Just Mat:
all too often a young Christian who is truly born again goes away to college and because of the pressures of not being allowed to refute the "professor" and being required to take certain courses - especially in biology and philosophy - where the professor is a master at brainwashing (or he wouldn't have got the position) and the pressure of having to pass that course along with peer pressure slowly but surely chips away his belief until he takes the final step of denying the existence of God. Those who were once Christian and convert to atheism are the hardest to talk to because they are both trying to defend their new found faith (and atheism is a faith) and railing against the God they have rejected. I myself came within a step or two of denying Him when I was a very straying believer in God and a casual believer in Christianity. Praise God the devil overplayed his hand one night and in the end of the struggle I got delivered from Him and got saved by Jesus Himself.

Lady Checkmate:
Nothing against anyone who denied God and repented, but I took some of those same classes, with professors and other students who were just as arrogant foolish, if not more arrogant and foolish and I work/worked with people just as foolish AND even though at certain times I backslid, I never denied God. I knew in my heart that even if I sinned (while actively sinning-a prodigal daughter) that didn't change the fact that He's real and He's God (regardless to what any fallible man nor woman said)-even when they nitpicked scripture, misquoted or only quoted parts of the word of God or put me on the spot. In fact, one atheist classmate stands out along with a muslim family I witnessed to. The atheist classmate and I were friendly, she and I would occasionally have coffee or lunch together and just talk. She could be so condescending, lol, but also nice because she knew my heart was in the right place. It was interesting because God was performing miracles right in front of our faces (in different areas of our lives). Things happened in her family (prayer requests were answered). I got a better grade than her on a test and she asked me how did I do it, lol. I told her my God is faithful, you saw me pray before the test :) and I studied. She never shared her grades with me after that. I guess all, if not most atheists are proud, arrogant and condescending, until they find out they have no reason to be...pride goes before a fall. Thank God you were delivered and I'm so happy to have met you here. I believe your testimony is relevant and speaks to the hearts of others who experienced what you experienced. The enemy loves to try and isolate a believer and then surround them with lies and doubt, usually from proud, arrogant and foolish people (who we may not know are proud, arrogant and foolish at the time), BUT God is faithful and has a way of rescuing and redeeming us. Praise God!! It seems like we've had this exchange before and I hope someone is edified by it. God bless you, JustMat :).