jblueep

You can not rely on stories about near death experiences (NDEs). NDEs are fairly well explained by science as heightened brain activity as a physiological response to the circumstances, i.e. they are not spiritual experiences. Generally speaking, people have NDE experiences that relate directly to their culture...Christians "see" Jesus/Satan, Buddist "see" Buddha, and so forth.

Ummm...Slavery and misogyny are reaffirmed in the new testament. There are instructions for slaves and masters and instructions for women to be silent, not cut their hair, etc.

Thanks Eli for finishing the series. My wife and I deconverted just over a year ago after more than 30 years of sincere belief. Your videos were a very important part of the healing process. We related strongly to this last video as we are seeing the beauty of life in greater ways each day.

Hi BDP and welcome to the EX-C site. I can relate very much to a lot of your post...saved at 5 years old, sincere believer for more than 30 years, leading small groups, etc. Seeing the contradictions in the bible also played a role in my deconversion, but more than that I was simply willing to ask questions like "Does any of this exist outside of my own mind?". I was lucky enough to deconvert with my wife. There are many husbands on this site who are married to fundy wives. You will find a lot of support here in that area. I'm glad you are here. Stick around and make some friends

Welcome McMike. My wife and I deconverted together just over a year ago. We were also believers for more than thirty years and very active in the church, leading small groups, etc. We have no regrets. You are on the right track

Welcome DrNo Congratulations for reasoning into the truth. Unfortunately, you should know that your xian friends will likely not remain part of your life. Some will outright reject you. Most will just pull away simply because they don't know what to do or say. This is one of the hardest parts to deal with. Make some new friends here Jason

Welcome to EX-C greylight. I'm glad you found this site. It helped me (and my wife) through deconversion.

Welcome Leisbet! It's a big change, and can be a bit heart breaking, but there are plenty here who will support you. If you get a chance, put your "extimony" in the Testimonies of Former Christians section.

But...

Welcome OpenBook! In general, I say take it slow, don't hide out of fear, and don't react out of anger. Eventually, you will have to fully "come out". It will likely come with a higher cost than you expect, but not as high a cost as living your whole life in hiding. Stick around and make some friends Jason

Welcome from another DFW Ex-C! You have found the right place. Stick around and make some friends

Ditto what T2M said. If were are not conscious after death, then who the heck cares? I live my life the same way...with love, compassion, and generosity. And it works exactly the same without a theistic belief. Who knew? Depends on our circumstances, but I couldn't imagine keeping that to myself, and especially not at your age. That's a long time to keep a secret. I say just live your life admirably and answer questions if the are directly asked. More importantly, if you get married, make sure she is on the same page.

Welcome DD! I very much relate to your upbringing, including the private xian school through graduation. I didn't see the truth until I was 38 years old. Congratulations that you found it so young. As far as telling the family, I've had mixed results. My wife's parents and siblings are very accepting. Her Mom is in the process of deconverting. The rest are holding on. My sister is very accepting. My brother and parents know but do not bring up the subject. Stick around and make some friends. You are welcome here. Jason

Welcome JB! Take comfort in the fact that the majority of people here can relate to many aspects of your story. It is sad that your story is so common, but the good news is that many have walked the road you are walking now. People here genuinely care about our fellow humans and are very willing to help as much as we can and as much as you want us to. Stick around and make some friends Jason