How many ex-Christians are there here on CF and reason for leaving Christianity?

JIMINZ said:

No hair splitting on my side.

My point was, you never were a Christian, therefore you cannot ever say you left Christianity.

That is what the title of this thread is asking for.
(People who have left Christianity), while you on the other hand do not qualify.

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I disagree with you on my qualification to comment. By modern consensus a baby baptised who goes on to do their first holy communion and then confirmation does become member of the Christian faith. On that basis I replied to the OP. Where we agree is that I was never a Christian throughout those 14 years.

Eyes wide Open said:

I disagree with you on my qualification to comment. By modern consensus a baby baptised who goes on to do their first holy communion and then confirmation does become member of the Christian faith. On that basis I replied to the OP. Where we agree is that I was never a Christian throughout those 14 years.

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I'm sorry, I had now idea you were a Catholic and that you were in essence speaking specifically about the first 14 years of your life, you never said that in your posts.

Be that as it may, becoming Baptized as a baby is out of the order which Jesus himself said the process should take place.

Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

You see there is an order, first one must believe, unless you were a very special baby, thereby possessing the powers of reason to to believe in the first place.

Secondly, the Believer is then to become Baptized, therefore your being Baptized before any question on your part of any Belief, you just got wet that day.

Thirdly, what you have said about Communion, and Confirmation only qualifies you to become a part of the Catholic Church, they are not in any way to be construed to be the Criteria for a Non-Believer to become a Believer.

Therefore even after all of the riggamahrole and the Rituals of the Catholic Church you still did not become a Christian because of what you did.

You see, I went through the same process you did and did not understand what I was until I had already left the Church at 21 and completed a search for GOD at 26 when I truly did become a Christian, when I fully became a Born Again Child of God, according to what He said needed to be done, and not the criteria of man.

It isn't by the Rituals of what the Church espouses, it's only by Revelation of God, that we become His children.

So at this point I would say, you never were a Christian according to what Gods' criteria is, therefore you have only walked away from the Catholic Church and it's teachings, I had that same walk 52 yrs ago.

JIMINZ said:

I'm sorry, I had now idea you were a Catholic and that you were in essence speaking specifically about the first 14 years of your life, you never said that in your posts.

Be that as it may, becoming Baptized as a baby is out of the order which Jesus himself said the process should take place.

Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

You see there is an order, first one must believe, unless you were a very special baby, thereby possessing the powers of reason to to believe in the first place.

Secondly, the Believer is then to become Baptized, therefore your being Baptized before any question on your part of any Belief, you just got wet that day.

Thirdly, what you have said about Communion, and Confirmation only qualifies you to become a part of the Catholic Church, they are not in any way to be construed to be the Criteria for a Non-Believer to become a Believer.

Therefore even after all of the riggamahrole and the Rituals of the Catholic Church you still did not become a Christian because of what you did.

You see, I went through the same process you did and did not understand what I was until I had already left the Church at 21 and completed a search for GOD at 26 when I truly did become a Christian, when I fully became a Born Again Child of God, according to what He said needed to be done, and not the criteria of man.

It isn't by the Rituals of what the Church espouses, it's only by Revelation of God, that we become His children.

So at this point I would say, you never were a Christian according to what Gods' criteria is, therefore you have only walked away from the Catholic Church and it's teachings, I had that same walk 52 yrs ago.

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The merits and various issues with the Christian faith arew not my place contend, only that it's not for me.
We each have our stories and arrivel points thus far, and I'm in no way a seeker, only that I seek to apply my calling (for want of a better word)
You mention born again, I mention much growth and enrichment (in a previous post). If we are in a good place give gratitude for that hey.

Eyes wide Open said:

The merits and various issues with the Christian faith arew not my place contend, only that it's not for me.
We each have our stories and arrivel points thus far, and I'm in no way a seeker, only that I seek to apply my calling (for want of a better word)
You mention born again, I mention much growth and enrichment (in a previous post). If we are in a good place give gratitude for that hey.

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It is not my contention, just because someone is not Saved they are therefore inherently EVIL.

Anyone can be in what you call, a good place at any time in their life.

It's actually staying in that good place that is the trick.

Eyes wide Open said:

The merits and various issues with the Christian faith arew not my place contend, only that it's not for me.

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At least your honest and stay out of an arena you know you shouldn't be in.

In my post I was saying, I have taken the same walk myself and have come to find, I never did walk away from God or Christianity, I did however walk away from the Catholic Church and it's Teachings, (which is not the same thing at all).

As much as I was raised in Christianity, I don't think I was ever really convinced of it and my apostasy is arguably superficial in a way, though that's more from the perspective of one who would argue that point versus any notion of my baptism as a teenager being genuine and sincere (which I'll admit it really wasn't, because I was already questioning things at that age and I've honestly gone to a point of "no return" of sorts)

The faulty logic used to argue for God's existence even in natural theology from Deism wasn't sufficient to me and even beyond that, the relevance and impact God is supposed to have never really made sense to me in the first place, so I'm as much an apatheist as I am a theological noncognitivist/ignostic

JIMINZ said:

You said this 5 months ago but I have just now read it, so the question.

You say in particular, (until they have second thoughts about their faith.)

My question for you is, just what is it you specifically call your faith, that you would, could or had second thoughts about?

By the way if I might, for clarification purposes only, what denomination were you, when you left Christianity?

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Non-denominational Christian. Hill song, in some ways more liberal church atmosphere. They play some Christian death metal during youth events and whatnot. People could have tattoos and colored hair and no one really cared. Growing up, I never really knew what Christian denominations were all about.

As for me, accepting evolution was a big one. The idea that complex life existed seemed to point to a creator in my mind, finding out it can come about through natural means was a big blow. Something more personal, just understanding my psychology and how people's emotional biases seemed to reflect their spirituality. Didn't seem like people were really seeking some mystical "truth", but simply believing whatever reflects their taste. I mean I highly doubt there are many liberal Christians who secretly are conservative and vice versa. God reflects their personal tastes and desires.

Same with me.. my spiritualty was strangely very agreeable with my desires. Although to be fair, I think some concepts of God make more sense than others from a more objective standpoint.

LittleLambofJesus said:

Are there any members here who used to be Christians but became non-Christian?
If you are an ex-Christian, have you ever thought about becoming a Christian again?

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These two questions are very interesting, one presupposes that everyone who professes to have ever been a Christian were Christian, the second question asks something of the now professed Non-Christian that the Bible says is an Impossibility of ever happening.

Therefore I will answer your second question first, in order to get it out of the way.

While you may well ask the question, and you may well get responses to the question, it must first be understood by both you, and the supposed
ex-Christian that the question itself as asked is, Moot.

LittleLambofJesus said:

2) If you are an ex-Christian, have you ever thought about becoming a Christian again?

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Heb. 6:4
For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost,
Heb 6:5 And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come,
Heb 6:6 If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame.

Now on to the more weightier question number one.

LittleLambofJesus said:

1) Are there any members here who used to be Christians but became non-Christian?

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1Jn. 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us;

for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us:

but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us.

1Jn 2:22,23
22) Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.
23) Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.

1Jn 4:2-5
2) Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3) And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.
4) Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.
5) They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them.



2Cor. 1:22
Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.

Eph. 1:13,14
13) In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14) Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Eph. 4:30
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Is God such that He does not know who, nor is He strong enough to keep those, He has sealed unto the day of redemption?

Has Jesus therefore died in vane, that some might walk away from His Sacrifice?

Jesus Himself spoke of these very same people, do not believe them.

Mat 13:24-30
24) Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
25) But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
26) But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
27) So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
28) He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
29) But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
30) Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.


This is what has happened be not deceived, because it marvelous in our eyes.

Joh 15:1-10
1) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
3) Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
8) Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
9) As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
10) If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

MehGuy said:

Non-denominational Christian. Hill song, in some ways more liberal church atmosphere. They play some Christian death metal during youth events and whatnot. People could have tattoos and colored hair and no one really cared. Growing up, I never really knew what Christian denominations were all about.

As for me, accepting evolution was a big one. The idea that complex life existed seemed to point to a creator in my mind, finding out it can come about through natural means was a big blow. Something more personal, just understanding my psychology and how people's emotional biases seemed to reflect their spirituality. Didn't seem like people were really seeking some mystical "truth", but simply believing whatever reflects their taste. I mean I highly doubt there are many liberal Christians who secretly are conservative and vice versa. God reflects their personal tastes and desires.

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Except liberal Christians rarely make absolutist statements about God's nature.