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Forums - General Discussion - Why did you quit Christianity?

primogen18 on 10 August 2010

answer to original question: I grew up. I realized there is more to life then what can fit in a book that was written by PEOPLE with their own opinions thousands of years ago.

I realized I don't need a fairy tale to fall asleep to, that the world exists as it exists, in real form. I cannot rely on some "all mighty force" to control my life, live by, or devote myself to. I live for MYSELF and the people I care for.

I learned to give credit to where it is due: The good things happen in life because of good people, the bad because of bad people. Disasters happen at the hands of human beings or nature.

In hospitals, doctors save lives, not some "god", and they save lives because of years of hard work in medical school.  I can't imagine how angry I would be if I was a doctor who saved someone else's life using the skills that took years of work and money to achieve only for them to say "oh thank god"/ "god saved me" or the like.

People don't die because "god takes them", it's at the hands of a human being or because chemical processes end when at a certain age

These things all can be explained rationally, I am not living in a walt disney movie.



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Badassbab on 10 August 2010
sapphi_snake said:
Badassbab said:

I know this is a bit irrelavent but I'm from a Muslim upbringing, I even attended a madrassa (in the UK) and renouncing Islam was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I basically quit it because it was in conflict with my true beliefs of human rights for all and justice. Islam was totally incompatible with it on so many levels. Of course once I had quit, I felt so liberated and then I saw religion through a totally different prism as an agnostic. I now saw it as just a collection of ancient traditions and stories from the primitive ancient world. I will never ever go back to religion ever again and in fact I hate Islam (and all religions but in particular Islam) quite a lot now.

Question: Did your family try to kill you

My siblings know but I haven't really properly told my parents as I know it will hurt them a lot. I don't really care what my dad thinks but my mum is a bit religious and she would be upset if I was blatent about it though it's kinda obvious. It's frustrating though as I really want to tell her I'm not going to fast during Ramadan nor ever set foot inside a mosque again (to pray anyway). Even if I did tell they would never try and kill me lol. I'm from the UK not Saudi Arabia.






Coca-Cola on 10 August 2010
sapphi_snake said:

While you seem to be eliminating through your interpretation all the things that one might view negative about Christianity, your interpretation may be wrong, and if those things were true, and if your interpretation were wrong, wouldn't you regret worshipping such a God?

I don't really think about whether my theology correct or incorrect.  I believe there is a chance that my interpretation is wrong just as much as any other interpretations.  It is by faith I believe so I don't worry about being wrong.  By faith I am comfortable with my interpretation, and believe with all my being that main-stream Christians' interpretation is off.

What comes down to though is how does my faith reflect my life.  I grew up in a conservative church and I know a lot of fundamentalists, and I know that I am much happier and I believe my life is more beneficial to my family and friends.



Coca-Cola on 10 August 2010
primogen18 said:

answer to original question: I grew up. I realized there is more to life then what can fit in a book that was written by PEOPLE with their own opinions thousands of years ago.

I realized I don't need a fairy tale to fall asleep to, that the world exists as it exists, in real form. I cannot rely on some "all mighty force" to control my life, live by, or devote myself to. I live for MYSELF and the people I care for.

I learned to give credit to where it is due: The good things happen in life because of good people, the bad because of bad people. Disasters happen at the hands of human beings or nature.

In hospitals, doctors save lives, not some "god", and they save lives because of years of hard work in medical school.  I can't imagine how angry I would be if I was a doctor who saved someone else's life using the skills that took years of work and money to achieve only for them to say "oh thank god"/ "god saved me" or the like.

People don't die because "god takes them", it's at the hands of a human being or because chemical processes end when at a certain age

These things all can be explained rationally, I am not living in a walt disney movie.

You can believe all those stories in the Bible are just fairy-tales, I disagree with you but doesn't really matter.

I think what matters is that those fairy tales (as you see them) have moral teachings and values.  I don't think you'll disagree with what the stories are trying to teach.  Even Disney movies are based on stories with values.  The stories are there to inspire and encourage us to live a good life - and there is nothing wrong with that.



Coca-Cola on 10 August 2010
Badassbab said:
sapphi_snake said:
Badassbab said:

I know this is a bit irrelavent but I'm from a Muslim upbringing, I even attended a madrassa (in the UK) and renouncing Islam was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I basically quit it because it was in conflict with my true beliefs of human rights for all and justice. Islam was totally incompatible with it on so many levels. Of course once I had quit, I felt so liberated and then I saw religion through a totally different prism as an agnostic. I now saw it as just a collection of ancient traditions and stories from the primitive ancient world. I will never ever go back to religion ever again and in fact I hate Islam (and all religions but in particular Islam) quite a lot now.

Question: Did your family try to kill you

My siblings know but I haven't really properly told my parents as I know it will hurt them a lot. I don't really care what my dad thinks but my mum is a bit religious and she would be upset if I was blatent about it though it's kinda obvious. It's frustrating though as I really want to tell her I'm not going to fast during Ramadan nor ever set foot inside a mosque again (to pray anyway). Even if I did tell they would never try and kill me lol. I'm from the UK not Saudi Arabia.

Hasn't there been honor-killings in the UK?

I believe there were some even here in the U.S.



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pizzahut451 on 10 August 2010
richardhutnik said:
pizzahut451 said:
sapphi_snake said:
pizzahut451 said:
sapphi_snake said:

Well, I used to be pretty religious when I was little. Went to church fairly often, prayed in the morning and before I went to  bed and all that. I think most people (especially my mother)  thought that I'd become a priest when I grew up (though the ideea never really appealed to me even then).

As I grew older I started questioning my beliefs and came to the conclusion that I had no logical reason to believe any of it. I also disagreed with many Christian teachings. Even of God  were real he would have  no right to my life, nor anyone else's. I don't like dictators, and the Christian God seemed to me like nothing more or less than that. Forcing people worship him just because he created everybody and everything, sending those that refused to be his mindless sheep to hell. Of course this would be under the pressumption that he existed.

you have a pretty wrong picture of a God than.God does not forces you nor needs you to worship him. if he wanted or needed that, he would just make us all do that because he can. he gave you a power of free will, so that YOU can deside if you want to worship someone or not.

If one doesn't worship him won't one be sent into the depths of hell to burn for all eternity?

If one comitt sins and and is a bad person in general will burn for all eternity. You dont even have to be religious nor to be christian to earn salvation. Just try to be as good person as you can be and accept God (dont have to worship him if you dont want to) as your Lord and you wont ''burn'' forever.

I am curious what God would be so happy with a pittance of good most humans would do on their own.  I also question the premise of trying to be a good person.  Who does NOT try to be a good person?  Even psychopaths attempt to be good in their own mind.  Maybe a person feels powerless in their bad state, but they do seem to try to do good.  I also don't see mercy in all this.

Lot of people dont try to be good and simply do things they only care about for their own pleasure, regardless if its gonna harm other people or not.  And just because someone thinks something its good in their own mind, doesnt really make it so.



ctk495 on 10 August 2010

I almost died in an earthquake.....



pizzahut451 on 10 August 2010
sapphi_snake said:
pizzahut451 said:
sapphi_snake said:
pizzahut451 said:
sapphi_snake said:

Well, I used to be pretty religious when I was little. Went to church fairly often, prayed in the morning and before I went to  bed and all that. I think most people (especially my mother)  thought that I'd become a priest when I grew up (though the ideea never really appealed to me even then).

As I grew older I started questioning my beliefs and came to the conclusion that I had no logical reason to believe any of it. I also disagreed with many Christian teachings. Even of God  were real he would have  no right to my life, nor anyone else's. I don't like dictators, and the Christian God seemed to me like nothing more or less than that. Forcing people worship him just because he created everybody and everything, sending those that refused to be his mindless sheep to hell. Of course this would be under the pressumption that he existed.

you have a pretty wrong picture of a God than.God does not forces you nor needs you to worship him. if he wanted or needed that, he would just make us all do that because he can. he gave you a power of free will, so that YOU can deside if you want to worship someone or not.

If one doesn't worship him won't one be sent into the depths of hell to burn for all eternity?

If one comitt sins and and is a bad person in general will burn for all eternity. You dont even have to be religious nor to be christian to earn salvation. Just try to be as good person as you can be and accept God (dont have to worship him if you dont want to) as your Lord and you wont ''burn'' forever.

A lot of things that are considered sins by christians are harmless (pre-marital sex, contraception, homosexuality). Are you saying that people who have sex before getting married are bad people 'cause they found no reason to wait? Or that gays are bad people 'cause they're gay and don't want to live in self-hatred and repression all their lives? Or that people who use contraceptives are bad people 'cause the don't want to have a kid? And acceptin "God as your Lord" is worshipping him.


like i said, homosexuality is not (and cannot possibly be) a sin, and correct me if i am wrong, but jesus didnt say anything about sex before marrige being a sin as well. I personally dont think thats a sin. I think its a more of a recommedation if you choose to have more religious deticated life. And i sure as hell dont think that ANY of those people are bad people for comitting those ''sins''. And did you know that is impossible for a human being NOT to comitt a sin? And that even if a human commits a sin hes not a bad person?



FaRmLaNd on 10 August 2010

The question of whether gay marriage should or shouldn't be allowed cannot be a religiously decided decision in a secular democracy. For the very reason that a secular democracy is not a theocracy.

Lets put it this way, religions should be happy they exists in a secular democracy and not a theocracy. Why? Because most religious can exist within a secular society but only one can really exist in a theocracy. Take a look at Saudi Arabia and tell me how many churches exist in the country?

Secularism is the only way to go if you want to be able to have multiple religions or none all in the same country.



Coca-Cola on 10 August 2010
FaRmLaNd said:

The question of whether gay marriage should or shouldn't be allowed cannot be a religiously decided decision in a secular democracy. For the very reason that a secular democracy is not a theocracy.

Lets put it this way, religions should be happy they exists in a secular democracy and not a theocracy. Why? Because most religious can exist within a secular society but only one can really exist in a theocracy. Take a look at Saudi Arabia and tell me how many churches exist in the country?

Secularism is the only way to go if you want to be able to have multiple religions or none all in the same country.

U.S.A. is a secular democracy

Gay marriage is not just about religion vs. secular, it's deeper than that.  I don't have problems with gay marriage, but marriage has to be defined!  It's going to be a long fight but I do believe in u.s.a., gay marriage will be legal - someday.