Atheists, did you have an epiphany moment that stopped you believing in God or?

Nope. I read the Bible numerous times, studied Theology in college, was a Deacon in my church, sang in the choir, and taught Sunday school, all in a fervent search for "God" that lasted 35yrs. My non-belief was a slow process that occurred over quite a few years, and there wasn't any single experience, event, or epiphany that caused it.

I was Christened as a baby (Church of England, I think). Then I studied for a while with the JWs as a young teenager, but because my Dad went to the Kingdom Hall and wanted me to get into it, too. Dad didn't force me to do the bible study, but I did because I do like biblical stories. There is a lot of good to be learned in the bible, moral wise.

I don't really remember ever believing, though. Not in God or any higher being. Then over the past few years, the feeling of his NON existence has just become stronger and stronger. I just CANNOT even contemplate his existence. It doesn't seem logical to me at all. Why would somebody go to all that effort to make such a beautiful creation, to just then let it go to pot? No. Uh uh. I can't see it.

There is so much suffering in this world. I can't believe that the creator of earth and man would let innocent people suffer so much. I mean, it always seems that sh*t happens to good people. Yeah, we all make mistakes, we all screw up from time to time, but seriously...? Are we that bad that our creator would see us suffer the way we do?

Conclusion... God doesn't exist. He can't exist. And if I am wrong (I'm only human after all) and he actually does exist, I would not follow him because he'd be the biggest douche bag, EVER!!

I'm sorry if my opinion upsets anyone, but it's how I feel and how I see it.

God gradually filled less and less gaps until finally, I looked up at the sky while mowing the yard and said aloud "you really don't exist, do you?" When there was no answer, that was my last dealing with any god.

I knew by the time I was 7 years old that any gods that existed were nothing like the one parochial school was trying to sell me. It just took a few more years to eliminate other versions.

I had my reservations about it as a very small child. It just didn't ring true. But I took my parent's word for it. Until . . .

One day (age 7) after watching a Tarzan movie - in which Tarzan jumped through a ring of fire - I decided to try that out on my own. So, I went into our basement and poured a little gasoline into a circle, lit it, and jumped in and out of the circle.

When my mom discovered the scorch marks on the floor, and the soot on the ceiling, she was pissed.

She called me down there and asked "Did you do this?"

Of course I lied, "No."

"Did you do this!?"

"No."

"Tell me right now, did you do this!!?"

"No."

"Do you swear to GOD? May he strike you down, this instant, that you did not do this!!??"

"No."

. . . . . . . . . I wasn't struck down. That was when the seeds of skepticism really started to grow. Thanks, Mom.

For me, it was like a huge weight coming off my shoulders followed by the crushing waves of reality when I stopped to actually research what I believed in.

The moment I connected the dots was when it just instantly clicked.

I prayed and all that bullshit but I never really cared. The only reason I even did care was because i was afraid of death.

If ppl knew for a fact of what would happen when they died there would be no need for religion it would simply not exist.

ongoing process for myself

started with having issues with my childhood religion

read a lot, discussed with people

read and reread the bible

read and discussed some more

and along the way I confirmed in my mind there was no evidence or reason to suppose a god was real

likely about 10 yrs between initial doubts and final decision

I was 9 when I felt discomfortable about god

When i was 16 I became atheist

When I was 17 I announced to my church i was atheist and never attendinf a holding ever again

As Rockin' Robin said.

There comes a point where you realize it's counter-productive to believe in so much nonsensical stuff in your life.

Besides which, considering the lack of impact of divinity in anyone's life, it really isn't relevant to our existence.

I'll change my mind when I see huge pillars of fire appear out of thin air with a disembodied voice screaming "REPENT!"

Research...

I read the Bible a couple of times from cover to cover..and thought..WOW...what a load of crap.

It is full of contradictions.

How could any thinking person believe in this?

So then I looked into other religions and found them just as silly.

All so silly.

Science gave me answers.. that made sense.