I did not see anywhere he said he became an atheist but maybe you did not mean that when you said secularism.

There is belief, Religion, Church....It did seem like by rejecting Christianity he rejected Jesus. I am not a Christian but I strongly believe parts of Jesus' message but don't believe he was resurrected, I don't believe he bodily rose from the dead.

I too left the Church when I was expected to teach to children things I did not believe. After I was expected to Confirm my Faith, taking an oath to God at the Age of 13 when I did not even really understand what I was doing. We, the children, were being indoctrinated into what is hardly more than a socially acceptable cult.

We were taught a prejudice against other religions even other Christian Religions. Since then the church become more ecumenical but not so much all the members of the church.

Why join a church. There are other places to find fellowship and then you can practice your religious beliefs without as much pressure to conform.

TEK