From What Denomination Are You From?

[Angel]

I was a full blown pentecostal with apostolic and church of god background. Been out of church for 2 1/2 years, been a non-christian for 1 1/2.

[I Broke Free]

I was short term Christ-Cult member.

 

Mormon from July 1976 to April 1978 (less than two years)

 

That was way more than enough for me, thank you very much.

 

IBF

[highvoltage]

I was Church of Christ with a couple of years of baptist in there. It's been almost a year since I left xtianity; it will be a year in June.

[Beowulf]

I grew up in the Pentecostal Holiness Church, worked at a couple of charismatic, non-denominational, then was a minister of music in Presbyterian Churches (USA) for twenty years. I left the church three years ago, but last October took an interim choir gig as a favor for a friend. My last Sunday there is Easter.

 

As to leaving Christianity, the doubts started all the way back in childhood.

 

FWIW, there are seven ordained ministers in my immediate family - four Methodist and three Baptist. There are two other choir directors, besides me. I come from a VERY large family. I also don't discuss religion at family gatherings very often.

[Lycorth]

I think June is also my anniversary, too - coming up on one year. Was born and raised Catholic, did the fundygelical Protestant thing for about a year when I was 19, then reverted back Catholicism and became steadily more fundy about that. Remained so until I began getting burnt out and fed up with Xianity, due in part to the circumstances of my life, and began to question the Church™ and also dabble in studying Deism and re-examining ancestral European Heathenism - this began around August '04. But I didn't officially renounce Xianity in my heart until either May or June '05.

[Evelyn]

When I was born, my parents were Presbyterian. I don't remember much about that denomination at all. My dad became seriously ill when I was six and the only people who helped us were Pentecostal. We eventually joined the Assembly of God and that's the church I grew up in. When I moved away from home at 19, I joined a non-denominational church that was not Charismatic but I met several members who were. I drifted to and from xianity for years. After I got married, my husband became an xian a month later and we joined a tiny fundy church. When that church split up a year later, we joined a fundy non-denominational church for a couple of years. Then we decided we didn't like fundy-ism, so joined the Episcopal church and stayed there for 10 years.

 

A year and four months ago, I became honest with myself and realized I didn't believe any more. My husband still attends church occasionally, though says he is drifting between xianity and athiesm.

[Dra_Mucd_Uha]

Baptist from birth until about a month ago. So 16 years and a couple of months in a Southern Baptist Church.

[JGJ@ReligionisBullshit]

Southern Baptist Church, part of the reason I was dissaffected by religions in general. Note before you flame me, Christians, PART of the reason.

 

And atheist 17 years and counting.

[pandora]

I've had quite a varied experience:

Grew up Catholic, was convinced that wasn't good enough by my middle school friends, went Baptist, then went to the Independent Christian Church. I also attended a Nazarene Holiness church in high school because of a boyfriend (it wasn't charismatic, but we did wear skirts, no jewelry, etc...) Meddled with Methodism, Friends, and some other liberal mainline denoms towards the end. I just couldn't relate anymore so I decided to become a member of the Church of Reason so I wouldn't commit intellectual suicide.

[godlessgrrl]

I converted to Xianity at 16. I was churchless until perhaps 18 or so, when my mom and I started going to an AoG church. I went to that church off and on (and worked in their daycare, incidentally) for maybe... hm, not sure, maybe 3 years?

 

After that I was churchless again for awhile, until I got engaged the first time, fiance converted, and we started looking for a church to get married at and to attend afterwards. We ended up joining a Presbyterian church. We went regularly for probably 2 years or so, then I drifted away and we split up. Ex-spouse still attends the same church, and I suppose technically I'm still a member, but they don't know where I am anymore and probably couldn't care less. So in practical terms I'm not a member anymore.

 

So I guess the chronology is roughly like this:

 

1988 - 1990: no church, though did attend BSF regularly

1990 - 1993-ish: Assemblies o' Gawd

1993ish - 1997ish: Presbyterian off and on

1997 - 2000: Pres. sometimes, but falling away; divorced 2000 and no longer went to church anyway

2000 - 2001 : no church, in limbo

End of 2001: Rejected Xianity consciously and officially

2001 - 2006: Pantheist pagan

Start of 2006: Agnatheist

 

So I guess I was in the meme for about 10 years, and have been out of it entirely for about 5.

[scitsofreaky]

A mix. Mostly Baptist (not Southern ) along with a couple years of Reformed Church of America. I'm, let's see, about 5 years out after being raised in.

[Queer Texan]

Oneness Pentecostal. Been gone now (officially) for about 13 glorious years. Had left mentally and spiritually a couple of years before that.

[RHEMtron]

born and raised catholic for 25 years. but deep down was always a deist. for the past couple of months ive rejected religion.

[Christopher Carrion]

I'm very fortunate to be English, where the vast majority of people are raised in an extremely secular ethos. As such, I have never belonged to any particular denomination nor ever described myself as Christian. I read the bible at a young age, but certainly not due to any insistence from my parents, school, community leaders, etc. I was simply provided with one, along with tonnes of books on dinosaurs, bio-chemistry, physics, evolution, various mythological cycles and religions at a very, very young age, and was allowed free reign with them. I therefore was and still am free to make up my own mind, based upon rational analysis and comparison between the various perspectives and ideologies I have been exposed to.

 

Biblical religion is patent nonsense, and should've long been shelved alongside tales of Lugh Lamfhada, Wodin and Batman.

[Onyx]

1989-2001- Not a willing church attender, my father took me from birth. Read too much scientific books and loved sci fiction and cartoons to ever bother with God; I drew too much cartoons to ever care in the first place, lol!

 

2001 to early 2004- Annoyed "God" with my willing Christianity. The height of my fundiemania was in 2003. I followed the study the bible and no image commands to the T, that was how close I came to being a super true Christian ™. I called my poor friend a "Devil!". Of course, I apologised years afterwards.

 

late 2004 to today- I gave up Christianity and returned to my original state.

Had a mini nihilist phase but snapped out of it.

I officially came out as atheist just yesterday.

 

 

 

 

[Toxic]

My chronolgy is:

1970 - 1987 Anglican (that's Episcopal to you American readers) High Church

1987 - 1988 Anglican fundamentalist/charismatic

1988 - 1989 Elim Pentecostal

1989 - 1999 Agnostic

1999 - 2001 General Pagan: mainly Wicca/Heathenry

2001 - Now sort of pantheist/deist.

 

Anyway, I'm glad I got away from christianity

[Lanakila]

I was raised theist but never went to church regularly as a child. At the age of 21 I converted to Christianity in a Fundamental Baptist church. Attended Bible College, got married and then my ex became a pastor, and eventually a Chaplain. I was a member of that religious sect for 18 years, and deconverted in Nov 2003.

[The Silent One]

Jehovah's Witness from birth, baptized when I was 12 - pioneer ministered for 2 years - 'Fell away' when I was 19. Been free for 5 years now.

[white_raven23]

Jehovah's Witness from birth, baptized when I was 12 - pioneer ministered for 2 years - 'Fell away' when I was 19. Been free for 5 years now.

 

Do you celebrate your birthday now?

 

I know a JW. Mom always got a kick out of having him help out with decorating our christmas tree every year. He liked doing it because it tickled her so much (that's what he said anyway ).

[Thurisaz]

I was a damn boring German lutheran

[Ex-COG]

I attended the Church of God (Anderson Indiana) as an adult. They are a holiness denomination with a hodge-podge of influences, the strongest of which would be Wesleyan Pietism and Arminianism. Started around 1880, they were also called the Church of God Reformation Movement and the Evening Light Saints. Their founder, D. S. Warner, broke away from the Church of God (Winebrenner), which was started by a breakaway pastor from the German Reformed Church. There are many small groups who call themselves the Church of God, that divided from the Anderson denomination because they sought to live a more holy life evidenced by strict dress codes, prohibitions on entertainment, separation from the "world", etc; the church I attended as a child was from one of these splinter groups. None of the above are to be confused with the Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn), the Church of God with Signs Following (the snake handlers), or any of the other denominations which developed out of the pentecostal tradition. The Anderson group, for all their differences from the pentecostals did influence this movement, as one of the main Azusa Street preachers, William J. Seymour, was formerly an Evening Light minister.

 

Got that? Everything's clear, I'm sure.

 

Here's a thought: Many new denominations were called "movements"; I guess even back then, they knew they were just crap.

 

I think that I rate over Thurisaz for most exciting background; I easily beat "damn boring German lutheran". Ho hum.

 

 

Church of God, Pietist/Holiness Movement

D. S. Warner

Church of God, Pentecostal

William J. Seymour

[Clearview]

I was raised in a pretty strict Catholic family-- Never missed church on a Sunday or a holy day of obligation. We had to pray the Rosary every night as a family and kneel when it was our turn. I went to a Catholic grade school and high school-- which, while I resented it at the time, I am very greatful for now.

 

I had serious issues with Confession, so I stopped doing that after the forced confessions in grade school. When I graduated from high school and was on the road all the time, I also stopped going to church.

 

2 years ago, I dated an Ass of God preacher and nearly became one of them. But it was some tough stuff to swallow and my questioning is what ultimately led me down the short road to atheism. I should call that guy and thank him.

[Japedo]

Was raised & indoctrinated in the fear mongering Pentecostal Ass of God Church and School until the age of 13/14.

 

 

After I grew up, got married and had kids I tried to attend church and 'raise them right'. But Church gave me severe anxiety. So started seeking answers of which church is the right and true one. Thru the years I've studied how different Christ cults have different beliefs. After that I did some Jewish studies with some rabbis. I started seeing how Christianity could not have come from Jewish prophecy, but more of a redo of the ancient Greek and Roman pagan religions. At that time, I considered myself a noahide. There was a time in my life I was absolutely sure about converting to Judaism, I had a deep respect and passion, as it was less of a dogma and more of how to live and treat others. I liked the fact that philosophy about life and god could be openly debated and discussed with out fear of hell fire brimstone. But eventually I started to question the stories and laws in the Torah.

 

I now, consider myself agnostic by means of I don't know either way if a creator or gods exist.

[Curtdude]

I was raised in a conservative baptist church, was baptized at age 12, attended evangelical junior high and high school, totally sincere believer until age 21. Dropped it like a hot potato after finding it simply implausible with The Real World.

 

Feels good to be 23 years free of its inane and annoying grip. Hurts to watch my entire family be screwed up by it still. Waiting for others in the bio-group to come to their senses. Instead I receive "isn't god great" sorts of reports from them. Yuck.

 

Oh well.

[Bodhi-in-Training]

I was baptised Anglican, attended Church of the Nazareens with my neighbours until I was about 11, then later attended a Presbyterian church with my cousin until my mid teens. Still considered myself a Xtian until my early 20's... Been a non-believer now for about 10 - 12 years.