No fear, no shame and no going back.

Being a new atheist, I wouldn't attempt to 'convert' anyone. I had enough of that as a theist. I'm a passive Atheist. I'm in agreement with something I read on about.com. 

http://atheism.about.com/od/aboutatheism/p/atheism101.htm

Being an atheist isn't a choice or an act of will.  It's a consequence of what one knows and how one reasons.

I didn't 'convert' to atheism. No one influenced me into disbelief. I just stopped accepting the data that was being given to me by religion. This happened when after I began to question what I was being fed by religion, I was subsequently kicked out of church. I went through a difficult period. I became depressed and no one called or came to visit. My blood pressure remained a steady 160/90 for several weeks. Strangers helped as did some in my family through this difficult process of separation.

I moved out here to be near the ministry, but it was apparent the 'ministry' didn't want me, so I deduced that if God existed, then he doesn't want me either. But then it hit me...why take it personal? It's like getting kicked out of a bar. When someone kicks you out, you can always find another one. But I didn't like bars anyway (just kidding, I actually went to an Atheist Meet-up in a nice Irish bar. I hadn't visited one in years!). In this case, I think I was done with organized religion a long time ago. I just couldn't get over being afraid.    

I can't pinpoint the exact moment like most theists do regarding their 'conversion' because it means nothing to me. All I know is I'm never going back. 

I have had people tell me 'dont turn your back on God'. But then again, this is my reasoning. Why would God even care? Frankly I think people care (or are afraid) more about the fact that I'm no longer afraid of hell because of their 'certainty' that a hell for me would exist.

I don't have a problem with 'God' at all. He's not in the equation. He isn't present to pose a proper defense, so why listen to people? Their intention is to manipulate in order to provoke a fearful response to being 'sent to Hell'. And I'm not going to wait until after I 'die' if when I 'lived' I was unhappy and tortured by theism. That in itself 'is' a living hell. Good grief. I might as well live one day at a time with the expectancy that what I can leave is legacy to my children, without the involvement of religion. Life goes on, even when we are 'not'. That is acceptable.