Why Joined

I was born into a very religous/church going family.

Why Left

Contradictions were too many and all too unanswerable. It raised questions in my mind about the infalliblilty of God.

Story

I was born and raised by my very religous grandparents (on both sides of the family). I was placed into a Christian (Private) school at about the age of 5. For years I was as Xistian as they came. I would preach to others trying to convert their 'heathen' ways. But I had never even questioned the validity of their religous claims. Being raised to belive that only my view point could be correct because my relgious book said so.

Although I was never babtised (thank goodness) I considered myself "cleansed by the blood of J.C." For years I listend to the wonderful stories of the heroic actions of Noah, Moses, and Jesus. Never once did my teachers address the issues of bible contradictions, massacres, or inhumanity towards anyone of a different viewpoint. At about the age of 16 my faith began its inevitible plunge into disbelief. I began to seriously read the bible on my own (I was then planning on a life in a church). Never before had I taken the step of reading the book for myself, rather I read only the passages my teachers assigned me.

It was here that I began to find some troubling findings in the so called infallible book. I found stories told twice with very different viewpoints and storylines. I began to question the actions of an almighty being whose love knew no bounds. I mean let's face it - any guy that says go into this little village here and kill all the men and boys then rape all the woman and young girls and split open the babies wouldn't be the kind of guy I would want to run into in a dark alley.

Fearing for my eternal soul I went to my pastors for help. None of them could answer my questions to my satisfaction. I found them scraping their own beliefs for any excuse that might further confuse my mind. Sometimes they would try to reword passages to clear up contradictions or explain them away as the "unfathomable will of the almighty", but in my mind if this guy wanted to save us he would have made his message clear and without any room for doubt. At this point the pastors all claimed me a lost cause and soul destined to hell all becuase I had a questioning mind.

I tried moving to other churches but to no avail. When I reached the age of 17 I discovered the Internet. I found hundreds of people in my same predicament, questioning their faith or abandoning it altogether. It was here that I found I was not alone, that I had other people who I could share my questions and doubts with.

Finally after an exhaustive search I decided there was no way that we could ever do anything to prove God's existence, and that the bible was nothing more than a contradictiary fairy tale. I announced to my family that I had become an atheist. Buddy let me tell you that went over real well. But gradually they came to accept the fact that nothing could change my mind. They tried for months to save my soul my taking me to church, but I would always take along my printed version of "101 Bible Contradictions" and a list of "Bible Atrocities" and try to get the pastor to explain away mass murder and inhumane treatments of peoples. Many pastors told my family that I would not be welcomed into their churches, I was too rebellious with too many "heretical" ideas and notions.

Finally my family gave up the battle of the churches and decided just to tell me I was "dammed" to eternal hell forever and that they would laugh at me from the comfort of heaven. In school I enjoy debating with the scores of Xistian students that challenge my Atheist ideas. I have actually caused many to undergo a major relgious trek as I did. Of course not half as many reach the same conclusion I did. All in all in the end we can only agree to disagree and "debate away to debate another day".

I don't hate Xiians. I don't even mind them having their religious ideas because I agreed with them for years, but I simply wish that they would also respect my ideas.

I hope I didn't bore you to tears with this one but I just thought I would add my 4 cents worth in. (hehehe just a joke)

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