[Garth]

Just curious. We often hear the term "born again christian" or people who have crossed over to another faith (classic example: Cat Stevens) but has anyone here or someone you know gone from being religious to being a non believer?

If so, when did you (or someone you might know) see the error of your ways & decide there isn't a god after all? Did you look at the science side & think, hang on, this can't be possible or was it something personal? IE: god let you down in some way?

I got taken to church & Sunday school by my Mother when I was a kid because she thought it might make me a good person (you be the judge on that one) Even back then, I had a hard time believing anything I heard. Funny thing was, my Mother wasn't religious either.

Soooooo to get back to the question: Are you a convert away from religion?

 

[theoconbrio]

I moved from devout Catholicism, to doubt, to skepticism, to ardent atheism, to agnosticism, to Buddhism.

(P.S. Agnosticism and Buddhism are compatible, since Buddhism is nontheistic. I personally see Buddhism primarily as a theory and practice of mind.)

 

[my2labs]

a few things did it for me. i was baptised baptist but have been steadily walking away from any religion for 15 years.
1. so many bad things happening to good people and lots of questions to go with it. (if God is so great, why are children being kidnapped and killed? Why didn't he step in and stop 9/11) things like that. there is no explaination He could give me that would satisfy those questions. i'm tired of hearing "it was their time, he needed them more then you did on earth"
2. seeing way too many people claim to be religious and then do horrible things only to go and confess/pray for forgiveness and think that things are great and they are cleansed only to go out and do something else equally as bad.
3.seeing religious leaders doing ungodly things. the whole catholic priest molestation incident comes to mind. you took a vow to God and this is what you do?

nothing against anyone's religion and i would never tell anyone what or what not to believe in. i like thinking maybe there is a goddess in the world who believes that actions speak louder then words and that even though i haven't dedicated myself to any one religion, i won't have a horrific afterlife. i would like to think that when i died, i become part of nature.

 

[Pottsie]

G'day,

Not me personally (Parents took me to a couple of Sunday ceremonies, and I decided early on that religion wasn't my thing) but a few of my mates have either thrown the bible away or are in the process of.
One was taken to church by her old man each Friday night for mass, and the second she could get away with not going, she did. I don't think she's looked back.
Another one is slowly going nuts in her current job, which seems to be impacting on her faith (Amoungst other things - poor kid) and I can see her not bothering with religion for a lot longer.

Cheers,

Pottsie

 

[patm]

You hear about people who were religious and believed in God, and then maybe something real bad happened to them and they no longer believed in God. But my quesiton is always this - if God really exists in a "physical sense", then if you believed before, how can you just say that God doen'st exist anymore? It's like the sun - if you believe in the sun and it's up there, you can't just say "it's not up there anymore." It either is or isn't, whether you believe it is or not. Now you might not believe in the the whole story built up around God, and Jesus and the bible, but the actuall exisitence of God either is or isn't , regardless of what you believe. So I don't see how you can really believe in the existence of God and then not believe.

 

[Garth]

So I don't see how you can really believe in the existence of God and then not believe.

I can & for pretty much the same reasons as my2labs. I myself touched on a couple of these points in Bob's thread.

1. so many bad things happening to good people and lots of questions to go with it. (if God is so great, why are children being kidnapped and killed? Why didn't he step in and stop 9/11) things like that. there is no explaination He could give me that would satisfy those questions. i'm tired of hearing "it was their time, he needed them more then you did on earth"
2. seeing way too many people claim to be religious and then do horrible things only to go and confess/pray for forgiveness and think that things are great and they are cleansed only to go out and do something else equally as bad.
3.seeing religious leaders doing ungodly things. the whole catholic priest molestation incident comes to mind. you took a vow to God and this is what you do?

As I've asked many times, Why does god (if he exists) let this stuff happen? I don't buy the standard reason/excuse that it's gods will or he can't control what man does. WHY NOT? He (allegedly) created him so why can't he stop him from committing these despicable acts against his fellow man who god (allegedly) loves so much? As I've said before, if that's gods way of expressing his love, then sorry but I want no part of it. It's akin to man creating the motor vehicle & then having no control over how he drives it.

Also, about this statement:

But my quesiton is always this - if God really exists in a "physical sense", then if you believed before, how can you just say that God doen'st exist anymore? It's like the sun - if you believe in the sun and it's up there, you can't just say "it's not up there anymore."

The major difference here is that you can see the sun. You can see it's affects on the earth & you can feel it when it burns you. YOU CAN'T SEE GOD & that to me is the problem.

Considering the things that have happened in my life over the last 2 years, it's only reinforced my views. Some people do the opposite. They turn to god in a crisis. If that's what gives them comfort, good luck to them but it's not for me thanks.

 

[Labradorable]

I was raised going to church every Sunday (Anglican) and my parents are Christian, however in the last 10 years I gradually moved away from Christianity to Paganism. As far as I'm concerned Mother Nature rules the world. Christianity just doesn't groove with me. There are too many rules, too many things that don't make sense and don't match up with history. I'm not in disbelief that there is a higher power (I believe there are many). I like the fact that in Paganism everything revolves around all things natural.

My friend was raised Presbetrian (I think) and changed to become Catholic. He was very devot and very involved with The Church. A few years ago he decided it was all bunk and is now a disbeliever in every sense of the word.

If someone is Christian and has a strong faith I think its great they have found something to give them peace and solace. All I ask is that they don't come knocking on my door to tell me about it. I know where the churches are. If I want to hear what they have to say I'll go to them. Which also includes reading a thread such as this one -- I like reading what other people have to say, and if I didn't I wouldn't involve myself.

 

[dweck]

IChristianity just doesn't groove with me. There are too many rules

God is love.

One rule.

Three words.

Not too tough.

 

[IzzyLucyWillie]

What are you guys doing? There's no drama here at all. In the last 48 hours, there's been plenty of religious & "personal issues" to argue over & now there's nothing.

Somebody start something. I haven't had any popcorn yet & I'm getting hungry!


____said the court jester

 

[Garth]

What are you guys doing? There's no drama here at all. In the last 48 hours, there's been plenty of religious & "personal issues" to argue over & now there's nothing.

Somebody start something. I haven't had any popcorn yet & I'm getting hungry!


____said the court jester

Yeah well no one else would satisfy my popcorn deficiency. Another case of, if you want something done, you gotta do it yourself.

 

[IzzyLucyWillie]

Yeah well no one else would satisfy my popcorn deficiency. Another case of, if you want something done, you gotta do it yourself.

I have a feeling you have to "satisfy" a lot of your own needs.

 

[Ender's Mom]

Mom raised me lutheran. Ever since I was little I enjoyed participating in the musical part of church service. As a kid, I was always in the Kid's Praise musicals mom directed at the church though I never got a leading role because she didn't want to show favoritism... which was fine by me. Then when I started playing flute, I joined the "flute choir" (3 older ladies and me)... but by far my most fun activity was playing the hand bells. The handbell choir director was a woman with bright red hair who had 4 sons and no daughters... you can imagine how much she enjoyed having me around

Anyways... as I matured into an adult a lot of very bad things happened to me and I went through a period in my life where I didn't have much guidance. I made it through scarred much less than I should have been and I attribute this to my own tenacity, my will, my brain, and the few people that did help me along the way.

I am my own person. I am responsible for everything I do and I can only 100% rely on myself. I don't need god. I don't need a higher power to "answer to" so I do good deeds. I don't need a god that "loves me" no matter what. Everything I need I provide for myself or have wonderful friends and family members that provide it for me.

 

[nellies mom]

I'm a nonpracticing Jew fed up with organized religion. My son has been an atheist since high school.

 

[Garth]

Here Lisa, here's a song for you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQ6Urnr-fYc

 

[dweck]

Two thoughts, preceded by the reminder that you know I wubs you, Linds.

I don't need god.

Just consider: Maybe God needs you.

Think on it.

Everything I need I provide for myself or have wonderful friends and family members that provide it for me.

And Who provided your providers? Or your talents and abilities to provide for yourself?

Again, just think on it.

 

[talleyJudy]

Soooooo to get back to the question: Are you a convert away from religion?

Yes. Lutheran > Jehovah's Witness > 'generic' Christian > Apathetic Agnostic.

I decided to believe "my lying eyes" and life's experience. Just got tired of the principle that because I'm human, therefore imperfect, and therefore need to be 'saved'.

Light bulb moment for me was realizing that in the grand scheme of things, what I "believed" was not relevant to that grand scheme. What was/is relevant is how I respond and conduct myself within that grand scheme: nature, environment, family, politics, etc.

So now I live in "the moment", relishing and enjoying this life here and now rather than spending time and energy on what is unknown and "unknowable".

And my signature line isn't just cute or cleaver, but has real meaning for me;
it's exactly how I "feel" about any 'hereafter' or lack there of....

At least for today I am on the top side of the "dirt/sod".

 

[IzzyLucyWillie]

Garth, haven't you heard? I'm middle age. I haven't been a little girl for a looooooong time.

 

[amazongold]

As I've asked many times, Why does god (if he exists) let this stuff happen? I don't buy the standard reason/excuse that it's gods will or he can't control what man does. WHY NOT? He (allegedly) created him so why can't he stop him from committing these despicable acts against his fellow man who god (allegedly) loves so much? As I've said before, if that's gods way of expressing his love, then sorry but I want no part of it. It's akin to man creating the motor vehicle & then having no control over how he drives it.

The reason these things happen is because people don't turn to God, they turn to evil instead. We were given free will to choose and God does not interfere with our free will. God wants us to choose Him over evil, He will not force us.

My brother and nephew have both turned their backs on God, after being raised Catholic. Neither one can give me a solid reason other than "bad **** happening to good people." To me, that is a reason to pray more, not to turn away from god.

 

[BigBrownDog]

I believe in God - I don't believe in or feel the need to participate in organized religion. And - I was raised Catholic and attended Catholic school for 9 years. I think that for those who value the community that is offered by being a member of a church that is a wonderful thing. It is not something that I need.

 

[Retriever Mama]

My father is Jewish and my mother was Roman Catholic. We were going to be raised Jewish - named in the temple and all, but then my dad's parents moved to FL (we were in MA at the time) so since we would be getting a lot of day care on the weekends and vacations with my mother's parents we were baptized and raised Catholic. Religion by convenience? I went through to my confirmation under the threat of my mother. The same mother who lamented going to church every weekend and eventually stopped. though I tormented CCD teachers since I was little with questions that they couldn't answer for me. Confirmation was the last time I went to church on my own. Any other attendances were for family or to appease my in-laws for their church wedding for their son. Who is also agnostic.

I have a lot of issues with the concept of faith. I question. I want answers. I want quantifiable proof. I don't like organized religion. I went through an atheistic phase, but as I am getting older I am not so arrogant as to believe there is not a higher power/entity out there. I am a cynical agnostic. I have my own morals and trust myself to do right by others without being told what is right from a pulpit.

My brother didn't even make it to confirmation and is an atheist. I couldn't tell you what made him decide that or what he believes now because religion just isn't a topic of conversation in our family.