Are most new Atheists ex-Catholics?

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lemonbeam

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Whenever I hear an atheist talk about their childhood/upbringing they always say they are where brought up Catholic? I’m not saying this is the same for all atheists, but Why do they turn to atheism when they are 17, 18.
 
That’s awfully funny, for me anyway. I’m a former atheist, who became catholic when I was 16.
 
I think that roughly half of all world wide Christians are Catholic (in name anyway), so it does not surprise me that a lot of atheist “converts” come from Catholicism.

It’s all about how you perceive the numbers. Some atheists tout that atheism is growing rapidly, and I always remind them that demographically atheism hit rock bottom in the 20th century and that atheism only had one way to go but up.

Sometimes I sit back, look at historical demographics and think that the world is just playing a huge game of red-rover.

Cheers,
Derek
 
lemonbeam said:
Whenever I hear an atheist talk about their childhood/upbringing they always say they are where brought up Catholic? I’m not saying this is the same for all atheists, but Why do they turn to atheism when they are 17, 18.
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The “world” teaches them how to live their everyday lives. The youth are so bombarded by the mass media on money,sex,power and narcisstic ways of living 24 hours a day seven days a week. Atheism has become “more militant”.Today, Church Mass attendance on average is about 25% of the total Catholic population. Even with that attendance, what percentage actually makes any effort to practice their Catholic Faith after Mass? The Catholic Church will survive until Jesus’ second coming no matter what the rest of the “world” thinks and even beyond my own comprehension.
Catholic youth that go to atheism sad to say are lacking catechesis,their parents lack catechesis, and observe many Catholic celebrities, politicians, sports figures etc. living their lives contrary to Catholic Church teaching. Catholic youth surrounded by so many non believers, agnostics, atheists around their homes, their schools etc. that they believe that is what life is all about.
They say Catholic church restricts their lives as well as any form of organized religion and consider their parent(s) outsiders of the world as well as accusing them of being racist,immature, unintelligent, childish, and not “keeping up with the times”. Relativism prevails further to I’m OK, your OK, we are all OK. Word of atheists as nice sincere people and how much more in charity to mankind better than the religions that have been at wars with each other through the centuries has been the common norm with advances in science.
Jesus Christ is King of kings, Lord of lords.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis ( Lamb of God ,you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us).
 
i don’t know, but i can assure you that at the hour of their death, when they stand alone in front of Jesus, every old Atheist will be a new Catholic!!!

“There are no atheists in foxholes!”

Sancta Maria, Mater Dei, Ora Pro Nobis Peccatoribus!

mark
 
johns58w said:
The “world” teaches them how to live their everyday lives. The youth are so bombarded by the mass media on money,sex,power and narcisstic ways of living 24 hours a day seven days a week. Atheism has become “more militant”.Today, Church Mass attendance on average is about 25% of the total Catholic population. Even with that attendance, what percentage actually makes any effort to practice their Catholic Faith after Mass? The Catholic Church will survive until Jesus’ second coming no matter what the rest of the “world” thinks and even beyond my own comprehension.
Catholic youth that go to atheism sad to say are lacking catechesis,their parents lack catechesis, and observe many Catholic celebrities, politicians, sports figures etc. living their lives contrary to Catholic Church teaching. Catholic youth surrounded by so many non believers, agnostics, atheists around their homes, their schools etc. that they believe that is what life is all about.
They say Catholic church restricts their lives as well as any form of organized religion and consider their parent(s) outsiders of the world as well as accusing them of being racist,immature, unintelligent, childish, and not “keeping up with the times”. Relativism prevails further to I’m OK, your OK, we are all OK. Word of atheists as nice sincere people and how much more in charity to mankind better than the religions that have been at wars with each other through the centuries has been the common norm with advances in science.
Jesus Christ is King of kings, Lord of lords.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis ( Lamb of God ,you take away the sins of the world: have mercy on us).
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Hello, you said the following: ‘‘Today, Church Mass attendance on average is about 25% of the total Catholic population.’’

I looked on Wikepedia and it said their where 70 million Catholics in the United States of America. I calculated that 25% of 70 million is 17 500 000. What is your 25% calculation based on? Where is the statistic from? Is it weekly church attendance, monthly, yearly?
 
I don’t know where the poster got that figure from, I would assume he was referring to weekly Sunday mass goers.

FYI, don’t ever use wikipedia for research if you ever want to make a valid point. I in no way wish to be rude, but any user on wikipedia may change the information written there. It is no more reliable than an uncited source, because that’s exactly what it is.

Peace and blessings,
Frank
 
lemonbeam said:
Hello, you said the following: ‘‘Today, Church Mass attendance on average is about 25% of the total Catholic population.’’

I looked on Wikepedia and it said their where 70 million Catholics in the United States of America. I calculated that 25% of 70 million is 17 500 000. What is your 25% calculation based on? Where is the statistic from? Is it weekly church attendance, monthly, yearly?
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I usually get statistics on Catholics within the United States. Catholic Mass attendance approximately 23% for weekly to 31% once per year. United States Council of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) usually will bring you to a Georgetown University site (Catholic college Washington D.C.) Georgetown has a site:
Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA). When on the site, go to Sacraments Today: Belief and Practice among U.S. Catholics. You can also click on the pie charts or bar graph charts to obtain more information.

Their site also has research for countries worldwide. Numbers will then vary more. The site may be dated around 2005 but the numbers here in the United States have not changed dramatically to present.
 
I have met many atheists from other Christian backgrounds. A lot come from some kind of fundamentalist background.

17 or 18 is not surprising to me - it’s when most young people are out on their own and begin to make their own life decisions. Many young people that age reject the religion they learned in the home and begin exploring religion and truth in their own way. Some come back to religion later, but as something they have come to for themselves. This is probably not a bad thing, in fact I would say to some extent it is part of our natural development.
 
I’ve seen similar threads on this discussion board. Though a few thoughtful individuals acknowledge that a simple change in philosphy is the cause, most seem to assume that the reason is laziness, poor teaching, the devil, or indifference.

I am quite confident that I understand the cathechism, but after a long period of reflection, decided that I do not believe in the trinity. Without that, there is not much else to cling to in the Catholic faith.

Do you really think that, just because you’ve grown up with a tradition, you are going to agree with it? Do you expect all children to carry on their parents’ political beliefs, hobbies, etc. Certainly not.

Don’t forget the obvious answer: some people simply don’t agree with the religion. This doesn’t reflect any failing on their part.
 
lemonbeam said:
Hello, you said the following: ‘‘Today, Church Mass attendance on average is about 25% of the total Catholic population.’’

I looked on Wikepedia and it said their where 70 million Catholics in the United States of America. I calculated that 25% of 70 million is 17 500 000. What is your 25% calculation based on? Where is the statistic from? Is it weekly church attendance, monthly, yearly?
Click to expand...
Here in the Philippines there are around 77 million Catholics and Sunday Mass attendence is about 80%.
 
Bluegoat said:
I have met many atheists from other Christian backgrounds. A lot come from some kind of fundamentalist background.

17 or 18 is not surprising to me - it’s when most young people are out on their own and begin to make their own life decisions. Many young people that age reject the religion they learned in the home and begin exploring religion and truth in their own way. Some come back to religion later, but as something they have come to for themselves. This is probably not a bad thing, in fact I would say to some extent it is part of our natural development.
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I’ve come across at least one that was raised fundamentalist. What’s funny is that she, a Jewish atheist, and a current fundamentalist were having a discussion on a parenting board I frequent (discussing the reason the atheists stopped believing), and the fundamentalist actually believed that so long as the former fundamentalist atheist had at one time “accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior”, then she was still “Saved”, despite being a very vocal atheist! And, the Jewish atheist was also “Saved”, by virtue of being Jewish (member of the Chosen People). :eek:

(I know that really has nothing to do w/ this thread, it just brought it to mind. I couldn’t believe it when I read that!).

In Christ,

Ellen
 
Major_Tom said:
I’ve seen similar threads on this discussion board. Though a few thoughtful individuals acknowledge that a simple change in philosphy is the cause, most seem to assume that the reason is laziness, poor teaching, the devil, or indifference.

I am quite confident that I understand the cathechism, but after a long period of reflection, decided that I do not believe in the trinity. Without that, there is not much else to cling to in the Catholic faith.

Do you really think that, just because you’ve grown up with a tradition, you are going to agree with it?** Do you expect all children to carry on their parents’ political beliefs, hobbies, etc. Certainly not. **
Don’t forget the obvious answer: some people simply don’t agree with the religion. This doesn’t reflect any failing on their part.
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If they want to be in the Will 😃 (Just kidding! I’m in a really goofy mood this morning. Lack of sleep, I guess. I worked until 3:00 this morning)

In Christ,

Ellen
 
ALLGIRLS said:
I’ve come across at least one that was raised fundamentalist. What’s funny is that she, a Jewish atheist, and a current fundamentalist were having a discussion on a parenting board I frequent (discussing the reason the atheists stopped believing), and the fundamentalist actually believed that so long as the former fundamentalist atheist had at one time “accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior”, then she was still “Saved”, despite being a very vocal atheist! And, the Jewish atheist was also “Saved”, by virtue of being Jewish (member of the Chosen People). :eek:

(I know that really has nothing to do w/ this thread, it just brought it to mind. I couldn’t believe it when I read that!).

In Christ,

Ellen
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How strange! I wonder who she thought she was saved by, or what she was saved from?
 
Bluegoat said:
How strange! I wonder who she thought she was saved by, or what she was saved from?
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Oh, no. It was the current Fundamentalist who was assuring the atheist (former fundamentalist) that she was still “saved” if she had accepted Christ as Savior at one time in her life, even though she later rejected Him and became an atheist. Crazy. :rolleyes:

In Christ,

Ellen
 
ALLGIRLS said:
Oh, no. It was the current Fundamentalist who was assuring the atheist (former fundamentalist) that she was still “saved” if she had accepted Christ as Savior at one time in her life, even though she later rejected Him and became an atheist. Crazy. :rolleyes:

In Christ,

Ellen
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Ah yes, once saved, always saved. A rather strange idea which seems to take no account of time.
 
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