first, you are very beautiful!  and on to your question... i really just became fed up with organized religion do to the hypocrisy of it.  'love they neighbor' unless they are of a different color, race, sexual orientation, or religion because we are right and they must burn.  so wrong on so many levels. 

I downgraded my faith after I left Basic Training. Throughout high school I felt that I was called to serve in the Army, and in Basic I woke up one day with the complete opposite attitude. I woke up one morning and felt that God wanted me out, after being upset the night before that a suspected back injury would get me kicked out. Once I got home, I realized how much I hated being subjected to so much authority, military and religious, and that I wasn't going to use authority as an excuse anymore. My decisions were going to be mine, and mine alone, no matter who wanted me to do otherwise. Maybe I just hit my rebellious phase late, and without a physical father to stand up to, I stood up to the metaphysical one. Maybe it's because I grew up believing, but I still believe in God because it feels right to.

Raised strong "Christian" as a preachers son. I would say that I am an agnostic because I still believe there is something out there but changed to this because most people I know are more corrupt bigger pieces of shit than those whom are not 

Be good , do good no religion needed!

i was raised by a religious father but a not religious mother. i was forced in a sunday school and hated it. i would skip out and go play in the woods. i would always get in trouble for asking why and you arent supposed to do that in religion. i was never really angry...more confused and now shocked that people believe it to be real and all the hate in the world that its caused its insane. i always wonder at what point did greek and norse pantheons become folklore but no one has decided that the current stuff should be viewed the same. i feel closer to a pagan or Gaelic belief system. love the earth and all the animals because we are whole. treat people how you want to be treated and just be civil to everyone. things are much easier that way.

only a mildly religious family.  But I eventually just realized the stuff was all nonsense!

great pic!!

and the best way to become an atheist is to LEARN ALL YOU CAN ABOUT RELIGION! :D

For me it was a combination of things. Education seems to cause a lot of people to question organized religion. You come to realize how messed up it is. The other thing was something that happened that left me questioning god and the idea that they give you that bad shit is just part of his testing you. But because of the nature of what happened I can't not believe in the existence of some sort of higher power. Sigh, it's  complicated, but I'm agnostic now as the end result. 

All I can say is that I've thankfully never had to deal directly with an overly religious family (they being more into interpreting matters of the individual spirit in that regard), however, I've met a good number of black sheep who were driven away from the flock, precisely because they found their religious experience to be too limiting, overbearing and/or hypocritical.  Indirectly, I've had to deal with fundamentalists who's incessant proselytizing and intolerance pretty much cured me of any curios notions I might otherwise have had about it (I was unbaptized, but I did go to a Catholic school until the 4th grade).  I've often found that those who are most atheistic (hard atheism) often aren't as angry at religion, so much as they feel frustrated by people's inability to transcend it.  That being said, if one is driven to it because of some terribly repressive, negative experiences, I'd find that entirely understandable, however, I suspect many such rebels fall into more of a soft agnostic view.  As far as my personal experiences go, in an intellectual settling, I'm philosophically more of a hard agnostic, I suppose it's possible that there might be a greater power (even one that might not be exactly conscious), but that it probably doesn't matter one way or another (given the expanse of time and the cosmos, I really don't think it's possible to evaluate the existence of such a force).  However, if I'm in a more reasoned debate with a religious individual, particularly over matters of nature (science) vs the supernatural, I tend to fall quickly into a hard atheist position.  I need only hear a few parroted lines of scripture to remind me that it's almost entirely ignorant BS with maybe a few good stories used to cloak a set of inconsistent moral values, many of which I disagree with anyway. 

I didn't become an atheist out of anger at all. I really loved dinosaurs as a kid. At the time, and currently in some churches, dinosaurs and paleontology were incompatible with religion. I opted to go with the dinos. Kinda stayed with the science thing. Sounds horrible, but I don't see a reason to believe. 

FELLONEARTH has summed up a broad range of philosophical points that speak well to the issues. SOOPKNERTSI In my opinion has shone a light on how I think most agnostics or atheists approach the whole thing. Not really bothered enough to feel it's this whole big issue. We choose the company of those we feel connected with. I don't think many of us seek out conflict or wish to bully others with our opinions or wish others to bully us. 

As far as myself, I am devoutly atheist. We came from stardust and will return to stardust. Our very own sun is the fourth generation of a star. Our fate is tied inextricably to that of the universe. I am made big by this and not small. I feel comforted and connected. 

I grew up in a strongly christian family, read the bible and attended many churches growing up. I am not angry or bitter or rebelling against that history. I understand where people are coming from in there search for meaning and a purpose to it all. I feel that faith has brought comfort and eased suffering. I know that religion has brought untold suffering and horror to many but I feel that is a product of the nature of man. Man is brutal and fearful and vicious but man is also kind, and beautiful, compassionate and it is in this duality that we suffer.

Great set!!!!!

Great set.  You are beautiful!  I was born into a religious family, and I still am religious.

I think the anger comes from a rather primal fear of abandonment. It's like where once you had a sense of safety, now you're on your own. The anger is usually an immediate reaction and it's directed, to varying degrees, to all of the above. And this is on a very subliminal level and it should dissipate over time, in healthy adults. 

I hear you and that makes sense as a family is composed of people, whereas religion is composed of notions and rules. Also, interpret as you will, but notice my use of the word 'anger' and the resulting response, which uses 'mad.' Two very different things. 

Also - Oregon Country faire!

well that is a set of queries i will answer

i arrived at an atheist viewpoint through logic what lead me to begin my search for the truth was sadness

Sorry to necro an old conversation.  I was born Presbyterian, and spent most of my life up till 25 believing I'd be going to hell as soon as I died.  A Buddhist friend recommended a book - Conversations with God.  After reading it, I was able to overcome my fear of hell and look at religion rationally.  And I realized there was simply no evidence to support my former beliefs.  I don't feel anger.  My parents were doing what they thought was right in taking me to church.  My church thought they were doing what was right in brainwashing me.  I can't be angry at God because there isn't one.  And even if there WAS, why would she care that I was angry at her?  I still have a lingering fear of hell, but I know it's irrational.  And the only anger I feel anymore is towards those people who insist their religious views are right just 'cuz.  It's best to keep an open mind at all times.  If the existence of God was proven to me tomorrow, I'd simply stop being an atheist and follow that religion.  That's the only logical stance to maintain, I think. :)

Selene, how did your family members lie to you and make your childhood miserable?  What religion were you raised in?  Please don't say Scientologist.... haha

Atheism is not a belief, it's a conclusion. Good for you for joining the cause.