When was your epiphany?

13 posts / 0 new
Last post
Johnathan Graham's picture
When was your epiphany?

Just a little humor to bring you in, unless you're using the term epiphany with the definition of insight. But, in all seriousness, when was your realization that whatever theistic religion(Focusing on Westerners, but anybody is welcome to share) was false? My realization was when I was a freshman in highschool and started exploring controversial topics like politics and religion. I use to just identify as a Christian, but didn't understand why I did. I "believed" blindly but to just fit into the social norm. As I started to explore more and more, I realized that it was just a bunch of hogwash. I slowly just weened off Christianity and identified as an Atheist. Of course, I lost some friends, gained some enemies from a simple label which was sad. But it opened me up to reality and helped me live alot easier knowing that I looked at it logical, and made a decision. Now, I study buddhist philosophy, love looking at Buddhism. I identify as a Buddhist, but thats another complicated situation.

So, when did you finally relinquish yourself from your theistic religion, or atheistic religion. What were the consequences/gains? Please share your stories, I'd love to hear them.

Have a great day. Oh Mani Padme Hum.

Subscription Note: 

Choosing to subscribe to this topic will automatically register you for email notifications for comments and updates on this thread.

Email notifications will be sent out daily by default unless specified otherwise on your account which you can edit by going to your userpage here and clicking on the subscriptions tab.

cmallen's picture
1545 hrs, 12 February 2011,

1545 hrs, 12 February 2011, Kandahar City, Afghanistan. As the life visibly left his eyes and his grip on me slackened, I knew there was no transcendent reality outside my own subjective perceptions. The safety net was gone, I was left to my own devices, I was free.

Jordan's picture
I was raised with the idea I

I was raised with the idea I could go off with any belief or lack thereof, but didn't exactly know what 'religion' was in the first place, so I decided to think I was Christian or such as a child, I thought it was some kind of thing my friends were doing. Then I started learning about 'praying' and such practices, and I thought "Praying? Why would I waste my time talking to something that isn't there?" And then I learned more about beliefs and how Christians and Catholics and --however many other versions of the same religion there are-- can't get their shit together, and voila, and Atheist was born.

ImFree's picture
Geology class in college.

Geology class in college.

Travis Hedglin's picture
I pretty much never believed

I pretty much never believed in any of the crap in theistic religions, I at one time considered the concept of some kind of higher power possible, but it never really materialized as any sort of "faith" in the unknown. As I grew and learned more, I discovered that the "higher power" I had considered was identical to predictable material causality and physics, and simply dropped the whole concept of any type of god as unnecessary and so patently bereft of evidence that it couldn't even be falsified.

Mitch's picture
I began to arrive at atheism,

I began to arrive at atheism, when I had become disillusioned with Buddhisim, actually.

I remember there being a requirement to release all possessions, which I thought possible, until I seen that love was included. I decided at that point to not try anything.

Now that I think about it, it was when I allowed the silence to happen. That's when my atheism began.

Luther's picture
Having lived much of my life

Having lived much of my life as a religious zealot, my epiphany came in steps and pieces over a considerable period of time. Coming to terms with what the bible actually is - was a big one for me. Also key was realizing that everything I ever "knew" about God came not from God but from people who claimed to speak for God. This was very troublesome once that light went on. Why would the most important entity in my life who loved me so and wanted me to go to heaven, never speak to me himself or make himself visible? And why must I keep talking to him (praying) when he never talks back (apart from people's imagination)? Ultimately I suppose it just came down to learning to see myself and my religion from an outsider's viewpoint. Perspective is huge.

Andrew McArthur's picture
9 11

9 11

Nyarlathotep's picture
When I realized that the

When I realized that the other kids and even the Sunday school teacher thought the stories we were reading were real; that they believed the stories were somehow different then say the three little pigs. Blew my mind; and honestly it still does.

Alembé's picture
It was within the past 6

It was within the past 6 months when I delved into the early history of Yahweh/Jehovah/God/Allah. The history is somewhat murky, but it indicates to me that Yahweh was not the first god worshiped in that part of the world and that his rise to prominence was the result of a prolonged struggle by a priestly class to beat off competing opponents (e.g. Baal). If “God” was not the first god, how could he be the ultimate creator? Answer: “God” is an invention of the human imagination and does not exist.

At that moment of realization and liberation, the reality of Heaven, Hell and the Devil evaporated, and the Bible became just another book.

Thredder's picture
From an agnostic family, but

From an agnostic family, but subject to all the normal religious stuff at school, I was about 8 when there was a brilliant nature documentary on BBC (UK) - David Attenborough's "Life on Earth", about prehistory, evolution and the rise of man. I don't remember everything now, but then I was hooked. That programme opened my eyes and I became a science-loving, fact-based, nature-loving atheist from then on. I'm sure I would have become one anyway, but it was that programme that "converted" me.

Pitar's picture
At 8 years old I was

At 8 years old I was conflicted. By 9 years old I was atheist.

Darkhenoc1's picture
I finally understood the

I finally understood the difference between a truth and a belief. These are beliefs, jesus is lord, mohammed is alla's only profit, buddah returns, moses went up the mountain, all beliefs. This is a truth. 1+1=2. How do we know. I can add two things together and physically show you. Also, no one fights about 1+1. No body kills or dies over 1+1. Why not? Because this is truth. Another word for belief is opinion. You can have whatever opinion you want, it doesn't make it truth. And don't be afraid to speak the truth. We just happen to live in a very sophisticated ignorant time. But we are gaining ground.

Donating = Loving

Heart Icon

Bringing you atheist articles and building active godless communities takes hundreds of hours and resources each month. If you find any joy or stimulation at Atheist Republic, please consider becoming a Supporting Member with a recurring monthly donation of your choosing, between a cup of tea and a good dinner.

Or make a one-time donation in any amount.