It's common for theists to assume that atheists disbelieve in gods because they haven't been properly introduced to the subject. Christians think that we must not have heard the "Good News" of their gospel. Muslims think that we haven't learned about the Koran. Quite the opposite is usually true — usually, atheists are quite familiar with religion and were religious once themselves.

Roy Chui relates his own experiences:

Over the years I have had many religious friends coming forth to me, explaining their religious beliefs, and why it is dangerous, and sometimes immoral, not to have a basis of religious faith in my life. Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, they have all approached me, Christians especially, at some point of my life. No disrespect to them, I like the way I am now, well, maybe not entirely, but I have no need for a belief in a god above me which I can neither speak to nor hear from (Unless you are talking about a bad case of schizophrenia) to sustain my emotions. I am not an adrenaline junkie, for goodness sake!

Having said that, it would be terrible easy and high-handed for me to simply criticize them as simpletons, or label them as religious extremists. The truth is, most of them are simply sincere, ordinary folks, which makes it all the harder to refuse them, although eventually I did, and sometimes it does get a little too difficult for my liking.

Perhaps a little explanation of why I became an atheist, will shed some light into my journey towards self enlightenment.

It's interesting just how much of what Chui went through could have been the experiences of someone in England, America, Canada, or any one of a hundred other places. Perhaps it's because his experiences were with Christians; perhaps it's due to something about religion. Regardless, it's certainly worth reading his tale.

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