Any Christians/former Christians here who left the church?

i went for some time without going to church because i didn't like it. i wanted to be a christian and go solo. but then i ended up going to a christian college and i read a book by philip yancey called church why bother? And i learned that yeah churches aren't always perfect, but there is something good there you can find. so after i graduated i went church shopping, and found a church i've been going to for over 20 years! it feels like home to me, from the first moment i went there. i love it because there is where i can worship God with other people, and i can serve the community like helping the poor. there is a women's bible study i go to, so i can learn more about God and i can make friendships. people pray for you there. there is a support system. not all churches are alike. there are so many, and i feel bad for people that have had bad experiences at church. not all churches are bad!

I used to be a christian, then I grew a brain and started thinking for myself.

1) I read the bible
2) Not long after I read the bible but it did take a while to escape their clutches. They kept trying to "help you [me] get back to god".
3) Nothing, it was just a complete waste of time.

Oh, cool. A question that's right up my alley.

So, I grew up in the Lutheran Church. My mom was raised Catholic, and I later found out that I was raised Lutheran because she was no longer welcome at the Catholic Church, because my dad had been married previously. But I didn't know about all that as a kid.

I learned all the Bible stories they like to tell kids, and really nothing about the problematic ones. But even with what little exposure to the Bible I had, I started questioning. I read a book called "God Loved The Muddle", a children's story about Genesis. At the end, it talked about people and how two people became four, and four people became 16, or whatever. I don't remember, exactly, but I do remember thinking that would involve a lot of inbreeding.

That was me at age five. Knowing little to nothing about how sex happened, or genetics, I just knew that siblings having children would be a bad thing.

But that's not what led me away from the church. I drifted for a while, not sure what religion to practice, because my mom didn't want me following my friend Brian into Wicca. Her reasoning was that if I was burning incense in the house, that would be a good way to cover up the smell of marijuana. (When I did start smoking marijuana, I just did it at friends' houses. 😆)

Eventually, I was drawn back into Christianity by a cousin of mine, who led me through a version of the sinner's prayer. He has a particular talent for exuding positive energy on a level you can feel. Over the internet. I mistook that joyous energy for the welcoming embrace of God. I was insufferable for a few years. Going to church, buying all the right clothes with Christian slogans on them, arguing about it online, and generally being a dick. (I didn't see it, of course, because I thought I was trying to save people from hell.)

Cut to a few years later. I had seen what I thought was a financial opportunity. Bought an ounce of marijuana, and divided it up into dub sacks. My first potential customer was an off-duty cop. So now I had a couple of years on my hands, and so I read the Bible. Cover to cover. Three times.

I tell you what, by the third read through, I had some serious questions. Not just about the inbreeding in Genesis, but about the whole thing. Witchcraft and divination, conjuring spirits of the dead? Possible according to the Bible, but not so much according to Christians. And let's not even get started with the story of Elisha and the bears.

It was around that time that I met a young man named David, who was something of an expert in Bible history. That is to say, the history of how the Bible was put together. From him, I learned that numerous books that were originally in the Torah and the tanak were excluded from what we call the Old Testament, and that at least one book that was included is so old, not even the rabbis know its age or origin. That book is Job, and it most likely predates Judaism, let alone Christianity, and was adapted from a different mythological system.

Between what I had read in the Bible, and what I was learning about how it was put together, I started to wake up. I resumed my much neglected energy work that I had begun before being banned from practicing Wicca. And it was then I realized how I was originally deceived into accepting Christianity. My cousin, through no fault of his own, is an emotional influencer, and can make you feel how he wants you to.

And so, while I believe in what some people call the paranormal or supernatural, I can no longer bring myself to believe in the Judeo-Christian god, a being who makes us the way he wants us to be, and then gets angry at us for being the way we are.

I'm a former Catholic, as much as anyone is a former Catholic.

I've never understood the concept of hating that which informed and educated you. The pure antipathy some people have with religion belies a deeper struggle, I think.

I loved Catholicism. It’s ornate, traditional, theatrical…all the fun stuff. But my sensibilities outgrew Catholic doctrine. That’s not to say I didn’t gain intellectual independence and declare myself the center of the universe the way many atheists do. Mine evolution was quiet and thoughtful, following my soul to its own answers.

I’m happy with where I’ve found myself, though the scenery continues to change as I evolve. But a solid foundation in a world religion is never a bad way to begin to understand the concept of religion and spirituality and what mankind values. And most churches strive to instill good values. Too much time is spent on the 10% of troublesome churches and little consideration is given to the tens of thousands of churches that carry out the business of God every day.

Jesus warned that in the last generation, right before he comes back many would fall away from the faith and be deceived. It sounds like many here have been falling away lately and this is a fulfillment of prophecy and is a sign Jesus will come in our generation.

[b][c=BF0000]Matthew 24:10 And then many will fall away[a] and betray one another and hate one another. 11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
[/c][/b]

Yep, I was raised catholic and I’m now an atheist

I have a very hard time finding a church that is Biblical nowadays! Many pastors don't respect God enough to dress up for church, or play hymns but cater to people for popularity. One sign to me they are not Biblical is their twisting Jesus own words and they are pretribbers thinking we are not in tribulation when Jesus clearly said we are in tribulation until he comes. Many are leading their congregation into dangerous waters talking about politics, health, or socializing like its a social gathering, or even acknowledging that Jesus is coming very soon. We are not living for this world but for heaven! It is very challenging to be a christian nowadays. I mostly just read the Bible and attend prayer groups with my friends. Try to find a good friend who loves Jesus and get together weekly for prayer is my suggestion.

I was deeply religious at one time (my late teens and 20's) then I saw through the hypocrisy of Christianity for the cult that it is. Never gone back. I'm a better person because of that decision.

Attending church has given me such a good social life (I’ve met so many friends there.) I don’t think I could leave.

I never was a very religious person, though I consider myself a Christian. This is because no two people have the same life experience, and I don't think everyone is searching for the same answer. So, I respect anyone's religious views(or lack thereof). I don't see why not. I have a friend who is a pastor and a friend who is a rabbi, and I have friends who aren't believers at all.

I do part-time work at a church, and I always get a good, positive feeling from both being there as well as the people who attend the services and my coworkers there. It's a bit of a "soul recharge", seeing the people come together for some of the extracurricular activities. I get something out of it even though it's a paid situation.

I was raised Christian but I questions things even at 4 years old. I don't think I ever actually believed any of it. The only reason I really went along with it was because some people were nice. But they turned on me when I asked questions and left the religion. So they were actually fake the whole time. And I'd rather be hated for who I am than loved for who I am not.