10 Reasons why you were (or are) Xtian

[Vixentrox]

Since we have a list of 10 reasons why we are no longer Xtian, I thought it might be interesting to see why we were (or still are) Xtian to begin with.

 

1. Parents indocrinated me into it

2. Fear of going to hell

3. Fear of God watching my every move

4. Fear of bad things happening to me if I was naughty

5. Hope that if I prayed hard enough, I could make things go my way

6. Promise of eternal happiness in heaven

7. Didn't critically analyse the Bible

8. Having a social support group

9. Being accepted as one of the flock

10. Feeling superior to those heathens that didn't belive

[Totallyatpeace]

First, I’d like to say that I wish this were not in the debate forum. I’ve no intentions of debating my responses but I think your question is a good one and deserves some honest answers.

 

 

1. My Parents are both Christians and were faithful and loving, not judgmental. The didn’t waiver.

 

2. I enjoyed the environment of my church family.

 

3. At the age of 8, my faith became my own and I had a new passion.

 

4. Reading the Bible and beginning to understand it in it’s entirety.

 

5. Moved away from church doctrine.

 

6. Changed my direction to living my life as Christ did instead of following church legalism.

 

7. Communing in prayer.

 

8. The promise of heaven.

 

9. Witnessing the miracle of a changed life from the inside out.

 

10. The "personal Relationship".

 

 

TAP

[Reach]

Just off the top of my head, in no particular order...

 

I was a Christian...

1. My mother, "saved" when I was three years old, indocrinated me into it.

2. Desire to be "one" with the alleged creator of the universe

3. Promise of eternal security in heaven, the issue of hell was settled.

4. Christianity met my emotional needs.

5. Total acceptance by God

6. Christianity answered the big existential questions, i.e... why we are here. Defined our purpose, our raison d'être.

7. In church at three, I didn't critically analyze the Bible until I was older.

8. Evangelism gave me a cause.

9. As far as personal growth and potential goes, I could relate to many of the teachings of Jesus, for example, the selfless life.

10. Who knows? I'm lucky I filled in nine slots.

[Clearview]

When I was on my way to joining the born-again group, after having spent my life as a Catholic, I was concerned with "witnessing". I was told it was something I was supposed to do, but even thinking about it felt strange and awkward. I asked myself why I believe, and it all boiled down to one thing:

 

Indoctrination.

 

It was because my mommy told me so. There was not one other reason why I believed. Try as I might, there was no other truth to be found. That was the split second before the house of cards began to fall.

[zfunkman]

First, I’d like to say that I wish this were not in the debate forum. I’ve no intentions of debating my responses but I think your question is a good one and deserves some honest answers. 

1. My Parents are both Christians and were faithful and loving, not judgmental. The didn’t waiver.

 

2. I enjoyed the environment of my church family.

 

3. At the age of 8, my faith became my own and I had a new passion.

 

4. Reading the Bible and beginning to understand it in it’s entirety.

 

5. Moved away from church doctrine.

 

6. Changed my direction to living my life as Christ did instead of following church legalism.

 

7. Communing in prayer.

 

8. The promise of heaven.

 

9. Witnessing the miracle of a changed life from the inside out.

 

10. The "personal Relationship".

TAP

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You forgot to mention:

11. You agree with slavery.

 

12. You believe women should be submissive to men.

 

13. You support "God's" murder of women and children.

 

14. You support and accept that most of humanity, (maybe even yourself), will suffer in hell for eternity.

[Thurisaz]

Since we have a list of 10 reasons why we are no longer Xtian, I thought it might be interesting to see why we were (or still are) Xtian to begin with.

 

1. I was born into a nominally christian society

2. I found German protestantism okay. Apathetic but okay.

3. I never thought that anyone could seriously believe in a literal truth of the wholly babble.

7. to 10. : See 1. to 3.

[Totallyatpeace]

zfunkman~

 

I’ll let you know when you know my mind and my heart enough that you can speak for me.

 

Give your own ten answers.

 

 

TAP

[Lokmer]

1) Father was a minister, I grew up believing

2) The nascent belief gave me strength and courage in terribly dark and difficult times.

3) I had no reason to doubt the truth of its claims

4) I value my life, and wanted someone to be thankful to

5) I looked forward to life eternal

6) I drew my value from my relationship to the creator of the universe

7) It gave me a spiritually and emotionally "safe" place from which to engage other people.

8) I loved the story

9) It gave me a sense of direction and purpose

10) It gave me a positive reason to pursue excellence and integrity (doing the best I could with the gifts God had given me).

 

 

That was tough!!

-Lokmer

[zfunkman]

zfunkman~

 

I’ll let you know when you know my mind and my heart enough that you can speak for me.

 

Give your own ten answers. 

TAP

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, I've read the bible. Old and New testiments. So, the way I see it, xtians are supposed to believe in all of it and accept biblegod for all he is and does. Since the bible agrees with what I wrote and you agree with the bible, I figure you support the atrocities I've mentioned. Unless you are a "sinner" and leave out what you don't like in the bible and take what you do like. The way I read the bible you either believe in it or you don't. According to the bible it is not supposed to be "altered" not is there supposed to be any division amongst xtians. And xtians are not supposed to intermingle with non-xtians. I will admit that I do not know your mind but I do know what it says in the bible which is the basis for all you belief.

I really don't have ten answers. When I was a xtian, it was because I was born into a xtian family and I had never really read the bible. After I actually read the entire bible I discovered it to be the worst peice of literature I've ever read and the most unbelievable story I'd ever put my eyes on. So I guess I could say I was a xtian out of ignorance and ceased being a xtian through reason, logic and intellect.

[Guest Euthyphro]

1) I am originaly from a fundy town in Oklahoma. My family and relatives live in the same community and are all X'ers just like most everyone else.

Children under the age of 11 usualy believe most of what thier parents tell them, jesus and heaven sounded good to me when I was a preteen.

 

2) I wondered how everything came to be. I still argue to ignorance when it comes to a Creator. I can't seem to shake that.

 

3) I liked the jesus that our pastor talked about. (Before I turned 13 that man was replaced by another pastor who fixated on hell and was a bigot.)

[Guest Challenger]

zfunkman~

 

I’ll let you know when you know my mind and my heart enough that you can speak for me.

 

Give your own ten answers. 

TAP

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

You go, girl!

[Hellbound Alleee]

I always chuckle when Christian kids talk about "changed lives." How much of a changed life can a little kid have? "I became a christian and I stopped drinking and sleeping around."

 

Here's my totally honest answer as to why I was a Christian (ostensibly).

 

I was told to be.

 

The end.

 

It's good to grow up and become morally autonomous. And I'm glad that my family, friends and I aren't trying to be like Jesus. That would be scary. I don't want anything to do with crazy apocalypticists.

[Totallyatpeace]

zfunkman~

 

I can appreciate what you are saying because I have heard it here many times before and I’m very aware of the different reasons that members here have walked away from their faith. I’ve been reading along here since last summer. I’m only saying that he asked our individual opinions and that is what I gave.

 

I’m looking forward to reading your personal opinion.

 

TAP

[Valgeir]

I really don't know if I ever was a Christian, but I guess if you could call what I was "Christian" it was because I was around 9 or 10 and didn't know any better. I think by 11 I had started my atheistic approach to life, but I'm certain it was by 12.

[I Broke Free]

1) I thought being a Christian would make me happy

 

It didn’t

[sexkitten]

Because I wanted some sort of structure to make sense of adolescence, my body, mind, and family were all things that seemed out of control.

[fallenleaf]

1) My mother was a Christian and worked very hard for many years to convince my malleable young mind that it was just the way things are.

 

2) Because I really wanted to believe... it seemed so wonderful and magical (to me at that time).

 

3) I did not want to go to hell... I didn't really want to go to heaven either but I figured heaven was probably what you really wanted it to be and not what everyone said it was.

 

4) I love water... and any excuse to get in some is a good enough excuse for me. I've been baptized more often than I have fingers and toes. Technically, this counts as a good enough reason for me. I wish I was kidding here... but I'm serious.

 

5) It made my mom happy... or rather it prevented her from feeling sad.

 

6) I thought the cruxifiction was a pretty good idea.

 

7) I have always loved theater... and the church is theater... piss-poor theater, downright horrible theater, but theater nonetheless.

 

8) I was not aware there was an option to not believe (I thought everyone believed and I was the only one who did not see it).

 

9) I was madly in love with the priest... but he always fucked the pretty boys. [Okay, a molestation joke... but I'm running out of serious reasons.]

 

10) Before I took any science courses, I thought the church had scientific answers for all the problems in the bible.

[Matthew]

The ten reasons I considered myself a Christian for a decade were

 

1.) I grew up as a Christian and it was the only reality I really knew. This seemed to be what my dad preached and who was I to question it.

 

2.) I met some joyful and loving people who were Christians such as my English high school teacher at a private Christian high school.

 

3.) Christianity seemed to provide purpose and direction for life as opposed to the nihilism of atheism which made life seem pointless.

 

4.) Christianity promised an eternal afterlife for all who believed. Who could turn down the possiblility of eternal life?

 

5.) I thought Christianity was backed up by historical evidence like Josh McDowell and Lee Stroble argued.

 

6.) Christianity made me feel like if there was one thing I could ever do right in my life it would be a relationship with Jesus; I thought I was a hopeless loser at anything else in life.

 

7.) Christianity made it seem like I wasn't doomed to be single forever and that there was a girl out there for me who would love me despite my geekness.

 

8.) Christianity seemed to provide a moral compass in life; without there was just moral anarchy.

 

9.) Christianity was very mature; if I was a devout Christian then adults would have to treat me seriously and not act like I was a little baby boy in diapers.

 

10.) Christianity provided a security blanket for me; despite whatever evils existed out there, I was safe in the arms of Christ

 

Matthew

[spidermonkey]

1) indocrination. If not for that, I never would have gotten involved.

2) Being unhappy with where I was in life and wanting hope - this is why I got so involved in the first place

3) Fear of hell

4) Continued family pressure -at one point, I was considering going to other churches, but my dad refused. My brother also wanted to attend another youth group with his friends, but was rarely allowed to do so.

5) Wanting to please my family

6) Wanting to please ghod - this was after I had internalized all of the brainwashing I had endured

7) Looking for happiness

8) Wanting to fit in somewhere

 

 

 

....I can't think of any more. sheesh!

[- AUB -]

1. England has compulsory religion in school.

 

2 - 10 see above

 

(this is also the reason most leave the faith when they leave school)

[Guest Slayer-2004]

Why I joined .

 

1 . Parents were kind christians who indoctrinated me into it . At the time I found no reason to disagree .

 

2 . I liked the idea of an all loving god willing to give his life for us .

 

3 . Generally good morals can be found in the bible .

 

4 . The bible was a good read for me at the time .

 

5 . Miracles happening in everyday life .

 

6 . I liked how Jesus would spend his personal time with those who believed .

 

7 . Christian school in america .

 

8 . I could hear gods voice when I prayed .

 

9 . Joy

 

10 . The amazing definition the bible gives for "Love" .

 

 

But after a while I started to realize :

 

1 . My parents were actually the most intolerant and mean spirited when they were talking about religion . I realised they would be nicer if they were not christians .

 

2 . The "I give my life for you" line has a major string attached to it . Hell for kind hearted people who did nothing wrong but incorrectly guess the billion dollar question .

 

3 . Generally good morals can also be found in paganism , buddhism , Islam , ect .

 

4. The bible was a good read for me when I was young and willing to believe anything .

 

5 . I realised that miracles often add up with statistics , and whe you allow yourself to reason with them without letting what you want to be true get in the way of reason it becomes painfully obvious that they dont truly exist .

 

6 . Jesus never physically appeared to me or anyone else for that matter .

 

7 . I read into science more , and realised how bunk creation science is .

 

8 . I realised that the voice was none other then my true inner self . Its still with me by the way , even after deconverting .

 

9 . God doesnt obey his own rules .

 

10 . The amazing similarity between biblical science and what was known at the time .

[scitsofreaky]

I really have only one reason: I was raised that way. I would have been anything my family was.

[chefranden]

The first time:

 

1. Indoctrinated from birth.

 

2. Feared hell due to Masturbation.

 

3. Liked the pastor.

 

4. The Jesus knocking at the door picture in the hallway.

 

 

The second time:

 

1. Had a vision of sorts.

 

2. Wanted "the peace that passeth understanding."

[Totallyatpeace]

Vision?

 

I would love to hear more about that sometime.

[Jaded]

FAMILY

 

1. Born and raised into it. My family and most of the people I knew were Christian.

 

2. I was mostly exposed to the loving, tolerant side of Catholicism. The “universal church” and god loves everyone regardless of their beliefs. It seems now that it isn’t the official catholic doctrine, but it’s what I remember from school.

 

QUESTIONS

 

3. Why are we us? I think the evidence overwhelmingly points to evolution, but it doesn’t explain everything neatly. How did we become conscious, able to think, able to have emotions? I know allot more about biology and physiology now, but there is still no easy answer.

 

4. Is this all that there is? I remember practically having a breakdown in my sixth grade religion class because of this question (or maybe it was just catholic school lunches). It seems like there is some bigger question to why we are here, why we are who we are, and how we are only an incredibly small part of a huge and amazing universe.

 

5. What happens when we die? It’s a big question and very few want to face the concept of everything we know just ending. All we have ever known is life, facing the idea of a permanent death is very difficult.

 

PERSONAL FEELINGS, RELATIONSHIP?

 

6. I used to believe I had a feeling of “connection” to god when I prayed. The feeling of having a caring creator and savior who listens to you and will take care of you is a pretty good one. I still get the feeling from time to time. Either there is a God and he loves atheists or it is just a feeling of wonder and brain chemistry under certain conditions.

 

7. Feeling that I was “called” to something bigger. A long time ago in a school far, far away I once thought I wanted to be a priest. They were impressive, had all the answers, were always there to help people, and never doubted their faith. That didn’t happen, but I later felt I was called to be a healer, and again called to spread the word of the bible.

 

8. I thought that the bible had all of the answers. As I got a bit older and away from my Catholic family I started to study the bible pretty regularly. I avoided the parts I didn’t like or found confusing and inconsistent.

 

NOT WANTING TO FACE THE ALTERNATIVE

 

9. Christians always seemed like the only caring and moral group. When I was involved with churches and Christian groups I always viewed those outside of the group with suspicion. At least the groups I was around (and my family to a degree) tended to demonize those of other beliefs or no belief. Fortunately this belief crumbled as I met more people outside of my comfortable circle.

 

10. It was really hard to finally face the fact that I had doubts. I had big questions, nagging doubts, and issues for years. It was far easier to suppress my doubts and look for new churches that “had the answers” than it was to accept the idea that I doubted. Fear of losing a chance at heaven and possibly facing hell kept me in line for a while.