As a small boy of about 8 years old, while sitting in Church, the Preacher began yelling and telling everyone.

Question

...they were SINNERS! I knew I was not because I had not done anything. I greatly resented being told that and told my parents, I did not like the Preacher. It was then explained that we were all born as SINNERS. That was not understandable either. That episode alone led me on the path of becoming a committed Atheist. Over the years with much reading and study I am also a proud and happy Atheist. Did accusations such as that effect any of you?

Smarty Pants - That would have gotten me outta there much sooner, I'm sure.
{:-)

Answer 1

No I just accepted and then later "proved" such statements with the Bible. I never liked the "hellfire" sermons though as they did not seem to help people understand anything about the faith. In my later years I started looking for the evidence we were told existed for the bible as I was shaky in my faith. Much to my surprise I found very shaky evidence, if you could call it evidence. I'm now a happy atheist.

Answer 2

We were born in sin through the lust of the flesh if you want to get down to the nitty gritty, but that's where Christ comes in and the gift of faith!

Yes, I can remember the fear factor that came with church and the possible reality of burning in hell .I grew up and learned otherwise ..There are many things about the the sanctuaries that are supposed to be changing peoples mentalities and helping to form characters and abilities that I don't agree with, but I am still a believer on my own.. I have had way too many experiences in the realm of God not to believe .

So in saying all that, I can understand where the church goes wrong and young people like you are turned off to the realization that God exists,,There are no formulas or traditions that get anyone closer to knowing who they are in Christ and that is pretty much taken away by the religiousness of the very place that is supposed to protect and nurture the growth in God!

I hope one day that you find out the truth but I will not tell you you are doomed to hell because of the stand you take today..I wish you well no matter what ....

Answer 3

Those accusations did not effect that badly, but it did make me question some things about religion in general. It led me to realize that a lot of religions are a lot more similar than one would think. I would classify myself as a spiritualist now. I love reading and studying about religion and talking to open minded people about the topic, but I don't believe that there is one true religion. I'm not atheist, but I understand and respect that you are happy being Atheist. I commend you for not taking religion at its word and believing in something because your parents told you to. One of my pet peeves is blind faith. I believe you need to understand why the particualr religion believes in this and why the priest does this at this moment.

Answer 4

ok the priorities could be as follows: a million.college 2.Sleep 3.Pool tournaments because of the fact that college is maximum necessary, he could flow on time. because of the fact that Sleep is next in line, he needs 8 hours and to that end could be in mattress by applying no later than 11:30pm. because of the fact that he won't be able to get living house from pool tournaments till 1am, he should not be getting in any respect. this could be something he does for the time of summer season trip - yet no longer throughout the college 12 months.

Answer 5

The "fallen" doctrine is based entirely on central cosmology and central theology. Since Galileo proved in 1623 that we are not the center of the universe, this silly doctrine should have died along with the realization that we didn't fall from a celestial sphere from above. I think as long as you believe that our planet is the third planet in its solar system, and planets, galaxies, and the rest of the universe exist beyond that----it would be impossible to believe in the "fly up to the heavens up there" stuff.

Answer 6

Your parents must have liked fire and brimstone preaching if they attended the church.
His method may not have pleased you ( I dislike those kind of preachers too) but he was telling the truth. We are all sinners. To a small extent even 8 year old boys.
You never prayed or took the time to study (study not read) the Bible. And if you did your mind was already closed to God.

Answer 7

Your preacher was wrong.

Even though we are all held in death, children are innocent in the eyes of God. What that means is all mankind will face physical death, but a child who is ignorant of the law is innocent of sin. So when a child dies, his soul goes to be with the Lord in heaven.

Yet, once a child reaches the age of understanding, knowing right and wrong according to God's law, his spirit in him that was innocent is slain and if he is not born again before he suffers physical death, his soul will be cast into hell.

To understand a truth is to be held accountable for that truth.

I am sorry you feel the way you do. Yet, you are not alone. So many have been taught things contrary to the Word of God and many fall away because of this.

I pray you give God another chance. He loves you very much.

Answer 8

Abandoning faith in God because of the stupidity of some preachers is throwing the baby out with the bath water. Look beyond them and discover what you really believe in. For me God exists.

Answer 9

You made a decision when you were eight years-old, and after years of 'much reading and study,' you've managed to confirm your childhood decision.

Are you able to see that in your own way, you are EXACTLY like the Christians you criticize and look down on?

Answer 10

Crying fire and brimstone is never the way to gain conversions and commitments to any faith in my mind. I heard these things in church also as a young child, even younger than you were, and it just never felt right. I knew it was all a lie.