The Road to Disbelief: A Study of the Atheist De-Conversion Process

Atheism is not only a prevalent but a highly stigmatized element in American society, yet atheists have been denied a voice within sociological literature. As such, our knowledge of atheists is both limited and superficial. To compensate for such shortcomings, I focused my research on the stigmatized and marginalized minority of American atheists. As the atheist identity is generally achieved, rather than ascribed, I had to ask the question: How does one become an atheist? Or what is involved in the deconversion process that allows one to adopt the atheist identity? Rejecting the fundamental tenets of theism, particularly in the context of the highly religious American culture, cannot be a simple task or an impulsive decision. Adopting an identity, such as the atheist identity, is a process. One does not simply become an atheist on a whim. To do so is to willingly and knowingly mark oneself the black sheep of the herd. To better understand this process, I interviewed sixteen self-identified atheists to obtain their religious and irreligious histories. I used a non-probability snow-ball sampling technique to find participants for my interviews. I recorded each interview and later coded and analyzed the data in search of consistent patterns in the participants’ responses. In the end, I was able to identify five phases in the atheist de-conversion process: Detachment, Doubt, Dissociation, Transition, and Declaration. This theory of de-conversion focuses not only on religious belief, but on the development of an identity, elaborating on a process that is little understood and more commonly occurring in today’s society. Most simply accept the normative theistic identity, yet atheists must undergo a lengthy de-conversion process before they are to reject the cherished beliefs of the American people and accept an identity that has received no validation in American society.