Gods among primitive humanity, were simply expressions of the need to identify those forces of nature which they could neither control nor understand.

There would be one God who walked on legs of fire (lightning), another whose voice could be heard complaining about the fireworks.

One whose breath blew down strong trees and destroyed crops, etc. etc.

A way for simple unscientific minds to explain their observations of wind and weather, volcanoes and earthquakes.

Nowadays, most of humanity is aware of the science behind natural phenomena (creationists excepted), but some people still need to believe in those atavistic concepts.

So they have whittled it down to one God, and invented religion to justify that idea.

If there were no religions and no believers in God, they wouldn't have needed to invent atheists to have somebody to rail against for supplying "evil" to balance their "goodness".

It's having somebody to whom one can feel superior!
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""*I thought of starting a separate thread about what first turned atheists from the religion they were born & brought up to or whatever;""

Mike, Mike Mike! When will you learn the difference between faith and religion?

If Atheists show no belief, it is "God" in whose existence they do not believe. Religion is a totally different kettle of fish which is, absent the Deity, simply irrelevant.

My point of view is somewhat different, in that I have faith without religion.

I believe in something (call it God, if you wish! I don't anthropomorphise it), but it doesn't require any input from wise men in frocks or turbans, with their agendas to tell me what to think.

Insofar as I have declined to join their clubs, I am more in tune with what the religious call "Atheists".

Insofar as I have faith, in that aspect I am aligned only with that in which I have faith, a club of two equal members.

Don T.