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Someone Asks Atheists From Religious Families What Made Them Non-Believers, 30 Give Honest Answers
Hope for a brighter and better future helps us get through these tough and trying times. However, some would argue, hope isn’t tied to spirituality or religion, and is an innately human experience. Atheist or not, hope is pretty much all we’ve got.
A whole bunch of internet users who grew up in religious families opened up about what made them lose their faith and turn into non-believers. Scroll down to have a read about these honest stories from real-life atheists. And if you’re feeling up to sharing a bit about yourselves, dear Pandas, you can drop by the comment section to share your own relationship with faith, whether you’re religious, atheist, or spiritual in the broadest possible sense.
Bored Panda reached out to Reverend Adam Ericksen from the Clackamas United Church of Christ in Milwaukie, Oregon, and to Reverend Patrick Gahagen from the Journey of Faith Church in Baltimore, Maryland, to talk about religion, atheism, doubts, and how it is normal to struggle with faith. "Interestingly, my sister is an atheist/agnostic even though she was raised in the church. She is an atheist AND a wonderful mother and great teacher," Rev. Patrick shared with us.
"Religion is not necessary for being a moral person. In fact, religion can make someone immoral when we use religion to divide the world into good guys and bad guys, sinners, and saints. Jesus didn't use religion that way. For Jesus, religion should motivate us to love others more boldly, not to accuse others of being sinful. When Christianity leads us to divide the world into good guys and bad guys, the most faithful response is to leave Christianity," Rev. Adam said. Read on for their other insights.
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#1
I was raised/indoctrinated into Protestant Christianity. But once I learned about other religions, I realized the chances were small that I had happened to be born into the correct religion. Then I learned about mythologies, that they were religions that people stopped believing in. It seemed obvious that all religions were simply myths people still believed in.
This was about 40 years ago, and nothing I've seen or heard or read since has changed my mind or even made me doubt that all religions are just man-made myths.
Ka Se 3 years ago
When a friend of mine visited he pointed out he thought it was funny I put the bibles between books of ancient myths and Grimms' Fairy Tales.
Marcellus II 3 years ago
Bibles should always be in the 'Fiction' wing of libraries.
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Cee Mor 3 years ago
My church youth group did the same..they took us to other churches/temples and then I had to ask, what makes us so right? My own church turned me away from religion and I've never looked back.
Paul Macdonell 3 years ago
Yes, don't believe in religions, but that is different than God or a belief in a greater understanding of life and its existence. " Hate the game not the player".
Mazer 3 years ago
Nice Paul. I agree. If religion makes you a better person, I’m all for it. I personally have never met anyone involved in religion who did not use their religion as a weapon or as something to hide behind, which I find incredibly sad
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Lynne Harbison 3 years ago
Religion was started to control people to live in fear. SO much trouble now and throughout history because of religion. I will never understand how intelligent people are conned into believing myths.
Data1001 3 years ago
My parents were quite religious, but (oops on them!) they also raised me to have an open mind about things, lol. So despite being quite gung-ho on it for a while in my teens, when I entered adulthood, I started reading a lot about the origins of Christianity, the similarities to other religions, non-theistic philosophies and all sorts of other things like that. Funny thing is, many of those books were ones my older brother had, as he was also reading a lot of those at the time -- but now he's more religious than ever, and I have shed all those beliefs.
Dillon Hughes 3 years ago
Some true, but if their all just man thought up, why would there be striking similarities in region between cultures that never were in contact with one another? The flood, creation, buddah even prophesied of issues. I have been studying this for ten years and still surprised
Bacony Cakes 3 years ago
Creation myths just come from people saying "but why tho" enough times. As for floods, Big Water is a relatively common occurrence worldwide.
Load More Replies...Rev. Patrick from the Journey of Faith Church stressed to Bored Panda as well that faith is not necessary neither for morality nor hope. "If you consider for just a moment the immoral and inhumane acts perpetrated by so-called 'people of faith' throughout history. It is unfortunate but there are strains of all religion which promote violence, prejudice, injustices in the name of 'God,'" he pointed out.
According to the Reverend, doubt is an integral part of faith. "I have always believed you cannot have faith without doubt. Faith, without doubt, is no faith at all. Faith stretches us beyond the known, the comfortable, the seen to trust there is more than I know or can possibly conceive. The opposite of faith is fear not doubt," he explained to Bored Panda.
"Faith is in and of itself a struggle. Constant. The whole meaning of the name given to Jacob in the bible 'Israel' means one who wrestles with God. Faith is a constant wrestle/struggle which is both internal and external. When we stop struggling we stop having faith."
RELATED:
#2
Read the Bible. Realized 99% of the Christians around me had never read it. Then realized that the vast majority of people have no idea of what’s in its pages. American Christianity is a joke.
Caro Caro 3 years ago (edited)
See, this is important. I understand that reading the whole bible is boring. But at least read the important books (Matthew for instance) and study the bible. The bible is full of hyperlinks and if you don't read and study then you have no idea what you're talking about. Just waffling off a few comments and verses to serve your purpose is dangerous and NOT a Christian thing to do. End of rant, need coffee. Bless you Pandas.
Hugh Cookson 3 years ago
Matthew's 'gospel (or story) was written at least 70 years after 'Christ' died, and with no first hand accounts of JC's life (given that the average lifespan in those days was around 40 years), no internet, very little general literacy and to add a little more interest in to the mix, it was written in Greek ...... I had the bible rammed down my throat for years until I woke up and realised it was complete horseshit both in historical perspective and reality - written by an all powerful patriarchy that lorded their twisted beliefs over a badly educated and easily manipulated, supersticious population for the own benefit ; why do you think the major religions of the World are so bloody rich ? Ask questions, look at the evidence and make your own mind up ..... As for me, I'd rather read a good novel and take my chances with an omniprescent sky fairy once I shuffle off this mortal coil ...
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Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
“Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived.” – Isaac Asimov
adiiantryx 3 years ago
most people still think jesus was a white blond long haired white-clothed guy, which is really just due to a painting some european guy made 2 centuries ago. jesus was middle eastern, in that sense
Carrie de Luka 3 years ago
I've never really understood why anyone would think a man from that area of the world would be white - remember explaining that to someone in school years and years (all too many of them) ago.
Load More Replies... Brian Bennett 3 years ago
My in-laws told me they read the Bible every day. I asked them if they understood it? Answer - No Then why do you read it. Because we're supposed to. Why - I don't know! Is this called blind Faith?
Caro Caro 3 years ago
Yep, blind faith. Pity. Why not buy a bible study book with a daily lesson-thingy.
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Mermaid Elle-Jaye 3 years ago (edited)
I’m agnostic, I found the bible a fun and riveting book of stories though. The Koran is also fun with the kitties and mother Mary stuff. Hare Krishna was hard to read for me. Those books are so fun
#3
The problem of evil. If God refuses to stop evil and suffering, they're not benevolent. If they're incapable of stopping evil and suffering, they're not really God.
The universe simply makes more sense when you view morality as a human construct. A bunch of dumb animals were trying to survive and find purpose in their existence, and inevitably they created the concept of a higher power.
Ozacoter 3 years ago
This is one of the things I will never get about believers. Why worshiping a god or gods that let horrible things happen, like covid, natural disasters or things like children dying of cancer.
Martha Meyer 3 years ago
"God works in mysterious ways" - they say, when they can't explain this kind of stuff.
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Pruthvi Patel 3 years ago
why is there evil still in the world if god is able to stop evil but not willing then he is evil if he is willing to stop evil but not able to then he is not omnipotent if he is both willing and able to then why is there still evil and if he is neither willing nor able then why is he god
H Edwards 3 years ago
Like I said in another comment, I met a few fundies and they all blame the Devil for the bad stuff.
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Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
If God is omniscient, then he must have known that Lucifer would rebel. If God is omnipotent, why didn't he put a stop to it?
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
People invented gods and heaven and hell because they refuse to accept that we're just here and alive for a moment and that's it. There won't be green pastures and blue skies and beautiful creatures handing us the best food on golden plates.
smugdruggler 3 years ago
I think it was this that ended my belief in god. Started reading a bit of philosophy of religion, then "the God Delusion" by Richard Dawkins kind of finished it off.
Betty Vanderhooven-SchmaaSchmaa 3 years ago
This one touches on my reasons. As a parent, I can't imagine a thing (sin), that would make me forsake my child. Certainly not things like lying, talking back, or stealing our neighbors pig. 😉
Adrian 3 years ago
I figure it started when someone wanted their kids to remember the hard lessons learned out hunting, gathering corn, selecting a cave, lighting a fire, etc. So they would have a head start in the race for survival. Some put the lessons into song, dance and stories. Others wrote them on the walls of caves. But then humans started living in bigger groups and the lessons became more numerous so a priestly class arose that knew the lessons and told people what to do. As groups got even bigger the priests had to put the fear of God into people to make sure they followed the rules.
Laura Mende (Human) 3 years ago
This was the point we where discussing in 10th grade. Is there a god if wars and the Holocaust and such things happen? The teacher talking with us was a substitute who usually teaches religion. He wanted to convince us that there IS a god. Greater part of class disagreed. To punish the parents with the death of their innocent child is Gods will?? I don't think so...
adiiantryx 3 years ago
it's a quite interesting concept which was philosophically solved by dualist religions like Zoroastrianism into a fight between a great good and a great evil - so the good in the world was because of the god and the evil was because of the devil. of course, this led to the problem of order
Libstak 3 years ago
The thing is...free will, you can't let people make their own choices and then go and stop them making their own choices if you don't agree with the choices. Of course there is also the issue of cause and effect, choices have inherently natural consequences. You can only teach people this, again sadly, if they don't comprehend it the cycle of action and reaction leads to atrocities.
Pisco 3 years ago
How is free will responsible for things like small children getting leukemia?
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Rev. Adam from the Clackamas United Church of Christ agrees that it is "normal" to have doubts and they're something that everyone has. "People who claim to have the strongest faith are almost always suppressing their doubts. I've noticed these people tend to be spiritually toxic to themselves and others because in suppressing their doubts they lash out against others," he told Bored Panda.
"Please know that it is normal to struggle with faith. The priests, prophets, disciples, and even Jesus all had their struggles with faith. Jesus wasn't sure what he should do in the Garden of Gethsemane. He even showed his doubts when he prayed on the cross, 'My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?' Have you ever felt forsaken by God and so you struggle with faith? That's okay. You are not alone. Even Jesus had to struggle with faith," Rev. Adam said.
#4
A priest shaming a 7-year-old me for my parent's divorce. That was a good start into rethinking all the religion.
Caro Caro 3 years ago
Heartbreaking huh. A little kid already going through the trauma of a divorce and then this. Makes me want to say a rude word. AND I will. Fu*k !
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Bobby 3 years ago
Denied enrollment in catechism with my best friend, because I was not Hispanic. Did not make me question faith, just *their version and practice.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
That is so wrong! I'm glad it didn't effect your actual faith. Most churches in my area are desperate for members, especially younger ones so they would not do this. I'm in Australia, so it's different but the denomination I belong to has some churches with a majority of Cook Islander or Tamil congregation, but they always welcomed anyone. We often had combined services with them and went on youth/mission camps together.
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Stephanie IV 3 years ago
What a wicked man! Well done, you. I doubt god is ok with our churchianism.
Mr. Sasquatch Guy 3 years ago
I'm very willing to bet he wasn't a true Christian. In orthodox Christianity the priest is both a mentor, a father, and sometimes even a leader, and its similar in Catholicism. My guess is he became a priest in order to try and manipulate the congregation into doing what he wanted.
#5
When I was 10, the swami (Hindu priest) at my local temple asked me who my favorite God is and I replied 'Thor'.
He laughed and my family laughed and everyone around laughed and told me that these are imaginary characters made to fool kids and make money.
Jaclyn Levy 3 years ago
LOL the irony is so strong and intense you could mold Mjollnir from it.
De Gueb 3 years ago
I walked in to a bar once with a toy hammer round my neck. every hour I hammered the table, I told them it was to appease the God Thor to bring god fortune to my family. They told me I was crazy. Kneeling down, putting the palms of your hands together and chanting to cure somebody, that's when god listens!!!
XSpooky_Mint 3 years ago
I- Does he not realize that there's a difference between the mythology and the f*****g comics/movies/shows??
Aliquid 3 years ago
Are you so ignorant that you don't know that Thor has been a real god for thousands of years before those comics?
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#6
Working with "Christians" and watching them adore a man like Trump. You know it is a shame and about maintaining white male power.
Caro Caro 3 years ago
It's a shame and a sham. So called Christians voting for a man who is not a Christian, doesn't go to church (never), has no clue about the bible and it's contents and does not live with the Christian values. (Jeremiah 23:16 - This is what the LORD of Hosts says: "Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They are filling you with false hopes. They speak visions from their own minds, not from the mouth of the LORD.).
R. U. Sirius 3 years ago (edited)
"grab 'em by the p***y." ~ Donald Trump. Can't get more Christian than that, right? Lmao. Or [paraphrasing] I could shoot a guy right here and now and you all wouldn't care you'd still support me anyways. *Cue Trumpers at that rally cheering affirming them as the sheep they are*
Jaclyn Levy 3 years ago
YEP. My faith took a big hit during the 2016 election cycle. I was like, what in actual f**k? This guy is the opposite of everything my religion (Christianity) has taught me? Are we reading the same book? Really f****d me up.
Spring Fisk 3 years ago
Yes! It is so embarrassing and wrong to see people that claim to be Christians making excuses for Trump just because he promised us Supreme Court Judges. This odd mix of politics and Christianity is making me sick. The Christian Faith is much bigger than a pollical party. following anything over Christ is idolatry and that definitely includes Trump. I don't vote for either main party. I would not fault someone per say for merely voting for Trump but I do fault the Christians who knowingly made a deal with the devil essentially for something they wanted no matter the cost. Two wrongs don't make a right. They do not represent all of us and need to be drooped. If you ever want to talk about it I don't have all the answers and my spelling is atrocious but I am here.
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Huddo's sister 3 years ago
My next-door neighbours growing up proudly called themselves C and E. (Christmas and Easter) which I always found funny.
Load More Replies... Bacony Cakes 3 years ago
"Love thy neighbour" clashes directly with "We will build a great wall and make Mexico pay for it".
Adrian 3 years ago
Oh come on, face reality. Every Lord of the Manor, Baron, Earl, King had his priest, bishop, cardinal to keep their subjects in order by putting the fear of god in them. They didn't generally try to keep their Lord, Baron, Earl or King on the straight and narrow. A few like Thomas Becket tried and they were quickly dispatched. Nope, much safer to make sure the common herd followed the boss's line.
Harri Ellis 3 years ago
Put yourself in my place. I am related to Cardinal Woolsey, one of the most corrupt men in English history. :(
Load More Replies... Spring Fisk 3 years ago (edited)
The Christian Faith is much bigger than a pollical party. It is so embarrassing and wrong to see people that claim to be Christians making excuses for Trump playing the political game. This odd mix of politics and Christianity makes me sick. I believe following anything other than Christ is idolatry and that definitely includes Trump. I don't vote for either main party, both have a lot of problems. Saying that, I would not fault someone per say for merely voting for Trump but I do fault the Christians who knowingly made a deal with the devil essentially for supreme court justices no matter the cost. Two wrongs don't make a right.
Animalsrgreat 3 years ago
The total hypocrites that go to church every damn week, and then judge others for NOT participating in these rituals or thinking like them (including political opinions). Then they treat their neighbors and strangers like crap the other six days because they don't think the same as them. Going to church means absolutely nothing. It's just a building. You can pray anywhere...or not. Just be a good human. That's what counts.
Previously, Bored Panda spoke to Rev. Patrick about hope. His church is widely known for putting up witty and spot-on signs about the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the Reverend, they were overwhelmed with responses about the sign. While some people were “affirming and appreciative” of them, others were not as friendly.
Rev. Patrick gave some advice for anyone who is losing hope in these dark and trying times. “Honor your feelings of hopelessness. They're legit. But know we don't stay there,” he told Bored Panda.
#7
ex Muslim here. lots of misogynistic things in both the Quran and habits that never sat right w me
Samantha Lomb 3 years ago
I don't think that is limited to Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
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Teresa Ezzell 3 years ago
I believe simply because when I prayed, my prayers were answered, but I still have a body that is dying. I have been saved many times by what I call miracle events. I called out to Jesus and the one who intended to rape me was up and kind of like thrown out thedoor before he even knew he was goingout. Another time, I was in the air as my car had I lost control of and just prayed to God, please don't let it hurt when I land . I landed on what felt like a pillow. I was amazed and asked God how did you do that? The answer came in as the flowing water of the creek I had landed in below the road. But it was soft and did not hurt.
Mark Kelly 3 years ago
Duh and yes the bible has stuff but you don't see Christians blowing up Muslims a lot.
Mark Kelly 3 years ago
Yet western countries encourage it like our pussy PM Trudeau here in Canada.
Dee 3 years ago
Can we please respect pussy? I know it’s been a habit for a time to use genitals as insults but really if we take a moment to think on it could be that time is about over and maybe this is a tangent.. or maybe there’s a connection to misogyny there somewhere?
Load More Replies... R. U. Sirius 3 years ago (edited)
"Look past it." Literally what I do every time I see a Bible/x religious text. It's not like im about to read it anyways. Again in regards to the Bible. What turned me Atheist. Catholic school. And the book of Job. God was such an ahole in that it was unnerving.
Load More Replies... #8
Grew up and started asking questions. They didn’t like that.
smugdruggler 3 years ago
They never do. Until you start asking, they can pretend that they have the answers.
De Gueb 3 years ago
I got thorn out of Catechesis, the thing is I knew the questions to ask because at 14 for the first time I was at a none religious school and thanks to some teachers and friends learnt what to say to annoy the priest.
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KimB 3 years ago
This. This is why I stopped being a practicing Catholic...my dad did not want me to go to a catholic school (he was badly abused when he went as a kid by the nuns who were teachers back then) so my mom instead I go to PSR two days a week after school. Boy did I get in trouble there lmao...they don't like comments or questions like why would Jesus want you to be a cannibal? Drinking blood and eating peoples body parts is cannibalism!
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
I am a qualified Catholic teacher, though I am Protestant and don't teach RE at the moment. The whole point of teaching is to explore these questions with students. If I didn't know the answers myself I would ask others so I could learn too. In Australia Catholic teachers aren't actually allowed to say "we are Catholic and this is the what we believe" because a) not everyone at the schools are Catholic and b) we have to explore other religions as well. When I did teach I loved teaching about other religions as I love learning in general. Your teachers obviously did themselves a disservice as well as turning you off from religion. As to the cannibal thing, the short answer is it (for non-catholics anyway) is not the literal body and blood of Christ as we don't believe in transmogrification. It is about symbols and analogies, as most of the bible is :)
Load More Replies... Chich 3 years ago (edited)
Had a friend who was marrying into a religious family. Part of the process involved being 'interviewed' by the priest. Being new to it he had a lot of questions and only got the 'it's a mystery' replies, Finally his FIL to be, the most religious of the group, yelled at the priest to answer the damn questions.
Doug Baxendell 2 months ago
Same here. Not blindly accepting religious dogma, what I would consider "critical thinking" is seen as being a "doubting Thomas", or being a "goat" vs a "sheep".
BeeBee Buni 2 years ago (edited)
When I was little, I asked A LOT of questions. Some of which made some other people question it too. They did NOT like it. Also, I’m talking 3-4 yo me.
#9
Being forced to go to church as a kid and be part of all the holiday plays. All the while getting physically and emotionally beat at home by my stepdad and praying every second of the day for change only to be let down time and time again.
I moved out when I was 13 and never looked back.
Brian Bennett 3 years ago
I was SENT to Sunday school sent, not taken - to get to church the shortcut was through the railroad yard - if you think I went to Sunday school - you just don't know how fun these yards are. Sometimes the guys there would give me coal to take home - parents happy then!
Stephanie IV 3 years ago
How can God not help? Seriously! I am so, so sorry. I wish you got help.
Cuddly Panda 3 years ago
Your example is absolutely nothing like the OP's situation. They don't hate religion because their stepfather beat them. They just don't believe in it because the God that was supposed to answer prayers didn't. So either God doesn't answer prayers, or he answered "no" and was totally cool with a child being beat. I mean, that's still better than what he did to the kids in Canaan, but c'mon.
Load More Replies...“In the same space where despair sits in the soul, so does hope. I have found my faith has become healthier when I have accepted the wholeness of the human and divine experience. It's not joy or sorrow but joy and sorrow. It's not love or fear, it's love and fear. But because of the Easter moment and message of Jesus' resurrection—love wins!" Rev. Patrick, from Maryland, shared.
"I believe as followers of Jesus, we need to cling more to our faith which is built around the questions of God and life and not our religion which is too defensive of our answers,” he added.
#10
Nothing makes people anti theist faster than theists.
Betty Vanderhooven-SchmaaSchmaa 3 years ago
Grew up in a Dutch Christian Reformed community. I had children that I couldn't openly play with because our family didn't attend their church. That was confusing and painful.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
That is so sad, I'm sorry. I have never lived in an area where there is such an intense focus on whether you go to church or not. In my case going to church made me one of the minority, even more so because there were so many different denominations in the area. I remember reading stories (maybe Anne of Green Gables) where there was discussion about whether the children were Methodist or Presbyterian and who they could then go to school with or play with. It made even less sense to me because I am part of the Uniting Church of Australia, which was created by merging Methodist, Presbyterian and Congregational denominations.
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Becky Samuel 3 years ago
There's a difference between being anti-theist and atheist. An atheist rejects the possibility of there being a deity and magickal thinking. They do not necessarily have any objection to other people practising their own faith. An anti-theist is a person who is against the practice of faith and all organised religions.
Load More Replies... Paul Macdonell 3 years ago
As a person who believes in a God or higher level of knowledge....I totally agree with you.
#11
Imagine telling a kid that they'll be forsaken and tortured for an eternity if they jack off or eat shrimp.
DC 3 years ago
... cheesus crisp, return to the oven ... you not finished yet!
Load More Replies... Samantha Lomb 3 years ago
My brother has adopted two kids and the younger has night terrors about demons after being told crazy s**t by a Jehovah's Witness foster family.
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Bronze Age rules made sense at the time. They lacked refrigeration, so it was a bad idea to eat shellfish, which rot fairly quickly. They were ignorant of trichinosis, so it was a bad idea to eat pork. They lacked autoclaves, so tattoos and piercings were risky. And so on. We don't need those rules anymore, because we know the science now.
Hugh Cookson 3 years ago
Oh dear, looks like I'm there for approximately 3000 eternities then , ah hey f**k it, the Shrimp were wonderful and you can't beat a good wank .......
Lillukka79 3 years ago
But if Jesus died for everybodys sins, didn't he die in vain if nobody sins? So eat that shrimp while you toss off to make Jesus happy.
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Will Lanni 3 years ago
Imagine telling a kid that they'll be forsaken and tortured for an eternity if they jack off WHILE eating shrimp. Why am I loling right now?
R. U. Sirius 3 years ago
Well, short people are people too, you know. And cannibalism is frowned upon in most societies theocratic or secular. So... /kidding. I knew what they meant obvs. Couldn't resist the dumb joke tho. 🤷
Marcellus II 3 years ago (edited)
Bible and Thora. Kashrut law says 'seafood' must have fins and scales, so no mussels/oysters/shellfish/shrimp/lobster/crab/octopus/squid/... . And the other one was "The sin of Onan"/onanism.
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#12
I was raised Southern Pentecostal. My grandmother was insanely religious, so I was always at church. The church I went to believed in "speaking in tongues", laying of hands, miracle healing, taking up serpents (handling snakes), and all other kinds of dumba**ery. I went with it for a long time. About 13 I went to a revival summer camp. There was a whole ceremony about pledging yourself to Jesus and not having sex. That spun into kids my age going to a microphone and confessing they had sexual thoughts or what they had done with other people. Then the pastor would pray for the kid and they'd "pass out" on the floor. Pastor comes to me and prays and like pushes me off balance so I play the game and lay on the floor. I'm laying there and just kinda took stock of the actual insanity of this service. I think I lost faith then. After going home I paid more attention to the actions of the people in the church during the services and realized how utterly insane it was. It wasn't long and people actually started acting differently to me because I wasn't doing what they were and I was asked to not return.
Jaybird3939 3 years ago
I worked with a Pentecostal lady. She had previously been a drug user, problems with her kids, etc. but was saved by the church. We got along pretty well, so once in a while, I'd ask her questions (why can't you cut your hair? why do you have to wear skirts?). She could never really tell me why. Made me realize that it's blindly following what people say, without ever understanding why.
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E2U&U2 3 years ago
I also was born into a Southern Pentecostal family, a bunch of crazy zealots. I first started questioning the religion when my grandmother casually mentioned that it was a shame my best friend, a Buddist, couldn't go to heaven when she died. We were around seven years old. The final straw came at my beloved grandfather's funeral. He was the only person in the family who made me feel seen, understood, and loved unconditionally. He was also the lone atheist. The minister stood up in the pulpit over my grandfather's body and started his sermon by saying, "Don't weep for Joseph Banks because he's burning in hell as we speak." And then he used the rest of his time as an altar call. I was done. If the officials in heaven were too stupid to let one of the best men who ever walked the planet come inside for his eternal rest, they wouldn't have to ever bother with worrying about me because I rejected the whole mess right then and there. I stood up and walked out. I was eleven years old.
Spring Fisk 3 years ago
Wow, that is soooo awful. it is not their place to judge, they should have realized that. I am so sorry
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Spring Fisk 3 years ago
wow, so such horrible hypocrites! So sad that you were in that church. I know that this does not make it any better but not all of us are like that. So sorry you had that "preacher" also, he sounds super sus.
Meanwhile, Rev. Adam from the Clackamas United Church of Christ, told Bored Panda that “God loves all people and invites us to work for a more just world as we share that love with others.”
For Reverend Adam, inclusivity, acceptance, and tolerance are very important, as is social justice, and “quoting the Bible in a life-affirming way toward immigrants, along with our LGBTQIA and BIPOC siblings.”
Adam told Bored Panda that the last few years “have increased faith for many.” However, he believes that this definition of ‘faith’ isn’t one that his church has been used to. This interpretation of faith is more akin to the need to belong to a community.
#13
Listening to Southern Baptists and their lame arguments about why women should submit to their husbands and defend slavery and watch them acting and speaking the opposite of what Jesus actually preached.
Ian Goldby 3 years ago
A Christian is known by their fruit. Bad fruit = bad Christian. Try listening to the good Christians instead.
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
I've tried listening to good Christians and all I heard was misogyny, homophobia and fascist rhetoric claiming that Christians are the Übermensch destined to destroy every other religion so they could establish the Great Reich under the only true Führer.
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UpupaEpops 3 years ago
I love it when "Christians" conveniently miss out on the parts that talk about the rights of women and the obligations of the husband. The Bible doesn't say, "ye women be a doormat to your husbands" yet somehow this passage is always used to excuse abusive behaviour.
Becky Samuel 3 years ago (edited)
Ephesians 5:22–25 — King James Version (KJV 1900) "22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing." Looks an *awful* lot like "be a doormat to your husbands" to me.
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Dre Mosley 3 years ago
Yep, some of the biggest racist are Christians and use the bible to justify it.
Kenny Hayes 3 years ago
We were Southern Baptist and every Sunday night I had nightmares of Armageddon happening overnight or during the next week. I stopped being Southern Baptist, but would attend with family once in a while and realized the services where like having a used car salesman at the dais.
#14
I was 11 or 12 and knew a toddler that had contracted HIV from a surgical procedure in the 1980s when AIDS hysteria was at fever pitch. Soon afterward, I heard a pastor say that AIDS was God's way of inflicting punishment upon sinners, and those who contracted it deserved it.
I knew the preacher was an idiot, but that didn't do it for me on its own. It was after the sermon when everyone was getting their coffee and donuts when I heard all the parishioners were saying how refreshing it was to have a preacher who was not afraid to speak the truth and tell things the way they really are (it was language eerily similar to that used by people to describe why they liked Trump more than three decades later).
I figured that if there was a God, he'd figure out a way to set things like that straight. I suspected that religion was less about salvation than it was about control.
Samantha Lomb 3 years ago
Yeah that was just homophobes being assholes. But yes there is no god.
Random Anon 3 years ago
Religion is a tool to keep society in order. Always was. Until the masses become more enlightened and is able to have a broader point of view, beyond themselves. it's also unfortunate that this framework, deny the more religious folk self reflection without constraints. These are the people truly lacking self and moral compass as they've surrendered them to religious texts and dogma.
Stephanie A Mutti 3 years ago
To me, it's just about how much easier it is for people to abdicate accountability for themselves and toss it up to an imaginary sky-daddy. When we are children we are taught to rely on our parents. As adults we should have learned to rely on ourselves. Instead, if we pray "right" and live "right" and follow the "right rules", Sky Daddy will take care of us. Whatever,,,,
Libstak 3 years ago
All these comments revolve around the same thing. The nature of human corrupted religion versus the nature of God. I'm not religious but I do believe in God, he/she is in the eyes of everyone I meet.
Ozacoter 3 years ago
But why would a good god create or not erradicate AIDS in the first place?
Load More Replies... Bobby 3 years ago
Last time I was in brick and mortar church was with my mom. The pastor began a diatribe about religions other than his. He was very mean spirited about it. My mom happened to be part of one of those religions. No one more surprised than me when I stood up and called him out on that hypocrisy, citing Jesus' public chastisement of His disciples for stopping others preaching in Jesus' name. Walked my mom out, didn't return. Again, faulted his hypocritical practice of his religion... not the actual concept of faith.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
God does not punish people, especially for things they have no control over. There are some consequences for not being a good human being, but they would occur regardless of your religion. Things like AIDS or any other illness are not because someone has sinned. If that was true why are so many people (inc two of my brothers) born with disabilities? They have not sinned and they are not sick because of sins of their parents. Things happen in life that are no one's control. They are not controlled by anyone, even God. He gave the universe certain possibilities and whether you sin or not you might end up with those incidents etc. Because Adam and Eve ate of the tree of fruit their consequence (not punishment) was an unpredictable world as opposed to a perfect world.
#15
If you should "come as you are", why are we getting all dressed up to the nines? If it isn't for God, it's definitely for fellow churchgoers. Every time I went to church people would have this fake smile plastered upon their faces. Shake each other's hands and sing grace. They'd turn around and get drunk at the bar and run cars into buildings and people. One of the Sunday school teachers molested one of the kids. Besides, religious people use God as a reason for everything, including a scapegoat when things go wrong. "God, if you do this for me I'll never do wrong again".
If I were God, no child would have cancer. God does not work in mysterious ways. No lesson can be learned from giving a kid cancer and letting them suffer until they die.
God's forgiveness: "accept me into your heart so I can save you from what I will do to you if you don't"
Ozacoter 3 years ago
Exactly. Inocent people having horrible diseases or children being molested is proof that there are no gods
Alan Gale 3 years ago
I have often wondered whether paedos go into the church to get access to kids, or if having access to kids make the clergy into paedos.
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WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
There is more proof that gods don't exist than there is that they exist.
Spring Fisk 3 years ago
No one is perfect, but too many claiming to be Christians are hypocrites. As God's PR team some of us are doing a horrible job. We should be known for our love.
Jaclyn Levy 3 years ago
That last line though. Big oof. I remember thinking if it was a regular person walking around telling their SO stuff like that it would be considered abuse.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
I truly believe that the forgiveness, regardless of when you ask for it, is always given. I don't believe in hell, I believe the opposite to heaven is nothing. So if you don't go to heaven your soul just dies with your body. I also believe you can ask forgiveness when you die, so you can still choose God and it doesn't matter which religion you are, everyone goes to heaven.
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Felicia Dale 3 years ago
I was raised my atheists. The only church we went to was the Unitarian church because that was where all the cool people got together once a week to share food, sing songs and talk about literally everything. No subject was avoided. Us kids played outside. Super fun times! Anyway, when a boy in school had a crush on me and wanted me to be his kind of Christian so he could date me, he told me all about god’s love- and how I would be damned to hell for eternity if I didn’t follow his god. I was not impressed. A few other experiences with people who thought of themselves as devout Christians was enough to put me off all the big book religions. I studied shamanism in my forties and found answers that made a lot more sense to me than anything else I’ve heard before or since. I’m not talking about “new age” shamanism. I studied with a woman directly descended from indigenous people in Russia who had been taught from about the age of five by her shaman grandmother.
Felicia Dale 3 years ago
Everything this woman taught me worked exactly as she said it would. I got really sick at one point, though, and have never recovered enough to continue the work. It takes tremendous mental strength and laser focus to do that stuff safely. But, I’m much happier and better off for the things I learned and experienced during that time. Life makes sense now. Humans not so much but life in general is much easier to endure so I win.
Load More Replies... Mazer 3 years ago
People in my part of the world use church to mostly make business deals and golf tee off times. Then there are those who go because that’s what they were told to do, they never thought much about it
Br6 12 months ago
I’ve always hated the “let god in to avoid eternal punishment he is all powerful and good“ no dipsh*t, a god that punishes moral people eternally for not worshiping him is not good it’s either he’s good and all moral people (including minorities ) get salvation or he’s a jerk
"For example, I find that people of different faiths and even people of no faith are looking for a sense of community. Faith is moving much more towards what I think Jesus had in mind—a trust in something bigger than yourself,” he said.
“Sometimes, we find that trust in community, realizing that all communities are flawed and make mistakes, but that participating in something bigger than ourselves makes life worth living. I think people are finding that especially in these most difficult times, faith within a community is something we need more than ever,” Adam said.
The Reverend's congregation believes in defending equality, dignity, and the rights of all people under God. “We are open and affirming of our LGBTQ siblings and believe God calls us to love all of our neighbors, including those who are black, brown, white, rich, poor, religious, atheist, documented, and undocumented,” the Clackamas United Church of Christ proclaims.
#16
I read one of Steven Hawking's books and became terrified I was going to hell for opening it. I was 12. Some years later I realized that it was all bs, went back and finished the book and that was that.
Pa4040 3 years ago
Going to Hell for gainimg knowledge of how the universe actually works. Sounds about right
Mazer 3 years ago
Your story reminded me of a woman hovering over the Dan Brown books “The DaVinci Code & Angels and Demons” etc. it was easy to see she was having some inner dialogue which clearly wasn’t going well. She blurted out the question she was wrestling with and asked two of us standing across the table from her if we thought the books were sacrilege. We both said. “It’s fiction”. She smiled snd grabbed the book and made straight for check out. Poor thing
De Gueb 3 years ago
all religions have in built anti tamper like alarm systems. The moment you start to prod around to test them the alarm bells go off and the religious protection law kick in. In Spain people have gone to jail for being offensive to religion. All countries have religious exemptions to allow them to indoctrinate.
Wilko Lunenburg 3 years ago
Hell must be a pretty nice place, with all the smart people there. And (if you're a Pastafarian) there are beer fountain volcano's!
Bobby 3 years ago
Big Bang established relationships for all waveforms. It's all about energy. All living things possess energy. All energy possesses vibration. Those vibrations create structured forms. All structure has resonant characteristics. The structures created by those vibrations are called Harmonic Ratios. Rather like patterns in every leaf. DNA presents harmonic ratios, if I'm not mistaken. I read that Ancients believed the planet had its own harmonic, F Sharp, and I think a chamber of the Great Pyramid exhibits F Sharp without any of our intervention. It seems there may be a connection between the planet and all living things. Then we get to the laws of thermodynamics, how energy cannot be created or destroyed. Follow that thought.
#17
I read the Bible & also because they couldn't answer any of my questions. Do animals have souls? If yes, isn't that murder when we eat them? If not, then what keeps them alive? The bible says slavery is okay??? But it is NOT? The bible says women should remain silent & never be teachers but my pastor is literally a woman? And don't mothers TEACH their children? If all the old testament is wrong or the old rules or whatever then why did God include it in the first place? Why was God so cruel to Lucifer when all he asked for was understanding - God admits humans are flawed, Lucifer says why love such a flawed thing, & then yeets him down to damnation?? Did hell already exist without Lucifer? And if Satan wants us to commit sins then why would he punish us for doing what he wanted??
And then there's the whole "end times" battle where Satan is a guy covered in light & God has gouged out eyes & is wearing blood-drenched clothes - like??? Surely he understands human FEAR?? We SUCK at judgment calls! And if God can turn water into wine so easily he can't grow fruit trees for the starving people all around the world??
Evolution just makes way more sense.
Brian Bennett 3 years ago
Had a minister call me at the end of 2020 - He asked me if I blamed God for COVID? I told him I was a Darwinian! He responded What? I said I believed in evolution not God! So if I did not believe in God how could I blame something that is imaginary to my way of thinking! BOOM!
Kantami Blossom 3 years ago
The Lucifer thing never made sense because God made him so could destroy him easily but instead decide to put him in charge of Hell so that during the so-called final battle God can lead a bunch of holier than thou wimps against an army of every evil person that ever lived. That's going to be a pretty short battle😂
Colin Leamon 3 years ago
Wow, you really have no understanding of Christianity. You had some ignorant teachers
Dillon Hughes 3 years ago
Huh I would like to talk to this person, great questions. Most of which none of is in the bible. But I won't go into the lengthy answers because bp doesn't all conversation.
Terd Fergison 3 years ago
Just write your reply here. They have pretty lengthy character limits. And you can comment as many times as you want. These are some big theological questions that I really doubt you could answer, Dillon. That's why you are making lame excuses not to answer them.
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ilikeplants 3 years ago
God and evolution are not opposed to each other. Only one branch of Christianity (the one that became the loudest and most political in the US following the scopes monkey trial) decided to make that a do-or-die issue. And these are all in fact really common questions with pretty easy answers. You just need to talk to an actual theologian, the experts in this field, who actually knows the Bible instead of talking heads and lay preachers who know topics and talking points but not scripture. Think of it in the reverse: the most common evolution questions (usually phrased as "gotcha" questions like “if we came from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?”), are common, easy-to-answer questions. But it means finding an evolutionary scientist (an expert) who knows what they're talking about to get solid answers.
Terd Fergison 3 years ago
Don't be stupid. The Bible claims that god created Adam out of mud/clay/dirt and magic words. Science refutes that claim because many different branches of science show that we have common evolutionary ancestors with certain species of chimpanzees (in fact we share %98.6 DNA in common with certain species of chimpanzees). The Bible claims god created plants and animals. But, they have common evolutionary ancestors and there is no evidence of creation. Also the Bible claims god flooded the world and all of the animals repopulated from survivors of a single boat. Genetics disproves that too. Nothing fails like the Bible!
Load More Replies... Terd Fergison 3 years ago
Zozo, do you believe in heaven? Is everything all good in heaven? Is there free will in heaven? So god can create a place that is all good with free will. Why not do that on earth? None of what you are saying makes any logical sense. Also you claim that god is all-knowing. Why would god need to see us struggle and test us? He would know absolutely everything we would do and could do. There's no meaning in that, and certainly no love.
Load More Replies... #18
Second grade teacher told us we'll go to hell for swearing. Once. Imagine the kind of person telling second graders they are all going to hell. (And we didn't have religion taught in school. That teacher was a nut that probably hated children)
[Kid: "Well s**t, if I'm damned to hell for just cursing one f**king time, then I guess the a** is out of the stable, isn't it? No f**king reason to hold s**t back now!"]
XSpooky_Mint 3 years ago
F**k, s**t, piss, c**t, d**k, ass, damn, minge, Hell, f****r, m**********r, hoe, dammit, quim, tit, tits, f*****g, God dammit, bullshit, prick, bitch, crap, s**t, twat, c**k, jackass, fuckwad, asshole, dipshit, horseshit, bollocks, zatch, sod, douche, bastard, douchebag, balls, ballsack, whore, did I miss anything?
Me Oh My 3 years ago
My little brother's second grade teacher told his class that Harry Potter was satanic.
Firkin Dirkin 3 years ago
Jesus would have cussed as well. He was created a human with human failings. That's the whole point of his life, to demonstrate that you should follow your concience and also accept your weaknesses in order to grow to be a better person. F**k anyone wno claims otherwise, they insult his sacrifice.
#19
I read the Bible in-depth. I asked questions in bible study and was punished for not blindly accepting. The final nail in the coffin was the minister who performed my wedding had been moved from a previous parish for having affairs with the women parishioners. He was having affairs here and was moved again to a new parish where he did the same.
He droned on and on about fidelity and trust in marriage while unapologetically having affairs and the church just moved him knowing what he did.
The rampant hypocrisy sickened me.
Ozacoter 3 years ago (edited)
This was the case with my father. A priest teacher tried to molest him when he was a teenager but he punched the disgusting pedo in the face. My father was severely punished but the priest was just send to another school to keep molesting children
Brian Bennett 3 years ago
We had a priest in our town called Father Red Sox - because he always wore red sox! This guy was gorgeous and knew it he would bang ever female who'd give him a smile. He used to "visit" the place I worked - he had a few of the staff but we kept an eye on him the staff who frequented said priest got red sox put in their lockers! Nothing happened to him when things got hot he'd ask for a transfer what I mean by hot -s DADDY!
Kenny Hayes 3 years ago
Judaism encourages questioning. Jewish joke is get 3 Jewish people together and get 4 different opinions.
#20
Well, spending my earliest childhood years in a literal cult in the 70's, then being gay in a family of right-wing Evangelicals was kind of a perfect storm to turn me off of religion for life. My parents are gone now and my oldest sister has gone full QAnon, further validating my own position that it's all a steaming pile of crazy.
MimSorensson 3 years ago
What you mean is: coming straight male from adult, responsible people who don’t believe in excluding anyone is no problem at all. There. Fixed it for you.
Load More Replies... #21
It just didn't make any sense to me, and I was tired of being told that I'm going to hell.
Lila Wells 3 years ago
"Your going to hell if you commit one sin. So, why not commit a thousand and come down a legend!" -Satan's twitter post
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Marcellus II 3 years ago
Blackadder: "Heaven is for people who like the kind of thing that goes on there --- singing, talking to God, watering pot plants... Whereas hell is for people who like the other sorts of things --- like adultery, ..." See (1min20 clip:) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8d85DsKjvU8
Load More Replies... R. U. Sirius 3 years ago (edited)
When some tells me I'm going to hell I just throw double finger guns at them, wink, and reply "See you there~". (I mean isn't blasphemous or something of that ilk for a mortal to speak for God's alleged future judgment of another person?)
Weasel Wise 3 years ago
I was told as a child I'd be going to heaven cuz of "my faith" and all the believers around me too are going to heaven. I looked around me at all the assholes that treated my family like s.hit for being poor and vividly remember preferring hell over eternity with those d.ickbags.
Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
"Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company." - Mark Twain
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Concept-Peter Roosdorp 3 years ago
The problem with going to hell as a punishment is that once you have done anything to get there. (plenty of ways even for a "good" person) is that it can't get any worse, you might as well be as egotistical as possible, have a good time while you still can.
Kantami Blossom 3 years ago
Every time I was told I was going to Hell I replied "that's ok, I'll be running it in less than six months" the priests hated that Hell didn't scare me as a threat😂
#22
Ex muslim.
I struggled understanding how I will inevitably go to hell (even if just for a little bit) because I am unable to perform prayer on time, especially the sunrise {fajr} prayer on time.
I have ADHD, and was unmedicated till my late 20s. Doing anything in time was an absolute uphill battle compared to other people. Ireally struggled to wake up in the morning all my childhood, my teen and my adult life. Looking at 23andMe, It’s almost like my genetic formation is destined to go to hell.
Also, I felt like being native in Arabic gave me an insanely unfair advantage over any non-arabic speakers. Even the most religious muslims from countries like Pakistan were inferior in understanding a lot of what came insanely easy to me.
So it didn’t really feel so fair of an ask.
Finally, some rules in the religion didn’t sit right at all and were basically the last nail in the coffin.
That being said, I still viciously protect the right of religious people to practice their religions without being looked down upon or discriminated against.
Caro Caro 3 years ago (edited)
I love the last sentence. Leave people their religion, their freedom to worship. As long as these people leave the atheists alone and don't judge.
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
I wouldn't mind leaving people their religion as long as they don't use their religion to control the lives of people who aren't religious at all. Like in the USA is happening now with religious fanatics banning abortion to a savage level. "NO ABORTION. NOT EVEN WHEN YOU"VE BEEN RAPED! IT'S GODS WILL!!!!"
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Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
That last...I have no issue with allowing religious people the freedom to practice their religion. Unfortunately, far too many of them have issue with ME not practicing THEIR religion, and constantly attempt to impose their silly rules on me. Nope. Respect lost.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
That is true, respect goes both ways. I just hope that you start anew with each person rather than judging them because of your past experiences with others.
Load More Replies... De Gueb 3 years ago (edited)
They can practise but not get tax breaks or be allowed in the classroom, or get religious exemptions. not food, not dress, not time to pray at work. You do you mumbo jumbo on your own time your own money and in private.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
I agree with most of that except prayer at work, as long as you are not shoving it in other people's faces should be okay. There are many circumstances that should be taken into account by work places, prayer is just one of them. Some people need to get up and walk away from their desk to stretch their back for example, or go and take insulin injections, or have flexible hours to work around kids. Prayer is just one consideration.
Load More Replies... Mazer 3 years ago
Virtual hugs for being you. Virtual hugs for your struggle, virtual hugs for resting on that step of allowing others to be themselves. For someone who has been through so much, you came out the better for your struggles. I recognize that is not any easy road to be on, let alone emerging with your s**t together!
Jaclyn Levy 3 years ago
"Looking at 23andMe, It’s almost like my genetic formation is destined to go to hell." Ugh, this makes me so sad! My religion also seems to dismiss or make it harder for nuerodivergent people, too. It's not right.
Kantami Blossom 3 years ago
That's the spirit, I'm completely anti-religion but only in the sense I don't want people forcing their beliefs in me or demanding I live according to them, apart from that they can do what they want.
James Wingrove 3 years ago
Hit the nail on the head. Let people believe what they want to believe. And also, don’t force it upon others.
#23
When I asked a religious education teacher what Noah and his family fed the carnivores on the ark and the 'teacher' stared at me like I was a cockroach. She then came and stood over me and said "Little girls should be seen and not heard." Until then I had always been encouraged to ask questions by the adults in my life. Decided that God wanted me to ask if I had the question and told her as much. Yeah..... She asked me not to come back.
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
After a sleepover at a friend's, my then 9yo daughter accompanied her friend to Sunday school. The teacher was lecturing that alcohol was evil, no exceptions. My daughter asked, "If alcohol is evil, then why did Jesus turn water into wine?" She was uninvited from ever setting foot in that church again, to my delight.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
Plus Jesus shared wine at the last supper and it is part of communion (though in my church it's just non-alcoholic grape juice).
Load More Replies... Laura Mende (Human) 3 years ago
When Adam and Eve only had two sons, where did the rest pf humanity came from? Did the boys f**k their mother??? When Jews are the favourite people of god, why are there Antisemits? Why would God need a evidence of faith like Abraham sacrificing Isaac our the story of Job??? (Btw: I'm not a bit Christian, born to atheists, raised as atheist. But my dad told me to read the Bible. So I can tell people they're talking Bullshit.)
M O'Connell 3 years ago
I was raised Catholic, though I ditched that s**t immediately after high school. My religious education did have an answer to the origins of the rest of humanity. There were people all over the place, outside of the garden of eden, while god only created two people as 'perfect' and their sons evidently ended up breeding with the 'imperfect' people from elsewhere. The whole thing is still BS, but at least they TRIED to make up a believable answer.
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Rose the Cook 3 years ago
As a child I had so many questions like this for "scripture teachers". Never got one single answer though.
Stephanie A Mutti 3 years ago
I wasn't permitted to be an altar-boy because I was a girl. Wait.. hold up,,, I can't participate because I was born with a vagina??? Even at 6y/o I knew that was BS and that was the beginning of the end for me.
Concept-Peter Roosdorp 3 years ago
She may have not read the bible... Genesis 6:19 that God gave to Noah: “And of every living thing of all flesh you shall bring two of every sort into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female” (Genesis 6:19, emp. added; cf. 7:15). It seems that fewer people, however, are aware that God also instructed Noah, saying, “You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth” (Genesis 7:2-3, emp. added). Sounds confusing even to scholars.
Kenny Hayes 3 years ago
Were Adam and Eve's kids commit incest? What do religious paintings show Adam and Eve with navels?
#24
Went to college, started thinking for myself as opposed to blindly trusting who I was told to trust. I used to think that religious folks had good intentions, at least, just misinformed. Now I know that to be wrong. Religion is a plague among the dull-minded.
Laura Mende (Human) 3 years ago
As Karl Marx said: Religion is Opium for the people. To sedate them. So they don't see the world as the cruel place it really is.
Kantami Blossom 3 years ago
Religious folk all have good intentions, but remember that's what paved the road to Hell.
Martin John 3 years ago
Saw a meme: "I wish I didn't know how think think critically. Ya'll seem so happy." LOL
#25
I was never big on it though I was raised Catholic. One day I remember thinking "Why does an omnipotent, omnipresent entity need me to go to a church and listen to a priest? Why tell him (the priest) my sins? Surely God would know what I did and if I'm truly sorry... Then I started realizing what hypocrites the supposedly "pious" were in day-to-day life. Then our Bishop came up as a kiddy diddler...
De Gueb 3 years ago (edited)
When I was 10 we had a desks like the one in the photo. One kid got his homework wrong and the priest threw him desk and all out of the class and kicked him till he almost passed out. They had to take him to hospital. We where all told to pray from him....
The priest was back teaching the next day they kid never came back., After the same priest was caught showing porn magazines to kids in then band. Band practise was out of the school in the dorms where the priests slept. Another priest from the same school was accused years later but died before he could be tried. desk-61d6e...620060.jpg 
Felicia Dale 3 years ago
Exactly right! The whole thing of needing someone to get between you and “god” is just gaslighting bullshit. It’s all about power and control like every abusive relationship.
Elaine Elder 3 years ago
What does God say about temples? Idols? Money? If the Bible is the word of God, why are the worst sinners in vast monoliths dripping with gold, worshipping a gold man hanging from a gold cross where you should prove you are worthy by putting more gold into a gold plate to prove you are worthy in the eyes of the people who are judging you for not wearing new clothes every Sunday.
Bobby 3 years ago
Rituals bothered me. God heard me the first time. Why do I have to repeat it 45 times? Why is religion so *cluttered with rituals, acquisitions, and rules? Why don't leaders follow those rules? Jesus never meant faith to be like that. Religion is a human construct. Faith is not.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
I am so glad that my church didn't have so many rites and rituals. We still did communion (and everyone was allowed to take it regardless of age, baptism, church), but no confession, genu flexing, rosary etc. I have always felt those things are an impediment to belief as they require mindless action rather than actual feelings or beliefs. Some members (who were involved in creating our denomination) even disliked prayers that were said aloud by the whole congregation for that reason.
Load More Replies... Dillon Hughes 3 years ago
Yea taken out of context. He says that you will find him under a rock shade blah. It means go somewhere where you can learn more talk to someone so you can both girn knowledge. The bible says confess your sins to your brethren and god. Meaning if I sinned against you I need to tell you and ask you for forgiveness. The priest has nothing to do with it, unless you messed with him...
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
That is why Protestants do not do confession. Your sins are between you and God. What's the saying, why talk to the dog when you can see the owner?
Load More Replies... #26
Family are Jehovah’s Witnesses. They had me at “144,000 people will live forever in a land of all good, just like the garden of eden was, but everyone else is sol and will simply not exist” what makes them better than me? Why does this god creature only love 144,000 out of billions?
I always asked questions that were answered with bible scriptures irrelevant to what I asked.
My grandma, my mom, and aunts and uncles were shunned from the Kingdom Hall after my grandma had an affair. He was straight up considered dead and my grandma and had children still went to the Kingdom Hall but no one was allowed to talk to them. They had to sit at the back of the hall. They had to come late and leave early so there was no contact with other members of the cult, I mean congregation. My mom and her sisters lost their friends.
Brian Bennett 3 years ago
Had a nurse of this ilk I worked with almost let a woman die after childbirth, we found the poor gal, we did not know the nurse was a jolly Jehovah until we asked her why she ignored the new mom bleeding all over the place. The cow told us -I gave her a round house slap and told her you don't inflict your religious beliefs on any one else. I reported myself because of the slap she got fired that morning!
MRK 3 years ago
Just to clarify, the JW's think only 144,000 people are going to heaven. Everyone else will end up on a paradisiac Earth being ruled by those 144,000. Charles Russell, who started the cult was very into numerology and there is a lot of those hold over beliefs still in their teachings today. I was raised in this cult, and one of the things that made me leave was the fact that women are part of the number that will go to heaven to rule over humanity, but they are not allowed to hold any position of power in the cult. So all the decisions are made by men. If their god allows for women to rule in heaven, why would he not allow it while they are on earth? Its a very misogynistic religion, like many others.
Gretchen Esquilin 3 years ago
Friend of my husband's lived in the house where her entire family couldn't talk to her b/c she had been disfellowshipped for premarital sex (at age 23) yet the boy had no repercussions. She lived like that for 18 mos. then dropped as friends once she was re-instated b/c we were "worldly." F*ck you JWs!!!!
I don't like my name 3 years ago
144,000 go to Heaven. The rest of us "unworthy" people live on earth but what will be called "Paradise" and if you're a good person you get to stay and if you're a shitty person you go to he'll and suffer until eternity. At least that's how I was taught within the religion...
Laura Mende (Human) 3 years ago
And the thing that makes me think the most: if they knock on your door and talk you in their cult, then there will be even more people... So why are they doing this? Converting even more people if only 144,000 go to "paradise"? Something is wrong with this logic.
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Huddo's sister 3 years ago
A family friend of mine has not had contact with his family for at least 20 years because they are Jehovah's Witnesses.
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
So...what happens if there are more than 144,000 Jehovah's Witnesses?
Dillon Hughes 3 years ago
Just because you do not agree with the customs of a sect of christanity doesn't justify denying all region. Yea they have some weird stuff! Most ways of life does.
Pa4040 3 years ago
Dude, it's a literal cult. Read about the stories and what they are preaching and have done. Each religion has its quirks, but this one is one of the worst.
Load More Replies... #27
Constantly being told that I was going to hell just for missing church once in a while was the start of it for me.
But if they actually believed that then they are in hell too for judging me.
Br6 12 months ago (edited)
Not all of them my best friend is catholic and he while feels guilt like everyone doesn’t force it on anyone
Load More Replies... MimSorensson 3 years ago (edited)
Oh they’re so tiresome. “You got stuck in traffic? Hell. You masturbated? Hell. Someone dropped a porn magazine in front of you that you instinctively looked down at? Hell. You watched an action movie? Hell. You have a pet ferret? Hell. You met a gay person? Hell. You wear yoga pants? Hell. Hell, hell, hell, hell.” They could make the process easier by writing down what will NOT send you to hell and hand that out. I have a postcard they can use. They can always put an illustration of hell on the space left over.
Mary Ridenhour 3 years ago
I was raised in the Church of Christ, a southern geographic location. We were known for having no instrumental musical instruments because there was no 'apostolic example' of that in the New Testament. So the whole 'apostolic example' was one of the strong points of that church's tenets. It was never said aloud that if you had a piano in church you would go to hell, but there were very few dots and a pretty straight line to get you there. You know, you must follow apostolic example to please God; anything else displeases God; if God is displeased with us, then you know the rest. I also was aware that Tennessee and Texas had the highest numbers of members of the Church of Christ of any other places in the U.S. and the world for that matter. Thankfully, I was born in Arkansas, so my shot at the lotto was better than most, you know, those born in Connecticut or California. So as a child, I started to ponder the concept of going to heaven based on your birthplace.
#28
When I had to put on my private school bible final that the earth was 6000 years old I really started to dig in what the hell I believed. The whole Abraham sacrificing his son on a mountain is just so f**ked up too. It started with “Even if he was real I wouldn’t want to worship him.” It snowballed from there. Great moral teaching book though for the most part.
ᴠᴀɪɴᴏ 3 years ago
Ahahaha if dinosaurs existed 250 mil years ago, megalodons existed 3.6 million years ago, leedsichthys problematicus lived 165 million years ago, WHAT THE HELL IS WRITTEN IN THE BIBLE THAT THE EARTH IS 6000 YEARS OLD
T. D. Bostick 3 years ago
Nothing in the Bible says the earth is that young. That's just people inferring stuff.
Load More Replies... Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
the Bible is not remotely a "great moral teaching book." Good grief! Lot deemed to be a righteous man after he allowed his neighbors to gang rape his daughters? God sending bears to tear apart children whose only "sin" was making fun of a man's bald head? Women and children being considered to be property, not human beings to be treated humanely? Yes, a few of Jesus' teachings are good advice. Unfortunately, modern Christianity is modeled after Paul, not Jesus, and Paul was an asshole.
Cuddly Panda 3 years ago
Thank you! If you hadn't said this, I would have. Though, admittedly, I am a pretty big fan of the Sermon on the Mount.
Load More Replies... Hugh Cookson 3 years ago
well, slight problem with that one then, especially when you consider that the pyramids - which started during a high point in human civilisation - are between 6500 and 7500 years old. There is some evidence that in West Africa, there were complex civilisations that existed 10 to 12000 years ago ........
Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
Göbekli Tepe in Turkey is between 10,000 and 12,000 years old. Carbon dating is reliable to at least 60,000 years in the past.
Load More Replies... Kantami Blossom 3 years ago
I always loved that claim about the Earth being 6000 years old, I can just picture a Douglas Adams style quote like "6000 years ago today God created the Earth which came as a great shock to the Mesopotamian peoples who'd been happily living there for some time)😂
Dillon Hughes 3 years ago
Pre deluvian time was not measured in literal years. 1 year (sad I believe) =2500 years. Something like that. If you also believe the world has reset 6 wish times, no not 6000 no matter what. What it more less kind of portrays is that Adam and eve were around that time. We will never know all speculation
Adrian 3 years ago
Of course if God created the whole Earth in 6 days maybe days were a lot longer then. Was the rest of the Universe in existence then? or did God spend 6 days on each item? consecutively or in parallel? Do suns take longer or shorter than a small planet like the Earth? bigger planets ? moons? asteroids?
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
I am Christian and when I was about 7 I already reasoned that if the creation story was true then the 7 days were not literal days as we have them. For the most part these stories are not to be taken as literal anyway.
Load More Replies... #29
I was always told that If I prayed, god would answer me. My parents fought a lot, so I prayed every night that god would make it stop. He never answered.
I'mNotARoboat 3 years ago
Right, one is literally just wishing to the universe.
Load More Replies... Martin John 3 years ago
My Dad used to tell me that if I did something bad, God would make me fall down. Even though I was pretty small when I first heard it, it confused and angered me when I was taught that God loved me no matter what. Why would he want to hurt me? :(
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
People often credit prayer with having cured them of cancer. I'll believe that prayer has power when an amputee successfully prays his limbs back into existence.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
Prayer does not cure cancer or have control over any particular action or physical event. It does help you cope with the random circumstances of life.
Load More Replies... John 3 years ago
Why not consider that God did answer your prayers, but your parents refused to listen. All too often we place the blame on God's inattention, when it should be placed on our lack of cooperation.
Cuddly Panda 3 years ago
The OP stated that they prayed for god to "make" them stop. Therefore, if an omnipotent god truly answered their prayer, they would have actually stopped.
Load More Replies... Zozo🤟 3 years ago
God has 3 answers. Yes, no, and wait. It’s difficult to get nos. I’m so sorry that you had to go through that
Catherine Spencer-Mills 3 years ago
I recommend people keep a log. Write down the date, time, and specific request. Save space to indicate when the prayer was answered. No one has taken up my challenge. Wonder why
Cuervo 3 years ago
Maybe we should ask God to win the million dollar lottery. If he doesn't answer then he doesn't exist. Right? Not.
Michael Largey 3 years ago
I prayed to God every night to win the lottery. Finally He answered. He said, "My son, at least meet me half-way. Buy a lottery ticket!"
Load More Replies... Dillon Hughes 3 years ago
I never like that stuff, who knows maybe god does talk and answer them who am I to say.
#30
I hated the judgment. I can think of one example that turned me off religion: I remember there was a sermon made by a pastor around Christmas time. I don't remember what it was about, only the guilt I felt afterward.
Kat O. 3 years ago
This is how they suck you in. You feel so guilty that you have to make up for it.
H Edwards 3 years ago
I remember just feeling resentful as a child, don't think they actually managed to make me feel guilty!
Load More Replies... Libstak 3 years ago
Jesus's words on the cross were ... father forgive them for they know not what they do. He died with forgiveness in his heart comprehending our weaknesses, that's all. Separate dogma given in churches to the message of the wise ones of our past and recognise where man is making God in his own image rather than understanding no man knows more than 1% of the nature of God and his capacity to forgive or judge at all.
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Too many forget the command "judge not, lest ye be judged," which was considered to be so important that it was included in three of the four Gospels.
Jaclyn Levy 3 years ago
I remember when a Preacher preached against the ills of technology and video games. My gamer husband seethed next to me the entire service. I can't believe he didn't just walk out, that old dude behind the pulpit was way off base! He was a guest Preacher so we mostly brushed it off, but dang, we still make fun of him to this day.
Adrian 3 years ago
A friend's wife delivered a stillborn baby. The local priest refused to allow it to be buried in the graveyard. That did it for me.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
Oh no, I'm so sorry! When/where was this? If I remember correctly (it's been about 8 years until I studied Catholic RE) the vatican II took out the references to original sin, so unbaptised babies go to heaven and can be buried in the church graveyard. My church (protestant) would also never have done this as we believe all children are innocent and can go to heaven.
Load More Replies... Samantha Lomb 3 years ago
Catholic? I think they have weaponized guilt. Evangelicals tend to go more fire and brimstone
Kantami Blossom 3 years ago
It's literally gaslighting, they make you feel guilty to lower your sense of self then offer salvation through them to make you dependent.
Good girl wanna be. 3 years ago
I believe in our Lord and Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit. I need more faith, I realize that. But here's my shout out for the Lord my God.
#31
When as a kid a religious classmate told me that if you believe in Jesus you go to heaven, and when I asked "even killers?" and his answer was "yes if they believe in Jesus". My kid brain just shut down right there and then. The legions of people who backstab and gossip about others but still go to church every weekend thinking it's a Sin Washing Machine made me realize they have no f-ing idea about the Bible at all.
Martin Blaney 3 years ago
HAHAHA yes indeed, the sin washing machine AKA the Sunday morning "reset" button.
Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
My grandmother told me she didn't cotton to the hypocrisy of people confessing their sins, muttering mumbo-jumbo to cleanse their souls, then going out and sinning the rest of the week because they knew they could wipe the slate clean the following Sunday. This eliminates responsibility so you don't have to live with your wrong deeds.
Load More Replies... Libstak 3 years ago
Totally the crux of the issue right here. Claiming to believe in God but doing evil anyway.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
Which goes to show it is not belief in God but belief that by saying they believe people will respect you or give you power.
Load More Replies... Tuna Fish 3 years ago
I once asked my preacher, who had just told a moving story about how he led a murderer to Christ and said murderer is now a christian going to heaven, why that guy could be forgiven but a woman who had an abortion was going to hell for murder no matter what. He told my parents to punish me for being sacrilegious. They did. That was the day I realized that it was all just a bunch of rules powerful men created thousands of years ago to control the masses and not spiritual at all.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
These are the sorts of answers certain churches feed on, but are not really truths of the religion. Jesus accepted prostitutes and other marginalized people. He did not punish them for their circumstances, many of which were out of their control. He loved them and asked others to love them. Added on to this, I do not believe that abortion is murder or a sin, but even if it was, if the woman asked for forgiveness it would be granted (not that there is anything to be forgiven for).
Load More Replies... Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Even worse, if you're Catholic, you can be the worst SOB on the planet, but if you confess and truly repent your sins on your death bed, you get to go to Heaven? OTOH, if you're a good person your entire life, but commit a "sin" then die, you're condemned to Hell. That's f****d up.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
That is the part of the Catholic faith I think I have the most trouble with.
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Amanda Nolting 3 years ago
As my dad always says, "well Lucifer believed in Jesus and look where he ended up".
WilvanderHeijden 3 years ago
So it's wiser to get yourself baptised when you think you're going to die. You start with a clean slate and a one way business class ticket to heaven.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
That is what some people in the past have done.
Load More Replies... #32
I am tired of hearing things like god is absolute good and all powerful, everything god does is for good, god loves all. But when I read history, religious war, tortures, brutality and stuff, my brain asks 'damn, where's the love'. Get to watch the news and read stories of murderers, pedophiles, and so on. Also, religion doesn't make any sense. All the religious people are quite scary, when some of them fail to turn me into religious, I see the irritation and anger there (even my mom). Plus all the religious conflicts still going on, it feels bad for the powerless innocent people who suffer because of it. To get into imaginary heaven, people are destroying themselves and others even though we call ourselves intellectual beings
Olga Dremina 3 years ago
To get into imaginary heaven, people are destroying themselves and others even though we call ourselves intellectual beings. THIS
Bobby 3 years ago
Every thing you mentioned is a direct result of choices. We have choices. Rarely do we choose good for ourselves or humanity. God did not make us into brutal, selfish, greedy beings. We chose those paths. Or we allowed others to make those choices for us. Every act of war, pollution, abuse, neglect, hunger... all results of humanity's choices.
Martin John 3 years ago
I am the lone atheist in my family; most of the rest of my family is pretty religious (singing "Happy Birthday" to Jesus on Xmas...that kinds silliness) and I am repeatedly astounded that as :Good Christians" they make racist jokes, can be terribly selfish at times and just puzzle me with their less-than-Christians behaviors. I am not a saint by any means, but I like to think that I am just out here trying to make the world a better place in any way I can, not because I want to make Jesus smile or to try and get into heaven or any of that nonsense.
#33
I realized the most morally corrupt people were the ones that were always at church. Like they took the word ‘repent’ and show up for an hour service to cleanse themselves of a week of bulls**t. I don’t like being around them.
#34
Read it once around age 14 to prove to myself god existed. That backfired. Read it again in my 20s but skipped the “begats” that pretty much sealed in my atheism.
Bobby 3 years ago
Study Bible would have made a difference. Having historical context for each chapter, purpose of the chapter, personality traits and motivation of the individuals, choices and outcomes ...it's a new perspective. Also realize there are translation fails... if there was no modern word, it was transliterated. Also: omitted books. For instance, shepherds that found the Dead Sea scrolls use some for fire fuel. Those books gone forever. Other books, Enoch for example, omitted by decision of committee of church leaders because it made them uncomfortable. It also helps to cross reference with other manuscripts and archaeology. It's much like researching a paper in college. Many sources facilitate understanding.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
True, you need the background and how it relates to today.
Load More Replies... #35
Catholic school
Mazer 3 years ago
My friends parents enrolled her in Catholic school. When her mother found out how abusive they were to my friend, The mom marched her 4’9” body down to the school, and verbally ripped into the nuns, sisters, mothers and priests. She slayed everyone of them. My friend and her mom were very close until her mom died. I met so many parents who never stood up for their kids, to learn about parents who have their kids best interest at heart was so refreshing
Brian Bennett 3 years ago
Nuns and their rulers were the meanest SOB's on earth during the 50's and before!
Incitatus 3 years ago
Agree to a certain extent. I value my catholic school education, it provided a base to understand how religions think, and from there I could explore what others believe, compare them, apply some philosophy and come up with my own examination on human nature.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
Yes, the Religious Education (and education in general) in Catholic schools has come along way. Since the Vatican II they encourage more questioning (or the should according to curriculum) and looking into other religions. Even the children who they accept and the impact this has had on the education has changed. Now there are more children from diverse backgrounds and the RE teachers cannot assume that all their students follow their beliefs. They still teach Catholicism, but in the form of 'this is what Catholics believe' not that non-Catholics go to hell.
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Marlene James 3 years ago
THIS needs to be way higher. 13 years of Catholic School changes a person.
#36
Studied 'history of the Enlightenment' at university for a year. Was cured within two weeks or so.
H Edwards 3 years ago
This is why the right-wing nutjobs don't want to send their kids to college.
Bobby 3 years ago
Logical fallacy. All behaviors occur across all populations. Demonization of an opposing view is just an appeal to fear, utilizing emotion instead of intellect to support your view.
Load More Replies... Caro Caro 3 years ago
Had to look this up. https://www.britannica.com/event/Enlightenment-European-history
Samantha Lomb 3 years ago
Seriously? Its like one of the most important periods of European history and gave us the foundation for modern law, constitutional thought, democracy etc.
Load More Replies... #37
After a lot of things I started to think why it is happening, why god isn't doing anything about it. In this process, I also read a lot of books on philosophy, self-help, psychology, etc. So I slowly moved from religious to agonistic and then atheist.
Sean Glynn 3 years ago (edited)
I realized long ago that an omnicient being would know every action that will be taken by his creation he would know every move of every atom before he created it-that is the nature of infinite knowlege. Therefore, God knew who would be a pedophile, who would be a murderer, who would be tortured BEFORE he created it all. The logical progression here would be that he intended every terrible act to happen, for lucifer to fall, for me to be molested, for the child of my son's friend to have violent, triggering acts perpretated on her by a stranger. Religion gives comfort to those wishing to ignore reality, and to others is a method of gaining power over people.
#38
The idea of a single entity in the sky never made sense to me as an older kid, and as a pre-teen/teen, I started to believe that god wasn't a 'person' but was conscious in everything around us and existed without form/all form. Had adults at the church (catholic) laugh at me and encourage my peers to make fun of me too, and used every chance they could to mock me. As an agnostic atheist now, I find so much more peace sitting in nature and enjoying that it is 'just beautiful and moving and alive' than I ever did while believing in their god.
Tuna Fish 3 years ago
Same. I always thought that God was nature and that's why it makes so much sense. While believing in a dude in the sky that grants wishes to some and says no to others was just crazy. I was often punished and ridiculed for my opinion to the point where I just started keeping it to myself.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
I'm so sad that they laughed at you. I formed the same opinion of God at a very young age and it led me to more belief in him. I found it fitted well with my personal faith and my churches teaching. I think it depends on the church you attend (though my siblings are agnostic now).
Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
If god is conscious in everything around us, then you and I are god too.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
Well the holy spirit is in people. This doesn't make them God really but more a part of his being.
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albernistuff 4sale 3 years ago
I am more along the lines that it is possible a deity created the universe because they were lonely, set things in motion and is waiting for intelligence(s) to develop for company. Will be waiting a long while yet. Also, s/he doesn't micro-manage.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
Interesting take. I definitely get the micro managing belief.
Load More Replies... #39
I started reading the Bible.
Rattus Norvegicus 3 years ago
i wouldn't say fiction. many religious myths are completely made up, others have a basis in actual history, but have no connection to a diety in reality. take homer's the iliad. we know the trojan war happened, but when the greeks wrote about it, they also incorperated their gods. the bible is similar. i would put it in a special section of the library with all the other religeous texts.
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NsG 3 years ago
I don't think there's anything wrong with reading the Bible. There's also nothing wrong with reading Twilight or (ugh...) 50 Shades. If you find enjoyment reading an anthology of Jeffrey Archer's writings, that's entirely up to you, and you shouldn't be judged for that either. But if you start basing your decisions and how to live your life SOLELY on one book - without logical or critical thinking - that's where you're getting things wrong. The Bible itself is not the problem - it's how it's applied (usually by idiots with an ulterior motive) that's the problem.
#40
Religion has ZERO evidence to back up its claims. Science has a plethora and continues to add it to.
Brian Bennett 3 years ago
My very religious cousin sated about COVID "I do not believe in something I can't see. I asked her if she believed in God - Yes of course - I said Think about what you just said. I think most religions are based in fear!
Felicia Dale 3 years ago
Ask her about air or gravity or the inner parts of her own body.
Load More Replies... Huddo's sister 3 years ago
Religion and science are not at odds. Everything I learn about science fits with my religious beliefs.
#41
I knew by 8th grade that religion was not my thing.
I do think that Catholic school was partially responsible for my femdom thing though. So not a total loss.
#42
I started putting people above doctrine and religion. Christianity forces you to believe that all gay people and all non-Christians will be tortured for all eternity. There is no way around it, and no amount of cognitive dissonance will make that ok. Any Christian that tries to be loving, forgiving, or progressive knows nothing about their own religion
Caro Caro 3 years ago
No, that's NOT what Christianity teaches, it's the hypocrites who teach that. There's a difference.
Sean Glynn 3 years ago
I think you believe what you are saying, Caro Caro, but there appear to be sooo many more hypocrites out there that honest and ernest believers are totally obscured.
Load More Replies... Jaclyn Levy 3 years ago
Yes, putting people above doctrine! That was a real game changer for me and I'm freer because of it. Rev Barbara Taylor has some great books including "Leaving Church" and "Holy Envy" and in one of them, can't remember which, she said Jesus asked me to love my neighbor, not my religion. BOOM. Yes. People first. <3
#43
I had a lot of bad things happen in my life and if there is a god why would he let this all happen.
Stephanie IV 3 years ago
Maybe, life is not about being happy. I have not sussed it out yet. I'm sorry you felt forsaken.
#44
A friend from grad school was deeply religious and I attended some services with her and had conversations with her and some classmates from time to time. I would best describe myself as a Christmas/Easter Catholic at the time and had already been leaning towards religion not being my thing. I don’t think I realized how different branches of Christianity were until experiencing her church. We went during the week once and she was excited for the speaker (it was more like a lecture than a service, there wasn’t communion) and I sat there horrified as he complained about nuns/women speaking/teaching at a conference he had bee to and that services used instruments to accompany their songs and some anti abortion and anti gay rant for good measure. Horrified. I leaned over to her and said I didn’t want to embarrass her and if she wasn’t my ride I would have walked out. We had a conversation about it after and throughout the course of grad school it would come up, but she believed that women were basically second to men. She was allowed to teach Sunday school but not to the older kids. I was just beside myself that someone with an education degree and studying a male-dominated engineering field actually believed she shouldn’t be able to teach or influence and was second to a man. I was staying with her and her family for a few days and when the Sunday mass came up I declined and offered to meet her at the church after on our drive back to campus.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
The particular denomination and church you attend has a big impact on your opinions. I belong to the Uniting Church of Australia which is a very progressive church and has a large focus on social justice. There are female ministers and gay ministers, we have instruments (if there is anyone in the congregation who plays) with some hymns, we fight for refugee rights and we welcome anyone. I have attended churches of different denominations but the one that fits my views and beliefs is the Uniting. There is nothing really wrong with the others but they do have some rituals that I don't see the point of and they just have a different style of worship.
Aileen 3 years ago
Obviously all of those things are horrible, but songs accompanied by instruments? Why would that be a problem?
Aileen 3 years ago
I should rephrase: What's wrong with songs being accompanied by instruments? (I didn't mean to ask, "Why is it wrong that he thinks that way?")
Load More Replies... #45
Being told DnD was demon worship. Sure you can go full Evil but i love playing gray. Chaotic Neutral is my jam. You kill Satan in some of the modules.
Ceph Alopod 3 years ago
Necromancer here, life's more fun when you sin against man, gods and nature
#46
It started with actually reading the Bible for the first time, instead of just getting passages given to me. It was nothing like what I was taught. Jesus turned out to be exactly like all the “crazy fundamentalists” who I previously assumed made the faith look bad. That lead to learning about how the faith developed, which required learning about how Judaism developed. The entire history of Abrahamic religion was simply not what the faiths teach it is. That killed my faith. I tried to hang on, turning to apologetics. There is no one more dishonest than professional religious apologists. They will proudly say demonstrably wrong, have it corrected by an expert in that field, acknowledge that correction, and continue repeating that same wrong statement over and over for new audiences. Some they seem to love are “atheists say there was nothing, then nothing exploded and made dinosaurs”, and “if evolution was true, why are there still monkeys?” Then there are their completely fluid and inconsistent reinterpretations of their scripture. With apologists, any given passage will mean opposite things at any given moment, depending on what they want it to mean at the time. There is so much “When Jesus says ‘Truly I tell you…’ he really means ‘Metaphorically, I or a metaphor for someone, tell you or a metaphor for someone…(insert thing that has no relevance to the text).’”
Olga Dremina 3 years ago
Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who returned from the battle. “Have you allowed all the women to live?” he asked them. “They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and enticed the Israelites to be unfaithful to the LORD in the Peor incident, so that a plague struck the LORD’s people. Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man. Tell me how is that good and teaches you good?
#47
I grew up in a religion that many would consider a cult. I was so sure it was true. Once I came to find out it wasn’t true, I applied the logic I used to leave my religions to other religions, I came to the same conclusion, all religion is man-made. At this point, I just think we are the universe trying to experience itself.
Jaclyn Levy 3 years ago
"I just think we are the universe trying to experience itself." That is beautiful. I'm writing it down!
#48
I was raised in the church and catholic school. But it never really seemed to be part of the culture, just my surroundings, if that makes sense. Some students, teachers, families were religious, some weren't. I didn't really absorb the religious teachings but tried to take it seriously at some point in high school just to think for myself... And it never really stuck. It was just a private school, but also the church.
#49
I never really believed it from the start. I joked about it once, and my mom yelled at me. I'm still keeping it a secret.
Adrian 3 years ago
Do I believe in God? But what is belief? There are kangaroos, I believe they exist. So does the question ask whether I believe in His existence? or that I support the rules the priests laid down in His name? If the former there is no way to prove one way or another. If the latter then the rules may or may not be correctly interpreted.
#50
When I was in 5th grade a classmate said she was atheist and I asked why. She said none of it made much sense. I thought about it and agreed. Honestly God was the default view and it never occurred to me to think otherwise and literally the second I gave it any real thought or challenged it I was like oh yea none of this really tracks I didn't really have any sophistication or understanding about how clearly manmade and a reflection of our own anxieties God is - that all came later. At that moment it really came down to I was told gods were real but was never truly made to believe it because it wasn't made to feel real. It's actually weird to me that this doesn't happen eventually to most people. Like you live your life in the real world enough that at some point it becomes clear that none of this religious stuff makes sense as anything other than a way some humans concocted to control others and sometimes themselves
Stephanie IV 3 years ago
That is so weird. It was the other way round for me. Born with faith I couldn't express. Heard the word GOD. Asked about it. Parents (Agnostics) explained. Things clicked. I can feel God's presence at all times. To me, everything is like a song of God's love for creation. It's a naive faith. I have tried to reason it away for decades. But it would not budge. So there it is.
Mazer 3 years ago
I love when people can find good in religion and apply it to their lives, as long as you are not hiding behind sit or using it as a weapon and it helps you be a better person, I’m all for it.
Load More Replies... Chich 3 years ago
It was a lot of things. The final nail was being at a friends wedding. They wanted a non religeous ceremony. One of their friends was a minister of some sort. Nose clearly out of joint. To make him happy they allowed him to say grace at the reception. He preached a full blown sermon for a good 15 minutes. I was done.
#51
I just gradually ....stopped. I kinda always knew it was BS, but imprinting is a thing and it stuck with me for years. All those endless years of church and bible camps, the rantings about hell and the devil, it stays with you. Social control.... But now, nothing. I want proof, not the bulls**t from some "youth pastor" that just says believe. Until I see actual proof, I'm an atheist.
Tuna Fish 3 years ago
Social control. That's what I've believed religion is for most of my life.
Huddo's sister 3 years ago
That sounds like what it is for a lot of people, which is sad because it is not the religion but the followers that are to blame.
Load More Replies... M O'Connell 3 years ago
There is a billboard I pass every day on my way home from work that exclaims (in mixed-case, with random all-caps words) that "there is proof for god" and lists a bible verse. To paraphrase that bible verse: "Of course god exists, why would you even ask that?" That's an excellent proof. /s
#52
My parents and religious teacher started arguing through me over whether the devil is real or not, and I realized that nothing of it was certain
Tiffany Wilson 3 years ago
From what I've gathered from light and dark workers, those that have been on the other side... the devil was created out of Christian fear and only affects them. Make sense to me.
What do you think ?
cybermerlin2000 3 years ago
Religion is going to fade away as it refuses to do the one thing science readily does. Adapt and evolve. The closest thing that religion does is either destroy another religion by propaganda or plain genocide, steal another religion such as Christianity which used to be Mithaism which was once Horus worshipping. Religions are stubborn and resistant to changing and because of this their ideas are old-fashioned and make no sense in the real world. Catholicism is responsible for the highest number of deaths in the world and even killed more people than the Black Death. So no, religion will not make it. It is doomed to fade away as more and more people realize how hypocritical the religions are
James016 3 years ago
My wife is Muslim and not particularly religious (she married a Jew after all). However she did tell me of one incident that happened to her. This was just after her mum passed away and her dad passed away the year before. She went to her local mosque to say a prayer for them but she forgot her headscarf. Instead of providing one or letting it go, the Iman went into a tirade at her for not wearing one and how she will go to hell because of it. As far as I know she has not been in a mosque since. She still has her faith but that was a real kick in the teeth for her.
Kyndal T 3 years ago
Baptist/Pentecostal nut job family. They offered me an exorcism or a week at bible camp. Took the camp. Made a point to be overtly sexual and inappropriate at every given opportunity. It was the most fun I've had with churchers. All this because I cut my hair. At 15. It was down to the floor. Now, my hair is purple, I've slept with more women than men, have several tattoos and piercings, and I was less welcome at my mother's funeral than the family pedophile. I wasn't even invited or informed of the wake prior to the funeral. On the day, my grandmother "accidentally" told me the wrong cafe for the family lunch after burial. I'd always had a great relationship with her and believed she wasn't like them. She isn't until they're around. My mom was nothing like them and the service was appalling. There's more but not enough therapy to cover it all.
JessRS 3 years ago
Cut ties, honey, you don't need that crap in your life.
Load More Replies...
Lovin' Life 3 years ago
I am a Christian. But I would never force my beliefs on to another person. We should all be able to worship , pray and believe what we think is right and wrong. I was church damaged for many years, being forced to attend a southern Baptist church that condemned me to Hell many times. It took me years to get over that. I am truly sorry to all how have been church damaged. That is not how any religious organization/ institution should be ran. Hugs and love to all.
Mark Fuller 3 years ago
Spent my teens in a catholic school. Every week we were all told how the, "devil rubs his hands together when he sees such rich pickings...!" And then at various points during Mass we had to call out like zombies: Thanks be to God! Lord have Mercy Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ We are not worthy Lord, hear our prayer! Bluntly. F**k. Right. Off. Like being a teenager isn't difficult enough, I didn't need this crap. I was... and remain worthy. I respected my parents, worked hard at school, abided by the law, treated others as I would wish to be treated. I am a good person - don't indoctrinate me with the unfounded belief that I am anything else.
Caro Caro 3 years ago
My so went to a catholic school. He hated it and the priests hitting him (and that priest getting a hard on) and nobody did a friggin thing about it.
Load More Replies... ADHORTATOR 3 years ago (edited)
My favorite class in school was Religion (in Germany, it is mandatory) I argued all the time with the teachers and they loved me - finally a student who is participating in class :-)
Philler Space 3 years ago
Years after sort of coming to this conclusion on my own, I learned the term "maltheism," which supposed that if there is a higher power, all evidence suggests it is not necessarily benevolent and may in fact be downright hostile. This is the only religious position that makes any sense to me; was so pleased to find out it has a name.
Ozacoter 3 years ago
All perfectly logical and valid reasons. Personally I grew up in a very catholic family and school but I never believed idk why. For years I was embarassed to be so weird until I met another girl that was an atheist and I discovered that it was not me "malfunctioning " but a common thing. In any case as a Spanish woman I just cant be religious. Our church supported a genocidal regime that killed, tortured and raped thousands (and supported Hitler). Even nowadays their bishops still openly defend rape, pedophilia, domestic violence and other horrible crimes. I cannot understand how anybody can hear them and still be part of their cult.
alloutbikes@yahoo.com 2 years ago
That is the organized religion. You can have your faith without any of that. The crazy is people defining what they believe, not what you have to believe.
Load More Replies... Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Reading the Bible did it for me, and the giveaway was in the very first book. God forbids Adam and Eve from eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve eats the fruit. Humanity is forever barred from Eden and otherwise cursed. But Eve could not possibly have known that eating the fruit was wrong...until AFTER she ate it. God set up Adam and Eve to fail, then held the entire human race accountable for it. That's an asshole move, not the actions of someone entitled to my reverence.
Elaine Elder 3 years ago
Southern Baptists don't actually read the Bible. So a preacher reads one line "chapter: verse" then does a sermon taking that sentence out of context and a whole church full of people "amen" in his pauses. All those people think that's what the Bible "says" Then it becomes a game of telephone, getting so distorted it just becomes stupid. Wanna shut a Primitive Baptist Preacher up? Ask him WHERE it says what he just told you the Bible says something. When they ask if you are saved? Ask if they are going to this HEAVEN. Explain if they will be there for eternity, you would prefer to be somewhere else, because spending eternity with his bunch of hypocrites sounds like Hell.
Load More Replies... cybermerlin2000 3 years ago
Religion is going to fade away as it refuses to do the one thing science readily does. Adapt and evolve. The closest thing that religion does is either destroy another religion by propaganda or plain genocide, steal another religion such as Christianity which used to be Mithaism which was once Horus worshipping. Religions are stubborn and resistant to changing and because of this their ideas are old-fashioned and make no sense in the real world. Catholicism is responsible for the highest number of deaths in the world and even killed more people than the Black Death. So no, religion will not make it. It is doomed to fade away as more and more people realize how hypocritical the religions are
James016 3 years ago
My wife is Muslim and not particularly religious (she married a Jew after all). However she did tell me of one incident that happened to her. This was just after her mum passed away and her dad passed away the year before. She went to her local mosque to say a prayer for them but she forgot her headscarf. Instead of providing one or letting it go, the Iman went into a tirade at her for not wearing one and how she will go to hell because of it. As far as I know she has not been in a mosque since. She still has her faith but that was a real kick in the teeth for her.
Kyndal T 3 years ago
Baptist/Pentecostal nut job family. They offered me an exorcism or a week at bible camp. Took the camp. Made a point to be overtly sexual and inappropriate at every given opportunity. It was the most fun I've had with churchers. All this because I cut my hair. At 15. It was down to the floor. Now, my hair is purple, I've slept with more women than men, have several tattoos and piercings, and I was less welcome at my mother's funeral than the family pedophile. I wasn't even invited or informed of the wake prior to the funeral. On the day, my grandmother "accidentally" told me the wrong cafe for the family lunch after burial. I'd always had a great relationship with her and believed she wasn't like them. She isn't until they're around. My mom was nothing like them and the service was appalling. There's more but not enough therapy to cover it all.
JessRS 3 years ago
Cut ties, honey, you don't need that crap in your life.
Load More Replies... Lovin' Life 3 years ago
I am a Christian. But I would never force my beliefs on to another person. We should all be able to worship , pray and believe what we think is right and wrong. I was church damaged for many years, being forced to attend a southern Baptist church that condemned me to Hell many times. It took me years to get over that. I am truly sorry to all how have been church damaged. That is not how any religious organization/ institution should be ran. Hugs and love to all.
Mark Fuller 3 years ago
Spent my teens in a catholic school. Every week we were all told how the, "devil rubs his hands together when he sees such rich pickings...!" And then at various points during Mass we had to call out like zombies: Thanks be to God! Lord have Mercy Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ We are not worthy Lord, hear our prayer! Bluntly. F**k. Right. Off. Like being a teenager isn't difficult enough, I didn't need this crap. I was... and remain worthy. I respected my parents, worked hard at school, abided by the law, treated others as I would wish to be treated. I am a good person - don't indoctrinate me with the unfounded belief that I am anything else.
Caro Caro 3 years ago
My so went to a catholic school. He hated it and the priests hitting him (and that priest getting a hard on) and nobody did a friggin thing about it.
Load More Replies... ADHORTATOR 3 years ago (edited)
My favorite class in school was Religion (in Germany, it is mandatory) I argued all the time with the teachers and they loved me - finally a student who is participating in class :-)
Philler Space 3 years ago
Years after sort of coming to this conclusion on my own, I learned the term "maltheism," which supposed that if there is a higher power, all evidence suggests it is not necessarily benevolent and may in fact be downright hostile. This is the only religious position that makes any sense to me; was so pleased to find out it has a name.
Ozacoter 3 years ago
All perfectly logical and valid reasons. Personally I grew up in a very catholic family and school but I never believed idk why. For years I was embarassed to be so weird until I met another girl that was an atheist and I discovered that it was not me "malfunctioning " but a common thing. In any case as a Spanish woman I just cant be religious. Our church supported a genocidal regime that killed, tortured and raped thousands (and supported Hitler). Even nowadays their bishops still openly defend rape, pedophilia, domestic violence and other horrible crimes. I cannot understand how anybody can hear them and still be part of their cult.
alloutbikes@yahoo.com 2 years ago
That is the organized religion. You can have your faith without any of that. The crazy is people defining what they believe, not what you have to believe.
Load More Replies... Nikki Sevven 3 years ago
Reading the Bible did it for me, and the giveaway was in the very first book. God forbids Adam and Eve from eating from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. Eve eats the fruit. Humanity is forever barred from Eden and otherwise cursed. But Eve could not possibly have known that eating the fruit was wrong...until AFTER she ate it. God set up Adam and Eve to fail, then held the entire human race accountable for it. That's an asshole move, not the actions of someone entitled to my reverence.
Elaine Elder 3 years ago
Southern Baptists don't actually read the Bible. So a preacher reads one line "chapter: verse" then does a sermon taking that sentence out of context and a whole church full of people "amen" in his pauses. All those people think that's what the Bible "says" Then it becomes a game of telephone, getting so distorted it just becomes stupid. Wanna shut a Primitive Baptist Preacher up? Ask him WHERE it says what he just told you the Bible says something. When they ask if you are saved? Ask if they are going to this HEAVEN. Explain if they will be there for eternity, you would prefer to be somewhere else, because spending eternity with his bunch of hypocrites sounds like Hell.
Load More Replies...
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