I became an atheist over quite a long period of time, and like you it had
nothing to do with fire and brimestone, although I was raised a catholic.
The reason I'm serching the net today on this subject is a conversion I had
at the weekend, where I admitted to my fear of dying. Death is a hard pill
to swallow when it really is the end, it's not that I'm at death's door or
that I lay awake at night in a cold sweat but I feel coming to terms with
this is the final piece in a jigsaw, if anyone reads this and feels they can
help in some way please email me.
maxsign@hotmail.com

By the way the reason people feel that there must be something 'out there'
is genetic, we are all preprogramme by our genes and therefore we are
predestined to end up where we are. So you really do have little choice.

Thanks for you time.
Q