[Ex-Christians only] Why did you leave Christianity?

[Sgt. Pepper]

Oh my gosh, how horrible! I don't understand how we feel too afraid to leave, even though things don't seem right. Like danged if you do, danged if you don't. The threat of hell for one thing is demoralizing and paralyzing. With abuse going on, and unanswered prayer, you must have felt like you had no one in your court. So proud of you for gathering the courage to fight for your well being. I swear it's like Stockholm Syndrome. I feel bad for the many people who are going through similar things. Fly free, beautiful bird.

It was a living hell for me while I was growing up, and no one bothered to help me. I was told that a lot of people knew about the abuse and bullying I suffered. Apparently relatives from both sides of my family knew, but they decided not to help me. One of my aunts told me that the reasons why she didn't call the police on my mother was because (1) my mother is her sister, and (2) She and some of my other relatives feared that I would up in a worse situation if I was placed in foster care. She told me that she would leave our house crying because of the way my mother treated me. My relatives chose to leave me alone in that living hell. My aunt also told me that the neighbors knew that I was being abused, and my teachers and the rest of the school faculty also knew. It was actually common knowledge in the small town we lived in that I was abused at home and bullied in school. None of these people ever bothered to intervene and help me. None of them ever called the police or Child Protective Services. I was left on my own.

 

[Sand Dancer]

It was a living hell for me while I was growing up, and no one bothered to help me. I was told that a lot of people knew about the abuse and bullying I suffered. Apparently relatives from both sides of my family knew, but they decided not to help me. One of my aunts told me that the reasons why she didn't call the police on my mother was because (1) my mother is her sister, and (2) She and some of my other relatives feared that I would up in a worse situation if I was placed in foster care. She told me that she would leave our house crying because of the way my mother treated me. My relatives chose to leave me alone in that living hell. My aunt also told me that the neighbors knew that I was being abused, and my teachers and the rest of the school faculty also knew. It was actually common knowledge in the small town we lived in that I was abused at home and bullied in school. None of these people ever bothered to intervene and help me. None of them ever called the police or Child Protective Services. I was left on my own.

WTH??????? You deserve all of the kindness and support you can get.

 

[Mark Charles Compton]

I was raised as a Seventh Day Adventist. They worship on Saturday claiming it to be the Sabbath, which Constantine had officially changed to Sunday back in the early Roman empire.

This caused my young mind to question all things within the book. If man chose to alter it for convenience that early in its life, how many alterations were made? Then I learned how translations are often lacking in a proper transfer of the ideas meant to inspire the reader. Then I learned how some scribes made errors both intentional and innocently.

I found myself in the barren wastes of the desert with nothing to quench my spiritual thirst except the self-contradicting system of 'atheism' and its ridicule of ideas allowing anything to exist outside of the material universe/multiverse.

It was in my mid to late 20s that I decided that I would re-establish communion with God, this time on my own terms. I try to maintain an abstinence of traditions and rituals, and an avoidance of prejudices and presumptions of other faiths and faithful.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I was raised as a Seventh Day Adventist. They worship on Saturday claiming it to be the Sabbath, which Constantine had officially changed to Sunday back in the early Roman empire.

This caused my young mind to question all things within the book. If man chose to alter it for convenience that early in its life, how many alterations were made? Then I learned how translations are often lacking in a proper transfer of the ideas meant to inspire the reader. Then I learned how some scribes made errors both intentional and innocently.

I found myself in the barren wastes of the desert with nothing to quench my spiritual thirst except the self-contradicting system of 'atheism' and its ridicule of ideas allowing anything to exist outside of the material universe/multiverse.

It was in my mid to late 20s that I decided that I would re-establish communion with God, this time on my own terms. I try to maintain an abstinence of traditions and rituals, and an avoidance of prejudices and presumptions of other faiths and faithful.

First, welcome to Religious Forums. I hope you enjoy your time on RF. It's a great forum, IMHO. Secondly, thank you for sharing your story. I appreciate your participation in my thread.

☮ and ❤
Sgt. Pepper

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

WTH??????? You deserve all of the kindness and support you can get.

Thank you, Thirza Fallen. I truly appreciate your kindness and your support.

The problem of evil/suffering initially got me questioning. That and the fact that Christians are no more good or moral than anyone else, and sometimes they are more immoral, bigoted and judgmental, didn't sit right with me. This is mostly the case of the religious right. The Christian Left are often very Christ-like people, but still not enough to get me back. I like a lot about it, but then again, I like a lot about other religions.

Well said.

 

[Jainarayan]

I was Roman Catholic from birth, in an Italian-American family. When I was about 23 I became Eastern Orthodox. That lasted for about 10 years when I started drifting away from Christianity. I embraced Deism for a while but since I was a teenager I had a fascination with India and Hinduism. I finally fully embraced Hinduism.

That’s the “was”, the “why” is because the theology, cosmology, soteriology and ontology of Christianity didn’t make sense anymore. I thought it was limiting... only one life, no room for seeking and searching for answers when the stock answers did make sense, no questioning.

Hinduism, however, was more flexible, open, it actually provided a name for what I believed for a long time, even before abandoning Christianity altogether.

 

[Mark Charles Compton]

I had a fascination with India and Hinduism. I finally fully embraced Hinduism. ...it actually provided a name for what I believed for a long time

That's awesome! I'm glad you found a place appropriate to your journey that provides a feeling of belonging!

 

[Sand Dancer]

I was raised as a Seventh Day Adventist. They worship on Saturday claiming it to be the Sabbath, which Constantine had officially changed to Sunday back in the early Roman empire.

This caused my young mind to question all things within the book. If man chose to alter it for convenience that early in its life, how many alterations were made? Then I learned how translations are often lacking in a proper transfer of the ideas meant to inspire the reader. Then I learned how some scribes made errors both intentional and innocently.

I found myself in the barren wastes of the desert with nothing to quench my spiritual thirst except the self-contradicting system of 'atheism' and its ridicule of ideas allowing anything to exist outside of the material universe/multiverse.

It was in my mid to late 20s that I decided that I would re-establish communion with God, this time on my own terms. I try to maintain an abstinence of traditions and rituals, and an avoidance of prejudices and presumptions of other faiths and faithful.

Refreshing, isn't it?

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

Refreshing, isn't it?

I know you directed your question to someone else, but I want to say that there's nothing like the feeling of finally being free from spiritual bondage, and that's what I felt for many years when I was still a Christian. I'm sure other ex-Christians can also relate.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

I would like to thank everyone who has posted and shared their personal story of leaving Christianity here in my thread. Reading these posts has been encouraging and therapeutic for me, and I've enjoyed it. I truly appreciate all the participation in my thread.

 

[Sgt. Pepper]

My thread is still active, and anyone who is an ex-Christian is more than welcome to share their own story of leaving Christianity in this thread, if they haven't done so yet. If you read my OP, you will see that I set strict guidelines for participating in my thread.

 

[Ella S.]

I left because the historical proofs of a Creator God were disproved by the discovery of deep time and evolution, because I'm unaware of any good evidence that the resurrection of Jesus happened, and because I'm fairly sure mind-body dualism is false after years of psychiatry and therapy so there is likely nothing about my mind that will survive my death.

I could have continued being a cultural Christian, but these are the core tenets that justify most of the modern Christian practices. Why pray if there's no God to hear me? Why go to church if no God commanded that I do? Why adhere to Jesus's moral philosophy if he wasn't the Son of God who died and was resurrected for our sins, and if there was no promise of Heaven nor threat of Hell to demand my obedience? Why celebrate Easter if I don't believe in the resurrection? Why celebrate Christmas if Jesus has no real significance to my life anymore? Why quote the Bible if it's not the word of God?

I'm sure there are reasons for each of these, but none that have compelled me.

 

[oldbadger]

Hello, fellow ex-Christians.

I'd like to hear from you, an ex-Christian, currently or in the past.
☮ and ❤
Sgt. Pepper

I was confirmed in to the Church of England when I was 13. Later in life I read the Bible during one year and I found that the Christ story had been a brilliant deception, and that led on to a search that took me in the heart of Deism.

 

[Spiderman]

I became Shinto because people, most of them, are nicer than the Biblical God.

Shinto has no known founder, a female is the highest most venerated Kami, and she isn't the omnipotent creator, there is no known founder of Shinto, the only Dogma is belief in Spirit entities, no inerrant Scriptures, so nothing to argue about, no judging or condemnation of other religions!