Former Atheists

I was an a-theist (one lacking a belief) rather than an atheist, an agnostic if you prefer. I didn't know if God existed or not, and I didn't know a way to know. If there was a way to know, it would be by God revealing Himself to us... and now I know that He did.

Sorry about your friend, rlg; that's tough. If it's not too personal, has your faith influenced the way you see his death?

Hi! I'm Starlight101. I was born into the United Reformed church, attended a C of E pimary school and lost my faith as I started secondary school. All but 2 of my friends at senior school were atheists, and about 6 months ago I began to doubt atheism. When I eventually regained my faith, a few friends left me, which hurt me a lot. I'm a lot happier as a christian, and my faith is growing every day!

Howdy...was atheist a couple of times in my journey....

After becoming a "born again" Christian in 5th grade, I turned away from God when the close friend who brought me to church died unexpectedly at age 10 (probably not an unusual reaction at that age). I returned a couple of years later...again through friends. In high school, I slipped away again and was very influenced by the philosophical works of Sartre and Hume after moving away from my friends/support network. Was atheist for a while and then became more agnostic. A call from the former friends inviting me to summer camp brought me back again, though still more of an agnostic Christian. Converted to the Church after the birth of my first son (my wife was raised Catholic), and I have grown in my love and faithfulness ever since.

Hello! I'm Judechild, your friendly practical-joking, dickens-reading, Chopin-performing former atheist; at your service!

Jude = my patron
child = well, that's what I am/act like

Coopersmills,

Welcome to the world of the interactive Internet — NOW FLEE FOR YOUR LIFE — SAVE YOURSELF.

Seriously, glad to have you in the online community. Like any group of people you will meet all kinds. Some of my best friends I know only on the Internet.

Yours is an interesting story, God is loving to all his children.

This is my first time ever in an internet forum (chatroom) of any kind. Just joined CAF and saw this group. I was an atheist many, many years ago. My roommate at the time was a very bright medical stuent at UCLA. I was in awe of her high IQ and since she proclaimed to be an atheist I decided I definitely wanted to be like her. Little did either of us realize that I would so deeply fall into faith that her influence completely ceased. I became friends with brilliant devout Catholics who without even trying converted her. She was becoming a gynocologist and was pro abortion until she met a Trappist/lawyer monk friend of mine. She was so struck by his statements that she stopped saying she was an atheist from then on. Her behavior began to change markedly. I MEAN MARKEDLY. She kicked her deadend sleep over atheistic, alcoholic boyfriend out. Sought to learn more about Jesus Christ ... Whew! And as for me....well. Truly, it was Fr. Ciszek's book "He Leadeth Me,"(Ignatius Press) that started huge, huge changes for me. He was 24 yrs in a Siberian concentration camp, and later became my spiritual director. To my knowledge his biography has never been out of print. Anyway spiritual reading is a constant solace for me.

Welcome aboard to our group guys, all of you !!!

I was expecting a larger turn out, with the volume of atheists and frequent this place, I figured we'd have quite a few x-atheists that could share their story with us. Looking at it now though, I realize practicing atheists need more prayer then I initially realized, it's obvious, it's a more desperate crowd then initially thought.

Hi you all, I was born in a Catholic family, was Baptized, did 1st Communion and then decided that God just didn't exist (I was 12 years old). That was due to exposure to socialist and humanist philosophies in public school, TV, the secular European culture in general and a weak family faith. I embraced Humanism, Socialism and Atheism with all my heart. I believed in Men not in God.

My conversion story goes with my recovery from the 2 abortions I had during my 20 atheist years. By God's Grace, and thanks to my husband's rosaries and fasting, I came back to Jesus. I found myself pregnant with my first "wanted" child and was struggling very much with guilt, fear of God and sorrow for my sins. I had an intellectual understanding of God's Moral Laws that were good and I had violated, and His Forgiveness but I was feeling unworthy of accepting them.

Then when I was 8 months pregnant, I knew that it was either I came back to Him, or else I would end my life in a mental institution. The weight of my past lifestyle was too heavy for my shoulders and even though I was not feeling worthy of Jesus' Holy Sacrifice for me, I finally let go of my pride and join Him at the Foot of the Cross.

For me, the starting point in the path to God was at age 35 when I decided I needed to know if what I knew was the Truth.

The second turning point was about two years later when I saw that important parts of what I had been taught were unproven assumptions.

The rest is the common story of a sinner saved by grace in an encounter with God and then 20 years later finding the last way home when I visited a Catholic Benedictine monastery merely "by chance."