To "Former" Christians, why did you leave your faith in Jesus?

Question

I won't ask why you left your religion because I am actually glad that you did. Religion is not what He asked us to have in the first place. He asked us to have faith in Him and believe that He is. He did not ask us to be methodist or pesbiterian or catholic or any thing else that's out there. He asked us to be followers of Him. All those things came from men who decided to make up thier own form of faith to try to get us to live by rules. Why? There are no rules in Christ. Only promises that come from God if we accept Christ and live as family on this earth.
Point being that if you could find that one church that represents Jesus for who He really, is would you go? To be in a church is to be covered in prayer because when one hurts we all hurt and when one is rejoicing we rejoice together.
That is family ...that is the kingdom of God. Forget about your sins and what ever else someone condemned you for. God doesn't care about that. He loves you right where you are at.

My point is not offend any one and yes I do care. I may be one of the few who really do and I am sorry that it is that way. I want to know because I never want to be the kind of person in my faith that turns you away just because of what ever. So please hear my heart and get over yourself.

Answer 1

I was surprised at the hostility to your question! I don't believe in Jesus but I totally agree with you message about avoiding religion. What is wrong with that?

I think it comes down to this - people do not want to be accountable so they either accept what someone else tells them to believe or say there is not Creator at all because there is no physical proof. That way they either blame the one that taught them or blame the Creator for not giving physical proof.

Notice that many blame the people in church - this completely ignores your whole message! I think many are afraid of embarking on a spiritual journey - it is frightening, but fulfilling in the end. It is like letting go of the pier and letting the ocean carry you away - you do not have control, and you don't really know where you will end up, you have to hope that it is a good place

Answer 2

I have had troubles with the church becoming a political entity and losing the focus on preaching the word. Most Christians are more concered with making people believe what tehy believe and follow what tehy want them to follow( gay marriage, abortion, government etc.) It really struck me because I was a minister who taught in a grade school run by a church. This was the most fulfilling work I have ever done. The church was having money troubles and the best way to resolve the problem was to eliminate a position. The day of the meeting we had church services and there were people that were "campaigning" as to which person to get rid of. It was like going to a county fair and the different candidates steer you to their table to talk about the issues. Then we had a basketball game and afterwards the campaigning started again. The game was done at 4:30 and people stayed around until 7 making their case as to who should be let go. They didn't decide who was let go at the meeting but later on and I was who was picked because I was youngest and had no family to support. After the decision was made known to the church all these people started coming up to me and were saying how they wanted so and so to leave instead of me. These people just didn't understand what was really going on. I saw a horrible underside to the church. It is so ugly. People put money ahead of the ministry. This church is located in the second fastest growing county in America and yet the church is declining in numbers. Long established memebers refuse to go out and bring in new members and when new members come to church there is resentment. People view the church as an exclusive club. The church is totally different from what Christ taught. It makes me sick to see ministers on TV promoting their political agendas. I guess I'll never change the church so I had to cut myself off before the church changed me.

Answer 3

Well this isn't really a question, it's a sermon. But...
There are TONS of rules in Christ! Tons of things you have to believe, that just don't make any sense. After 15 years of trying to make myself believe the Bible is literal and the world was made in 6 days and all that stuff, I just couldn't do it anymore.
Jesus is ALWAYS going to be filtered through people in some manner - it has to be that way, so it's never going to be the happy pure rule-free utopian Jesus you think exists. It's gone if it ever existed. It's politics. I had the evangelist promise me that I didn't have to have any particular set of rules or political beliefs, but in reality it doesn't work that way. I got squeezed out with every independent thought, every pro-choice leaning, every personal interpretation of scripture that varied from the mold. There was an argument waiting for every one of my questions and I finally just couldn't take it anymore. Any God who asks me not to be myself is not for me.
Stop preaching and start listening. Do you really want to know the answer?

Answer 4

"Forget about your sins and what ever else someone condemned you for. God doesn't care about that. He loves you right where you are at."

Lovely as this sentiment is, it isn't really the god that's in the bible. Not when you get down into the details. Besides, the bible contradicts itself all over the place, and a lot of it is borrowed from oral traditions and other religions. The more I studied, the less I found to have faith in.

Answer 5

Reason 1 - The older I got the more I noticed that the most critical, the most likely to live in glass houses and throw stones, the most likely to live secret lives NOT in accord with the Ten Commandments were those who most loudly proclaimed their love for Jesus and God.

Reason 2 - People like you. For one who says you are only asking a question, you include an awful lot of condescension and derision to those who don't think like you in your Pro-Christian question. I was never deeply religious, but even I got the main point that love of your neighbor - REGARDLESS of whether he thought like you or not - was what truly being devout was all about.

You believe what you believe, great. But keep it to yourself - you asked for my opinion so I gave it. I am not walking around telling you how and why the "Kingdom of God" is about, as you do. Nor am I walking around preaching that Jesus was God's son, as you do. Frankly, I think Jesus walked around saying "I am the son of God" just like all people are God's children - if you believe in God that is. Not that Jesus was THE son of God. Again, the Bible was written by men long after Jesus was dead, the men who turned him into THE son of God.

Answer 6

As if you care. It's none of your business, but I'll give you a clue ... nosy, backstabbing, interfering people who pretend to be holy and honest.

There. Does that ring any bells? Are you feeling convicted? Is the Holy Ghost speaking to you?

Answer 7

There are no former Christians.
They were never Christians to begin with.
Once saved, you remain saved.
They were not the real thing.
They were the SO CALLED.
Jesus is the one who saves.
Jesus is the Good Shepherd.
The GOOD SHEPHERD.
He always protects the flock.
Always remember the wheat and the tares.
Two Families.
There have always been the SO CALLED.

Answer 8

And your point is??? Are you asking a question or trying to blabber on about your faith and why everyone should believe what you believe?

Answer 9

yes but l believe all that your sayin but lm very unforfilled with no where to worship you see when two or more are gatherd l dont think ld need to fill in the gaps and hay doesnt he also say fellow ship with one another pray togeather and l do feel his pressence so much more so

Answer 10

This is to inform you that you are no longer on Oral Roberts Christmas card list.