Any former nonbelievers find religion later in life?

[Anonymous]

I'd be curious to hear you story. What changed for you?

[Anonymous]

Not all religions require supernatural faith.

[Anonymous]

I did. Raised as an atheist, now a Christian. Got baptized at the age of 30. Nothing big or traumatic happened that turned me to God. I think the more I learned in college, the more questions I had. I started reading a lot of philosophers at the age of 19-20 and still doing so. But it's still wasn't giving me an answers. Got my post graduate degree, was married, had two children, was working full time. And still searching. I read Bible for the first time when I was 20-21, didn't understood much from the Old Testament. Star meeting people who were long time believers, talking to them. Start reading Bible again at the age of 27 and suddenly everything became obvious. I still waited for 3 years to get baptized to make sure this is what I wanted. I am in my 40s now and believe in God like never before.

I know a lot of people had different passes coming to God. I remember feeling almost jealous for people who had some traumatic or near death experience and converted to God after that. Because they came to faith so quickly. And I couldn't understand why I had all the knowledge but didn't had any faith. But everyone's path to God is different. I truly believe that we all at some point of our life will come to the understanding and acknowledgement of God. Some people with more pure heart come to him early in life and some will see him with their last breath. My path were lengthy and difficult, but I am glad it happened.

[Anonymous]

Loved your post, PP! Thanks for sharing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did. Raised as an atheist, now a Christian. Got baptized at the age of 30. Nothing big or traumatic happened that turned me to God. I think the more I learned in college, the more questions I had. I started reading a lot of philosophers at the age of 19-20 and still doing so. But it's still wasn't giving me an answers. Got my post graduate degree, was married, had two children, was working full time. And still searching. I read Bible for the first time when I was 20-21, didn't understood much from the Old Testament. Star meeting people who were long time believers, talking to them. Start reading Bible again at the age of 27 and suddenly everything became obvious. I still waited for 3 years to get baptized to make sure this is what I wanted. I am in my 40s now and believe in God like never before.

I know a lot of people had different passes coming to God. I remember feeling almost jealous for people who had some traumatic or near death experience and converted to God after that. Because they came to faith so quickly. And I couldn't understand why I had all the knowledge but didn't had any faith. But everyone's path to God is different. I truly believe that we all at some point of our life will come to the understanding and acknowledgement of God. Some people with more pure heart come to him early in life and some will see him with their last breath. My path were lengthy and difficult, but I am glad it happened.

Can you give me an example of some if the questions you had?
Why the Bible? Why not the Torah or the Koran, for instance?
What philosophers did you read?

Just curious, thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not all religions require supernatural faith.

Thank you for your insightful contribution!

[Anonymous]

I am a pp. if I give you an examples of questions, it will take pages and pages. I didn't believe in the randomness of things that was happening around me and in the world. I wanted to know what was the reasoning behind it. I always was interested in psychology and human behavior, but what I was reading in the science literature wasn't giving me satisfying answer ( it is not my profession, just hobby, even thought I work with people a lot).

Bible was the first book I read. Back then I would say because it was primarily religion in the country where I lived back then. Now I know it was for a reason. I never read Tora completely, just parts of it. I read Koran multiple times in 5 different translations and I lived in the Middle East for several years as an adult.

As to philosophers , here is what I remember from my head ( I might come with longer list if I look at my book shelf. Please forgive me name spelling as I read most of them in different language and I know the English spelling name might be different):

I read a lot of Kant, Freud, berdyev, Schopenhauer, Heraclitus, Socrates, Seneca, Machiavelli, Spinoza, Nietzsche, Voltaire ,Hobbs. I read selective works of Karl Marks (yes, I read Capital , Adam smith, Thomas Jefferson, pierce, Boyle, some of Doud, Euclid.

[Anonymous]

I went through a period of atheism in my 20s, but came back. FWIW, I too read Marx, Spinoza, Nietsche, Voltaire, and some others. The gospels make sense to me, logically, for the 20th century - at least as practiced in the non-rigid, tolerant way that I think is their message.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went through a period of atheism in my 20s, but came back. FWIW, I too read Marx, Spinoza, Nietsche, Voltaire, and some others. The gospels make sense to me, logically, for the 20th century - at least as practiced in the non-rigid, tolerant way that I think is their message.

Do you believe that Jesus is the son of god, sent to earth to save us, who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not all religions require supernatural faith.

Thank you for your insightful contribution!

It's a simple fact -- not so insightful. Unitarianism and Buddhaism are examples, also some forms of Judaism and some liberal Christian denominations only expect metaphorical, not literal belief in the supernatural

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not all religions require supernatural faith.

Thank you for your insightful contribution!

You are welcome. I am non-believer in the supernatural aspects of religion, but I am still a religious person as mu faith does not require belief in the supernatural. So it is possible to be a "non-believer" and still be religious.

[Anonymous]

So this thread confirms that many people turn to religion because they can't handle "not knowing."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So this thread confirms that many people turn to religion because they can't handle "not knowing."

BS.

I'm one of the readers of Marx and Nietsche. Not a single person here has mentioned fear and uncertainty about death and the afterlife as a reason for comment to religion. You made that up, or you have horrible reading comprehension. Instead two people got to religion by extensive study of philosophy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not all religions require supernatural faith.

Thank you for your insightful contribution!

You are welcome. I am non-believer in the supernatural aspects of religion, but I am still a religious person as mu faith does not require belief in the supernatural. So it is possible to be a "non-believer" and still be religious.

Can you describe the elements of your faith? Is it an established religion? that is, are there regular services that you can attend?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did. Raised as an atheist, now a Christian. Got baptized at the age of 30. Nothing big or traumatic happened that turned me to God. I think the more I learned in college, the more questions I had. I started reading a lot of philosophers at the age of 19-20 and still doing so. But it's still wasn't giving me an answers. Got my post graduate degree, was married, had two children, was working full time. And still searching. I read Bible for the first time when I was 20-21, didn't understood much from the Old Testament. Star meeting people who were long time believers, talking to them. Start reading Bible again at the age of 27 and suddenly everything became obvious. I still waited for 3 years to get baptized to make sure this is what I wanted. I am in my 40s now and believe in God like never before.

I know a lot of people had different passes coming to God. I remember feeling almost jealous for people who had some traumatic or near death experience and converted to God after that. Because they came to faith so quickly. And I couldn't understand why I had all the knowledge but didn't had any faith. But everyone's path to God is different. I truly believe that we all at some point of our life will come to the understanding and acknowledgement of God. Some people with more pure heart come to him early in life and some will see him with their last breath. My path were lengthy and difficult, but I am glad it happened.

So you think that people who don't believe in god (like you, at one point) are inherently less "pure in heart" than people who do believe, and start believing at an earlier age?