So I was raised Christian by my parents and never gave a second

>>18389857
Your God may not exist, but that doesn't mean a God doesn't exist. Personally, I don't believe so but being alone and unloved in this universe is overrated so I can see the appeal of God.

>>18389857
Get into deism or panentheism. Learn modern cosmology. Understand the word "eternal". And spend time developing relationships with actual people instead of imaginary friends.

>>18389857
organized religion is wrong

god might be real or even gods

but man made god is wrong

>>18389857
Meditate

>>18389857
Accepting your atheism is a very traumatic thing to do to yourself but is also liberating. Like getting out of the Matrix.

The hardest part about being a "new atheist" is that you find yourself out of purpose/meaning in life since that's the one modern necesity that religion covers so my advice would be to find what do you feel pasionate about and be honest about it.

Also even if god was real I'm pretty sure he wouldn't give a fuck wether or not such a meaningless creature like myself believes in him or not... he might give a fuck if I hurt his precious creation so I can agree to not hurt other people if nothing else because I don't like getting hurt myself.

>>18389857
>What do
Rejoice

I'm in a similar situation. I spent a year exploring christianity vs atheism before fully accepting it. I settled on a philosophical outlook of stoicism, but I don't know what else to say about that. It's like someone that you know dying and finding out that you have cancer the same day. You just have to try to accept it.

The hardest part was probably letting my parents know a couple weeks ago. They seem convinced that I just decided to be an atheist on a whim or something. They've been pretty hostile about it and refuse to talk about it other than to call me a traitor, or tell me that I'm going to hell if I don't come back.

>>18389857
Learn to accept reality for what it is. I never understand why people need a reason to exist. You just do. Sorry that it took you this long to analyze the one person you could trust. Admiration is the emotion furthest from understanding. Fucking gonna take a shower because I literally quoted a god damn anime to console a 21 year old weeping atheist.

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>>18389857
Hey, Anon. I'm a Baptist Christian
>Christian on 4chan
I know, I don't get it either, but here I am.
I'd ask you to reconsider. My words may have no lasting impact, but I can't stand by and let you fall away so easily.

God loves us all. He says that in the Bible. I haven't gone through exactly what you are going through, but I do know that I'm struggling with my own demons, namely masturbation. Personally, I don't think that God hasn't answered your prayers. Look at James 1:2-4. "Consider it joy, brethren, when you experience tribulation, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance..." I paraphrased, but what I'm trying to get at is that sometimes the Lord allows things to happen so that we may rely on Him for strength and comfort. If we do, then there is nothing to fear!

His word is the lifeline to our well-being; our solace. For we must "Guard [our] hearts above all else, for it is the source of Life (Proverbs 4:23)." I'd venture to say that Satan is trying totempt you away from the Lord. Do you spend time reading the Word? If not, I'd recommend you start. You have no idea how wonderful it is.

Overall, I think that if you spend your times of sorrow surrounding yourself with the Word,God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, you'll be amazed at how loud their voices become and how truly comforting they are. I'm attempting to do that more often, and I've found that it works! It remedies my issue with lust.

You may not want to hear this, but it isn't a God thing: it's a YOU thing. I know my issues are entirely my own fault. If I go to NSFW boards, I will almost always cave in. I need to replace that time with the Lord. Likewise, if you replace your time with the Lord, who knows what could happen?

Take it or leave it, that's my Spiel. In the words of Martin Luther,
"Hier ich stehe, ich kann nicht anders...."
Here I stand, I can do no other...
Peace be with you, brother. May God reveal Himself unto you.

>>18390119
Oh! I forgot to add!

Pray that the Lord reveal Himself, if it be His will, unto you in such a way that you may understand.

You don't have to use the grandiose language, infact, I think you probably shouldn't. Ask God in a way that makes sense to you and a way that is sincere.

Also, divine revelation. I'd look that up. It's pretty important to what 1 Peter 3:15-17 asks us to do as Christians

>>18389857
I'd ask what you've been researching on the origins of christianity to come to this, because to be frank I think an honest reading of it would lead to the opposite conclusion.

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>>18390119
Maybe someday you'll know the feeling. When you can't find God, he won't show himself, there's nothing more that you can do, and the only help you get is being told that you don't have enough faith. It's the stance they have to take after all. If you search for God and cannot find him, then you're either a liar or God is.

>>18390234
Op here
Couldn't have worded it better. I get the same speech from every believer I talk to. They spend the whole time trying to convince me that I need to have faith but..wtf many other religions tell me that. And it says in 1 peter 3 to have an answer ready for any man who asks for a reason for your hope. I have yet to hear a good reason other that "you just believe"
That doesn't work. There's way too many religions out there. I'm not banking my soul on one because someone else did. I need to see evidence of something at least borderline convincing. but the more I look at the evidence, the fossil record, human history and psychology so far have shown me a completely different story.

>>18389964
I want to tell my parents soon but I know they'll try to start shit about my marriage (8 year relationship, not rushing anything, yes I know what I'm getting into stfu) talking about equally yolked but I'm considering just lying to them their whole life lmao because... of that
Being disowned by not just them but my entire family (which I guess says something about them anyway) and being judged as just a bad person who decided to hate god

I went through the same thing member when I used to believe more of firmly that Jesus is coming back from days and that the sun will be coming up tomorrow and then when I was about 12 it occurred to me that people believed in Zeus just as much as believe in Jesus today the twi most important factors in determining what god someone believes in is where and when they are born religion fascinated me and the more I learned about Christianity's origin the more obvious it was that what I had been taught to believe was just another mythology, no more valid than any other depression then realization life has the meaning that you give it, treasure it love your loved ones, enjoy the accident of your existence nobody knows how it all started and we probably never will and that's okay, all kinds of shit you'll never know I don't need some bullshit origin myth to explain where it all came from the fact that I exist is enough

>>18390234
I'm sorry you feel that way. I must say, however, I highly doubt I shall ever lose sight of God. I still do truly believe that if you ask for Him to reveal himself, that He shall. Besides, I didn't search for Him, He found me in my brokenness and sinfulness.

I don't have to take the stance of "believe better". I could have outright told you both that "There's no hope. You're lost." However, would that be the action of not only a faithful Christian, but the words of a living and loving God? I don't believe that a God who wouldn't want to bother with humans would create a world for them to live in. This is why I mentioned divine revelation. Romans 1:20 is an accompanying verse to such a concept.

Dare I ask, HOW did you search for God? If you don't wish to respond, that's okay with me. This is, after all, likely the last post I'll make in this thread

>>18390329
I'm sorry that you also feel that way, and I'm sorry for giving a so-called "generic speech", but I'm not sorry for saying the things I said. I meant every last word.

In relation to your doubts of 1 Peter 3, I would direct you to the great apologists at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries. They give vast reasons as to why the Christian faith is not only plausible, but absolute truth in a world where man warps words to his will and desires. They also address other religions.

In terms of the fossil records and human history, I would ask the same question that >>18390196 asked.

If you still wish to just get away from it all, that's okay with me. I won't force you. That's not in my hands to control, and not my decision to make. The world will lead you where it may, and I hope that you are satisfied with where you arrive.

Like I said above, this is likely the last post I'm making in this thread. After that, I won't pester you anymore. It's on you.

>>18389857
Move on. We're all wrong sometimes. """""God"""" never actually did anything to help you, you've lost nothing.

>>18390617
I am coming from deep within the folds of Christianity. I used to convince atheists with my apologetics. I asked all the same questions your asking and AFTER being that kind of person I was begging god to help me. Want to know what I was praying for? I have been praying for months that god would know me and allow me to know him in a deeper way. I had been hungering and thirsting for his love, for his rebuke, anything. THATS when I began researching without bias or preconceived notions.

The problem with all those convincing arguments that appeal to things like geology and try to match up the Bible to it is completely strange when you actually think about it objectively. No one goes around looking for evidence in the ground that proves that Harry Potter was a true book.
But you can't do that. You have to start from a point of showing me why your book is even reliable before you try to do things like that.

OOOH The Scriptures were divinely inspired! What a great explanation. And that is totally believable. And that has never happened before with another religion or group of people
So there are literal mathematical errors in the Bible. Fucking math. Check it out: "How long did Jotham reign in Jerusalem?Sixteen years. 2Ki 15:33At least twenty years. 2Ki 15:30
How old was Ahaziah when he began to reign?Twenty two years old. 2Ki 8:26Forty two years old. 2Ch 22:2
How long did Omri reign?From the 31st to the 38th year of Asa's reign, Omri is said to have reigned twelve years. An impossibility. 1Ki 16:23,28-29
How much gold was brought to Solomon from Ophir?420 talents of gold. 1Ki 9:28450 talents of gold. 2Ch 8:18
How many stalls did Solomon have for his horses?4,000 stalls. 2Ch 9:2540,000 stalls. 1Ki 4:26
How long did Gad tell David he was to suffer famine?Three years. 1Ch 21:11-12Seven years. 2Sa 24:13"
This is from notes I'm putting together to convince myself/others that this religion is bogus so please pardon format

>>18391021
Forgot to mention op here

Take a real theology course. Youd be aurprised how imperical and logical it is. It also has little to do with citing bible references all day.

>>18389857
Bright side: You now don't have the threat of eternal torture for something fucking petty hanging over your head.

I was raised a christian not strictly but I believed in god till I was about 15 then I started questioning myself and realised that if a god exists and is a cool guy he will accept me if I'm a good person weather I believe in him, her, it or whatever but if he needs my worship then he and his merry band of brainless sods can go fuck themselves.

>>18391021
>>18391037
I see.

Well, I'm sorry that you feel the Lord has rejected you.

The arguments that appeal to geology are "objectively" attempting to prove the existence of a Creator. Since many Protestant denominations, which is where I think most of the apologists lie in terms of faith, believe Sola Scriptura, they use the Bible as their means of proof. Now, in terms of the reliability of the Word, look not only at the gap between years of the first written manuscript of the New Testament and Jesus Christ's Death & Resurrection,which was only a few decades compared to hundreds of years, but the sheer volume of manuscripts. There's over 5,000 of 'em! That's so much more than of works like Homer's Illiad, which only has 700 copies. I think that's why the apologists believe the Word. In my opinion, I think that's pretty solid reason to see the Bible as reliable

It seems you're pretty set on abandoning your faith, and I have no problem with that. Just realize that the only reason I said anything at all was not because I HAVE to as a Christian, but because I WANTED to. I HATE seeing people fall away. It brings me genuine sorrow to see it. I've lost quite a few friends because of that.
>b...but...Christanon, they can still be your friends if they don't believe the same thing as you
Yeah, you're right. I have many friends who don't believe the same things I do. However, when someone ridicules you without cease for something you believe, and see you as a "lesser person who is deluded by his faith", can you really call those kinds of people "friends"? I digress. May you prosper wherever you go after this, and may God have mercy on your soul. Peace be with you, brother.

>>18391640
Well you do sound kind of like a pompous, gigantic, insufferable asshole by the way you speak. I've been monitoring this thread since a little while after its creation.

And for your being annoying, I'm not sure if I'd wanna be friends with you either.

>>18391640
You really do sound deluded by faith and maybe those ex friends just dislike hearing about religious stuff. Maybe they just dislike being preached to.

Whatever your religion is, you should just keep it to yourself and let God guide you on being a good person, on being a little Christ. Never push that shit on others if they aren't willing. Pushing can be very subtle and you might not even know if you're doing it.

If there is a god he would just want us to be excellent to each other

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>>18389857

>Recently after spending months weeping in prayer for help to no avail
What a bad reason. The sense of prayer, as the chr. philosopher Kierkegaard (who btw. founded existentialism) is not to change God, it is to change the one that is praying.

>well idk wtf to believe yet(have a shit-ton of more reading to do) but I'm no longer a Christian.
>How tf do I get over this/find what I really believe for myself/move forward?

Considering how much you "loved God" and felt loved by "him" in the past: How about considering looking into modern historical-critical, liberal, or existentialist Christianity, before you look into anything else? You might like it.

Things I really recommend:
"The courage to be" by Paul Tillich.
"The concept of anxiety" by Soren Kierkegaard.
"On Religion - Speeches to its Cultured Despisers." by Friedrich Schleiermacher.
"Mere Christianity" by CS Lewis.

As well to learn about critical exegesis anything you can find of the texts of Bultmann, Marxen and Pannenberg.

Perhaps "Occupy the bible" for a stupid liberal funride as well. :)

Oh, and a book about orthodox meditation/ hesychia and / or Taize might be nice as well.

If you HAVE to leave Christianity, I'd suggest looking into Taoism. At least that is a religion that will not make you worse. Avoid it's watered down western variants though.

Be blessed, m8!

>>18391753
The thing is, I wasn't preaching to them. They just lashed out and berated me for what I believe. I tried "being excellent" to them, but that obviously didn't work out. I didn't tell them they were wrong or that "You're going to Hell", I was being a friend. I literally just had normal conversations with them, nothing infused with religious doctrine

Besides, how does one define "being excellent" without bringing morals into it, which inadvertently (I've found) gives way to discussion of religion? Maybe it's just an experience thing, but I've found that you can't talk about moral law without talking about a moral law-giver

>>18391740
Thanks, bro. Peace be with you

>>18391900
>The sense of prayer...is not to change God, but to change the one that is praying
This so much

>>18389857
There is a non-profit international organisation dedicated on helping people just like you:

https://www.recoveringfromreligion.org

I suggest you contact them.

>>18390119
>what I'm trying to get at is that sometimes the Lord allows things to happen so that we may rely on Him for strength and comfort.

Isn't that an emotionally abusive relationship?

>>18392232
Not necessarily. To quote Charles Colson, the reason God does this is that "...we feel the natural consequences of our own sin so that we may see how bad it really is and be drawn to repentance (Colson)."

It's like a toddler touching a hot stove. They realize, "Wow, that hurt. Probably shouldn't do that again."

tl;dr Nope. It's really either a test of faith or a "teaching moment"

>>18392316
Christianfag I've got some questions for you. Not trying to highjack the thread, but like OP I came to a point where I lost faith. Unlike him however I was never really that into the faith and gave up a long time ago. Recently I've been heading back to church, but I can't really tell why. I simply just had the desire to be back there. I'm still pretty distant from God. What do? How do I grow I'm my faith despite all the skepticism I have, and more importantly how do I find the feeling of God's love?

>>18392316
Yeah, but if I as a parent let my child touch a hot stove to teach them a lesson, I'm not a good parent. If you see your child reaching for something that will hurt them, you don't let them hurt themselves.

>>18392211
Thank you. Oh bless you sir. With many blessings on blessings

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>>18392396
It brings me joy to read that you have interest in growing your faith!
Here are some things I do in my daily walk with Christ.

>Prayer
Probably the most important thing on the list. A Christian bwho doesn't pray is like a man who forgot to breathe. Praying doesn't have to be grandiose; it can be a few words at times. Even searching Google on how to pray can help.
>Reading the Word
Get a Holy Bible, or an app, and just read! You can start literally anywhere. Sometimes, before I read, I pray that God show me what I need to hear, and start reading. Every time, I find SOMETHING useful in some way. Small or big.
On the app, there is the ability to start plans. I would highly recommend that. Usually it's a small devotion and a selection of verses that pertain to a certain topic. I like them a lot
>Fellowship
It's great that you're going to church. Keep going, and don't make excuses not to go. Get involved in your church. Make friends. Join a small group/study group. Volunteer for the children's or Student ministry.
>Living
Yep. Literally just being alive is part of being Christian. We are called to live like Christ, thus, what you hear at church service and what you read in the Word should be applied to your life. Reading "Christian Living" books are a help to this also

I will warn you that living as a Christian comes with persecution, opposition, temptation, and everything in between.
"I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world (John 16:33)."

Now, to address the other things.
>Skepticism
Apologetics can remedy this. The folks at RZIM can help. Give them a search!
>Finding God's love
Pray about it. Pray that God reveal himself to you.
Also, I'd say that talking to a pastor would absolutely help with that
Doing anything on this list will not only help you to grow as a Christian, but to find God's love in everything.

Peace be with you, brother!

>>18392396
Visit a Taize service and try Hesychasm meditation.

god is dead
and we memed him

late boomer xd

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>>18392451
>Implying accidents don't happen
"Tough Love", I believe, is the term, Anon, but that analogy isn't the main point, but I think you know that already.

Something that didn't cross my mind when typing, but in hindsight, I probably should have expanded upon in the first post that I made, is that not everything goes OUR way. I don't mean that something just "goes bad", I mean that something doesn't happen the way WE want it.

Sometimes the Lord allows things to happen that WE may not like, but overall, "We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28 HCSB)."

So to answer your question more correctly, no, it isn't really an emotionally abusive relationship .Since you suffer a short-term trial while trusting in the Lord, He blesses your life in the long run for your trust and devotion to Him

Most stuff on the internet about ""The origins of Christianity""" is fake meme bs. If you saw stuff about like "Jesus is Horus wow" then it was fake. HTH.

>>18392819
I just want to be clear that I'm arguing against your statement that God lets bad stuff happen to bring us closer to him or to teach us a lesson, not God in general.

>>18392819
>I just want to be clear that I'm arguing against your statement that God lets bad stuff happen to bring us closer to him or to teach us a lesson, not God in general.

I suppose I'm not being very straightforward, so here I go again. I hope this makes sense.

tI said that sometimes He allows "bad things" (aka things that don't go OUR way) to happen so that we may trust in Him, and better His plan, which is what Romans 8:28 says. As an effect of trusting in Him, we are brought closer to Him. It's like the story of the Prodigal Son!

If it's to teach us, then it's likely due to unconfessed sin (AKA sin you aren't sorry for and won't repent due to not being sorry for doing something that is sinful), so that we may realize our mistaken wandering away from Him, and return to Him. Again, the Prodigal Son

I hope that clears up any misconception of my argument. Sorry for not making it obvious; I've been told that I tend to do that

Peace be with you, brother

>>18392940
Whoops quoted wrong person
>>18392862

>>18391900
That wasn't my reason for leaving the faith. That was just the situation that caused me to really question the foundations of my belief. My individual, unbiased research was what was devastating to me. Read through some different Christian-biased writings then read through some atheist-biased writings, identify the differences in what they talk about, use that info to identify the underlying message, weigh the probabilities and honestly ask yourself, does the resurrection story sound reasonable in light of naturalistic possibility? And if it does, how can I explain to someone, in simple terms, why the resurrection is more probable than the naturalistic explanation.

>prayer is supposed to change the one that is prayer
No fucking dur. God in the biblical sense is unchanging forever. I understand how prayer works. I just find it funny how prayer has changed me this time..because this pattern of obsession with study, doubt, and vengeance against the mindset that held me captive was born out of intense, honest, excruciating prayer.
So to any Christian thinking/asking, "oh have you been reading and prayer regularly? You know your spirit can grow weak if you don't feed it" (yea so can a delusion) yes. I have been reading and praying without ceasing since before this doubt, and twice as much after.

>>18392674
Notice how all the ways we "grow in the spirit" are brainwashing behaviors.
You could be convinced of ANYTHING if you read a book about it, pray for hours about what you read, then go to a building once a week to talk to other people about the same thing and "fellowship" with people (who actually don't give a real shit about you).

>apologetics
Lmao https://youtu.be/NFGTu-OxFpU
I watched 85% of all the apologetics I've studied over the YEARS go out the window in that one video.