Comment by Davis Goodman on September 30, 2015 at 9:09am

You generally don't choose to be an atheist. Being an atheist is more undoing the choice that their parents made for them. To reverse the imposition of a ridiculous sky-god-religion or a package of forrest-spirit-superstitions that your community gave you no choice but to believe in. It's a reversal of damage done.

Luckily I had next to no religion imposed on me and I went through the super market aisles of religions experimenting a bit before I tossed it all out realizing I didn't need one grain of such poison. I didn't choose to be an atheist...I dismissed the poisonous ideologies and fantasies that stood in the shelves happy to embrace me.

Comment by SteveInCO on September 30, 2015 at 10:03am

Agreed with what Davis said.

There is one way I took this title (before I read it and the linked post) that it turned out not to be about.  I know at least some atheists who wish it (Christianity) were true.  I'm more in Hitchens' camp, I don't even want it to be true.

Comment by Unseen on September 30, 2015 at 12:08pm

For most of us—especially those of us who used to be theists—we are driven to atheism by  evidence (being the lack thereof) and logic. If deciding that you're out of milk is a choice, then so is arriving at atheism.

Comment by ThyPlagueDoctor on September 30, 2015 at 1:37pm

You don't choose to be an atheist you go back to being one :P

Comment by Pope Beanie on September 30, 2015 at 9:53pm

I just want theists of all flavors to know there's a working alternative. If every religion didn't preach and act like they're the only ones who know "truth", I wouldn't even need to be an atheist.

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