I was just reading a page on the site Rational Wiki, which I'm fond of, replying to an attack on atheism. Under "reasonable explanations for atheism" is a claim that I've come across before, namely "poor relationship with father." It seems an "ex-atheist" by the name of Dr. Paul Vitz wrote an entire book with this claim, with the same title: Faith of the Fatherless. Here is the page: http://http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Conservapedia:Atheism#Reasonabl...

Now, I'm the son of a single mother who's only met his biological father once, and we have no relationship, so this idea is something that would apply to me, hence the interest. Even without people knowing my personal background, I've been accused of being stuck in a "youthful rebellion" due to my atheism, along with certain political beliefs I hold (but that's another topic).

Of course this would be more a smear tactic in those cases, but the allegation is more serious. Note that Vitz for his part claimed this not only if one had no father, but a weak or abusive one too, casting a wider net. Obviously we can point to believers who also had this situation. However, it seems to me there is a connection being made here which is simple-a lack of relationship with your father here, means lack of one with your Father up there, as it were.

Personally, I'm certain that if my parents had been together, whatever problems I've faced, it would have been far worse. Indeed, this hardly would have made me theist, since my biological father is emphatically not a believer. However, that might have had the opposite effect-my mom raised me with a vague, liberal Christian upbringing easy to get out from. If they were together, my "youthful rebellion" in such a case might have been to become more ardently religious with a father who had contempt for religion, who knows? All right, self-psychoanalysis done. Tell me what you think.