Congratulations on coming to reason. Don't lament the time that's already gone. It's pointless.
Just go forward and make the best of your life.
Focus on your future.

Science trumps mythology.

I didn't really know or even comprehend that atheist was a thing. I just eventually realized that the Bible was not consistent and that it contridicted its self. Then I asked myself questions.

Can a God be all powerful and all good when there is suffering in the world?

How was my god any more real or valid than any other god?

Did my god heal or perform miracles that were real while others gods did or did not?

If there were flaws in what I did believe how many more flaws were there in my beliefs that I was unaware of?

Was my relationship with god one sided and internally a self delusion and how could I validate what was real and not real?

Why were promises like "What so ever you shall ask in his name" not true?

Did I actually really, truely believe in my god or did I just want to?

Could it be possible that god was just made up by man and how could I know if it wasn't?

None of these questions made me more religious. I hope that they may help you with of difficulties sorting out what is real and not real.

Welcome to a truly freethinker community.

No point in regretting - as it's past, and it was the journey that was likely necessary to bring you to where you are - a good place !

Though I'm not sure I see science as something you "believe" in - like a religion, but more of a state of opening your mind to what actually IS. Happy for you !

Kudos to you! Try not to waste time regretting past mistakes. We all spend time doing things that we later regret. Just move forward, focus on your future, and be the best version of you!

Good for you, partner! Don't worry about the past, nothing you can do about it now anyway. And remember, science is true whether you believe in it or not.

Welcome & congrats on making the journey. It can be a tough one. One good thing, you don't have to 'believe' in science. It can be proven & demonstrated, so no faith required! & it keeps filling in those "gaps"! Glad you made it here!

I was born into the Mormon church. However, I always doubted and stopped tryign to believe when I was around 16.

I am very resentful of all the time in my childhood tht was wasted via church activities.

I would hope you could find some good in your time as a mormon, some lessons you learned or behaviors you practiced that are worth keeping, brotherhood or care for your fellow man(I don't know specifics I was never religious). People can't help what they believe, you have to keep learning forever, its not a waste to be wrong, its a waste to stop searching for whats right.

Think of how worse you would feel had you waited another 10 or 20 years.

Congratulations on making it out. It's amazing that you have been able to leave myth behind and embrace science. It's hard to let go of that last little bit of "faith" and move from agnostic to atheist. Enjoy your journey and don't worry about what was.

I went through much the same thing. Be gentle with yourself, and honor the roads that brought you to your present understanding.

Try getting rid of the catholic guilt driven into an impressionable mind. Even after 49 years of life it still creeps in. ugh!!