Why did you leave Christianity?

[Grandliseur]

For all the ex-Christians on here, I'm curious as to why you left your religion. This is, by no means, meant to attack Christians for their beliefs. I'm just curious, that's all.

My situation does not quite fit your question, but I left my church, and all other churches - while not leaving my beliefs. I left the churches since they demand you put aside your faith and accept what they state faith should be.

My faith is based on scripture 100%, but a harmonious interpretation using all of scripture so that half-baked assumptions and claims cannot be accepted. Thus, some believe that hell with torment, fire, etc. is real because of a few scriptures, parables - while my harmonious interpretation shows death to equal destruction.

 

[The Emperor of Mankind]

For all the ex-Christians on here, I'm curious as to why you left your religion. This is, by no means, meant to attack Christians for their beliefs. I'm just curious, that's all.

Not all of these explain why I left Christianity - some explain why I haven't gone back.

The theology:

• The notion that an all-powerful deity can only save people from being the way he created them by anything as convoluted as conditional messianism is absurd. If he wanted to, the Christian god could simply wave a hand and remove our sins from us;
• Doctrines like Original Sin or the Plan of Salvation (I was raised LDS so this is more pertinent to my experience) rely on us being willing to accept guilt for the 'crimes' of mythical ancestors committed as a result of entrapment (in the case of the former) or accepting that we made a deal with God that we don't remember (in the case of the latter);
• The notion that Pagan gods are demons on the one hand or saints on the other;
• The notion that the creator of the entire Universe focused all his historical attention on one area of the eastern Mediterranean;
• The notion that Jewish people sailed to the New World and built societies there;
• The fact that Christians are taught to reject stories about the gods as 'just myths' but tend to regard their own stories as being literally true;
• The notion that a morally perfect being could subject people to eternal torture for ephemeral 'crimes' (i.e. using the free will Yahweh allegedly gave us in a way he doesn't like);
• The absurd notion that there can be free will in the face of an omniscient deity;

The history:

• For a supposedly moral religion, it has led people to engage in monstrous depravities and horrors;
• The sheer amount of blood Christianity is steeped in;
• The sheer amount of suffering Christendom's spread has caused;
• The fact that denomination after denomination has been harbouring child molesters within its ranks of clergy;
• The corruption;
• The lengths that are went to to defend Christian privilege;
• The tendency of Christians to cry 'persecution' when their religious privilege is challenged;
• The fact that Christians spout scriptures like 'Judge not lest ye be judged' and yet are some of the most judgemental people in Western society;

 

[Rival]

Jesus not fulfilling the prophecies; scripture twisting; historical inaccuracies; contradictions between the gospels and Paul.

 

[DavidFirth]

Jesus not fulfilling the prophecies; scripture twisting; historical inaccuracies; contradictions between the gospels and Paul.

What is Noahide? I've never heard of it.

 

[rocala]

From an early age, the idea that god had a son struck me as unbelievably ridiculous. Dying for our sins has never made sense either. As for the trinity?????

A holy book that is open to so many interpretations and contains so many contradictions cannot, in my opinion be taken seriously.

 

[Rival]

What is Noahide? I've never heard of it.

My signature...

 

[DavidFirth]

My signature...

Oh, sorry, I should have noticed that. Thank you for not scolding me.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

For all the ex-Christians on here, I'm curious as to why you left your religion. This is, by no means, meant to attack Christians for their beliefs. I'm just curious, that's all.

I can't think of all because there were a lot, but when I came into the Church as an adult I didn't know what Christianity (the whole faith) was about other than the sacraments of christ.

Then out found out, they do not believe in LGBTQ identity. They only believe it's a temptation and actually have organizations, for example Courage.org, that helps "homosexuals" from their condition and either be heterosexual or take a vow of chastity.

So, basically, The Church/Christianity defines who I would be if I stayed there.

Another thing that bothers me and another Church foundation is human sacrifice. I know religions that perform animal sacrifice. We sacrifice animals daily for food others for food and faith. In Christianity, symbolic or not, once a month or three times a day, jesus is literally crucified and given to people as the blood and body of jesus himself.

So, if I were back in the day, I would think since we don't have to re enact it, people would actually be eating and drinking jesus' flesh and blood. I don't know how it got to "by the blood on my door or blood on my skin" you are saved to "consuming my flesh and body" and you are saved.

The former makes more sense. The latter isn't even Jewish teachings. Yet, both protestant and Catholics do it.

Another thing that bothered me to no end is how the people of the Church-the actual local people-see other religions. One lady said that any other christian religion is not really christian. Another person yelled at a JW couple evangelizing after inviting them into her home and inviting them to talk to her about christ. Instead of saying, no thank you or exchanging views without bias, she just shut the door on them.

Above, you have Catholics praying the "LGBTQ" out of people. In the CCC we are considered having a disorder of some kind rather than an identity regardless if we are chaste or not.

This isn't just the Catholic Church. This is with most protestant liturgical churches and many hardcore protestants like JW and Southern Baptist.

The thing is, the people-the body-makes up the Church not just a selective few. All christians should take the sacraments of christ (the physical sacraments) not just Catholics. The mean should actually be bread and wine not jesus blood and body. It should be a communal meal not a communal sacrifice consumed.

So, Christian foundational teachings is what got me to leave. Their stance on LGBTQ people, and their need to evangelize so much as to make one business change her location since her products conflict with the Church's (our local Church). I just recently about a couple weeks ago saw one of my favorite Botanica shops were a friend and Babalow I always visit and chit chat with. Their business is gone. It's like they have to hide beyond being a "metaphysics store" so the Church won't say anything about it.

Another thing I dislike about Christianity is the influence it has on our government. The Spiritualist Church I went to two weeks ago had a bible behind the pew. We were talking after service about healing and what it means to heal and talk with the spirits who have transitioned. Something brought us to the bible, and the woman said "the government would not consider us a church to be tax-exempt unless we have a bible in our pews." Yet, Muslims, Hindu, and Buddhist have temples and Mosques without the bible.

They say Church and government are separated but I witnessed when I volunteered at our nation's capitol that before they conduct their senate and house meetings, they have a priest pray first. I didn't get to say hi, but I saw him go by and I was shocked.

The political and historical nature and foundation of christianity drove me away. I can't say in someone's eyes "I am Catholic" without thinking of myself related to how they identify LGBTQ, how they deny people to be married in their own church (any anti-lgbtq church; it took awhile for any church outside Catholic to have women pastors and priests).

Protestants aren't angels in all of this. Some JW literally said I would go to hell. A Southern Baptist Church I was invited to, the pastor's sermon was nothing but Freemason this and Freemason that. Since everyone knows each other personally, someone must have tip the priest that I was Catholic at the time. You have other Churches that dislike the Church yet still have their customs and rituals (though they don't admit it).

Yet, they all say they come from Christ as an extension of jewish teachings.

I read the bible and "listening" to Jews on this RF alone (since there are actual people who type here) the two religions don't match.

All the contradiction and taking from other faiths, defining people, and literal interpretation of the bible really gets me. But that's christian faith.

My experience was a beautiful one every step of the way. I just can't stand to represent christianity regardless of my experiences. Goes against my morals and who I am as a person with or without god.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Sorry that was so long.

 

[PureX]

For all the ex-Christians on here, I'm curious as to why you left your religion. This is, by no means, meant to attack Christians for their beliefs. I'm just curious, that's all.

Religious Christianity has lost sight of it's core revelation and promise. It has become far too involved in protecting and promoting dogmas that are absurd and abusive toward others. Let me point out a few.

1. The presumption that every word Jesus is purported to have spoken was intended for us, two thousand years later.

Jesus was a Jew talking to other Jews. He was not talking to us. And as a Jew he did not believe that any non-Jew needed to convert to Judaism, nor was he starting a new religion. He lived as a Jew, and he died as a Jew. So there is no sane reason why modern Christians think they have to abide by an ancient Jewish religious text, or it's proscriptions.

2. The presumption that the Bible was magically written by God, or was magically dictated by God to the authors. And that as such we must accept every word in it as though they have come directly from the mouth of God.

This is idolatry, plain and simple. It is treating a man-made object as if it were a direct manifestation of God. And what's worse, through this idolatry, the idolators imagine that they gain the unassailable righteousness of God, Himself. This is not only foolish and dishonest, it's dangerous. Because they become uncorrectable and unteachable in this delusion of their own absolute righteousness.

3. The idea that certain human beings are chosen representatives of God, to everyone else.

There is no way a God with any intelligence at all would use one human being to convey His will to another. It invites abuse, confusion, and misrepresentation. And that's exactly the result we see coming from it.

 

[Fool]

For all the ex-Christians on here, I'm curious as to why you left your religion. This is, by no means, meant to attack Christians for their beliefs. I'm just curious, that's all.

was raised in the christian belief system. started reading the bible. read it multiple times. then I started doing comparative belief system reading. at some point i realized that christianity wasn't unique. i didn't leave so much as incorporated a larger world view not based on culture, language, or person. the truth couldn't be personal. it couldn't be truth; if it were biased.

 

[eldios]

For all the ex-Christians on here, I'm curious as to why you left your religion. This is, by no means, meant to attack Christians for their beliefs. I'm just curious, that's all.

God forced me to join Christianity in the summer of 1984 and then he forced me out of that religion in the spring of 1992. It took another 16 years before God prepared me as His servant by taking complete control of my mind and body to testify to His knowledge called Christ. So on June 16th, 2008, I had to start writing the words formed in my mind to learn who I was in God before He had me start speaking the words to prepare me to go preach the gospel to His chosen believers on the streets for 5 years. I witnessed several thousand chosen believers from all walks of life and religions listening to His voice ( gospel ) and loving what they heard.

 

[SpaceAgeLove]

I didn't have much choice in the matter since my dad joined up with Jehovah's Witnesses when I was like 5 years old. That was the first issue I had with it, that I had no say in the matter. Then basically for the next 13 years I was treated poorly by my father and step-mother, the congregation as well since they use guilt and manipulation to get me to do things. I'd consider them a doomsday cult and use cult tactics to keep people in line. They expect you to only consume their media, only hang out with other Witnesses and even deny your family if they aren't part of the club. Very unempathetic people, unloving, yet they were "good" Christians to everyone else. I wasn't allowed to have friends from school or the neighborhood because they were all deemed "satanic" even they were not even bad kids... just simply not another Witness, so therefore bad by that religion's standards. Most forms of media or toys I enjoyed were taken away as well, because they were "satanic". It was s super lonely, depressing life and the Christian god answered for none of it. My prayers went unanswered every night and never felt like I belonged in the congregation. Bullied at home, school, the kingdom hall. There was no escape from it. That's a basic rundown at least. I have plenty of sad stories I could add, but I rather not go into more detail.

 

[DanielR]

born into Christianity you are kind of scarred for life, you'll never get completely rid of it. I left it for Hinduism, then certain western philosophers and now I am kind of going back to it again, thanks to discovering Christian mystics, suddenly everything makes more sense now. I still wouldn't consider myself a Christian though anymore, I like some of their philosophy, I'm more a philosophical guy anyway that's what interests me in religions not the ceremonical stuff etc ...

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

In order for Him to insure that evil will never exist He would have to refrain from creating beings with free will.

All that would be necessary for a god concerned with our behavior to do is give us the will to be just and kind, a will that could then be exercised freely.

Isn't that what we do with our children when we try to teach them to want to do what is good and right? If we had the power to determine their urges, desires, and proclivities by uploading software into them that gave them only the will to do good, we would do it.

Why didn't this god, who allegedly has that power, not do that?

 

[It Aint Necessarily So]

Christianity advocates that people be doormats. You should let people walk all over you

Agreed:

Blessed are the meek. Turn the other cheek. Love your enemies.

All bad advice.

• The meek are used. Humility, con, and politeness are all praiseworthy deferential behaviors. Meekness is spinelessness.

• Turning the other cheek invites a second blow. My advice? Try to negotiate a peace if possible, or walk away if your attacker is uninterested. If unable to walk away, at least put up your fists to protect your face. Offering the other cheek a mistake.

• The best that enemies should hope for is that no revenge is exacted and that they are simply shined on.

Who gives advice like this to people that they care about? This is what you tell people that you intend to exploit and hope that they will accept your exploitation without rising up. You might throw in that it is good to be long-suffering and poor as well. Tell them that they will be rewarded after death if they are.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

This is why I left christianity as well. I never understood Christian and Muslim views on the terrible thoughts and choice of people who do not believe and/or do not want to believe in god. I'd think that a person would believe in a god with whom is of love and unconditional love. Which means the choices his creation makes would not affect the creation nor would it affect god since that is the love he gives.

It would be ideal for any god of abraham would show unconditional love to all people. They would not be "resurrected with skewed eyes in horror" but if they found out god existed, at least god would say "I forgive you."

That is the nature of unconditional love and forgiveness.

After all this, those who disbelief in God, should blame no one else other than themselves when they are to be resurrected with skewed eyes in horror.

Where you christian and became Muslim?

 

[The Holy Bottom Burp]

It has been really interesting reading the posts on this thread, some excellent posts ladies and gentlemen, so much has resonated for me as an ex-Christian I doff my cap. It is a tribute to the power of indoctrination that I find myself slightly surprised that ex LDS and ex Jehovah's Witnesses are on a thread about leaving Christianity. You weren't real Christians like me, has nobody ever explained that to you?
Anyhoo, my story is I decided to explore Christianity as student in my twenties, until then I had been a nominal (and I mean really nominal) Catholic. To cut a long story short after a lot of bible reading, guilt and confusion, I had a "born again" experience into the world of Christianity. I thought I had found the meaning of life (I was very naïve in hindsight), really excited about the prospect that the dry old doctrine and theology I had listened to growing up might actually be true!

As time went on and I became more conversant with the bible and "mainstream" Christian doctrine and theology (whatever 'mainstream' means right?) the doubts started to kick in. That to one side, I particularly remember a prayer meeting I attended one day where I was overwhelmed with the sensation that we were just a group of people talking to thin air. Just feelings though, right? As C.S. Lewis wrote, (I'm paraphrasing) you might let feelings make you irrationally terrified of the worst when the dentist sticks the gas mask on your face (am I ever going to wake up?), but the rational side of you should correct this. Same with your faith correct? Look at the facts fella, not feelings. [Dentists don't use gas anymore right? Apologies to any teenagers reading this!]

I think that was the trigger to start me on a long exploration of the historicity of the bible. Rather than confirm my faith, and trust me I wanted it confirmed, it destroyed it. I (naturally) went to Christian apologists for answers and discovered their arguments were wafer thin at best. In the end I decided I couldn't continue in something I didn't believe to be true anymore, I'm an honest man and I couldn't live the lie anymore.
I don't regret my Christian years, in fact I'd say they have forced me to expand my mind and question all my beliefs which is a good thing. I'm not sure I'd have done that if I hadn't been a Christian, we are incredibly intuitive, but also incredibly lazy in our thinking, ask yourself "what do I believe, and why?", you may find yourself surprised by the answers!

 

[savagewind]

Religious Christianity has lost sight of it's core revelation and promise. It has become far too involved in protecting and promoting dogmas that are absurd and abusive toward others. Let me point out a few.

1. The presumption that every word Jesus is purported to have spoken was intended for us, two thousand years later.

Jesus was a Jew talking to other Jews. He was not talking to us. And as a Jew he did not believe that any non-Jew needed to convert to Judaism, nor was he starting a new religion. He lived as a Jew, and he died as a Jew. So there is no sane reason why modern Christians think they have to abide by an ancient Jewish religious text, or it's proscriptions.

2. The presumption that the Bible was magically written by God, or was magically dictated by God to the authors. And that as such we must accept every word in it as though they have come directly from the mouth of God.

This is idolatry, plain and simple. It is treating a man-made object as if it were a direct manifestation of God. And what's worse, through this idolatry, the idolators imagine that they gain the unassailable righteousness of God, Himself. This is not only foolish and dishonest, it's dangerous. Because they become uncorrectable and unteachable in this delusion of their own absolute righteousness.

3. The idea that certain human beings are chosen representatives of God, to everyone else.

There is no way a God with any intelligence at all would use one human being to convey His will to another. It invites abuse, confusion, and misrepresentation. And that's exactly the result we see coming from it.

WOW This is me too. I can still call myself Christian because I believe in the power of Christ, but the power of Christ is Truth and I am observing that most people do not care about it.
I am no longer a churchgoing and Bible believing Christian. Some of the reasons are as @PureX has stated.

 

[Father Heathen]

Ever considered turning to Satan?

If one doesn't believe in Batman, wouldn't it follow to reason that they don't believe in The Joker either?