How does one go from atheism to religion?

Here is a story on CNN today, "Prominent atheist blogger converts to Catholicism"

So, how does one go from reason and rationality to superstitious nonsense? I know that there are some atheists who are only atheist through not reason and rationality but rather from "hating god" because of something that had happened to them. I term these atheists as fake atheists. But someone commented on the site that in her blog that she was raised in a non-faith household (I am not sure if this is true, but for the sake of argument that it is true) - how the hell does one get brainwashed to go from reason and rationality to superstition and irrationality?

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Permalink Reply by John Kelly on June 23, 2012 at 8:25pm

This is really bizarre, because she is converting to Catholicism, but rejecting the principle of infallibility that makes Catholicism what it is. If you are going to convert, and you reject infallibility, you go Anglican/Episcopalian.

But people believe in religion based on inductive reasoning. Reading the data wrong can produce a mountain of convincing evidence over time. She has a Catholic husband. It seems like just some sloppy logic occurred over time and built itself into that mountain.

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Permalink Reply by Spartacus of Thrace on June 23, 2012 at 9:22pm

I agree with John Kelly.

C'mon, she's GOING IN as a Cafeteria Catholic! She admits what she likes is the moral underpinnings of the liberal edge of Catholicism.

Also, her last name (assuming she is using own name) means she was likely raised in, and is still part of, a Catholic-culture Italian or Spanish/Hispanic family.

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Permalink Reply by Gabriela Menicucci on June 24, 2012 at 9:16am

No no no. She is not Italian or Hispanic she is JEWISH or however you call people from Israel. That lastname is jew. Not from latin ancenstry. Trust me I researched it.. She just became Catholic because her boyfriend is. You know she wants the finger on her ring and the big wedding ;).

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Permalink Reply by Dustin on June 25, 2012 at 5:05pm

lol Gabriela, where have you been - Haven't seen you on this site in a while!

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Permalink Reply by Gabriela Menicucci on June 25, 2012 at 6:40pm

Hey Dustin I was busy doing some adjustments in my life but now Im back :D

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Permalink Reply by Gregory Marshall on June 28, 2012 at 3:14pm

You hit the nail right on the head.

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Permalink Reply by Paul Wright on June 23, 2012 at 9:32pm

Because rationality is not comforting... When is the last rational film you ever saw.
People know it is not true but there is often more comfort to be had in a lie than in the truth.
A lie can be fluid and mould to fit your situation, the truth is finite (mostly).
It's a cowardly reason to believe in something, but still the reason people go from reason to faith in my opinion.

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Permalink Reply by John Kelly on June 23, 2012 at 9:41pm

I skimmed her stuff and it seems that she has become convinced of God because she realized that morality is an archetype. Because she mistook the source of that archetype for God, she concluded morality was evidence of God.

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Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on June 23, 2012 at 10:07pm

My best friend, growing up, was an atheist, but when he went away to college he converted back to Catholicism and is now an apologist for the church. He will not talk to me about it, or much of anything now. He is (I believe) one of those people who become whatever the people around them want, reward, and respond to. What used to be called "borderline personality".

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Permalink Reply by James Cox on June 23, 2012 at 10:29pm

Dear Folks:

I remember a conversation from about 35 years ago concerning this point. A young man named Jim was planning to enter the military after high school. We talked alot about this and he finally told me his reason. He did not think he was up to college and had not done well in school. He thought it might be easier to have someone else tell him what to think! I suggested that personal freedom is hard won, and that giving it up too soon might mean that the skills needed for its maintenance would never be created or developed.

Dropping ourselves into ready made ideologies, while convenient and maybe even 'easy', does not really solve the deeper issues around personality or identity. I would 'like' to think that atheism and the sciences are significantly more open ended, but this does beg the question. Education does expose one to ready made ideology, but also mostly does not demand a total commitment, if you are lucky.

I have been told to my face several times 'you must learn to conform!', and 'go along to get along'. But I have seen these as exit points, when the opportunity arises. I have considered commitments along mostly utilitarian lines, but this does not always work well.

How much independence, and how much commitment? My skills are not always up to the task to determine..;p(

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Permalink Reply by Ed on June 24, 2012 at 12:14am

I'm sure this story got lots of exposure on Fox.

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Permalink Reply by Doug Reardon on June 24, 2012 at 1:57am

I just visited the web site this woman blogs on, it's a religious website, I've never heard of this person on any atheist site. Makes me suspicious, very suspicious.