F A O Theland. Why I Dont Believe

[nailit]

In the Christian God.
Theland, you are always extorting ABers to 'look it up' with regards to the Bible and Christianity. And you seem to have a distorted view of non-believers. I would ask YOU to consider why people (like me) reject the Bible.
As a teenager, I became an evangelical Christian, of the born again variety. In my early 20's I seriously began to question my faith. I was an avid reader and read everything that I could get my hands on regard the Bible, apologetics, church history, Biblical archaeology, Bible commentaries etc. However over time I had to accept that my faith was based on nothing except a bunch of ancient, contradictory manuscripts. I questioned what was been preached from the pulpit. Hell, I questioned everything!
I prayed that if the Bible was the word of God that he would show me, unequivocally, that it was. He didn't. I left.
I am not a non believer because I want to sin
I am not a non believer because I'm in rebellion
I am not a non believer because Ive had bad experiences of church
I am not a non believer because I choose to be
I am a non believer in the Christian God because that's where my questioning led me.
Now at 52, I wonder just how I ever believed such junk as found in the Bible.
The Bible insults my Intelligence, My moral code, My sense of justice.
Do I have all the answers to life's big questions? No. Why would I be so arrogant as to think I did? But because humans know so little, that doesn't mean that we should go running to some ancient manuscripts written by bronze age, desert dwelling goat herders in the middle east thousands of years ago for answers.

Seriously Theland, take a break from You Tube evangelists and open your mind a bit. Question a little. (maybe even try to answer some of the questions put to you by fellow ABers without feeling persecuted)

[nailit]

I originally posted this because Theland (and Bible believers in general...im not picking on Theland) seem to think that people reject the Bible and Christianity because they want to. I was trying to make the point that I really didn't want to reject Christianity, it was nice having a faith. *BUT* I couldn't continue to believe in my heart what was rejected in my mind after following the evidence. In some ways it was painful even, but I value honesty above everything else and I honestly couldn't continue in a faith that was fundamentally flawed. Its been suggested in this thread that I might have had a better life if I continued in the faith. Well that's debatable but if I had of done then I would have been living a lie, and I wasn't prepared to do that.

[naomi24]

Mamyalynne, I'm delighted you agree. Thank you.

[nailit]

//The bible teaches you how to get along with life, not how to live, the bible will guide, not instruct.//
Get back to me when you've read the Bible for yourself Spath.
If you read for several hours a day you can read it all in about 6 months.

[nailit]

Steady Tambo, you'll give yourself a coronary carrying on like that.

[naomi24]

tamborine, you're out of order.

[tamborine]

You need a good kick for insulting me!

[naomi24]

Tamborine, Who needs a good kick and who's insulted you?

[nailit]

All right for you to insult me tho eh?

[murraymints]

Tambo..that's out of order..and NOT very Christian either..

[nailit]

Typical Christian actually minty ;-)

[Ryzen]

As I see it...we never know before,until after,whats least expected most :-)

[naomi24]

Hopefully this won't be another interesting thread down the drain. Such a waste of time! Nailit, Tamborine, whatever the problem between you, can you please just leave it?

[tamborine]

Keep out naomi, nailit knows what I refer to.

[nailit]

Enlighten me Tambo?

[naomi24]

Tamborine, with all due respect I'm in the middle of a discussion relating to the OP and I've no intention of keeping out. Take your arguments elsewhere. This is R&S, not the Jeremy Kyle Show.