The affirmation of radical left political ideology was examined among a total of 159 religious apostates and 272 religious believers who were undergraduates at five Chicago area colleges (study I) and seven western North Carolina colleges (study II). Contrary to current assumptions, apostates were not converts to radical ideology in any significant proportion, although they were clearly more disenchanted with their society and more sharply critical of its basic institutions. Apostates seem to take an ideological stance of critical disengagement rather than substitute conversion. Implications are discussed in the context of Erikson's theory interrelating ideological commitment and identity formation in youth.