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In reply to the discussion: There is a serious anti-Christian vibe around here [View all]Manifestor_of_Light
(21,046 posts)I REFUSE to go to a church on Sunday and have a preacher, who doesn't even know me personally, stand up and tell everyone that they are worthless, filthy sinners, "Our righteousness is as filthy rags" etc.
I REFUSE to submit to the verbal abuse and emotional abuse wrought by the foundational premises of Christianity:ORIGINAL SIN and SUBSTITUTIONARY ATONEMENT.
Nobody can live up to their standards because they think Jesus was perfect. We all hurt people, we all make mistakes. Most of us are doing the best we can and don't need verbal abuse from a minister who thinks his way is the only way or you're going to hell.
I will NOT put up with that sort of verbal abuse from a pulpit on Sunday. I had to find the strength to walk out. ALL CHRISTIANS believe in this emotional abuse, because you have to believe in original sin, otherwise you would not need substitutionary atonement through accepting Jesus. I refuse to be a Christian because original sin has destroyed an awful lot of people.
I prayed and read my bible and never felt God or the holy spirit inside me. Nothing changed. I decided it was BS. I decided it was a group delusion, that I was supposed to feel what everyone else said they felt.
I left a long time ago because I was ready to crawl in a hole and die. It was either that or leave. My mistake was taking all that bullshit made up doctrine from many centuries ago seriously. I learned not to take it seriously for my sanity and mental health.
And I have never seen any evidence that God exists. If he exists then he better let me know about it.
If you want to know more about this read HEALING THE SHAME THAT BINDS YOU, by John Bradshaw, Ph.D. He is an ex-Jesuit priest who says that we have an addictive society because people are trying to escape the unearned pain, shame and guilt that society places on everybody. Basically, "If you don't act the way I want you to, you are bad."