Religious Belief Is Just Personality! Here's How

Do you believe in a strict, rule-following God—or a warm, cosmic presence of love? Maybe you’ve deconstructed entirely. In this eye-opening video, atheist spiritual director Brit Hartley breaks down how your personality type, brain wiring, trauma history, and cultural background predict the kind of God you believe in—or whether you believe at all. Drawing from neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, and decades of spiritual coaching, Brit explains why our image of God is often a reflection of what we psychologically need.

From authoritarian father figures to mystic cosmic energies, this breakdown shows how our beliefs say more about us than about God. You’ll learn how factors like anxiety, empathy, logic, individualism, and even stroke or psychedelics shape your experience of the divine—or your decision to walk away from it. Whether you’re spiritual, skeptical, or somewhere in between, this video will challenge everything you think you know about faith, God, and who’s really in charge of your beliefs.

Resources:

Video Chapters:
00:00 Intro & Premise
00:52 Fundamentalist Brains
01:41 Mystical Types
02:58 Logic-Driven Atheists
03:50 Pattern Seekers
05:54 Anxiety & God
06:49 Disgust Sensitivity
07:47 Empathy-Based Faith
08:43 Rational Believers
10:27 Individualist Spirituality
11:52 Collectivist Belief
12:48 Brain Injury Beliefs
14:47 Temporal Lobe Religion
16:31 Split Brain & God
17:49 Psychedelic Shifts
19:00 Near Death Visions
19:54 Depression & Faith
20:46 Stroke-Induced Belief
21:36 Faith to Atheism
23:12 We Invent God
23:45 Typical Faith Trajectory
26:42 Outgrowing God
28:23 No Need for God
29:49 Coaching Framework
30:40 Final Thoughts & Invitation

About Me:
Britt Hartley is a certified atheist spiritual director with a Master’s in Theology focusing on the future of American religion. She wrote the bestselling book *No Nonsense Spirituality: All the Tools, No Faith Required*. If you’re struggling with existential crises, nihilism, or feeling lost in meaninglessness. On this channel you'll find weekly videos where Britt provides practical, science-based tools to help you navigate the void. Instead of relying on old gods or New Age trends, she offers clear, actionable advice for finding your way through the deep, challenging questions of life.

#personality #atheistexperience #religiousbeliefs

[MeganHaskins-tfxp]

Realizing this made me able to have relationships with people in fundamentalist religious communities because kind people don't actually believe in cruel gods.

I cut ties with my family after coming out as bisexual and deconstructing. When I finally reconnected with my mom, she was heartbroken and couldn't fathom why I left. I cited the theology that I had learned from all the books and all the pastors all my life about total depravity, Hell, and sins of the flesh. That it broke my view of myself and everyone else. That I knew what she must think of me now, and I couldn't bear it. She was shocked and said, "I don't believe that."

Her God couldn't hate me, because she didn't hate me, and we make gods in our own image. My mother's god is loving because she is loving. My mother's god is generous because she is generous. My mom doesn't examine her God's motives because she doesn't examine her own motives, but she is reflexively and constantly kind. When her God is called "Fundamentalist Reformed Christian Southern Baptist, " I hate him, but that's not his true name. His name is Cathy. And we get along just fine.

[thunderbird]

Surprisingly Accurate! I went from lifetime fundamentalist straight to atheist with careers as both civil and software engineer

[slpjamie]

This is absolutely my FAVORITE Britt Hartley video! I feel called out and not special and seen and so proud of myself and validated and SO grateful for this content that feels like oxygen! I loved reading "No Nonsense Spirituality" 🙌 Britt's content is 🔥

[AaronMichaelHatefi]

The Christian deconstruction process you explained is exactly what I went through
About 2 years out and I feel amazing and free and self governed
Life became beautiful

But wow it was a challenging process

Thank you for sharing this
People need it I’m sure

[shuai]

Just came here to say Britt absolutely nailed my entire decades long pattern of beliefs, underlying psychological needs met by those evolving beliefs and processes Deconversion to a degree of accuracy that it felt like she was reading about my life from a textbook! 😅 It’s completely validating, yet at the same time it’s like I’m in the Truman show…

[HAsh-utst]

Nurse for 30 years. Now retired and care giving for the elderly. For many years I clung to the loving image of god, until I really familiarized myself with the bible, now I'm pretty sure if he exists, he is not what religions claim him to be, so have decided I want nothing to do with him anymore. It's been a rough ride. I so appreciate / enjoy all your talks.

[sunone]

Just a note - "pantheism" is not a belief in a pantheon of gods. Pantheism is the belief that everything is divine or that the universe itself is God. (Pan meaning "all'). Polytheism is a belief in a pantheon of gods.

[jolheb]

I left christianity because I finally read it!!! I was a christian most my life. I didnt even realise the horrors of this God or the cruelty or immoral things he has done throughout the book. Its been freeing, I cant believe how judgemental and intolerant I was. I really resonate with this and believe that the mind does create Gods because there are things science hasn't proven yet. But if science could prove to me there is a spiritual force behind creation I would believe, I'm just yet to see it. I use to sing pray get goosebumps and even talk in tongues, I still can to this day if I choose to. but I do not believe anymore, its just make believe fantasie of the mind. Our wonderful imagination.xxxx

[heatherhowell]

This is so fascinating. I've never realized that my pattern recognition could stem from childhood trauma. I was raised in a very fundamental Christian home - very focused on God of the Old Testament. I feel like I've gone through a few of these experiences in my deconstruction process.

[Rickpa]

INFJ (According to MBTI and 16 Personalities) Libertarian (classical liberal) Buddhist (Syncretic with Jesus and Advaita Vedanta) here. I have always had a deep aversion to organized religion just as I am averse to our education and political institutions.

I have intensely explored most major faiths and shamanism. I tend to throw myself into study and practice, and I also get to a point where I see a lot of dross and leaders who abuse their power over devotees.

I don't believe in a person called "God." I do believe in the paradigm of Christ, though not necessarily the whole of that story. I believe in life, that the universe is alive and the all-creator is the emptiness which holds all things. Emptiness is empty of emptiness and is alive with compassion!

There is a saying that proclaims that "You're a Soul having a Human experience."

No.

I think I'm an experience that goes through a chain of apparent souls.

I say "apparent" because there is nothing static about the phenomena I call "me." They say every cell in your body is replaced over a 7 to 10 year span, but I can change my mind in an instant!

What defined me as a child was not defining me as a teen. What defined me in my 20s is not me now. All through my life I was defined by my activities, opinions, vocation, and physical attributes. I am fat when I am fat, and I thankfully am fit for now! I'm not a student, conspiracy denier, 😛 radio DJ, card player, married, a child, a teen, a 30 something well, you get the idea.

I am not having an experience.

I am the experience!

I am a moment.

This!

[jenpoole]

Nailed me on the high individuality and high in openness.
I have done the spiritual buffet and landed in mysticism.

[klaxongreg]

Gnosticism is growing wildly. Which personality types of people are drawn to Gnosticism.

[theresnoi]

Where have you been all my life, this lady is a beautiful soul!

[gomiker]

I am loving your videos Britt. I come from Mormonism also. Your videos are helping me understand why I struggle with 12 step programs. I am definitely a truth seeker also with core values of empathy and rationality. I am 67 and it has taken me this long to get comfortable with my spirituality. You are doing important work and I want you to know how much it means to me and how grateful I am. :-)

[jaredviolin]

Wow. I'm going through all this now. Everything you say makes sense. I had a ghost demon experience then went fulltime into church two years ago and I'm still in it but I'm having a crisis because the inconsistency in the scriptures and common sense. I was learning about schizophrenia and hallucinations and brains then deconstruction now this. Wow. Just wow. I don't know what I'm doing but it is good to know I'm not alone with these thoughts. I spoke to people about this but no one understands.

[emmanueldouros]

This video would have offended me greatly a decade ago, as I was going through a fundamentalist strict phase. Now as a mystic oriented person, with an Md in Psychology of Religion, I find it extremely fascinating.

Ultimate nature of reality is such an intriguing and personal pursuit. Well done on creating informative, evidence based content!

I know my theology will keep changing as I develop. I am okay with it being potentially wrong, because I like learning from past experiences. Right now, dogma or specific doctrines seem malleable, not set in stone. Yet a basic core remains, that I cannot convince others of my ways and I don't have to.

I personally believe that rationality alone without emotion is ineffective in perceiving the full picture and emotion without rationality is an accident waiting to happen. Both need its each other like a bird needs both wings to fly. I no longer understand either/or conclusions. Why can't God both exist and not exist or be beyond any mere words we can imagine as an innefable state of being. What a comedy it is to think that our small minds can grasp beyond their liminality.

Perhaps we are all dreaming we exist. I am hoping to have a nice time for however long it lasts. Or does it ever end?

Thoughts playing tug of war. It doesn't matter as much, yet it is important at the same time.

[michellallen]

I've been slowly deconstructing for around a decade even though I didn't know the word for it. But losing my belief in god all together last year was very jarring and I'm only now connecting the pieces to see how I got to that place. It's very interesting to see the A-Z all laid out and know that my path isn't a unique one. Also really looking forward to the enneagram episode since I've found it to be very helpful in understanding the people around me and how to relate to them.

[neoagegirlthemaverick]

This is my first video ever watched from this channel and all I have to say is 100/10!!🎉🎉🎉 It’s ironic because I have always had an awareness of this dynamic growing up and rejected god pretty early even though my my family is religious (not fundamentalist/dogmatic) because of the stages you described so accurately. It always felt to me it was just everyone making things up that works form them but saying this to people offends them so I just studied more on the human condition for my own exploration. It is nice having this video to refer to and explain exactly what I have been feeling and thinking about too. I’m definitely agnostic leaning heavily to atheism but I still find some values in some mystical elements just to use for my own internalize understandings and self awareness. And I definitely am hyper independent/individualistic so that definitely describes my take on religious beliefs. I see why others “need it” and can find value in some aspects but I don’t believe religion is needed.

[quillsnolastname]

I've been going through your channel. As an atheist, you have described the process I went thru on my own in my 20s. You said something about taking care of spiritual needs somewhere, with the example of what you and your husband do. It has made me feel like less of a contradiction in my "church" hobby of comparative mythology being my autistic special interest. Thank you.

[brotherchicken]

Great chat. I fully agree. Back in undergrad Neuropsychology class, as a Christian, it buttered me how much the brain could change personality through drugs and head trauma. Because, am i not the same? Am i still saved if i lose memory of God it even being saved? Was God not more powerful than the human brain? Early questions that put doubt in my fundamentalist Christian brain.