Jessica Sideways Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 My name is Kyle Korleski and I am an ex-christian and have been since January 2007. The following is a true and accurate description of what happened to me during my tenure as a Christian. The beginning of it is shortened for the purposes of making sure you don't have too much to read and yet - still recieve the base message. But the series of events that occurred to turn me away from Christianity is explained in great detail because I want to let anyone reading this know exactly what happened. I have been a Christian October 2003 - that's the month when I was baptized into Christianity. I decided to be baptized on the second visit to the church but, that's only due to the fact that I was lonely and the belief that these people were accepting. And even though they were accepting from my point of view, my family and certain other factions of the church still made me cringe. I did no studying about the religion before hand and I really wish I did, because then I wouldn't be looking like a wet fool. I don't think I could go inside that church again simply due to the fact that I made myself look like a complete and total fool. I gained more acceptance when I attended school club called "Fellowship of Christian Students" (formerly named Fellowship of Christian Athletes). I was surrounded by happy songs and things when in reality, I was being led into a lion's den and did not realize it. After graduation, I continued to go to church - but my family decided to start going to a different church - which was even further away then the church that we were presently going to. This new church was also more inhospitible. After taking a year's sabbatical on my studies after graduation, I decided to cash in the trust fund I had from my grandmother, (worth US$25,000) and go up to Canada to attend a Bible College known as Alberta Bible College. The tuition was around $8,000 a year so I thought - hey, it's a good price - right? Wrong. When I landed in the country - I was introduced to my landlord and to the college and saw what a dump the place was. Things get worse. The next day was a meeting of all the students. I met this girl and she conned me into giving her $6,000 of gifts before revealing that she "wasn't interested in me". I was shocked, appauled and angered that I decided to write a post on my personal weblog about her. Combine that with the problem I was having with my roommate (he stole about $2000 of money), and you find that I have been summoned to enquiry by the administration of the college. They forced me to go to Psychological evaluations which were at my cost. They decided to publicize this to the student body. I was terribly shocked and appauled. I also learned that the staff made sure to try to spread other rumours amongst the student body. Even despite the problems at the college - I was robbed of nearly all my money by my roommate, Dusten and I was removed from the college. After much introspection that followed these events and after much study - I've decided to steer away from Christianity and turn towards a faith that is more accepting of other faiths and beliefs. Enter Buddhism. And every time I study another Christian text or a Buddhist text, I'm happy with my new faith. True that some people still try to convert me - I'm happy being a Buddhist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted April 17, 2007 Share Posted April 17, 2007 Kyle, that is a horrible experience. I don't know what is the matter with churches that take new members without at least checking that they believe the right things. That can be abusive, too, as it was in my case. But at least you don't get accepted into membership before you are introduced to the system and how it works. I also wonder where your parents and grandmother were hiding out when you went to that Bible College. Why did no one offer advice or guidance? I think there is a happy medium between turning a kid loose with that much money and stipulating exactly what it must be used for. The least they could have done was take some interest in you and your life. You are commendable for taking responsibility for all of this, Kyle. If Buddhism works for you, by all means go for it. If, in time, you find it doesn't work as well as it seemed at first, you can always do further exploration. For now you might want to just stick with what works. After all those experiences you may need some time to just get to know who you are. I think Buddhism has some really good techniques for that. Thanks for sharing your story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eccles Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Kyle, You sure got done. I have had personal experience of that with the "Holy" Roman Catholic Church, not as bad but they always take from you and give you back nothing. I am now Atheist so my comments will be colored by that. Why did you decide to waste that generous gift from you grandmother to go to a bible college to learn about the most riduculous book of BS ever written. It is based on the false belief that there is a "god". Can you or anyone prove there is a "god"? NO. I am a Scientist (amateur) and my logic tells me that there was/is no "god/creator". Anyone who believes the fiction in the books of Genesis and Exodus needs a reality check. Same with the New Testament. All stories about Jesus the Nazarene were made up at the Council of Nicea and based on the Roman Pagan religion of Mithraism and the Egyptian religious storys, e.g. the story of Isis and Baby Horus: Mary and Baby Jesus. At least Buddhism is not based on a "god". It is a philosophy of life. However, personally I don't need anything like that. It sickens me to see what is still happening in the USA, or should we call it the "United Christian States of America" where 50% of the people believe the World is only 10,000 years old. Those bible thumping preachers should be stopped and science should replace religion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gusdafa Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Hi Kyle, Good of you to step out of christianity My deconversion story started really early when I didnt take the church I was raised in seriously. As of now the only thing I take seriously from my whole religious exposure is my quest to know why so many people dont get atheism and why it doesnt make sense to them as it is to me. And yeah, what a waste of money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuroikaze Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Welcome Kyle, I too was manipulated by a campus ministry ( Student Mobilization) while I was in college. They promise all sorts of things they can't deliver. I'm not a Buddhist but I've studied it a bit and find it an interesting religion, hang around a bit and share your thoughts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendybabe Posted April 18, 2007 Share Posted April 18, 2007 Boy this really sounds sad. I guess I can relate to the fact that a few people I have met really screwed me. I guess they saw some sort of weakness in me they could monopolize on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jessica Sideways Posted April 18, 2007 Author Share Posted April 18, 2007 Kyle, that is a horrible experience. I don't know what is the matter with churches that take new members without at least checking that they believe the right things. That can be abusive, too, as it was in my case. But at least you don't get accepted into membership before you are introduced to the system and how it works. I also wonder where your parents and grandmother were hiding out when you went to that Bible College. Why did no one offer advice or guidance? I think there is a happy medium between turning a kid loose with that much money and stipulating exactly what it must be used for. The least they could have done was take some interest in you and your life. You are commendable for taking responsibility for all of this, Kyle. If Buddhism works for you, by all means go for it. If, in time, you find it doesn't work as well as it seemed at first, you can always do further exploration. For now you might want to just stick with what works. After all those experiences you may need some time to just get to know who you are. I think Buddhism has some really good techniques for that. Thanks for sharing your story. I learned a valuable lesson: Friends don't let friends go to bible college. This wake up call cost me big. Kyle,You sure got done. I have had personal experience of that with the "Holy" Roman Catholic Church, not as bad but they always take from you and give you back nothing. I am now Atheist so my comments will be colored by that. Why did you decide to waste that generous gift from you grandmother to go to a bible college to learn about the most riduculous book of BS ever written. It is based on the false belief that there is a "god". Can you or anyone prove there is a "god"? NO. I am a Scientist (amateur) and my logic tells me that there was/is no "god/creator". Anyone who believes the fiction in the books of Genesis and Exodus needs a reality check. Same with the New Testament. All stories about Jesus the Nazarene were made up at the Council of Nicea and based on the Roman Pagan religion of Mithraism and the Egyptian religious storys, e.g. the story of Isis and Baby Horus: Mary and Baby Jesus. At least Buddhism is not based on a "god". It is a philosophy of life. However, personally I don't need anything like that. It sickens me to see what is still happening in the USA, or should we call it the "United Christian States of America" where 50% of the people believe the World is only 10,000 years old. Those bible thumping preachers should be stopped and science should replace religion. Yeah. It's like Scientology. They screw you any and every way they can. And the truth of the matter is I was ill in the head. That's why I wasted my money at a Bible College. It's called Christianity and it can be cured by intelligence and reading the entre Bible cover to cover with an intelligent, objective mind. Why would any God send people who disobey to hell? Why even create hell in the first place? Exactly. Because he doesn't exist and even if he did, he's a real dickhead. Hi Kyle, Good of you to step out of christianity My deconversion story started really early when I didnt take the church I was raised in seriously. As of now the only thing I take seriously from my whole religious exposure is my quest to know why so many people dont get atheism and why it doesnt make sense to them as it is to me. And yeah, what a waste of money I wasn't raised in a church. My first church experience (that I could remember) was when I was living in the poor area of Northwest Houston. I went to a bible class at a Methodist church and they made fun of me since I was the 'weird' kid in school. Welcome Kyle, I too was manipulated by a campus ministry ( Student Mobilization) while I was in college. They promise all sorts of things they can't deliver. I'm not a Buddhist but I've studied it a bit and find it an interesting religion, hang around a bit and share your thoughts It's the name of the game in Christianity. Promising the heavens and delivering the nasty church politics and making you poorer by giving to the church. It's been a racket ever since someone crazier then L Ron Hubbard wrote the Bible (I have a firm belief that Christianity is one of the oldest cons in the world). I plan to study Buddhism thoroughly and even become a lay buddhist at a temple in London. Boy this really sounds sad. I guess I can relate to the fact that a few people I have met really screwed me. I guess they saw some sort of weakness in me they could monopolize on. Yeah, they try to. I don't want to sound paranoid or anything but I'm willing to bet that Miranda was paid by the college to try to help sucker someone. They really like to fuck with foreigners. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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