No longer a Christian? Why not?

[Aldebaran]

Just thought I'd start a thread to let those who used to consider themselves to be Christian and then decided to identify otherwise to give their testimony as to what made them no longer wish to call themselves a Christian.
First, how did you become a Christian, and what were your experiences? Then, what made you decide to leave the faith?

 

[lordbt]

Just thought I'd start a thread to let those who used to consider themselves to be Christian and then decided to identify otherwise to give their testimony as to what made them no longer wish to call themselves a Christian.
First, how did you become a Christian, and what were your experiences? Then, what made you decide to leave the faith?

I don't think there was a single moment when it happened for me. It was more the realization that the Bible is not the word of God but the word of man. For me, there was zero reason to have faith that what the authors of the Bible said happened, actually happened. Does that mean there is no God? No. But there is no question in my mind that the Bible is fiction.

 

[Architeuthus]

Just thought I'd start a thread to let those who used to consider themselves to be Christian and then decided to identify otherwise to give their testimony

Why? This is the "philosophy" forum, and the similar thread "Why do people chose to not be Christian?" has already been closed.

 

[GrimKingGrim]

When I found out that it isn't my native religion and it's ties with slavery in the south was the final snap to the thin rope clinging me to it

 

[Bex.]

Born of Irish stock and heavily influenced by the Catholic Church from as far back as I can remember, I think it all started being a bit unbelievable at around the age of twelve. I still identified as a Catholic well into my twenties but never really gave it a moments consideration. As I grew older and was in the health care profession, science became a really big part of my understanding of the world around me. It made a lot more sense than anything in the KJV, that's for sure. From there, the internet became common and information became easily accessible and I started to take an interest in my religion again, although it was more out of curiosity than seeking answers. I was actually really amazed that I'd ever bought into it, but a child's mind is malleable and family traditions were strong.

From there I started reading Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris and even went back to the old family heirloom KJV that we had tucked away in a dark closet. Time and again, science won the argument. To believe anything in the bible seemed like a feat of mental gymnastics. Science just made sense.

So here I am, a curious atheist, almost ashamed of my early naivety, trying to understand how you, the believers, can still believe.

 

[GrimKingGrim]

That's why they dare not try to indoctrinate the older upper twenties people. Children are easier to get in the for because they know mostly what parents tell them.

I remember my younger brother used recite everyday "I am blessed and highly favored!" When he was little.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

DP

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Triple post!

 

[GoldenBoy89]

I feel a little left out because I can honestly say that there never was a time when I identified as a Christian. My mom's side is catholic but not very religious, if that's the right term. We never really attended mass or anything because my family has a pretty long history of just not caring much for church or any really religious stuff. My father was Jewish or at least, he identified as Jewish but more culturally Jewish than religiously. Then there was my stepfather who was always an outspoken atheist and is really the person who might have introduced the idea that the existence of God is even debatable.

So with each one from a different religious background and neither of them being very religious themselves, I grew up basically as a blank slate as far as religion goes. I was never baptized. I was taught about God when I was young but I can remember being skeptical about it even at a very young age. I was always interested in science from very early and so I've operated under naturalistic presumptions for as long as I can remember. By the time I was about 15 I had pretty much settled into atheism without realizing it.

I remember I was in class one day and I got into an argument with a friend of mine over the legitimacy of the bible and it was after that when I knew that I just didn't believe in any of it. Since then, my understanding of my own belief, or should I say disbelief, has grown tremendously. I started looking into the arguments for and against God and started watching debate videos and the arguments against just seemed so much better. More reasoned and thought out and logically consistent. Maybe that's confirmation bias... I don't know or care. I know what I believe and what I don't, and what I don't believe in is Christianity. My friend and I still keep in touch through Facebook because he moved to Hawaii but I'll still rustle his jimmies every once in a while with a snarky comment here or there. It's all in good faith, though.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

dp

 

[GrowingSmaller]

dp this is rediculous sorry

 

[GrowingSmaller]

Is it me or is it the new forum, dp dp dp etc? Anyways i tried pacifism, too far.

 

[GrowingSmaller]

dp

 

[GrowingSmaller]

Well I had read the gosspels and tried to practice some of the teachings, and as an athiset thought id really love enemies and turn the other cheek, to prove christianity was false, with my face and guts. No lols please, literal pacifism hurts. Then I had a "nervous breakthrough" and big mystical experience, after finally bereaking down and praying due to life distress. I was covinced of Christianity for a while, but then (after some years) , after bing baptised Catholic, I became disenchanted. The "mass" (god beless em) can be inspiring, but also boring. Also I found a lot of the churches wer e about worldy success, or whos got what job etc. Thats not how I view the gospels. I still believe in a a section, generally speaking, like matthew 6 and the beatitudes, but I am Muslim now so my theology differs slightly. I think maybe part of the vibe is that I am not so successful and strong a player in the world, no job wife or kids. I am not that fudssed about it really, to much work and too little payback. We may win the world in the west, but its hard to find people with soul. So I am by default, or compelled in some way, towards the next life.

 

[Archaeopteryx]

Just thought I'd start a thread to let those who used to consider themselves to be Christian and then decided to identify otherwise to give their testimony as to what made them no longer wish to call themselves a Christian.
First, how did you become a Christian, and what were your experiences? Then, what made you decide to leave the faith?

I was most devout during my teenage years, up until about my second or third year of university. My high school's motto was "Faith seeking understanding," and I took it seriously, which led me to study the tenets of my faith more deeply. Via a somewhat meandering road, this led me eventually to philosophy. I began to read more broadly and took great interest in discussions on religion, science, and society. My perspective began to shift as I started examining my own beliefs more closely, both alone and in conversation with others. As this process unfolded, my doubts about the credibility of Christianity only intensified. In the past, particularly during my teenage years, such doubt would have been unbearable, but this time, for whatever reason, the doubt was not anguishing. By late 2011 or early 2012, I no longer considered the doctrines of Christianity believable.

 

[bhsmte]

After 40 years of being a Christian, I acquired new knowledge which could no longer allow me to reconcile the Christian story. A thorough scholarly and historical review of the NT was a part of it.

 

[FreeinChrist]

MOD HAT

This thread is closed for staff review.

Edit - the thread will stay closed. General Apologetic threads are not allowed.