I would like to know if others follow similar steps. I realize that these cannot be universal (to atheists), but is there a common thread? Even among those not exposed to theism as I was? Are there any steps common to most atheists? Is there (or are there) any that are essential?

Such a list would have to be autobiographical, but I have tried to eliminate as many specifics as possible.

1. Raised a Xtian, went to church a lot.
2. Noticed some descrepancies between reality and beliefs. Like Xtians are not protected from bad things by virtue of belief or worship.
3. Did well in school. Did not appreciate a conflict between the Bible and Science.
4. Continued to believe in college, but stopped going to church (wanted to sleep in Sundays, I guess); Chemistry Major, Biology Minor
5. Pounded with education. Finding commonality between physics, chemistry (physical chemistry), biochemistry. Wondering where God might fit it.
6. Medical school (equivalents would be post graduate studies). Deeply reinforced #2. No apparent help from God.
7. Married, returned to church. Questions about the accuracy of religious knowlege. Not much specific, but even phrases like "World without end, Amen" bothered me.
8. Began to feel like I was praying to no one for no reason. I eventually had lunch with the priest and made him uncomfortable with my questions.*
9. Studied archeology, ancient civilizations - mostly trying to find out if the idea of God was invented by the Jews. Guess what!
10. Divorced (nothing to do with religion). Left church to sleep late and because I felt it was draining me financially. And I felt like a hypocrite. It felt worse than a waste of time.

*[Interestingly, I was afraid that I would make him see that there was no god. The church would be devastated if he left because he lost faith. I found out I had nothing to fear. His answers were less than satisfactory for me, however. I suppose I was a weak atheist at this point.]

That's about it. I haven't stopped reading, thinking, or trying to integrate everything I have learned and "eliminate the inconsistencies."

I'm not intrinsically anti-religious, but it all seems silly now. What I suppose I am asking is: Am I an atheist because of my experiences, or because I would have become one under any other circumstances. I favor the former. I don't, however, see anything unusual in my experiences. So why isn't everyone an atheist? Perhaps no one can answer the question as to why I became an atheist but me, but if there is some common thread, I would like to know what it is.

I apologise if my internal musings have wasted your time, but I am curious about other atheists.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Uncontrollable laughter arose among the blessed gods.
Homer, The Iliad, bk.1, l. 599
O mortal man, think mortal thoughts!
Euripides, Alcestis, l. 799
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shyone # 1059 Shyone@nym.alias.net