How does an athiest get offended when you tell them that they never were Christian if they are now athiest? Does that make sense? Why would they really care if they truly do not believe? Why would an athiest even call him or herself an ex-Christian...is this some type of extra kudo to make him or her look like a rock hard athiest? It does the complete opposite in my opinion.
2007-01-09 06:14:43 · 20 answers · asked by the BREEZE 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
I am not trying to offend anyone or have the I know or Christian knows best attitude, but a Christian is someone who has received Christ and has received fellowship with God...thus how can you be an Atheist if you used to have fellowship with God? See what I mean?
2007-01-09 06:29:41 · update #1
I know what you mean. I can never get a straight answer from them either. It's like some do feel guilty at first. Then they start believing it, replying to questions believing that we are either arrogant or ignorant, or stand on the party line that God does not exist and our belief is a fairy tale. I think that there is still some doubt on the part of some of them.
Having been a Catholic in my youth, I later left the faith and became agnostic. Years later, after going down many different paths, I found myself coming full circle to the question of the validity of Christianity again. I decided to give it another shot, with the same intensity that I had checking out other beliefs.
They do not understand the true meaning of the terms "fellowship" and "relationship" when we use them to describe what we have found when coming to know our living God. I don't think any of them have ever really known God. They know about Him, have done all the "right" things... church, prayers, etc...yet have not had God personally touch them. They never truly "knew" Him.
I think there are many Christians out there today who are experiencing the same thing. They are going through the motions, but are not living the abundant Spirit led life and abiding in Him. For whatever reasons, they do not go further on the way, growing in the love and joy of our awesome God. Allowing Him to be Lord as well as their Savior.
It took years of believing, of being that kind of a Christian, before God touched me. When He does, there is no doubt. I do not think anyone who has ever experienced it can hold atheistic beliefs again, with real conviction in the hearts. Those who backslide even to that point can still find their way home to God. It is a feeling of "Home", being whole and complete, because only through Jesus can we come to our Father God, and be His child. He is the way, truth and life.
2007-01-09 08:04:59 · answer #1 · answered by Bill Mac 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Many children once believed in Santa Clause and knew stories about him and had "proof" that he existed. Then their beliefs changed. That does not mean that they never believed in the first place. It simply means that their beliefs changed. They would be very insulted to be told by strangers that they never really believed in Santa Clause in the first place.
I understand that you may feel that your deity is different than Santa Clause, but the principle is the same. It is rude to tell another (especially a stranger) that you know more than them how much or whether they once believed in something.
I use the prefix ex- and the word "former" in many ways. I am an ex-wife, a former democrat, etc. This simply means that I once had experiences/beliefs that I no longer have.
Giving others the same kind of respect that you yourself would enjoy is a good principle to live by. If you don't like the idea of strangers telling you what you once believed or didn't believe, don't do it to others.
2007-01-09 09:43:50 · answer #2 · answered by Witchy 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe it has something to do with them investing so much time, energy and belief into Christianity, only to learn later that they were lied to the whole time. For many people, spiritual belief is a huge part of their life. For someone to have invested so much importance into their religion and then to ultimately leave it is a profound change and has a very deep emotional impact.
From another point of view, many people are abused by the authority figures in their life and very often religion is used as an excuse for that abuse. Many people who leave Christianity, whether abused or not, are often quite bitter about their experiences.
Whatever the case may be, it is not right for others with no knowledge of a person's life to deny that persons experiences.
2007-01-09 06:28:18 · answer #3 · answered by Lone 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
This is because this person believed and then something happened to make them rethink their beliefs. I was born and raised Christian - even was re-baptised by my own choice at 14. Now I'm not an Athiest, but definately not Christian. People change and so do their beliefs.
2007-01-09 06:22:49 · answer #4 · answered by Trish 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
That could mean many things.
It may means that he was born in a Christian home, was sent to a Christian Sunday school, and had to get familiar with things he was taught, and that there was no analytical thinking at that age to accept or reject those concept until he grew up along with his analytical thinking. When he analyzed the concept at a later age, he found them unacceptable to his new thinking. That is why he may be calling himself as x-Christian unless he is lying about his pas and present.
2007-01-09 06:27:07 · answer #5 · answered by Ottawan-Canada 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
People are allowed to change their mind about things. It does not mean that it's ok to say that they never believed to begin with, or that they were somehow less of a Christian. And to suggest that an a-t-h-e-i-s-t shouldn't care about being insulted in this way just because they are now atheist is even more insulting.
2007-01-09 06:22:29 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
Every guy has SOMETHING in specified that draws them to the girl he loves. Now, thas' to not say he does not have a hair fetish, but it surely simply maybe what draws him to you.... Does he pass out of his technique to contact it? Can he now not awareness at the venture to hand considering he's touching it? does he do it in his sleep? If you replied sure to any of those questions, then sure, this is a little awkward.... inform him approximately the way you suppose and pay attention to what he tells you.
2016-09-03 19:02:40 · answer #7 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because you are calling us Ex-Christians liars. People do get offended when you call them liars ya know.
Besides you seem to be under the impression that all of us Ex-Christians are Atheists, not so. I'm an Asatruar, and I worship many gods (just not yours).
2007-01-09 07:35:14 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
If you've paid attention their commonly told that they don't know the scripture. Which being an ex christian, perhaps they would. Its just part of their defense.
2007-01-09 06:22:23 · answer #9 · answered by thomas 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think what they're offended by is the christian-knows-best- attitude that your statement puts forth.
2007-01-09 06:20:05 · answer #10 · answered by mutterhalls 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋