Happy Atheist Forum

Hi,
My name is Christeeven.I am now a newly deconverted atheist.I just couldn't ignore logic and reason anymore.I have a few questions that I want to ask the group:If you were once a Christian, did you notice a shift in your political views to the left when you abandoned your faith?

Welcome to the forum!  I can't really help you personally because I was never religious, but I'm glad you asked this question.  I'm really interested in reading other people's responses.  Hope you like it here.  

Welcome, Chris.

I did not notice any shift in political leanings that I could say were due to deconversion. My political leanings were changing throughout my whole life, and continue to change, apart from my religious beliefs or lack of. But I'm interested in this question, as it will be cool to hear what other experienced.

Hi Chris - nice to meet you.

Words are powerful things.
Not sure I connect with the phrases "abandoned your faith" or "deconverted".

For me, it was more like my faith just atrophied and fell off...

I think my political ideology stayed pretty much the same , but then it never was connected to religion.
I know that's not the case these days - sheesh!

Cheers,
JoeActor

Hi Chris. I was brought up atheist and have remained atheist my whole life so I can't really answer your question. Welcome to the forum!

At the time I became an atheist, I had been struggling with a lot of my own political views and trying to keep them in line with my religious convictions for a long time. On many issues I already identified more strongly with what might be called "the left", for lack of a better word (I'm an anarchist now, so I consider myself well off the charts in terms of "left-right" politics). My "deconversion" was a very conscious and long thought-out act. I abandoned faith quite deliberately through an internal process of critical examination. Once I was successful in "unfooling" myself, I no longer needed to hang on to certain political doctrines and those simply vanished from my philosophical radar, or moral compass, or whatever. My personality changed somewhat as well; I bacame much more empathetic and sociable. My self esteem and self respect benefitted enormously, as well.

^ for elliebean, an interesting anarchist (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snjVqb6M7Gw).

Thanks, AlP  

I'm always glad to see another born again atheist. I sit here and wait patiently for people, one by one, to be delivered from that stubborn ignorance and start growing and healing. Once you begin to do this everything changes--and keeps on changing---almost like what religion says it can do but for real. It takes a lot of courage and smarts to break the bonds of old mental patterns---to start honestly processing all available information so that you can develop an ever evolving enlightened perspective. We are all responsible for teaching ourselves how to learn and think---nobody else can do that for you. And you've already begun!--- Isn't it exciting?--- You've got my respect and support.~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~

As for your question, I honestly can't answer that. I was born an atheist (as all of us really are) and stayed one. But from looking at the game, it looks like the political right uses Christians to gain power---probably because they are used to believing things without the use of critical thinking skills so they are the easiest to prey upon. But strictly as far as ideology, I don't know if it has a real bearing. I would suspect you might be inclined to move towards the left of where you're at even if you still end up right of center. But that's a personal decision and I don't think there is a real or provable answer. It's an interesting question though. And really the most interesting questions are those that can't be easily answered. I applaud your inquisitiveness!

I would definitely say that as I began to question my faith, my political leanings changed. As a Christian, I was staunchly anti-abortion, anti-gay rights, and supported conservative movements. I voted for Bush in 2004, the first Presidential election in which I could vote. If I were still a Christian, I'd probably be a teabagger today. Now I am very much a liberal, pro-choice and pro-gay rights, and whenever I hear someone bring up God in the middle of a political argument, I want to strangle them. Well, not literally...but I do tend to shake my head vigorously and shout things at the TV.

My first time voting in a presidential election was also for Bush....only not that Bush!

Btw, to the OP: Welcome to the forum  

I never cared about politics. Even now if you ask me ANYTHING my answer will be "uhhhh huh?"

I would say that my religious and political views both matured as I became older, wiser, and exposed to more information.  But, I was also never a fundamentalist and never a conservative.

Quote from: "MariaEvri"I never cared about politics. Even now if you ask me ANYTHING my answer will be "uhhhh huh?"

I'm the same way except for when it comes to civil rights.