Why I Am No Longer A Xian

[mymistake]

 

 

 

 

bite my apple!!

 

 

 

Okay, now you made me play Lady Gaga. Show me your teeth . . .

 

. . . my religion . . .

 

I didn't mean to give to the reputation point by the way............

 

I was wondering who did that. LOL! I didn't think the Christians had the power to up each other or else end3 and Thumb would do it constantly.

[centauri]

God's elect will know how to identify false prophets who do not have the law and the testimony.

Then they'll reject Paul and his no more law theology.

[NotBlinded]

That would be putting too strongly. But it is somewhat correct. You can actually forget about the Old Testament and just stick to the New. You will go further towards understanding God.

Following suit then can we forget about the New Testament and just keep going in our understanding of God?

 

 

No. Jesus is the only way to God. Without Jesus Christ, people are lost.

People that claim this are lost period. Your superficial understanding leaves you blind.

[NotBlinded]

Hello, I remember you

 

...........

Hi Thumb.

 

You will dismiss my EXPERIENCES?

I was under 10 years old when I came to my conclusions. I did not realize that the HS was enlightening me at that time. I had a personal encounter with God around the age 5 or 6 and after my encounter I noticed Catholics praying to their plaster Saints and it struck me as silly as I did not need objects for God to communicate with me when He did. I saw the Hindus with their idols too and I had them and the Catholics down as image worshipers.

I had to occasionally go to religious knowledge class in school but I was aversed to going with the nun, I was not going to let ANYBODY tell me to bow to idols.I was CONVICTED on that.

 

I saw Muslims too and I was curious about why the women covered up soooo much. The two Muslim girls I went to school with were nice and quiet. Between the age of 10 and 13, I looked at the Muslim men and I thought that they were controlling and wanted women as property. I was around other belief systems that scared the crap outta me. A lot of secularists were immoral and full of crap, from toe to head! so I knew that is something I did NOT want. God did not impress me to want to join any of those religions nor did I want to remain secular but I knew God loved me.

No, I don't discount your experiences. I think you just stopped short with regards to the Source of those experiences. You saw the idols in other religions, but failed to recognize them in your own. Any religion that views the writings as the "word of God" is missing what those writings are trying to convey. They worship what is described to them. Now, if you had these experiences so young and as you matured, why did chose to attribute those experiences with one specific religion? Almost any religion can get you there as long as you understand what is at the heart of it. The words themselves are idols. The word tree is not the tree itself. So when you take the words of any religion as absolute truth, they become idols. This is what I meant by it being more mental than the physical idols of other religions. Any person that moves beyond those images knows that the image of Khrisna is not a god itself. It's a representation of an aspect of God Itself. The One.

 

BTW, observing secular living, Muslim men wanting women as property, Hindu men (in the news) were killing their wives (I think one chopped off his wives' private part and was carrying it around in his pocket) and men in the bible treating women as property made me very cynical and sarcastic and I realized that God's timing was PERFECT in that He reached out to me BEFORE the cynicism set in. I also got a taste of bible prophecy by age 13. I fully understood this text : Gen 3:16 even though no one taught me about it. I was observing life but in hindsight I realize that God was revealing His truths to me based on the environment I grew up in. I UNDERSTOOD that all of that mistreatment of women came about because man was disobedient to God; I don't know how I did but knowing what I know now, I'm like "WOW!"

I'm not touching that too much because I don't think birth is too pleasant for any animal.

 

I do not dismiss Aman's and others' experiences, I just disagree with the source. I choose not to expound at this time because Aman is CLOSED to the bible and I don't want to be a bible thumper as I see he is passionate about his beliefs. Also, he got me to laugh so I like him too. I'd much rather thump on the atheists (some of them), they don't care much (some have very tough hides), I tell them their lack of belief is crap they tell me ditto to my beliefs and it's kinda fun/sad in a weird way *smh* I need to say this prayer for them: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."

I love them but they are troublemakers.

I have never heard a more false statement as Antlerman being closed to the bible. He's closed, as am I, to the understanding that it is the only way to experience God. No religion has a monopoly on God. They are just different ways to understanding. If you look at them as the only truth and see the words as absolute, then they are very different. If you see them as a collection of humans using symbols as pointers to the truth, they are very similar. How else can one even try to explain in words the Divine other than using metaphor, parables or stories? One can't turn these books into idols and expect to move beyond them to know their own experiences. It's fine to choose one or the other as a better way for each individual to understand. What isn't okay is claim that your way is the only way. You may say that I am saying that my way is better and I'm being hypocritical, but that's not so. If it discounts anyone's ability to reach the Divine, that is there regardless of any belief system, then it's wrong.

[JayL]

What is mean is that you'd be lost in terms of having direct experience with God. From what I read so far from this board, nobody on this board had a direct, personal experience with God. Yes, you attended some churches. You nodded to some meaningless doctrines. And you used to consider yourself Christians, etc. You may have even earnestly studied the Bible. But NONE of you can say you had direct, personal experience with God. Because if you did, you will not remain the same person. You would be totally in love with the most wonderful person there is. It is my contention that such a direct, personal experience is only possible thru faith in Jesus Christ. Knowing what I know now, I woujld not even waste my time with other religions. But that is just me.

 

I did. I had lots of "direct, personal experiences with God". And then I was diagnosed with bipolar. Funny, that.

 

 

 

Hope you are doing better.

[JayL]

Hey Thumbelina,

 

 

Greetings in Christ.

 

 

Thanks for ministering here.

 

 

Best wishes.

this is the best entertainment.......

 

Because you make so much sense and think for yourself and you are so full of Christ's love....................I am almost ready to serve him again.

Praise god!!

 

 

 

Or you can be serious and write another testimony of your life. Then we can talk.

 

 

Jay, you aren't serious yourself, how can you think we can take you seriously? Go home to momma and leave us adults here alone so we can have a serious discussion.

 

Yeah, you are really gettin us all fired up for Gawd. GTF out of here. Don't let the door slam your ass on the way out.

 

 

 

I like that passion.

[JayL]

Well, you had my answer on your testimony.

 

Take your sarcasm and get lost.

 

JayL are you trying to offend the moderators?

 

Don't you remember me warning you that people around here don't want your version of Christianity so thank you very much but don't try to shove it down our throats? I tried to start off with you on the right foot but it's like you don't even care. Now you are telling people to get lost on our forum.

 

 

 

You know what? I made a mistake of stopping by here during weekday work hour. I am usually not too patient at those hours. I blew some fuse and told people off in bad ways.

 

I admit some faults here. I should mainly come here over the weekend - like Sunday morning when I am calmer. Or at least in the evening when I am calmer. I am just getting restarted here. So some mistakes are being made.

[mymistake]

I admit some faults here. I should mainly come here over the weekend - like Sunday morning when I am calmer. Or at least in the evening when I am calmer. I am just getting restarted here. So some mistakes are being made.

 

It's your faith that causes the problem. It hurts you by giving you cognitive dissonance. It fills you with beliefs that cannot be satisfied because they do not live up to reality. And when you see your beliefs prove false this fills you with anger. You have been pumped full of fear in order that you can be controlled. But that fear has forced you to invest your life into your religion. You like to see yourself as a reasonable person so you have to see this investment as reasonable as well. Secretly, trying to make your beliefs work is like trying to make a queen sized sheet fit a king sized bed. Every time you stretch the ideas to fit in one corner they come unraveled somewhere else. And there is this damn inside you holding back all the pain you have suppressed. You can feel it pressing on you all the time. So you are desperate to share this good news with somebody. Because that would validate all the propaganda you have been fed. Instead the outsiders look at your religion like it's garbage. On some level you know they are right but you just don't want to admit it.

 

How do I know all this? It's the standard symptom of Christianity. I've been through it. Nearly everyone else here has been through it too; some worse than others. If you decide to de-convert for good then we are here for you. It's okay that you made these mistakes. It hurts alot at first. But then you get to taste real freedom. Sure it's scary. But then you get to do a good deed without being rewarded for it. Good for the sake of good and no reward of any kind. You get to be real. The fear fades in time.

[Ouroboros]

I admit some faults here. I should mainly come here over the weekend - like Sunday morning when I am calmer.

Sunday morning? That won't work. We're all gone to church...

 

Or at least in the evening when I am calmer. I am just getting restarted here. So some mistakes are being made.

Or perhaps after a couple of beers.

[Realist]

You know what? I made a mistake of stopping by here during weekday work hour. I am usually not too patient at those hours. I blew some fuse and told people off in bad ways.

 

I admit some faults here. I should mainly come here over the weekend - like Sunday morning when I am calmer. Or at least in the evening when I am calmer. I am just getting restarted here. So some mistakes are being made.

 

 

... you know what? It's the TRUE message getting to you from being on this site!! See you must have been seeking us to find us in the first place! No doubt you were already having doubts about what you believed!

 

If you hang around here we will lead you to the TRUE meaning of your false religion! When you feel you are fully ready for denconversion I am sure the "elders" of this site will be there to help you! Good luck brother ... you are truly on the way to finding TRUTH!

[blackpudd1n]

What is mean is that you'd be lost in terms of having direct experience with God. From what I read so far from this board, nobody on this board had a direct, personal experience with God. Yes, you attended some churches. You nodded to some meaningless doctrines. And you used to consider yourself Christians, etc. You may have even earnestly studied the Bible. But NONE of you can say you had direct, personal experience with God. Because if you did, you will not remain the same person. You would be totally in love with the most wonderful person there is. It is my contention that such a direct, personal experience is only possible thru faith in Jesus Christ. Knowing what I know now, I woujld not even waste my time with other religions. But that is just me.

 

I did. I had lots of "direct, personal experiences with God". And then I was diagnosed with bipolar. Funny, that.

 

 

 

Hope you are doing better.

 

MUCH better since I realised that those experiences were nothing more than my own sick mind playing tricks on me

[JayL]

I admit some faults here. I should mainly come here over the weekend - like Sunday morning when I am calmer. Or at least in the evening when I am calmer. I am just getting restarted here. So some mistakes are being made.

 

It's your faith that causes the problem. It hurts you by giving you cognitive dissonance. It fills you with beliefs that cannot be satisfied because they do not live up to reality. And when you see your beliefs prove false this fills you with anger. You have been pumped full of fear in order that you can be controlled. But that fear has forced you to invest your life into your religion. You like to see yourself as a reasonable person so you have to see this investment as reasonable as well. Secretly, trying to make your beliefs work is like trying to make a queen sized sheet fit a king sized bed. Every time you stretch the ideas to fit in one corner they come unraveled somewhere else. And there is this damn inside you holding back all the pain you have suppressed. You can feel it pressing on you all the time. So you are desperate to share this good news with somebody. Because that would validate all the propaganda you have been fed. Instead the outsiders look at your religion like it's garbage. On some level you know they are right but you just don't want to admit it.

 

How do I know all this? It's the standard symptom of Christianity. I've been through it. Nearly everyone else here has been through it too; some worse than others. If you decide to de-convert for good then we are here for you. It's okay that you made these mistakes. It hurts alot at first. But then you get to taste real freedom. Sure it's scary. But then you get to do a good deed without being rewarded for it. Good for the sake of good and no reward of any kind. You get to be real. The fear fades in time.

 

 

 

That is such a great writing I really enjoyed it even though I do not fully agree. I gotta read this post over and over and ponder your points.

 

Thanks !!!

[JayL]

Another great piece by ex-Christian author: http://www.amazon.com/Trusting-Doubt-Former-Evangelical-Beliefs/dp/0977392937/ref=as_li_tf_cw?&linkCode=waf&tag=exchrisnetenc-20 I got this link from this website!

 

<< When it comes to false superstitious and religious beliefs, Tarico claims "it doesn't take very many false assumptions to send us on a long goose chase." To illustrate this she tells us about the mental world of a paranoid schizophrenic. To such a person the perceived persecution by others sounds real. "You can sit, as a psychiatrist, with a diagnostic manual next to you, and think: as bizarre as it sounds, the CIA really is bugging this guy. The arguments are tight, the logic persuasive, the evidence organized into neat files. All that is needed to build such an impressive house of illusion is a clear, well-organized mind and a few false assumptions. Paranoid individuals can be very credible." This is what Christians do, and this is why it's hard to shake the Evangelical faith, in her informed opinion. >>

 

 

An interesting point to ponder on.

[JayL]

I admit some faults here. I should mainly come here over the weekend - like Sunday morning when I am calmer. Or at least in the evening when I am calmer. I am just getting restarted here. So some mistakes are being made.

 

It's your faith that causes the problem. It hurts you by giving you cognitive dissonance. It fills you with beliefs that cannot be satisfied because they do not live up to reality. And when you see your beliefs prove false this fills you with anger. You have been pumped full of fear in order that you can be controlled. But that fear has forced you to invest your life into your religion. You like to see yourself as a reasonable person so you have to see this investment as reasonable as well. Secretly, trying to make your beliefs work is like trying to make a queen sized sheet fit a king sized bed. Every time you stretch the ideas to fit in one corner they come unraveled somewhere else. And there is this damn inside you holding back all the pain you have suppressed. You can feel it pressing on you all the time. So you are desperate to share this good news with somebody. Because that would validate all the propaganda you have been fed. Instead the outsiders look at your religion like it's garbage. On some level you know they are right but you just don't want to admit it.

 

How do I know all this? It's the standard symptom of Christianity. I've been through it. Nearly everyone else here has been through it too; some worse than others. If you decide to de-convert for good then we are here for you. It's okay that you made these mistakes. It hurts alot at first. But then you get to taste real freedom. Sure it's scary. But then you get to do a good deed without being rewarded for it. Good for the sake of good and no reward of any kind. You get to be real. The fear fades in time.

 

 

 

Unfortunately this is a pretty good description of a number of Christian. And it is a really good description. A lot of people derive some reward from going to church. They may like to hang with clean cut people ( my case when I was young ), they may like to be 'upstanding' church going citizens, they may even see it as a way to stay out of troubles. But when it comes to believing the claims of Christianity, they find it harder. They grapple with basic notions, make rationalizations, etc. But given their scientific knowledge and their common sense, the Bible is simply NOT easy to swallow. Hence begins 'cognitive dissonance'.

 

When I became born again, one of the first things I realized is that there is a huge difference between 'being a Christian' and 'being a believer'. After the supernatural experience of being born again, I was in total shock. I slowly had to grapple with the fact that I must remake all my metaphysical assumptions. God does exists! It was a shocking realization. Then I became a 'believer'. By the way, I was not even attending a church at the time. But how do I explain what I experienced with my intellect? Well, my first step was Zecharia Sitchin's theory of the Bible. Well science fiction seems to be a good place to start! LOL Needless to say, it was a long growth period as a Christian!

 

 

But I must say, before I became born again, I can really sympathize with what you wrote here. To me the question is, are you a Christian? Or are you a BELIEVER?

 

[par4dcourse]

w

Would you preachy bastards take your fucking message out of my thread, you're stinking up the place.

[JayL]

Another great piece by ex-Christian author: http://www.amazon.co...xchrisnetenc-20 I got this link from this website!

 

<< When it comes to false superstitious and religious beliefs, Tarico claims "it doesn't take very many false assumptions to send us on a long goose chase." To illustrate this she tells us about the mental world of a paranoid schizophrenic. To such a person the perceived persecution by others sounds real. "You can sit, as a psychiatrist, with a diagnostic manual next to you, and think: as bizarre as it sounds, the CIA really is bugging this guy. The arguments are tight, the logic persuasive, the evidence organized into neat files. All that is needed to build such an impressive house of illusion is a clear, well-organized mind and a few false assumptions. Paranoid individuals can be very credible." This is what Christians do, and this is why it's hard to shake the Evangelical faith, in her informed opinion. >>

 

 

An interesting point to ponder on.

 

 

I guess this kind of analysis is applicable to all sorts of area - politics, finance, even some fields of science ( global warming anyone?? )

 

But occasionally a paranoid individual is right. ( I am thinking of the movie Terminator here. LOL ) No, seriously sometimes a paranoid person is right. Or as Andrew Grove used to put it, 'Only paranoids survive!!' LOL

[JayL]

w

Would you preachy bastards take your fucking message out of my thread, you're stinking up the place.

 

 

Actually you are kinda right. I should not write too much here. I should have known from your icon !!! I mean, who has icon like that? You must be a homicidal maniac!

[Realist]

w

Would you preachy bastards take your fucking message out of my thread, you're stinking up the place.

 

 

Actually you are kinda right. I should not write too much here. I should have known from your icon !!! I mean, who has icon like that? You must be a homicidal maniac!

 

 

... and from under your icon I see you are into financial markets! With people with your level of logic in it, I see why the USA is in such a huge financial mess!

[par4dcourse]

"Homicidal Maniac"? Aw, you flatterer you! Why, yes I am! And now that you have annoyed me, I'm going to have a legion of demons plague your every thought. Love ya, mean it.

 

 

Betch' don't even recognize the rather infamous character, do ya, dumbass.

[mymistake]

Hey thanks for drawing attention to the original purpose of this thread. I went back and read the OP. I enjoyed it completely. The only thing I liked more was RaySkin trying to discredit it. Too funny! "Oh come on people it wasn't that good."

[bronxo]

Actually you are kinda right. I should not write too much here. I should have known from your icon !!! I mean, who has icon like that? You must be a homicidal maniac!

 

Oh Come on, do you start playing the cheap cards now? Way to discredit yourself. A lot of people here experience trauma caused by their religious time, and all you do is come here and make the healing process even harder.

 

Shame on you! Show some respect and leave! You aren't really helping anyone.

[BrotherJosh]

JayL's faux indignation presents a great illustration of the Common Christian's attitude towards people and society, and how they deal with both. The "Common Christian" will try to present themselves as nothing more than the minority, the victim, the martyr, the persecuted etc...all of these tactics are designed to at first conjure images that the "CC" is being bombarded with oppression when in fact, CC is using it to impose their own rules and will on others.

 

A grand example being the so called, "War on Christmas" wherein most CC's this year will whine and moan about how some Gap employee said, "Happy Holidays" and not "Merry Christmas". The CC at this point may genuinely feel slighted but fails to grasp the fact that, predominantly, the entire culture they operate in is actually Christian. So to bring my point back to home, we have JayL here. He comes to the board and begins posting, as is his freedom to do so, BUT at the same time attempts to impose his own rules and regulations on the forum and it's posters by playing the victim card, in this case because we offend his sensibilities. Icons that are offensive, zombie Jesus etc...

 

It's the same as a CC mother complaining that she doesn't want gay people to have the right to marry because then she'd have to explain to her sweet, innocent, naive daughter what gay people are.

[bdp]

I'm getting more convinced that 'jay' is a spoof - at least I have to let myself believe that, as it's a whole lot less depressing than the idea that he might be 100% for real.

[mymistake]

I'm getting more convinced that 'jay' is a spoof - at least I have to let myself believe that, as it's a whole lot less depressing than the idea that he might be 100% for real.

 

Well I can't say if he is serious or not but there are a lot of Christians who actually have the same level of thinking. Why do you think JayL is a spoof and yet end3, Thumb, B.I.G. and Believer are for more examples of the same type of thing. Do you think all five of them are spoofs? I've glanced in older pages and there are even more Christians who displace the same rigid thinking. And I know Christians in the real world who do the same. This "spoof" is very close to reality.

[blackpudd1n]

I'm getting more convinced that 'jay' is a spoof - at least I have to let myself believe that, as it's a whole lot less depressing than the idea that he might be 100% for real.

 

He's just a troll- he lacks the ability to stay in character with any amount of consistency for too long a period of time. Either that or he's just an extremely fake person that cannot always hide his true colours. Either way not worth worrying too much about- he's only trying to get a reaction out of everyone.