If you were ever a theist...

[Sal]

On my 5th re-reading of the Bible, I noticed that there were 2 versions of The Ten Commandments and asked myself, paraphrasing: Why would God need 2 versions of The Ten Commandments. Not what made me an atheist, but got the ball rolling, so-to-speak. Took me 4 grueling years to finally shed my god-belief.

I'm sorry you suffered like that. Why do you think it took you four years to shed your belief? Was there anyone in your life that you were afraid of disappointing? Just wondering.

Sorry for late reply. It was simply the fear of Hellfire that kept me clinging onto faith and trying to square the circle of faith and the Bible that kept me for 4 years adamant in accepting the truth; that the Bible was a man-made book and some desert goat-herders had made a deity in their image.
I mostly didn't want to disappoint my parents, I guess. From their POV, they are trying to save my immortal soul so it's understandable that they would try their darndest to try to "save" me, from my POV they're virtual prisoners of their own beliefs.

[robvalue]

You're welcome! You deserve it

It was a very hard choice. There's well over 20 members deserving of the title in my opinion.

[*Deidre*]

You're welcome! You deserve it

It was a very hard choice. There's well over 20 members deserving of the title in my opinion.

I had to go with times past, when I posted more, as I took a hiatus last year, and don't even know some of the newer peeps.

[robvalue]

Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get to know them soon!

We've had a lot of really great new members recently. That's Memberwang!

[Old Baby]

I'm sorry you suffered like that. Why do you think it took you four years to shed your belief? Was there anyone in your life that you were afraid of disappointing? Just wondering.

Sorry for late reply. It was simply the fear of Hellfire that kept me clinging onto faith and trying to square the circle of faith and the Bible that kept me for 4 years adamant in accepting the truth; that the Bible was a man-made book and some desert goat-herders had made a deity in their image.
I mostly didn't want to disappoint my parents, I guess. From their POV, they are trying to save my immortal soul so it's understandable that they would try their darndest to try to "save" me, from my POV they're virtual prisoners of their own beliefs.

I'm exactly where you are.  My father is a pastor.  Yes, I grew up having to answer "What's it like being a PK?" over and over again.  I hated being defined by that label.  None the less, my parents were/are good people who just tried to do what is best for me.  I have brought questions and concerns to their attention, but so far not the conclusion I've reached, that it's all BS.

Two questions:

1. I'm assuming your parents know now... how did they take it?
2. How long before every trace fear of damnation left you?  That's still something that pops in my mind a lot.  "What if I'm wrong?"

[drfuzzy]

Sorry for late reply. It was simply the fear of Hellfire that kept me clinging onto faith and trying to square the circle of faith and the Bible that kept me for 4 years adamant in accepting the truth; that the Bible was a man-made book and some desert goat-herders had made a deity in their image.
I mostly didn't want to disappoint my parents, I guess. From their POV, they are trying to save my immortal soul so it's understandable that they would try their darndest to try to "save" me, from my POV they're virtual prisoners of their own beliefs.

I'm exactly where you are.  My father is a pastor.  Yes, I grew up having to answer "What's it like being a PK?" over and over again.  I hated being defined by that label.  None the less, my parents were/are good people who just tried to do what is best for me.  I have brought questions and concerns to their attention, but so far not the conclusion I've reached, that it's all BS.

Two questions:

1. I'm assuming your parents know now... how did they take it?
2. How long before every trace fear of damnation left you?  That's still something that pops in my mind a lot.  "What if I'm wrong?"

Isn't it amazing how the fear of hell grips us - particularly those of us who were indoctrinated as children.  
Here's my answer: IF god exists, and has any sense of fairness at all, and knows my history (and those are some huge "ifs", aren't they?) then god will understand the reasons that I have rejected the beliefs that I was taught as a child.  Any entity that would punish me for eternity for doubting, because there is literally no evidence that those old beliefs are true, is not worthy of worship.  The entire concept of hell is utterly flawed - it was only created to scare people into mindless obedience.  Xtians have asked me "what if you're wrong" so many times, and they sometimes follow it with a statement like "just believe anyway, just go to church anyway, just in case".   Just in case??
If these is a god with 1/100th of the abilities they ascribe to him, then he will know when somebody is just going through the motions, "just in case".  No, hell doesn't make sense on so many levels - I reject it.  And if there is a god who would actually imprison my soul, whatever that is, in such a place, then he is a monster.  I'm taking my chances.  
     And when you simply can't make yourself believe that god or satan or heaven or hell actually exists, it's the only option, really.

[robvalue]

Right, what kind of God would want you to pretend to believe, to do loads of rituals you think are pointless and to keep trying to talk to it, even though it knows you don't believe any of it?

Why would it want you to do that, based on just people telling you to and no evidence to go by?

That's some messed up God right there. He can go whistle. If there is a god, it's nothing like the tantrum throwing toddler of a Christian God. Or the similarly ridiculous Islamic idiot God. There's an infinite number of possible gods, and the idea that there happens to be a magic book lying around telling you all you need to know is absurd.

More than likely, it hasn't even noticed us, if it's even paying any attention at all. It may well have abandoned this reality to work on a new one.

[Old Baby]

All good thoughts.

Hell is a confusing doctrine, simply because the threat is seemingly irrelevant. Surely God knows the difference between those who really love him and those who are just playing it safe because they're scared. If a healthy fear of hell isn't the basis on which a true relationship with God can be built, then what's the point of the threat?

[robvalue]

It is a childish threat from humans, that relies on never being visible or testable. Viewed objectively, it's a ludicrous concept any way you look at it.

It requires God to be the most evil, petty, egotistical, judgemental asshole to even create such a place let alone stick people in it indefinitely. It makes him more flawed and immoral than any human could ever be.

But it's all garbage. There is no such place. No Christian hell, no Islamic hell, no other-made-up-shit hell. It's an insult to any real God to consider it would be so pathetically cruel to its piddling creation.

[*Deidre*]

I don't even think about hell. lol ^_^