My childhood experience was just the same as Phillip Adams', freda. I was also the one lone atheist among the children I knew, and my parents were about the only adults around, it seemed, who didn't believe in God and weren't going to church on Sundays (we lived in a rural area where most people were conventional Christians...in at least a superficial sense).

It was lonely being in such a small minority, but it also gave one the heady feeling that one was a lot smarter than just about everyone else...and that's very appealing to the human ego. ;-) I think it's one of the things that makes being an atheist such a pleasure...

By the time I hit my 20s I got interested in all types of philosophy and specially the philosophies embodied in major religious traditions such as the many traditions of Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Native American religions, Taoism, Islam, Judaism, Zoroastrianism, etc...

I saw that all of those traditions, whether they had anything to say about a "God" or not, were concerned with:

- the purpose of life
- the meaning of life
- ethics
- self-discipline
- understanding oneself and others
- dealing with relationships effectively
- dealing with strong emotions wisely
- health issues

In fact, religions and all major philosophies arise out of humans' desire to better understand and deal with every aspect of their lives.

And that is a worthy endeavour.

That's why I'm interested in religions and spirituality. I don't particularly care whether or not anyone believes in a "God" or a set of "gods". That's up to them. I don't feel any need to deny their God or their set of gods, because it isn't my business. Nor do I wish to convert them...or be converted by them.

I have no idea whether or not there is a "God" or what characteristics that God would have, assuming there was one. I'm not about to take anyone else's word on the matter. Only direct personal experience will convince me. I'm not about to deny the possible existence of a "God" either...because I have no basis for doing so...and that's where I part company with people who call themselves "atheists".

What do I believe in? I believe in life itself and I believe that I am part of it. And that others are. I believe in mathematics, gravity, and music. I believe that a confrontation between atheists and theists is a great big waste of people's time and energy, and is driven by a lot of competitive egos who can't leave other people alone in peace to just be who they are. They do not seek "the truth", they seek a petty victory of the ego.