

I have found that many believers I have talked to about non-belief have no respect for the thought processes, time, effort, and research (usually years) the average atheist has put in, to come to the conclusion that there is in all likelihood, no god. Most of the atheist I have known grew up in religious households, and they have had to shake off years of indoctrination, family pressure, and guilt before finally accepting that the world makes sense sans a deity.

The believer seems to think that if they can explain their god belief, the atheist will suddenly jump on the religious bandwagon.... and when the atheist does not, the believer resorts to "you are really not an atheist", "you are just angry at god", "you will believe some day", “you really do believe, but you just don’t realize it”, "you don't love god but god loves you"....they have a very hard time accepting that someone does not believe as they do.

I have been asked. She also started crying. Still I think it was better she found out then, rather than later.

belief in agnosticism? i don't believe (or disbelieve) in agnosticism (or atheism). i just happen to believe there are no gods. that makes me an atheist. also i've never been christian so i had no christianity to leave. i also never suspended my belief in any gods. i just realized there weren't any. anyway, i do not have the experience of any christians asking me what happened. any christians i meet online just figure i'm a bad person and i'm going to hell, or tell me jesus loves me anyway. christians i know in person... i only know one and she usually knows better.

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I have been asked that, and the answer is, kind of. A tragedy caused me to look deep into christianity for comfort, which led to reading several versions of the bible, and that's when I knew how much BS it was. Then I looked into the holy books of many other religions, came out of all of it an atheist.

I haven't had a christain ask me that yet. I wouldn't call it tradegy that cause me turn away from gawd,jeebus,etc. I would call it , looking for peace and happiness in my life. I would describe my 30s in one word is depressing. I tried different sects of christain bs which didn't help. I tried different parts of internet looking for companionship and peace. Not to mention those times I thought about committing suicide. Which nearly a yearly event for me. I'm glad I decided to be non believer and found some peace and happiness in my early 40s. I think my belief in religious bs is what made me suicidal in my 30s. I haven't suspend my belief in religious. I threw it in the garbage with some of my bibles.

Believers all think something terrible must have happened to you to make you turn away. This is behind the movie "God Is Not Dead" in which the main character is atheist because god let his daddy die. How juvenile can you get. Getting this man back to god before he dies is what all believers think they will do to us. According to their book it is their duty. According to their book everyone believes in god. Their book, of course, is the bible and just because that book says something does not mean it is true. Too much study of that book along with logical thinking has made me an atheist.

Just tell them that your from Agnostia on the Ariatic coast near Malabar de Pinatos Kolladica.

Encountered that question more times than I can remember, the last time I was asked that was by the neighbourhood Evangelist I simply replied, " I'd rather be the "Solo Toro" ( Lone Bull) thinking freely for myself than some cerebrally neutered SHEEPLE ( a combination of Sheep and People) wandering around in a flock following some very imaginary Shepherd."
It did NOT go down well with the Evangelist btw.

That's happened a few times. Each time my response was "I read the Bible".

I'm reminded of crabs in a bucket, if you they hold up their hands to you now that you are free, it's not because they want to be free but because they want to drag you back down into that bucket that you just worked so hard to climb out of. Just smile and tell them 'Dog Bless You'.

No, it does not happen for a reason. I do not discuss those things with any religious person at all. Why even bother. I am not gong to change them and they are not going to change me

The past few years, when someone says to me, "Have a nice day," I say, "OK. I will...... Or, I won't."

And, when told, "Have a blessed day," I respond the same.

No But I don't get out much and we don't seem to have those sorts of convo's in the U.K. unless you get backed into a corner by a J.W. I can't think of anybody who has questioned my lack of religiosity we seem to park that sort of question, like its nobody elses business!

My life has been lived around non- proselytizers. So, i feel a bit deprived..

I would reverse that question on them. What happened to make you believe in anything?

Perfectly valid question to turn back on them.

Yes i have.. and i explain., it all started when i was being forced to attend mass despite the fact that i understood nothing about what was going on. As a young boy all i saw was adults gathered and one main adult rambling in the front. All i was thinking about was getting back home and going to with my buddies. This inevitably created a resentment against the organization and thus pushed me to question the whole thing in its entity. Thats what happened