Vomit Comet Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Still going through the literature tonight... the quest to refine things continues! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neon Genesis Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I was a fairly average Christian. I'd go to church three times a week, pray, read the bible, participate in some church activities but not a lot, but that was mostly it and I never went out evangelizing or anything. I was a member of the Church Of Christ. They weren't so ultra-conversative or as strict in your personal life or speaking in tongues crazyness. Like you could have non-COC friends, and listen and watch/read mainstream entertainment as long as it wasn't anything pornographic. But they were all YECs and they had strict rules about proper worship service and you weren't considered a "true" Christian unless you agreed with everything they said. Other fundamentalists weren't considered true Christians if they didn't worship God "properly" or weren't saved correctly. Holly roller xtians were considered to be heretics and liberal xtians were considered to be lukewarm cherry pickers that Jesus wanted to spit out of his mouth. It's ironic though that when I was a Christian, I was afraid to try and convert somebody because I was worried I didn't have enough knowledge about the bible to do it. But now that I'm an atheist, it's so much more easier to argue against it because the bible is so obviously full of holes big enough to drive a truck through and I know more about the bible now than I did when I was a Christian. Deconverted-wise, I guess I'm your average atheist. I'd prefer it if there was at least less religion, but as long as they're not using their beliefs to hurt others or forcing their beliefs on others, I won't care as much although I will gladly debate anyone if they're open to a a debate, but I don't go to Christian boards to deconvert them mainly because it seems like a waste of time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L2K Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 Oh, man...I about died laughing from some of those poll choices. Anyways, I was never really a serious Christian. I was told to go to church, so I did. I was told to get baptized, so I did. Never really liked Church Service. All I liked doing at church was socializing with the other kids and our youth minister. Needless to say, I wasn't really a strong Christian. Am I a strong Pagan now? Well, I'm alot stronger as a Pagan than I was as a Christian, that's for sure. I actually take this seriously, and am glad. I can't really practice anything being in a christian household, but that will end as soon as I can get a job and move out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vomit Comet Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Wow, thanks guys! This is great stuff, keep it coming. For the Record: 1. Yes, I am planning on researching this topic formally some day (could be years from now, who knows?), but nothing is written in stone as of yet. But aside from reviewing the academic literature, I'm just poking around in the dark for now, for curiosity's sake. 2. Don't worry, nobody's serving as a guineau pig here. Everything I'm doing is strictly off the clock, just to get my own gears spinning in private. 3. If/when I was going to embark on such a formal project, absolutely nobody would be remotely involved whatsoever unless I had their full 100% consent after giving them full 100% knowledge of what they'd be getting into. 4. Just to be perfectly clear, in case anybody thought I might be doing some kind of unethical covert stuff here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vomit Comet Posted April 21, 2009 Author Share Posted April 21, 2009 Oh, man...I about died laughing from some of those poll choices. Yeah, I wish I could make real survey questions that fun. Anyways, I was never really a serious Christian. I was told to go to church, so I did. I was told to get baptized, so I did. Never really liked Church Service. All I liked doing at church was socializing with the other kids and our youth minister. What kind of church? Generally speaking, a liberal fuzzy wuzzy "oh, God would never do something mean like sending somebody to hell" kind of church is a lot easier to drift out of than a fundamentalist "you gonna burrr-un in hey-yell, mothafucka!!!" kind of church, and the statistics most definitely reflect this. The drift/drop-out/disaffiliation rates for liberal/mainline denominations are much, much higher than they are for the conservative/fundie churches, and that has been the case since the mid 20th century, possibly earlier depending on how you look at it. Also, did the fear of hell keep you hooked for as long as you were? Or was that not a biggie? The "hell" thing was a big part of what kept me hooked; the last few years I found myself wishing that it wasn't true, that it wasn't real. I had a hell of a time (pun intended) convincing myself that I could break from it and not be pissing off YHWH as I had understood him. Needless to say, I wasn't really a strong Christian. Am I a strong Pagan now? Well, I'm alot stronger as a Pagan than I was as a Christian, that's for sure. I actually take this seriously, and am glad. I can't really practice anything being in a christian household, but that will end as soon as I can get a job and move out. What was it like being able to choose your new religion/faith/way after discarding the old one? Would you say that this element of "choice" is part of the reason why your new faith is so much stronger than the old? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raul Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 -How much of a Christian were you? -I was stronger than average, I'd say. -How much of an "anti-Christian" are you now? -I'm against it but I'm not quite so active about it as those guys are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmmaRose Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I was hardcore Christian--conservative, read the whole Bible numerous times, serving in the church, etc. etc. Never was really into witnessing, but I was very interested in following as much of the Bible as I could. My church was very fundamentalist, but there was/is a focus on "grace". Now, I'm either a strong agnostic or weak atheist. I'm not convinced there is no possibly whatsoever 100% convinced there is no god. But, I am pretty convinced it isn't the god portrayed in the Bible and I don't think anything could change my mind--short of him appearing out of the sky. Is there another god/spirit/creator/etc? I don't know and I don't think we as humans can know. Now, if someone could explain some diety in a way that answered all my questions, than I would consider changing my beliefs. But so far no one can and I see no need for religion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highvoltage Posted April 21, 2009 Share Posted April 21, 2009 I was a pretty hardcore Christian in my day. I went to church 3+ times a week, read the bible nearly every day, prayed constantly, and even witnessed to people. Then when I lost my faith, I had real anger issues with christianity. If I had taken this poll 3 months after I lost my faith I would have answered "Fuck the church, fuck all Christians, fuck you God, fuck you Jesus, FUCK YOU!!!" to the second question, but I've mellowed out since then. Now I'm against it, but whatever. I try to live and let live. As far as my beliefs now, I'm a strong atheist. All gods are imaginary, end of story (IMHO ). I wouldn't call myself a "New Atheist," though. New Atheism seems kind of evangelistic/preachy to me. But whatever, I'm glad some people out there are doing it, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godlessgrrl Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 There was a time when I was pretty hardcore xian, but I mellowed somewhat over the years. Right now I'm pretty actively opposed to xianity, to a degree of enthusiasm that is similar to the degree I had when I was a believer. If the pattern holds as before it'll probably mellow over the years too, and eventually I'll either switch again to some other spiritual path or else I'll just be a sort of live-and-let-live atheist. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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