Hi, I am in an awkward situation. I have had my fill of religion and wish to, for want of a better term, 'leave Christianity.' I have lost my faith but am finding that last step of 'dechristianizing'(is that a word?) to be difficult. I have still got a bible on my bookcase and a statue of jesus on my locker. Why? I don't know what to do with them. I hope you all don't think i'm a jerk! lol

Not a jerk, no. Leave the Bible in the bookcase and put the statue in a drawer. Job done. Now, enjoy your intellectual freedom

I have several copy's of the bible. I even have one on my phone

As far as the jesus statue I'm intrigued. I'm wondering if you should buy it a small hat or paint it funny colors.

Or you could replace it with a slightly more bad-ass one like the Terminator or something.

Hi... Jerk.

Just kidding. I'm sure it can be difficult to give up the last remaining symbols of something as deeply ingrained as religion, but once you do... You should find that it's difficult to believe that you ever believed it so strongly in the first place.

It's a journey. Welcome to the next leg...

Howdy!

Is that statue one of those Jesus dildos???

Quote:I have still got a bible on my bookcase and a statue of jesus on my locker.

Go all the way. Burn the bible and throw the statue in the trash. Then wait and find out that "jesus" will not strike you dead.

I don't think you can be really free until you rid your self of the trappings of theistic silliness.

(May 26, 2012 at 3:20 pm)IUsedToBelieve Wrote: Hi, I am in an awkward situation. I have had my fill of religion and wish to, for want of a better term, 'leave Christianity.' I have lost my faith but am finding that last step of 'dechristianizing'(is that a word?) to be difficult. I have still got a bible on my bookcase and a statue of jesus on my locker. Why? I don't know what to do with them. I hope you all don't think i'm a jerk! lol

You are NOT in an awkward position at all. Humans as individuals among a set majority, in our evolution often question social norms. If we did not do that our species never would have left the caves.

(May 26, 2012 at 3:20 pm)IUsedToBelieve Wrote: I have still got a bible on my bookcase and a statue of jesus on my locker. Why? I don't know what to do with them.

Doesn't Christianity teach not to worship / keep idols? Whether you're a Christian or an atheist it doesn't really make much sense to have a statue of Jesus. Is the statue of Jesus a white European looking guy with long brown hair? Given the region he was born in it seems very unlikely he would've looked like that if he indeed lived at all. Personally I'd keep both of them - the Bible for research (I've never been a Christian myself and I have my own copy), and the statue as a reminder of where you are today. I'm not a very sentimental person, but I do have a few objects from the past with memories bound to them that allow me to recall who I was, what I thought, and how I felt at those points in time. Perhaps the statue could serve that purpose for you.

Oh, and welcome.

Keep the Bible. If you want to debate theists, you may want to keep it around for reference. I know I keep several copies around.

I find online versions to be superior.

I especially like http://bible.cc which will give multiple parallel translations of the same verse.

Particularly useful for the shitheads who show up here claiming that THEY have correctly translated a given word/phrase while all the other scholars are all fucked up.