Ex-Chrisitans: Did the Bible Move You Away From Christianity?

Question

I was raised Christian and was a very active member of the Church. I accepted Christianity as it was pretty much all I knew. As I got older I became skeptical and at times distraught by teachings of the Church, so I went to the Bible for guidance. What the Bible taught me was that Christian theology is an interpretation of the Bible. I am now non-religious. Anyone else have similar experiences?

Here is a link to question I previously asked about interpretations of the Bible.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AnfOdfUmVFP0IDws8xialKbsy6IX?qid=20070623091115AAtJeRe

Answer 1

YES! And what a great question!

I came to believe that the bible may be true (but highly misunderstood) and that organized religions have either willfully ignored or willfully distorted the bible's message. I abandoned all organized religion because I found that all religions disagree with each other to some degree. That being the case, they are either all wrong, or only one can be correct. Christians will answer that quickly and say, "Well, yeah, there's only one true religion, and it's Christianity."

But here's the problem. ALL Protestant denominations disagree with each other and they all also disagree with the bible in some fundamental way. Notice that organized religions don't actually encourage their followers to read the bible on their own - they'd much rather have you come to church, have you hand over your money, and let them interpret the bible for you. Well when you start reading the bible for yourself, you very quickly realize that so much of what religion tells us is absolutely NON-BIBLICAL!

The bible taught me to focus on Truth. My quest for Truth has led me to study many fascinating occult subjects, many of which have helped me understand the bible better, as well as helping me to understand life and reality in general. I've also found that the contradictions that appear between the bible and organized religion don't exist between the bible and classical occultism. The bible is one of the true occultist's key reference materials, if used properly.

Also, what the bible says of Christ himself moved me away from Christianity. Christianity has very little to do with Jesus Christ other than usurping his name.

Jesus DID NOT instruct anyone to start a new religion in his name. Someone please find me the verse where he told anyone to create Christianity. Jesus himself was opposed to organized religion!

Answer 2

Most parables and symbolism is explained at least a little in the Bible in literal language, the real shame is when people fail to notice there are interpretations of of the symbolism and read the parables and symbolic parts as literal without any sensible interpretation. Yes, there is both literal and symbolic sayings in the Bible, and sometimes they're explained in separate chapter/books of the Bible which not everyone reads, or notices that which is otherwise obvious, simply because they're not open to any deep ideas. Some parts even explicitly state how other parts are nothing but man made fictions... That however should not be used to throw out the abundant truths either. Give it time people are learning about themselves and their own set limits. Once people have overcome the limits they once set upon themselves the whole world will evidently change. God bless.

Answer 3

I was born to a family of Traditional Witchcraft, but for a time felt drawn to Christianity. I fell in love with that religion for a time and still have the greatest respect for the teachings of Jesus.

However, yes, it was many things in the Bible that did finally break my heart and turned me away from the religion. For starters, as a pre teen, I started to have problems with God being so cruel as to send his children to such a awful places as hell!

Then as I got older I started noting a lot of inconsistencies in the Bible that did not sit well with me either.

Eventually with the problems I had already by this time dealing with the concept of Hell, the inconsistencies, and the fact that so many people of that faith felt it was their God Given RIGHT to go out and judge and condmen others, when I personally believed it was only GOD's right... and to top it off, the real lack of balance in the Bible and religion. It is an extremly MALE oriented religion and the lack of balance from a female perspective is a hard pill to swollow for me.

So, yes, the bible played a part in my disenchantment with the Christian religion, but it was more than just one thing that, as I said, broke my heart and turned me away.

I guess the fact that I had another spirituality I was learning along side the bible... possibly affected my eventaul spiritual choice as well.

Great Quesiton I might add! So, there is my two cents worth.

Answer 4

True Christianity is the worship of God and Faith in Jesus Christ, Interpreting things doesn't fit into it. When I became an atheist it had little to do with what I saw in the bible. But as of 3 years ago I am a Roman Catholic and that also didn't have much to do with what I saw in the bible. If you are uncomfortable with what you see (you phrases your statements about "the Church" as though you're catholic) then maybe you should try another denomination. Perhaps a protestant or lutheran denomination. Try different things out and see what you like best but don't base you belief in God on how humans interpret a book. Thats never a good Idea.
Good Luck

Answer 5

Having grown up fundythumper, preacher's kid even, I think it was the *literalist* interpretations of biblical mythology that first started moving me away from christianity . . . well, that and puberty, lol.

Later on, returning for "one last try" to a Kingdom Theology (a sort of christian mysticism/gnostic/occultic movement) group, it was my growing realization that nothing that required so much WORK (fasting, hours of prayer and meditation, ascetism) to *make work* could possibly be a natural "fit" for my culture that sent me looking for my own ancestral folkways and religions.

In the end, it was the venality and hypocrisy of Buybull believers themselves (my father's last church *literally* voted him out on his DEATHBED . . . left him penniless and homeless) that put the final nail in *that* coffin.

Answer 6

The church is made up of sinners seeking affirmation for their sins and thus is an unholy thing. The scriptures as written has been reinterpreted by man and will take the Holy Spirit to help you understand them

Answer 7

In part. Many of the claims in it were simply impossible to believe (worldwide flood, sun stopping in the sky, dead coming back to life, etc...). Other aspects included emphasis on pure obedience over quality of life, idolization of genocide and mass murder, rape-as-punishment, severe injustices, and claims that did not match reality.

That and the often arrogant behavior and aggressive ignorance of the believers.

Answer 8

For me it wasn't so much the bible, or god itself or even Jesus, but it was the way all these things were being interpreted by modern Christians. I had to turn to paganism before finding Christ again.

Answer 9

I'd have to say its the people who go to church that think they are so wholly than thou. Hypocrites.It's not the Bible. I quit going a while back myself and find it all just ludicrous.

Answer 10

I've never been a Christian, but a thorough reading of the Bible ensured that I would NEVER become one.