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Goodbye Jesus

Circular logic at its finest


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Sent in by Jeff

 

As I perused over a lot of the articles on this site, I realized I fit the common profile. I grew up in Alabama my whole life, was born and raised in a Southern Baptist church, and was inducted into the cult around the age of 9. For several years, everything about Christianity made sense (at least from what I could perceive). But, starting around the age of 15 (i estimate), i would get occasional doubts in my mind. E.g. How could a perfectly benevolent god create evil? and if he didn't, wouldn't his omniscience and omnipotence enable him to prevent ANYTHING from creating a malevolent presence? Or if all of creation was ruled by god, why did he have no choice but to sacrifice his son?

 

But every time, I would cast off these thoughts as evidence that I didn't know enough about the Bible.

 

Then, just a couple of weeks ago, I had my revelation. After hearing a lecture from my Geography professor, I decided to do some research on the age of the Earth. I realized that there is more than enough physical evidence that gives way to the idea of a billion-year old earth, but the Bible only accounts for an earth around 7000 years old. This was not the first time I had this thought. My pastors and Bible study teachers would always dismiss such evidence with biblical passages about "not following the way of science, but the way of faith" or something like that. But now, 19 years old, I had a new thought: If God wants nothing more than all mankind to follow him, why would he create an earth filled with endless amounts of proof against his Word? Sounds like a pretty deceptive god to me. Even if he was real, he isn't the kind of god I'd want to live for. This revelation made me realize that almost all the proof that I had rested my faith on in the past was evidence in the Bible itself. Circular logic at its finest.

 

I still haven't pinpointed what exactly I believe in yet. I know that the near perfectness of the earth (axis tilt, nearness to sun, etc) gives way to the possibility of intelligent design, but not by the Judeo-Christian god. Then again, if the universe is indeed infinite (as some believe), then maybe Earth is just one of infinite outcomes of chance.

 

Now I have mixed feelings. Everything I had ever known to believe has been shattered by intelligence. The greatest fear I have is telling all my friends and family of my newfound beliefs. Almost all my friends back home went to my church, where I was an avid member. Worst even, my parents are some of the most blindly fundamental Christians I know. I have little doubt that they will cease to fund my college education, if not completely disown me.

 

So for now, I'll keep relatively quiet, at least until I am firm enough in my beliefs to face them as more than just a confused teenager.

 

http://exchristian.net/testimonies/2008/01...its-finest.html

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I struggle with your same questions. I have chosen to remain believing in one creator.. one energy/god. I was raised Southern Baptist as you were. It's a tough religion to break away from for fear of hell... but I researched and read many articles and books. I found my resolve.

I trust you will too. The other issues that you have will be a personal experience that many here have been through or are currently working through. Take some time and read what others have to share. It may help you.. and we are always here to listen and offer our support.

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I hear you there. This is probobly the biggest reason why I stay away from the faith. When it all boils down, christians have nothing. No proof. Nada. Squat.

 

...Just faith backed by special pleading ( AKA "I failed the Sally Anne test" :P )

 

All their claims are either highly biased in favor of or completely based off the bible, which is the very thing they are attempting to show as valid. Most, if not all arguments made in favor of the xian borg are thus rooted in circular reasoning.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I know what you mean. For the longest time, the hell doctrine kept me in line even though I was what the Baptists like to call Backslid.

I'd had some doubts though and some differing views. I guess in the end it was a little bit of discrediting of biblical "facts" and the majority of it the idea of eternal damnation. I was "saved" but my heart ached because of the idea that supposedly ninety percent of the world was going to hell. I finally realized that the God who created the universe couldn't be a psychotic bully who'd send people to a place of eternal torment just because they didn't worship him, or worship him "the right way."

 

I also am not certain what I believe. I think there is some sort of God, but there's no way it could be the cruel god of the bible. Whatever created the 100 billion plus galaxies of the universe isn't going to be so small minded and petty it's going to get pissed off because some of it's creations decided to think for themselves.

 

It's going to be tough no doubt for you. I can never tell my folks , and have only been able to tell a few open minded friends. But be of good cheer, you will be fine and find your own way.I'm just glad that you've seen the light so young. I'm 41 and when I think of how all those years I could have been fully enjoying my youth instead of cowering in fear, it sickens me.

 

Good luck !

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Now I have mixed feelings. Everything I had ever known to believe has been shattered by intelligence. The greatest fear I have is telling all my friends and family of my newfound beliefs. Almost all my friends back home went to my church, where I was an avid member. Worst even, my parents are some of the most blindly fundamental Christians I know. I have little doubt that they will cease to fund my college education, if not completely disown me.

 

So for now, I'll keep relatively quiet, at least until I am firm enough in my beliefs to face them as more than just a confused teenager.

 

http://exchristian.net/testimonies/2008/01...its-finest.html

 

I don't know if I'm right or wrong in saying this but I think this urgent feeling that we have to tell our family and friends about something as personal as our convictions about their fantasies comes from evangelical religion. Evangelical religion insists that we tell everybody about The Good News--the Great Commission.

 

I wasn't raised in evangelical religion. In addition, I've always been a bit different. I learned very young that it's best not to tell everybody all I know or think. I happened to tell my sister about my deconversion totally by accident; I was simply telling her about something in my life and one of the details gave it away. I lost my family because of it.

 

A few months later an aunt and uncle invited me to a special event at their church. They attend a different church and didn't know about my deconversion. In the end, I had supper with them and then attended church afterwards. It was a "powerful" sermon but I knew where I stood. All I wanted was some contact with family. I was willing to sit through a sermon if only I could have some contact with blood relatives. I barely knew this aunt and uncle but I had heard that they were really "slippery" when it came to religion--they could swindle you into thinking like them if you weren't careful, was the meaning. I wasn't worried.

 

Throughout the evening, in their home, there were lots of opportunities to "drop the hint" that I had deconverted but I carefully answered all questions to circumvent suspicion. Right after the sermon, my aunt turned to me and started discussing theology hard and heavy. No problem. I'm a student in theology and love discussing it. She compared the theologies of the church where I had grown up with the theology of her own church. I agreed with the things she said about the church where I had grown up; she seemed to understand their view. I was also able to understand what she was saying about her own church. Thus, we had a very agreeable conversation. I didn't know why she was having this conversation but I didn't care; I loved it.

 

Suddenly she said, "I think you're okay." She turned away from me, folded her hands in her lap, and relaxed.

 

That's when I understood. That had been her "conversion talk." Her sales pitch. I had passed. :o:rolleyes::blink:

 

Jeff, if you're smart enough to deconvert on your own in the Bible Belt, you're probably smart enough to circumvent their suspicions if that is what you want to do. If you want to tell them and be honest about it, choose the time and place. As I was getting out of the car when they brought me home, my aunt and uncle were telling me that we would do this again. That's when I told them.

 

The air in the car suddenly turned frigid. Their voices became hard. "What do you believe then?" they asked. I wasn't prepared for that question but at the time I found much meaning in Maslow's psychology of self-actualization so I talked very briefly about that. I got back into the car and closed the door before I talked because I didn't want the neighbours to hear. I'm exactly "out" yet. Nor do I see myself coming out. I've been treated too badly by too many people. I live here and hope to go on living here indefinitely. I told a few people and they may or may not have told others. Nobody has confronted me and I'm not bringing up the topic--not after the way my aunt and uncle treated me.

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