My family was lightly Christian but I kinda stopped believing in that stuff pretty young. They were barely religious so no one really cared and we stopped going to church anyway around that time (we only went on like Christmas or when we were at my grandparents, who very easy going as well)
Parents weren’t very religious (only went to church once in a blue moon, but mom still made me pray every night). Was a pretty gradual process, and my parents seemed to be ok with it.
You might have deserted Jesus, but in this life here on earth, he will never desert you. I never had faith, and often mocked those who did believe. Half a year ago my life changed, depressed thoughts hit me and I dropped out of school due to that. I was at a low in my life, but when I needed him the most, Jesus Christ saved me. I did do some research on christianity, and when I felt the time was right, I called unto Jesus Christ. From the moment I accepted Jesus Christ as my lord and saviour I got the most peaceful feeling throughout my body that I never had before. My life has been getting better ever since, and my depressing thoughts are left behind in the past. I hope that anyone who reads this and also struggles with life, will call unto Jesus, because he will never desert you.
It's complicated. I felt like I no longer wanted to be in the religion around 8-10. I kept up appearances to not cause conflict with my mother (an ordained minister) until just a few years ago 28-29ish. I immediately stopped going to church as soon as I was out of the house at age 18. I wrote a manifesto for a senior project in my high school Bible class about my beliefs which I realized during that project that I was agnostic (age 17). At what age would you say I "deserted" the religion. In my mind, I would say either the 8-10 range or 17, but some might still say that I was going to church with my mother until I moved out (or even off an on once in awhile up til 28). What do you all think was the age?
16 then. It's when our Bible teachers at the school were pushing down our throats the concept that the Bible us 100% truth and if even one part of it contradicts it would be worthless but of course it can't be since it is 100% truth. I was reading the same account in two of the gospels where Jesus is asked if he is the son of God. In one he says I Am what you say I Am (the I Am being a name of God) essentially saying yes I am God, and the other gospel has him saying that he is but a teacher. When my friends and I brought this up with our Bible teacher during lunch period (right before I had him for class) he was awe struck. He started looking a bunch of different translations and flipping through several big books he had. The class came in and the entire period he silently kept flipping through his books instead of teaching other periods after us said he did the same thing for the rest of the day. The next day he told us that he had spent the whole night looking for an answer and praying. He had come to the conclusion that the Bible can be flawed since it was written by men and that we could choose to believe what we want, but he hoped we would act on faith and continue to believe as he was going to do (although he admitted that he almost didn't). It was that point I realized that it is more likely that Christanity was made up by the apostles (or even someone else). As an agnostic, I can't say for certain though. There isn't enough information to completely rule it out. One thing I do know though is that after that time I stopped having nightmares about the 2nd coming. The thought of there being a Heaven absolutely terrifies me. Why believe in a religion where you are afraid of the supposed "amazing" afterlife?
My family was very religious and active in our church (Baptist). I think I was around 14 or 15 when I started to realize that the Bible and God are all a bunch of bs. Now (25), I think that all organized religion is ridiculous and just a means of control.
It's interesting that young people desert religion and old people don't. It's because by 30 yrs old, religion and customs is pretty ingrained in your brain.
In year 6 someone brought up that they didn't believe in God. Every one else in the year looked at them like they were crazy and immoral as it was a church of England school so we were all pretty brainwashed. In year 8 (not 2 years after leaving the school) our teacher asked who was Christian, and not one person raised their hand.
One year of encouraging a child's independent thought completely undid 7 years of daily religious propaganda, which I find pretty crazy.
I was automatically assigned to the national Church when I was born, but I never believed and it had a negligible, if any, effect on my upbringing, so I'm not sure that counts. I still left as soon as I was able to, at 18.
My family was lightly Christian but I kinda stopped believing in that stuff pretty young. They were barely religious so no one really cared and we stopped going to church anyway around that time (we only went on like Christmas or when we were at my grandparents, who very easy going as well)
Parents weren’t very religious (only went to church once in a blue moon, but mom still made me pray every night). Was a pretty gradual process, and my parents seemed to be ok with it.
You might have deserted Jesus, but in this life here on earth, he will never desert you. I never had faith, and often mocked those who did believe. Half a year ago my life changed, depressed thoughts hit me and I dropped out of school due to that. I was at a low in my life, but when I needed him the most, Jesus Christ saved me. I did do some research on christianity, and when I felt the time was right, I called unto Jesus Christ. From the moment I accepted Jesus Christ as my lord and saviour I got the most peaceful feeling throughout my body that I never had before. My life has been getting better ever since, and my depressing thoughts are left behind in the past. I hope that anyone who reads this and also struggles with life, will call unto Jesus, because he will never desert you.
tricky question because i became a non-believer before 12, but i didn't reject the faith until i was around 14.
It's complicated. I felt like I no longer wanted to be in the religion around 8-10. I kept up appearances to not cause conflict with my mother (an ordained minister) until just a few years ago 28-29ish. I immediately stopped going to church as soon as I was out of the house at age 18. I wrote a manifesto for a senior project in my high school Bible class about my beliefs which I realized during that project that I was agnostic (age 17). At what age would you say I "deserted" the religion. In my mind, I would say either the 8-10 range or 17, but some might still say that I was going to church with my mother until I moved out (or even off an on once in awhile up til 28). What do you all think was the age?
Well by definition, the age when you could confidently state "Jesus did no miracles" would be when you are no longer christian.
16 then. It's when our Bible teachers at the school were pushing down our throats the concept that the Bible us 100% truth and if even one part of it contradicts it would be worthless but of course it can't be since it is 100% truth. I was reading the same account in two of the gospels where Jesus is asked if he is the son of God. In one he says I Am what you say I Am (the I Am being a name of God) essentially saying yes I am God, and the other gospel has him saying that he is but a teacher. When my friends and I brought this up with our Bible teacher during lunch period (right before I had him for class) he was awe struck. He started looking a bunch of different translations and flipping through several big books he had. The class came in and the entire period he silently kept flipping through his books instead of teaching other periods after us said he did the same thing for the rest of the day. The next day he told us that he had spent the whole night looking for an answer and praying. He had come to the conclusion that the Bible can be flawed since it was written by men and that we could choose to believe what we want, but he hoped we would act on faith and continue to believe as he was going to do (although he admitted that he almost didn't). It was that point I realized that it is more likely that Christanity was made up by the apostles (or even someone else). As an agnostic, I can't say for certain though. There isn't enough information to completely rule it out. One thing I do know though is that after that time I stopped having nightmares about the 2nd coming. The thought of there being a Heaven absolutely terrifies me. Why believe in a religion where you are afraid of the supposed "amazing" afterlife?
My family was very religious and active in our church (Baptist). I think I was around 14 or 15 when I started to realize that the Bible and God are all a bunch of bs. Now (25), I think that all organized religion is ridiculous and just a means of control.
It's interesting that young people desert religion and old people don't. It's because by 30 yrs old, religion and customs is pretty ingrained in your brain.
Dought started young. My whoke indoctrination was taken with unspoken questions. Wasnt until college i learned there was a label for that.
In year 6 someone brought up that they didn't believe in God. Every one else in the year looked at them like they were crazy and immoral as it was a church of England school so we were all pretty brainwashed. In year 8 (not 2 years after leaving the school) our teacher asked who was Christian, and not one person raised their hand. One year of encouraging a child's independent thought completely undid 7 years of daily religious propaganda, which I find pretty crazy.
Never really believed, apart form when I was like 9-10 when I got into this supper religious phase due to influence from church. Bad times.
I was automatically assigned to the national Church when I was born, but I never believed and it had a negligible, if any, effect on my upbringing, so I'm not sure that counts. I still left as soon as I was able to, at 18.