Phases of Deconverson

[bladevalant546]

[FifthElement]

Never believed, did not even thought about it during civil war (a.k.a. time of despair, lol)...

That said, I'm looking forward to follow this post, it still sounds like a very interesting subject to me, curious to hear what ex-believers here have to say.

I used to be a lurker on ex-christian website when I was doing some personal research on how religious people stray from the god path (lots of inspiring stories/confessions there), definitely not an easy thing to do for many, indoctrination can be a powerful thing

[genkaus]

[bladevalant546]

Thanks for the responses, and yes it is narrow view. Not all people go through it exactly. I however like your elaboration that you presented. I think the first really applies to myself personally. I do believe the better we understand the de-conversion process the better we can help people either A make more rational beliefs, or B help people who do not belong in said beliefs by fighting the indoctrination. I believe a lot of people are also struggling with the isolation that this a lot of times will bring on them. I feel as an agnostic there needs to be support for these folks. Stepping out of a cave into the light can be blinding, and viewing a huge world intimidating.

[Captain Colostomy]

Without resorting to trying to fit a framework, I can do a quick breakdown of the 'stages' as I recall them.

1. Complacency.
God was just 'there'...no questions to the contrary. (Age-through about 7).

2. Confusion.
I was seven, maybe eight, when the sudden notion that god was eternal became absurd. My mother suggested i talk to our pastor about it. His response, I remember clearly!, was to cut my mom a look, compose his thoughts, and say 'he's eternal because he's god'. Circular logic at it's best. This led to-

3. Complacency, Part 2
. I spent my early years singing songs and praying to god like I was taught, but now things were different. It seemed now to be a 'quaint' habit, and one not to dwell on. So I didn't.

4. Fear.
. My parents done and went born again when I was 14. Soon the family library was filled with godidit self help books, Falwell and Bakker were background noise, and damnation and hellfire were dinner table discussions. I had never entertained before what a lacksadaisical approach to god could get me! Holy shit! I got really bummed that my Jesus dissing could have repercussions. Luckily, boobs beat bibles, or i may have acquiesced to the Kool-Aid.

5. Rejection.
. I went on the Holy Land tour in '93. For five years the hellbound questions had plagued me. Surely here of all places I could get an answer to my dilemma, I reasoned. After multiple instances of 'scholars best guess, likely location of, potentially...' type qualifiers used to explain the life and times of Christ!, I had enough. My common sense was always true; it was irrational emotion that held me back. The bonds of delusion were severed...I was free. I was so exhilerated by the thought that I partied hard the rest of the tour. (And got busted in rank at the insistance of the Army chaplain in charge of our group. He says I was disrespectful...I say he meant not deferential enough.)

6. Acceptance.
. Some say lack of hard evidence isn't evidence enough. Fine. The last twenty some years I have seen, heard, read or experienced evidence that further contradicts biblical truths. My 'deconversion' at the gates of the Western Wall may have just been a starting point, but nothing in the journey makes me want to pull a u-turn.


I'm not sure how this fits tidily into the earlier posts' 'steps'...but there ya go.



PS- In all fairness, LSD also contributed.