sent in by Lisa

I grew up Catholic, following what my parents taught me, thinking
Christianity was normal and universal to everyone. But even though I didn’t
know anyone of a different religion (or none at all), when I was very
young, probably around 7 or so, I started questioning religion. My
parents always told me that one must know Jesus to gain entrance to the
kingdom of heaven. I didn’t think that was very fair. I remember asking,
“What if there was some remote tribe in the jungle somewhere that didn’t
know about Jesus.. would they go to hell?” My mom said, “Well, that’s
why we have missionaries, to tell them about Jesus.”

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

by Ian

Earlier this year, I was getting a bit fed up with religions and Christianity in general. It was a period where I was in the last stages of breaking off from organized religion, and as one can expect, it’s a difficult process.

At one point, I finally just got so fed up that I decided to do a little rant to try and get the frustration out of my system. This is the result:

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by Onanite

Just before the Xmas season a group called "Left Behind Games" will release a new video game called "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" It is based on the series of xtian fantasy books surrounding the rapture.

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sent in by Trudy

My journey is like many of yours. I grew up in Christianity.

I was born into a Baptist family. When I was young, my mom and dad taught Sunday school and six of us kids trailed behind. One of my sisters played the piano in church and the others I think sang in the choir. My brother and I were younger, so we just sat quietly in the pews with our parents. Our family was a mess, and as we grew older, our parents no longer attended church.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

sent in by Harry M

Hi everyone. My name is Harry. I've posted on here a couple of times before. At this stage in my life I am very confused and feel like I'm in a paradox. Currently, I attend a United Church (you know, that church that some evangelists consider a church of the devil because we accept all people). Anyways, I'm involved in some activities there and even chair a committee. But lately I've been questioning my faith altogether. So what I'm doing now, I guess, is just writing out my thoughts so that I can get more clarity to figure out what exactly I believe.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

sent in by Don

Grab a snack and a beverage and settle in. This might take awhile.

I was baptized and brought up as a Roman Catholic. My first three years of education were spent in parochial school. Here I first learned about Christian behavior when the nuns thought they had a right to administer corporal punishment.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

sent in by Alan

This is going to be slightly different from other testimonies, as I would like to talk about my experiences long after deconversion, rather than during deconversion. What really interests me is the change in my feelings towards Christianity since abandoning the faith.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

Admits to sex crimes against 15-year-old church member

PASCAGOULA MS — Paul Valentine, former youth minister at St. Paul's United Methodist Church in Ocean Springs, pleaded guilty Monday to sex crimes against a 15-year-old church member in 2005.

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A former Lawrence County PA pastor has been charged with 192 counts of possession of child pornography.

The Rev. Robert D. Schmidtberger, 50, of New Castle PA, faces a preliminary hearing Thursday after a yearlong investigation by state police. He resigned April 22 as pastor of Rose Point Reformed Presbyterian Church in New Castle.

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sent in by J.S.

I have to say I made peace with my past, at this point. I was very angry with feelings of being deceived for the longest time. But now, I think I have come to believe error is truly human. And a genuine spirituality can and does exist. However, most people are not ready for that. And so, the masses tend to need a more directive, nurturing, organized, and infantile means of attaining partial spiritual awareness (ironically, a reality acknowledged by philosophical Hinduism).

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

A former Jacksonville FLA pastor has been charged with molesting his young parishioners several decades ago. Now, police believe more victims could be out there.

Dr. Robert Gray, founder of Trinity Christian Academy, remains in jail without bond after investigators say he spent decades keeping a dirty little secret.

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sent in by Barb

I went away to a Christian college when I was seventeen. It didn't take long to see that there were many types of Christians. I was most comfortable with people like me: people who didn't smoke, drink, dance,play cards, watch movies, listen to rock music or fraternize with the opposite sex.

I was least comfortable with the Catholics I met-- my church had told me after all that papists worshipped Mary and therefore would be spending eternity in hell...

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

Is it time for another remake of The Ten Commandments with Charleston Heston?

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By Ian

If you died this minute, went to heaven and met God, what do you think God would ask you?

Would God ask you if you are a Christian?

Would God ask if you if you accepted Jesus?

Would God ask you if you went to church on Sundays?

Or…what if God asked you none of these things? What if God asked you something else?

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sent in by Smaugfrost

I am a recent deconvert (last day or so) but have been in the transition for years. I will not bore everyone with the years of unquestioning servitude to this religion. I am not erudite in writing out my feelings yet, but suffice it to say, I was driven from the teachings of my faith by the teachings of my faith.

My case is simple:

Christianity presents the following dogma.

1.The path to destruction is wide according to the bible.

2.Paganism is an anathema to god and admonished as evil.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

Thank you so much for the chance of adressing you.

My name is Paul and I've been viewing your website for about six years and your format is very impressive. I will be upfront with you I am a follower of Jesus Christ and I have belonged to Him for the last ten years.

I've read a lot of your articles and the many different comments of those post here. Of course we are both at odds with each other theologically, however I do respect your sincerity and your logical way of thinking. I will not aproach you and your fellow Exchrists as some Christians do.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

Many women, both within Christianity and outside of the Christian faith have the vague sense that something is missing from traditional views of God or Goodness.

Christianity has its roots in patriarchal desert societies, in the traditions of the ancient Hebrews, which in turn have their roots in Akkadian and Sumerian epics and culture. In survival-oriented, food-scarce, warring traditions like these, God is generally thought of as male. But what, exactly, does that mean?

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Thank you so much for the chance of adressing you.

My name is Paul and I've been viewing your website for about six years and your format is very impressive. I will be upfront with you I am a follower of Jesus Christ and I have belonged to Him for the last ten years.

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Just cruising through. After a brief glance around it becomes clear to me that this is either a pathetic defense of atheism, for which any self-respecting nonbeliever should be embarassed...

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LONDON, /PRNewswire/ — Tom Jones recently appeared on British TV (Channel 4's "Popworld") where he discussed his feelings about the Sacramento, California-based Church of Tom Jones. "It's weird, but a positive thing," said Jones. "I inspired Pastor Jack. He saw the light through me, so it works."

Watch video: http://www.pastorjackradio.com/media/tomjones.asx.

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Ex-Christians,

I submitted a testimony on Aug. 7-05.

I read every day on this site and have been amazed by the superior thinking ability of some of you. I never have been able to concentrate for long periods of time on academic pursuits, but some of the regular posters here mesmerize me to the extent that when I see their names, I can't turn the computer off till I have scrutinized every word of their posts.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

sent in by Jess

My earliest memories are of being in church. I remember being about three years old and looking through the hymn books at the pictures of birds. I thought that the priest was actually God and thought that "sins" were tangible...things. My other memories are of falling asleep on the pew being as old as six. After that, my dad always made me kneel with my back completely straight when the time came, etc.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

Dave, If you are an ex-christian then you know that Jesus esixts and that he loves you. Satan does not love you or care anything for or of you. I beg you to change your mind and reevaluate your decision to step away from the Lord and talk and pray to Him about your questions.

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sent in by Mark

Have I believed a lie for 20 years?

I’ve been debating with my Christian friends for months now, about the bucket-load of inconsistencies, contradictions and atrocities I continue to find when I read the bible. After 20 years as a Christian, I can’t pretend any longer and ignore all the stuff that I’m finding.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

sent in by Tim

Imagine for a moment, if you will, the following:

There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.

(The Gospel of Luke 15:11-13)

What if the son didn't squander his money? What if he went to college and gained his own reasoning? His own ideas? And realized he'd always had questions that had been tidely swept under the rug by those that were supposed to be his spiritual teachers?

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

An Indianapolis pastor charged this week with ripping off money intended for Indiana's poor is under investigation for receiving disability payments for which he may not have been eligible.

Rochell Johnson reportedly received more than $20,000 a year in benefits while holding two jobs -- as pastor of Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church and bus driver for Lawrence Township Schools.

According to court records, he received the money based on conditions including sickle cell anemia and congestive heart failure.

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A pair of fish which appear to bear the words Allah and Mohammed were hailed as a "message from God."

The Oscar fish were spotted in a pet shop in Speke, Liverpool, by 23-year-old Ali Al-Waqedi.

He noticed that the markings on one fish appeared to spell Allah, the Islamic term for God, in Arabic.

He then saw that another fish in the same tank appeared to bear the word Mohammed, the name of the last Islamic prophet, also in Arabic.


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sent in by Pablo

I was born into a non religious family my father was raised catholic and my mother Church of England, her mother was and still is a scripture teacher, but we only attended church for weddings, baptisms and funerals.

If Christianity was ever discussed my father always had the same catch phrase "it's all based on pagan myth" , I had no idea what he was talking about and continued to ignore him as it was blissful.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

The pastor of an Elgin IL church has been charged with battery after it was alleged that he repeatedly used a piece of wood to discipline a 12-year-old girl.

Police said the girl's mother took her to the pastor because she doubted the girl's claim that she was being sexually abused by another man.

Elgin police said Thursday they believe the girl's original allegations are true. On Wednesday they charged Daryl Bujak, 30, pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church, with misdemeanor battery. He was released after posting $500 bail. He has a June 16 court appearance in the Elgin branch of Kane County Circuit Court, said police Lt. Mike Turner.

"It's unbelievable," he said. "It's a sad case for this girl."

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As part of a plea deal reached by the State of Alabama and the victims of convicted sex offenders, Ralph Randall Melton and his wife, Cathy G. Melton, were sentenced to spend slightly more than three months is prison followed by 36 months probation.

Circuit Judge Sibley Reynolds delivered the sentence yesterday morning after making sure the victims fully understood that what was about to be delivered was light considering the charges.

"Are you sure you want to do this," he asked family members gathered at the bench. "As far as the (plea) deal, I'd like nothing more than to put them away for the rest of their lives."

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sent in by David

I’d been with the church for so long I still dream about it. Every Sunday, the same routine. But in the beginning I was all for it. As a kid it was easier to believe I suppose. I remember being a very devoted Santa myth believer as well, something I think should be shutdown right along with religion for what it’s doing to children! But back to my story.

I believed it. I honestly believed it all.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

SPRINGFIELD — The Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office reported Wednesday that a Baptist minister was arrested April 21 and booked with a sexual battery count involving a 16-year-old juvenile.

Brian Bravo, 46, former pastor of Soverent Grace Baptist Church near Springfield, Louisiana, was released April 24 after posting $75,000 bail.

“I’m not guilty of the charge. I was falsely accused,” Bravo said Wednesday.

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I read some of the things that your website said about christians and I know that there are christians that are not smart or make the rest of us look bad and people who think they are christians but are really not. Just because someone says they are a christian and they always go to church does not mean they are a christian. I am a guy and if I joined the girl scouts would that make me a girl? I also know that there are good people who are atheists and I am not trying to be mean to you. I just wonder why you would risk everything like that.

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The comments will no longer be sent to subscribers of the Yahoo Group. Why? Yahoo decided to delete the group—too much traffic. So, I've set up another option: Join our ListServer. See the recent comments page for instructions.

WM

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sent in by Gary

This isn’t an extimony in the usual sense that you normally see here on this website. I have been a lurker here for a few months now. I have read many of the extimonies written by former Christians. With out a doubt I believe these folks are very sincere in there contributions here. As you can read from their posts you can see how sincerely they sought out the God of the Bible and failed to find this very elusive being.

Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

Hixson TN—The pastor of Middle Valley Methodist Church has been charged with three counts of statutory rape and three counts of sexual battery by an authority figure.

Authorities said Rev. Gregory Stanley Dempsey was interviewed at the County Jail and admitted to the allegations.

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Former clergyman Lin Jing-you, charged for molesting an underage girl during his ministry in 2002, was sentenced to an additional year of imprisonment on Wednesday when the Taiwan High Court ruled that he has not demonstrated any remorse for his conduct.

In a preliminary trial, Lin was sentenced to four years in prison,

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sent in by Ian

When I was a Christian, one of the most frightening and intimidating aspects of the faith was the dreaded judgment day, where God (or Jesus, depending on who you speak too) will judge you and send you to either heaven or hell for all eternity. What better way to keep someone in line by threatening them with a judgment?

Because I am no longer a Christian, I no longer believe in a day of judgment. In fact, I find the whole idea to be very juvenile. If you go through life seeing it as a trial, then the view of a judgment makes sense. If you go through life seeing it as an opportunity to learn and grow to become a better individual, the idea of a day of judgment becomes...well...silly.

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Technorati tags: ex-Christian | exchristian | ex-tian | extian

Ray Comfort and Kirk Cameron — former child actor and star of the tv series, "Growing Pains" — have a message for us:

"Never again do you need to be intimidated by an atheist. Learn how to prove God's existence and effectively witness to these so-called 'intellectuals'."

Here is a sample from one of their videos involving a banana.

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The lead pastor at a Charlotte N.C. church was indicted Friday on nine federal charges that accuse him of tax evasion and making false statements to banks and federal officials.

John Henry Walker, senior pastor at Macedonia Baptist Church, is accused of underreporting his income between 1999 and 2003 by almost $550,000 and evading federal income taxes of more than $125,000 for those years, according to U.S. Attorney Gretchen C.F. Shappert.

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