KenLynch

Hi SSbyG

I used to be a Christian, and I'll just warn you - watch out. Christianity is not as rosy or as holy as it likes to paint itself. They hide things from you, don't tell you the whole truth. Here's an example:

My pastor quite regularly used famous people from history as examples in his sermons, he once recounted the following about Isaac Newton:

Isaac Newton, had invited a scientist-friend of his, a man who professed atheism to dine with him. Seeking to corner his friend with his own arguments, Newton placed a model of the solar system on his table and invited his friend to view it. Upon examining it, Newton's friend exclaimed, "what a marvellous craftsmanship!" Who fashioned this exquisite model?" Newton replied casually, "This model has no maker, it materialised from nothing." Disbelief written large on his face, the friend asked, "What do you mean?" To this, Newton smiled and replied, "How can you my friend, insist that this model has to have a maker, while vehemently denying the existence of a divine Creator?"

What the pastor neglected to mention was that Isaac Newton was into alchemy and the occult, was involved with the Rosicrucians and was quite possibly homosexual - all things that a good Christian shouldn't be (according to most churches).

I rejected Christianity because it didn't live up to its claims and was at odds with science, my Church tried to address this last one by having Ken Ham over to speak!

Don't let them force you into believing stuff without checking it out first, there's lots of information available from this forum on all kinds of topics - beware of blind faith that forbids you to question.

Stephen T-B

I was told there was a God, and I accepted it. And why shouldn't I? My parents, nearly all my relations and all my parents' friends talked of God like it was something which really existed.
"Belief" and "Faith" played no part in my thinking.
I didn't suddenly find out it didn't exist; I first found out it wasn't as advertised, and after that I moved very gradually towards the realisation that it is "real" in the same sense that every god which people have believed in and worshipped since people first became capable of believing in and worshipping things which aren't there, is "real."
The belief is real. That's all.

Capn_Danger

Changes started happening pretty quickly when I finally let myself question "the truth". I got regular warnings in church about only reading "faith-promoting" materials, and how doing otherwise could lead to "apostasy" *GASP*. Eventually, though, I realized that if it was true, critically investigating it would only strengthen my faith. Thank you philosophy class. Heh, I soon learned why we were so strongly cautioned to stick to church-related books. If you go reading other things, you might actually begin to think for yourself.

The real dam-breaker was when I realized that my sole reason for believing was arbitrary. I used to think that one could recieve knowledge from god through the "holy ghost", which you could identify by the feelings and thoughts you had. I read some William James, and discovered that other folks described the exact same religious experience I had, but were from other faiths. BANG! I suddenly realized that I had no way to tell if I was wrong, or if they were (which is what I had just assumed previous to this). There is no way for me to know that my feelings are some sort of communication from god. Its just plain ridiculous.

Being an atheist is a lot better anyways: its more fun, I don't waste so much time trying to please a god that might not even exist, and I don't annoy the ass of normal people trying to convert them (or do actual harm by succeeding). Not to mention that I'm not plagued by guilt constantly. Anyways, hooray for heresey!

kciredor reprah

Atheism was and is the only choice for me. I'm so far beyond that other stuff. I could never truly follow any religious creed.

Peace

mirage

Lacking a proper childhood indoctrination, the whole concept of religion and "worshipping" some mythical spirit has never seemed remotely plausible.