Why aren't you a Christian?

[TaraJo]

Hey guys, this is a sincere question.

I like to look into concerns that people raise regarding Christianity.

Also, if there were any compelling reasons that prompted you to transition into atheism from Christianity I would be very interested to hear those as well.

Thanks for your time and responses.

Ask a simple question, get a simple answer.

I see no good reason to believe.

[Ryantology]

Hey guys, this is a sincere question.

I like to look into concerns that people raise regarding Christianity.

Also, if there were any compelling reasons that prompted you to transition into atheism from Christianity I would be very interested to hear those as well.

Thanks for your time and responses.

Ask a simple question, get a simple answer.

I see no good reason to believe.

Yes, pretty much. I see no reason to believe, and if all that stuff were actually true, the world would be a much more terrifying place than it is now.

[Angrboda]

Also, if there were any compelling reasons that prompted you to transition into atheism from Christianity I would be very interested to hear those as well.

Ask a simple question, get a simple answer.

I see no good reason to believe.

I think the average Christian is completely and utterly unable to comprehend what Christianity looks like from the outside. (Especially to someone knowledgable.)

I think this is why Loftus' "outsider test" is so underwhelming, they just can't imagine not believing what they do in the way they do.

And while I have some, erm, "questions", about the limits of imagination in such thought experiments, I think that perhaps Christians, especially being raised in a culture that is predominantly Christian, have a harder time putting themselves in another's shoes than someone else. Perhaps knowledge of multiple cultures might help (comparative religion, comparative history), learning a different language (that often results in cultural exposure), getting to know people who are different (I to this day am uncomfortable around blacks; I have no experience with them, certainly not from growing up), traveling, or living in a foreign country. I suspect all of these in some measure can reduce the sense of being locked inside one culture, but especially in countries like the U.S., this is the exception rather than the norm.

[Whatkins]

I am not a Christian anymore because I am interested in what is true. As for the frills and sugary of Christianity, I think poetry and inspiration can be found in more well written and honest examples of literature than the bible.

[chisto]

Hey guys, this is a sincere question.

I like to look into concerns that people raise regarding Christianity.

Also, if there were any compelling reasons that prompted you to transition into atheism from Christianity I would be very interested to hear those as well.

Thanks for your time and responses.

The reason for my transition from christianity to atheism? I think de-convert is an appropriate title (and was a site where I spent a lot of late nights browsing and reading forums).

I was born into a christian household. My father was a youth minister in his younger years. I was a worship leader for almost 8 years in the church that I grew up in.

Hmm, lets see. It always bothered me that all the holy days that where celebrated where originally pagan holidays that the church incorporated into christianity to get the pagans to go along.

I remember the first time I questioned the biblical foundation of an institutional church and asked how doing things through an institutional church was any better than just going out and doing them ourselves. I voiced this once on facebook and this got me in a little bit of trouble with a pastor.

I dated a 'non-christian' for 5 years (was engaged for 4 years) and the moment we started planning the wedding date my pastor out of the blue told me that if I married her I would be asked to step down from praise and worship and threw 2 Corinthians at me. Then he said that, 'we'll cross that road if you choose to marry her'. I decided to leave rather than wait around and see what would happen. Oh, then after I left he went on and married two people together who had both been previously divorced, but neither had divorced because of adultery.

The good part of this was that it made me open my bible and really read it for the first time. The first thing that bugged was when reading through the gospels and noticed that Matthew and Luke both had different lineages for Jesus. No one really has any concrete reason for this and this started a trend of questions without concrete answers.

Lets see... The gospel writers where Greek, reading translated copies of the TNK whose translations where not yet set in stone (and Matthew kind of jumped the gun on the whole 'virgin' prophecy thing). Ask a Jew if being born of a virgin is a requirement for their messiah.

The Jews in the OT had no concept of afterlife or hell but believed EVERYBODY went to Sheol or 'the pit' (also, the 'unknown'). They eventually learned about from their neighbors (the Greeks).

Then I started looking at philosophical side of things and wondered why an all loving god would even create hell, and a people with free will and the ability to sin... and then punish them if they exercise that free will.

I always kind of wondered why angels, who where already in heaven, would want to revolt... unless the place wasn't all that great. (Probably no beer.)

All the cultural genocides said to be committed in the OT by Moses and his crew are a pretty good idea of how 'just and loving' the god of the bible is.

After many conversations with fellow believers (some of whom have also de-converted since) I one day decided that obviously the god of the bible doesn't exist and shortly thereafter I decided that no gods existence could be proven.

I'm paraphrasing, but that's the gist of it. Last November was when I became a de-convert and my atheism has grown stronger since. I kind of went longer than I expected... I apologize if I rambled.

[Angrboda]

The Jews in the OT had no concept of afterlife or hell but believed EVERYBODY went to Sheol or 'the pit' (also, the 'unknown'). They eventually learned about from their neighbors (the Greeks).

Minor technical point, Sheol in the Old Testament was not the only place later identified with hell. Both Sheol and Gehenna (a valley in the neighborhood of Jerusalem) are identified with the references in the New Testament. Gehenna appears to have originally referred to a literal place, but Jewish lore gave it additional interpretations. Hades or Hell, as referenced in the New Testament (10 times) appears to refer to Sheol. Another word which is translated as Hell in the New Testament is actually Gehenna (Gehinnom in the Hebrew; 11 times).



For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.

They that sanctify themselves, and purify themselves in the gardens behind one tree in the midst, eating swine's flesh,
and the abomination, and the mouse, shall be consumed together, saith the Lord.

For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues;
and they shall come, and see my glory.

And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud,
that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory;
and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.

And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the Lord out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters,
and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering
in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.

And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the Lord.

For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain.

And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord.

And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases of the men that have transgressed against me:
for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched; and they shall be an abhorrence unto all flesh.

— Isaiah 66:16-24 (this is referring to Gehenna - where the worm does not die)


(Best I can tell from my limited research, this is a reference to a victory over the Assyrians.)

[chisto]

The Jews in the OT had no concept of afterlife or hell but believed EVERYBODY went to Sheol or 'the pit' (also, the 'unknown'). They eventually learned about from their neighbors (the Greeks).

Minor technical point, Sheol in the Old Testament was not the only place later identified with hell. Both Sheol and Gehenna (a valley in the neighborhood of Jerusalem) are identified with the references in the New Testament. Gehenna appears to have originally referred to a literal place, but Jewish lore gave it additional interpretations. Hades or Hell, as referenced in the New Testament (10 times) appears to refer to Sheol. Another word which is translated as Hell in the New Testament is actually Gehenna (Gehinnom in the Hebrew; 11 times).

But are not minor technical points really big issues in most christian circles?

[Jackalope]

I'm not a Christian because I don't believe in any deity. If I did, I would not be a Christian because I find the idea of kissing a psychopath's ass for eternity to be unappealing.

[Ciel_Rouge]

I am not a Christian because:

1. I do not believe women are inferior
2. I do not believe self-torture and denial is a good path of life
3. I do not believe in forced relationships
4. I am repulsed by its disregard for reason
5. I am repulsed by its fondness of submissiveness and idleness
6. I am utterly disgusted by the sexual offenses of their priests
7. I am deeply irritated by their exploitation of the economical system of my country
8. I am completely repulsed by their narrow-mindedness and arrogance
9. I simply think they are idiots and psychos

[Reasonable_Jeff]

Clearly this is not a blog for vampires.

LOL =D

Is that a preset layout style or did you or someone else put in the work for you?

Yea, I'm really not very good at all at using anything that's not some sort of already set up layout. I've been trying to build a website for a month and it still sucks lol.

Top marks for user friendliness though.

Thank you =D

In the interests of reciprocity, you might care to stop by my little corner of the web - button below.

I didn't see the button, can you link it again or PM it to me?