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I converted. But it's not easy.
May 20, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Four years ago, I became a Christian. I started working at my church a year afterwards and pursued a career in media design for ministry. About a month ago, I decided to pick up some "Athiest books" and see what the other side of things had to say. All I had read of evolution and athiesm was in Christian books.
I can now say that I'm an agnostic/Athiest. It's been the toughest change. I haven't told anyone but two Athiest friends of mine. I still work at my church, because I need the money during college. I graduate in December, and thankfully my degree wasn't in anything ministry related.
But still, I'm disconnected mentally and emotionally from everything I've known. My friends, church, job, etc. it's really lonely, and I don't know what to do about my new beliefs. I'm optimistic though, seeing as I'm no longer held to sexual repression, "rituals", or guilt over non-moral choices.
I just wanted to see what you guys think. Any advice for leaving religion behind, and dealing with the loneliness?
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RE: I converted. But it's not easy.
May 20, 2013 at 1:24 pm
I've always been an atheist and know few openly christian people.
But welcome anyway.
You can fix ignorance, you can't fix stupid.
Tinkety Tonk and down with the Nazis.
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RE: I converted. But it's not easy.
May 20, 2013 at 1:26 pm
Sooo, what were you five years ago? muslim?
Loneliness? I thought you said you had 2 atheist friends... I'm sure they can provide an exponential source for other acquaintances... even your church pals can still be friends, you know?
Play/watch sports... anyone's welcome.
If all else fails, you have this corner of the internet. 
Welcome!
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RE: I converted. But it's not easy.
May 20, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Welcome!
I predict it will get easier.
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RE: I converted. But it's not easy.
May 20, 2013 at 1:44 pm
(This post was last modified: May 20, 2013 at 1:53 pm by InevitableCheese.)
Typed that on my phone, so it was a little vague. I was raised in a "Christian" home, we never went to church, but we generally believed in God and the Bible. 4 years ago was when I dedicated my live fully to the practice of Christianity. It's really tough, having lived and breathed church/Christian life for 4 years, and then suddenly making a choice within a week of reading Hitchens' and Dawkins' books, to not believe in that anymore. I guess you could call me a "closet atheist". Not because I want to be, but because I'd lose my job and my community with my friends. I'm sure I'd keep a few, but most would ignore me, and the rest would try to "convert" me back. It's a scary thing to dump a set of friends, a job, and lifestyle to go find new ones. Especially right before you graduate college. And thank you for the welcomes!
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RE: I converted. But it's not easy.
May 20, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Well, I think you have to make an important decision. Is a friendship with someone that would abandon you due to a difference in religious beliefs worth maintaining? And who knows, perhaps the ones you assume would shun you might actually accept you.
Personally, I am of the opinion that a friendship that could not survive a difference in religious beliefs isn't really a friendship in the first place.
As for deconverting, I never had to, so I can't give any advice there except to read up about others that have gone through the same thing. Dan Barker's "Godless" would be a good start.
Even if the open windows of science at first make us shiver after the cozy indoor warmth of traditional humanizing myths, in the end the fresh air brings vigor, and the great spaces have a splendor of their own - Bertrand Russell
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RE: I converted. But it's not easy.
May 20, 2013 at 2:01 pm
Don't sweat it , God has intended for us to learn EVIL, by sinning, how are we to know GOOD, without a comparative opposite ! go figar
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RE: I converted. But it's not easy.
May 20, 2013 at 2:05 pm
Doesn't that mean that ultimately, it's good to do evil?
"Well, evolution is a theory. It is also a fact. And facts and theories are different things, not rungs in a hierarchy of increasing certainty. Facts are the world's data. Theories are structures of ideas that explain and interpret facts. Facts don't go away when scientists debate rival theories to explain them. Einstein's theory of gravitation replaced Newton's in this century, but apples didn't suspend themselves in midair, pending the outcome. And humans evolved from ape- like ancestors whether they did so by Darwin's proposed mechanism or by some other yet to be discovered."
-Stephen Jay Gould
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RE: I converted. But it's not easy.
May 20, 2013 at 2:30 pm
(May 20, 2013 at 2:05 pm)Tonus Wrote: Doesn't that mean that ultimately, it's good to do evil?
Christians did always tell me Atheism meant there were no morals. Haha
"The consolations of philosophy and the beauties of science; these things are infinitely more awe-inspiring and regenerating and majestic than any invocation of the burning bush or doctrine." - Christopher Hitchens
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RE: I converted. But it's not easy.
May 20, 2013 at 2:49 pm
(May 20, 2013 at 1:21 pm)InevitableCheese Wrote: I just wanted to see what you guys think. Any advice for leaving religion behind, and dealing with the loneliness?
Yes, convert back to Christianity, we’ll welcome you back. 
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