A Confused Christian (from Ex-christian.net)

[onager]

This may be one of the quickest de-conversions ever. Author is a 21-yr-old:

A Confused Christian - 5/22/2013

I became a saved Christian on January 2013 when I came across the concept of salvation on the internet. I decided to become a Christian because I was interested in following the commandments of God and I also liked the idea of Jesus caring about everyone.

Two weeks after my conversion, I decided to read the bible and that is when I was so shocked at the cruelty of God...

http://new.exchristian.net/2013/05/a-confused-christian.html

Mainly posting this because I see quite a few new posters in here. I have no idea how many are new to atheism, but thought this website - Ex-Christian.net - might be helpful if they are former Christians.

The board seems to be populated with many people who are still struggling with their own de-conversion, and willing to help other newcomers.

[Curmudgeoness]

1. Thanks for posting the link.

It is helpful to know that there are so many other people who are going through the same problems on the road to atheism. I had to do it alone, and felt very alone, but I also read the Bible and knew that there was too much bullshit in there. It wasn't just the cruelty of God, although that was bad, but it was also the views on women and how disgusting God's "chosen ones" were.

I still think that there is no conflict with following God's commandments (at least some of them---that keeping the Sabbath holy shit is not relevant). Some of God's commandments really are just society's commandments. It shouldn't have to be a religious issue to follow them.

[Warpy]

2. Thank you. What I can remember of my own deconversion

at the ripe old age of ten is being furious at the lies and waste of time and at the same time feeling isolated and ashamed because everybody else was able to pretend to believe, at least.

I've been able to make my peace with all this stuff. However, it was a process taking many years.

My mother's final deconversion came when she read the bible straight through. She was even more furious than I'd been.

[TxDemChem]

3. That is actually the quickest I have seen.

Mine took a good decade, but I often visit the site to see if I can be of any help and to learn what others go through. My husband and I are both atheists (although we arrived through different paths at different times). My grandpas were both ministers, so I felt I should allow my daughter (who will be 16 next month) to choose whichever path felt right to her. I've allowed her to attend church if she's wanted to and allowed her to explore humanism. From the looks of it, she wants to study biochemistry like I did. Maybe she has questions to be answered, and maybe not. I told her it's a personal choice, but she seems atheist-leaning. We, as parents, support whatever choice she makes, which seems to be a lot different from the parents discussed in the posted deconversion stories. At the end of the day, these people will make their own minds up. As a community, I try to give them the support and respect they deserve. Sometimes they hold on to their faith because it is the easiest thing to do socially, even when their hearts aren't in it.

[LostOne4Ever]

4. One site I found very helpful

One site I found very helpful:

http://positiveatheism.org/

Plus I absolutely LOVE the quotes pages.

[progressoid]

5. http://positiveatheism.org/ is great.

I haven't been there in a while but it was one of the first places for atheists I frequented when I first became addicted to the internet.

I too love the quotes.

[JNelson6563]

6. That WAS fast!

The bible will wake a person up to the enlightenment that is "god" pretty quickly.

Lately I've been hearing commercials all over the radio here. Various types of stations. The ads are aimed at the younger listeners and they are all about how important it is to read the bible. I always think "yes friends, go and read the bible" because I know there is nothing as helpful to get people to understand that religion is nonsense.

Julie

[uriel1972]

7. Reading the bible from go to woe is a very different experience....

than hearing bits read out to you in church.

[toddaa]

8. I highly recommend "Leaving the Fold"

http://marlenewinell.net/page/leaving-fold-guide-former

Good read for those coming out of fundamentalism. Not to be confused with the Ed Babinski book by the same name. Winell is a psychologist specializing in religious recovery. It's also a good read for those of you who have to deal with those of us that did come out of fundamentalism and sometimes can't quite grasp how completely screwed up some of us are.