Ex Christian Needs Help!

[Raahim]

I believe there is only one truth.

I don't believe there is any evidence to support that view. My experience with God is that He has the view that it is His way or the Hell way.

So do I, but if he doesn't believe in one true God it's useless.
As God revealed to Prophet ﷺ [Al-Baqarah]: Verily, those who disbelieve, it is the same to them weather you warn them or do not warn them, they will not believe.

When someone doesn't know the truth he/she is satisfied with a lie and ignorance.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I believe one can pretend the viper in the room is not really there but subconsciously the memory of it still exits.

So you think I was on to something?

When I was a kid, I managed to convince myself that cars shoot invisible rays out sideways from between their wheels as they drive, low to the ground.

Even after I recognized this as completely irrational, I'd still feel uncomfortable being in a driveway when a car passed by.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I believe one can pretend the viper in the room is not really there but subconsciously the memory of it still exits.

Just because I still have memories of going to Church, being a firm believer, and even the terrors of Hell as my faith began to waver, it doesn't those memories still hold me back or have any power over me.

I believe Hell does exist and believing it doesn't makes a person a prime candidate for going there.

It only applies to those who believe as you do. Of course we can go on for days saying "believing in it doesn't make it real" and "disbelief doesn't make it unreal," but it begs to be asked, why should any of us believe in Hell when Christians can't even reach a consensus? Even on another thread going on, another Christian is stating there is no Hell, and those who don't believe just simply die, and that the doctrine of Hell is the beliefs that are tainted, and it's not the only time I've heard such claims.

 

[Kelly of the Phoenix]

With all this being said.. I know the literal biblical description of god is ridiculous and my beliefs have expanded greatly. But I can't escape the fear of "what if I'm wrong?"

Don't think of it as denying "the True God". Think of it as God sending you on a mission to "walk a mile in someone else's shoes" to make you a better person.

I feel that God sends lots of people "out of the team", not to punish them, but to give them an opportunity to learn even more things. Christianity struggles with stagnancy. The literalists claim they worship God (coughreallythebiblecough) but never read the entire thing and only focus on one or two authors. The bible is always literal unless it's something they don't want to do or believe. The way to cure this is, well, stated in the bible: Jesus told a parable of a king or something holding a dinner and everyone declined because they had to take a shower or something, so the king went with the people NOT on the list. It was written to suggest Jews had lost the VIP status, but Christianity quickly (some flaws in Christianity were even before Jesus was executed) became the very thing he warned against. Christianity didn't listen so God is redirecting all the "cool" people elsewhere to learn what Christianity SHOULD have been teaching.

 

[rusra02]

True Christians know there is no burning hell to be tortured in. (Romans 6:23) I wonder what else you have been taught as "Christian" teachings that are not Christian at all. Hinduism supports the idea of torment after death, or so I have been told.

 

[Sand Dancer]

To be frank can anyone help me see that I am on the right track and I shouldn't worry about burning in hell??

There are many ex-Christians out there, including me. Even going from fundamentalist to mainline Christian scared me. I was paranoid for 4-5 days about something bad happening to me. When it didn't, I felt better. I eventually left Christianity after getting tired of making excuses for a literal and inerrant Bible. If you look at the evolution of religion, you find each religion has used elements of the previous religion in that area. Christianity was influenced by Greek, Roman, Egyptian and Mesopotamian myth. Keep talking to people who have left and don't be afraid. There is even an ex-Christian website with a forum. I think you now have to pay a small amount, but it is there for you and so are we.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

True Christians know there is no burning hell to be tortured in. (Romans 6:23) I wonder what else you have been taught as "Christian" teachings that are not Christian at all.

That's the thing about Christians. All sides involved quote from the same book, but reach different conclusions, and say those who disagree aren't right and dismiss them as "not True/Real" Christians (which is a logical fallacy itself). Many Christians interpret this "wages of sin is death" to refer to God's statement that if Adam and Eve were to disobey God and eat from the Tree, they would surely die, for they had disobeyed. To them, and to the majority throughout the history of Christianity, the wages of sin is not to cease to exist but physical death, which then leads to judgement.

 

[rusra02]

That's the thing about Christians. All sides involved quote from the same book, but reach different conclusions, and say those who disagree aren't right and dismiss them as "not True/Real" Christians (which is a logical fallacy itself). Many Christians interpret this "wages of sin is death" to refer to God's statement that if Adam and Eve were to disobey God and eat from the Tree, they would surely die, for they had disobeyed. To them, and to the majority throughout the history of Christianity, the wages of sin is not to cease to exist but physical death, which then leads to judgement.

I too believe that God's statement to Adam and Eve came true. In sentencing Adam, Jehovah told him; "In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19) Neither before nor after Adam sinned did God say Adam would be tormented. I believe that Adam ceased to exist, just as the Bible says.

 

[viole]

Hello!

I'm new to posting but I'm seeking some guidance so I'll give it a whirl..

I was brought up a christian in the United States. For the last almost 3 years now I've been almost addicted to learning and discovering knowledge from all over.

I study a great deal of philosophy (Alan Watts at the top of my list) I love Hindu philosophy such as Nisargadatta. All these beyond realisations are happening to me.

I can see how we are all one and connected. I see that I simply Am.

With all this being said.. I know the literal biblical description of god is ridiculous and my beliefs have expanded greatly. But I can't escape the fear of "what if I'm wrong?"

To be frank can anyone help me see that I am on the right track and I shouldn't worry about burning in hell??

Well, even if you go back to Christianity, that would not defuse the question "what if I am wrong"?

There are Jesus competitors out there with an equally hot hell.

Ciao

- viole

 

[Demonslayer]

True Christians know there is no burning hell to be tortured in.

I know many Christians who say True Christians know there IS a burning hell.

Who decides who's True? My guess is some Scotsman.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I believe that Adam ceased to exist, just as the Bible says.

Yet many believed he went to Hell. Many over the centuries have believed that everyone who died before Christ went to Hell, and when Christ descended to Hell he collected the souls of those who should be in Heaven, but couldn't until then because the prophecy of a slain Messiah had not yet been fulfilled, making Heaven off-limits to all. It's called the "harrowing of Hell."

That early 16th century painting portrays Christ in Hell, who is depicted as guiding Adam by the hand. This event is even mentioned in The Divine Comedy.
And that's my point. Different groups of Christians are using the same exact book, they quote different parts of it, and reach different conclusions. Many would say you are the one who is not a "real" Christian because you don't believe Hell exists.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I believe that Adam ceased to exist, just as the Bible says.

Where does the Bible say THAT?

 

[First Baseman]

Hello!

I'm new to posting but I'm seeking some guidance so I'll give it a whirl..

I was brought up a christian in the United States. For the last almost 3 years now I've been almost addicted to learning and discovering knowledge from all over.

I study a great deal of philosophy (Alan Watts at the top of my list) I love Hindu philosophy such as Nisargadatta. All these beyond realisations are happening to me.

I can see how we are all one and connected. I see that I simply Am.

With all this being said.. I know the literal biblical description of god is ridiculous and my beliefs have expanded greatly. But I can't escape the fear of "what if I'm wrong?"

To be frank can anyone help me see that I am on the right track and I shouldn't worry about burning in hell??

If you were brought up Christian then you know that without Christ you have no hope whatsoever. I hope that helps.

 

[Demonslayer]

If you were brought up Christian then you know that without Christ you have no hope whatsoever.

I don't know man, Pope Frankie said atheists can get into heaven.

Of course the rest of the Vatican went bananas when he said it and spent the next month issuing backpedal statement after backpedal statement...but the Pope talks directly to God, or so I'm told. He can't be wrong if he talks directly to God, right?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

I don't know man, Pope Frankie said atheists can get into heaven.

... if they start believing in God, accept Christ, and become Catholics.

 

[Demonslayer]

... if they start believing in God, accept Christ, and become Catholics.

LOL, I guess I didn't read the footnotes.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

LOL, I guess I didn't read the footnotes.

When it comes to Pope Francis, most people don't.

 

[First Baseman]

... if they start believing in God, accept Christ, and become Catholics.

... if they start believing in God, accept Christ. FIFY

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

... if they start believing in God, accept Christ. FIFY

Don't presume that you know better than I do what I meant to say.

 

[Kartari]

Hi Bently,

Hello!

I'm new to posting but I'm seeking some guidance so I'll give it a whirl..

I was brought up a christian in the United States. For the last almost 3 years now I've been almost addicted to learning and discovering knowledge from all over.

I study a great deal of philosophy (Alan Watts at the top of my list) I love Hindu philosophy such as Nisargadatta. All these beyond realisations are happening to me.

I can see how we are all one and connected. I see that I simply Am.

With all this being said.. I know the literal biblical description of god is ridiculous and my beliefs have expanded greatly. But I can't escape the fear of "what if I'm wrong?"

To be frank can anyone help me see that I am on the right track and I shouldn't worry about burning in hell??

You will have to come to terms with finding your own way in life, your own right path, my friend. We all do. As someone who has been in your shoes, though, I can assure you that, if you carry on in the direction you feel is right and do not compromise or suppress your intelligence and wisdom, you will, slowly but surely, release and drop this lingering fear. That's all it is when all is said and done, it's just fear. Leaving a fundamentalist religion can have an effect on a person not unlike Stockholm Syndrome, I've found. But the more you reflect on the horrifying prospects of what eternal hellfire and a deity capable of such abhorrence (yet ironically and entirely incompatibly regarded as "benevolent") actually says about your old religion, over the years to come, this fear-based pull will gradually weaken and eventually dissipate entirely.

Best wishes!