How serious were you about Christianity?

For members of the "Former Christian" usergroup

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Before you left Christianty, just how serious were you about being a Christian?

Nominal.
3
7%
Student.
5
12%
Committed.
28
65%
Professional.
5
12%
Other.
2
5%
 
Total votes: 43

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McCulloch
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How serious were you about Christianity?

Post #1

Post by McCulloch »

How serious were you about Christianity?

Before you left Christianty, just how serious were you about being a Christian?
  • Nominal. Christian in name only, attended church for social or family reasons.
  • Student. Seriously investigated Christianity but never really committed to it.
  • Committed. Bought it hook, line and sinker.
  • Professional. Gave up job or career to pursue Christian calling.
  • Other. Please specify.
Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good.
First Epistle to the Church of the Thessalonians
The truth will make you free.
Gospel of John

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WelshBoy
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Post #2

Post by WelshBoy »

Other.

A mix of Student and Nominal. I was very close at one time to becoming a professional Christian after years of being simply Nominal, so I became a Student. Then an atheist.
To the believer, no proof is necessary; to the skeptic, no proof is enough.

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sledheavy
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Location: Glendale Az

Post #3

Post by sledheavy »

lol, untapped topic.

I was at church every wed. nights, most of the time more, and I worked concessions on sunday when I wasn't in church. I went to Phoenix Christian all through highschool. Nothing special I guess.

My biggest problem was not being able to relate to anyone on wed. nights.

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Cathar1950
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Post #4

Post by Cathar1950 »

I went to a religious college and a seminary but it was academic as I am interested in the subject. But I was a believer and always asking questions.
I guess I grew up believing and then out grew it when I seen what it meant at its best and knew its worse. Loving seems reasonable rather you believe in god or not.
I also noticed that just about anything Jesus was reported to teach could be found it the thoughts of many others before him. It was the saving and dieing, as a sacrifice seems repugnant and the justice unfair. Mercy is always a good call but to hand it out because you feel like it sound like a tyrant not a god. One of my favorite quotes is from Cohn.

Grace is favoritism.
From Edmond Cohn’s Mind of the Bible-Believer.
One term that in particular suffers from inflation is "grace." Since the Reformation, this has been regarded as a Christian mystery. But when we look at the ancient-language texts, we find grace' to be pretty much an artifact of translation. The words translated as "grace" could just as well be translated as "favor" or "preference." Only the context determines when "grace" is to be inserted into the text. If not for the inflation of grace', the relevant verses would more clearly illustrate the arbitrariness of the bestowal of eternal life': For by. . . [preference] ye are saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.[Eph. 2:8-9] Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through. . .[preference].[2 Thess. 2:16] Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the . . . [favoritism] that is in Christ Jesus.[2 Tim. 2:1]

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JamesBrown
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Post #5

Post by JamesBrown »

Been attending a Baptist church since nine months before I was born. In Sunday School I was the smart-alec kid who knew all the answers. When I was seven, the SS teacher described Hell in vivid enough terms to get me to pray the Sinner's Prayer with him. I was baptized a week later. I attended private Christian school from elementary grades through college. I went to church camp every summer, won prizes for scripture memorization and Bible Drills, and received awards for most Christ-like character. I went on mission trips, dated only Christian girls, and participated in my church's youth activities every weekend. I've read the Bible cover to cover three times, and other books and chapters countless times. I've led group Bible studies, prayer sessions, and other sanctified activities. Right now I can think of ten people who became Christians because of my testimony and personal witness.

Anyone who says that no true Christian can deconvert is either lying or deceived.

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alxolex
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Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:55 pm
Location: Canada

Post #6

Post by alxolex »

I was brought up in a Catholic household, though my parents only went to church twice a year (Easter and Christmas). I didn't give much thoughts to metaphysics until Catholic high school, when I became a nominal Christian. I read the NT and prayed regularly, but didn't go to church. That changed when my girlfriend convinced me to be 'born again'. I then started attending Pentecostal church. That lasted till university, where my psychology classes opened my eyes as to how people can quite easily confabulate and deceive themselves. I realized that my Christian system of beliefs was exactly that: confabulation and self-deception. That led me to really question why I believed and what I believed. Through a bit of study, I concluded that the supernatural was superfluous. And here I am.
"Existence is an exquisite absurdity." A.L.

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k-nug
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Post #7

Post by k-nug »

post moved to introductions.
My version of Genesis.
At first there was symmetry. Then something broke.

StephS
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Location: Denver, CO

Post #8

Post by StephS »

I was committed for the longest time, but then I saw some of the rampant hypocrisy going on with guys like Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart, and that's when I started drifting away from religion altogether.

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OnceConvinced
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Post #9

Post by OnceConvinced »

Committed (and I should have been)

Spent over 30 years of my life in the church defending my faith through thick and thin. Never gave up on God during that time. Was in leadership and ministry. Had a relationship with God.

But began to see it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Took me years to really realise it.

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wrekk
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Post #10

Post by wrekk »

JamesBrown wrote:Been attending a Baptist church since nine months before I was born. In Sunday School I was the smart-alec kid who knew all the answers. When I was seven, the SS teacher described Hell in vivid enough terms to get me to pray the Sinner's Prayer with him. I was baptized a week later. I attended private Christian school from elementary grades through college. I went to church camp every summer, won prizes for scripture memorization and Bible Drills, and received awards for most Christ-like character. I went on mission trips, dated only Christian girls, and participated in my church's youth activities every weekend. I've read the Bible cover to cover three times, and other books and chapters countless times. I've led group Bible studies, prayer sessions, and other sanctified activities. Right now I can think of ten people who became Christians because of my testimony and personal witness.

Anyone who says that no true Christian can deconvert is either lying or deceived.
:shock: Seems eerily similar to my life. I was adopted into a Christian home, and accepted Jesus as my personal savior at an early age and had inspirations of being a pastor. The older I got the more I read. Book after book, seminar after seminar. Countless hours, days, months even... just praying and reading. Trying to gain a better understanding. Only to find out that it was all .... well you fill in the blank.
You never hear in the news... 200 killed today when Atheist rebels took heavy shelling from the Agnostic stronghold in the North.- Doug Stanhope

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