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I got sick of being a christian

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
ridicule my inability. Over a few years the ridicule turned to open mockery.

Not walking the talk means that such people don't really believe. I can understand trying and failing because that's my middle name but failure to try is failure to truly believe.

As to my personal experience, since my parents were atheist Jews, we never went to Temple outside of the typical wedding/funeral attendance. And when I came to that age, I refused to go through the Bar Mitzvah ritual so we had a birthday party with relatives.

It was only after I started believing in God that I realized that I had absorbed some things by osmosis as it were.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Growing up is hard, and much harder for some than for others. Any number of "I got sick of being a student" threads could be started decrying the traumas of youth. I'm unclear what Christianity (or religion) has to do with any of this.

The OP is clear.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
In some ways, my story isn't dissimilar to the OP's, only it starts younger and doesn't have such a negative element to it.

My folks wanted to give me the experience of being involved in organized religion as a kid, and while they don't share the same religion, it was decided I would get involved in the Catholic side of things. It was never a good fit, and "I got sick of being a Christian" is probably an apt way to describe how I started feeling about it before hitting the double-digits in age. There were some intellectual reasons, but it was mostly me being an immature child with attention deficit disorder who hated going to church on Sunday when the other parent didn't have to. Like the OP, it was less about the content of the religion and more about the human social dynamics. That isn't an uncommon tale for those who reject organized religion.
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
I did try the local Methodist church but too late, the damage was done
The test is easy. IF they respect you as an Atheist, and have not even 1 thought to get you converted into Christianity, then the church won't damage. I have not found such church though.

Do you experience that the damage slowly heals? Since the day I decided to "not see my parents again (unless they apologize for belittling me, and stop with it of course)", I feel the damage slowly heals. But the moment I would allow them to continue would be like disrespecting myself, killing me.
 

Hellbound Serpiente

Active Member
I was not a Christian nor had any experience with the churches [had a lot of bad experiences with Christians, though], but I was born a Muslim in a very, VERY strict, messed up part of the world. My stories are so horrifying that you'd feel like you are reading the most terrifying horror novel. Things like endless violence, pedophilia, rape, murder, chaos were part of an everyday deal of my earlier life. So, I won't be sharing it since I don't want all the bad memories to resurface again. I don't have it in me to relive it over and over again.

Regardless, I too gave up my belief in religion [all the Abrahamic religions] and never turned back since to mosques or any religious site. I believe in God, just not in any religion.
 

Unveiled Artist

Veteran Member
I wasn't raised religious. I was catholic for four years almost ten years ago. Good parts is prayer devotion, lots of worship resources, supportive priests, and just being able to pray at any church was nice.

I only had one priest out of town yell at me and another told me the "devil made me do it" in confession. I left cause my view of god, human sacrifice, etc and political stances didn't align with Christianity and the bible was never once been a personal spiritual book I based my life on.

I do see how people can have bad experiences in christian churches. I'm thankful I was old enough to see the influence and was able to make sound choices for my spiritual well-being. I hope others indoctrinated in christianity find their way out if they realize it's harming them more than it is helping them.
 
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stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
That is hopeful.
I can not change others, but I can protect myself, hence I choose to avoid people who belittle me (or also who belittle others; I could be next)

But I can also understand them, for not seeing this. Because I have discovered in the past 30 years quite a few blind spots in myself. Sometimes it took decades to "get it". Once I "got it", I thought "oh my God, how come, it took me so long". Still working on some of those.

Emotional blocks are an amazing complex thing to solve (at least for me it has been).
 

Twilight Hue

Twilight, not bright nor dark, good nor bad.
I was born into a mildly christian (CofE) family. Began sunday school as soon as i was able, unfortunately my inability to read was the brunt of many jokes. But i stuck it out, made some god friends and generally enjoyed learning about Jesus and before.

Age 11, i was formally allowed to attend church. I was so proud to be there with the adults, enthralled by the vicars sermon.

Each Sunday one of the youngsters would be chosen to learn a passage from the bible that they had to read out from the pulpit the following Sunday.

Being dyslexic and a bashful adolescent didn't prevent me being chosen. First i tried, asking my mother to read and reread the passage until i knew it by heart. But the exposure of pulpit made the words fly away leaving be mumbling and lost.

Still they said i must read from the bible and began to ridicule my inability. Over a few years the ridicule turned to open mockery.

Until eventually i got sick of it, walked out of church and never returned for a service since.

And hence began my path to atheism.

Does anyone else have a story of how church has impacted and chsnged their lives, either positively or negatively?
My experiencs eventually told me there is nothing divine or special at play affecting these people that would make them notably more unique or special in any way than anybody else.

If there was any special distinctions or divine characteristics, others would have noticed and pointed out such attributes long ago.

During my 30 plus tenure as a Christian it finally dawned on me, just by passive observation alone, it turns out to really be just a whole bunch of playing pretend among a group of people, while in the background the rest of the environment simply carries on as it always had, which proved to be far more profound then the theology had ever provided.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
Growing up is hard, and much harder for some than for others. Any number of "I got sick of being a student" threads could be started decrying the traumas of youth. I'm unclear what Christianity (or religion) has to do with any of this.
I agree.

People are often stupid and mean. What does this have to do with God? I understand copping a resentment after being treated badly. And I understand never wanting to associate with the pricks who mistreated us. That makes complete sense to me. I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic grade school and I never go into their churches anymore, either, for somewhat similar reasons. But I still know there are good people in those churches and schools, too. And that not everyone who practices a religion is a hypocrite, liar, abuser, or thief. I know that some people are markedly better human beings because they believe in and follow their religion's admonishments. And not just a few, but a LOT of them.

How people behave has never really had much to do with how I've come to think about the 'God' question. Though I readily admit it has certainly effected the way I relate to organized religion. Human organizations of all sorts, in fact. I can easily understand walking away from religion. I just don't see the logic in walking away from "God". Especially when I get to decide what "God" means, for myself.
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
During my 30 plus tenure as a Christian it finally dawned on me, just by passive observation alone, it turns out to really be just a whole bunch of playing pretend among a group of people, while in the background the rest of the environment simply carries on as it always had, which proved to be far more profound then the theology had ever provided.
I hear ya. One our priests a couple of decades ago said it this way: "Joe thought he was going to heaven for what he did on Sunday, but he went to hell for what he did on Monday".

Christianity, much like Judaism and Islam, must be a lifestyle, thus not just a set of p.c. beliefs.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
Premium Member
As to my personal experience, since my parents were atheist Jews, we never went to Temple outside of the typical wedding/funeral attendance. And when I came to that age, I refused to go through the Bar Mitzvah ritual so we had a birthday party with relatives.
It's never too late. There must be Bar Mitzvah classes for old, left wing, California Jews.
 

Deidre

Well-Known Member
Sadly, the westernized versions of Christianity, and church experiences therein, have caused many to leave the faith. I left at one time too, but have returned to following Jesus' teachings. I'm still in search of a church that resembles even remotely the kind Jesus spoke of in the Bible. People are imperfect, I get that, but western churches have lost their way in terms of keeping Jesus at the center.
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Sadly, the westernized versions of Christianity, and church experiences therein, have caused many to leave the faith. I left at one time too, but have returned to following Jesus' teachings. I'm still in search of a church that resembles even remotely the kind Jesus spoke of in the Bible. People are imperfect, I get that, but western churches have lost their way in terms of keeping Jesus at the center.
Yep.
 

A Vestigial Mote

Well-Known Member
I have always been a nonbeliever of some level of tepidity or tenacity or another, but I have attended quite a lot of church services. Unfortunately for the people organizing and executing them, these services have only ever reinforced the idea that nonbelief is definitely the way to go for me. Just a short list of the types of Christian shenanigans I have witnessed:
  1. Uncomfortable (yet frequent) sermons specifically about why God wants you to give your money to the church - Me: "So... you guys worship God, and God worships the money then, or... ?"
  2. Sermons attempting to ameliorate the message of gay-bashing to some sort of "passing" level that they seemed to feel would allow Christians to continue to claim they are loving and accepting - Me: "Hahaha! Ahhh... nah."
  3. Speaking in tongues - Me: "Wait... what the hell? Why?!"
  4. People attempting to push other people over while we stood in circle with hands-on, "praying over" the person - Me: *pushing back heartily to make sure that the attempt is thwarted*
  5. Claims of things like backs being healed in prayer sessions the night before, and when they have the person stand up, they are doubled-over, unable to stand straight - Me: "Really great job guys."
  6. People falling on the floor and rolling all over the place, overcome with "the spirit" - Me: "That carpet is not the cleanest thing in the world people."
  7. Uber-Christians (people with the best, most outlandish stories and a "following") invited to speak and bringing their latest book in to offer for sale after they give some schmucky sermon that seems more like a motivational speaker's schtick - Me: "Now I'm confused - I thought God needed this money?"
  8. More terrible analogies and blatant misunderstanding and open vilification of terms like "evolution" or "secular humanism" than could fit in a jumbo-sized, industrial dumpster. Which is saying a lot, because misunderstanding and ignorance have literally zero mass.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
People are often stupid and mean. What does this have to do with God?

Have you read the bible? There is some really sick stuff in there just perfect for willing minds.

And that not everyone who practices a religion is a hypocrite, liar, abuser, or thief.

Correct. Most are not, but out of the 5 or 6 billion people who do practice religion there are a good number of bad apples

. I just don't see the logic in walking away from "God".

Again, the bible was my guide.
 

PureX

Veteran Member
Have you read the bible? There is some really sick stuff in there just perfect for willing minds.
All literature is full of some really sick stuff for willing minds to grab onto. Should we all stop reading books, then? Nd anyway, the Bible is not God. It probably has very little to do with God, if God even exists. So why let it dictate God for you? Go find a God-ideal that you can appreciate, and that can appreciate, you. That can help you be a better, happier, person. Why not?
Correct. Most are not, but out of the 5 or 6 billion people who do practice religion there are a good number of bad apples
Yes, but in all honesty, they would be bad apples whether they practiced a religion, or not. They will twist whatever ideology they encounter to serve their own desires. It's why they are 'bad apples'.
Again, the bible was my guide.
But that was then, and this is now. Now you can throw that nonsense away and develop your own ideas of God. Maybe one that could help you forgive those pricks, and leave their hurtful actions behind you, forever. There are plenty of people who have done this, successfully.

I'm not preaching, I'm just saying; YOU are in control, now.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Should we all stop reading books,

The bible (and other religious books) are not just read, some make that is written in the bible as gospel (yes) and live their lives by it. Use it as a teaching tool with both the good and bad.

anyway, the Bible is not God. It probably has very little to do with God

There are a lot of christians who would disagree with that

So why let it dictate God for you

What god?

Go find a God-ideal that you can appreciate,

Why, the only good it did me was drive me away, an act of hatred that i will be forever grateful for.


That can help you be a better, happier, person. Why not?

I am the best person i can be, religion isn't going to change that

Yes, but in all honesty, they would be bad apples whether they practiced a religion, or not.

But the thing is they do.

But that was then, and this is now. Now you can throw that nonsense away and develop your own ideas of God.

I have, there is nothing so why waste my time getting all hit and bothered over a bronze age myth?

Maybe one that could help you forgive those pricks, and leave their hurtful actions behind you, forever

Those pricks did me the greatest favour. As a 14 year old, yes it hurt, it hurt badly but it taught me a great deal about human nature.

I'm not preaching, I'm just saying; YOU are in control, now.

Precisely, i am i, what i want to be.
 
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