To the Atheists w/ a Religious Past : That Nostalgic Feeling

[princealbertofb]

I'm curious about the formerly religious, now atheist identifying people in this thread - do you guys think your sexuality was the catalyst in your questioning of the church / religion? Or were you already questioning it? Like if you guys were straight, do you still think you'd have ended up atheists?

I became estranged of my religious upbringing when the vicar wanted to talk to me about 'living in sin' with my girlfriend (at that time, yes) something I strongly disagreed with because I was living according to the teachings ie 'loving my neighbour' in a committed relationship. I thought his stance may have been heartfelt but it was, to me, hypocritical. I then started unpicking all the liturgy and thinking, even if the precepts of Jesus's teachings were sound, the whole church stance was about ruling and power over the masses. I didn't like its double standards. Then I became gay, so what hope was there for any of us sinners?