Any former Christians on here

[ApostateLois]

I hate that answer Christians give to why God doesn't help people, "He wants US to help people," or "Well, what are YOU doing to help others?" Humans can do only so much. We can donate our time and money, we can work for the charities, build schools, fund hospitals, become activists for human rights, etc., but clearly, that is not enough. There is still massive suffering in the world, a huge amount of inequality, child abuse, degradation of women, incurable diseases running rampant, lack of clean drinking water, vast areas of land that can't be cultivated, wars laying waste to whole populations and leaving millions homeless, and the list goes on. If God created the world, then this is his mess to clean up, because he made humans with the capacity to hurt each other in terrible ways, and he also made the earth so that some people would be able to grow lots of food and have plenty of water, and others would not. We can't do much to change human behavior or the way nature works, but God could change everything with a mere thought if he wanted to. Obviously, he either doesn't want to or he doesn't exist at all. Either way, I see no reason to believe in or worship God. Why bother, if he never does anything useful? There is certainly no point in praying if he is only going to sit on his giant ass and not respond.

[Bobbotov]

I hate that answer Christians give to why God doesn't help people, "He wants US to help people," or "Well, what are YOU doing to help others?" Humans can do only so much. We can donate our time and money, we can work for the charities, build schools, fund hospitals, become activists for human rights, etc., but clearly, that is not enough. There is still massive suffering in the world, a huge amount of inequality, child abuse, degradation of women, incurable diseases running rampant, lack of clean drinking water, vast areas of land that can't be cultivated, wars laying waste to whole populations and leaving millions homeless, and the list goes on. If God created the world, then this is his mess to clean up, because he made humans with the capacity to hurt each other in terrible ways, and he also made the earth so that some people would be able to grow lots of food and have plenty of water, and others would not. We can't do much to change human behavior or the way nature works, but God could change everything with a mere thought if he wanted to. Obviously, he either doesn't want to or he doesn't exist at all. Either way, I see no reason to believe in or worship God. Why bother, if he never does anything useful? There is certainly no point in praying if he is only going to sit on his giant ass and not respond.

This is one of the many conundrums that religions are trapped in when they invented God. They are apparently satisfied with the fact that their imaginary  Omnipotent, Omniscient entity does not act in a universally good, caring and considerate manner but relegate it to, "well, God works in mysterious ways."  The truth is that whatever help is provided to other people comes from people. There is no other source and consequently it will always be insufficient.

[Graceless]

Former Christian here. I was brought up in the faith, and stuck to it for fifteen years (albeit with doubts filling the last few years). I'm eighteen now, so the memories are still fresh; how it made me feel like I belonged, how a community could be at once nurturing and toxic, how love could go hand-in-hand with hatred.

My family's pastor at that time was allegedly a reformed petty criminal. His story was that he lead a life of excess in his younger days, but reformed himself upon hearing the Good News and soon became a pastor. He led the church into debt with questionable land purchases and failed attempts at expansion. Not long after, he retired.

In retrospect, so much of this was suspicious. But at the time, faith blinded me (and nearly everyone else in the congregation) to the idea that the pastor might be anything other than a hardworking, honest man.

I still don't know if the pastor ever genuinely believed, or if he was just fleecing his sheep. Either way, I'm happy to have gotten out.

[MrsSassyPants]

Thank you for your input Graceless. The church can be so traumatizing as a child.  I am also thankful I got out.

[Bobbotov]

The minister at the Methodist church I attended in my youth was in fact a good, decent man regardless of religion. I am sure there are many other honest, sincere clergy.

There was in incident  back in the early 1960's when the church organist was found to be a homosexual living with another man. This came to light in his life outside of the church at a time when such things were potentially scandalous. The minister was the first to preach on tolerance in society and not judging another person. He never mentioned forgiveness as I think it would have served to point an accusatory finger. He also extended his support for any member of the congregation that had met with trials and tribulations in life. The organist continued in his capacity and it was all quickly forgotten. I thought that was the appropriate thing to do.

Incidentally, the organist was a virtuoso performer and if he was to be lost to the congregation by condemnation it would have been a greater tragedy.

[MrsSassyPants]

Wow Bobbotov, that is incredible.  I have seen churches overthrow people for nonsense many times.

[Mister Agenda]

Raised Pentecostal, very devout, spoke in tongues, all that.  I thought I should read the Bible, so I did, cover-to-cover (KJV) and then again in a modern English version. I couldn't really keep believing it was the work of an omniscient and benevolent being after that, although it didn't take me straight to atheism.

[MrsSassyPants]

The bible is incredibly stupid.  I always hated church when I was a child.  But I thought it was keeping me off the naughty list.

[PghPanther]

I accepted Christ as my personal savior in high school and remained a Christian for 45 years...............

I first started out as a fundamentalist...and decided to read the bible all the way through........once I did that I struggled with rectifying the old testament violence and laws with the NT.........but just though of focusing of Christ.

I lived for many years fighting the issues I had in my education with science (which I loved) with my fundamental beliefs...............during this period I became more of a progressive and liberal Christian along the lines of a Bishop John Spong........

Then with the advent of the Internet I was able to learn for myself about biblical scholarship..............I was intently interested in wanting to find out about the source of biblical manuscripts......and the construction of the canon. When I found out that even most Christian scholars knew facts that would shake the faith to the bone of most church congregations yet we were never once exposed to this, I began to feel deceived.......benevolent or not........ a deception never the less.

I strive for truth and thought my study of biblical scholarship of the manuscripts would confirm that truth only to find it rotting the whole thing away........it took a few years but in the end I jettison the whole belief knowing it was a delusion.

The crack in the dam for me that started the whole thing crumbling is when I found out all scholars and leaders of the Christian faith knew the gospels were not really written by the disciples names on them and they came decades after the event occurred in multiple copied generations.........I felt very betrayed learning this and knew at that point..........that if they kept this away from layperson believers what else is bogus that I was taught in church to believe?

When I was in church I was given the impression that the gospels were hand written rock solid disciple eye witness accounts............kind of like them keeping a diary every night of what the did that day with Christ.

I never questioned this because pastors and other church leaders never let on that it was anything but that.......rock solid eyewitness evidence when in reality it was decades of story telling by believers wanting others to believe..........the bullshit of oral tradition........

Needless to say I am relieved its all a delusion of hope.........

[rick]

I used to be christian and was even a leader in the church.