Is Atheism to Theism conversion really possible?

[jmars]

I am a former Christian turned atheist and I believe it would be highly improbable that I would ever go back. It is hard for me as well as many staunch atheists to believe it possible or at least probable that very many atheists have converted to Christianity. While many born-agains claim to have previously been atheists, it is, in my opinion, probably because they mostly didn't think about it before. The lack of belief through ignorance is not the same of lack of belief based on evidentiary logic as is the case with me and most atheists who call themselves atheist.

Some christians love to make the claim that "many atheists have converted to Christianity" while unable to name any themselves, so I am curious if any of you have converted from atheism to Christianity, what compelled you to do so, and what were your specific beliefs or non-beliefs before your conversion.

[Vladd44]

C.S. Lewis - Surprised By Joy
-This is an account of his journey from Christianity, to atheism and back again to Christianity. Hope that's helpful.

More modern day, I don't have a book to reference, but I know Ravi Zacharias was Atheist turned Christian.

Even though it was to someone else, Thanks. I am downloading it now, I look forward to reading it.

I could find no inference of Ravi Zacharias ever being an atheist. Looks more like a 17 year old Hindu that became christian after a traumatic suicide attempt.

[Random Mind]

I could find no inference of Ravi Zacharias ever being an atheist. Looks more like a 17 year old Hindu that became christian after a traumatic suicide attempt.

Well, it seems you're right. I guess I got my people mixed up. I knew he was born into a Hindu family, but for some reason I thought he was Atheist in the early part of this life. My bad!

[Random Mind]

Never underestimate the devastation that life's events can inflict on one's emotional and cognitive state.

This can also result in people turning away from God. Some emotional event can happen that will cause them to leave God. And if I were to fall away, this would most likely be the reason for me. And it would be highly unlikely that I'd fall away by being confronted with a good argument that God was not real (primarily cause I've never seen one yet).

If you have never seen one yet then how could you presume a specific reaction to the possibility? Past experience would have no bearing since you by your own admission have never come across such a thing. Or are you simply excluding the possibility of a good argument exists?

I think there are literally hundreds of reasons already posted on this forum that any christian with the ability to honestly evaluate the data should run screaming from their god.

I was a weak atheist prior to becoming a Christian. There were no major traumatic events going on when I decided to follow God when I was a freshman in college (unless you count finals as traumatic). The initial evidence for me that God was real was backmasking. A Christian group presented a seminar on it and asked how did it get there. To make a long story short, I accepted that a supernatural answer was the best explanation. Then awhile later, I started the journey of exploring Creationism. And the more I studied it over the years, the more sense it made to me than a purely naturalistic explanation.

Your initial reason to believe in god was a recording technique? Or do you suppose that the supposed "satanic" messages of 80's rock music were put on there supernaturally by the boogie-man aka your Devil?

The follow-up was that it was more sensible to accept the word of creation/ new earth [strike]science[/strike] quackery over hundreds of years of data?

I am just trying to understand. I must confess that I doubt the legitimacy (or sanity) of anyone claiming to go from non-theism to christian. I just don't see how such a thing is possible without either a traumatic event or a severe head injury.

Most atheists I have known who later converted to the insanity of religion were in fact more non-religious than non-theistic. Often considering themselves atheists more by default than any course of deductive reasoning.

And believe me there is a vast gulf between presuming non-theism and simply being ignorant of the subject.

Had you spent 1/10th of the time on the subject of religion prior to your conversion? Or did the bulk of it come after you realized that god or the devil was hiding subliminal messages in songs?

This is what I find amazing. You went through here, made a bunch of unsupported claims and I'm sure if the same had been done to you, you would be throwing a fit right now.

In essence, you just said that only idiots believe in a god or follow any religion. It would be ignorant to believe in such. If a god does exist, you could give millions of reasons we should be running from him, but we aren't honest enough to accept the fact that he doesn't exist. You can't imagine why any sane person would ever believe in such and are now asking questions to prove that he obviously wasn't a true atheist before converting. Talk about wanting everyone to only believe one way of thinking and condemning anyone who won't accept what your belief is...my gosh man....

Congratulations! You are the epitome of intolerance. Whenever someone uses the word intolerance, from now on I think of you

[Vladd44]

This is what I find amazing. You went through here, made a bunch of unsupported claims and I'm sure if the same had been done to you, you would be throwing a fit right now.

In essence, you just said that only idiots believe in a god or follow any religion. It would be ignorant to believe in such. If a god does exist, you could give millions of reasons we should be running from him, but we aren't honest enough to accept the fact that he doesn't exist. You can't imagine why any sane person would ever believe in such and are now asking questions to prove that he obviously wasn't a true atheist before converting. Talk about wanting everyone to only believe one way of thinking and condemning anyone who won't accept what your belief is...my gosh man....

Congratulations! You are the epitome of intolerance. Whenever someone uses the word intolerance, from now on I think of you

First, I expect unsupported claims from christians, it is all they have. There is no science of christianity. So no on the fits, it would be par for the course.

If a god exists, I would have no reason to encourage anyone to run from it. Proof that it exists would be enough.

I will admit it is beyond my ability to comprehend, but by no means do I think it is impossible. Only that it defies any reason that I at present can comprehend.

And thanks, if I am the epitome of Religious Intolerance for you. As I have stated on many occasions there is no middle ground for religion. Toleration of religion by non-theists is counter to our purposes, and the sooner others realize this and take a hard line stance the better off we will be.

Tolerating the old superstitious past only allows it to linger longer and do greater damage. Regardless of how painful it may seem, the only way is to cut the cancer out.

Until religion and all of it's support is rooted out of society I will not be satisfied.

Eight states in the USA (AR, MA, MD, NC, PA, SC TN and TX) have laws that essentially prevent a non theist from holding office. And one of our living ex presidents (Bush 41) said "No, I don't know that atheists should be considered as citizens, nor should they be considered patriots. This is one nation under God".

I see no reason why non theists should be the ones giving ground.