Introduction

[ExTeknon]

Just a quick introduction.  

I just joined this site in the last week and am in the process of leaving evangelical Christianity.  After 54 years of hearing some form of Christianity preached to me, I have several reasons. The main two are the twisted logic that I have heard taught by pastors/preachers in explaining things Biblical, and the continuous, never ending sense of guilt and worthlessness that is preached.  Yes, it is preached that there is salvation for our sorry butts, but that's because god made us with the ability to sin. So he made a mistake?  

 

Anyway, I have had enough.  My difficulty is that I am involved with a small group and a support group of the church.  I am just waiting for the support group series of classes to end before I depart. Why?  I feel bad leaving people going through tough times after having committed to help them for a period. I know, I guess it makes me a hypocrite for a short time, but if that is the worst that is laid at my feet, then I am OK with that.

Thanks!

 

[Tsathoggua9]

Hey, it is good to have you aboard! Welcome!

[MOHO]

Welcome aboard @ExTeknon!

Congratulations on thinking your way out of the indoctrination.

 

You are right to stay in the group until your commitment is complete - unless, of course, you are participating in any indoctrination efforts or mitigating any logical efforts to help - like, I don't know, preying instead of suggesting a secular psychologist or securing food for your charges or whatever else your supposed to do.

[ExTeknon]

Thanks MOHO.  I am just providing mainly emotional support and practical advise to the group having gone through what they are going through now.  No indoctrination.  Mainly a shoulder to lean on, figuratively speaking.

[♦ Fuego ♦]

Welcome aboard, and thanks for showing integrity towards your group! Being good is still...good. :-)

 

[LogicalFallacy]

Welcome to Ex-C @ExTeknon

 

I hope that after such a long time in religion leaving is relatively straight forward. Like Fuego I admire your integrity and caring. They are traits that serves anyone well in any situation.

 

All the best and keep in touch with how things go.

 

Regards

 

LF

[Geezer]

Welcome aboard, glad you found this site. Reading & studying the Bible is one of the best ways to overcome religious indoctrination & recognize all of the Bibles flaws, inconsistenties, & contradictions. 

 

I'm looking forward to reading some of your thoughts & comments.

[♦ ficino ♦]

Hello, ExTeknon, and welcome. I hear you on your reluctance to leave the support group and small group suddenly. It took me quite a while to stop going to mass, because I was reluctant to disappoint people who relied on me to do various things and to support what they did.

 

Eventually, when the Catholic bishops opposed yet again, for the umpteenth time, a bill in the NY State legislature to secure rights for gay and lesbian people (this was before transgender people were very visible as a group), I decided I just could not support this organization any more. My faith had dissolved some time before that.

 

rock on, and I hope to hear more from you.

[ExTeknon]

These next few weeks is going to be like torture.  I hate being hypocritical, so this will be a rough stretch.  Should be able to exit after 12/11.  

Thanks for the welcome!

[Quark]

As a closeted atheist amid an extremely religious family, I can relate to that feeling of hypocracy. My best suggestion is to support your group with as much practical non-religious advice as possible, only engage in prayer if it's asked for, and even when you pray focus on the idea that people gather strength from themselves and each other and not from a higher power. It's the whole "God helps people who help themselves" idea (which is just a clever way of saying God doesn't do anything). Also, in such groups it just helps to have someone listen to you, so just be there to let them vent their concerns. They may be deluded, but they're still people, and maybe even because of their delusion need someone real to listen to them for a change.

[ExTeknon]

If I hadn't committed to the support group, I would been gone already.  The group meets weekly for another 4 meetings, then I can bow out. but this waiting period is torture. 

[sdelsolray]

3 hours ago, ExTeknon said:

If I hadn't committed to the support group, I would been gone already.  The group meets weekly for another 4 meetings, then I can bow out. but this waiting period is torture. 

 

You can certainly use the time (in those meetings) to identify and inventory a plethora of nonsense.  Witnessing it in person, in real time, can be helpful to your growth.  Be patient.  Don't whine.