I am an atheist. I describe my specific position on another page, but the short definition means I lack belief in God or gods.

I created this section of my website to explain where I started (fanatical, fundamentalist Christianity), how I got here, and why I wrote about it. There are other pages in this section; several are listed in the More menu at upper right, and all of them are in the Atheism Index.

When I first posted this in early 2015, it was a surprise to many friends and family members, though I think some had already guessed. It certainly shocked me when I realized it. Please understand that I did not come to this conclusion lightly. Twenty-five years of struggle led me to this place. I left no stone unturned, no argument unargued. There is no turning back.

If you’re reading this from the paradigm of religion, please note a few things. First, these pages aren’t intended as a polemic or an attempt to persuade anyone, but rather a manifesto — a statement of views — and the story of how I came to have them. Read my reason for writing to understand why I made this public. Secondly, understand the difference between “do not believe in any god” and “angry at God”. I cannot possibly feel any animosity toward someone or something that doesn’t exist. Further, I do not harbor any specific ill-will toward any particular theist or religion.

If I have any regret, it is that it took me so long to reach this place.

Finally, I am aware that at least a few people reading this were influenced toward their current belief systems by me. After all, I talked about my faith in God quite frequently. I preached, taught, counseled, and published a devotional newsletter. If you are happy with the faith in which I assisted you, then: “you’re welcome”. If you are not, then I apologize for pushing you along that path, and I hope you find the answers you seek.

Next: My Specific Position Reason For Writing

Or, use the ••• menu to navigate.

EDITS

2015.07.25: Combined first two paragraphs. Reworded second sentence. Added link to original version of this page. Reworded third (now second) paragraph. Added link to Atheism Index.

2015.11.26: Moved “updated” notice to bottom.

2018.04.12: Switched to newer css document. Added meta tags to html header (invisible to most readers). Added breadcrumbs navigation. Reworded second paragraph.

2018.10.02: Updated html header. Reworded content throughout for brevity and clarity. Changed “next” link to a button. Added link in lower navigation module.

2018.11.18: Tweaked background code.