A thread for former Christians.

I have some questions for this fellowship of former christians if I may:

1) do you still study the bible and if so what version of it?

2) what other studies has your new found spirituality lead you to?


Im interested to see what directions others like me have gone. as I previously mentions I study law which takes most of my time but I do like to look into other areas for a break every now and then.

thanks

Religion of Christianity was established by Constantine, NOT Jesus Christ. Its fruits include segregation, division, self-righteous judgment, exclusivism, fear, abuse of authority, and promotion of law over grace.

Religion of Christianity has good points, but so does every other world religion. Jesus did not come to establish a religion, but a way of life.

Religion promotes traditions of men, rather than God's love. It considers its own teachings at the expense of others. It considers protection of doctrines more important than serving others.

Religion of Christianity will fall as part of the great Mystery Babylon.

It's fall will be great, but its fall will also usher in a great awakening to the commandments of God (love).

The traditions of men, which invalidate love, will be scattered and burned just as chaff will be separated (and burned) from the wheat.

Men are not the problem as Christianity teaches.

The carnal mind is the problem to which Christ has already destroyed the power of this formidable enemy.

Salvation and healing will come to all nations and peoples…in God's perfect timetable.

Salt... 100% correct!! This is soooo true.. I know first hand! :) :hf:

OP, one of the things I was taught was the there was no such thing as an ex Christian. That if someone really had a relationship with Jesus that they would NEVER leave the faith.

The scripture always quoted was...."they went out from among us because they were not really a part of us, if they were really part of us they would have stayed, but their going out proves they were never part of us"

So, that's why Chrisitans have this as a default answer.

But it simply isn't true. There are THOUSANDS of people from every walk of life, including evangelists and preachers, who have left Christianity. People like me and you.

It wasn't that I never really had a relationship with Jesus...it's that Christianity doesn't represent the true GOD. NO organized system of faith does. It's like they all have a little piece of the truth, but leave out important parts...and focus too much on a book of some sort...be it the bible, Koran or zend Avesta. They all try to put GOD in a box as outlined by their particular faith. But it doesn't work.

GOD is gloriously removed from all human religions and systems...yet tolerates each and every one because they can become a tool HE uses to guide a soul to truth.

Exactly.

Time to leave the "Cradle"

Those who awake to the truth leave the creche.

Thread: If I was satan and wanted to make people HATE God this would be the VERY FIRST THING on my agenda..

Yes, religious faiths are like incubators. God does indeed use them, but doesn't reside in them. When they are no longer needed, GOD will discard them.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

I am christian. I accept the above as true. Everything else in the bible I read, I read through the lens of the above.

My guess is that you probably believe the above quote is true. Or at least it is philosophically congruent with what you believe in (replace God with Creator if it makes you feel better).

I am honestly having trouble determining what you actually do believe. It seems like you are declaring yourself a former christian more so to separate yourself from the association of Christians more than to separate yourself from Christ (or Christ-like behavior). It's not my job to judge you in any way but I will say this, be careful in you efforts to distance yourself from Christians that you don't violate the second commandment listed above. I suspect that whatever you do believe in you wouldn't be true to those beliefs by violating it.

The message of Christ is "Good News" I can only imagine there must be a profound misunderstanding if you believe that the world is better off without this "Good News".

On the subject of Hell my thinking resides along the lines of CS Lewis in the Great Divorce. Except that even though he described it as a place of your own making it seemed a rather indirect choice by most. I believe in an active, full knowledge of what you are choosing, direct choice, to not be where God resides. A choice that will lead to insanity given enough time (infinity should be plenty). But even Lewis hinted at the idea that God had to power to go in a pull a soul back. This is a tricky subject, however its determination does not change the 2 commandments.

Religion is a seive..remember satan LOVES to sift things??

He does it to TEST FAITH..who has it and who does not.

The fine flour falls through...the chaff stays behind.

You are blaming men for your hatred of God and Jesus Christ. Did God call on you and interact with you? Did the Christ interact with you and did he offend you? No and No, you hate God, you hate Jesus Christ, you hate all that love and express that love for them. But stop blaming God for your hatred that he did not cause. Grow up or down in your case.

You are sincere, but you are sincerely wrong. Unless you consider yourself a former Christian, then this thread isn't for you. You should consider exiting stage left before you do even more harm to the reputation of the faith you claim to love.

I made an account strictly for this thread...

I started going to church when I was 12 years old, not because I was forced to go, because I wanted to go.. I was involved in every single part of it, I was always there, I loved being there.. I'll try to sum it up for you though.. when I was 17, I started slipping away and stopped going so often, it went from every single day, to every other Sunday to eventually not at all. I went out into the world, lived my life freely with no regard for the Lord.. and it wasn't for any reason at all, I wasn't "mad" at God, I didn't feel like He'd failed me in anyway, I wasn't trying to make a statement of any kind... I simply fell away.

When I got pregnant with my son I randomly decided
to go to church one Sunday, as soon as I walked through the door it was instant, I could feel His presence, all I could do was cry, I cried through the entire service, I couldn't help it.. I didn't want to leave when it was over, I just wanted to sit there forever.. I felt so free, so happy, so at peace.. where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.. so true.

My son is almost 5, I haven't been back to church since that day.. I make excuses, it's "inconvenient", whatever.. but I haven't been able to NOT think about God at all. Every little thing I do, He's in my head.. every time I smoke a cigarette, I think about God and how I know it's not okay, and I shouldn't do it.

I've said all of that to say this.. the other night I was driving, with everything going on in the world, I know He's coming back soon, I know I haven't been living right and I found myself looking for answers in all the wrong places.. worrying about what's going to happen.. is the sinkhole down the bayou from me going to explode and blow Louisiana and all of us in it to pieces.. when all the while I should've been looking to God for peace.. I do not believe that there is any such thing as a "former christian" because anyone who has felt the presence of the Lord and been touched by the Holy Spirit KNOWS that He is real.. I could never in my life deny God's existence because I have lived in His presence.. I have been blessed by Him, no matter how mad I get or how far away I get or how easy He's been all these years to forget, I KNOW that He is God, and I know that He lives and I know that He is going to return and I know that with every fiber of my being.. I do not believe in religion, I have always believed in relationship, and my church always taught that.. and anyone who has had a relationship with God cannot possibly deny His existence.. there are no "former christians".

I am in my fifties now, female and a former Christian.

I stopped being a Christian and became a more spiritual person about 8 years ago. I had, what I believe, was a spiritual awakening. That is when I started learning more about aliens, The NWO, 911 etc etc..all the things that brought me to GLP in the first place. It was like I was guided to find more truths after my spiritual awakening.


I am not an atheist. I believe in a creator. But in no way am I a Christian. I don't believe in hell. I don't believe that a loving God would send me to hell for being human. I hate the blackmailing and threats from some Christians.

I would be interested to hear why some of you are no longer Christians and if one event led you to where you are today or if you just changed over time. Please share your experiences.
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Ka Pa Sole

I'm a former christian. Once you realize its all bullshit you pretty much stop bring a christian.

I am the way the truth and the light no man come-to Father except through me all others or thief's an lairs and shall no way enter in

What don't you get about that ?

yea i been where your at and back to Him he's Real Jesus that is it was not a fairy tail or some spiritual awakening

there are MANY anti Christ in this world and you being lead astray like a sheep fatten for the slaughter your being miss lead yes there are spirits out there many of them but those who denies Jesus are anti Christ they come in like butter but flare up when you try to rid your self of them

either your a wheat or a tear if your really one of His He will cause you to return to Him My Sheep hear my voice he says and he wil not aboneden you Jesu said al that the Father has given him he has and none is lost , if your not one of His you'll continue down the path your on and youl stand before at be judged at the end and heaped into the pit yea hell its real dont be fooled

This thread is for former Christians to give their stories. Would you Christians PLEASE pay some respect? We're all quite familiar with your bible quotes and widely varying beliefs and opinions (from the mundane to the right out bizarre). Please show some respect. (I have never even opened the thread here on GP for Christian Brainstorming out of respect...can't you at least do the same?)

I don't believe the bible is any more the "word of god" than either the Koran, Book of Mormon or the zend Avesta. They are all books written by men detailing their own personal experiences with the Divine. So you can quote chapter and verse all day and it means nothing to me. I don't believe Jesus ever said those words. They were penned by some early church bishop for the purpose of increasing the religion of Christianity. They had to convince the masses that THEIR faith was the ONLY way to God.

Well, it isnt.

I would like to share a few reasons why I don't believe anymore and I welcome anyone to educate me if I am ignorant.
1 It repented god that he made mankind
2blood sacrifice
3 the entire book of job
4hell
those are just a few not to mention a failed prophesy

What???????????

what do you mean their way ?

So man is going to make their way ? order out of kayos? LOl

man does not deiced anything all things are ordained by God your Faith does mean nothing Faith is given to man to carry Gods will its not by chance god created both the good and evil to carry out His plan included mans will its pre ordained by god

never mind this have respect bs

mans roles the dice but God knows the out come

What do you know about Faith????????


You where saved when you 1st believed by Faith and this NOT FROM YOU but a gift from GOD

Just to be fair, what I believe to be a failed prophecy is Matt 16:27-28

All relgein is based on works or fear

Back to the garden satin said you can know good and evil and be as gods that's a lie out of the pit LOL


Jesus said no one is perfect not even one now man is going to make religion to to try to be perfect working out of fear and trying to be perfect and prove god wrong ?

what works ?


22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The Sheep on the right answer and say when have we done anything for you and jesu says go to my Fathers house that has been prepared for you since the Foundation of the world beloved of the father its NOT WORKS

We have no good in us its what Jesus did for us

those who claim thye have good and works or the workers of iniquity

Jesus plain told us there is none good but one how can we claim we are good ??

he came for the unrighteous not the righteous

man is born sinful by birth

Jesus said non has sooke after me not even one all have gone astray

its in possible for man to come to God on his own no one comes to him

Jesus said non can come to Me unless the father draws him because all are eminies of Him unless God causes you not to be

we are sin ful we all want to be are own Gods

no one would say I want Jesus to be my God their lieing they wnat to be their own God and they hate God

You Christians who keep quoting verses need to just stop. They mean nothing to us former Christians. Why can't you understand that we don't believe the bible is the word of god? So you throwing scripture in our faces mean nothing. We don't believe it. Doesn't scare us. Doesn't manipulate us. Doesn't motivate us. NADA ZIP NOTHING.

Get it?

You might as well be quoting the poems of Emily Dickenson and saying they were from God.

You are cluttering up this thread and showing disrespect.

But, alas, that is typical behavior for self righteous folk.

Carry on...