Were the majority of atheists once religious?

[Zetesis Apistia]

I raised this question in another thread. It is my contention that a bad religious experience and not a lack of evidence is the basic cause for atheism. I also believe that the majority of atheists came from either a catholic or a protestant background. What I would like to do is add a poll to the thread so we can get an accurate count. If you desire to add anything with your vote feel free to have at it.

[Nickman]

Christianity is not about serving God it is about serving people. By serving people we honor God's command to serve people....

Matt 20: 28 even as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Ro 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

You see, religious people jump through hoops hoping to please God. That is the great error of religion. Christ jumped through a hoop to please God for me so i wouldn't have to. I serve people not God. In doing so God is pleased...

Romans 4; 4 But to him working, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.
5 But to him not working, but believing on Him justifying the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

You don't think that this concept is found in other religions?
The Golden Rule is found in almost every religion. Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Babylonion , and religions, Jainism, Scientology, Mohism, and Wiccan. Almost all religions are based on the same concept of loving your neighbor. This pleases the Gods of each of these religions.

I am talking about motivation for service, not necessarily the service. What is the ultimate preference that is motivating the service? What we do has no virtue until we examine why we do it.

Are you questioning the motives of these other people in other religions? They are just as sincere and motivated for the same reasons as you. Christianity doesn't have a monopoly on sincerity and proper motivation.

[Zetesis Apistia]

Christianity is not about serving God it is about serving people. By serving people we honor God's command to serve people....

Matt 20: 28 even as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Ro 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

You see, religious people jump through hoops hoping to please God. That is the great error of religion. Christ jumped through a hoop to please God for me so i wouldn't have to. I serve people not God. In doing so God is pleased...

Romans 4; 4 But to him working, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.
5 But to him not working, but believing on Him justifying the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

You don't think that this concept is found in other religions?
The Golden Rule is found in almost every religion. Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Babylonion , and religions, Jainism, Scientology, Mohism, and Wiccan. Almost all religions are based on the same concept of loving your neighbor. This pleases the Gods of each of these religions.

I am talking about motivation for service, not necessarily the service. What is the ultimate preference that is motivating the service? What we do has no virtue until we examine why we do it.

Are you questioning the motives of these other people in other religions? They are just as sincere and motivated for the same reasons as you. Christianity doesn't have a monopoly on sincerity and proper motivation.

I am not questioning anyone's sincerity. In fact I think the guys that flew the planes in the buildings on 9/11 were as sincere as you get. I am talking about who they were serving. Religion promotes vertical service. In other words, their motivation is to please God. That is the reason they do what they do. Refusing to steal has nothing to do with consideration for other peoples property. It is merely an attempt to please God via obedience. That is religion and that is what I mean by vertical service. The guys on 9/11 flew the planes into the twin towers because they hoped Allah would be pleased by it. There was no horizontal consideration in their actions. They did not take into account all of the lives that would be devastated over their actions. Tell me, was that an act of love? No that was religion, because religion doesn't concern itself with serving people it concerns itself with serving god. This type of religion is very dissatisfying btw.

The religious man naturally has a sense of obligation to please God. the problem is, that sense of obligation can never be satisfied in the doing of things. christianity is unique in this way. My sense that I am obligated to serve God is satisfied through Christs work on the cross. His work completely appeases God on my behalf. I no longer sense an obligation to "do things" for God because Christ has completely satisfied him.

Upon the realization that my obligation to God has been satisfied I shift my focus from vertical to horizontal. My duty is no longer to please God (Christ has done that for me), but my duty is to serve humankind through love. My obligation is no longer to God but to people.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

In esteeming the welfare of others more highly than my own i am pleasing God by proxy.

Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Php 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

1Jo 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Romans 13:10 Love never wrongs a neighbor. Therefore Love fully satisfies the Law.

[Nickman]

[Replying to post 331 by Zetesis Apistia]

You are assuming that these other religious people are serving differently than you, yet you have no reason to believe so. The only motive for that is because you want Christianity to be unique. It is not. These other religious people have the possibility of serving just as you do, yet you deny them that.

[Zetesis Apistia]

Christianity is not about serving God it is about serving people. By serving people we honor God's command to serve people....

Matt 20: 28 even as the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
Joh 15:17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.
Ro 13:8 Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.

You see, religious people jump through hoops hoping to please God. That is the great error of religion. Christ jumped through a hoop to please God for me so i wouldn't have to. I serve people not God. In doing so God is pleased...

Romans 4; 4 But to him working, the reward is not reckoned according to grace, but according to debt.
5 But to him not working, but believing on Him justifying the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.

You don't think that this concept is found in other religions?
The Golden Rule is found in almost every religion. Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Babylonion , and religions, Jainism, Scientology, Mohism, and Wiccan. Almost all religions are based on the same concept of loving your neighbor. This pleases the Gods of each of these religions.

I am talking about motivation for service, not necessarily the service. What is the ultimate preference that is motivating the service? What we do has no virtue until we examine why we do it.

Are you questioning the motives of these other people in other religions? They are just as sincere and motivated for the same reasons as you. Christianity doesn't have a monopoly on sincerity and proper motivation.

I am not questioning anyone's sincerity. In fact I think the guys that flew the planes in the buildings on 9/11 were as sincere as you get. I am talking about who they were serving. Religion promotes vertical service. In other words, their motivation is to please God. That is the reason they do what they do. Refusing to steal has nothing to do with consideration for other peoples property. It is merely an attempt to please God via obedience. That is religion and that is what I mean by vertical service. The guys on 9/11 flew the planes into the twin towers because they hoped Allah would be pleased by it. There was no horizontal consideration in their actions. They did not take into account all of the lives that would be devastated over their actions. Tell me, was that an act of love? No that was religion, because religion doesn't concern itself with serving people it concerns itself with serving god. This type of religion is very dissatisfying btw.

The religious man naturally has a sense of obligation to please God. the problem is, that sense of obligation can never be satisfied in the doing of things. christianity is unique in this way. My sense that I am obligated to serve God is satisfied through Christs work on the cross. His work completely appeases God on my behalf. I no longer sense an obligation to "do things" for God because Christ has completely satisfied him.

Upon the realization that my obligation to God has been satisfied I shift my focus from vertical to horizontal. My duty is no longer to please God (Christ has done that for me), but my duty is to serve humankind through love. My obligation is no longer to God but to people.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

In esteeming the welfare of others more highly than my own i am pleasing God by proxy.

Php 2:3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

Php 2:4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

1Jo 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.

Romans 13:10 Love never wrongs a neighbor. Therefore Love fully satisfies the Law.

So when Muslims kill Christians for not converting you thing that is loving your neighbor?

[Nickman]

So when Muslims kill Christians for not converting you thing that is loving your neighbor?

When Christians killed Muslims in the Crusades for not converting, do you think that was loving your neighbor.

[Zetesis Apistia]

So when Muslims kill Christians for not converting you thing that is loving your neighbor?

When Christians killed Muslims in the Crusades for not converting, do you think that was loving your neighbor.

The catholics were behind the crusades not Christians. And no I don't think the catholic were loving their neighbors.

1Jo 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Just because a person claims to be Christian doesn't make him a Christian. A tree is known by its fruits.

[Nickman]

So when Muslims kill Christians for not converting you thing that is loving your neighbor?

When Christians killed Muslims in the Crusades for not converting, do you think that was loving your neighbor.

The catholics were behind the crusades not Christians. And no I don't think the catholic were loving their neighbors.

1Jo 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Just because a person claims to be Christian doesn't make him a Christian. A tree is known by its fruits.

Catholics were the first Christians. Every Christian today has their roots in Catholicism whether they acknowledge it or not. You are just employing the notruescotsman fallacy.

Back on topic. Both the example you gave and the one I gave are realities of both religions. Most Christians deny the Crusaders as being true Christians, and Muslims deny the terrorists as being true Muslims. There is no difference. Both turn around and claim that their faith is about serving God via loving one another.

Allah will ask on the Day of Judgment: Where are those who loved each other for the sake of My glory? Today, - on a day when there is no shade but mine " I shall shade them with My shade. [Sahh Muslim (2566)]

[help3434]

[Replying to Zetesis Apistia]

In figurative language heart refers to emotion.

[Zetesis Apistia]

So when Muslims kill Christians for not converting you thing that is loving your neighbor?

When Christians killed Muslims in the Crusades for not converting, do you think that was loving your neighbor.

The catholics were behind the crusades not Christians. And no I don't think the catholic were loving their neighbors.

1Jo 3:15 Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.

Just because a person claims to be Christian doesn't make him a Christian. A tree is known by its fruits.

Catholics were the first Christians. Every Christian today has their roots in Catholicism whether they acknowledge it or not. You are just employing the notruescotsman fallacy.

Back on topic. Both the example you gave and the one I gave are realities of both religions. Most Christians deny the Crusaders as being true Christians, and Muslims deny the terrorists as being true Muslims. There is no difference. Both turn around and claim that their faith is about serving God via loving one another.

Allah will ask on the Day of Judgment: Where are those who loved each other for the sake of My glory? Today, - on a day when there is no shade but mine " I shall shade them with My shade. [Sahh Muslim (2566)]

The only problem is Islam promotes the killing of unbelievers....

- "As to those who reject faith, I will punish them with terrible agony in this world and in the Hereafter, nor will they have anyone to help."

"And kill them wherever you find them, and turn them out from where they have turned you out. And Al-Fitnah [disbelief] is worse than killing...

but if they desist, then lo! Allah is forgiving and merciful. And fight them until there is no more Fitnah [disbelief and worshipping of others along with Allah] and worship is for Allah alone. But if they cease, let there be no transgression except against Az-Zalimun (the polytheists, and wrong-doers, etc.)"

Now shoe me one verse in the New Covenant that condones killing in the name of Jesus

[nayrbsnilloc]

[Replying to Zetesis Apistia]

I see that you specified your request with "new covenant" (essentially NT). Why do you get to pick and choose which part of your holy book to obey and a Muslim coudn't? He could decide not to obey the parts condoning the killing of unbelievers just as you ignore the parts of the bible that have said to do so as well