A special thanks and testimony

[quantumfireball2099]

Hey guys,

I have been lurking these forums for a little while now, and I figured this would be the best place for this thread. I have had the urge to thank some people for their guidance through a hard time in my life. I think I will start with the beginning.

I was raised a Pentecostal Christian in a small Assembly of God church and also went to private school therein. My education was anything but intensified, especially in the sciences as evolution was rarely mentioned let alone explained. I think the most I ever heard about Evolution was in 9th grade when, in a Bible class, our teacher (who was also a Pastor) showed us videos of Kent Hovind. Yes, the very same Kent Hovind whose videos have been that have been debunked time and time again. The sad part is, without actually having an education in Evolution and Biology; I took what he was saying for the truth.

Though in the end that was the worst thing they could have done. Years had passed, and I had always been skeptical about the bible to a degree, but even when inconstancies came up, I would have been able to talk to my Youth Pastor about it and we would come up with the usual "God works in mysterious ways, we can't possibly know why he does what he does, blah blah blah." Every few weeks we would also have a Q and A session in our youth group, and I would come up with questions and play the devil's advocate so to speak, and at the time I thought it was harmless enough until I had a few questions that would stump him. He always said he would get back to answers them but never did.

About 3-4 years ago I started using YouTube thinking that it would be great to get back into apologetics. I put the name Kent Hovind into YouTube and I came across a channel by the name Extantdodo. I'm sure you can figure out the rest.

I now consider myself an Agnostic, and I just wanted to thank everyone who was involved in helping me through my transition. ExtantDodo, DonExodus2, AronRa, AndromedasWake, Thunderf00t. You have my thanks. And to all other free thinking YouTube users out there, keep up the good work, you do change lives!

Thank you,

QuantumFireball2099

 

[Case]

Agnostic theist or agnostic atheist?

 

[quantumfireball2099]

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific. Agnostic Atheist. It's strange for me to be labeling myself, it's the first time I've ever done it in writing.

 

[ImprobableJoe]

I'm sorry, I should have been more specific. Agnostic Atheist. It's strange for me to be labeling myself, it's the first time I've ever done it in writing.

Pretty soon, you'll be screaming at your parents about it. Is it nice to get it off of your chest, to go ahead and say it? I never had a deconversion moment, so I'm sort of jealous.

 

[quantumfireball2099]

I feel that way sometimes Joe, they know that I'm not like I used to be but they don't know how deep the devconversion went. I'm sure my whole family is praying for me to come back to christ and the church. It is a good feeling to finally talk about it, even to people I don't know. My wife knows about it to an extent, though she gets upset about it, although I don't understand why. She is not very religious at all, we never go to church, she never reads the bible or prays, but she gets to tears if I start getting into it. I think slowly she is starting to get it though. There is some crappy stuff going on in her family, and I think she is starting to realize how poor God treats even his most devoted followers.

It's a strange feeling, an awkward position, and I am still in the closet about not believing in God completely. I tell her that I don't believe in the old testament version of him, but that I believe in an overall universal creator. I know it's dishonest, but she has been so brainwashed, I have to take baby steps in opening her mind to it all. My whole family is the same way, except it makes sense for them to be upset about it, they are all bible thumpers.

My family is great, I mean, they are so full of Love, but not understanding. My great aunt said I need to find a Church I can fit in with, I just want to scream; "You don't get it!" but I don't want to be completely alienated from my family either.

 

[monitoradiation]

Like IJ, I've never had a deconversion neither.

I think a lot of atheists who were raised as such who became interested in math and science and reason tend to be jealous of people who has had to deconvert. Not that it will make arguments more convincing, but. It'd be kinda nifty to be "in the club".

Then again, I don't envy those who recovered from rehab... So many not.

ANYWAY! Welcome to the forum :3

 

[Case]

how poor God treats even his most devoted followers.

It always seemed to me as if it was those who were worst off who tended to be(come) the most devout.

By the way - welcome to the real world.

 

[Hwon]

I feel that way sometimes Joe, they know that I'm not like I used to be but they don't know how deep the devconversion went. I'm sure my whole family is praying for me to come back to christ and the church. It is a good feeling to finally talk about it, even to people I don't know. My wife knows about it to an extent, though she gets upset about it, although I don't understand why. She is not very religious at all, we never go to church, she never reads the bible or prays, but she gets to tears if I start getting into it. I think slowly she is starting to get it though. There is some crappy stuff going on in her family, and I think she is starting to realize how poor God treats even his most devoted followers.

It's a strange feeling, an awkward position, and I am still in the closet about not believing in God completely. I tell her that I don't believe in the old testament version of him, but that I believe in an overall universal creator. I know it's dishonest, but she has been so brainwashed, I have to take baby steps in opening her mind to it all. My whole family is the same way, except it makes sense for them to be upset about it, they are all bible thumpers.

My family is great, I mean, they are so full of Love, but not understanding. My great aunt said I need to find a Church I can fit in with, I just want to scream; "You don't get it!" but I don't want to be completely alienated from my family either.

Religiosity doesn't necessarily involve being dogmatic. She could be just as emotionally invested if not more so than other friends and family that are dogmatic.

As you continue to understand more about the nature of religion and faith you will probably realize that the fight for acceptance amongst those who believe has little to do with explaining your position. The logic probably won't reach them and that whatever kicked in for you to make you doubt and become curious didn't happen for them. In my opinion the best way to reach them while not to being alienated is to do what I like to call, "Beat the Bible at it's own game." By this I mean whenever there is a good opportunity go and present an idea or thought superior in moral appeal or personal romanticism than that which is presented in the Bible.

For example, that you love your wife more than you would or could ever love God, that you would sacrifice yourself and face eternal punishment before ever harming a loved one upon God's command, etc.... Essentially this is about feelings and you need to provide something superior to what religion affords them.

 

[quantumfireball2099]

"Beat the Bible at it's own game." By this I mean whenever there is a good opportunity go and present an idea or thought superior in moral appeal or personal romanticism than that which is presented in the Bible.

For example, that you love your wife more than you would or could ever love God, that you would sacrifice yourself and face eternal punishment before ever harming a loved one upon God's command, etc.... Essentially this is about feelings and you need to provide something superior to what religion affords them.

I do this as often as I can already :lol: She knows I know much much more about the bible than she does, so she doesn't bring it up much. This is the main reason, I think, that she is slowly starting to 'get it'. Knowing that I was once more 'dedicated' to Christ than her, and now I am anything but.

Also props to ProMTF and NonStampCollector for finding awesome bible passages that completely contradict the Bible. <<< These videos helped me as well. One of the main things that bothered me after I already stopped going to church was the story of Jeptah that I never once heard about. The more and more I read of the bible, the more and more I want nothing to do with it, or its god.

I don't know if you guys have ever heard about the YT user 3vid3nc3, but my life very closely parallels his own, though he was more fundamental that I was.

 

[Krazyskooter]

Hey, my story is very similar to yours. I am from South Mississippi, raised in an independent baptist church. Went through the whole Kent Hovind ordeal as well (even met the guy once) taught Sundayschool to the adult classes when the church was in-between pastors. About a year ago I started looking into Kent hovind and found those same debunk vids. You really shouldn't envy people their deconversion. It really is a psychological battle. Can't tell you how many times I used to be terrified to go to sleep. At first i started asking questions about certain concepts in the bible, and when no one had an answer for me they always just fell back on faith. I finally came out and told my family about it they treated me like I was the devil. My cousins wouldn't come around me or let their kids near me. The preacher even said he wouldn't argue with the devil, and that I couldn't love my family without the love of god in me. After a long time I started to stop being angry and just started ignoring any mention of it. My family still tells me they're praying for me and that they know I'll be back to church, that I couldn't possibly not believe in god. My grandmother died three weeks ago, and the whole funeral service was directed at me. (my grandmother raised me) my aunts seemed to gang up on me talking about how great heaven will be and how I won't be there to see my grandma again. I ignored them. Then last week I made a few stickers for their cars remembering her. And my aunt asked me if I changed my mind about god, I said no, and she actually said that she was hoping her mothers death might have changed me and meant something.... Seems like life around here is just one big guilt trip.
U

 

[quantumfireball2099]

@ Krazyskooter,

That's intense. I don't think my family would have that strong of a negative reaction but I know they would treat me differently if I came out and called myself an atheist. The word have been tainted so badly by the church. You might as well be the anti-christ to some of these people. I know it would tear the family up and, as I said before, I don't want to be alienated.

Though I do often wonder what it would be like to post it on my facebook and see the reactions I would get. I bet half of the people on my list would delete me from their friends list and the other half wouldn't only because they didn't see the post... I think once my parents pass (they are only in their 50's) I will be more open to telling my family... I just fear the rejection they might recieve as well.

 

[lrkun]

@ Krazyskooter,

That's intense. I don't think my family would have that strong of a negative reaction but I know they would treat me differently if I came out and called myself an atheist. The word have been tainted so badly by the church. You might as well be the anti-christ to some of these people. I know it would tear the family up and, as I said before, I don't want to be alienated.

Though I do often wonder what it would be like to post it on my facebook and see the reactions I would get. I bet half of the people on my list would delete me from their friends list and the other half wouldn't only because they didn't see the post... I think once my parents pass (they are only in their 50's) I will be more open to telling my family... I just fear the rejection they might recieve as well.

You are required to think logically with respect to your decisions. ^^ It is not a necessity to inform your parents if the result will destroy or estrange your relationship.

Keep up the good work.