Sorry To Disappoint You Guys...

[SEEtheScorn]

I haven't been on here long enough to feel the friendship you feel with people, and I don't know you very well. But of course, wish you luck. I don't have problems with people who believe, I just wonder why they chose as you do.

 

My only warning, and very sincere wish, is that you stay clear of letting your emotions lead you. Things that make you happy, aren't always good for you! Some people's conditions are called diseases from the outside, although to them, makes them happy. Eating, smoking, drinking, whatever. Crutches are never good. I do hope you are not using Jesus/God as a crutch for your happiness.

 

Use your mind! Engage your intellect. Search, seek, study, strive. And never stop.

[thechosenone]

Hey wait a minute this isnt the ex-God.net this is ex-christian.net. Spirituality is about what makes you a better person and brings you peace and happiness. Congradulations!

[SEEtheScorn]

In her "any gods" she has Jesus. If Jesus is god, I think that makes her a Christian by definition.

[ShackledNoMore]

Good to hear from you again, Kathlene. Missed ya around here!

[Thurisaz]

Thanks for checking back in with us, Kathleen. You're well thought of here, so it's good to see that you're doing well.

 

This!

[ContraBardus]

Hmmm. I think many, [but not all] are avoiding admitting disappointment for the sake of not hurting feelings.

 

I am, of course, disappointed to hear such a thing from anyone.

 

I am not, however, angry, resentful, upset, or otherwise emotionally invested in your decision. I've enjoyed your posts, and hope that you do not acquire the worst traits of Christians in your journey. I hope you remember what it's like to not believe, and do not forget that experience, even if you now do so.

 

Don't ever feel sorry for us. Don't try to do things for us for our own good. Don't trick yourself into imagining that we secretly believe, or need to be saved. Do not imagine that we are angry at your God, or imagine wars against your faith in the form of nothing but discussion and dialogue.

 

Often the worst kinds of Christians are those who are 'born again'. They forget, lose touch, and are often the ones who become the worst of those this site is made to defend against.

 

In all honesty, the ones I usually hear 'there are no former Christians' and 'Once saved, always saved' from the most often and the loudest are born again Christians. They are often the ones who promote the lie that Atheists really believe in their God, and are just angry.

 

I hope such a fate does not await you. I've seen no signs that it will.

 

Do not become what you once hated. It is easier to do than you think. Do not forget that non-believers are people too, or that Christians are not better people than those who believe in other faiths. Do not forget that charity, kindness, morality, or empathy are not exclusive to Christians, and that they are no better at those things, and feel no more love than any other person.

 

Religion will try to convince you otherwise. It will tell you that there is something wrong with us, that we are evil, that we are immoral, that we are wrong.

 

If it is your faith that we are wrong, do not confuse that by definition, that it must include all of those other traits as well. If your God is real, then he gave those traits to all of us, and he did not give the Christians more than he gave anyone else.

 

You do not become better just by accepting Jesus. At best, you are merely forgiven. That's not really an improvement, nor does it make you any better a human being.

 

If you have been convinced to believe in Jesus, do not let others tell you what he says, what he thinks of others, or what he means. If he couldn't make it clear enough himself for anyone to understand without help or interpretation, then he is no God.

 

Perhaps Jesus was very wise, but that does not mean that all wisdom comes from Christianity. Like Morals, Ethics, Love, Charity, and Empathy, there is no evidence God gave any more wisdom to those who follow Jesus than he did to anyone else.

 

I'm not sure what changed your mind, what made you accept what you once rejected, what convinced you where you had been unconvinced. It doesn't really matter.

 

Proceed with caution is my advice. Think carefully on what changed your mind. Did you accept it for emotional reasons? Did you accept it just to be accepted? Did you experience something that you could not explain through other means? Was it just a matter of Faith?

 

I'll never understand how belief in anything with a complete lack of evidence is a good thing. Why it is something to be proud of. Of one thing I am certain, the decision was not evidence based. If it was, the very existence of such evidence would be a very big deal.

 

Still, 'disappointed' is an accurate word to describe what I think of the matter.

 

Why shouldn't we be disappointed? What's wrong with disappointment anyway?

 

I wouldn't say I'm severely disappointed or anything. It is not of particular concern to me. I will spend no time thinking of it later. I will not dwell on it after this post is made.

 

It's just, disappointing to hear. Sort of like when a person you don't know very well informs you that a relative of theirs has died. It's not good news, it probably won't upset you, but you would not want to make them feel worse about it. You would not express pleasure upon hearing the news.

 

This is no different. I'm not glad to hear such a thing. It does not upset me. I'm not about to congratulate you on it though.

 

Good luck, I wish you well. I'm not going ignore future, or treat your posts as any different than I would anyone else's. You've not done anything 'wrong' really. I think you're in error. I've got nothing against you personally. I certainly enjoyed your posts in the past, and see no reason to be unkind, but I'd be lying if I said I'm not disappointed to hear it.

 

You've got a good reputation here. You've earned it. Just don't abuse it. Looking forward to future posts if you choose to make any.

[Kathlene]

Hmmm. I think many, [but not all] are avoiding admitting disappointment for the sake of not hurting feelings.

 

I am, of course, disappointed to hear such a thing from anyone.

 

I am not, however, angry, resentful, upset, or otherwise emotionally invested in your decision. I've enjoyed your posts, and hope that you do not acquire the worst traits of Christians in your journey. I hope you remember what it's like to not believe, and do not forget that experience, even if you now do so.

 

Don't ever feel sorry for us. Don't try to do things for us for our own good. Don't trick yourself into imagining that we secretly believe, or need to be saved. Do not imagine that we are angry at your God, or imagine wars against your faith in the form of nothing but discussion and dialogue.

 

Often the worst kinds of Christians are those who are 'born again'. They forget, lose touch, and are often the ones who become the worst of those this site is made to defend against.

 

In all honesty, the ones I usually hear 'there are no former Christians' and 'Once saved, always saved' from the most often and the loudest are born again Christians. They are often the ones who promote the lie that Atheists really believe in their God, and are just angry.

 

I hope such a fate does not await you. I've seen no signs that it will.

 

Do not become what you once hated. It is easier to do than you think. Do not forget that non-believers are people too, or that Christians are not better people than those who believe in other faiths. Do not forget that charity, kindness, morality, or empathy are not exclusive to Christians, and that they are no better at those things, and feel no more love than any other person.

 

Religion will try to convince you otherwise. It will tell you that there is something wrong with us, that we are evil, that we are immoral, that we are wrong.

 

If it is your faith that we are wrong, do not confuse that by definition, that it must include all of those other traits as well. If your God is real, then he gave those traits to all of us, and he did not give the Christians more than he gave anyone else.

 

You do not become better just by accepting Jesus. At best, you are merely forgiven. That's not really an improvement, nor does it make you any better a human being.

 

If you have been convinced to believe in Jesus, do not let others tell you what he says, what he thinks of others, or what he means. If he couldn't make it clear enough himself for anyone to understand without help or interpretation, then he is no God.

 

Perhaps Jesus was very wise, but that does not mean that all wisdom comes from Christianity. Like Morals, Ethics, Love, Charity, and Empathy, there is no evidence God gave any more wisdom to those who follow Jesus than he did to anyone else.

 

I'm not sure what changed your mind, what made you accept what you once rejected, what convinced you where you had been unconvinced. It doesn't really matter.

 

Proceed with caution is my advice. Think carefully on what changed your mind. Did you accept it for emotional reasons? Did you accept it just to be accepted? Did you experience something that you could not explain through other means? Was it just a matter of Faith?

 

I'll never understand how belief in anything with a complete lack of evidence is a good thing. Why it is something to be proud of. Of one thing I am certain, the decision was not evidence based. If it was, the very existence of such evidence would be a very big deal.

 

Still, 'disappointed' is an accurate word to describe what I think of the matter.

 

Why shouldn't we be disappointed? What's wrong with disappointment anyway?

 

I wouldn't say I'm severely disappointed or anything. It is not of particular concern to me. I will spend no time thinking of it later. I will not dwell on it after this post is made.

 

It's just, disappointing to hear. Sort of like when a person you don't know very well informs you that a relative of theirs has died. It's not good news, it probably won't upset you, but you would not want to make them feel worse about it. You would not express pleasure upon hearing the news.

 

This is no different. I'm not glad to hear such a thing. It does not upset me. I'm not about to congratulate you on it though.

 

Good luck, I wish you well. I'm not going ignore future, or treat your posts as any different than I would anyone else's. You've not done anything 'wrong' really. I think you're in error. I've got nothing against you personally. I certainly enjoyed your posts in the past, and see no reason to be unkind, but I'd be lying if I said I'm not disappointed to hear it.

 

You've got a good reputation here. You've earned it. Just don't abuse it. Looking forward to future posts if you choose to make any.

Contrabardus,

 

That was a beautiful post. I really appreciated it. It was insightful, and I really got a lot out of reading it. Some of your words are so truthful. I will take all your advice on board and keep it in mind. Thankyou.

Regards, Kathlene.

[PocketAces]

Ok...here is the news for all my valued friends that I have made on this site over this past year. Wow, what a journey. I have made the decision to turn back to God.

"WHAT???" I can hear you all shrieking.

I know its a shock for you all. Its my decision and I am happy about it. It was a very complex decision. I have far more peace now and am more settled. I would like to stay around on the forums if you would have me though. I probably won't post much though. I was never a good debater and I don't intend to start now. I have no desire whatsoever to preach, convert, yada yada. Whatever anyone believes is their own personal story and frankly none of my business.

 

I thought out of respect for all the wonderful people I have met on here I would tell you my news. I would have to say that the people on this site have become far more than just words on a screen for me. Thankyou for all the support you guys have shown and given me these past months. I hope to still connect with you in some way still. I would hate to think that my change of beliefs would sever friendships.

 

Kind regards,

 

Kathlene.xx

I hope the best. I haven't been too active on this forum anymore and I doubt you even remember my name. There's no disappointment from me simply because, you have to work out how you see the world and what you believe on your own. I just hope the best for anyone that comes to the conclusion that they do. I've got more important things in life to worry about than what others believe but I have plenty of hope for the best with this type of stuff.

 

Your post reminds me of when I deconverted and I went to a forum called CF(www.christianforums.com). I just recently stopped posting there for various of reasons. There are some good people I've talked to for the past 5 plus years that I was on that forum. We keep in contact via email, msn or facebook. I lurk there off and on and I made a couple of posts there after I was 'done'. I've almost posted some more but I stop myself. You do learn that those that keep in contact were the only ones talking to.

[Kathlene]

Ok...here is the news for all my valued friends that I have made on this site over this past year. Wow, what a journey. I have made the decision to turn back to God.

"WHAT???" I can hear you all shrieking.

I know its a shock for you all. Its my decision and I am happy about it. It was a very complex decision. I have far more peace now and am more settled. I would like to stay around on the forums if you would have me though. I probably won't post much though. I was never a good debater and I don't intend to start now. I have no desire whatsoever to preach, convert, yada yada. Whatever anyone believes is their own personal story and frankly none of my business.

 

I thought out of respect for all the wonderful people I have met on here I would tell you my news. I would have to say that the people on this site have become far more than just words on a screen for me. Thankyou for all the support you guys have shown and given me these past months. I hope to still connect with you in some way still. I would hate to think that my change of beliefs would sever friendships.

 

Kind regards,

 

Kathlene.xx

I hope the best. I haven't been too active on this forum anymore and I doubt you even remember my name. There's no disappointment from me simply because, you have to work out how you see the world and what you believe on your own. I just hope the best for anyone that comes to the conclusion that they do. I've got more important things in life to worry about than what others believe but I have plenty of hope for the best with this type of stuff.

 

Your post reminds me of when I deconverted and I went to a forum called CF(www.christianforums.com). I just recently stopped posting there for various of reasons. There are some good people I've talked to for the past 5 plus years that I was on that forum. We keep in contact via email, msn or facebook. I lurk there off and on and I made a couple of posts there after I was 'done'. I've almost posted some more but I stop myself. You do learn that those that keep in contact were the only ones talking to.

You know yesterday I was reading an old thread and a post of yours was in it. I thought to myself I havent seen you around for a while, and then today here you are! Of course I remember you PocketAces. I hope you are well and enjoy the friendships you have found on these forums, and the other christian ones

[R. S. Martin]

I had a dream the other night in which I was writing a similar post--or asking myself if I still had a right to attend the local humanist brunches. Somehow, I found myself back to attending my old horse and buggy church and feeling happy about it. But of course I retained my education and computer and online friends. So it was a reconversion for the duration of the dream--something I've thought about in waking time, too. Grieving process, I believe.

[Dagaz]

ChristianForums! I used to be a moderator over there back in the day, though obviously under a different name. (RPG forums and I think one of the apologetics boards?)

 

Well, whatever your belief, I wish you luck, even though I'm brand new here and don't know you at all.

[PocketAces]

Ok...here is the news for all my valued friends that I have made on this site over this past year. Wow, what a journey. I have made the decision to turn back to God.

"WHAT???" I can hear you all shrieking.

I know its a shock for you all. Its my decision and I am happy about it. It was a very complex decision. I have far more peace now and am more settled. I would like to stay around on the forums if you would have me though. I probably won't post much though. I was never a good debater and I don't intend to start now. I have no desire whatsoever to preach, convert, yada yada. Whatever anyone believes is their own personal story and frankly none of my business.

 

I thought out of respect for all the wonderful people I have met on here I would tell you my news. I would have to say that the people on this site have become far more than just words on a screen for me. Thankyou for all the support you guys have shown and given me these past months. I hope to still connect with you in some way still. I would hate to think that my change of beliefs would sever friendships.

 

Kind regards,

 

Kathlene.xx

I hope the best. I haven't been too active on this forum anymore and I doubt you even remember my name. There's no disappointment from me simply because, you have to work out how you see the world and what you believe on your own. I just hope the best for anyone that comes to the conclusion that they do. I've got more important things in life to worry about than what others believe but I have plenty of hope for the best with this type of stuff.

 

Your post reminds me of when I deconverted and I went to a forum called CF(www.christianforums.com). I just recently stopped posting there for various of reasons. There are some good people I've talked to for the past 5 plus years that I was on that forum. We keep in contact via email, msn or facebook. I lurk there off and on and I made a couple of posts there after I was 'done'. I've almost posted some more but I stop myself. You do learn that those that keep in contact were the only ones talking to.

You know yesterday I was reading an old thread and a post of yours was in it. I thought to myself I havent seen you around for a while, and then today here you are! Of course I remember you PocketAces. I hope you are well and enjoy the friendships you have found on these forums, and the other christian ones

Well now has been for sure for the past couple of months. Scrambling my password makes my account inactive

 

I go in and out on this forum so we'll see if I make any new friends or not