former christians what made you stop being a christian?

[crystalmage]

What made you decide not to be a christian anymore?
Stories welcome.

[McCulloch]

Moved to Questions for ...

There is no real question for debate, this is more of a discussion topic.

[McCulloch]

I decided that I needed to take God's word seriously. That really, if the Bible was a communication from the creator of the universe to us humans, then what could possibly be more important that learning more fully what God wants us to know?

So I went for two years of full time Bible college. I discovered that the Bible really does not have the answers and that the evidence for the existence of the Christian concept of God is just not convincing.

[Zzyzx]

I decided that I needed to take God's word seriously. That really, if the Bible was a communication from the creator of the universe to us humans, then what could possibly be more important that learning more fully what God wants us to know?

So I went for two years of full time Bible college. I discovered that the Bible really does not have the answers and that the evidence for the existence of the Christian concept of God is just not convincing.

This is a very powerful statement. A person sincerely seeking to learn more about god goes to a bible college for two years -- and learns that, in his estimation, the bible has no answers and that the Christian concept of god is not convincing.

This is from a person who probably put a LOT more study into Christianity and the bible than all but a few Christians -- and who concludes that the answers are not there and that the Christian god concept is unconvincing.

Perhaps more Christians should go to bible college -- or at least study the bible in greater depth (i.e., read beyond favored passages using favorable "interpretations").

[Cathar1950]

Many that do go to college and study even become ministers.
But ministers have jobs and few want to teach what they have learned as they would find themselves out of a job. They want the good old time religion and the results of modern scholarship are often not appreciated.

[graphicsguy]

What it really boils down to is that I have absolutely nothing to base faith on anymore.

Why?

Well, I grew up in church. My dad was a pastor actually. Thankfully, my mother is one of the most open-minded people on earth and kept us from being too mired in "religion". I think she was disappointed when I started going off the deep-end as a teenager.

I was depressed and moody, had insatiable sexual cravings that I was terrified to indulge in since "no sex before marriage" was pretty much pounded into my brain (not so much from my father, but from church youth group/youth leaders).

When I moved out of the house, things got progressively worse. I slowly became more depressed, more anti-social, sought pornography as my "feel-good" drug of choice. However, I lived and breathed the church life.

After getting married things continued getting worse (whether due to marriage or aging would be open to debate). I was on a constant "high-low" cycle (bipolar). I would go on "spiritual highs" and then sink into dark, depressive lows. I talked to God in my head (schizophrenic - because I couldn't talk in tongues this was my special "gift" from God).

Long story short, I finally went to the doctor five months ago and it was discovered that my testosterone was low. This is more common in older men, but for me it was since puberty. It is very, very bad as my case proves.

After treatment, what was left to believe in?

Deliverance - didn't work
Prayer - didn't work
Bible study - didn't work
Men's groups - didn't work
Purity books/courses - didn't work
Worship - didn't work
Doctor/medication - worked

Really, my basis for faith was what I had experienced in church...but whatever amazing things I had experienced was my own body producing chemical reactions in my brain - none of it was real.

My reason for believing was, "if there is no God I may as well off myself now because there's no reason to go on living."

Now I question the existence of God, but I still want to live. I mean, I especially want to live if there is no God.

[McCulloch]

Many that do go to college and study even become ministers.
But ministers have jobs and few want to teach what they have learned as they would find themselves out of a job. They want the good old time religion and the results of modern scholarship are often not appreciated.

It is a sad thing to see a minister who has lost faith. With a family to support and no other viable career options, what else can he do but play the part.

[crystalmage]

the Christian god concept is unconvincing.

This pretty much sums up my view when I was an atheist.

[crystalmage]

It is a sad thing to see a minister who has lost faith. With a family to support and no other viable career options, what else can he do but play the part.

Did you become a priest as a former christian or athiest?

It would be funny. But not for you I guess if it was true.

Did you know on this forum when I tell people that I have experienced god it's the christians that get the most worked up and deny it the hardest. Not the atheists.
On this forum the christians fanaticaly deny the existance of god more than any one else.
Why is that?

In my opinion chrisitanity has set it's self up as god. When I saw god I was actually surprised that it wasn't christianity. Like DUH god isn't a religion. Analgy - you go to a restaurant god is the meal. Religion is the menu. Most religious people read the menu say this sounds good eat the menu and go home hungry. Then they won't even admit they are hungry because they don't want to admit they ate the wrong thing.

[crystalmage]

How was your LSD TRIP?
This is only for open minded individuals, i can spare the nasty and ignorant remarks regarding my question.

I have been spiritually awakened by this most beautiful drug time and time again. Please tell me about your experiences with LSD/ACID

thank you and have a beautiful day

My response

I did it at burning man . It's common for people to burn something of theirs so I threw my clothes in the fire and danced around naked. I did it because it kinda symbolic of refusing to be mainstream. So I danced threw the crowd. I wanted to go really deep so I started dancing kinda like who the indians dance around a fire. I started going to other realms and stuff. At one point I opened my eyes turned to the first person their I felt full of brotherly love for all people I hugged the person and in that moment all of existence crashed down into a single point of light in a void. I had a revelation "this is what people refer to as god" I had a second revelation "god is love". Then the single point of light burst around me recreating the whole world. At this point I had the realization that 90% what I was taught about god as a child is garbrage. I continued dancing. When I closed my eyes I would go to the familiar psychadelic realms. I lost track of time because I was dancing around a humungous fire I grew scared that I might accidentaly fall in so I opened my eyes to look. When I opened my eyes I was in the middle of the fire dancing naked. I jumped out of their as quick as I ******* well could. Even though I wasn't burned by the fire I wasn't planning on waiting until I was. I was afraid of going into the fire again but I go deeper when I close my eyes and I wanted to go deeper so I closed my eyes again. I ended up going into the fire quite a few times. One time I almost tripped on some peice of metal from the burning man. Another time their was this lady sitting next to the fire staring into it intensly then right in front of here face I stomp on this big flaming log. So she's sitting their lost in thought then boom this foot steps on the red hot log in front of you sending sparks flying every where. She looks up and its some naked hippie and he smiles and dances off into the fire. Her eyes almost popped out of her head. At some point I also stepped through someones stomach. I felt everything that was happening in his stomach. Poor guy probably doesn't even know what hit him.

I saw that this world is an illusion and that god is real.

You think that the walls and the floor and your body are real.

They are not.

You think that god is a voice in your head. Your head contains god. God is larger than you and more real. You do not contian god, god contains you.

You think that your head is real and god is not.

God is more real than the floor you walk on.

The floor is an illusion.

God is more real than the walls.

The walls do not exist.

God is more real than your body, than your head, than your chemisty for they are just illusion.

God is the absolute truth, the highest level of reality, the one true source.

Forget everything chrisitanity ever taught you about god.

If you don't believe me click here