What kind of Christian were you?

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ElCodeMonkey
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What kind of Christian were you?

Post #1

Post by ElCodeMonkey »

Looking back to my psycho-Christian days, I see many things that I would now change from a non-Christian perspective:

1. My Black and White idea of Right and Wrong
2. Assuming that I KNOW the truth and everyone else is mislead
3. Wearing Christian T-Shirts
4. Acting like a Christian authority
5. Christian-only music preference
6. Not swearing or drinking because it's "wrong"

Things I never believed in while Christian:

1. Rituals (such as praying before every meal)
2. The Bible's 100% infallible accuracy

How 'bout you guys?

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Vladd44
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Re: What kind of Christian were you?

Post #11

Post by Vladd44 »

ElCodeMonkey wrote:1. My Black and White idea of Right and Wrong
2. Assuming that I KNOW the truth and everyone else is mislead
3. Wearing Christian T-Shirts
4. Acting like a Christian authority
5. Christian-only music preference
6. Not swearing or drinking because it's "wrong"

Things I never believed in while Christian:

1. Rituals (such as praying before every meal)
2. The Bible's 100% infallible accuracy

How 'bout you guys?
First I still feel like a fool that I fell for such an ignorant concept. But it does go to show that if you are taught some things early enough you presume they are right.

I am in awe that I actually did 1, 2, 4, and 6. I liked good music so 5 was a no-go..and as someone else mentioned earlier. Most "christian" acts were not my particular flavor so they were only wolves on sheep cloth to me.

I rarely drink now, most of my drinking was done before I was of age.

I was not a big believer in praying before meals, seemed a bit ritualistic and catholic to me.

But the bible had to be 100% fact, a problem that ultimately led me to realize the best thing bibles are for is toilet paper and rolling papers.
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.[GOD] ‑ 1 Cor 13:11
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indie_girl03
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Post #12

Post by indie_girl03 »

i think as a christian i was far too "accepting without questioning" meaning that i just blindly accepted whatever my mom told me
also explaining to people who actually knew what they were talking about that they were wrong by just using "bible verses" to back me up
i bet i really got on some peoples nerves lol
i never really did understand the whole praying before you eat sort of thing though
or going to church sort of thing
why cant you just worship at home? my mom always said it had to be at church.=s

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OnceConvinced
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Post #13

Post by OnceConvinced »

indie_girl03 wrote:i think as a christian i was far too "accepting without questioning" meaning that i just blindly accepted whatever my mom told me
also explaining to people who actually knew what they were talking about that they were wrong by just using "bible verses" to back me up
i bet i really got on some peoples nerves lol
i never really did understand the whole praying before you eat sort of thing though
or going to church sort of thing
why cant you just worship at home? my mom always said it had to be at church.=s
yeah, I understand the whole blindly accepting what your parents tell you stuff. But that's what you do when you're a small kid. I really had no choice but to become a Christian. Of course as I got older I bought into it and continued on of my own accord. I was convinced!

As for praying before meals I look at that now as blatant religious ritual. Much like a mantra.

Society and its morals evolve and will continue to evolve. The bible however remains the same and just requires more and more apologetics and claims of "metaphors" and "symbolism" to justify it.

Prayer is like rubbing an old bottle and hoping that a genie will pop out and grant you three wishes.

There is much about this world that is mind boggling and impressive, but I see no need whatsoever to put it down to magical super powered beings.


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msmcneal
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Post #14

Post by msmcneal »

ElCodeMonkey wrote:1. My Black and White idea of Right and Wrong
2. Assuming that I KNOW the truth and everyone else is mislead
3. Wearing Christian T-Shirts
4. Acting like a Christian authority
5. Christian-only music preference
6. Not swearing or drinking because it's "wrong"

1. That's something I always struggled with.
2. Yeah, I can look back and realize just how annoying I was.
3. I've always been a big boy, and could never find any to fit me, or else I would have, only to regret doing it now. So I guess I lucked out on that.
4. Sometimes, I still think I do that, although I always try to stop myself from doing it if I catch it in time. Old habits die hard.
5. This one was one that I really regret. There's so much good stuff out there.
6. Yeah, I do both alot now, well, I've slowed down alot on the drinking, but I do cuss like a sailor.
ElCodeMonkey wrote: Things I never believed in while Christian:

1. Rituals (such as praying before every meal)
2. The Bible's 100% infallible accuracy
1. The last sect I was a part of was the Eastern Orthodox Church (think of Catholicism with a highly mystical bent), and everything was highly ritualized. Not only was it constant praying, we done it with icons, incense, candles, prayer books, chanting, etc.
2. The EOC believes that the OT is mostly allegory. It also believes that the Bible is infallible and inerrant only in matters of faith, religion, and spirituality, but not in matters of science and history. So this didn't seem to be as much of an issue.
McCulloch wrote:Besides, most Christian music was done by those who claimed to be Christian but who did not adhere to my particular version of Christianity and so were in many ways worse than unbelievers.
ElCodeMonkey wrote:And I know what you mean about musical artists not conforming to my view making them worse. I once went to a concert and this guy played the secular (hence evil) song "What if God was one of us" and I was just SOOOO ticked off. I hated him from that point on.
I still remember the last Christian concert me and my wife went to. We were upset that it wasn't Christian enough. Isn't that funny.
ElCodeMonkey wrote:Did anyone else ever think that they were such a super awesome Christian and so in touch with God that you could NEVER deny Him? And that you'd seen way too much in your life to NOT believe?
Oh, absolutely. It still makes me laugh thinking about it. And I practiced Christian mysticism, so I experienced alot that most of your "average" or "normal" Christians don't. I had also convinced myself that God had called me to be a prophet. I look back and laugh, and then cry, thinking that I was that "in to it".
Avariel wrote:I think the one thing I regret the most is the overwhelming sense of guilt
Yeah, I know what you mean. Feeling guilty for things that are natural for humans. Demonizing basic human instinct. It was all rediculous.

I bet I got a story though that will make everyone here laugh though. When I was a senior in high school, about ten years ago, I was deeply involved, almost obsessed, with the Pentecostal church I attended. My step-dad actually called the youth pastor and complained that they were dragging his son into a cult. At the time, I was pissed. But now I look back and thing "how could a middle school dropout redneck have been right about that?"
Al-Baqarah 256 (Yusuf Ali translation) "Truth stands out clear from error"

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Post #15

Post by RobsScience »

When I think of my time as a christian, I feel almost only shame. I would distrust anybody who wasn't christian, particularly atheists. I wouldn't question what I was told, if it was supported by Christianity. I would censor my own media: if anything even hinted at anti-theism I would totally ignore it. That includes scientific evidence and logic. Perhaps worst of all, I felt more important than the "foolish" unbelievers.

Everything above changed about me when I discovered science, thanks entirely to a friend. My mind opened quickly, and I began to actually think. I thought about the universe, evolution, the big bang, quantum theories of all kinds, philosophy, and then, long overdue though it was, I thought about religion. That was the day I turned from Christianity and accepted the facts as they really are. And I've never felt more free or more alive than I do now I'm being honest with myself about the nature of the universe and my own insignificance.

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R34L1TY
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Re: What kind of Christian were you?

Post #16

Post by R34L1TY »

Wouldn't have changed anything, I wouldn't be where I am now if I did.

However, since I have come to my senses, I appreciate life much more and am much more open minded which allows me to absorb a lot more information and use my intelligence.

I love everyone, I no longer look at people in categories or other animals as inferior to me. I am much more green, much less egotistical and materialistic and perhaps a just more humane human.
M.Sc Zoology/ B.Sc (Hons) Physics/Pursuing M.D (Radiation Oncology)

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Re: What kind of Christian were you?

Post #17

Post by amortalman »

[Replying to post 1 by ElCodeMonkey]

That list has me pegged, every single one of them. How did you know that much about me?

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Re: What kind of Christian were you?

Post #18

Post by steveb1 »

[Replying to post 1 by ElCodeMonkey]

I would be more open to, and compassionate toward, non-Christians, including atheists and anti-theists...

... more loving toward everyone and everything...

... less dogmatic and more progressive/inclusive...

... more willing to examine the log in my own eye before attending to the speck in another's

... more enthused to develop a more fervent prayer life, incorporating centering prayer...

... more educated/informed on critical New Testament/biblical scholarship and the important issues it raises for believers.

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