I'm from the Deep South. When I was a kid, I had the craziest aunt who graduated from a Bible college and was constantly talking in "tongues" around me, my brother and my cousins. When our parents were off running errands, she would sit us on her lap, place her hand on our forehead and begin trying to cast the demons out us little tikes.
One trip I will always remember was when she took us to the movies to watch Gremlins (thinking it was some kind of Muppet show) and then had a parking lot conniption fit afterwards about how "evil" it was. It's a wonder she was still able to drive us home. Note: Apparently, my aunt wasn't the only one surprised by the movie: no one sums up the way people reacted to Gremlins better than the James Rolfe in his review.)
Now, I'm an atheist- have been ever since I was 17. It was a gradual process:
- Crazy Aunt (8 to 10yrs. old)
Why is she doing this? Is this what God is like?
- Questions to parents (13 to 14 yrs. old) and basically anyone who would listen:
a. "What is good?" Is it relative, i.e., if we took the top half of people we classify as "good" on this planet and moved them to Mars, wouldn't the bottom half just divide itself up again and everything would be like it had always been?"
b. Doesn't a Jew believe as fervently that he is correct in his belief system as a Christian? But who is right?
c. Why are so many people dying and killing each other over religion? Why do we kill people if it says not to in the Bible?
- A long time reluctance to go to church changes into despise because, to me, the church is also to blame for people fighting each other around the world. (15 yrs.)
I once told my dad, a police sergeant, that he would have to hit me to get me in the car when I was about 15 to go to church. He thought long and hard about it. Thank "God" he didn't (and that tasers weren't nearly as much in use as they are today- just kidding). After he got back, we all had a long hug and that's one reason I will always love my father.
- Stop saying prayers before going to sleep (17-18 yrs).
This was a very gradual process because some very deep part inside of me kept thinking I was going to get struck by lightning or something.
So you see, it wasn't an atheist at all set in motion the process of leading me down the road to Atheism- it was an overly devout religious person.
Rabid religious people are always concerned that Atheists are out to convert (with their music, etc.). That may be in limited cases- but what they fail to see is that Atheists aren't necessarily good at converting others. It is they themselves who contribute to converting others to Atheism. As we have seen, in many cases, this is for no other reason than that they know how to talk the talk, but not walk the walk.
Bonus question (has nothing to do with Atheism): Can anyone guess how old I am based on statements made in the diary. It should be a fairly logical conclusion +- 2 years.
Bonus poem (William Blake):
The Garden of Love
I went to the Garden of Love,
And I saw what I never had seen:
A Chapel was built in the midst,
Where I used to play on the green.
And the gates of this Chapel were shut,
And Thou shalt not. Writ over the door;
So I turn'd to the Garden of Love,
That so many sweet flowers bore.
And I saw it was filled with graves,
And tomb-stones where flowers should be:
And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds,
And binding with briars, my joys & desires.