FeelHappy Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I remember a time when I'd pray before I'd date anyone, listening for gods approval. I'd end relationships if they were dragging me away from god, I kept my closest friends only as christians, I'd say what business does light have with dark (2 Corinthians 6:14-15). I know that myself and many christians were/are like this. Looking back I find it so depressing and sad. All of the times I worried, not about loved ones and their happiness but their eternal soul, all the times I based my decisions on my impressionation of god, it took me so long to realize that the "voice" of god that I and others hear is so influenced by our own opinions that there's no way that its not our own. Thank goodness people like you and I have left the cult and can enjoy relationships and people without all of the god shaped baggage. Thanks for your story, it gives me hope as I deal with a family of devout fundamentalist charismatics. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsRoper Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I was listening to Jerry DeWitt on the Angry Atheist podcast yesterday (it was really good by the way), and I really think that you and JBlue are a lot like him. You are going to be leaders helping the deconverted, just like you were leaders when you were still Xian. We are all lucky to have you guys as advocates. Thank you, that's really sweet of you to say. If you are from a charismatic background you will understand this: I feel like you just gave us a WORD! LOL...Well that was one of my gifts! Ha, ha, I think,it's just raw discernment with intuition. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToonForever Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Still unsure whether I should be celebrating someone's loss of faith (although it feels good to) but I'm so happy your family has come together. Mine - this would never happen. They'll go to the grave with Lard Jebus. So happy for you tho! People do change....so you never can tell. This is true... after all, how many of us ever expected to be on this forum right now?! Holy smoke - yes! I remember in the early years of my fundagelicalism sitting in the College and Career group. The youth pastor at that time (now a non-believer himself, interestingly) said to us, "Ten years from now, less than one in five of you will still be committed believers. The rest of you will fall away. I'm not trying to scare you. That's just statistics." I was determined not to be, and convinced I wouldn't be. Now, a year after shedding the BS, I think about that day all the time. It sounds much less scary from this side of the wall. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Honest Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 I was listening to Jerry DeWitt on the Angry Atheist podcast yesterday (it was really good by the way), and I really think that you and JBlue are a lot like him. You are going to be leaders helping the deconverted, just like you were leaders when you were still Xian. We are all lucky to have you guys as advocates. Thank you, that's really sweet of you to say. If you are from a charismatic background you will understand this: I feel like you just gave us a WORD! LOL...Well that was one of my gifts! Ha, ha, I think,it's just raw discernment with intuition. Haha yeah, I have that "gift", too. You're right, some people are just really perceptive and intuitive. Now that I'm an unbeliever I can still "prophesy" or "read" someone I don't know. I'd love to go back to my old church and do that again, now that I'm a heathen! It would totally mess with their heads! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ConureDelSol Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 This is awesome! To be honest, I'm pretty jealous actually. I can see my mom deconverting one day, at least in secret. My dad though, I don't think he'll ever get out of Christianity and his fundy mindset. You're so unbelievably lucky. You and your husband deconverted together, so did your kids, and now the rest of the family could be following suit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Still unsure whether I should be celebrating someone's loss of faith (although it feels good to) but I'm so happy your family has come together. Mine - this would never happen. They'll go to the grave with Lard Jebus. So happy for you tho! People do change....so you never can tell. This is true... after all, how many of us ever expected to be on this forum right now?! Holy smoke - yes! I remember in the early years of my fundagelicalism sitting in the College and Career group. The youth pastor at that time (now a non-believer himself, interestingly) said to us, "Ten years from now, less than one in five of you will still be committed believers. The rest of you will fall away. I'm not trying to scare you. That's just statistics." I was determined not to be, and convinced I wouldn't be. Now, a year after shedding the BS, I think about that day all the time. It sounds much less scary from this side of the wall. Whenever I despair about someone I know, wondering if they'll ever take their jesus goggles off, I just remind myself that I never expected to end up as an atheist. These days I'm kind of in a weird place- the atheist me can't believe that I ever believed, nor the stupid things I believed (let's just say I took Genesis literally). When I think back to when I was a christian, I never saw this coming, either. So I do hold quite a lot of hope for others, and every time another person deconverts, that hope just gets strengthened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToonForever Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Still unsure whether I should be celebrating someone's loss of faith (although it feels good to) but I'm so happy your family has come together. Mine - this would never happen. They'll go to the grave with Lard Jebus. So happy for you tho! People do change....so you never can tell. This is true... after all, how many of us ever expected to be on this forum right now?! Holy smoke - yes! I remember in the early years of my fundagelicalism sitting in the College and Career group. The youth pastor at that time (now a non-believer himself, interestingly) said to us, "Ten years from now, less than one in five of you will still be committed believers. The rest of you will fall away. I'm not trying to scare you. That's just statistics." I was determined not to be, and convinced I wouldn't be. Now, a year after shedding the BS, I think about that day all the time. It sounds much less scary from this side of the wall. Whenever I despair about someone I know, wondering if they'll ever take their jesus goggles off, I just remind myself that I never expected to end up as an atheist. These days I'm kind of in a weird place- the atheist me can't believe that I ever believed, nor the stupid things I believed (let's just say I took Genesis literally). When I think back to when I was a christian, I never saw this coming, either. So I do hold quite a lot of hope for others, and every time another person deconverts, that hope just gets strengthened. You could be speaking for me on every point Well said. Every one of these stories like the OP is a brick in the foundation of a better world. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SusanStoHeli Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Even if they don't deconvert - they've all had their eyes opened, and you've been able to be open with them, without being rejected - that's wonderful! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted July 12, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 12, 2012 Hey, 2H! Any updates on the family? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser01 Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 When you deconvert its good to have someone there to let you know what to do, without mentor your simply on your own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Honest Posted July 12, 2012 Author Share Posted July 12, 2012 Hey, 2H! Any updates on the family? Not a whole lot to report. My mom is still really searching - watching lots of videos and stuff. It's been really difficult for her to imagine that everything she's believed so long might not be true. She's on an emotional roller coaster right now. My dad doesn't like her researching b/c it upsets her, so he asks her not to do it. So she does all of it while he's at work or in bed. She actually joined the forum but she hasn't posted anything yet. She might just be lurking around here.....Mom??? Are you there? I think my sister and bro-in-law are just sort of living life, not really thinking much about this stuff. We've invited my mom to come stay with us for a couple of days so she can get out of the house and have people to talk to and ask questions. Still waiting to hear back from her about that. That's all I've got for now! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Hi 2H and JBlue's mom!!!!! We love ya!!! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted July 12, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 12, 2012 Word to your mother: Welcome to Ex-C! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Honest Posted July 12, 2012 Author Share Posted July 12, 2012 Here's Mom's profile. Maybe if we bombard her w/friend requests she will feel more comfortable about posting! http://www.ex-christian.net/user/20356-starlyte777/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Added! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcdaddy Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Word to your mother: Welcome to Ex-C! TF, would you happen to be cookin MC's like 16 ounces of swine flesh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackpudd1n Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 Here's Mom's profile. Maybe if we bombard her w/friend requests she will feel more comfortable about posting! http://www.ex-christ...56-starlyte777/ I added your mum, too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator TrueFreedom Posted July 12, 2012 Moderator Share Posted July 12, 2012 Word to your mother: Welcome to Ex-C! TF, would you happen to be cookin MC's like 16 ounces of swine flesh? Like a pound of bacon, baby! I added her as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Valk0010 Posted July 12, 2012 Share Posted July 12, 2012 I think we need scorecards at this rate you guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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