Hello

[jh2586]

Hey my name's Jeff and I'm 26 years old. I'm from the Bay Area, CA USA and currently serving as Active Duty U.S. Army.

It all started when I was very young. I was raised catholic and was "converted" to "Born-Again" Christian when I was about 12. It was a pentecostal church that practiced a lot of weird (at least to me) things. Things like, speaking in tongues, dancing up and down the isle, people fainting at the altar calls because "God" touched them. I now know that there is no god and that religion  is fake.. thanks to endless amounts of research and the mere acceptance that there is nothing more than just reality around us. It took me awhile to figure this out but it was all worth it in the end.

It always irks me how they (the pastorial staff) staged their sessions. Did they train their workers and ushers to faint and falsly speak in tongues once they were touched in the forehead or pushed down to the ground? Or were they all just caught up in the hype of things? I remember one year, I was called up to the altar and I was told that I would faint when the Holy Ghost came inside me... nothing happened. I was even sent to a Christian Summer Camp only to find out that 2 of the 4 pastors are doing drugs and even one of the pastors from my old church was a sex offender. I always asked myself why all the pastors of my church were always loaded with cash. I mean, these guys drove BMWs, Lexus, Mercedes etc.. where the hell did they get this money from? I understand that the church offering is supposed to cover your salary but when does a pastor's salary become six figures?

I thought to myself, this can't be right. How is it that "God" allows these individuals to lead the sheep into green pastures but get away with these atrocious acts? After I was about 15 years old, I started becoming very skeptical about it all. So I did my research, read the bible in so many different ways and now, not do I only NOT believe in it all.. but I KNOW that God does not exist.

I heard about this forum from a friend and decided to check it out. I like what I see so far and I can see that I'd fit right in the conversations. Good to be here and hope to talk to you guys soon.

Jeff H.

[Solitary]

:-D  Welcome aboard jh2586! Solitary

[Plu]

Welcome aboard :) Always nice to get some new members.

[Farroc]

Welcome.DON'T PANIC!








My name is... [blink:29zctv21]CLOWN BABY![/blink:29zctv21]

[induz]

welcome aboard lol..

[Solitary]

You will find some here that appear to be insane, but they are merely stupid.  :rollin:  He! He! Solitary

[WitchSabrina]

Welcome Jeff.   As the mom of an ARMY soldier - thank you for your service.
Hope you like it here.

[Farroc]

You will find some here that appear to be insane, but they are merely stupid. :rollin: He! He! Solitary

I kinda get the feeling that because my standard greeting involves a dancing guy in a bright green spandex body suit and the words "Clown Baby" flashing and colored rainbow, you're referring to me. :-k

[Mister Agenda]

I know the Army is a big place and there are plenty of other troops named Jeff H. who are atheists...but did you ever serve as a DI at Ft. Jackson, SC?

[Smartmarzipan]

Ah, another person who grew up Pentecostal. Howdy!