What are your motivations as an Ex-C?

[Pariah]

What bugs me the most is the idea of faith (in the religious bastardization of the word), especially when its represented as seperate but equal to logic.

[Mike D]

Jesus said if you hate a man in your heart it is the same as commiting murder

102742[/snapback]

OMG, do you have the verse handy where Jesus said this? Honestly I never heard that one before.

 

I always thought the "lust of the heart" sin was the big gotcha sin where God pulls the rug out from under our feet, but this one sounds like another gotcha. Wow, God really enjoys having us in a panic dodging sins left and right, doesn't he?

[Mike D]

The biggest problem for me was never being able to get a straight story from any one source on what the Bible says, what God is like, what salvation is, etc. We can't just "read" the Bible, because it doesn't really say what it says, we need the holy spirit to "interpret" it for us.

 

How are you supposed to follow something, when you can't even figure out what it is you are supposed to be following?

[blueheron]

Great replies - I agree with them all

 

Christianity is a made-up religion that has turned into a monster like Frankenstein - out of control of its creators. It uses threats of eternal hell to scare people in and keep them in. It discourages using your brain, and loads you with guilt - constantly on the sin alert and you are obligated to aggravate the hell out of others ("soul-winning")

 

It controls your life and you are not allowed to question at any time, because you are supposed to already know: we have to have faith, just trust in god, god works in mysterious ways, his ways are higher than our ways, etc. etc.

 

I could go on and on, but others have said it all better than I.

[Ms. K]

What motivates me to be an ex-Christian?

 

Well, I have a big problem with the need for ritual (in ANY denomination) to give a false feeling of "spirituality". I was a Catholic for most of my life, then I became an evangelical Christian, and it doesn't matter what denomination it is, there's ritual, and the ritual is there to give the congregation the feeling that because they are doing everything "right", they're closer to God.

 

If all you're doing is going to church and doing everything on autopilot (I went to Mass many, many times while hungover, or exhausted, or bored, and got through it without anyone noticing, because I stood up, sat down, kneeled down, when everyone else was, and half the time, I was leading the music for Mass!), then what's the point? How can you possibly have a "relationship" with God?

 

Not to mention, at this point, I believe that there is a higher power, but I don't know if I necessarily believe in God, or care if He believes in me, I just don't know. If I can't bring myself to profess belief in God, how can I claim to be a Christian?

 

Also, I have little to no respect for Christian doctrine. When people start ladling dogma on thickly, to tell me "God's" stance on homosexuality, premarital sex, women's rights, then I have to question if they've got a direct line to God, and he has regular conferences with them. I can't respect people who tell me that they have the One True Way, and no one else, even their fellow Christians who happen to be different denominations, is going to Heaven. And I was always under the impression that Christians were bound by two commandments, love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and spirit, and love your neighbor as yourself. Why, then, are Christians trying to tell us that no, no, there's all the other commandments to keep as well, not to mention, their doctrinal positions as well.

[Purple]

Hi Mike D, when I wrote that it was just from memory off the top of my head, but here are two verses. One is Jesus, one is suppossedly John.

 

Matt 5: 21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.

 

1 John 3: 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

[godlessgrrl]

My biggest issue with Xianity is the shitty treatment of women.

 

I have other issues with it too, like sheer unbelievability, plus the Xian deity being one twisted mofo. But the women thing is most prominent for me.

[GiantBear]

I was actually prepared to swallow the Hell thing and teachings that seemed impractical/unreasonable for my whole life. The finiteness of my knowledge would always keep me from questioning Biblegod.

 

But....my "loophole" was that I always assumed Biblegod would be internally consistent. (And I gave him lots and lots of slack for paradoxes.) When I found out that the Bible and Church were not infallible......I was gone like Donkey Kong!! I'm sure glad that Biblegod botched his own religion. Sigh of relief from this honky!

[I Broke Free]

What infuriates me the most?

 

I'd have to say thought crime.

 

  Jesus said that if a man lusts in his heart after a woman it is the same as if he had slept with her. I'm a wife, and I say bullshit Jesus. If my husband "thinks" about benig with another woman he doesn't bring home a disease to me, if he thinks about being with another woman, said woman doesn't end up pregnant with his child.

Jesus said if you hate a man in your heart it is the same as commiting murder, oh Jesus just SHUT UP already! That is the most repugnant philosophy. If a person hated me, one of my children, my Erus, my husband or anyone I care about... okay. They murder them, that' a whole different ball of wax.

102742[/snapback]

 

Purple, I would have to agree with you. The Christian philosophy that God is judging me based on a few firing neurons in my brain is receipe for a life lived in fear. Just the kind of person open to manipulation. What a scam!!

 

IBF

[pandora]

Eternal torment is the main thing (but many Christian denominations don't necessarily believe or teach this).

 

The other is the nonsensical nature of "salvation" through blood atonement.

 

If somehow liberal universalist Christianity is the Truth, then I am still in no danger by rejecting Christianity entirely. I have nothing to fear either way as long I keep an open mind and search for Truth.

[Kryten]

Run for office. There's an audience for this. 

Hmmm, maybe I can become president and convert the position to Emperor!

I will need an apprentice though...

[Merlinfmct87]

The concequences of the belief. You can justify, excuse, sanction, persuade a person to commit any crime in the world with that book. It also does a lot to destroy self-esteem in it's followers.

 

I don't see any positive fruits of the belief. The world would be a much brighter place if it had never been written.

 

Merlin

[Dianka]

Run for office. There's an audience for this. 

Hmmm, maybe I can become president and convert the position to Emperor!

I will need an apprentice though...

103753[/snapback]

 

OOOOH! OOOOOH!

 

I know I know

 

 

*Almighty Emperor, may I appeal to your compassionate side??? PLEASE keep your apprentice shirtless.

[necrosmith]

Hi everyone.

 

I am curious to know what aspect of Christianity infuriates you the most, and what area you tend to read up on the most.

 

Personally, I find the violence most disturbing, and get really upset when Christians talk about the love for humanity and peace they feel with God. If I judge the "love" God has for us through the historical actions of Christians, I can only see him as an abuser.

 

102473[/snapback]

 

Great question.

 

I would have to say probably the #1 thing that disgusts me most about it (there are many now) is how much Christianity just destroys an individual's sense of self-worth. The entire religion teaches you are somehow defective at birth, so vile that God had to kill himself to make you acceptable.

 

That to me is just vile. The disdain for individuality and pride in one's self is just abhorent in this religion. You are less than garbage without Jesus.

 

Fuck that.

 

Following closely would be the hatred the religion teaches towards women and homosexuals. The venom I hear coming from Christians is just remarkable.

[necrosmith]

To borrow a slice of philosophy from Stephen Covey:

 

Begin with the end in mind.

 

What would you like people to say about you at your funeral?

 

Behave in such a way that they will say those things about you.

 

Simple.

[Lanakila]

The sheer hypocrisy is a big one for me. I was around Christians every day of high school, and what disturbed me was that they would act like good little Christians, and then turn around and show their true colours. And that pisses me off.

102847[/snapback]

 

After finding out that her fundy bf was seeing other girls behind her back the whole time they were dating: I told my daughter that there are jerks and nice people of every faith or lack thereof, and that Christianity doesn't make anyone good. Those people that were nice Christians before will remain nice atheists, and visa versa in my experience. If someone changes an aspect of their character it won't be because of a religion.

[Dianka]

Great question.

 

I would have to say probably the #1 thing that disgusts me most about it (there are many now) is how much Christianity just destroys an individual's sense of self-worth.  The entire religion teaches you are somehow defective at birth, so vile that God had to kill himself to make you acceptable.

 

That to me is just vile.  The disdain for individuality and pride in one's self is just abhorent in this religion.  You are less than garbage without Jesus.

 

Fuck that.

 

Following closely would be the hatred the religion teaches towards women and homosexuals.  The venom I hear coming from Christians is just remarkable.

104052[/snapback]

 

Where the f*ck is the justice in walking around on this earth trying to impress a divine being that will always be at least a little disappointed in you???

 

-Good point there.

[Amethyst]

Where the f*ck is the justice in walking around on this earth trying to impress a divine being that will always be at least a little disappointed in you???

 

Almond to that.

[spamandham]

Christians are deseased people who are violently insane, like Dogs with rabies if allowed to live they would infect humanity with their disease! They are like axe murerers and serial killers, in regards to insanity. and holding them in a nuthouse would be a drain on the tax payers money. They should just be euthanized or sterilized (at the least).

 

Yikes! I'm sure glad I bailed before this policy went into effect.

[Guest KarenRN]

Hi everyone.

 

I am curious to know what aspect of Christianity infuriates you the most, and what area you tend to read up on the most.

 

Personally, I find the violence most disturbing, and get really upset when Christians talk about the love for humanity and peace they feel with God. If I judge the "love" God has for us through the historical actions of Christians, I can only see him as an abuser.

 

When I left Christianity it wasn't because I didn't believe in God, it was because I wanted to believe in a movement that is not violent. Buddhism sounded like a good fit. But I found out Buddhists have their own history of violence, and couldn't commit to it.

 

I would love to hear from other people on this.

102473[/snapback]

 

 

There are so many reasons to be infuriated by Christianity- so many that have been stated already. I know for myself since becoming an "Ex-Christian" is that I am blown away by the fact that anyone who was brought up Christian has been lied to since the day they were born! Christianity is supposed to be about loving everyone and accepting everyone and it is the opposite. It is a way to exclude and hate others. It is a crutch. People just cannot accept that many things in life are random and that bad things happen often by chance, with noone to blame. I hate the way whenever a person accomplishes something really great, they credit God instead of themselves. I could go on and on......

 

Karen

[Mike D]

Hi Mike D, when I wrote that it was just from memory off the top of my head, but here are two verses. One is Jesus, one is suppossedly John.

 

Matt 5: 21 "You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' 22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment.

 

1 John 3: 13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. 14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. 15Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him.

103381[/snapback]

Thanks for filling me in. So I guess basically if you are awake no matter what you are doing you are murdering

[Amethyst]

So I guess basically if you are awake no matter what you are doing you are murdering

 

That would seem to be the case, wouldn't it?

[Kalidasa]

The sheer hypocrisy is a big one for me. I was around Christians every day of high school, and what disturbed me was that they would act like good little Christians, and then turn around and show their true colours. And that pisses me off.

102847[/snapback]

 

After finding out that her fundy bf was seeing other girls behind her back the whole time they were dating: I told my daughter that there are jerks and nice people of every faith or lack thereof, and that Christianity doesn't make anyone good. Those people that were nice Christians before will remain nice atheists, and visa versa in my experience. If someone changes an aspect of their character it won't be because of a religion.

104087[/snapback]

I realise that - believe me, I do. I know that hypocrites are everywhere, and not just in religious circles. But what amazes me is the sheer amount of hypocritical people that exist in those circles. They tell you to do one thing, and then they turn around and do the exact opposite. And most of those I've had the displeasure of knowing are adults who therefore should know better.

[Purple]

So I guess basically if you are awake no matter what you are doing you are murdering

 

That would seem to be the case, wouldn't it?

104452[/snapback]

 

 

Yep, and what if you can't stop thinking? You know you hate a person, you try, but they are an awful person. What stops you from just killing them??? If you kill them, then you can stop hating them. Then ask for forgivness, Jesus does forgive all right? Repenting from murder is much easier then repenting from anger and hate.

[Dianka]

So I guess basically if you are awake no matter what you are doing you are murdering

 

That would seem to be the case, wouldn't it?

104452[/snapback]

 

 

Yep, and what if you can't stop thinking? You know you hate a person, you try, but they are an awful person. What stops you from just killing them??? If you kill them, then you can stop hating them. Then ask for forgivness, Jesus does forgive all right? Repenting from murder is much easier then repenting from anger and hate.

104974[/snapback]

 

 

Oh and if Charles Manson is not lying, he is going to heaven because he had a spiritual awakening a few years back. Me though, I am going to Hell because I give blood every year. Heh, perfect.