"alot of what I did was ignore my own mind" powerful. I'm so glad you decided to share this. I'm fresh out!!! LOL and I was very devout, so I feel very lost right now. Its good to see other people thinking critically out there and coming out of this. Thank you. I also posted a deconversion video--check it out if you like. Again thanks for posting.

@PainTheBruiser

8 жыл бұрын

Stay strong but there is a huge world outside of this belief I have just arrived myself. As of late March 2016 and it's been great cause now you can take yourself to school and find the real truth. I don't claim athiest but I am a bonfied truth seeker.

Just became an atheist here after 40 years of being a Catholic. However, still don't have the guts to come out to my very staunch catholic family. Videos like these help. Thanks, Diane.

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+Bong Manding You're so welcome! :)

@jmdsservantofgod8405

4 жыл бұрын

Bong Manding ..... did you try another denomination first?

@grimlund

3 жыл бұрын

There is actually no idea to talk to your family about this. As a deconverted its allmost useless to argue with other christians. As long as they are devoted and their mind is poisoned by this thing its like talking to a wall. And its all because of fear mainly. As a christian you cant question the Bible or the word of God. If you turn against God you might end up in hell. If you think about this its absolutely insane. Their God is no better then a dictator. "Well you better do what I say or else I might throw you in to the torture chamber!"

Ever get the feeling that Christianity is just a abusive husband? Especially when i hear female deconversion (and sometimes even ones in the faith) it sounds so much like an abusive relationship. Codependency is what springs to mind. Do you think this makes any sense for you?

@dfadden62

7 жыл бұрын

Absolutely.

@whbbrd

2 жыл бұрын

I've always said that most religious doctrines feel like the work of an abusive father: you're no good, you need me, adore me!, submit, do-as-I-say-not-as-I-do, etc.

@chadcrawford1502

Жыл бұрын

Good you get an A on your final exam on Christianity. You get your Diploma after finally telling everyone Christianity is an Abusive relationship

@chadcrawford1502

Жыл бұрын

The week of September 1st thru 7th 2022 I am renoucing my faith after being held Hostage in this abusive Hellish relationship with God I don't want,this after 14 years of lies and alibis on top of all the harassment of Bullying and Hell this whole thing was birthed in the depths of Hell and I'm ✅ Done.

Well I applaud you Diane, you came through it and are free to live the rest of your life unchained by false hopes and petty (and false) deities. Welcome to the real world, the world without gods. Very best wishes to you. 😘

Always refreshing to see another mind wake up from all the propaganda. Now you can start enjoying life for what it really is, a very limited and soon to end experience that should not be made light of in the ways that religion make light of it.

@dianestafford6968

2 жыл бұрын

Yes our lives on earth are short compared to Eternity. So where do you want to spend your Eternity?

Those are great points you make Diane! I'm also a recently de-converted Christian and feel so much freer now than I ever did when I was a believer. I also had some nagging doubts about the faith. I came from a Pentecostal background, and found out that their "spiritual manifestations" and practices were adopted from New Age mysticism and witchcraft. Talked about feeling betrayed! It was the ultimate betrayal! Once I realized that, it wasn't long before I lost all faith in god and religion.

@dfadden62

10 жыл бұрын

SO happy to hear, Leslie! Congratulations! Your post made my day! :)

@leslieyancey5084

10 жыл бұрын

DeityFree Dee Thanks! I'm happy that it made your day. It's good to know that we're not alone.

@dianestafford6968

2 жыл бұрын

Matthew 24 New International Version The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times 24 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” 3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” 4 Jesus answered: “Watch out that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah,’ and will deceive many. 6 You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. 7 Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of birth pains. 9 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10 At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11 and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. 15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’[a] spoken of through the prophet Daniel-let the reader understand- 16 then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. 17 Let no one on the housetop go down to take anything out of the house. 18 Let no one in the field go back to get their cloak. 19 How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! 20 Pray that your flight will not take place in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For then there will be great distress, unequaled from the beginning of the world until now-and never to be equaled again. 22 “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened. 23 At that time if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah!’ or, ‘There he is!’ do not believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25 See, I have told you ahead of time. 26 “So if anyone tells you, ‘There he is, out in the wilderness,’ do not go out; or, ‘Here he is, in the inner rooms,’ do not believe it. 27 For as lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. 28 Wherever there is a carcass, there the vultures will gather. 29 “Immediately after the distress of those days “‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’[b] 30 “Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth[c] will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.[d] 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it[e] is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. The Day and Hour Unknown 36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son,[f] but only the Father. 37 As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 38 For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; 39 and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. 40 Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 42 “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. 45 “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? 46 It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. 47 Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. 48 But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ 49 and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. 50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. 51 He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is coming to pass in our lifetime. What more does God have to do to get your attention?

@klumpytheklown3798

Жыл бұрын

​@@dianestafford6968 Provide answers that don't generate even more questions because they are full of inappropriately vague descriptions of things, people and events. While I enjoy solving riddles and am fairly good at it, they are not a good method for communicating concepts and ideas.

@dianestafford6968

Жыл бұрын

@@klumpytheklown3798 read Matthew 24 then. It is being fulfilled in our lifetime.

Just another post of admiration and congratulations. Thanks for posting your story.

Thanks Dee. Your story was very encouraging. You seem so very nice. My heart goes out to you. And to your brother!

Be proud of yourself. You are one of the few who is honest enough to look behind the curtain. I could only sit here with a smile on my face as you ran through many of the same theological conundrums I also grappled with. Well done. I would love to hear more if you feel like telling more.

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+tafkaga Sure, though not sure what more I can say. I have several other videos where I blather on and on about my deconversion. :)

My response to Christians who tell me I was never a real Christian: "and you are?" I then go on and ask them "how do you know you're a real Christian?" I point out when they answer that all those reasons they give me for how they know they are real--I had those exact same reasons I gave for why I thought -I- was real, too, way back when. You are only "real" until you figure out finally that there ISN'T any actual "real" to be.

@clearascrystal4960

4 жыл бұрын

You had a belief that you were taught. As I did growing up. I refer it now to "churchianity". What I found since, after going atheist, THEN returning to find out Truth after the Living God answered me was a different experience. I suggest you too reread the gospels for yourself, and ask God what Truth is, and don't settle for anything less. Peace.

I was made to feel spiritually inferior because I never felt the indwelling of the HS or spoke in tongues. No one said anything but it was understood. It wasn't until my first year of college, as still an new atheist, that I discovered I couldn't be hypnotised. It occured to me that some people are just suggestable like that and others simply aren't. There wasn't anything wrong with me.

you guys are all so awesome. I've listened to story after story like yours on youtube and podcasts and anyone who can figure things out on their own and free themselves is fantastic.

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+Bill Keon :) Thank you!

@billkeon880

8 жыл бұрын

+DeityFree Dee I truly mean it. These stories make me get all emotional because people get out a prison of sorts. I was a non-believers since I was a day old and realized you call it atheist in my teens. But I never had to extricate myself out of religion. To me you guys who got out are so so strong because you had to do it on your own initiative and usually in the face of intimidation, shunning or even a lot of bullying in some cases. I feel especially bad for teens who are dealing with this. They have enough on their plate just growing up being a kid and turning into adulthood without the emotional abuse they face from family or friends.

Great video, very well thought out. Congratulations Diane. I have always been an atheist, but my girlfriend has deconverted, and she tells me how mentally free she feels, to be herself, and to lose the mental baggage and guilt religion saddled her with. She can see the world with clarity and be herself. We have a great time watching Atheist Experience on youtube as well.

I'm happy for you! No more burdens!

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+Kevin Xavier Indeed!

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

***** That was my analogy, actually. So thanks! :)

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

***** OH! Lol! I get it! :)

@markh3831

8 жыл бұрын

+Kevin Xavier No more burdens, until Judgement Day.

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

Mark Hutton Except the only evidence you have for the existence of (does capitalizing it make it more real?) "judgement day" is a fiction book. So really, throwing out that little threat to bully someone is rather childish. Why don't you threaten him with the wrath of Santa Claus, next?

I am a Christian and I believe in Jehovah God, Jesus Christ. God is not forcing me love Him. He is my Creator. Just think He is the one responsible for our life coming into existence. Despite all the miracles Jesus did his enemies still put Him to death. But He showed us He can conquer death. If Jesus lives we can live also in spirit. So He gave us Life and choices to love or reject. If we reject Him, He will honor your rejection and send you to a place where He is NOT which is the opposite of Paradise, peace, joy, and love.

really inspiring, thank you. Eloquently stated. I have been going through de-conversion this past year and its been hard, but seeing messages like this really does help. Thank you.

LOL. "I love you, you have to love me back or you are going to spend eternity in hell" WTF kind of love is that?

@p.istaker8862

6 жыл бұрын

A protection racket

Nice video. What type of birds are those tweeting in the background? Are they indoor or outdoors?

@dfadden62

10 жыл бұрын

I raise (or I did) canaries and several kinds of finches. I stopped raising birds when I lost my job. I also have two parakeets, a Princess of Wales parakeet and a cockatiel. :)

@bonnie43uk

10 жыл бұрын

Ah, thanks. I love bird songs. Sorry to hear about you losing your job, yeah, I'm in a similar position here in the UK, worked all my life since leaving school in 74, then my firm went bust. I've got bad arthritis now, and find it difficult to find any suitable employment, yet the government here deem me "fit for work", so i have no option but to keep applying for jobs that i know i cant't do. (Heh, sorry to get off topic). I consider myself lucky though, there are people in many parts of the world who live terrible lives.

Thanks for sharing! A seasoned atheist like myself can never know enough. I love hearing individual stories of how folks unburdened themselves of religion of all kinds.

Hey Diane, excellent video and very good points. I just wanted to say you come across as a very lovable, kind and intelligent person. Wish you all the best on your way.

Takes courage and transparency to be out like this. Thanks for sharing your story, Dee!

thank you Diane for sharing your life experience....

Thanks for sharing your story. I can relate to a lot of what you said, especially the Old Testament stuff.

Congratulations! Belated, I know, but nonetheless, it always makes me happy to see other people shed their mind of the same psychological constraints that plagued my mind all those years. Great stuff!

@dfadden62

10 жыл бұрын

:) Thank you. My life really pretty much began the day I gave the superstitious bullshit beliefs and fears the boot!

Excellent analogy, the boat and the craftsman! Great video. Thanks!

My biggest moment when I deconverted was when I read about how horrible we are, we are ignorant, naive, greedy, gluttonous, etc. Yet we are made in Gods image? I was indoctrinated to believe at a very young age that a Being created all this and impregnated himself in a virgin to eventually die of the cross for the sins of the people he created. And this zombie would rise again and ascend into heaven with himself. If Jesus and God are one...I don't know. It just doesn't make sense!!

I love your boat analogy! It's perfect. You bring up a ton of very interesting, intelligent points in this video.

I'm grateful for your story and sharing. I am neither a Theist nor an Atheist but a Taoist. so I don't fit into either camp. if you can imagine how lonely that feels.

Thank you for sharing

Good for you, Dee, more power to you. Certainly seems religion loses its hold over, or value when one finally refuses to allow it to control one's mind, to begin to think for oneself, and accept the responsibility for one's own conclusions about life.And that being wrong is often not the exception but the rule in human thinking, that more important than being certain or correct in everything is of less value than having an open mind allowing you to be flawed, but forever striving for the truth. Critical thinking is a learned skill, not an innate one we're born with. Xianity&religion generally is about control of others, and all the manipulations that entails, reward/punishment. Thanx Dee.

Thank you.

love it. Thank you for sharing. I can relate on so many levels. I am finally done with Christianity there is just too much bullshit that "well versed" pastors always gloss over or ignore completely while preaching the "good news". At this point I am not atheist. I am not convinced that a creator doesn't exist but I am convinced he isn't the God of the bible. I was always told to read my bible.Well when I really started reading it and studying it I found more and more contradicting and sickening shit.So I wanted to believe there were explanations but I have seen how "apologists" work.. They play tennis without the net and by golly their God always wins the match...hallelujerr amain.. I feel so free. we are told Jesus sets us free and I felt He did until all the bondage and shackles of religion bogged me down. thanks for sharing

If we were made perfect we would not have sinned. Period.

Hi Diane, Thanks for the courage to share your story. Without wanting to sound harsh, it seems to me that you never really understood what it was that you believed in and like many other ex-Christians, you simply lapsed into disbelief when what you did know was challenged. Becoming a Christian is not a decision you make to please your Mom. It is an individual choice. The questions you pose are fundamental ones that all Christians should be able to answer. I will try to answer most of your points as best as I can - you asked many questions so I may miss a few. If you want I can always follow these up later. 1) "Why did God make Lucifer / Adam / Eve knowing that they was going to be bad/fail? Why did he put him in close proximity to Adam and Eve? If we were made correctly would we have failed?" Each of us, including the Devil,and Adam and Eve, have been given free will to choose or reject God. He could have made us perfect, he could have made us to blindly follow him, but then we would not have had free will and we would just be mindless robots. Yes he knows the outcome of all our choices, but it is we who freely make the choices. He, as a Gof of love, wishes that we make the correct choice. Satan was created good, but thought he was better than God and irrevocably rejected him. Some writers say that Lucifer was originally put on earth to help Adam and Eve, before his fall. I could not find anything to substantiate that in the Bible though. 2) "God in the OT is a genocidal maniac" The Old Testament was written by the Jews and so it is their (not the Christian's) view of God. As I understand it, they saw him as a person to be feared, an angry, vengeful, fearsome, distant God. If you read it there is a cycle in it: God's people were happy, then they would stray and sin, a disaster would follow, they would think it was God punishing them, they would repent and return to God and then the cycle would start all over again. Rather than accept that their bad choices were the cause of the disaster, they blamed God, e.g. Moses and the Israelites after the escape from Egypt. They were happy to be delivered from the pharaoh, and cross the Red Sea, and be protected, then they started complaining about the food, they built the golden calf and worshipped it, for this they were 'punished by God' by having to wander for 40 years in the desert. 3) "He knows who is going to Heaven and who is going to Hell." You and I both know the answer to this. Good people go to Heaven and bad people are eternally separated from the love of God. Jesus told us who in Matt 25:31-46. He does not predestine anyone for hell. If we sin, but are truly sorry for what we have done, then ask for forgiveness, then we will be forgiven. This is always available for you up until the time of death. 4) "The Bible is a sexist book... If women do this they are adulterers but not men." Have a read of John 8: 1-11 and tell me if you think Jesus was sexist. The religious people of the town had caught a woman in the act of adultery and thought they could kill two birds with one stone by involving Jesus in it. No mention is made of the man - he probably bought his way out of it, because there is no mention of him being stoned, which was the punishment for him also. What did Jesus say? "Let he who is without sin cast the first stone." When they had all left what did he say to her then? Hardly sexist... 5) "Which parts are the Word of God?" Fundamentalists tend to take an all or nothing view of the Bible. What does the Bible say? "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refuting error, for guiding people's lives and teaching them to be holy." - 2 Tim 3:16. To me the Old Testament are the Jewish scriptures - I am only interested in them as a Christian in what they tell me about Jesus. My advice is to look at the New Testament and put Christ's teachings into practice in your life. That's the way to the truth. "The Spirit has explicitly said that during the last times there will be some who desert the faith and choose to listen to deceitful spirits and doctrines that come from the devils..." - 1 Tim 4:1

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+G Hansford No, actually I did understand very well. Thank you very much for presuming.

@ghansford2066

8 жыл бұрын

+DeityFree Dee Sorry if you were offended by my presumption. I try not to do that normally. In view of the diversity of your many questions I obviously came to a wrong conclusion. Enjoy your week!

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+G Hansford I wasn't offended. I just get tired of this more subtle way of saying "you weren't really a Christian," when I was. As much as anyone can be. And I understood all the pat answers, too, that Christians with questions are fed. Answers that really aren't based on any facts or evidence whatsoever. No matter how much someone understands or doesn't understand words in a fiction book, the fact remains it is still just fiction. All the stories I was told growing up and during my time as a Christian--made up lies. Not just fiction written by nice people telling a tale, but deliberately manufactured lies created by a manipulative, power hungry cult bent on controlling and deceiving people. So no, I don't believe in the bullshit anymore, and it has nothing to do with how much I understand that bullshit. I hope you have a nice day too. Thank you.

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+G Hansford I wasn't offended. I just get tired of this more subtle way of saying "you weren't really a Christian," when I was. As much as anyone can be. And I understood all the pat answers, too, that Christians with questions are fed. Answers that really aren't based on any facts or evidence whatsoever. No matter how much someone understands or doesn't understand words in a fiction book, the fact remains it is still just fiction. All the stories I was told growing up and during my time as a Christian--made up lies. Not just fiction written by nice people telling a tale, but deliberately manufactured lies created by a manipulative, power hungry cult bent on controlling and deceiving people. So no, I don't believe in the bullshit anymore, and it has nothing to do with how much I understand that bullshit. I hope you have a nice day too. Thank you.

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+DeityFree Dee +G Hansford I wasn't offended. I just get tired of this more subtle way of saying "you weren't really a Christian," when I was. As much as anyone can be. And I understood all the pat answers, too, that Christians with questions are fed. Answers that really aren't based on any facts or evidence whatsoever. No matter how much someone understands or doesn't understand words in a fiction book, the fact remains it is still just fiction. All the stories I was told growing up and during my time as a Christian--made up lies. Not just fiction written by nice people telling a tale, but deliberately manufactured lies created by a manipulative, power hungry cult bent on controlling and deceiving people. So no, I don't believe in the bullshit anymore, and it has nothing to do with how much I understand that bullshit. I hope you have a nice day too. Thank you.

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

i love the boat analogy

You from Cali?

I deconverted about a year ago. It was like a death for me going thru the stages of grief but, I felt relieved from the cognitive dissonance. I am a Nones, nones according to the pew research forum terms.

You got it right.

Good for you. Thanks for the vid.

Excellent. I left the faith 10years ago

@TimH-pu2dd

4 жыл бұрын

I have revisited this video several times over the past five years. Thank you again for sharing your story. The world benefits from hearing rational voices like yours that are not enslaved by archaic myth and superstition.

Thank you. I came up with that one a few years ago and it makes sense to me--have wondered if it did to anyone else. Thanks!!! :)

The birds in the background singing, God is Great

proud of you ! :)

most humans have 70,000 thoughts per day.....some bad thoughts > sin......I need a savior who was the perfect sacrifice.....Jesus!....no one like him....I feel better knowing I am forgiven and saved!

@BeachsideHank

4 жыл бұрын

*Sapient Wisdom:* When a contradiction is found in a scientific theory it is hailed as enlightenment; when a contradiction is found in religious text it is labeled as hate speech.

Jesus Christ Loves y’all so much He was willing to be beaten, tortured & die on a cross to save you, our creator Himself, she’d His own blood and water for me & you, it’s not about religion, it’s about a relationship, Pure Love of God and the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ comes to you, He set me free and gave me So much Love, and forgiveness, peace & Joy on so many levels, God loves y’all so much, Lord I pray you move our hearts to you Jesus Christ and be with the people reading this, thank you father Jesus Christ Amen

Thanks for making this. You bring up great points. Some people act like it's your choice to not follow him or you'll go to hell but it was his choice (if he exists) to not make us perfect after claiming to be perfect, as you pointed out well.

@dianestafford6968

2 жыл бұрын

We are all free to make our own choices but we are not free from the consequences of our choices.

Wow, I'm only just seeing this video now, we have similar journeys in some way. I uploaded my de-conversion story also. Sending you love 💓 💕

If God made us all perfect not sinning he would make robots. He made us to fellowship with us. We mess it up our selfs.

@dfadden62

7 жыл бұрын

Marsha Bos says who?

Hi there! Just ran across your video, and as a Christian, I wanted to give you some thoughts! As for the question of "Why would God make Adam and Eve if he knew they would sin?" I would say that God loved his creation enough to give them a choice. You as well as any of us know that a relationship can't happen without consent on both sides. That's what he wanted with us. It's obvious throughout the creation story that God wanted to have a relationship with his children. He could've created us to do exactly what he said, but there wouldn't be any choice in the matter. The tree of knowledge of good and evil represents that choice perfectly. Sin had already existed because of Satan falling, but God didn't want to innocently protect Adam and Eve from knowing about sin. He wanted them to make the choice to follow him, or choose the knowledge of evil which leads to death. The entire Bible represents a choice of deciding between life and death. Ultimately, God just wants a relationship with each of us. Not out of compulsion, but because we realize we need him. As per the question of "Women not being able to speak in church," you have to understand the culture of that time and the church that Paul was writing to. Women had no rights in this time, so Paul was actually protecting them. He knew they wouldn't be respected and that it would just cause division in the church. To add to that, women were prostituting themselves in pagan temple worship and then taking positions of leadership within the church. Paul, and God couldn't allow that to happen because it would completely deconstruct the structure of the church. And if we look over the new Testament even more, Jesus traveled with women, which was unheard of in that time. Paul tells the other churches to welcome Phoebe and Priscilla who were both pastors and leaders within the church at that time. The key to understanding much of the New Testament letters is that there is a context behind every letter. Some are written to churches that are relying on works instead of grace, and Paul and the other apostles are having to correct that kind of thinking. There's a context behind everything in the Bible. There's also a huge distinction that must be made between the Old and New Testament. Yes, they're all inspired by God, but the Old Testament serves to show us how flawed and broken we are, and the New Testament is now showing us how to live in the resurrection life that Jesus came to give us. The New Testament is about grace because God understood that sacrifices and trying to save ourselves was never going to work, and as Jesus said, to change our hearts. The purpose of Jesus coming to earth was to make us right with God without us having to do anything except to take the free gift of life that he offers. I mean, if you still have questions about the Old Testament, just read the book of Hosea. That's probably the greatest example of how much God is pursuing us and wants a relationship with us. Hope that helps clear some things up for you! I don't condemn you, nor act like you're anything less than human. These are questions we all have. I've had and have them. I've wrestled with them. And I always will. But the way that my life has changed because of God makes me want to learn more about the questions I struggle with and to get to a point of pure faith that doesn't always need answers, but understands that the final outcome will be in my best interest. Be blessed!

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+Zak Gott Sorry, I do not discuss fictional characters anymore as if they are or were real. It is hard to find any Christian nowadays who actually believes the Adam and Eve myth, but apparently you do? Sad. Btw. You never mention which god you are talking about. There are just so many, and all of them with one thing in common--absolutely nothing to show they exist.

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+Zak Gott Ps. Don't you suppose in the 35 plus years I was a Christian I have heard ALL these sad excuses? None of them begin to explain why the biblical god is a sadistic, baby killing, rape ordering bastard. You actually think this thing is worth even a flicker of praise? I do not. Even if it did exist, which I see no reason to think it does, I would seriously have to lower my standards of morality to ever deign to worship or praise such a thing.

you just exercised your free will like all human beings

@BeachsideHank

4 жыл бұрын

*Sapient Wisdom:* Intelligence and critical thinking is a thought crime in all religions.

:) Thank you!

good on you girl! awesome! non duality teachings go well with atheism....

I'm seriously proud of you

Spot on. Spot on girl. Religion was always a sense of helplessness to me. Always wondering what the great being in the sky will do with you.

I only began "growing up" when I left my husband at age 41 and started living on my own. It was only then that I had to learn how to grow up. It's possible for us "older persons" to grow up. It's just harder, I think, to let go of knowledge we only think we have.

she is speaking the truth

people should consider the end of God’s story on earth....instead of asking why God didn’t do this or that at the beginning!.....christians are being persecuted right now which is the first sign if the end....in the end All things are under the command of Jesus.... the devil who tempts us now is gone....evil ends forever....

@BeachsideHank

4 жыл бұрын

*Sapient Wisdom:* No one can brainwash you without your permission.

@JM-ot8ux

Жыл бұрын

Sure, whatever rubs your pipi.

God’s ways and thoughts are not our ways and thoughts..... He is God we are not

@BeachsideHank

4 жыл бұрын

*Sapient Wisdom:* If you have been groomed to simply believe, you have no idea what has been taken from you. If you have chosen to believe, you have no idea what you gave away.

Good video :) I don't know if you found this out in your studies about other religions, but it seems, according to the findings of archeology that Jewish culture was steeped in polytheism much longer than the Bible would have people think. Apparently, "Yaweh" was merely their War God (which explains why he is a "genocidal maniac" in the Bible), and the name they originally gave to the fod that came to Abraham in Genesis was the same name as some other Cannanite god.

Actually if he can see the future, then he knows before he makes us every choice we make, every path we take, every other life we influence, and are influenced by, every battle we wage--and he knows where we are going to go--heaven or hell. He knows this before he makes us because he can see the future. So I totally disagree that we have "free will." We are what we are made to be--pawns of the "divine" plan. If everything Christianity teaches is taken literally.

Yeah .

You're awesome!

@dfadden62

6 жыл бұрын

Rogelio Benavides thank you!

@rogeliobenavides7307

6 жыл бұрын

DeityFree Dee I love your personality.

Lots of killing by God's people in the old testament, even though one of the commandments says 'thou shalt not kill.' If it's okay to kill in certain circumstances, then what other commandments can be broken under certain circumstances?

@p.istaker8862

6 жыл бұрын

No you don't understand. The omnipotent,, super creator being who sees and knows everything got it wrong first time around, so created the new testament. Then again that one isn't any better

My deconversion from christianity is a long process that started in 2006 as I tried several time to return but now I realize all the contradictions. In Mark 16:16 Jesus said that the following signs for those who believe : they will impose hands to sick people and they will recover. For me that means all of the born again christians could be able to heal. But Paul speaks about that gift of healing in Corinthians that the Holy ghost give to some of them and not all the christians. Paul and Jesus did not teach the same ! In fact when I realize in church that some people died or never been healed after we prayed for them it was the point that I could not accept anymore. God is so demanding and if we do not do what he wants he send people to hell when himeself lies and does not keep promises. I evangelized a lot and for me it is difficult to let all this guilt behind me. I lost relationships. Difficult to forgive myself. Do you know Bart Ehrman ? an ex christian that confront the bible with all the contradictions. You can watch his videos on youtube. Thank you for your video :-)

@dianestafford6968

2 жыл бұрын

Do you Remember the Promises that God made to Abraham to Bless those who Bless you and to Curse those who Curse you? My Maternal Great-great Grandmother hid Jewish people fleeing from nazi Germany before the war broke out in her hut in Poland. My Nana her Granddaughter was a Holocaust Survivor and the only member of her family to survive. God Keeps All of His Promises.

Just wondering, were you taught evolution at any time? Also, just to say, there is a difference between teaching, religion, and a Relationship. Meeting and knowing Jesus the Person, in Person for yourself. I come from being an atheist so, just saying, I know the difference. Would like to know where you're at now.

@dfadden62

5 жыл бұрын

I was an amateur paleontologist during much of my time as a CHristian, and yes, I learned evolution in school, since so many other sciences support and dependent upon it. As for Jesus the person, there is no such thing, as anyone will discover if they bother to research the history of the Christian cult. Seriously, you may as well be asking about meeting and knowing Harry Potter the person. The entire NT is nothing more than made up fiction, no different and no less strange as L. Ron Hubbard's "Battlefield Earth" & his deliberate attempt to deceive people.

@rustione2603

5 жыл бұрын

@@dfadden62 Yea well, I think there's more than what you've been told/taught. Here are some things to check out: The Bible is scientifically accurate kzread.info/dash/bejne/gnWFltCne8bUeqQ.html Science supports the Bible kzread.info/dash/bejne/enqGudCfnZWtYcY.html Is there evidence for Jesus outside the Bible? kzread.info/dash/bejne/c596q5Jwpq-wcZM.html 5 Mysteries About The Shroud Of Turin That Cannot Be Explained kzread.info/dash/bejne/iGqio8lrZL3XotY.html WORLD OF PETRIFIED GIANTS & TITANS ... HIDDEN IN PLAN SIGHT kzread.info/dash/bejne/jKymuduBobCoos4.html 4 Historical Facts of Jesus' Resurrection kzread.info/dash/bejne/hKF_yZhrd6fXdpc.html Dr. David Wood Proves Resurrection of Jesus kzread.info/dash/bejne/jI6Kya9sl9vemJs.html And, btw, God proved Himself to me long before any of these things above. Jesus answered me long before I learned how amazingly accurate the Bible really is. But, these days most are doctrinated with evolutionist imaginaries. :) There's so much more, I hope you look, but, only if you dare to. :) Just to add and suggest. While I was looking into which religion God was into, I started reading the 4 gospels. The one thing I got from them was, "Well, if I lived 2000 years ago, I would have wanted to know, and follow this Man, Jesus"...but, that was then, and this is now...how do I really know? Well, it wasn't too long after that when I finally asked Jesus to come into my life, seeing the change on a friend's face, and knew that's what I wanted. I suggest you try to disregard all that you've been told, and simply read the gospels for yourself. Seek, and you will find...I hope you do.

@TimH-pu2dd

4 жыл бұрын

@@rustione2603 If the Bible is infallible, why would I turn to a fallible human to tell me what it means? How would I know the fallible human is correct? Until I am convinced a god exists, and then I am convinced that your bible is "his word", it is irrelevant to me what the bible says.

@dianestafford6968

2 жыл бұрын

@@TimH-pu2dd so when Jesus returns for His Own. I wonder if that will get your attention then.

@TimH-pu2dd

2 жыл бұрын

@@dianestafford6968 Of course it would, were he to prove he is who he claims to be.

God did not have to do anything.....he could have been satisfied with everything and those animals that we love ....He could have stopped right there- no humans!.....but he wanted to create something in his likeness....he wanted to love and to be loved freely not forced...so here we are....with a free will to love or not....its a decision which some angels failed.....evil entered.... as long as we have a breathe in our lungs...we have a choice

@BeachsideHank

4 жыл бұрын

*Sapient Wisdom:* Of what use is a God who cannot protect children from being sexually abused in his own place of worship?

Bravo

That was a wise choice indeed. ✌

WELCOME

Ok I am really wondering why the leap from Christianity to atheist? Atheism offers the human soul nothing. Does it even believe in the soul? I just left evangelical christianity so I am very lost but I can't reject my soul or a God.

@TimH-pu2dd

3 жыл бұрын

David, one does not become an atheist because it "offers" something. Atheism isn't even an "ism". It is simply not theism. If one's belief in the existence of gods falls away (usually due to lack of evidence), one is by default an atheist. And there is no dogma, nor a system of belief, nor a shared world view among people who are not theists. Some still believe in the existence of a soul, and some do not. Science has never determined that souls exist, but some atheists can ignore that.

@dianestafford6968

2 жыл бұрын

Is Jesus Christ still your Lord and Savior?

All those questions that you had that you didn't seek the answers too would have helped you to grow as a Christian. But you chose to ignore them, your words. How did you ever expect to grow in your faith if you took a pass on seeking answers to your doubts? When I came to Christ I had many questions too. I'm the kind of person who needs proof and explanations that make sense. It took me 4 years to finally come to the conclusion that the questions I had were answered with undeniable common sense and verifiable certainty. I stopped worrying when I came across any further questions or doubts knowing that if I searched enough I could find an answer to satisfy me. That is what sets you and I apart. I searched for the answers while you just ignored them. Being a Christian is not a club that you join or a sport that you participate in. I seems to me that you looked at Christianity from the outside as an observer and not so much a spiritual participant. It's not about how many songs you can sing, how much you volunteer at church or the circle of Christian friends you have. It's a personal relationship with Christ and a surrender to the Holy Spirit. You can't try to be a Christian or act like one, it's all about surrender.

Awesome....free of the brain shackles. I’m happy for you. 😊

@marklar20129 "If there is no God there is no morality so your arguments against Bible cannot work." If there is no morality then arguments for the bible can't work. "You need to have God of the Bible to even talk about morality - he is the source of objective absolute truth. When there is just matter in universe there is no morality because universe just dont care about raping, killing etc." That's utter crap. Even if the foundations of morality were supernatural, why would they be specifically biblical? "You have changed only worldview that can make sense out of human suffering for lie and still you are using moral arguments even if you dont have right to use them because there IS NO STANDARD in your worldview - just opinion of mass of protoplasma that came alive ultimatelly by accident. You need to repent! There is God and you will face judgment! " This kind of reasoning simply doesn't work. You're not borrowing from someone's worldview when you point out that it contains contradictions. Yours does. It asserts that God is good, then says that he committed various immoral actions. Have a think, and try to be less silly.

@copstolemywife

8 жыл бұрын

Utter bollocks. The God of the bible is the most immoral being in ANY book.

@Dogbertforpresident

7 жыл бұрын

Morality does not come from a made up god. We pick and chose which parts of the bible are moral. Obviously morality is a construct that was developed throughout thousands of years by man.

@danescott5149

5 жыл бұрын

Morality could never be written in stone nor a book to cover all the varying options in life. Tho shall not steal can change depending on the circumstances. Let's say you have a heart attack in front of a store that sold defibrillators. Would you think it to be moral for me to stand there and say a prayer or is it more moral for me to break the glass and steal a device to save your life? Also what if your child was being raped would it be moral for me to watch and tell the guy doing the raping " when your done I'm going to punish you", that's what God does. I would be considered a moral monster if I didnt try to stop it if I could. That makes me more moral then your God. If anyone is silly, it is you Sir. I think your more moral than your God as well. If your indoctrination isnt so deep what I said should at least make you think. If it made you angry I say it is because of the Cognitive dissonance your feeling from being logically shown your wrong. I think more folks need to make videos like this cause it helps people that see the fallacy of belief feel like there not alone. It especially helps against folks like you trying to push your beliefs on others so they can see how fallacious your trying to say morality can be absolute. Peace out.

Lol! I actually meant the little guy who's taking care of my money at the bank!

I don't think I have told many people about those dreams. I found out soon that it wasn't a popular topic. Its funny how religious people would be more inclined to believe me and don't. But when I am around people not enslaved by doctrine I can at least tell the truth. Thanks for listening and not making fun of me. I'm 35 now and haven't had a dream since 2004. I don't know if I will have any more of them or not. I don't get dejavu like I did when I was younger either.

Too bad for me Internet did not exist in 1984.

I think my biggest problem is the huge contradiction that 1. God sees the future and is all - knowing and 2. We are made broken and in need of salvation. If we are born broken god makes us that way, deliberately. He made Adam and Eve that way, deliberately. He made Lucifer that way, deliberately. He put Lucifer in the garden and in close proximity to humans who were innocent and ignorant of right and wrong--deliberately. All was done according to his plan and then he punishes us for it.

@dianestafford6968

2 жыл бұрын

John 14:6 New International Version 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. God made the way back to Himself. Now the ball is in our court. So it's not His fault that you have rejected Him.

As for being on the verge...you'll know it when it happens. One day the thought just hit me out of the blue. One too many pieces of the puzzle came together and it hit me. There's no such thing as god! Major weird feeling when you realize this. Even stranger when you say those words the first time. But at the same time it's a feeling of relief like I've never in my life known. Like....having an ax hanging over your neck all your life not realizing you do...and then suddenly it's gone.

Well done ᵔᴥᵔ ★★★★★ Katalyzt

Yes exactly (re the people). But I went a long time as a believer (the spiritual but not religious kind of Christian). That was before I read the whole bible and really thought about the actions of this god when I'm not having them translated for me by a human being with an agenda.

Well, if by "goblins" you mean "theists who troll with ignorance as their guide" then yes, goblins DO exist. They are everywhere.

+G Hansford (Posting this as a message since for some reason I can't reply to your comment.) I wasn't offended. I just get tired of this more subtle way of saying "you weren't really a Christian," when I was. As much as anyone can be. And I understood all the pat answers, too, that Christians with questions are fed. Answers that really aren't based on any facts or evidence whatsoever. No matter how much someone understands or doesn't understand words in a fiction book, the fact remains it is still just fiction. All the stories I was told growing up and during my time as a Christian--made up lies. Not just fiction written by nice people telling a tale, but deliberately manufactured lies created by a manipulative, power hungry cult bent on controlling and deceiving people. So no, I don't believe in the bullshit anymore, and it has nothing to do with how much I understand that bullshit. I hope you have a nice day too. Thank you.

@jaylinn416

8 жыл бұрын

Diane, God still loves you. It is ok to go thru times of atheism and back to faith. I went thru that cycle a few times as well. It is Ok. God loves you so much and you are an amazing person.

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+James Linnstrom and Bugs Bunny loves you. Except Bugs has no plans to torture you for all eternity if you don't accept his "free gift of love." Seriously, can you BE any more condescending? Or maybe patronizing is the better word. Both of which come to mind.

@jaylinn416

8 жыл бұрын

No, I believe in Jesus. He was a completely peaceful person. He did not kill any children! In fact, Jesus raised a girl from her deathbed!

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+James Linnstrom if Jesus was real and not invented decades after the cult started as church evidence shows, then he, according to your cult, is this god you are now trying to disown. That makes him guilty of every rape, every evil command that made women into sex slaves, every genocide and mass murdering atrocity the god in the bible commits. Jesus the imaginary character is no better and in fact he is worse. In addition to the fact he does not contribute one new or original tidbit of wisdom or teaching to humankind (instead he parrots older pagan teachings) he also does not bother to correct the mistakes in the Old Testament. He does not say rape is wrong, or child abuse, or child genital mutilation. He does not say slavery is wrong or that bats are not birds and rabbits do not have cuds. He does not say you should not kill a witch or kill a whole city if one atheist is found within it. If your fictional Jesus is god he is no better than that god, and in fact he is worse.

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

James Linnstrom Oh I see. You don't think Jesus is god. Ok, well when I was a Christian that is what I was taught and if that makes me very confused... Well, there are hundreds if not thousands of variations of Christianity in the world right now, all pointing to each other accusing each other of being "confused.' Will the real Christianity please stand up. By the way, Jesus is a fictional character invented by the church decades after its inception. It was originally a myth. The earliest Christians like Paul had no awareness of such a person walking around in the flesh and many of them opposed the idea of the new invented Jesus when it was first suggested. The very idea of their beloved "lord" coming from the loins of a mere (dirty) woman was abhorrent to them. Their "lord" lived in the spirit realm only. But, being fiction, you can make up whatever you want to about the character, I suppose.

The same churches, denominations, and other sources that support male headship claim that women aren't less important or valued than men, but for whatever reason God restricted those roles and ministries. I quote from www.gotquestions.org "the existence of these roles is not sexist, the abuse of these roles is." Yeah, that makes lots of sense. *sarcasm* You're right on with what you said at the end of your video; no matter what we're filthy sinners and we'll never be good enough to enter Heaven on our own. Way to boost self-esteem, huh?... And even with Jesus as the Savior only certain people will make it to Heaven. Jesus won't force you to accept His invitation and love Him back, but if you don't you'll get eternal punishment in Hell. Where's the unconditional love there? Sounds more like duress to me.

@dianestafford6968

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds like you don't want to accept that you are responsible for your decisions.

@dbzgal04

2 жыл бұрын

@@dianestafford6968 Sounds like you don't want to accept that Christianity makes absolutely no sense.

@dianestafford6968

2 жыл бұрын

@@dbzgal04 1 Corinthians 2:14 New International Version 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Great story and good logic questions. Increasingly I have thought of the omniscience of god. Why would he promise his people a Messiah then send someone he knew they'd reject and worse, that the followers of this man would persecute his own people for 2,000 years? Or why does god let the devil tempt us? (I was told not to "ask those kind of questions" - LOL)

@dfadden62

8 жыл бұрын

+smb123211 Why did god make his first batch of humans in the first place when he knew ahead of time they would be corrupt and he'd have to 1. throw a temper tantrum and 2. commit mass genocide to get rid of them all? That would rather like me making a batch of chocolate chip cookies and deliberately not add sugar to the batter, then throw a fit of rage when the cookies taste like shit (blaming the cookies for the fact I made them incorrectly) and then throwing them all in the garbage disposal. Also, an all powerful god would not need anything, and this one is constantly needing things. He needs constant praise and ego stroking. He gets jealous if he doesn't get it and even inflicts harm (has more temper tantrums). He needs human or animal sacrifice. Again, would the creator of the universe need such things? Funny how the god of the bible is exactly the same as all these other primitive gods that are supposed to be false--and is just as much like a giant, jealous, sexist and bigoted middle eastern man in the sky as every other man made god there has ever been. Nope, not buying it. Not only that, but this god regrets his decisions, changes his mind, FORGETS things (like what the ten commandments are when he goes to remake them or which of the firstborns he needs to kill in Egypt). This is not a god. This is an invention by faulty men.

@smb123211

8 жыл бұрын

DeityFree Dee Agree completely. Maybe it's because I've been an atheists for decades but I am no longer driven to "share" my beliefs with anyone who glances my way. Yes, all your statements are true BUT it's important to understand that pointing out this stuff or Bible errors or insane beliefs will matter. It won't because their faith is not based on such things

@Mirrorgirl492

8 жыл бұрын

Rubbish, there are many planks that hold up people's belief. Information that chips away at those planks could well open someone's mind. I think sharing deconversion stories is a valuable part of helping people stop having 'faith'.

@smb123211

8 жыл бұрын

yutu34 The faith of the average churchgoer is not dependent on whether the Bible is true or if the historical record supports them or whether Christianity evolved from the ideas of one man who never knew Jesus or any of the things posted on here daily that will "convince" those who don't care to make a life-altering decision. The vast majority don't care (which is why there are so few atheists). They don't worry about how the Bible came to be or if there are contradictions or why prayers are unanswered or evil reigns. They are certainly not converted by folks who berate them savagely. Take Care

@Mirrorgirl492

8 жыл бұрын

smb123211 I didn't mention the bible. I said faith is built upon MANY things. Why would attacking faith from many different angles not be as effective as approaching it from only one? I don't understand what your point is, other than to say it's almost impossible to effect someone's opinion, which is patently untrue. I certainly agree that berating folks is not the way to go, but then I never suggested that.

I was born and raised United Pentecostal and a little Southern Baptist. The main reason why I deconverted in my twenties is simply because the Bible doesn't not comport with observable, testable reality and the book is a philosophical dumpster fire.

its like it just dousent work nowere

i like that "made in china" analogy.

Freedom? Is the guy you have on his knees on the ground pointing your gun to his temple and saying "love me or ELSE!" enjoying any freedom? I think Christianity has a very weird idea of what freedom is. Your god made us broken, then demands us to accept his killing himself and if we don't intends to weenie roast us in hell. When there's only one right answer, how is this free will?

There are still some things I haven't figured out like Psalm 22 and 69 but even some of the NT references to the OT are just total bullshit. I would look up the passage and go, "this is NOT prophetic" or wasn't specific enough to be undeniably about jesus. The problem I have is I have literally had dreams that have predicted the future. When I tell believers they tell me I am full of shit. Also these dreams I had did not prove the god of the bible is real. Also, I can't prove I had these dreams.

Well, all good questions. I was raised catholic, I liked Jesus, and did believe that all creation couldn't just happen without a Creator, but, then I was taught evolution @15 in honors history class. I did find it rather repulsive actually...the image of monkey to man was right as you walk into the Museum of Natural History...History again? So it's fact correct?... So little by little I became atheist also. You bring up pretty difficult questions that will take a while to answer, however, if you start with the Man Jesus, how He was, what He did, you will better get an idea what God is like I would say. Who God went against in the OT were already baby sacrificing by burning them within the arms of Moloch ...where the iron figure was heated to molton, and the screams were covered by loud drums. I would look up christian teachers of the OT to get a better picture of what the Israelites were up against, and how God only proved Himself. The sheer numbers of enemies would have easily taken them over otherwise. Anyway, it did take a personal encounter with the Living God for me to begin a journey to Truth. I hope you revisit. Reread the gospels, and simply ask God what is truth. Let Him show you. Peace.

@dianestafford6968

2 жыл бұрын

Amen

You bet. :)

If the god of the bible had been portrayed as a king instead of a God , he would be remembered as the most evil, mass murdering, tyrannical dictator of all time! Christians give the bible god a free pass because, they say, he is god the creator. I don't see the difference whether man or god. If his actions were evil or immoral, as the bible states, then he'd be just as guilty of being evil as any human committing the same deeds.

Now I am watching a lot of videos about the world's rapture. The Christians say that the end is coming soon. God has to start all over again. I don't understand...

@dfadden62

6 жыл бұрын

Plysdyret1 this has happened countless times since the fictional Jesus told his fictional disciples some of them would not die before his return. Frankly I wish there could be a rapture. Nothing would make America greater than to lose all of its Christian Trump supporters.

most of the original 12 disciples were killed for their faith..... no one dies for a “maybe”.....they were sure!

@BeachsideHank

4 жыл бұрын

The believers who crashed airplanes into buildings on 9/11 were also sure, and died willingly for their faith.

@grimlund

3 жыл бұрын

@@BeachsideHank Exactly. And all the maniacs that blow them self up with a bomb at a market somewere in Afghanistan are also convinced that they are on the right path. "My view of God is the right one and all other billions of people on Earth is wrong!"

@JM-ot8ux

Жыл бұрын

There's no proof that they were killed for their faith.

I'm happy you're happy. I understand you rejecting the " label" christianity. Keep seeking truth, it may surprise you. Christ may tell you someday, " Ever heard of the ' telephone game'? The Bible is like that".

DF D reminds me of julia sweeney

@dfadden62

10 жыл бұрын

Who's Julia Sweeney?

@dfadden62

10 жыл бұрын

DeityFree Dee Nevermind. I know. I even have a DVD of her! :)

Accepted Jesus from a TV preacher in 2002; sinner's prayer and forgot about it. Days later, slowly, it began: had an insatiable desire for the bible, started to feel 'sensitive' and very strange, my soul felt heavy, cold and sopping wet. Went home to sleep, hours later it hit: I was made (literally) to go on my knees, cry and weep uncontrollably, to repent of every sin I could remember and then some. It felt like an intense supernatural experience that made me cry and feel horrible, guilty, convicted, confused, alone, lost. I pleaded mercy to not go to hell. It propelled (me) to do these strange things, to grieve, to feel sensitive and as if I was walking on eggs. it went on for months, it was otherworldly, delightful (of God?), scary experience, socially painful; I called people and friends to apologize that I had lied, stolen from them and gave back whatever items (books, pens, slides), etc. Had a very strong desire to give thousands of dollars to the poor, homeless slept at my apartment, was baptized in water, read Christian articles, Bible, etc. It was ALL an outside work where I was made to dislike, no, to have an unatural and very strong antipathy to sin. What I thought to be the beginning of a long race, the Spirit slowly dissipated. At this time I read on the Internet that Christ had been a made up story, that the whole thing was fake, I took the bait and left the faith. "A back slider will be filled with his own fways...", I was financially ruined and had a stroke by the time I was called back by the Holy Spirit 10 years later. The exact same feeling, much like the first time, I weeped uncontrollably and experienced a sadness from the depths of my being. This time an image of a single cross flashed in my mind's eye. Was it Jesus? Was this me that was dying? If you can believe it, I fell again for four years only to be called back again by the Holy Spirit. So, now sixteen years later I've left my house, girlfriend (she could not deal with this), career and have given (made to give) more money to the poor, help the needy, etc. The Holy Spirit each time posits the exact same desire for me to leave the world (all seems vain) where nothing attracts and I am made to turn my back on everything. Three times I have been made extremely sad to where I cry uncontrollably and feel as if I am dying a certain slow death. Recently I found a video that explains kzread.info/dash/bejne/aqVqq5Ounq3QpKg.html the feeling of dying, an incomprehensible sadness. It is hard for me to explain the many experiences throughout the years other than, considering how and why they were first triggered, in spiritual terms. You hope you have "deconverted" but are just backsliding and will eventually be called back by the Spirit. Read Luke 15. God Bless!

@ghostlylover99123

6 жыл бұрын

Bombing Raid welcome to the fold!

Very insightful questions. I am still a Christian but I cannot answer all your questions. Many critics claim the Bible is suppressive to women. Paul may have been following a Jewish custom and cultural traditions. I believe In The synagogue at that time women and men sat separately. Even a 13 yr old boy could read the Torah scroll but NOT a female. The real question is can an all wise God in 2018AD change and adapt to modern 21st century? Every Christian pastor had at least one FEMALE teacher in his life at one time so God realizes women CAN TEACH!

@dfadden62

6 жыл бұрын

Jo Hino which god? Until someone bothers to prove gods exist it is just as absurd to assume unicorns or fire breathing dragons exist as to assume gods do.

@dfadden62

6 жыл бұрын

Jo Hino Islam and Christianity are equally vile, and the bible is fiction.

@johino6331

6 жыл бұрын

DeityFree Dee Wow! That was FAST. I'm glad we are both wide awake. Please forgive me if I do not attempt to defend the existence of unicorns or dragons. I am afraid that those are BEYOND my subjective experience at present. Yes I am a Christian but I will NOT argue with you. I believe that God is telling me you are in PAIN. God also says you need comfort and reassurance and to be healed. He says you do NOT need to hear arguments. I assume my God is correct so I must OBEY Him. But I place myself at your disposal as a gentleman anyways. Your fellow human being Joe.

@dfadden62

6 жыл бұрын

Jo Hino how amazingly presumptuous of you to assume I must be “in pain” just because I do not believe in your invisible thought cop/baby killer in the sky. But I guess if you’re in the habit of assuming fiction is true based on no evidence whatsoever, it’s easy for you to imagine it’s not possible to be happy without your cult. Sorry to burst your little bubble, but I am happier now and stronger as a person than I have been in my entire life. Please take your arrogant assumptions to someone else’s page. I do not want them here. It is demeaning and offensive.

@dfadden62

6 жыл бұрын

Jo Hino btw, I really hate your flavor of Christianity. You put people down while showing off how nice you are. Your “god” didn’t SAY anything because fictional characters cannot talk.

wow i didnt think an older person was able to grow up intellectualy. most adult feel like they are being ad hominem atacked... when in fact we are trying to learn people.