The Oldest Athiest You Know

[gadzooks]

It seems that atheists are often discredited due to their age, as people just assume that they have yet to grow up and mature and to form a true opinion when it comes to religion...

Well, to my surprise, my own FATHER, who had me BAPTIZED as a child (quite possibly my mother's decision...), has a hard time believing in religion. He's about 50-ish.

I was extremely impressed when I heard this, as I expected him to defend whatever sect of Christianity I was raised on...

This was a beautiful bonding experience between my father and I, and I hope that I remember this forever.

[Anirak]

I wish my parents would change.

[Surak]

My Grandpa's pushing 80, and he left Italy after World War 2. He's an atheist.

He's way cooler for having shot a Nazi out of a tree and jacked their toolkits though.

[flatplat]

My grandmother, a minister's daughter, dropped her religion and joined the leagues of atheists at the age of 69, after the death of her second husband.

I remember telling my mother, who's first reaction was one of annoyance (After all that religion we had to put up with...) and NOT concern about what emotional turmoil she went through to get to this stage.

I believe that she was the only reason my parents got any of us baptised as well. They certainly don't believe in it enough themselves. (Unless Daddy dearest was actually thinking of the traditional massive piss up after. It's wholly possible)

[Deoz]

Originally Posted by Anirak

I wish my parents would change.

Same here.

[nshanin]

My grandpa was an atheist up until he was 63 and had terminal prostate cancer. My grandmother smothered him in prayer books and he was baptized about a year before he died. Kinda like Voltaire.

[gadzooks]

Originally Posted by nshanin

My grandpa was an atheist up until he was 63 and had terminal prostate cancer. My grandmother smothered him in prayer books and he was baptized about a year before he died. Kinda like Voltaire.

That's so horrible. It sounds like they pretty much guilt-tripped him into believing.

That's what really pisses me off about most organized religions. They will take advantage of people who are in a weakened state or are otherwise more easy to influence.

This reminds me of my thread I made a few days ago about religion being a form of child abuse. It's a form of brainwashing and it's so wrong.

[truckfixr]

My grandpa was an atheist up until he was 63 and had terminal prostate cancer. My grandmother smothered him in prayer books and he was baptized about a year before he died. Kinda like Voltaire.

Originally Posted by gadzooks

That's so horrible. It sounds like they pretty much guilt-tripped him into believing.

That's what really pisses me off about most organized religions. They will take advantage of people who are in a weakened state or are otherwise more easy to influence.

This reminds me of my thread I made a few days ago about religion being a form of child abuse. It's a form of brainwashing and it's so wrong.

Odds are that he just played along with her to ease her worries for his eternal soul. Then again, he may have just been hedging his bets. Pascal's Wager?

[nshanin]

Originally Posted by truckfixr

Odds are that he just played along with her to ease her worries for his eternal soul. Then again, he may have just been hedging his bets. Pascal's Wager?

I really have no idea, I could swear he did it voluntarily, but it was likely that he did it to calm her down; I certainly wouldn't put it past him though.

Nah, my grandpa had Communist doctrine instilled into him since birth, he knew all the arguments.

[H a r o l d]

dur dur, My grandparents were athiests and CPUSA members, my father is an athiest, not evangelistic or anything though.