duderonomy Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 I would like any and all Christians to convince me that I should come back home. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam5 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Hi Duderonomy, I can think of one good reason and many bad ones. The good reason I can think of would be the sense of community, a place to meet friends, family and neighbours and participation that you can get by being part of a church. The bad reasons I can think of are that the evidence is woefully inadequate, a lot of it is based on fear, the old testament is full of violence, cruelty, slavery, sexism, homophobia, genocide, etc., the bible is full of contradictions and errors, the example set by fundamentalist Christians, anti-science propoganda, pedophile priests, intolerance, arrogance and pomposity of many Christians and clergy, the list goes on and on 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Well said, Adam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam5 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Well said, Adam. Thanks, McDaddy. Thinking about it. Why my recent flirtation with Christianity failed was none of the above. It was that I realised that I was in an insular bubble, disconnected from reality. The point that there are 10,000 mythologies/ religions, and 1,000 gods, and Christianity has up to 34,000 sects. I was born into a family teaching me a particular religion, sect (Chruch of England) and set of beliefs. So I was brought up believing 9,999 religions are mythologies, 999 gods man-made and 33,999 sects are wrong. What are the chances of that I was right, and everyone else in history and the world wrong!! Religion is indeed a crazy business! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raoul Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Not to start another round of war HOWEVER, those reasons given in the first post, for going into the cult are no different than joining a local VFW post, Community center for area neighbors, political groups, etc.... I've always called churches another form of 'senior citizen' meetup houses. And no derision meant for seniors - I'm almost one myself (age 67) LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam5 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Not to start another round of war HOWEVER, those reasons given in the first post, for going into the cult are no different than joining a local VFW post, Community center for area neighbors, political groups, etc.... I see you have a point there. There are lots of opportunities in the secular world to help other people or to get involved in interesting pastimes and activities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raoul Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Not to start another round of war HOWEVER, those reasons given in the first post, for going into the cult are no different than joining a local VFW post, Community center for area neighbors, political groups, etc.... I see you have a point there. There are lots of opportunities in the secular world to help other people or to get involved in interesting pastimes and activities. Damn it! I hate when people agree with me. LOL Dunno if anyone told you but at the other message threat a poor soul whom I think called himself 'pot of clay' or something like that took up your mantle after you left. The summary execution was swift. LOL Seriously though, for me it is incredibly illogical for a bible thumper to come to this site and try to play that xtian apologetical circular reasoning game with the members. It's illogical because MOST if not ALL of these folks were in the cult themselves and many of them, like myself, actually did the apologetics for a while. So, as I conclude, why would someone want to take on people who are very knowledgable with the bible from BOTH the literal and theological sense? To me it's a hopeless game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted October 2, 2012 Moderator Share Posted October 2, 2012 God loves you, duderonomy! Jesus died for you! The church is there to support you and help you to become your best for God! Come home, come home, ye who are weary come home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam5 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Dunno if anyone told you but at the other message threat a poor soul whom I think called himself 'pot of clay' or something like that took up your mantle after you left. The summary execution was swift. LOL I've read all the posts on that thread. I can't believe I fell back into Christianity again. I'm not sure why. I guess I must be some kind of crazy person, although I am trying to get back to reality. Pot of clay can join the real world any time he likes, or he can stay in a world of his own imagination. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vigile Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Dunno if anyone told you but at the other message threat a poor soul whom I think called himself 'pot of clay' or something like that took up your mantle after you left. The summary execution was swift. LOL I've read all the posts on that thread. I can't believe I fell back into Christianity again. I'm not sure why. I guess I must be some kind of crazy person, although I am trying to get back to reality. Pot of clay can join the real world any time he likes, or he can stay in a world of his own imagination. Sifting through a lifetime of indoctrination can take a long time. It took me years and evolved over a series of stages. Don't be hard on yourself. It doesn't speak ill of your intellect or emotional stability that it's taken you time and a great deal of thought/experience to adjust and make up your mind. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mymistake Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 Dunno if anyone told you but at the other message threat a poor soul whom I think called himself 'pot of clay' or something like that took up your mantle after you left. The summary execution was swift. LOL I've read all the posts on that thread. I can't believe I fell back into Christianity again. I'm not sure why. I guess I must be some kind of crazy person, although I am trying to get back to reality. Pot of clay can join the real world any time he likes, or he can stay in a world of his own imagination. So at this time you are not a Christian? Last night I had a moment of Christianity. I was contemplating my own death and with that came the fear of eternal Hell. For a moment I was flooded with fear and emotions. Fortunately, it didn't last. It was just a mind breakdown. Hopefully my kids won't have to go through this crap. I hope you can make sense of your situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam5 Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 So at this time you are not a Christian? Last night I had a moment of Christianity. I was contemplating my own death and with that came the fear of eternal Hell. For a moment I was flooded with fear and emotions. Fortunately, it didn't last. It was just a mind breakdown. Hopefully my kids won't have to go through this crap. Thanks. Yes I have come to my senses. I stopped going to church last December, but spent a few weeks recently being back into it. I had convinced myself I had made a mistake by leaving. I know you guys can relate to the insanity of it all. After all if we could all think clearly and rationally all of the time, none of us would get drawn into this nonsense in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raoul Posted October 2, 2012 Share Posted October 2, 2012 For Mymistake and Adam5 - regarding the falling back into it thing - I guess that's why Darrell Ray refers to it as a 'virus'. We all have it in us. How we control it is another matter entirely and believe me, I know how hard it is. The only way I can cope with it besides trying to keep it out of my head is to read and study everything I can get my hands on that refutes all of the nonsense. Right now I'm reading Templeton's book (he was a former co-evangelist in Canada who'd worked with Graham) and a Kindle edition - Biblical Nonsense by Jason Long. Long's expose is extremely fascinating and, at the same time, dismaying because I cannot believe how much I'd bought into the bs. Long's comments regarding the impossibility of an actual ark built by Noah is a gem. While reading that part I kept muttering to myself "How on earth did I buy into that nonsense in the first place? Aren't I more intelligent than that?" So I guess it's just a matter of flooding your mind and thoughts with the counter arguments. And, if that doesn't work, just look at the believers still in the cult - look at what kind of example they DON'T set for the rest of us. Yeah, I know there's probably a few that are very nice, meek, etc. But for every one of those there are probably 10 whom you wouldn't want to be in the same room with. Anyway that's my 2 cents for what it's worth. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positivist Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 Ok dude. This should do the trick: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryper Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 anne murrary? That's car rides to wisconsin with the parents. Along with Gordon Lightfoot. So that puts you in your mid-50's? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midniterider Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 I would like any and all Christians to convince me that I should come back home. Home is and always was your own sense of personal comfort. Using your creativity you can adjust your comfortable feeling of home, adding new healthy ideas and excluding unhealthy dogma. One possibly helpful consideration is that whatever unique sense of home you arrive at is superior to the limitations of Christianity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Positivist Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 anne murrary? That's car rides to wisconsin with the parents. Along with Gordon Lightfoot. So that puts you in your mid-50's? LOL! No!! It was a frightfully sarcastic post. Is it not as creepy as hell? OMG, makes me run the other way! PS I hate Anne Murray....so we can still be friends, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ ficino ♦ Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 ...I cannot believe how much I'd bought into the bs. Long's comments regarding the impossibility of an actual ark built by Noah is a gem. While reading that part I kept muttering to myself "How on earth did I buy into that nonsense in the first place? Aren't I more intelligent than that?" Yes, ouch. I am pretty smart, although I do and say stupid things often. I was even taking philosophy courses right before and after I was 'born again.' I lived with the absurdities of fundamentalism for some time because, once admitting that God existed and that God could do ANYTHING (except create square triangles, etc. - this doesn't deny His Omnipotence, btw, JayL if you're listening!), then I could just accept lots of stupid shit on the notion that, well, God did it and God can do anything! I even teetered on the edge of believing that God created the earth with built-in age, built-in fossils, built-in semi-decayed isotopes, etc. to confound the wise. I preferred to believe with St. Augustine that God created the complete universe in a moment of time, though, and that the days of Genesis are an accomodation to the human mind. Sigh. Agree that it's a virus lodged in there. When it flares up it's like getting a cold sore. Goes away with alcohol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 every time i see this thread, i think, "could that title be any more dramatic"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stryper Posted October 3, 2012 Share Posted October 3, 2012 :cue dramatic look chipmunk: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wndwalkr99 Posted October 4, 2012 Share Posted October 4, 2012 My Soul Is In The Balance No it isn't Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brakeman Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 My Soul Is In The Balance No it isn't Your soul is in your kidneys. Don't you read the bible? Jesus will search your kidneys I [Jesus] am he which searcheth the reins [kidneys] and hearts. Revelation 2:23 Yes, it's true. Jesus is going to search through your kidneys. And if he doesn't like what he finds there, he's going to send you to hell. You see, according to the Bible, your conscience is in your kidneys (called "reins" in the King James Version). So by inspecting them, Jesus can tell if you've been naughty or nice. Here are some other verses that give a God's eye view of kidneys. Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just: for the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. Psalm 7:9 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons. Pslam 16:7 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart. Psalm 26:2 Thus my heart was grieved, and I was pricked in my reins. Psalm 73:21 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things. Proverbs 23:16 But, O LORD of hosts, that judgest righteously, that triest the reins and the heart. Jeremiah 11:20 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings. Jeremiah 17:10 But, O LORD of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart. Jeremiah 20:12 http://dwindlinginunbelief.blogspot.com/2006/11/jesus-will-search-your-kidneys.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LivingLife Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Kidneys huh? So that is why he is such a piss poor gawd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bornagainathiest Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I would like any and all Christians to convince me that I should come back home. Perhaps they should start by producing some extra-biblical evidence that you do have a soul that is in peril? BAA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duderonomy Posted October 13, 2012 Author Share Posted October 13, 2012 I don't know about this kidneys thing. I clicked on the link to the JASN site, but I still don't get it. If Jesus is going to examine my kidneys, so what? If he doesn't like what he sees, I'm sure he can change beer into wine. Just not MD 20/20, please! Kosher stuff nearly killed me years ago. I can tell you that my kidneys felt like they were hanging in the balance that morning. Maybe there is something to all of this after all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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