Any former Christians out there?

Question

I am a former christian. In middle school and elementary school I was a staunch christian who did not understand how others could not believe in God and Jesus. I am now a diest. I found the christian faith to be hypocritical (forgive all people and do not judge yet christians judge gays and people who get abortions). I also know that the bible has been altered to suit the desires of kings and other ancient powerful people. Not to mention the problems withe bible (If Adam and Eve were the only people on Eath and they had children, how did Abel find other people?). I also believe in evolution and have seen how it makes more sense then creationism. Anyway-I was wondering if these reasons are why (if you are a former christian) you left the faith?

Of course these are not the only reasons why I chose to leave-they are EXAMPLES! I just put some of my thoughts down!! People please!! Genuine question here!!

Answer 1

Yes, the reasons you gave were among the many reasons I chose to leave the Christian faith. I'm a Pagan now. I had always felt something missing when I was a Christian. Love singing in the choir, doing charity work, leading the teens, but something always felt missing. The final straw came when a preacher told me he had told an 11 year old that his best friend went to hell because he wasn't saved. That was it for me.

But more than that, there were things that I knew/felt deep down that Christianity wanted no part of. I am psychic and am working hard to turn it back on/let myself feel again, so to speak, after trying so hard to get rid of the "unholy" gift. I feel a connection to nature especially animals that most Christian religions say is "unholy." I found that "Unholy" usually meant something they didn't understand, undermined the authority of the church, or didn't bring in money.

I think that Christianity in its purist form is an admirable religion. People unfortunatly get in the way of its truths. They twist meanings of scriptures or isolate only a certain verse or two to suit their own purposes and ideas.

I love and honor the Divine. I just choose to do it a bit differently than I did when I was younger.

Now, my women's circle is a group of Pagan women committed to helping the community. We send care packages to the troops, help the elderly with food and tasks around their houses, take them to doctors appointments or just visit for a bit. We work hard to weave our energies together to bring peace and harmony to the world (keep up the prayers, energies, whatever you believe in!). We have fundraisers so we can fund different community projects for local charities, halfway houses, family shelters, etc.

Our main group adds to this as well as helping to show the community that we are vital, mature members of society, not the horrible people that the movies, books, and media would have you believe.

We follow the "an it harm none" law. Which, by the way, doesn't mean I can do anything I want. Actually, it's almost the opposite. It means that I cannot by my actions or inaction cause harm to anyone else, including myself. That includes "spells" designed to change someone's attitude. Unless they give permission for the change, it would be considered an abomidable act of malice. Most of us believe that what we do or put out into the world comes back to us three-fold stronger. I wish someone stubs their toe and likely, I'll break my leg or something worse!

Wonder how that philosophy would go over with Christians. Can you imagine some of the things the fanatics do coming back at them three times stronger? I shudder to think!

But there's a lot of my reasoning. I just found Paganism to be more loving, tolerant, and everything I had hoped Christianity would be but wasn't for me.

Good journeys :)

Answer 2

I stayed a staunch Xian until my late 30's. I started doubting it and as I'm in a scientist of sorts (Computer Scientist) I decided to research the proof for the Bible, Jesus and all the creationist claims that I had espoused over the years. To make a long story short, the Bible lacks proof for anything other than locations and civilizations, the best thing that can be said for Jesus is that it would not be surprising if he had existed, and creationist claims, to be blunt, are complete fabrications.

Edit:
I agree with Blasphemer Bill above me, you should not base your faith or lack thereof on people. There will always be wonderful people and very spiteful people, but their actions do not change wht the truth is.

Answer 3

My scope of vision improved. When I "accepted Jesus", that was the best place I could be at that time. Now I experience life through a larger spiritual perspective.

I will not denigrate christianity, just like I do not denigrate myself for being a child. You see, I did not change into a physicalist who believes reality is composed of my physical perceptions. I see the world and myself from a larger spiritual view that allows each person to experience their own illusions for their own reasons. Those reasons are deeper than physicalists can see.

If you understand this, give me a thumbs up. If you do not understand this, give me a thumbs down!!!

flip

Answer 4

Yes - those are some of the doubts and questions that I had as well. I never felt like I was a true Christian, I never seemed to fit in because I had a really hard time believing in the "loving" God of the Bible.

When I realized I would have to change my basic nature, which God supposedly made me to start with, to be a true Christian - I walked away and never looked back.

Added: Why is it okay for Christians to preach and tell us (pagans, heathens, atheists) that we're going to hell but when we say why we aren't Christians they say we're ranting and not welcome here?

Answer 5

I am an Ex-Southern Baptist now atheist. I would have to say that one of your reasons for leaving Christianity is not sound. The actions of Christians should have nothing to do with your decision on whether or not the Bible is true.

My path to atheism started by me reading the Bible cover-to-cover for the first time and discovering how filthy and unbelievable the book is. Later I realized that all religions require faith, which is an admission that they lack evidence. If they had evidence they wouldn't need faith.

Answer 6

Same sentiments here. I have a lot of atheist friends now and agree with 99% of their arguments, but prefer classical deism instead because atheism seems a tad too vacuous and nihilistic for my taste. As for the Genesis story, Adam and Eve actually did have several other children besides Cain, Abel, and Seth. They're just briefly glossed over later on and weren't specifically mentioned by name - http://wiki.answers.com/Q/If_Adam_and_Eve_had_two_sons_but_no_daughters_how_did_the_world_get_populated

Answer 7

somewhere you were deceived and someone shoulda brought you back to faith. You believed as a child because you had the faith as a child and somewhere you learned too much of the world. Remember why you loved Jesus so much and stop trying to analyse everything. It is taking you away from the love that awaits you.

Answer 8

Hey, Pete-- she was not ranting. And it's disingenuous to say that it's the people-- there's nothing wrong with the religion. Jesus said that a good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, yet what are the fruits of Christianity?
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Now for the poster of this topic:

I went to Catholic school. I was a choir boy and an altar boy. But they failed to destroy my ability for independent thought, and many things about the religion kept bothering me. Plus a lot of Christians were jerks, and historically the religion has a shameful record, so I didn't see it doing a good job improving people's moral character. So I studied the religion intensively and objectively and had to conclude that it is false. Now, as Frank Zappa advised, I try to "help the next poor sucker on his one-way trip".

Answer 9

I don't think you completely understand what a deist believes. A deist isn't someone who just believes in God - that is a theist. A theist can be many things. But a deist is one who rejects revelation and divine providence.

Answer 10

Mohatma Ghandi put it perfectly " I like your Christ, I don't care for your Christians, they are so unlike your Christ." If you are intrested in finding your own answers, try reading any of the Journey of the soul books by Sylvia Browne.