Is there anything else that needs to be understood about atheism...

I went through a very similar hostile mindset towards Christianity in my early 20's. Mine came about on the exit from church life instead of entrance as was your case. I think you are right that anger can be a forerunner for conversion of any kind.

 

Thats when mine started. Early 20's as I was leaving church life. It is amazing how the Holy Spirit can remove that anger almost instantly. 25 years later and I am wondering why I waited so long.

 

Perhaps the religious folks who are most qualified to debate with atheists are the ones who have, at some point in their lives, been without religion.

 

I'll throw out an answer, even though "unbeliever" is a more appropriate label for me. Atheism, as I've said before, is just another dogma like any other, and I'm not down with many of its constraints. I'm agnostic, and have specifically parted ways with the God of the Bible.

My perspective is not one of ignorance or lack of understanding of Protestant Christianity; my perspective is more like, "Been there, bought the t-shirt." My apostacy started soon after I graduated high school and ran its course over a number of years.

The Protestant Christianity I practiced was directly contradictory to my inborn individual nature in a number of ways. I could get down with the goodwill towards others, the integrity and strength, no problem. The obedience, abstinence, conformity and guilt were another story.

The religion also seemed designed so that any failure or inconsistency could be explained away with some ecclesiastic acrobatics. "Turn the other cheek. Unless we're attacked by terrorists. Then murder the fuckers." "Jesus came to change the Old Covenant. Except for the gay thing. Faggots are still going to hell." "God will answer your prayers. Unless you don't have enough faith, or ask for selfish things, or it just ain't in His plan." "I'm not perfect... just forgiven. For the nine squillionth time, since I do the same sin over and over again."

I also dislike any dogma that claims exclusive authority of "truth." Experience teaches me that anyone who comes up to me claiming to have the One True Answer to anything is more than likely full of shit. And so it is with explaining the order of the Universe. Monotheistic religions derived from the Bible and/or the Koran claim authority like so: "This Book is the Holy Truth of God." Why? "Because. You either have faith or you don't."

This goes on and on. I'm not out to change anyone else's opinion; this was just a sampling of the many points that over time have led me to where I am now.

 

so very true.

 

atheists do believe in something. They believe that people who proscribe to a religious doctrine are hokey and naive.

 

Not all believe that. I sometimes even envy those people who proscribe to a religious doctrine with unwavering faith and the obvious peace it brings.

 

Excellent point, Math. Indeed, the ones who seem to cherish their faith the most are the ones who remember what life was like without it. People like Rob and I know all too well about the potential dark side in every human being, even those who seem to have it all together on the outside.

My wife, OTOH, has been a Christian since childhood and our faiths are very different. There are a lot of things I think and feel about God that she just can't wrap her mind around. Likewise, there are aspects of her faith that I can only dream about. But it's very difficult for her to relate to non-religious people. She has a hard time adjusting the way she thinks to see things from their perspective.

 

Not all of them.