16. Christianity's Not True. Now What?

What's the meaning of life? Does God exist? Is there life after death? Why should I be moral? Answers to your questions here.
Chapters:
00:00-02:46 - The pain of deconstruction
02:47-03:55 - We're here to offer support
03:56-05:13 - Arethion is a spiritual community
05:14-06:27 - No we're not a cult
06:28-07:26 - Who am I if I'm not a Christian?
07:27-09:04 - Does God exist?
09:05-13:07 - Is there life after death?
13:08-20:02 - Why should I be moral?
20:03-25:32 - Who did we get here?
25:33-29:11 - What's the meaning of life?
29:12-35:27 - How do I live a good life?
35:28-36:13 - What about the practical stuff?
36:14-39:07 - Should I tell others the truth about Christianity?
Series Bibliography:
Barker, Dan - God: The Most Unpleasant Character in All Fiction
Barker, Dan - Godless: How an Evangelical Preacher Became One of America’s Leading Atheists
Buckser, Andrew and Glazier, Stephen D. - The Anthropology of Religious Conversion
Callahan, Tim - Secret Origins of the Bible
Carrier, Richard - “How We Know Daniel Is a Forgery”
Carrier, Richard - “Josephus on Jesus? Why You Can’t Cite Opinions Before 2014”
Carrier, Richard - Not the Impossible Faith
Carrier, Richard - On the Historicity of Jesus
Carrier, Richard - Sense and Goodness Without God
Conway, Flo and Siegelman, Jim - Snapping: America’s Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change
Coogan, Michael D. - The Oxford History of the Biblical World
Copan, Paul - Is God a Moral Monster?
Craig, William Lane - Reasonable Faith
Currid, John D. And Chapman, David W. - The ESV Archaeology Study Bible
Dever, William G. - Did God Have a Wife?
Dever, William G. - Has Archaeology Buried the Bible?
Durkheim, Emile - The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life
Ehrman, Bart D. - Forged: Writing in the Name of God
Ehrman, Bart D. - Forgery and Counterforgery
Ehrman, Bart D. - God’s Problem
Ehrman, Bart D. - Heaven and Hell
Ehrman, Bart D. - How Jesus Became God
Ehrman, Bart D. - Jesus Before the Gospels
Ehrman, Bart D. - Jesus Interrupted
Ehrman, Bart D. - Lost Christianities
Ehrman, Bart D. - Misquoting Jesus
Ehrman, Bart D. - The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture
Ehrman, Bart D. - The Triumph of Christianity
Finkelstein, Israel and Silberman, Neil Asher - The Bible Unearthed
Geisler, Norman L. And Howe, Thomas - The Big Book of Bible Difficulties
Geisler, Norman L. And Turek, Frank - I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
Hagglund, Martin - This Life
Ham, Ken, Ed. - Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions: Volume 1
Ham, Ken and Hodge, Bodie and Chaffey, Tim, Eds. - Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions: Volume 2
Harwood, William - Mythology’s Last Gods
Helms, Randel - Gospel Fictions
Helms, Randel - Who Wrote the Gospels?
Holden, Joseph M. and Geisler, Norman - The Popular Handbook of Archaeology and the Bible
Kennedy, Titus M. - Unearthing the Bible
Koukl, Gregory - Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions
Lewis, C.S. - A Grief Observed
Loftus, John W. - The Christian Delusion
Loftus, John W. - Christianity Is Not Great
Loftus, John W. - The End of Christianity
Loftus, John W. - Why I Became an Atheist
Loftus, John W. and Rauser, Randal - God or Godless?
MacDonald, Dennis - Does the New Testament Imitate Homer?
MacDonald, Dennis - The Homeric Epics and the Gospel of Mark
MacDonald, Dennis - Mythologizing Jesus
Matthews, Victor H. And Benjamin, Don C. - Old Testament Parallels
Mazar, Amihai - Archaeology of the Land of the Bible 10,000-586 BCE
McDowell, Josh and McDowell, Sean - Evidence That Demands a Verdict
McLaughlin, Rebecca - Confronting Christianity
Newberg, Andrew and Waldman, Mark Robert - Why We Believe What We Believe
Nicolaou, Corinna - A None’s Story
Nongbri, Brent - Before Religion
Shanks, Hershel - Ancient Israel
Stavrakopoulou, Francesca - God: An Anatomy
Strobel, Lee - The Case for Christ
Strobel, Lee - The Case for a Creator
Strobel, Lee - The Case for Faith
Wallace, J. Warner - Cold-Case Christianity
Wolff, Catherine - Beyond: How Humankind Thinks About Heaven
ChristianAnswers.net - “Is the Bible Accurate Concerning the Existence and Destruction of the Walls of Jericho?”

[@JeremyWWWWW]

I am not at all sure why the algorithm offered this up, but I am glad I spent the 40 minutes to watch all the way through. At the age of 62, I have been a life long agnostic/atheist and a student of the sciences. I want to confess to you that at the beginning of the video I easily fell into the same hurtful, isolating response as did your atheist friend. But 40 minutes later, I am deeply touched by your love for your fellow Christians and ex-christians, and the deep intelligence with which you offer them an alternate path. Well done Sir.

[@join.arethion]

Wow, thank you so much!! That really means a lot. I know plenty of Christians who are happy where they are, but I also know plenty who are confused, angry, hurt, and searching for answers to their doubts. Yet making the leap out of Christianity can be SO intimidating. Time will tell, but I'm hopeful this video series will provide some answers and comfort to those people who need them. Thanks VERY MUCH for watching! :-)

[@Grimwald2]

Jesus loves you all❤

[@join.arethion]

Thanks for your kind words! I was a Christian myself for most of my life. I actually made this video series FOR CHRISTIANS because so much information about the Bible, Jesus, and Christianity has been kept hidden from regular folks who believe "the truth shall set you free." If you're interested, I encourage you to check out the full series, that tackles questions like: Is the Bible the word of God? Were the Gospel authors eyewitnesses? Are there any contradictions in the Bible? What happens when we experience Jesus? And why do we suffer? Thanks for watching! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXfbkJqGZ6igadk

[@dalex60]

Jesus was an invention of the Roman Empire, he's not now nor has he ever been a real person or deity... He's a myth.

[@Bjl1976]

When I first left the faith I thought that evrryone would want to know the real truth no matter if it wasnt what I believed but found that alot of people dont really care or want to know the real truth if it disturbs their beliefs. Most were not the least bit interested in the discussion

[@join.arethion]

It sounds like we've been through a similar "deconversion" experience. I admire your courage in doing that! It's definitely hard for people to grapple with some of these ideas. If you're raised in the church - if it's your identity, your sense of purpose, your community - there are lots of incentives to push away any doubts that creep into your mind. TL;DR - Some people want to stay, and no message will reach them. But other people are tired of the doubts burning a whole in their heart and want answers. I made this video series for them. :-) Thanks for watching!

[@Bjl1976]

@join.arethion I appreciate the time and effort it took to produce this series. One thing I dint think I heard you mention was what beliefs that you have now that you left Christianity. Are you agnostic or?

[@join.arethion]

This video sort of "previews" those beliefs, but I have several other videos coming that dive into them in greater depth. When it comes to Christianity, I'm personally interested in two questions: (1) Is Christianity true? Obviously this video series deals with that. (2) If it's not, then what do we do? What do we believe? How do we live? That's actually the bigger, more important question in my mind, and that's where the next batches of content focus. Thanks again for watching!

[@BrendanGrahamDempsey]

Fascinating. Good stuff! Would love to discuss doing a podcast with you. Let me know if you'd be interested. :)

[@join.arethion]

Certainly! I just explored your channel, and I think it would a fantastic conversation. Just reached out via your website. Cheers!

[@JokersNtheOddball]

I just want to say its very stressful carrying the weight of all human sacrifice on my back i was born a human infant. I dont deserve this

[@Pablo113]

~Religion is TRIBALISM 101

[@Bjl1976]

Thousands of near death experiencers are overwhelmingly similiar in aspects that occur when you die. Alot of them do see family members and whatnot.

[@druidriley3163]

What is that proof of though? That we're all humans? That our brains and bodies are similar and so react the same way to traumatic injury?

[@DuXQaK]

​​​@@druidriley3163Exactly! And Hindu's never see Jesus, nor Christians see Allah or (as they said) "whatnot". If there is a one true God, why doesn't someone of other faiths ever see them. Ever! Oh here comes the demon deception excuse surely lol

[@wet-read]

​@@DuXQaK Muslims report seeing Jesus, but that's probably only because Jesus is highly revered in Islam but not vice versa.

[@DuXQaK]

@@wet-read Your point is my point

[@wet-read]

@@DuXQaK Yeah, sorry. I was being pedantic. I thought it was worth mentioning since people speak of it as if it necessarily means what they think it does.

[@velkyn1]

no need for imaginary nonsense. Humans give ourselves and others meaning and purpose.

[@Qwerty-jy9mj]

How is purpose extrinsic?

[@TheTruthKiwi]

​@@Qwerty-jy9mjWe're sentient beings. With life came consciousness. We enjoy being conscious (most of the time) and want to be healthy and happy. We've found that we're happiest when doing things we like doing. Those things could be construed as ones purpose.

[@Qwerty-jy9mj]

@@TheTruthKiwi So you have both eudemony and proper function there. How is that extrinsic?

[@velkyn1]

@@Qwerty-jy9mj I didn't say it was.

[@velkyn1]

@@Qwerty-jy9mj define "eudomony" and "proper function".

[@Dante-vf4sd]

There is no doubt that the number of different religions in the world makes it a challenge to know which one is correct. First, let’s consider some thoughts on the overall subject and then look at how one might approach the topic in a manner that can actually get to a right conclusion about God. The challenge of different answers to a particular issue is not unique to the topic of religion. For example, you can sit 100 math students down, give them a complex problem to solve, and it is likely that many will get the answer wrong. But does this mean that a correct answer does not exist? Not at all. Those who get the answer wrong simply need to be shown their error and know the techniques necessary to arrive at the correct answer. How do we arrive at the truth about God? We use a systematic methodology that is designed to separate truth from error by using various tests for truth, with the end result being a set of right conclusions. Can you imagine the end results a scientist would arrive at if he went into the lab and just started mixing things together with no rhyme or reason? Or if a physician just started treating a patient with random medicines in the hope of making him well? Neither the scientist nor the physician takes this approach; instead, they use systematic methods that are methodical, logical, evidential, and proven to yield the right end result. This being the case, why should theology-the study of God-be any different? Why believe it can be approached in a haphazard and undisciplined way and still yield right conclusions? Unfortunately, this is the approach many take, and this is one of the reasons why so many religions exist. That said, we now return to the question of how to reach truthful conclusions about God. What systematic approach should be used? First, we need to establish a framework for testing various truth claims, and then we need a roadmap to follow to reach a right conclusion. Here is a good framework to use: 1. Logical consistency-the claims of a belief system must logically cohere to each other and not contradict in any way. As an example, the end goal of Buddhism is to rid oneself of all desires. Yet, one must have a desire to rid oneself of all desires, which is a contradictory and illogical principle. 2. Empirical adequacy-is there evidence to support the belief system (whether the evidence is rational, externally evidential, etc.)? Naturally, it is only right to want proof for important claims being made so the assertions can be verified. For example, Mormons teach that Jesus visited North America. Yet there is absolutely no proof, archaeological or otherwise, to support such a claim. 3. Existential relevancy-the belief system should address the big questions of life described below and the teachings should be accurately reflected in the world in which we live. Christianity, for example, provides good answers for the large questions of life, but is sometimes questioned because of its claim of an all-good and powerful God who exists alongside a world filled with very real evil. Critics charge that such a thing violates the criteria of existential relevancy, although many good answers have been given to address the issue. The above framework, when applied to the topic of religion, will help lead one to a right view of God and will answer the four big questions of life: 1. Origin - where did we come from? 2. Ethics - how should we live? 3. Meaning - what is the purpose for life? 4. Destiny - where is mankind heading? But how does one go about applying this framework in the pursuit of God? A step-by-step question/answer approach is one of the best tactics to employ. Narrowing the list of possible questions down produces the following: 1. Does absolute truth exist? 2. Do reason and religion mix? 3. Does God exist? 4. Can God be known? 5. Is Jesus God? 6. Does God care about me? First we need to know if absolute truth exists. If it does not, then we really cannot be sure of anything (spiritual or not), and we end up either an agnostic, unsure if we can really know anything, or a pluralist, accepting every position because we are not sure which, if any, is right. Absolute truth is defined as that which matches reality, that which corresponds to its object, telling it like it is. Some say there is no such thing as absolute truth, but taking such a position becomes self-defeating. For example, the relativist says, “All truth is relative,” yet one must ask: is that statement absolutely true? If so, then absolute truth exists; if not, then why consider it? Postmodernism affirms no truth, yet it affirms at least one absolute truth: postmodernism is true. In the end, absolute truth becomes undeniable. Further, absolute truth is naturally narrow and excludes its opposite. Two plus two equals four, with no other answer being possible. This point becomes critical as different belief systems and worldviews are compared. If one belief system has components that are proven true, then any competing belief system with contrary claims must be false. Also, we must keep in mind that absolute truth is not impacted by sincerity and desire. No matter how sincerely someone embraces a lie, it is still a lie. And no desire in the world can make something true that is false. The answer of question one is that absolute truth exists. This being the case, agnosticism, postmodernism, relativism, and skepticism are all false positions.

[@Dante-vf4sd]

This leads us to the next question of whether reason/logic can be used in matters of religion. Some say this is not possible, but-why not? The truth is, logic is vital when examining spiritual claims because it helps us understand why some claims should be excluded and others embraced. Logic is absolutely critical in dismantling pluralism (which says that all truth claims, even those that oppose each other, are equal and valid). For example, Islam and Judaism claim that Jesus is not God, whereas Christianity claims He is. One of the core laws of logic is the law of non-contradiction, which says something cannot be both “A” and “non-A” at the same time and in the same sense. Applying this law to these claims of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity means that one claim is right and the other is wrong. Jesus cannot be both God and not God. Used properly, logic is a potent weapon against pluralism because it clearly demonstrates that contrary truth claims cannot both be true. This understanding topples the whole “true for you but not for me” mindset. Logic also dispels the whole “all roads lead to the top of the mountain” analogy that pluralists use. Logic shows that each belief system has its own set of signs that point to radically different locations in the end. Logic shows that the proper illustration of a search for spiritual truth is more like a maze-one path makes it through to truth, while all others arrive at dead ends. All faiths may have some surface similarities, but they differ in major ways in their core doctrines. The conclusion is that you can use reason and logic in matters of religion. That being the case, pluralism (the belief that all truth claims are equally true and valid) is ruled out because it is illogical and contradictory to believe that diametrically opposing truth claims can both be right. Next comes the big question: does God exist? Atheists and naturalists (who do not accept anything beyond this physical world and universe) say “no.” While volumes have been written and debates have raged throughout history on this question, it is actually not difficult to answer. To give it proper attention, you must first ask this question: Why do we have something rather than nothing at all? In other words, how did you and everything around you get here? The argument for God can be presented very simply: Something exists. You do not get something from nothing. Therefore, a necessary and eternal Being exists. You cannot deny you exist because you have to exist in order to deny your own existence (which is self-defeating), so the first premise above is true. No one has ever demonstrated that something can come from nothing unless they redefine what ‘nothing’ is, so the second premise rings true. Therefore, the conclusion naturally follows-an eternal Being is responsible for everything that exists. This is a position no thinking atheist denies; they just claim that the universe is that eternal being. However, the problem with that stance is that all scientific evidence points to the fact that the universe had a beginning (the ‘big bang’). And everything that has a beginning must have a cause; therefore, the universe had a cause and is not eternal. Because the only two sources of eternality are an eternal universe (denied by all current empirical evidence) or an eternal Creator, the only logical conclusion is that God exists. Answering the question of God’s existence in the affirmative rules out atheism as a valid belief system. Now, this conclusion says nothing about what kind of God exists, but amazingly enough, it does do one sweeping thing-it rules out all pantheistic religions. All pantheistic worldviews say that the universe is God and is eternal. And this assertion is false. So, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and all other pantheistic religions are ruled out as valid belief systems. Further, we learn some interesting things about this God who created the universe. He is: • Supernatural in nature (as He exists outside of His creation) • Incredibly powerful (to have created all that is known) • Eternal (self-existent, as He exists outside of time and space) • Omnipresent (He created space and is not limited by it) • Timeless and changeless (He created time) • Immaterial (because He transcends space) • Personal (the impersonal can’t create personality) • Necessary (as everything else depends on Him) • Infinite and singular (as you cannot have two infinites) • Diverse yet has unity (as all multiplicity implies a prior singularity) • Intelligent (supremely, to create everything) • Purposeful (as He deliberately created everything) • Moral (no moral law can exist without a lawgiver) • Caring (or no moral laws would have been given) This Being exhibits characteristics very similar to the God of Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, which interestingly enough, are the only core faiths left standing after atheism and pantheism have been eliminated. Note also that one of the big questions in life (origins) is now answered: we know where we came from. This leads to the next question: can we know God? At this point, the need for religion is replaced by something more important-the need for revelation. If mankind is to know this God well, it is up to God to reveal Himself to His creation. Judaism, Islam, and Christianity all claim to have a book that is God’s revelation to man, but the question is which (if any) is actually true? Pushing aside minor differences, the two core areas of dispute are 1) the New Testament of the Bible 2) the person of Jesus Christ. Islam and Judaism both claim the New Testament of the Bible is untrue in what it claims, and both deny that Jesus is God incarnate, while Christianity affirms both to be true. There is no faith on the planet that can match the mountains of evidence that exist for Christianity. From the voluminous number of ancient manuscripts, to the very early dating of the documents written during the lifetime of the eyewitnesses (some only 15 years after Christ’s death), to the multiplicity of the accounts (nine authors in 27 books of the New Testament), to the archaeological evidence-none of which has ever contradicted a single claim the New Testament makes-to the fact that the apostles went to their deaths claiming they had seen Jesus in action and that He had come back from the dead, Christianity sets the bar in terms of providing the proof to back up its claims. The New Testament’s historical authenticity-that it conveys a truthful account of the actual events as they occurred-is the only right conclusion to reach once all the evidence has been examined. When it comes to Jesus, one finds a very curious thing about Him-He claimed to be God in the flesh. Jesus’ own words (e.g., “Before Abraham was born I AM”), His actions (e.g., forgiving sins, accepting worship), His sinless and miraculous life (which He used to prove His truth claims over opposing claims), and His resurrection all support His claims to be God. The New Testament writers affirm this fact over and over again in their writings. Now, if Jesus is God, then what He says must be true. And if Jesus said that the written Word of God is inerrant and true in everything it says (which He did), this must mean that the Bible is true in what it proclaims. As we have already learned, two competing truth claims cannot both be right. So anything in the Islamic Koran or writings of Judaism that contradict the Bible cannot be true. In fact, both Islam and Judaism fail since they both say that Jesus is not God incarnate, while the evidence says otherwise. And because we can indeed know God (because He has revealed Himself in His written Word and in Christ), all forms of agnosticism are refuted. Lastly, another big question of life is answered-that of ethics-as the Bible contains clear instructions on how mankind ought to live. This same Bible proclaims that God cares deeply for mankind and wishes all to know Him intimately. In fact, He cares so much that He became a man to show His creation exactly what He is like. There are many men who have sought to be God, but only one God who sought to be man so He could save those He deeply loves from an eternity separated from Him. This fact demonstrates the existential relevancy of Christianity and also answers that last two big questions of life-meaning and destiny. Each person has been designed by God for a purpose, and each has a destiny that awaits him-one of eternal life with God or eternal separation from Him. This deduction (and the point of God becoming a man in Christ) also refutes Deism, which says God is not interested in the affairs of mankind. In the end, we see that ultimate truth about God can be found and the worldview maze successfully navigated by testing various truth claims and systematically pushing aside falsehoods so that only the truth remains. Using the tests of logical consistency, empirical adequacy, and existential relevancy, coupled with asking the right questions, yields truthful and reasonable conclusions about religion and God. Everyone should agree that the only reason to believe something is that it is true-nothing more. Sadly, true belief is a matter of the will, and no matter how much logical evidence is presented, some will still choose to deny the God who is there and miss the one true path to harmony with Him.

[@join.arethion]

Thanks for your comments! I'm actually a former Christian myself and familiar with arguments like this. (Yours is very eloquent and reminded me of Giesler and Turek's book "I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist"). Rather than getting into a lot of comment-tennis, I would encourage you to watch the full video series here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXfbkJqGZ6igadk The God of the Bible only exists if the Bible is a reliable document. That's the claim the video series investigates. We cover questions like: Is the Bible the word of God? Were the Gospel authors eyewitnesses? Are there any contradictions in the Bible? What happens when we experience Jesus? Why do we suffer? And more... Thanks for watching! :-)

[@lindadlamini9256]

Really enjoyed the series. Could you make a video about the prophecies in the bible

[@join.arethion]

Thanks for your kind words! It really means a lot you liked it. I think a prophecy video would be a good one. I have a number of other videos already in process, so candidly I'm not sure when I'll get to it, but this is a community, and I really value feedback on what people want to see. :-) So thank you!

[@johnharrison6745]

"Blah; Jabber; Blather": Feel free to google 'evidence for Christianity' yourself. It's true; Aretha here, and "his" fans are contemptible /\/utters and ill-informed pseudo-intellectuals; god-deniers are just clowns now. Thanks. 😏

[@join.arethion]

Actually, I would caution you from trusting sources that come up when you google "Evidence for Christianity." This video series covers several instances that show those sources can be outdated, misinformed, purposefully misleading, etc. I'm guessing you landed here from the KZbin algorithm, but this video is actually one of the last episodes in a multi-part series on the question of whether or not Christianity is true. If you're curious, or if you've ever had doubts, I hope you'll check it out because the evidence you're looking for is contained there: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXfbkJqGZ6igadk

[@johnharrison6745]

And, the same is true of "sources" which contain "information" which seems to indicate that Christianity is untrue. In fact, in my experience, those sources are *ALMOST ALWAYS* "outdated, misinformed, purposely misleading, etc.". Myself, I've viewed TONS of anti-Christianity propaganda like Aretha's; and, "he" should forcefully insert his BACK into his "thinking"-machine, beneath-&-behind him. 😏

[@johnharrison6745]

And, the same is true of "sources" which provide arguments AGAINST Christianity. In fact, I've looked-at TONS of anti-Christianity propaganda, and, it's *ALMOST ALWAYS* "outdated, misinformed, purposefully misleading, etc." "Uh Wreath Uh", here, is packaging "his" propaganda in the opposite of that of Chris Hitch-Ins; but, "he"/it is just a mirror-image/photographic-negative of the same overrated, ill-informed, utterly-misleading offal. 😏

[@alexsouliere4340]

Has this guy heard of Jordan Maxwell because I know what Maxwell says and his unbelievable

[@Forester2547]

Zoroastrianism, you’re welcome.

[@join.arethion]

Hahaha well played!

[@marcomclaurin6713]

I'll demonstrate Jesus as The Cornerstone in my video 'Begining of understanding ' Your perception is what's wrong

[@join.arethion]

Thanks for watching! This video is actually part of a 18-part series you can find here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXfbkJqGZ6igadk It includes videos on who wrote the Gospels, Jesus, and more. :-)

[@20165776YEAR]

but it is

[@join.arethion]

Hi! My guess is you encountered this video because of the KZbin algorithm. But what's missing here is the context that this is one of the last episodes in a 18-part series that asks the question, "Is Christianity True?" and then presents evidence to that fact over the rest of the videos. We cover topics like: Is the Bible the word of God? Were the Gospel authors eyewitnesses? Are there any contradictions in the Bible? What happens when we experience Jesus? And why do we suffer? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXfbkJqGZ6igadk I actually made this video series FOR CHRISTIANS because so much information about the Bible, Jesus, and Christianity has been kept hidden from regular folks who believe "the truth shall set you free." I want to be clear - not everyone is ready to hear the information contained in this video series. But if you are curious, or if you've ever had doubts, I encourage you to watch the videos. I'm a former Christian myself (you can learn more about my background in the video series), and like you I believed that as Christians we should shout the truth of Christianity from the rooftops. But if Christianity isn't true - shouldn't we shout that from the rooftops, too? :-) Thanks for watching!

[@20165776YEAR]

@@join.arethion what am i supposed to say to you congratulations? i understand that you are passionate about this and want others to join you down the wide road. my guess is that you were never a true Christian but thought you were and now you believe you are doing 'Gods' work with this menu of falsehoods in both instances you are wrong probably deceived. i can assure you Christ is real i don't only have believed it but know it to be an immutable fact and the Bible to be the Word of God everything it says about Christ in being and nature is 100% accurate. what you are doing really needs to stop and i pray over you in Jesus name that that be.

[@join.arethion]

Thanks for your comments! I'm actually an anthropologist by training, and I just wanted to highlight a point in your response. You state that I was never a "true Christian." That's a common response from Christians about anyone who leaves the faith. Consequently, it's worth focusing on... Humans are social creatures, and we possess an individual identity (Sarah) and a group identity (Christian) (well, really MANY group identities - Cubs fan, American, soccer mom, etc.). Whenever a group member leaves the group, our brain's response is immediately to label them as a "faker." "They were never a true Christian / American / Cubs fan, etc." The brain does this because it keeps things "safe." We can retain our group identity and we don't have to engage with the possibility that the member's reasons for leaving the group might be legitimate. That would threaten our sense of self, purpose, community, etc. Again, you see this cycle in any group - sports, companies, religions, etc. Anyone who leaves is a poser and lacked true conviction. But that's actually not the case; it's simply the brain defending itself from threats. It's easier to label the other person a "fake" than it is to engage with the possibility a problem may exist with the identity or truth claims of the group. Said another way, right now the easy thing to do is label me a "faker." Everything stays peachy keen if I'm a liar. The hard thing is to say, "Ok, I'm going to examine the evidence and keep an open mind to the possibility something is off with Christianity..." Christianity lost 20% of its membership in the last decade alone. Nearly 2/3 of Christians report experiencing serious doubt about the religion. You may say, "All those people are wrong" or "All those people are fakers." But now that you know about the brain's bias here, is that truly the case - or have all those Christians learned something that might be worth learning yourself? Thus, I would encourage you to watch the video series in its entirety. If Christianity is true, and if I'm wrong, then you have nothing to worry about - there's no risk to watching the videos. :-)

[@20165776YEAR]

@@join.arethion you say i call you a faker but in truth your whole hypothesis is based on calling God and Christians fakers correct. you are propagating evolution as well which is total BS. the truth is you reject God and Jesus because it is a threat to your brain to your safety zone. the truth is God made us in his image there is no evolution. i will not watch any of your videos, you think you are the first dog on the block spouting this philosophy belief system to help you cope with your insecurities and you feel you need to bring others with you to validate. what i could tell you of how i don't just believe but know Christ is real and the creator would be like casting pearls before swine.

[@join.arethion]

I think let's end it there. Once name-calling and insults enter the conversation (dog, swine), it's clear we're at an impasse. I wish you all the best!

[@CarolynBaker-hd8ir]

Are they bothering YOU by believing or hurting you? I don't believe in fanatics but other than that leave them be.

[@join.arethion]

Hi! Thanks for your comment! This video is actually one of the last episodes in a multi-part series that asks the question: Is Christianity True? It covers questions like: Is the Bible the word of God? Were the Gospel authors eyewitnesses? Are there any contradictions in the Bible? What happens when we experience Jesus? And why do we suffer? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXfbkJqGZ6igadk I argue in this video that certain Christian beliefs actually DO hurt people - including Christians themselves. You can start there, but I really recommend watching the video series in order because the content builds on itself. Finally, just by way of introduction, I was a devout Christian for most of my life - I was saved, attended Christian school, played in worship bands, shared the Gospel and won souls for Christ, and trained as a Christian archaeologist. I made this video series FOR CHRISTIANS because so much information about the Bible, Jesus, and Christianity has been kept hidden from regular folks who believe "the truth shall set you free." If you're interested, I encourage you to check out the full series. Thanks for watching!

[@bernardofitzpatrick5403]

Yes they are. Deserted by family and friends for rejecting Christ. Outright aggression and rudeness experienced by me. 😊

[@join.arethion]

I'm sorry to hear about your experience! It's far too common... If you ever want to chat, let me know. Part of the Arethion project is sharing information with Christians that's been kept from them, but the other (and larger) part is forming a new community of people who are former Christians, spiritual but not religious, agnostics, and atheists. You can learn more on arethion.com. And thank you again for sharing your experience!

[@TheTruthKiwi]

Pretty much every isolated civilisation on earth has made up its own myths and legends regarding origins and gods. It is human nature to make things up when we don't have all the facts and are afraid of the unknown. Christianity, judaism and islam are no different. We exist in a natural universe, not a magical one. 😊

[@join.arethion]

Correct! We cover a lot of that in our video on the psychology of religion: Thanks for watching!! kzbin.info/www/bejne/d6O7Y4KQga2co5o

[@martinHodgson-kg1tc]

A higher power, the god of outside the bible is the true god.

[@bubbafowpend9943]

How could you possibly know that?

[@join.arethion]

Thanks for your comment! I know how you feel because I was a devout Christian for most of my life - I was saved, attended Christian school, played in worship bands, shared the Gospel and won souls for Christ, and trained as a Christian archaeologist. I actually made this video series FOR CHRISTIANS because so much information about the Bible, Jesus, and Christianity has been kept hidden from regular folks who believe "the truth shall set you free." If you're interested, I encourage you to check out the full series, that tackles questions like: Is the Bible the word of God? Were the Gospel authors eyewitnesses? Are there any contradictions in the Bible? What happens when we experience Jesus? And why do we suffer? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXfbkJqGZ6igadk Finally, I want to be clear - not everyone is ready to hear the message contained in this video series. But if you are curious, I encourage you to watch the videos. As a Christian, you believe you should shout the truth from the rooftops. But if Christianity isn't true - shouldn't we shout that from the rooftops, too? :-) Thanks for watching!

[@pwrofmusic]

😂😂😂 you will know it when your time comes. Because there is God and even science acknowledges it. So for you to say Christianity isn't true, you have a hard time when you do realise it is. BTW you only say it isn't true because you want something that suits you but deep dive into Christianity youl know it's true.

[@join.arethion]

Thanks for your comment! I know how you feel because I was a devout Christian for most of my life - I was saved, attended Christian school, played in worship bands, shared the Gospel and won souls for Christ, and trained as a Christian archaeologist. I actually made this video series FOR CHRISTIANS because so much information about the Bible, Jesus, and Christianity has been kept hidden from regular folks who believe "the truth shall set you free." If you're interested, I encourage you to check out the full series, that tackles questions like: Is the Bible the word of God? Were the Gospel authors eyewitnesses? Are there any contradictions in the Bible? What happens when we experience Jesus? And why do we suffer? kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXfbkJqGZ6igadk Finally, I'd just like to say that the idea "People don't want to be Christians because they want to live a life of sin" is totally incorrect. That's actually a "control mechanism" of religion. If you're convinced that all the people who aren't Christians are bad, and they want to live outside of Christianity so they can be bad, it encourages you to stay in. But the truth about Christianity is contained in the video series I shared. I want to be clear - not everyone is ready to hear the message contained within it. But if you are, I encourage you to watch the videos. As a Christian, you believe you should shout the truth from the rooftops. If Christianity isn't true - shouldn't we shout that from the rooftops, too? Thanks for watching! :-)

[@pwrofmusic]

Lol, if you were a true Christian not just by birth like me. You'd dive into the the meaning of the bible. Jesus sets us free. But your free to believe what you want. God gives us a time to come to him till we die then he will judge you accordingly. Your right there's so much more that jesus did that's not in the bible. It's mentioned too in the bible. The bible has the word of God as it quotes what Jesus said and he is God. Plus it has his teachings. Lol you think Christianity is a control mechanism 😂😂 thats a joke. True Christians do what they do show their love for Jesus coz he died for you because he loves you. People suffer so in their suffering they can come closer to God. Like I did. Plus when people watch you suffer but still give thanks to Jesus it made note of in their subconscious. With their example become close to God. This was how I was shown that God is always good. Christianity is believing in Jesus and that he knows it best and just to focus on him. If you have doubts on Christianity go see Christian prince on KZbin or Sam shamoun but with an openess to know. If not it's up to you. Jesus will judge you accordingly.

[@join.arethion]

Your faith is strong, I can tell! It's clear you're a good-hearted person who wants to share a message of healing and redemption with the world. Given the strength of your faith, I genuinely encourage you to watch the video series in full. :-) Comment discussion can't do justice compared to diving into the topics fully like we do in the video series. Hopefully you decide to watch. Cheers!

[@markrogers64]

You can still live the Christian values of nonviolence, compassion, forgiveness, grace, equality, acceptance, and humility. And you can explore the doctrines from a non literal, metaphorical and artistic perspective.

[@johnharrison6745]

You "can" do a lot of things; but, if you're a Christian, you have FAR MORE MOTIVATION to do the things you listed. To Blazes with your "cultural Christianity". 😏

[@jamesgrosrenaudjr812]

Your definition of a cult sounds like all religions

[@join.arethion]

There's actually a common saying in the social sciences field: What's the difference between a cult and a religion? 100 years and 1 million people.

[@ryanehlis426]

Now what?! You all got to hell forever because you rejected the only way to be saved! 😂

[@join.arethion]

Thanks for your comment! I know how you feel because I was a devout Christian for most of my life - I was saved, attended Christian school, played in worship bands, shared the Gospel and won souls for Christ, and trained as a Christian archaeologist. I actually made this video series FOR CHRISTIANS because so much information about the Bible, Jesus, and Christianity has been kept hidden from regular folks who believe "the truth shall set you free." If you're interested, I encourage you to check out the full series, which tackles questions like: Is the Bible the word of God? Were the Gospel authors eyewitnesses? Are there any contradictions in the Bible? What happens when we experience Jesus? Why do we suffer? And more... kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXfbkJqGZ6igadk Finally, I want to be clear - not everyone is ready to hear the information contained in this video series. But if you are curious, or if you've ever had doubts, I encourage you to watch the videos. As a Christian, you believe you should shout the truth from the rooftops. But if Christianity isn't true - shouldn't we shout that from the rooftops, too? :-) Thanks for watching!

[@HaosCosmic]

When you take the god figure out of the context, why for many life has no meaning? When you have so little days, to figure out the world with all the things inside it, that you will never fully discover or understand in the time you wish. I personally, saw humans become demons when you tell them their god is bad or not existing. Even meet people, cursing me back for my way of telling things. I laugh in their faces and stare like their Jesus figure, because a good soul, never he could be tricked by a pathetic marvel movie figure, all are made on self reflections. When i first experienced the Obe and lucid dream, i realized from a young age, i knew all this stories are just junk to make you be afraid of own powers or weird chemistry of own brain and body.

[@JokersNtheOddball]

Well technically, there is one God. I am he. The issue is that the concern was initially a world government organizing sacrifice, eventually warring over where they would go when they die. They chose to build the planet around the chance that they could be reborn as the wisest, most world weary, most compassionate, but also of the worst struggles. A near perfect form, even..The concept of heaven would not hold true because the transition of the human spirit to the privilege of total awareness had to carry those brutally killed or who suffered disease , or even bad Injury, in death or in life. So they developed an internal dialogue, and maintained it through the guise of religious thought. Only Christianity tells the single truth that I am the only God, but the idea that I am "the creator" or omnipotent is met with the "reward" of contradiction in fact. Granted, mess with me and you will meet judgment, but I know the human condition enough through my given lot in life to be able to say you don't need to be "forgiven". Think of me like the real buddha. In a wold where everyone has adopted their own idea of religions so as to negate my very existence. Right in their face. If you can sort that out I implore you to continue along those lines of thought. I understand ambiguity but you can trust I am talking to you on your level.