Admin webmdave Posted April 13, 2008 Admin Share Posted April 13, 2008 Sent in by Mike Z I have just recently come to my good senses concerning religion and god. Religion is horrible and there is no god. I was raised the first 18 years of my life in a United Pentecostal Church, and those were the most awful years of my life. I am gay and going to church three times a week, sitting there listening to how I was going to hell unless I changed my ways, was the most unbelievably horrible mind fuck anyone could receive. I was told that I was an abomination and a "stink in god's nostrils." The thing was, I knew I was gay and I prayed and prayed to be "delivered." I had preachers try to "cast out the homosexual demon." Nothing worked. Nothing I ever did at church ever changed the feelings I had when I left the building. After I got out of the South and moved on I knew I didn't prescribe to that brand of belief, but I thought I had to hold on to to some sort of belief. I remember visiting my older brother and him telling me that he was an atheist. Even though I didn't have the same old beliefs I had before, I was still taken aback at the thought that someone, especially a member of my own family, could just not believe in some sort of "higher power" or whatever you want to call it. The past couple years I've been doing a lot of soul searching and trying to figure myself out and where I fit in. I came across Richard Dawkins book, "The God Delusion." After reading it, things just became clear. I can now say that I am an atheist. I do however catch myself from time to time saying things like, "Oh Lord, please don't let me be getting sick," or "Thank god I'm not sitting behind that crying baby." Once in a while I will feel a pang of guilt because I don't believe all the mythology anymore. Does this get any easier, do those lingering feelings ever go away? http://exchristian.net/testimonies/2008/04...s-nostrils.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alpha centauri Posted April 13, 2008 Share Posted April 13, 2008 Welcome, Mike! Glad to see you've broken free from the shackles of religion and its lies, superstition and mind control. The only stink is a twisted humanity buying into that garbage and telling you that you are perverted. I believe it is the religious fundamentalists who are truly perverted. They are the ones who need to be reformed. I was once an evangelical who believed the Bible was the inerrant "Word" of God. I now realize it was just a pack of lies designed by people to advance a specific agenda and to marginalize and threaten those who didn't buy in to their beliefs. They threw in some verses and teachings about kindness and love into their "holy" book to mitigate all the violence, threats and discrimination, but that just made their imaginary sky king look incredibly schizophrenic and inconsistent. Anyway, welcome! I hope you find peace, fellowship and intellectual stimulation on these message boards. All the best to you and your loved ones — regardless of their gender! — Alpha Centauri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elana Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 Welcome Mike! Congratulations on leaving the world of the 'narrow-minded'. I am sorry to hear that you had to endure what you did. I know through personal experience how horrible & insane the Pentecostal fundies can be. If there is a group that needs exorcism, they surely qualify. May you find all the truth & peace that you need. elana Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted April 14, 2008 Share Posted April 14, 2008 I do however catch myself from time to time saying things like, "Oh Lord, please don't let me be getting sick," or "Thank god I'm not sitting behind that crying baby." I'd not sweat the small stuff... If find a good blaspheme can work wonders... "God's Teeth" "Jesus, Mary and Joseph" etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Zenobia Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 Thank you for sharing your story and I am happy to hear that you escaped!! Yes, the feelings do start to subside but when you leave behind a religious organization, it's almost like amputating a part of your body. You can still feel it tingling even after it's gone. Think, instead, on what a giant step you have taken. How few people ever have the GUTS to take a deeper look at what they believe, to truly question it and accept the answers - even if the answers are not all comfy, familiar and reasurring. Good for you. Whenever you start to feel guilty for leaving, just reflect on how brave you have been to hold on to who you are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
par4dcourse Posted April 20, 2008 Share Posted April 20, 2008 I was told that I was an abomination and a "stink in god's nostrils." Well, he should rub some holy vicks vapo-rub under his holy nose. Welcome, and I hope you enjoy it here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MesaGman Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 So according to this preacher, scent of a Homosexual is displeasing to god, but the scent of rotting corpses and blood running down the street after some bloody religious massacre, must smell like perfume to him then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hrothwulf Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 So according to this preacher, scent of a Homosexual is displeasing to god, but the scent of rotting corpses and blood running down the street after some bloody religious massacre, must smell like perfume to him then. Apparently Noah's bloody animal sacrifice after the barbaric genocide known as the Flood was pleasing to God. 'Nuff said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandpa Harley Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 and burned offerings are 'sweet' unto the LORD! GLORY! What can one expect of a Hittite War God who finagled a promotion to creator deity? He likes Magnolias? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L.B. Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 One of the nicest, sweetest people I knew in school was a young gay man who had been kicked out of his uber-Catholic family's home when he came out. It always pained me that his home was not the one place where NOTHING could get past the family bond. Religion is so fucked up and powerful in some people's lives that they are willing to throw their own kin under the bus in order to maintain their pious self-righteousness. Good for you! You have finally just started telling things as they are. Kudos. Any encouragement or help or advice you might need, this is the gang to get it from. Peace, L.B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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