• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

I got sick of being a christian

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
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?
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
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 Dad told me his story. He and 4 siblings had walked 2 miles to church, and listened to a 'Be kind to your neighbour' sermon. When church was over it was pouring rain. Four neighour's cars drove past him and his sisters, none offering a ride. He thought to himself. "This is BS." He was 10 years old at the time, and never went to another sermon in his life, other than weddings and funerals. Dad would have turned 103 this December.
 

Fool

ALL in all
Premium Member
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?
love doesn't dwell in houses made by hands. when you left, you took the best with you.


best wishes in your journey and thanks for sharing


ezekiel 10:18:22
 

Secret Chief

nirvana is samsara
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.
-----------
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.

Am I going mad or have you posted this elsewhere recently? (Please note that is one question, not two :p )
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
Am I going mad or have you posted this elsewhere recently? (Please note that is one question, not two :p )

Yes, been posted as a comment a couple of times which, along with the I got sick of being an atheist thread inspired me to post this thread
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
Until eventually i got sick of it, walked out of church and never returned for a service since.
I did much the same with the fundamentalist Protestant church I grew up in, largely because of their anti-science and racist attitudes. That was back in 1968 when my wife and I left, and we joined her Catholic church.

There are many churches that you might find more to your liking, and that might well include some of the mainline Protestant churches, such as United Methodist, United Presbyterian, Episcopalian (this one is at a crossroads between Catholicism and Protestantism), ELCA Lutheran, etc.
 

ChristineM

"Be strong", I whispered to my coffee.
Premium Member
I did much the same with the fundamentalist Protestant church I grew up in, largely because of their anti-science and racist attitudes. That was back in 1968 when my wife and I left, and we joined her Catholic church.

There are many churches that you might find more to your liking, and that might well include some of the mainline Protestant churches, such as United Methodist, United Presbyterian, Episcopalian (this one is at a crossroads between Catholicism and Protestantism), ELCA Lutheran, etc.

I did try the local Methodist church but too late, the damage was done
 

stvdv

Veteran Member: I Share (not Debate) my POV
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.
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.
I recognize being enthusiastic as a kid

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.
And I recognize being enthusiastic and others trying to kill it in me.
My father did this to me, I did not have it with religion though

Hence my strong resolve to avoid those who belittle others. At least 1 good lesson I learned from it.
 

Jayhawker Soule

-- untitled --
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.
 
Top