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Gee, this is weird. I imagined that once I stopped going to church and reading the Bible, my life would suddenly become depressing, empty, hedonistic, unmanageable. The only difference is that I sleep in on Sunday morningModerator cut: delete . In fact my life is more enjoyable. I've taken up intellectual pursuits and I'm more motivated to live life to the fullest. It's a very liberating feeling when you remove from your mind that religious stuff that was cluttering it.
When you believe something that oppresses you, of course you would feel great after leaving that belief. Some believers feel great because they don't believe the same way, they don't believe in something that is oppressing.
Some who stop believing feel depressed. Some feel great. And it's because if they believed something good and then stopped, that makes them feel depressed. If they believed something bad and then stopped, that makes them feel happy.
That's why all the different people have different responses to becoming believers and to exiting belief.
Personally, for me, exiting Christianity had mixed results. I was really happy that I didn't have to believe in hell anymore. And I was happy that I didn't have to feel guilty anymore about feeling imperfect and always having to repent before God.
However, it was sad to not have comfort in God anymore because I used to rely on that. And it was sad to have to believe that God is not looking after you and making sure that everything in your life will work out for good.
If I had to stop believing in the afterlife, I would have been sad about that too. But fortunately, in my current belief that is still with me.
Gee, this is weird. I imagined that once I stopped going to church and reading the Bible, my life would suddenly become depressing, empty, hedonistic, unmanageable. The only difference is that I sleep in on Sunday morningModerator cut: delete . In fact my life is more enjoyable. I've taken up intellectual pursuits and I'm more motivated to live life to the fullest. It's a very liberating feeling when you remove from your mind that religious stuff that was cluttering it.
What I don't get is that in the title of your thread, you say that since dropping your Christian beliefs, your life is basically the same. Then you go on to elaborate on how different it is. I'm not sure how to go about responding when you don't seem to be all that sure what you're saying.
What I don't get is that in the title of your thread, you say that since dropping your Christian beliefs, your life is basically the same. Then you go on to elaborate on how different it is. I'm not sure how to go about responding when you don't seem to be all that sure what you're saying.
I'm sure what he's saying is that, contrary to the warnings of his Christian overlords, the sky did not fall, he did not become depraved and have an uncontrollable urge to attend orgies. The world did not end. On the other hand, there are positive changes over time. At least that has been my experience and the experience of other deconverts I've spoken with.
I'm sure what he's saying is that, contrary to the warnings of his Christian overlords, the sky did not fall, he did not become depraved and have an uncontrollable urge to attend orgies. The world did not end. On the other hand, there are positive changes over time. At least that has been my experience and the experience of other deconverts I've spoken with.
Although as an Animist/Deist* I cannot claim to be a deconvert exactly, I too felt a distinct sense of relief when I embraced the concept of a Creator while shedding the shackles of ancient, man-made dogma.
I'm sure what he's saying is that, contrary to the warnings of his Christian overlords, the sky did not fall, he did not become depraved and have an uncontrollable urge to attend orgies. The world did not end. On the other hand, there are positive changes over time. At least that has been my experience and the experience of other deconverts I've spoken with.
Yeah, maybe that's what he meant. That's definitely not what he said.
When you believe something that oppresses you, of course you would feel great after leaving that belief. Some believers feel great because they don't believe the same way, they don't believe in something that is oppressing.
Some who stop believing feel depressed. Some feel great. And it's because if they believed something good and then stopped, that makes them feel depressed. If they believed something bad and then stopped, that makes them feel happy.
That's why all the different people have different responses to becoming believers and to exiting belief.
Personally, for me, exiting Christianity had mixed results. I was really happy that I didn't have to believe in hell anymore. And I was happy that I didn't have to feel guilty anymore about feeling imperfect and always having to repent before God.
However, it was sad to not have comfort in God anymore because I used to rely on that. And it was sad to have to believe that God is not looking after you and making sure that everything in your life will work out for good.
If I had to stop believing in the afterlife, I would have been sad about that too. But fortunately, in my current belief that is still with me.
Such a great post, I think it warrants another look.
Something gives you great comfort and hope...it's gone, you're sad and miss it.
Something is oppressive and causes you stress...it's gone, you're relieved, as if a weight has been lifted.
Personally, I'm still a believer...in a higher power and a darker "power". It's the organized religion "stuff" that I burned out on. In MY mind, the people who are sitting in church on Sundays, being the epitome of grace, goodness, generosity and kindness, should also exhibit those behaviors outside of those church walls. When you live in a community that's as "small/close knit" as mine, you know everyone's business. You SEE people on a regular basis, you know their kids and their spouses. You know WHO they are, what they're REALLY like 6 days a week and it's awfully hard to overlook that sh*t when you're looking across the sanctuary at the ones who are BAD people.
What soured me even more, was seeing the pull these individuals had with the churches/pastors, simply due to the size of their donations. Too much...just too much.
I mean this in all sincerity - you seem a bit confused and I'm wondering if you've been medically evaluated recently?
Or has any loved one suggested you should be?
I suppose you believe Moses was a good person who murdered, committed genocide, and committed acts of open, unrepentant terrorism for all the right reasons? And anyone who thinks he was wrong is the "confused" one? The Bible is CLEARLY the most evil book ever put together. Let's evaluate the Bible. How about Numbers15:32-36 "While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation. 34 They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him. 35 And the LORD said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, as the LORD commanded Moses. "
Or Exodus 32, where Moses had 3000 innocent Jews torchered and murdered for peacefully objecting to Moses's and "YHWH's" tyranny, and built the golden calf in defiance of his evil?
Or what about the murder of Jesus? The OT is what condemns Jesus to death, yet Jesus still propped up that horrible doctrine of terrorism, while condemning the terrorists (Scribes and Pharisees). Jesus's intended eternal compassion is cool, but YHWH, which is the same God of terrorism as Allah, is who he deems as his Father-God. For a long time the Jews were inprisoned by the Torah, and thanks to Jesus, now the whole world is.
Or we could analize the Bible's, not only sanctioning slavery, but the beating of slaves, and the selling of children into slavery.
Let's analize the Bible. We can do this all day.
Last edited by Rider's Pantheon; 08-29-2013 at 11:51 AM..
Interesting way of laying it on the line. As I see it, you simply corrobrate the thrust of what humans probably are trying to do all day and night. And that is to simply find and explore and ruminate over our individual natures and to try and find some inner peace when it comes to beliefs. Always the quest for us who walk around with lighted flickering lamps trying to get a little light into each of our rooms.
I suppose you believe Moses was a good person who murdered, committed genocide, and committed acts of open, unrepentant terrorism for all the right reasons? And anyone who thinks he was wrong is the "confused" one? The Bible is CLEARLY the most evil book ever put together. Let's evaluate the Bible. How about Numbers15:32-36 "While the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they found a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath day. 33 And those who found him gathering sticks brought him to Moses and Aaron and to all the congregation. 34 They put him in custody, because it had not been made clear what should be done to him. 35 And the LORD said to Moses, “The man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.” 36 And all the congregation brought him outside the camp and stoned him to death with stones, as the LORD commanded Moses. "
Or Exodus 32, where Moses had 3000 innocent Jews torchered and murdered for peacefully objecting to Moses's and "YHWH's" tyranny, and built the golden calf in defiance of his evil?
Or what about the murder of Jesus? The OT is what condemns Jesus to death, yet Jesus still propped up that horrible doctrine of terrorism, while condemning the terrorists (Scribes and Pharisees). Jesus's intended eternal compassion is cool, but YHWH, which is the same God of terrorism as Allah, is who he deems as his Father-God. For a long time the Jews were inprisoned by the Torah, and thanks to Jesus, now the whole world is.
Or we could analize the Bible's, not only sanctioning slavery, but the beating of slaves, and the selling of children into slavery.
Let's analize the Bible. We can do this all day.
All I can do is repeat myself...you seem a bit confused, and agitated to boot.
So I repeat my very sincere question...have you been medically evaluated recently?
All I can do is repeat myself...you seem a bit confused, and agitated to boot.
So I repeat my very sincere question...have you been medically evaluated recently?
Or has any loved one suggested you should be?
Agitated? It is Moses and YHWY who was "agitated" at the innocent man for picking up sticks in defiance of Moses and his tin "God" of terrorism. You think maybe YHWH and Moses was "agitated" at Jesus for healing on his Sabbath and preaching of God in a different way? Scripture would say so. Was it YHWH and Moses who was "agitated" at the 3000 innocent Golden calf Jews who peacefully opposed Moses's tin "God" of terrorism by performing a peaceful public demonstration? Who is the "agitated" one committing and ordering the murders of countless innocent people who happened to "agitate" them? Not this guy with two thumbs.
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