Atheist Salvation Atheist Roundtable

Most of the atheists I know were once believers.  if you are or ever were a beleiver, you had a salvation story.  God spoke to you.  Jesus hugged you.  I felt grace flow down my back cleansing me of sin.  
What happens to the salvation story once a person loses faith? how come some people hold to these stories and some people let them go?  What's an atheist to do with a salvation story?
Plus, your calls.
If you had a soul, it would want you to listen.