Do many atheists get converted to Christianity?

[karadan]

I was wondering if many atheists get converted. It seems that quite a few religious people seem to be able to shed their religiousness for atheism and i was wondering if the reverse happens often as well. Any of you heard of this happening?

[Asmodean]

In my experience, atheists convert only as a result of emotional traumas and the like. Although those I know of only managed to convert to agnostic theists.

I think it's pretty un-common for people of reason to forsake it.

[Will]

It's a lot more rare than people think because more often than not the stories you hear are fabrications. I had a woman in my office tell this big story about how she converted an atheist to Christianity and it was a complete lie, and it's hardly the first time I've heard it.

If anyone ever gives you a story like that, ask for verification as it's usually an attempt to further lie to him or herself. You see if atheists were to convert as often as Christians left the faith, they could excuse it as equal. That's not the case. Most that leave religion don't go back.

[susangail]

I've read a few Christian books by authors that say they used to be atheists or agnostics. Lee Strobel (The Case For Christ), Josh McDowell (More Than A Carpenter, Evidence That Demands A Verdict)... there are more but I can't think of them off the top of my head.

I agree with Will. At my church, people would give "I used to be an atheist" testimonies left and right. It just sounds good. It gives Christianity more credit esp in the eyes of it's members. "We saved this atheist heathen and you can be saved to." It also helps that idea to Christians that their faith is the "true" one.

[EvolutionCalling]

What reality is Christianity going to give us?  Converting from Christian to Atheist seems like a case for an awakening of logic and rationality, while the opposite would be like suddenly believing in Santa Clause again (sorry to those of you that hadn't heard yet).  Except in the above mentioned cases of emotional trauma, I don't think there is any truth to the stories either.

[susangail]

What reality is Christianity going to give us?  Converting from Christian to Atheist seems like a case for an awakening of logic and rationality, while the opposite would be like suddenly believing in Santa Clause again (sorry to those of you that hadn't heard yet).  Except in the above mentioned cases of emotional trauma, I don't think there is any truth to the stories either.

I see what you're saying and lots of the stories are total BS, but then at the same time, a lot of the people actually think they used to be atheists. You think differently as a Christian. When someone who just simply wasn't religious converts (which happens a lot), their non-Christian life seems cold and horrible and they can't believe they ever survived without God. Sometimes, they get it into their heads that they didn't believe in God at all before. Thus, "I used to be an atheist before I was a Christian."

[crocofish]

A well publicized case of an atheist converting to Christianity is William Murray, son of Madalyn Murray O'Hair.  Of course, Madalyn was definitely an atheist, but maybe William was just following what the family believed until he got drawn into the Christian church.

[Lexxvs]

No real atheist converts to Christian. It’s as saying that once you looked into an empty box â€"once you opened it, that is- you close it and claim that its full of candies, again.

Nevertheless you have to consider that certain people claim to be atheist, being -in reality- just angry people with his failed Santa Claus style god. They do it as a kind of punishment, resentment and disappointment towards that purportedly higher power. Usually that kind of people just wants to reconcile and they go back to religion, whether its again a form of their old one or another lie under different clothes â€"oriental religions for instance-.

Another thing that can happen is people that claims to be atheist but they  never really pondered deeply on the subject, as people who was raised without any foundation on religion nor in any logical thought. Thus, this people are fertile soil to instill emotional magic tricks religions have and they never experienced, and therefore are elated.
 
Atheisms is realizing about a certain reality. No matter how many errors and/or illogical facts you find out in a sacred book -or religions in general- per se. If you don’t realize that gods are human products, you will keep them wherever you feel they are safe.

[EvolutionCalling]

No real atheist converts to Christian. It’s as saying that once you looked into an empty box â€"once you opened it, that is- you close it and claim that its full of candies, again.

Nevertheless you have to consider that certain people claim to be atheist, being -in reality- just angry people with his failed Santa Claus style god. They do it as a kind of punishment, resentment and disappointment towards that purportedly higher power. Usually that kind of people just wants to reconcile and they go back to religion, whether its again a form of their old one or another lie under different clothes â€"oriental religions for instance-.

Another thing that can happen is people that claims to be atheist but they  never really pondered deeply on the subject, as people who was raised without any foundation on religion nor in any logical thought. Thus, this people are fertile soil to instill emotional magic tricks religions have and they never experienced, and therefore are elated.
 
Atheisms is realizing about a certain reality. No matter how many errors and/or illogical facts you find out in a sacred book -or religions in general- per se. If you don’t realize that gods are human products, you will keep them wherever you feel they are safe.

Very well said.  

Basically, just because you didn't "know God" before becoming a Christian doesn't make you an Atheist.  Not knowing (in a Christians sense of the word) and not believing are completely different animals.

[McQ]

No real atheist converts to Christian. It’s as saying that once you looked into an empty box â€"once you opened it, that is- you close it and claim that its full of candies, again.

I have to disagree. In fact, your first sentence is simply a reversal of the typical christian pap that is so often repeated by them. I have heard countless times from christians that when so and so became an atheist that, "Oh well then he was never a real christian in the first place. No real christian ever becomes an atheist."

I know of at least two people personally who were atheists. One was more of a strong agnostic....but anyway, both are now bible thumping maniacs. Let me tell you, they were "real atheists", by anyone's definition.

[susangail]

No real atheist converts to Christian. It’s as saying that once you looked into an empty box â€"once you opened it, that is- you close it and claim that its full of candies, again.

I have to disagree. In fact, your first sentence is simply a reversal of the typical christian pap that is so often repeated by them. I have heard countless times from christians that when so and so became an atheist that, "Oh well then he was never a real christian in the first place. No real christian ever becomes an atheist."

I know of at least two people personally who were atheists. One was more of a strong agnostic....but anyway, both are now bible thumping maniacs. Let me tell you, they were "real atheists", by anyone's definition.

This is exactly what I was thinking. I used to be a Christian, and I was a Christian. I believed in Jesus with all my heart. Now I don't. I haven't been told I wasn't a "true Christian", but I'm sure it'll come sometime here. I think the reverse could be true as well.

[Lexxvs]

As the theme here was on regards of atheist becoming Christians, I did not elaborate properly â€"I suspect- what a real atheist is for me â€"and others by the way-.
To be an atheist has nothing to do with the strike of a strong emotion, like belief nested on faith. So the reversal is not possible. That is, a real atheist do no base his vision of reality on emotions that tamper with his heart, or at least that is not the intended case, not is the proposed premise, neither the syllogism.
Perhaps I could call a real atheist "an skeptic and well formed and prepared one". Then my definition can be applied without contend.
Unless the person has some mind problems, you would not claim â€"given the afore mentioned circumstances- that  once you realize that gods are human manufactures and kinky elaborations under their caprices you could turn again to “believe” in one. Obviously, a person can watch into an empty box, close it, and still say “this box has metaphysical load”, therefore his convincement was never situated on the physical world and that person was never an atheist.

I would like to make also the difference between knowing and usufructing a feeling. To resume and set an example easy to convey: you can know your girl does not love you anymore. But you choose to believe â€"cause you need it or whatever- that she still can get back to you, and that she is confused, etcetera. So, you know a truth but for the sake of convenience and immatureness you choose to “make believe” that things are different. In the same way, you could choose a religion to soothe your impeding needs for some soft and caring support, even if your suspicion that the gods are just fake are disguised backwards. So we can also say that knowing is not always enough, because knowledge implies matureness to handle it.  

I have to concede that human nature is not at all measurable under any undeniable rule, thus my assertions only could apply as a general norm, and not a tested law of physics.

[EvolutionCalling]

As the theme here was on regards of atheist becoming Christians, I did not elaborate properly â€"I suspect- what a real atheist is for me â€"and others by the way-.
To be an atheist has nothing to do with the strike of a strong emotion, like belief nested on faith. So the reversal is not possible. That is, a real atheist do no base his vision of reality on emotions that tamper with his heart, or at least that is not the intended case, not is the proposed premise, neither the syllogism.
Perhaps I could call a real atheist "an skeptic and well formed and prepared one". Then my definition can be applied without contend.
Unless the person has some mind problems, you would not claim â€"given the afore mentioned circumstances- that  once you realize that gods are human manufactures and kinky elaborations under their caprices you could turn again to “believe” in one. Obviously, a person can watch into an empty box, close it, and still say “this box has metaphysical load”, therefore his convincement was never situated on the physical world and that person was never an atheist.

I would like to make also the difference between knowing and usufructing a feeling. To resume and set an example easy to convey: you can know your girl does not love you anymore. But you choose to believe â€"cause you need it or whatever- that she still can get back to you, and that she is confused, etcetera. So, you know a truth but for the sake of convenience and immatureness you choose to “make believe” that things are different. In the same way, you could choose a religion to soothe your impeding needs for some soft and caring support, even if your suspicion that the gods are just fake are disguised backwards. So we can also say that knowing is not always enough, because knowledge implies matureness to handle it.  

I have to concede that human nature is not at all measurable under any undeniable rule, thus my assertions only could apply as a general norm, and not a tested law of physics.

[Lexxvs]

[EvolutionCalling]

I'll let you know.  I am rereading it trying to get a better grasp.