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Deconverted: A Journey from Religion to Reason |
This 190-page autobiography is Seth Andrews' (of The Thinking Atheist) account of his deconversion from religion. The author provides a narration of his religious upbringing, his education in Christian schools, the decade he spent as a Christian broadcaster, his apostasy, and ultimately, how a 30-year old "religious" man became one of the most popular atheist activists - all told in a voice that is full of heart and humor.
The book would give you an insider account of the United States' protestant Christian culture and perhaps, encourage other people on the brink of enlightenment in dealing with difficult questions as they travel toward the truth.
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Definitely like the title, I strongly believe that some of the most interesting atheist are often the ones who were once strongly religious.
I don't know about that. They usually seem to be disillusioned more than open minded, and angry at religion. I don't think there's much place for such anger in the rational world - it does no good to be angry at God, primarily because he doesn't exist.
Yeah hear you on the anger with God part, first off not everyone is angry or becomes so during conversion and I don't mean when they are fresh out of the fold, I mean when they have had some time to let any anger subside, have had time to think about things outside the religious paradigm they were once part of and with their deep knowledge of the religion they were previously part of can now contribute more than someone who simply does not and never has liked deity. It is this deep knowledge that helps them have more, more is not the best word, better things to say than people who just hate or bash religions. The fact that they were once so devoted can make them bring much more to the table so to speak. This does not mean someone anti religious can not also be equally as intelligent when it comes to religion but I have meet a few for lack of a better word fanatic atheist in my time who can be as closed-minded as fanatical religious folks.
If they can really let religion go, then I guess it would be true that their perspective is valuable because they can see it from both sides of the fence. However, I've yet to (knowingly) meet someone who was raised with an acute religion perspective that can truly shed the paradigm. They may no longer believe in god, but they are still held down firmly under the thumb of that religion's teachings, and view their own rebellion as just that, divergence from the "norm".
I hear you there, I even have some struggles with trying to shed what I was taught as right and wrong as was growing up under religious influence even though I have been an atheist 3 times longer than I was not one. I think Lauren has said something to this effect on the site before as well. It's hard to act against your upbringing or feel comfortable doing things even though you know there is nothing wrong with doing them if you were raised to think these things were bad or wrong to do.
There are a lot of good comments here. Sammy your point about recent de-converts really is something to think about. Myself, there was the disillusionment, a certain amount of hate, and general confusion that goes along with the what I guess we are call the de-conversion process. Friends of twenty plus years barely talk to you when they see you at Walk-Mart. Then I also got the impression it really was a problem. One person who works in the same building didn't even say hello for two years or more. I may have had the added problem of see my country in a different light. The exploration of other thoughts and ideas and the general facts of history, you realize that your country is not the altruistic good that you were taught school. So, I became a man without God or country, which does take a bit to get over. After getting beyond that, I think that I am more open to new thoughts and ideas and have even considered writing about the chaos within the church walls. This gets a little closer to Zaphod's comments. If I write, there must be a balance in the writing. There were some good times and it did expand my thinking (it would have been better to expand it through other means). In many ways, I understand them, which is different from someone who has never been associated with a religion.
I have never been a fan of reading about someone's personal journey through life, especially if it involves religion. Whether it is for or against it, it just doesn't make good reading.
What I find interesting about it is hearing a person who has been on both sides of the argument as many have been as they tend to have things to say with substance rather than just blah blah blah hate hate hate.... I think it can make real good reading depending on how the writer puts it forth. To each their own though. Sometimes though recent converts can be annoying I tend to like hearing what the ones who have been converted for some time and were deeply personally invested in both sides have to say, they tend to bring more substance to their writings and are capable of seeing things from both sides with a more compassionate or open-mind. Sometimes though, people are so wrapped up in themselves or what they have to say that hearing about their personal journeys can as you said make for not good reading
You said it much more eloquently than I did my friend. You are right about a veteran convert telling us his story, but again, for me, it's not good reading.
I thought the name was familiar to me. I have to read his book now, even though I am normally not a fan autobiographies.
This book sounds interesting, I wonder what originally made him such a religious person and why he left all of that behind.
I am also not a fan or fond of reading someone's journey. :p
But reading some posts here, it seems interesting especially if it discuss more about the same beliefs.
I know, I might give it a read now. I feel like such a sheep! :)
Uh oh, that's how it starts! Don't feel bad, I have done that with a lot of books and even some really bad tv shows!
You mean don't feel Ba-a-a-d? LOL, could not help myself. Hmm, I wonder if sheep were the Islamic God's favorite food because they went around calling people bad all the time!
Crickets chirping...
Admittedly, it was a pretty bahhhad joke.
I haven't read the book, but based on your comments, I got the idea that the elements of anger were incorporated in this book. For me, becoming angry at the transition of what you believe in is normal. I am new at atheism views, and your arguments about the idea of god is more reasonable and logical than any other religious literature that I read. At first, I said to myself on my conversion, I should not hate Christians and other religious because they just view the world differently from me and I should not hate Christ and god because they does not exist at all, but I don't know after a week of being an atheist, I somehow cannot control myself of being angry with god though I know he does not exist. Maybe because I felt cheated for the long years of existence here in this world, I believe in a thing that does not exist at all and I have seen how many people have being blinded with this faith that they called. I do not know.
So I do not see a mistake if the author would likely to express his hatred in his book.