I saw this Christian saying in an Atheist thread that no "real" Christian could ever turn to Atheism - that if they were an atheist, then they must not have been a proper Christian to begin with.
I think it's terribly unfair to insist that someone wasn't a "true" Christian or didn't "really" believe the Bible just because they turn away from it later. Just because you don't like what someone believes, how does that give you the right to pretend like you know everything about them?
Many Christians DO turn away from Christianity. I was one once myself and I was just as much a believer as anyone. Your after-the-fact rationalization is based on what you'd like the truth to be - not the truth itself.
2007-01-09 06:02:44 · 20 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
You Christians are STILL doing it! If I was a "true" Christian I wouldn't have left? Do you have ANYTHING to back up that statement other than your ardent desire for it to be true?
2007-01-09 06:12:50 · update #1
Well, for your edification, I honestly felt I had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ for 20-odd years. I never missed a single service, I went to Bible camp, I prayed every day, memorized huge chunks of the Bible, and knelt at the altar more times than I can count. It's great to see that it turns out I was just a pew-warmer now that I've left. Revising history is so much fun.
I have a word for you people, but I'm not allowed to say it on Yahoo! Answers.
2007-01-09 06:15:55 · update #2
Thank you for all the nice people who said nice things. It's a shame that I can't find ONE nice "real" Christian on this thread. Makes me glad I picked a nice religion to be a part of.
2007-01-09 06:18:41 · update #3
It's a flawed argument.
It's called the "No-True Scotsman" argument flaw.
2007-01-09 06:18:12 · answer #1 · answered by Radagast97 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Actually, some Christians believe that you CAN choose to reject Jesus after you have accepted Him as Lord (although HIGHLY unlikely). They believe you will have more to answer for on Judgment Day than someone who never accepted the truth.
There really are 2 types of Christians. It is more obvious to us Americans when we think about it in terms of demographics. If a country claims to be 50% Christian, 30% Jewish, and 20% Muslim do you really think all those people give a care what their religion says? Among those 50% Christian, maybe 75% go to church at least twice a year, 40% at least 3 times a month, and 10% attend more than 1 service a week. And that is just part of the "religion" of Christianity. But, being a Christian isn't about the "religion" although most people act on that level. I don't think the the "religion" will save you. Christianity is a personal relationship with Christ. It is truly accepting Him as your Lord and Savior. It is walking with Him on a daily basis. It would be easier at times to deny Him than it is to allow Him to be Lord. He didn't claim it would be easy. He said He would be with us and hold us through it. We need to keep our eyes on eternity with Him, not our "light and temporary troubles" (as Paul said - read about his troubles in the new testament and see if you have troubles greater than his).
2007-01-09 15:03:41 · answer #2 · answered by Bre 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO! don't get down on yourself because of the insults... i, too, am like you... once a devout believer, now an atheist. guess what set us apart... we weren't "true" christians because we actually thought about what we heard and read. true christians never question. true christians never have to think. so no, i agree with their statement, although their meaning was a bit harsh... i don't want to have been a true christian: true christians even kill and enslave people in the name of jesus.
http://geocities.com/paulntobin/mission.html
read about these true christians on missions.
JIM
and all of you who think you know jesus. can we take a test? can we set you in different cubicles and ask that you describe him? do you think we will get anything specific, or just the usual, "he's love, he's gentle, he's blahbalblah?" no one KNOWS christ or has LET HIM IN (which isn't biblical btw... nowhere in the bible does it say let christ into your heart). you haven't even heard him talk. just heard that voice in your head, that innervoice we all have. if you know christ so well why did he say he came only for the "lost sheep of israel?"
Matthew 10:5-6
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel."
Matthew 15:24
"I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel."
"Another point worth noting is not what is depicted in the gospels but what is not: there is no recorded preaching or teaching of Jesus to the Gentiles." [1]
2007-01-09 14:10:16 · answer #3 · answered by Shawn M 3 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I agree. Too many people on here seem to "know" what is in other peoples hearts. It's ridiculous. I was also a christian at one time. And I tried very hard to be a good christian and to believe in god. But in reality, I just couldn't force myself to do that anymore. It was causing all kinds of conflict in my life and with my well being. I am much happier and much more respectful of myself now that I know that I do not believe.
2007-01-09 14:08:03 · answer #4 · answered by Stormilutionist Chasealogist 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
"Born-again" Christians believe that the moment of acceptance changes you fundamentally, from un-saved to "saved". There couldn't possibly be a going back. It would be like God not being able to make up his mind. It would also comoditize that "salvation" marker, since you can gain or lose it, smacking of "earning" your way into salvation, a no-no in Protestant theology. So, "it never happened."
It also messes with their own individual faith. If you could do it, it might happen to them too. You make them nervous. So, "it never happened."
2007-01-09 15:41:34 · answer #5 · answered by skepsis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree 100%. I was very much a good Christian girl growing up - believed the Bible was the truth, knew nothing of other religions because they weren't the path to God, etc. etc. It took me years to really, truly be able to say (and accept in my heart) that witchcraft is not evil, it has nothing to do with Satan, and I am not going to hell because I was such a believer in the Christian faith.
)O(
2007-01-09 14:08:40 · answer #6 · answered by thelittlemerriemaid 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I said it about him I'll say it to you. I have all confidence that you knew Christianity. That you know all about the Lord Jesus. What I deny is that you allowed Christ to become part of you. Where He and you were one in the same heart. It's called head knowledge and I am sure you and the other questioner had a lot of it. I am sure you even convinced yourself that you believed when in fact you never stepped into saving faith. You never became a child of God... Jim
2007-01-09 14:10:37 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋
As an ordained elder in the Presbyterian church who has seen the error of my ways, I agree with you.
Unfortunately, many of the posters on this board seem to have the idea that when Jesus said "judge not that ye be judged" he only meant it for everybody else.
Go in peace to love and serve the truth.
2007-01-09 14:16:03 · answer #8 · answered by Dave P 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is not fair in your opinion but once you really know Christ and His love you don't turn away from Him. Many people may say they are Christian then turn away from the Lord. You can't turn away if you REALLY KNOW HIM.
You are the who had based your truth on what you would like it to be instead of the a factual truth.
2007-01-09 14:10:00 · answer #9 · answered by hiscinders 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Fundy Christians fear the fact that even a Fundy Christian like themselves can discover that Christianity is bull feces so of course they discount the experience. what more frightening thing can a believer encounter than an ex believer who is happier being an ex believer than a believer?
2007-01-09 14:12:35 · answer #10 · answered by nebtet 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
You probably saw me write this. But I stand by what I say. Going to church and calling yourself a believer doesn't qualify you as a Christian. RECEIVING CHRIST is an eternal choice that you make and the moment that happens God begins to speak to you. So hearing God speak to you is a TRUTH...and an Athiest claims him or herself to be one that believes God is absolutely non existent. Therefor it is a complete contradiction for an Athiest to call themselves an ex-Christian. You can't hear God speaking and see God moving and then call Him non-existent...makes absolutely no sense, now does it?
2007-01-09 14:09:59 · answer #11 · answered by the BREEZE 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋