Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Hmmm. I went to this site and it strengthened rather than challenged any faith that I may currently possess. But that's just me.
PS:
Ahhh, bourbon... Well have one on me.
Dogone it! I repped somebody here and it's only 1. Now it appears that you atheists are no better than the religious peeps!
Oops! Sorry about that.
PSS:
No offense to you, but in my "church", we call this a "Country Song".
Nice testament. I relate to it as well. I had the guy trying hard to save my soul and he gave me the, "But what if you die tonight?" speech. He might as well have said, "Where do you want to sit for Eternity? Smoking Section, or Non-Smoking?"
But seriously, your friend needs an Alanon Meeting. Don't you think? Even the Book says something about not casting pearls to swines, lest they cast them underfoot. Boy, that's a nice passage!
PSSSSS:
Nice. Great writing here. Just one question; if I become atheist, does that absolve me of ever being "Mean" and "Callous?" If so, where do I sign up? =)
We call this dissecting spiritual principles and such. If that works for you, have at it baby.
Bump me up Scotty. Anybody had a chance to slug them some Jack and give me a response yet?
yydanay515, any Christian who falls for the likes of Jimmy Swagart or Jim Baker have many loose screws. The falsehoods of these people could not have been any more OBVIOUS, and if you gave them any credibility at all then you were definitely in need of some other kind of help. And I hope you found it, I really do.
I've been a Christian my whole life, but have never been suckered into anything. Hell, I can remember back in the 70's seeing Swagart on tv, and I told my husband that "we are going to read about this man in a big sex scandal someday. . . just watch." These creeps prey on the gulliblness of seekers.
Location: In the North Idaho woods, still surrounded by terriers
2,179 posts, read 7,017,657 times
Reputation: 1014
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bluesbabe
yydanay515, any Christian who falls for the likes of Jimmy Swagart or Jim Baker have many loose screws. The falsehoods of these people could not have been any more OBVIOUS, and if you gave them any credibility at all then you were definitely in need of some other kind of help. And I hope you found it, I really do.
I've been a Christian my whole life, but have never been suckered into anything. Hell, I can remember back in the 70's seeing Swagart on tv, and I told my husband that "we are going to read about this man in a big sex scandal someday. . . just watch." These creeps prey on the gulliblness of seekers.
There is not a soul on this earth who has not at one time been manipulated or scammed, either by religion or a relative or the man next door selling insurance. It happens to all of us and it happens because we, as humans, tend to trust very easily. For you to say you have never been suckered into anything is pretty arrogant and not very realistic. Maybe you didn't fall for the Bible Banging preachers but I am very sure you are not living your life without having been "taken" by someone at some time.
Then again, if you are a Christian who does not question the Bible or your faith, I would say you are being manipulated right now.
yydanay515, any Christian who falls for the likes of Jimmy Swagart or Jim Baker have many loose screws. The falsehoods of these people could not have been any more OBVIOUS, and if you gave them any credibility at all then you were definitely in need of some other kind of help. And I hope you found it, I really do.
I've been a Christian my whole life, but have never been suckered into anything. Hell, I can remember back in the 70's seeing Swagart on tv, and I told my husband that "we are going to read about this man in a big sex scandal someday. . . just watch." These creeps prey on the gulliblness of seekers.
Well that explains why I guess I shun Christianity because quite a bunch of people looked up to those guys. While there are still many of them in their vein running about the place selling invisible products, others have tightened up their "game," so to speak, as not to appear so shady.
Good for you though. Many of the rest of the Christians I am sure can say what you say only in retrospect.
For you to say you have never been suckered into anything is pretty arrogant and not very realistic. Maybe you didn't fall for the Bible Banging preachers but I am very sure you are not living your life without having been "taken" by someone at some time.
Maybe I'm arrogant, then. I gave this thought, and the worst I could come up with is when I fell into a scam where a student "sold" magazine subscriptions. However, I am NOT a sociable sort, so it's pretty tough for me to open to much of anything.
Thanks to all posters here - just one criticism - the stories were a bit too short!
I would like to see a sorta sticky here with links to all the deconvert. stories there have been. And there have been quite a lot. It's fascinating to see what does it. It is so often one shocking or disturbing event that causes the doubts and questions to start and, when they do, it can't be stopped. (Coor's deconversion graph was award winning! ) And once you've seen through it, you can't ever be persuaded to be fooled again, no matter all the twisty analogies about love.
Yep. I think I might tour the forum and collate all the links.
but.. how can you? if you don't let go? (of your doubt.)
I suspect that quite a few reasonable people have doubts about the claims of christianity. I see doubt as a good thing, and .....yes.... my middle name is Thomas. The trouble with the other Thomas is, he lost his nerve and got hoodwinked by the charlatans.
oh wow to the OP. you found the "enlightenment"?? of course you did not. as you admitted yourself you are the master chief of hypocrisy during your "christian" life. so i say to you YOU HAVE NOT BEEN ENLIGHTENED. EVER. even when you were doing your hypocrisy ALL your "christian" life. how can you? when you yourself said all the while you have doubts all along? it all comes down to accepting Jesus to your heart ... but i know you will just laugh at me coz u read them all, been there done that. but.. how can you? if you don't let go? (of your doubt.)
i also see the error of your "faith". you focus on the religion, the people who run the church, the pastors, instead of your personal relationship with GOD, HIMSELF. they are people. of course it is laughable, they're human beings just like you. all i can say is the Holy Spirit has not enlightened you yet and like i said IT can not because you have doubts.
a reasonable argument could be made that "giving up christianity" is an act of enlightenment.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) And once you've seen through it, you can't ever be persuaded to be fooled again, no matter all the twisty analogies about love. 
