So to all the new members:
First of all, hello!

Second, why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself?
Moderator: Moderators
Welcome! You are in good company. There are many of us who are in a similar boat. I lost my faith nearly 10 years ago now and have considered myself an atheist for the last 2 years.Tcg wrote: Hello all. I am a former Christian who has been an atheist for about 12 years now.
I have had a similar upbringing. I was in children's ministries at the age of 16. Later, as an adult I was a cell group leader. I have been through many denominations of churches throughout my life.Tcg wrote: In my youth I studied for the ministry and worked in a variety of churches.
I work in software development.Tcg wrote: For most of my adult life however, I worked in the tech world.
Same here. No logical answers and still no logical answers. Many Christians like to think of people like us as rebellious and just wanted to sin, which for me is farthest from the truth. I desperately wanted to keep my faith, but unfortunately there was simply no way I was able to keep a hold of it.Tcg wrote: I began to have serious doubts about my faith and found that most if not all of the questions I asked about the Bible and God had no logically satisfying answers.
Took me about 5 years to get over it. Lots of crying out to God and getting no help.Tcg wrote: Losing my faith took a number years
Isn't it appalling? But then it's not surprising really. I was brought up to believe that atheists were horrible immoral people. Up until I was about 11 or 12, I thought there were no atheists in my schools as no one seemed to be as bad as the ones we heard about in Sunday school.Tcg wrote: and was a process not a one time event. During the years that I have been an atheist, I have been shocked to see the mistrust many people have of atheists and how often atheism is misunderstood and misrepresented.
This could be true...But, he left out the opposite perspective: Follow the rules and blessings beyond the imagination can be experienced...I blame man for codifying those rules into a book which allowed superstitious people to perpetuate a barbaric practice. Rules that must be followed or face an invisible being’s wrath.
Could be true? What part of that statement is not true?FWI wrote: [Replying to post 422 by Clownboat]
This could be true...But, he left out the opposite perspective: Follow the rules and blessings beyond the imagination can be experienced...I blame man for codifying those rules into a book which allowed superstitious people to perpetuate a barbaric practice. Rules that must be followed or face an invisible being’s wrath.
Could be true? What part of that statement is not true?
Of course some of it is. This person starts the statement with, "I blame man for..." after all.FWI wrote: [Replying to post 424 by Clownboat]
Could be true? What part of that statement is not true?
The whole statement is based on conjecture, not facts or ones opinion verses another's.