Former Christians: What Made You a Skeptic?

[daytona 5000]

Hell is a state of mind though, not a physical place.

And to those that say they are agnostic, do you believe in 1 supreme God/ or higher power, or multiple?

 

[mac a roni]

Originally Posted by Tupac Jordan

If y'all don't accept Jesus Christ the Lord & Savior I hope y'all burn in hell!

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]religion is also regional....most people are raised on religion depending where they come from. Sojust because you was raised to believe a different form of a religion, yet has same moral beliefs and rules you're going to burn in hell? Why is that? God is all knowing and loving so why condemn those who don't believe in christ yet follow the same teachings? [/color]

 

[tupac jordan]

Originally Posted by Mac A Roni

Originally Posted by Tupac Jordan

If y'all don't accept Jesus Christ the Lord & Savior I hope y'all burn in hell!

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]religion is also regional....most people are raised on religion depending where they come from. So just because you was raised to believe a different form of a religion, yet has same moral beliefs and rules you're going to burn in hell? Why is that? God is all knowing and loving so why condemn those who don't believe in christ yet follow the same teachings?[/color]

Refer to post #172

 

[mac a roni]

Originally Posted by Tupac Jordan

Originally Posted by Mac A Roni

Originally Posted by Tupac Jordan

If y'all don't accept Jesus Christ the Lord & Savior I hope y'all burn in hell!

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]religion is also regional....most people are raised on religion depending where they come from. So just because you was raised to believe a different form of a religion, yet has same moral beliefs and rules you're going to burn in hell? Why is that? God is all knowing and loving so why condemn those who don't believe in christ yet follow the same teachings?[/color]

Refer to post #172

[color= rgb(102, 0, 153)]yea i read it after i typed all that...didnt feel like letting all that go to waste....my bbro[/color]

 

[mikkol109]

Originally Posted by eye see soles

No it's not that again. This is for those who once believed in Christ and the resurrection, but now do not believe or are skeptical.

This past semester my faith has been tested. I'm not sure if I believe in Christ or God or Heaven. I feel like I should because it was ingrained in me from birth, but having an education changed my outlook. Now, I look to those who still believe like they are crazy for believing in something that can not be proven empirically. We can't observe God or Christ, we can only go on what is said in the Bible and other readings, but even that is said to be written by man, "inspired" by God. I don't know. I just don't want to go about it haphazardly any longer.

You see, I have a psychology course in behavior analysis, which attempts to use only observed behavior to control and improve behavior. It does not go inside the body. There are no spirits or feelings or thoughts. They all are hypothetical constructs that we as a society put in there, but they aren't needed. We can talk about what is being observed and get the same results. Hence, a theory called Determinism. In Determinism given the events of the world, one's behavior can be predicted. Their learning history up until this point, will predict how they will behave next. Behavior which has been punished in the past, will become extinguished; that behavior which has been reinforced, will continue to occur. There is no Christ in BA. There is just behavior. And if you look at it from that standpoint, our behavior is being controlled continuously at every wakening hour. So those who were brought up that there was a man who came to the world to die for their sins, died for their sins, which would allow for them to live a life in which they are not indebted to their sins, will believe that there is such a man. It has been reinforced in their life. They will hoot and holler and praise this man because that behavior has been modeled to them in the past and hasn't been punished. Society and academia attempts to punish this behavior. I believe that is what I am going through.

I just feel that there is more out there. One question BA or Determinism can not answer is how we got here. Who was the first man? Who started the big bang? That uncertainty keep me agnostic, for the time being. I hope to one day become a believer again.

What made you a skeptic?

I didnt read the whole part of your post but the sentence where you say " it hasn't been proven"
In Romans 10:14 something goes like this how can they call on the one they have not believed in? and how can they believe in the one of whom they have notheard? and hwo can they hear without someone preaching to them? and not all the Israelites accepted the good news for Isaiah says, " Lord, who hasbelieved our message?"
And the answer is all you have to do is have faith. Faith in Christ that he is there and whatever is done is because of his will. Just have faith and you willget through your troubled times.

 

[rko2004]

Originally Posted by larrivee7


To the OP, I can identify with what you mean. When you're in college, you for the most part shape who you are going to be for the rest of your life. You get pelted every day with all kinds of worldviews and ideas, and you are forced to respond one way or the other. I really think that if a person grew up in the church, they either move closer to God or farther away while they're in school (or during those years after high school). For many, the combination of being surrounded by so many other worldviews and being away from home/parents/everything you're used to -- leads to doubt in a lot of things they believe.

College campuses, by and large, are hostile towards God, especially towards the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is to be expected, as the Gospel is itself offensive. It is not meant to be heard and then forgotten or shrugged off. The Gospel forces you to examine yourself. People (especially young, opinionated, and empowered young people) react very strongly when they are told that God is completely Holy and perfect, and we are the exact opposite. That we can do nothing to please God or to have a relationship with Him on our own because we are separated from Him because of our sin. We don't like to be told that there is something wrong with us, or that we can't do something on our own, and that we need a SAVIOR. God created us to be with Him, but we can't be because we are all sinful. And our sin can only be atoned for (and WAS atoned for) through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are prideful, glory-seeking creatures who want to be self-sufficient and above all RIGHT. We want to be the god of our own life, and even when we realize that we're miserable in this state, we won't admit it. Basically, the Gospel is meant to be offensive and to bring about a strong reaction from those who hear it so that we examine ourself and see our need for Christ.

And you're right, professors and college in general strives to get you to think for yourself and question what you don't understand or what you are told (unless it's from them). That's what I did during school and I encourage you to do the same. When I did, I found that most people who are hostile towards God and Jesus Christ, are against it because they don't like what the Gospel and the Word of God says about them and how it makes them feel.

One thing that a lot of people struggle with is the idea that a loving God could send someone to hell. This doesn't seem fair to us, we try to be a "good person" and live a good life. How could He do that? The truth is, the only thing that isn't fair is that Jesus Christ died for us. He came, fully God and fully man, and lived a perfect life on this earth. He upheld ALL of the old testament law (and we think we're good for praying sometimes and going to church once in a while), he did nothing but good all His years, He was completely and utterly sinless. And He was persecuted and killed in the most gruesome and humiliating way possible. For us. He took on the sins of the world, and was crushed for our evil. THAT isn't fair. But the fact is, Jesus arose and conquered sin AND death. And He is alive today. And He has made a way for us to get to God, by simply admitting we're sinners and that we are broken and we need Him. This negates the question "how could God send someone to hell?" because the fact that sinful wretches like us have ANY chance to be in fellowship with a perfect and Holy God and spend eternity with Him is more grace than we could ever imagine. "Why do I deserve this grace?" is a more appropriate question.

I hope you seek out the truth for yourself. Get in the Word. Pray for God to help your unbelief and to make Himself and His truth real to you. You will not go unheard.

Sir... Well done and where have you been? Great job

.

 

[coolnificent]

 

[sonunox34]

Kind of off-topic, but this is a really interesting documentary I've been watching. It's called "Jesus Camp," and it's about EvangelicalChristians in Missouri who send their kids to a bible camp in North Dakota that is basically brainwashing them. It's actually quite disturbing at partsbecause of how "into it" the kids get.

Watching this REALLY makes me hate the parents.

Here's the TRAILER

�


Here's PART ONE (links at the end of each part lead you to the next):

 

[lobotomybeats]

sonunox34,
I think any parent that subjects their kids to that amount of insanity, hatred, intolerance and absolute nuttiness should be tried for child abuse. Those kidsdon't have a chance if they go down the paths their parents are choosing for them.

When I did, I found that most people who are hostile towards God and Jesus Christ, are against it because they don't like what the Gospel and the Word of God says about them and how it makes them feel.


There may be some people that see it that way, but to say 'most people' is wrong. This is a tactic used by the faithful to combat the faithless'genuine disregard for the bible. They can't dispute the truths so they claim that any ire towards the bible is only because the bible makes them feel badfor their sinful ways.

It has nothing to do with how it makes them feel. If you reject the bible and it's teachings, you believe it is utter rubbish.

 

[biggie62]

1-12 grade Catholic school, plus 2 required semesters at my Univ. I went to a Jesuit HS and now a Univ which is a little more liberal in the way they teach thereligion because they really give you all the facts and then let you decide if you want to continue believing or not. And well. When I read about the historyof the religion. The inquisitions, the crusades, and countless other things. I became very skeptical. We also used the English translation from the Greektexted Bible for our Bible readings. It's the earliest Bible out there and it's the closest thing to the original text as we can get. Man, you see justhow all these modern translations are BS. Like there is no mention of a Hell at all, and plz don't bother finding random quotes from St. Peters Bible orw/e other Bible because it just doesn't exist from the original text. Then there is the fact that my uncle is a priest and well, hell he isn't evensure if there is a God or a heaven so how can I be. Not to mention some of those "visions" they have in the Old Testament are laughable. I mean theseare similar to the types of hallucinations that medicine men had in the Americas haha. Forgot the name of the of the book. But during the Babylonian Exile, onewriter has a vision of seeing a chariot flying in the air with God or the Angels, can't remember, and he's playing and rolling around in his own feces.I mean @!% is that. This story really stood out to me and my teacher couldn't even give me an explanation.

And lastly, I believe that there is some type of higher being, but not something that really cares about us. We all know Jesus was a real person, it'swritten in roman history. But this idea of him being the son of God. Plz. So I'm proud of being agnostic, though my family finds it weird and hates that Icriticize some of our family friends at dinners when they ask me why I don't go to church and such. I mean I find religion to be just a way of givingcertain people hope or a sense of why they are on this earth. But to me it's just another way of controlling people. I for one rather remain agnostic tothe matter. If there is a God, well he'll accept me because I'm a good person and did no harm to people. Not because I follow some rules that areoutdated for this time period in history anyway.

 

[lesfamilia]

Originally Posted by RKO2004

Originally Posted by larrivee7


To the OP, I can identify with what you mean. When you're in college, you for the most part shape who you are going to be for the rest of your life. You get pelted every day with all kinds of worldviews and ideas, and you are forced to respond one way or the other. I really think that if a person grew up in the church, they either move closer to God or farther away while they're in school (or during those years after high school). For many, the combination of being surrounded by so many other worldviews and being away from home/parents/everything you're used to -- leads to doubt in a lot of things they believe.

College campuses, by and large, are hostile towards God, especially towards the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is to be expected, as the Gospel is itself offensive. It is not meant to be heard and then forgotten or shrugged off. The Gospel forces you to examine yourself. People (especially young, opinionated, and empowered young people) react very strongly when they are told that God is completely Holy and perfect, and we are the exact opposite. That we can do nothing to please God or to have a relationship with Him on our own because we are separated from Him because of our sin. We don't like to be told that there is something wrong with us, or that we can't do something on our own, and that we need a SAVIOR. God created us to be with Him, but we can't be because we are all sinful. And our sin can only be atoned for (and WAS atoned for) through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are prideful, glory-seeking creatures who want to be self-sufficient and above all RIGHT. We want to be the god of our own life, and even when we realize that we're miserable in this state, we won't admit it. Basically, the Gospel is meant to be offensive and to bring about a strong reaction from those who hear it so that we examine ourself and see our need for Christ.

And you're right, professors and college in general strives to get you to think for yourself and question what you don't understand or what you are told (unless it's from them). That's what I did during school and I encourage you to do the same. When I did, I found that most people who are hostile towards God and Jesus Christ, are against it because they don't like what the Gospel and the Word of God says about them and how it makes them feel.

One thing that a lot of people struggle with is the idea that a loving God could send someone to hell. This doesn't seem fair to us, we try to be a "good person" and live a good life. How could He do that? The truth is, the only thing that isn't fair is that Jesus Christ died for us. He came, fully God and fully man, and lived a perfect life on this earth. He upheld ALL of the old testament law (and we think we're good for praying sometimes and going to church once in a while), he did nothing but good all His years, He was completely and utterly sinless. And He was persecuted and killed in the most gruesome and humiliating way possible. For us. He took on the sins of the world, and was crushed for our evil. THAT isn't fair. But the fact is, Jesus arose and conquered sin AND death. And He is alive today. And He has made a way for us to get to God, by simply admitting we're sinners and that we are broken and we need Him. This negates the question "how could God send someone to hell?" because the fact that sinful wretches like us have ANY chance to be in fellowship with a perfect and Holy God and spend eternity with Him is more grace than we could ever imagine. "Why do I deserve this grace?" is a more appropriate question.

I hope you seek out the truth for yourself. Get in the Word. Pray for God to help your unbelief and to make Himself and His truth real to you. You will not go unheard.

Sir... Well done and where have you been? Great job

.

+1... I cannot even begin to discuss how God has displayed his redemptive power time and time again in my life and those of the people around me.

 

[rtz13]

im a christian but i'm a skeptic. *shrugs*

 

[larrivee7]

Originally Posted by LESfamilia

Originally Posted by RKO2004

Originally Posted by larrivee7

Sir... Well done and where have you been? Great job

.

+1... I cannot even begin to discuss how God has displayed his redemptive power time and time again in my life and those of the people around me.

Thanks for the kind words guys. I have just begun coming into the general section, and was hoping to find a thread that discusses something with some depth.

I think I found one.

 

[i am furby]

The only thing that is ROCK SOLID that instills faith in me is what I FEEL.

Science is just as sketchy as mainstream religion, with included agenda's etc.

The only thing I can trust are my feelings inside me. They do not lie to me. They do not make up theories or hypothesis.





Science > Church

Me > Science > Church

God & Me > Me > Science > Church

That' real talk right there. Props to you man, that is exactly how I feel too!

 

[daytona 5000]

Originally Posted by sonunox34


��

http://www.youtube.com/v/ujS6URPcSUc&hl=en&fs=1

at this foolishness.


Christian people will swear up and down that their religion is the one true one. Muslims people do the same. Everyone convinced that they have the truth.

 

[rko2004]

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

Originally Posted by sonunox34


��

http://www.youtube.com/v/ujS6URPcSUc&hl=en&fs=1

at this foolishness.


Christian people will swear up and down that their religion is the one true one. Muslims people do the same. Everyone convinced that they have the truth.

Not defending anyone but atheist and non believers all around believe they are right too. I guess we have Jesus camp and you havecollege�

.

 

[daytona 5000]

So honestly....do you REALLY REALLY believe that a man took a boat and put EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL IN THE WORLD on it, and floated around for 40 days?I'm talking about earthworms, ladybugs, polar bears, pythons, rhinos, lions, cheetahs etc. etc...

 

[kb8sandiego]

^
I see where you're going with that, but you're ODing hard with the earthworms, ladybugs, and etc.

And if someone does believe it, why does it bother you so much? What they eat don't make you !@#$?

Just like you said, everyone thinks they got the truth, not just people of faith, but non-believers also. Everyone trying to step on each other's toes.

 

[wooly willy]

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

So honestly....do you REALLY REALLY believe that a man took a boat and put EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL IN THE WORLD on it, and floated around for 40 days? I'm talking about earthworms, ladybugs, polar bears, pythons, rhinos, lions, cheetahs etc. etc...

And do you really, honestly believe that a cloud of particles were floating in a vacuum one day, exploded and created the universe then everythingin existence came by chance? I'm not Christian but I'm just saying atheist beliefs sound just as crazy when you say it like that.

 

[rko2004]

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

So honestly....do you REALLY REALLY believe that a man took a boat and put EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL IN THE WORLD on it, and floated around for 40 days? I'm talking about earthworms, ladybugs, polar bears, pythons, rhinos, lions, cheetahs etc. etc...

I don't know for sure. Who knows what could have happened, I just keep it down to the basics of how to live and get closer to God. The stories can beargued about, whatever, but I'm just trying to live right and help others.

Do you honestly believe that some aliens which you've never seen exist?

I don't think I've asked but do you believe in God period?

And do you really, honestly believe that a cloud of particles were floating in a vacuum one day, exploded and created the universe then everything in existence came by chance? I'm not Christian but I'm just saying atheist beliefs sound just as crazy when you say it like that.
Their idea of everything makes more sense I guess

. I keepsaying the human body is too complex to give credit to evolution. The universe in general is too complex as well.

The process of creating a new life should be a sign that it was designed. I'm not really going at you Daytona, I just get heated in these debates.

 

[daytona 5000]

And do you really, honestly believe that a cloud of particles were floating in a vacuum one day, exploded and created the universe then everything in existence came by chance?


I'm not an atheist though.

do you believe in God period?


I believe in a higher power, I don't know what that higher power is though. To think that we just came out of thin air is stupid IMO

And if someone does believe it, why does it bother you so much? What they eat don't make you !@#$?


It really doesn't matter to tell you the truth, I was raised being taught that stuff, but one day I really sat and thought about it like...for real? EVERYanimal??
I'm just thinking logically.

 

[rko2004]

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

do you believe in God period?

I believe in a higher power, I don't know what that higher power is though. To think that we just came out of thin air is stupid IMO




Got you.

 

[lobotomybeats]

Originally Posted by RKO2004

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

So honestly....do you REALLY REALLY believe that a man took a boat and put EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL IN THE WORLD on it, and floated around for 40 days? I'm talking about earthworms, ladybugs, polar bears, pythons, rhinos, lions, cheetahs etc. etc...

I don't know for sure.

Come on dude. There is no one that can actually believe that rubbish. Why didn't the animals eat each other? Where did the water go? Wherewas Noah that he could get a squirrel, a tiger, a polar bear, an alligator, a roadrunner and a penguin? The zoo?

 

[lobotomybeats]

Originally Posted by RKO2004

Originally Posted by Wooly Willy

And do you really, honestly believe that a cloud of particles were floating in a vacuum one day, exploded and created the universe then everything in existence came by chance? I'm not Christian but I'm just saying atheist beliefs sound just as crazy when you say it like that.

Their idea of everything makes more sense I guess

. I keep saying the human body is too complex to give credit to evolution. The universe in general is too complex as well.

The process of creating a new life should be a sign that it was designed. I'm not really going at you Daytona, I just get heated in these debates.

So if millions of years of evolution couldn't produce the human body, than how can some divine being with no proof of it's existence do itin a day?

 

[rko2004]

Originally Posted by lobotomybeats

Originally Posted by RKO2004

Originally Posted by DAYTONA 5000

So honestly....do you REALLY REALLY believe that a man took a boat and put EVERY SINGLE ANIMAL IN THE WORLD on it, and floated around for 40 days? I'm talking about earthworms, ladybugs, polar bears, pythons, rhinos, lions, cheetahs etc. etc...

I don't know for sure.

Come on dude. There is no one that can actually believe that rubbish. Why didn't the animals eat each other? Where did the water go? Where was Noah that he could get a squirrel, a tiger, a polar bear, an alligator, a roadrunner and a penguin? The zoo?

Come on dude. There is no one that can actually believe that rubbish. A random event occurring out of nothing, then over time all this we see hereis because of evolution and not a supreme being that designed everything? Gravity, the Sun at just the right distance for us, our protective atmosphere, thehuman body, the way us and plants interact? God's design maybe?

See we can go head to head with that. Its all about faith and belief my friend. You have faith in science and mines resides in God.