Because I'm so damned censored.

artickb22
artickb22 Posts: 411 Member
in Chit-Chat
There is something Ive been wanting to tell people for quite sometime now. I'm properly prepared for the backlash my statement will have especially living in the south (United States). There are a few reasons I cannot be open about what I am going to say here (in a bit..be patient) and I’ll explain why I cannot speak freely in my life after the statement. So basically, I need to get this off my chest and tell someone and MFP is about the safest place for me to do so. Here goes:

I am no longer a christian.
I have spend quite some time preparing to answer the question: What do you believe in, or how do you define yourself? So my response is; I am an Apathetic Agnostic. I do not judge anyone else for their beliefs and I hope for the same respect. This decision has come after YEARS of searching, belonging whole heartedly to a church and being raised in a christian environment.
Reasons I cannot express my beliefs to my family now:
`my dad is dying of liver disease and cancer and it would break his heart to hear that I don’t believe in ‘heaven’. I am too compassionate of a person to do that to him.
`My husband is still a Christian and while he respects my decision and loves me unconditionally regardless, his family would not react with the same love and respect (which in my opinion a real Christian should). So therefore, I choose not to be open about my beliefs with them to provide him with a piece of mind and sanity in having to deal with the back lash from them.
~seeing as these people are all on my facebook friends list, I can’t even post stuff there.
All that being said; I would like to breath a heavy sigh of relief!! So there it is…feels good to say it even if none of you care. ;)
Thank you and goodnight!
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Replies

  • lizblizz2012
    lizblizz2012 Posts: 196 Member
    I too used to struggle with this. I found myself thinking: What is right? How can all these different variations of Christianity be right? I can tell pretty clearly that you have made up your mind. However, I just want to share my experience. While looking for something "more" than Christianity, I came across this:

    www.mormon.org

    It has changed my life. My views on Christianity. Take a look for yourself, even if only for the sake of curiosity. You are fully entitled to believe what you want. It saddens me that there are people so close to you who would treat you badly for your personal beliefs. I would just like to share that there is more out there :)

    I wish you the best!
  • UWZander
    UWZander Posts: 70
    A wild bot enters the room.
  • timmymon
    timmymon Posts: 304 Member
    I just stood up in my room and started a slow clap. I am happy for you and think that you will be happy as well.
  • kimosabe1
    kimosabe1 Posts: 2,467 Member
    I struggled with this same thought until 5 years ago when I was in a car accident and rolled my GMC Yukon 10 times and was actually in a coma. Before my coma, I was dead for four minutes and that time completely changed my outlook regarding every damn thing. I went to the other side for four minutes before my coma. I saw everything and everybody. I saw my grandmother that had lost ten years earlier. I then saw my great grandfather who was dead when I was born. My family told me that I would come back but that I was going to go through a very hard time with my mother.

    My mother began a court battle with me for my son. She had him after my accident and this year I refused to sign guardianship papers allowing her to have custody. I have been to court four times and have won every court case thus far. I have another one in eleven days and I'm confident I will win that one as well.

    Since then, my outlook has changed on everything. Don't believe if you don't want to. That is something you can handle on your own when you die. Feel free to contact me if you would like to talk.
    Samantha
  • PapaDunx
    PapaDunx Posts: 243
    And another is freed from the shackles. Praise the lack-of-god!
  • sweetchildomine
    sweetchildomine Posts: 872 Member
    Seriously? What's the point of this? All this is going to do is start a big, ridiculous argument and the thread is going to get locked. Oh well, I guess I'll just sit back and wait for the fun to begin.

    Popcorn_spongebob.gif
  • mariettel7
    mariettel7 Posts: 11
    You have every right to believe in what you want to believe in and nobody has the right to tell you different. The only thing I want to add is that it is a good idea to keep an open mind. You may come to a different conclusion at a different time in your life. Take care. :)
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    good for you OP. I'm a nontheist and a lot of people dont understand it. i'm usually quite happy to discuss it with those i think are genuinely interested and dont want to try to convert me to something.
  • HMToomey
    HMToomey Posts: 276
    The day I found out Santa was not real I decided that if one guy who watches me to make sure I'm good isn't real there must not be any others...
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    Seriously? What's the point of this? All this is going to do is start a big, ridiculous argument and the thread is going to get locked. Oh well, I guess I'll just sit back and wait for the fun to begin.

    Popcorn_spongebob.gif

    Pretty much - I mean because it would be a bit hypocritical for the mods to always lock posts as simple as 'I am christian and looking for likeminded friends' and not this one. It's doomed. Side note: I just visited the 'south' with my husband over fall break - really nice people but wayyyy too many tempting unhealthy restaurants.
  • artickb22
    artickb22 Posts: 411 Member
    Seriously? What's the point of this? All this is going to do is start a big, ridiculous argument and the thread is going to get locked. Oh well, I guess I'll just sit back and wait for the fun to begin.

    Popcorn_spongebob.gif
    [/quote

    The point was self expression, as I stated in the post...I'm censored for human reasons in other areas of ky life but felt secure stating this here. This was in no way meant to elicit argument, and so far there has been none which is an amazing beautiful thing to me. To each their own but I was simply ready to 'come out' to someone. Sometimes it just feels good to put it out there. :)
  • artickb22
    artickb22 Posts: 411 Member
    Thank you all for your kind words and respect of me and each other.
  • bexxgirl
    bexxgirl Posts: 260 Member
    You should move to New Zealand. We're one of the most secular countries on the planet. Woo for the no-Jeebus!

    And I also love how one person's reaction to their crisis of Christian faith was to turn to the Mormon church. This amuses me.
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
    See, this I like. Your attitude. "Believe what you want, I'll believe what I want and we'll all respect each other". Is that so hard? Do we have to constantly try to shove our views down other people's throats? Atheists are as bad as religious people for it, it does my feckin' head in.
    Anyone who's comfortable in their own belief system without being a preachy git is fine by me.
  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
    Doomed to be deleted without doubt. Health and fitness forum isn't the place for religious beliefs either. Sorry.
  • invisibubble
    invisibubble Posts: 662 Member
    This isn't an Us versus Them post....
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    This isn't an Us versus Them post....

    There are plenty of non us versus them posts that are christian that get deleted. To not treat athiesm as a religious/faith based item with the same rules would definately be favoritism....however, I have seen it happen on MFP before so I wouldn't be shocked.
  • spozzybear
    spozzybear Posts: 216 Member
    And I also love how one person's reaction to their crisis of Christian faith was to turn to the Mormon church. This amuses me.

    HAHA I was thinking the exact same thing!
  • geonbaeLeilee
    geonbaeLeilee Posts: 606 Member
    I believe in God, but I don't believe in organized religion. :P Since we're getting stuff off our chest, I needed to say that since the last time I tried to say it to someone close to me (who asked what I believed in) other than my SO, I was told never to say anything like that again!

    With that said, I accept your beliefs. :) We can believe who we want. I'm not one to judge. If you're happy, I'm happy, too. :D


    *Edited to clarify*
  • Dinamita_TNT
    Dinamita_TNT Posts: 333
    Everyone chooses his/her religion (or lack of it), way of acting in life, behave, opinions... The only thing is RESPECT. You respect others, others respect you. Simple way :)

    I'm Spanish. Spain is a conservative country in terms of religion. Almost 100% of the population is catholic-apostolic-roman... And of course, christian. There is a strong believe in the Holy Week and the traditions (particularly in the region I live and have been growned up).

    Years ago I decided not to be christian or catholic anymore. I don't know if there's something 'above' that reigns and rules everything. I don't doubt that once there was a man (Jesus) that was tortured because of the way he thought... But there are lots of people suffering the same nowadays.

    After a lot of thinking, I realised that I believe in energy. You get what you give. That's all.

    So, go on with your life and... the most important thing: BE HAPPY :)
  • KawaiiJennie
    KawaiiJennie Posts: 14
    I too used to struggle with this. I found myself thinking: What is right? How can all these different variations of Christianity be right? I can tell pretty clearly that you have made up your mind. However, I just want to share my experience. While looking for something "more" than Christianity, I came across this:

    www.mormon.org

    It has changed my life. My views on Christianity. Take a look for yourself, even if only for the sake of curiosity. You are fully entitled to believe what you want. It saddens me that there are people so close to you who would treat you badly for your personal beliefs. I would just like to share that there is more out there :)

    I wish you the best!

    Do you really think that post was appropriate? Think about now...
  • graveflower316
    graveflower316 Posts: 169 Member
    I live in the West Coast of the U.S. and while there is less of an expectation that one needs to be Christian here, I know somewhat how you feel. My parents believe in god and heaven and I do not. I don't sit and get angry when people talk about their religion or anything like that. I just don't believe there is this defined god or heaven (even though the thought of dying and being completely rid of this world and all of those that I love frightens the hell out of me), I just can't force myself to believe we are anything else once we die. My mother has lost her parents and sister in the past few years and keeps going, knowing in her heart they're in heaven. I don't tell her otherwise and even though I don't believe it myself, I agree that they're in heaven when I'm with her (she knows I am an athiest and that I don't believe the same things she does). It's an odd way of living in an environment where my family is kind of religious and I am not, but it works for them.
  • Shellsmiley
    Shellsmiley Posts: 323 Member
    Growing up, most of my family was MORMON and so I just went along with it and for a quite awhile believed in it.... but how can I believe in something without questioning it first? I asked myself what I thought were all the right questions and came up to the conclusion that my life would be no different if I believed/followed religious practices or not.

    I was right -- for me there was no difference. Now I am just simply spiritual and I like it this way. :) I say we do all have to figure out our own beliefs and what we believe in. :) It's good to know yourself. Congrats for feeling yourself out. :bigsmile:
  • Shellsmiley
    Shellsmiley Posts: 323 Member
    I too used to struggle with this. I found myself thinking: What is right? How can all these different variations of Christianity be right? I can tell pretty clearly that you have made up your mind. However, I just want to share my experience. While looking for something "more" than Christianity, I came across this:

    www.mormon.org

    It has changed my life. My views on Christianity. Take a look for yourself, even if only for the sake of curiosity. You are fully entitled to believe what you want. It saddens me that there are people so close to you who would treat you badly for your personal beliefs. I would just like to share that there is more out there :)

    I wish you the best!

    Also, to be honest here, Mormon is not far off from typical "Christian" views. SO, I don't see (in my mind being a former MORMON and all -- that it could have changed your life that much? I dunno, it just confuses me. LOL But like I said before, it's good to know yourself, glad you found something that works for you!! Much of my friends are still mormon and I still love them just the same as I did before!! :smooched: :heart:
  • gbbhey
    gbbhey Posts: 188
    Deist here. Nothing but respect for what you believe in, and that goes for anybody. I've had too many talks about this with folks that have tried to convert me to their 'right answer,' but my main beliefs boil down to this:

    There is something out there. A force, but not a god that will judge us. This is the only life you have, so you better make it count. I believe in karma, and the only thing I took from the bible was the golden rule. You can either make the years you have your own heaven, or your own hell. Choose your path, and the universe will provide the rest for you.

    Cheers,
    Jared
  • brevislux
    brevislux Posts: 1,093 Member
    I was raised an atheist, but I can imagine all this can be really tough on you. I do wish it weren't such and issue and you could just be you. Hang in there. :-)
  • MellowGa
    MellowGa Posts: 1,258 Member
    for those who believe in a god, but no formal religion, it is called Deism

    http://moderndeism.com/
  • persephone87
    persephone87 Posts: 220 Member
    There is something Ive been wanting to tell people for quite sometime now. I'm properly prepared for the backlash my statement will have especially living in the south (United States). There are a few reasons I cannot be open about what I am going to say here (in a bit..be patient) and I’ll explain why I cannot speak freely in my life after the statement. So basically, I need to get this off my chest and tell someone and MFP is about the safest place for me to do so. Here goes:

    I am no longer a christian.
    I have spend quite some time preparing to answer the question: What do you believe in, or how do you define yourself? So my response is; I am an Apathetic Agnostic. I do not judge anyone else for their beliefs and I hope for the same respect. This decision has come after YEARS of searching, belonging whole heartedly to a church and being raised in a christian environment.
    Reasons I cannot express my beliefs to my family now:
    `my dad is dying of liver disease and cancer and it would break his heart to hear that I don’t believe in ‘heaven’. I am too compassionate of a person to do that to him.
    `My husband is still a Christian and while he respects my decision and loves me unconditionally regardless, his family would not react with the same love and respect (which in my opinion a real Christian should). So therefore, I choose not to be open about my beliefs with them to provide him with a piece of mind and sanity in having to deal with the back lash from them.
    ~seeing as these people are all on my facebook friends list, I can’t even post stuff there.
    All that being said; I would like to breath a heavy sigh of relief!! So there it is…feels good to say it even if none of you care. ;)
    Thank you and goodnight!

    This is why religion is a bad thing and I'm a happy atheist! I don't have to worry about pretending to believe in any crap (cos it is all bollocks) I just have proper things to deal with instead of spazzin out my family because I have the sense to think for myself.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
    Welcome to the god less heathens.

    We have beer!
  • Rope_Jumper
    Rope_Jumper Posts: 22
    All I wanted to do was dance at my prom...
    Why can't I get Footloose?

    Seriously though, I have my beliefs and they don't fit in any one definition of the religion. That's why they call it practicing religion, I'm not very good at it. ;)

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