Are Christians Really New Creations?

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Spent a lot of extra time on this one, hope you all find it interesting. Thanks for watching!

[@kenshiloh]

Hi Brandon. In all respect, here is another video that shows how little you either studied or paid attention to Scripture. Jesus said that, "Many will seek to enter heaven, but will not be able to." Those 'seeking to enter' are professing Christians and most of them won't make it, so you cannot claim that Christ does not change the lives of Christians. In fact, I would be surprised if one out of four in a church are saved; it could be far less. That is because most of them are as you were. That is, they draw near to God with their lips, but their hearts are from from Him. In your case, you 'begged and begged' to know God, never trusting in God for your salvation, always pushing God away with your urgent, faithless pleas. Brandon, I would really hate to be you standing before God with your accumulating, atrocious rap sheet. A serial killer takes a mortal life; you are leading people to eternal hell. I don't know which is worse. God will sort it out, but you cannot say that I didn't warn you. You say that God does not change lives, yet I have been born again, seated in the heavenlies with Christ and for 46 years, I have not doubted my salvation for even a second - not one second. I am in continuous fellowship with God. By contrast, due to your stubborn and sinful heart, despite your 'earnest pleas,' you never wanted to know God and your war against Him now is the same as it was when you professed Christ. I write this because I do not want to see you wind up in hell. The Cross is real. Jesus Christ is the light of the world.

[@mr.c2485]

Actually, this brings back painful memories. I too, thought that I had this “special sauce” that was supposed to “transform” me into something righteous. The opposite happened… Words like self righteous, judgemental, non approachable, opinionated, and just plain asshole, all come to mind. But….I was forgiven. Lol

[@dasbus9834]

@@kenshiloh _In all respect, here is another video that shows how little you either studied or paid attention to Scripture_ He's accurate. If you guys don't like what it says, you should have written a better book.

[@Margo714P]

Dang, this took some time for sure. We appreciate you delving into all these types of topics. Save us more time to watch more of your videos! 😉

[@rokkitserjun]

Another great deep-dive amigo!

[@DannyS177]

For me personally, I found my mental health improving when I left Christianity.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

For so many! No supernatural powers required. Just truth.

[@darkvader125]

same here with me as i left the church my mental gradually improving but not at best but i am recovering from traumatic experinces

[@darkvader125]

same here

[@darkvader125]

after i left .... my mental health is imporving day by day gradually improving

[@Wanjiro81]

Same! I had crippling depression for years and had trouble gaining and maintaining my weight. That all changed when I left.

[@leegiff412]

I’m a “new creation” now that I left Christianity. I don’t have to think less of nonbelievers and people in the LGBTQ community anymore. It’s a huge weight lifted off your shoulders when you can look at everyone and know they’re just humans like the rest of us

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Well said!

[@Bebopeep]

Yes!!! This!! So relatable. I’m so free from judgement I never felt comfortable with in the first place.

[@UselessKnowbody]

Everything in the Christian faith is intended for the next creation. Jesus said none of the laws can end until heaven and earth pass away, and there is no new testament until the death of the testator. Yet Paul does away with the Torah laws, he also said Alexander the blacksmith loves this current WORLD. Romans 3:7 Paul said Christianity was his lie, because Heb 9:26 Christ can only die once at the END OF THE WORLD. Christianity was spread on a lie in anticipation of the rebirth of the Logos, the new heavens and new earth. In that case, they will really be new creations. Since only they get in.

[@matthewtfields8566]

I thank Brandon for posting this. As a Christian I’m just feeding off the verses that say we can be perfect lol. Which I believe we can be as Christians and we ought to be. As for the LGBT community why were you thinking about them all the time? I know for me I go to a gym that celebrates pride month. It’s always in your face. It’s hard not to think about if you ask me…

[@stultusvenator3233]

As one ex Pastors mother said when she left religion " I have no reason to hate anyone now". Say's a lot.

[@maginsberg9465]

As a young teenager I lived at the altar crying my eyes out begging god to make me a “new creature”. I look back on that now thinking how I had internalized the concept I was a horrible wretched person. Yet altar call after altar call, my feelings of elation was followed by my realization I was the same person. Took me decades to shake this image of myself

[@maggienewton8518]

glad you shook it off, finally. Been there, it is horrible. A form of mental, emotional torture.

[@matthewtfields8566]

Yeah for hundreds of years the churches taught false Christianity. They say” we are all sinners saved by grace” But never taught to be free from sin you have to keep Christ commandments John 15. The former leads to constant sin repent repeat lifestyle While the latter leads to progressive growth.

[@EmmaHopman]

More evidence that religion is a direct cause of trauma.

[@QuestionThingsUseLogic]

@@matthewtfields8566 and yet jesus broke multiple commandments. It's quite ironic that sin isn't a thing. It's a concept that men created when compiling the bible. No-one is a sinner. People are not wretched. They are not dead to themselves. These false statements have only pushed people down. People are fine. Most have reasonable morals, except for the minority born as psychopaths.

[@matthewtfields8566]

@@QuestionThingsUseLogic did you just make this up? 🧐

[@themuffins4]

This was a MASSIVE deal breaker for my husband and I. We didn't see any evidence of the "holy spirit" in Christians lives. They were just average people.. divorced, angry, sad, depressed ect. & never wanted to really put their faith in action. We saw it with everyone we hung around. As we deconstructed we realized it was all behavior modification induced by fear and peer pressure.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks for sharing!

[@33-vertebrae]

Fear-based behavioral modification! Been saying this for years. Spot on.

[@justice8718]

Married and still going to go against Jesus because he didn’t reward you early enough, as you be unhelpful for the struggling peers you have. You were never a new creation when you gossip instead of helping those in need. You disgusted the God that made you with that foolish heart that now speaks of “there is no God”, as God and Solomon has foretold of you people. You are shameful tares.

[@bengelfranco]

Sorry that was your experience…i have seen demons make people do supernatural things and who only by the Name of Jesus were stopped. Please dont let peoples actions define Christ!

[@33-vertebrae]

@@bengelfranco Christians simultaneously say that when you become a believer, you get attacked, but when you use Jesus' name during a demonic oppression, supposedly it stops it. So which is it? Personally, using Islamic ruqyas has helped me stop conflict in my own home, and invoking Allah's name during sleep paralysis made it stop, whereas invoking Jesus, it either wouldn't work or would take very long to work. My guess is all of this is just... Quantum physics at play. People's beliefs affecting material reality. Having experiences based upon what you already project into reality.

[@suicune2001]

My brother changed when he joined the cult - he got worse. He became homophobic when he never was before, he thinks the flood is a literal thing that happened so he refuses to accept evidence that contradicts his bias, he threw all logic out the window, and he married a woman he's not compatible with AT ALL. Seriously, they have nothing in common except she's Christian and they can't even agree which church to go to. She wants to go to the culty creepy church she grew up with even though they insulted him for being black at his baptism! We all told him MANY times not to marry her but he allowed himself to get bullied into getting married. To some degree, he knows he's not compatible with her but now that they're married we're all sure he's going to stay in that toxic relationship and make himself miserable.

[@Cat_Woods]

Sorry to hear it. Which culty creepy church? (Just curious. Was trying to guess. "For being black" made me think Mormonism, but there are a lot of de facto racist congregations in the US -- i.e., racist, but don't explicitly make that part of their professed doctrine.)

[@suicune2001]

@@Cat_Woods I don't know which version if Christian she's supposed to be. I think it's more on the fundamental side. He's brought other Christians there and even they got a culty uncomfortable vibe from it. But she refuses to stop going there just because that's where she's always gone and even though she feels her pastor screwed her over on her wedding. The pastor who baptized my brother said, "Is it ok if I dip your head under water? I know how you black people don't like getting your hair wet." WTF??? Of course, he was the only black person there. Everyone else was white. Also, his wife cheated on her previous boyfriend and constantly claims my brother is going to cheat on her when he's NEVER cheated on anyone ever. We think she doth protest too much.

[@Cat_Woods]

@@suicune2001 Sounds like a nightmare. I hope your brother can see his way out.

[@suicune2001]

@@Cat_Woods Thanks. We hope so too. We try to keep her and her family from isolating him from us since we know how cults work.

[@Cat_Woods]

@@suicune2001 Very smart. Keep communication channels open as much as possible.

[@jamespcrown128]

The "theft of the innocence of a child" should be the "unpardonable sin".

[@BeccaYoley]

Right!

[@Cat_Woods]

And yet God never even thought to mention it in his holy books. Go figure.

[@bobyoung3857]

Agreed. I would say the standard for all, especially Christians should be to stand against theft of any kind. Theft can fall under many types. Unrighteously taking innocence, life, livelihood, or finance. I had a job once that had a hiring manager who promised a certain amount of pay, a raise after 90 days, and other things. He enjoyed all of the praise he got from hiring the most people, but that's only because people quit after not getting the things he promised and he continued to use the same trickery. That should be considered sin by Christians.

[@stevenpike7857]

Nope, it's forgivable. But blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is non forgivable. LOL!

[@scottgrohs5940]

God also never thought to include germ theory in his holy books. A number of pilgrim women would have appreciated that one, I think.

[@mr.c2485]

“Christians aren’t perfect, just forgiven”. How many times have we heard that line of B.S? If spending one’s life involves saying sorry for everything one might perceive as offensive to a god, then they can keep it.

[@matthewtfields8566]

Yeah if the Bible says they can be perfect but they do not Believe it are they Christians 🤔 being that Christians are supposed to believe the Bible 🤔

[@rickyeyman8552]

Hey Brandon, just wanted to let you know that I absolutely love the work you do on this channel. It’s so refreshing to watch someone slowly and meticulously dissect all of the problems, inconsistencies, and contradictions with religion and the harm it can cause. Thank you for being an intelligent, educated, and rational voice for us atheists who can sometimes feel outnumbered to the point where they feel like their voices are never heard. People like you are the reason real change happens ❤️

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Such wonderful encouragement. Thank you very much!

[@rickyeyman8552]

@@MindShift-Brandon You’re welcome! You’ve inspired passion about this topic in me, and now lately I’ve been really thinking about starting my own atheist YT channel, like this.

[@dmitrykup8867]

Thanks for the video, Brandon! The fact that my faith did not make me a better person (and I was hoping it would) was one of the reasons for my deconstruction and deconversion. Surprisingly enough, my true spiritual growth started when I became an agnostic. I stopped to see myself and other people as sinners; I accepted my weaknesses and stopped to shame and blame myself for making mistakes; I am not waiting for a saviour anymore, because I stopped to run from my problems, struggles and pain and see them as a natural part of life and precious lessons to learn. Of course, Christianity was a part of my spiritual growth too and I'm glad that I had this experience. But there was a time to move on, and I moved, and I feel so much better now :3

[@justice8718]

Go back to Christ or you will have no life, as only he is the path to life.

[@QuestionThingsUseLogic]

@dmitrykup8867 That's right, you are perfectly fine just as you are. It's important to love and accept yourself as you are, that's really wholesome. Good on you!

[@SharedPhilosophy]

When I first became a Christian, this new creation thing was my whole goal. I was dealing with addictions and suffering from low self confidence and I looked at Christianity as the cure for that. As time went on I saw how nothing was changing even though I was praying, reading the bible, trying to have a relationship with god. I was doing everything I was told to do, but nothing was changing, and eventually I came to a breaking point where I sat in my car and yelled at the sky and cried my eyes out asking god why he wouldn't help me and I heard nothing. Radio silence. Thats when I decided that this was BS and that it was up to me to work on my issues and go get therapy. My life has been so much better since. Thanks for the this video Brandon! Absoutely love your content, keep it up! ❤

[@justice8718]

If you wanted his help, why didn’t you ask him to guide your hand to the Word?

[@rizdekd3912]

@@justice8718 "If you wanted his help, why didn’t you ask him to guide your hand to the Word?" Seems to me that's exactly what DID happen. Poster says, "Thats when I decided that this was BS and that it was up to me to work on my issues and go get therapy. My life has been so much better since." He guided his life to be better. Who can ask for anything more?

[@justice8718]

@@rizdekd3912 He guided his life to forsake God and out fallen man into his place.

[@SharedPhilosophy]

@@justice8718 Seems like forsaking god helped my mental health so....

[@justice8718]

@@SharedPhilosophy No. You under the false peace of deceivers. Demons. It’s very common.

[@yacaattwood2421]

A major part of Christian culture is the Testimony “I was an addict/alcoholic/sexually immoral/depressed/suicidal - and I have my life to Jesus and now I’m clean/happy/moral” The words ‘placebo effect’ come to mind - it’s known in medicine that patients can improve if they strongly believe a medication will cure their issue It would seem that faith can have the same effect Good to see you Brandon; hope all continues well with you and your family!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes lots of reasons for why Christians can have change just like anyone else can but very little if not no evidence of it being supernatural and thanks so much!

[@JDrocks4ever]

Great point! And that phenomenon is a far more accurate description when one wants to explain what’s happening with the ex-addict Christian’s. Mainly because it only fixes that one addiction, but they still have to work out of the other “fleshly” habits of their lives. Plus, most Christian addicts don’t experience that “miraculous” transformation. They isolate and highlight the success stories unfortunately. Count the hits, forget the misses.

[@Firestorm12345678910]

The brain doesn't seem to mind at all if one takes the burden of critical thinking off it's back. If you are a Christian and actually drink it's grape flavored cool-aid it means that you don't have to worry about anything including the environmental pollution, evil aliens enslaving the entire earth and even death itself. There are no earthly problems for such persons to solve because God is in control, "Worry not for tomorrow." No matter how suck one's life is everything will be eventually justified and explained(?) in the thereafter. Such way of delusional thinking is way out there in left field from actually trying to fix things, to help yourself, others and the external material world for the better. Clearly spelled out that's the venture of trying to gain godlike powers over entropy. The Bible's eschatology is all about God fixing the world "soon" Revelation 22:20 He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus..." So then there is no hurry for mankind to fix it themselves. For such brains death has left the building. While they may get angry and or sad about it they still will make no attempts at defeating it. The great folly of Death to Others (including involuntarily to one-"self") but not Death to Death is exceedingly prevalent within Theistic minds. No matter how many doctorates and educated a person may be if they cannot understand such a simple concept all their wisdom is for naught. All these workarounds just so as not to face death as even the bible says it is "the final enemy" (and I would also add the only enemy that is worthy to be defeat). 1 Corinthians 15:32 If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” NO, again that is an incorrect and rather stupid way of dealing with death. For example there are scientists called gerontologists that study the biological (not supernatural!) aspect of death. But of course that is not enough since knowledge of death alone is not enough to defeat it.

[@iantino]

​@@JDrocks4ever And there's the fact that most of those ex-addicts are still haunted by their addictions, they can't engage, even indirectly, in their prior addiction behaviour. Or even have a relapse for struggling more in live.

[@FoursWithin]

Faith based religions are the ultimate placebo

[@Trigger-xw9gq]

I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard the old "Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven" yarn.

[@riseofdarkleela]

Some Xian already used it in this comment section.

[@Trigger-xw9gq]

@@riseofdarkleela Ha!

[@dawnalawrence6584]

@Trigger-xw9gq Ditto here!

[@japexican007]

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.

[@Trigger-xw9gq]

@@japexican007 Yes, quoting the scribblings of primitive, superstitious, ignorant desert men is very convincing. Where do I sign up?

[@survive323]

I have noted that among delivery drivers it is common knowledge that if there is an indication that your delivery is going to a supposed christian. Indicators such as bible scripture on the door, christian bumper sticker on their car or a statue of Jesus in there yard, more than likely you will get very little or no tip.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Just ask any server about the Sunday crowd. Little to no tips, rude, inpatient, self important and on and on and thats 20 minutes after crying during worship. I know thats anecdotal but man alive.

[@deb6252]

Absolutely telling....thanks as always

[@TheOneJameYT]

@@MindShift-Brandonformer server here, and you’re 100% correct. Hated working Sundays for that reason and most servers ask for that day off over other days.

[@kmgg5005]

I haven't been a server for a long time but reading your comment brought back some memories ...not only were the tips bad but they were always the most demanding- I guess they needed the extra service because they are god's kids and therefore can't look after themselves 😉

[@apokalypthoapokalypsys9573]

Good thing I live in Europe where I never tip. There is no reason why I should pay more than what is legally required. Is the salary of waiters too low? That's between them and the employer, ask for a raise or find a new job, it's not my problem.

[@NeedSomeNuance]

This topic was a crucial realization which led me out years ago. There simply is no measurable difference between “receiving the Holy Spirit” and just personally committing to live a more biblical life

[@deb6252]

I've often reflected about the people around me, that I admire for their humanity and innate decency. 90% of the time....not religious. And then I am even more impressed as it didn't take the threat of eternal damnation to elicit their goodness and humility. Love the stats.

[@phi4721]

Just because people are religious doesn't mean they are being good because of eternal damnation, I did experience an atheist being racist to me and I deserved because I was a mangy religious person so meh.

[@catherinerosner970]

I was a social worker in Oklahoma. The state ranked in the top 3 for teen pregnancy, domestic abuse and incarceration (highest in female). Sexually education in any form is still discouraged because it 'promotes sexual behavior'. Look at what is happening to the LBGTQ+ community today? Outspoken political leaders calling them 'filth', making laws against bathrooms, healthcare, etc. The condemnation is deeply rooted against many groups. I was also a devout Christian for many years. This video makes so much sense. In the last ten years, I left the faith, and am healing from my own abusive relationships. The best decision I made was to move to another state. The journey from devout faith to using my rational mind, questioning what I read in the Bible and was told, reading also studying human behavior and history takes time but it is so very worth it. Thank you for helping people achieve reality and healing.

[@dmsdad6866]

I'm curious how much these people you observe may be anti-LGBTQ or anti-kink. The reason we have the alphabet soup is because we're "including" everyone under this LGBT'umbrella. I'm confident you and I have both witnessed the metamorphosis of the community; ie,. 1st the L's, B's, G's, and T's were separate,.... then they joined to make LGBT,... then we added Q's,...then I lost track and everything was "included"...except Cis-individuals. We included MAPS (minor attracted persons; adults sexually attracted to children) but don't include Cis... I'm wondering if the acronym-thought leaders will ever add Cis. Simply state,..."we're all together over here." At the end of the day, we're talking about sex; not love or relationships. We're talking about kink sex. Why else add Maps? I'm genuinely curious what's going on there. Help me understand if you can, please Sorry, a simple post turned into rambling.

[@riseofdarkleela]

@@dmsdad6866that MAPS thing is not something most of us include, and your “kink sex” comment shows your prejudice and ignorance. There’s no “acronym thought leaders”. Nice try tho.

[@stultusvenator3233]

I send you congratulations and love, I hope all goes well for you from Australia. A difficult but worthwhile journey back to reality. Keep up the good work.

[@catherinerosner970]

@@stultusvenator3233 Thank you!

[@justice8718]

You’ve journeyed yourself into being the biggest fool there is. Foretold in Soloman’s book, Ecclesiastes. Have you not read it?

[@JDrocks4ever]

Great topic! This was one of my biggest cognitive dissonances, especially when I got to the free grace community. It’s like, if the holy spirit is supposed to transform us, why do we have to do all the work to change?? 😂 eerily similar to there being no holy spirit at all🤔 Looking forward to watching!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks! Yes we simply don’t see what the bible says we will of believers.

[@chrisgreener3654]

It’s like the old axiom you get out of it what you put into it.

[@PiRobot314]

I love when Christians dance around in circles of: you are not a true Christian if you are following God's law and also salvation is by grace not by works and also not everyone who says "Lord Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven and also the Spirit transforms us into new characters. Which is it? Basically, we don't see the Holy Spirit working and need some excuse

[@preacherberry8901]

Mindshift is in a class by itself. Well spoken, well researched, kindly presented.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you very much!

[@dougt7580]

One of my major problems with people's gods is, despite their supposed great wisdom, they have to rely on flawed human artifices like scripture or language.

[@MrCanis4]

And bad apologetics.

[@Green-ishEcho]

Hmm if only these god could comnuicate with their believers personally, physically and not in their heads or through other people who speak for the gods.

[@chriswest8389]

If there smoke there could be fire. If the evidence for the resurrection is base level decent( good would be better obviously) and triumphs all other religious claims ,then pascals famous wager has to land on Christianity not Islam or Judaism - Abrahamic faiths. Sines most Eastern based faiths R inclusive amongst themselfs and also across western monotheistic faiths, then the Holy Spirit, if it is in operation Has to be operating in Christianity exclusively. It’s not what you believe, it’s what you know. The Holy Spirit is epistemological certainty, circumventing book/ language barriers to true knowledge. This is a blind spot that most Christian’s and apologist don’t address adequately or not at all.. My solution anyway.

[@christophergibson7155]

The Lord Jesus Christ came to save sinners (flawed people). God doesn't rely on flawed people. He desires to reconcile them to Himself, through the cross of Christ.

[@christophergibson7155]

@@Green-ishEcho "Hmm if only these god could comnuicate with their believers personally, physically..." "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish;" (John 10:27-28a) Jesus mostly assuredly communicates to those who hear His voice.

[@Azho64]

You can tell you put a lot of work in this one with all the verses and stats thanks ,Brandon!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

It was my pleasure. Thanks for watching!

[@Hexsmasher2099]

For me I found inner peace learning from the world and from myself after Christianity. Keep up with the good content Brandon

[@markdowney9393]

Brandon, This is excellent! When all is said and done, this is the one thing that settles the religious dispute. I spent 40 years of my adult life trying to find the supernatural power that the Catholic Church claims it possesses through the sacraments of Jesus. I pursued a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ and sought out the most 39:33 39:33 conservative Catholic communities. I even moved across the country so that myself, and family, could live wholesome and spirit led lives. The deeper we went, the more obvious it became. There is no supernatural power involved. The congregation suffered from the same weaknesses ,and even more so in some regards , than the general public.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you much and for sharing!

[@Rhewin]

It feels a lot nicer being good to others because I genuinely want to, and not because I’m commanded to.

[@christophergibson7155]

When you belong to The Lord Jesus Christ you are commanded to love others and you want to love others. It is a new heart given by The Spirit of God that makes the difference, and not an unwilling & forceful obedience to a set of rules and regulations. That is just dead religion. To know and love Jesus is a relationship.

[@Rhewin]

@@christophergibson7155 and yet I love others more than I ever did as an evangelical. You know why? They are worthy of love. They are not just sinful, hateful beings. They don’t just deserve eternal judgement. They are good people. They are worthy.

[@QuestionThingsUseLogic]

​@@Rhewinnot only that, if God were omnipotent and omniscient, it doesn't need to stoop to requiring this old man responding to you to let you know of it!! Lol. Good thing this god is totally invented, complete with human emotions and reactions.

[@christophergibson7155]

@@Rhewin We know from Jesus we are to love our enemies. And yet sinners are enemies of God. (Rom. 8:7 & Col. 1:21). Your sentimentality toward the sinner will not help them. They need to hear the moral law of God and know that they have sinned against a Holy, Righteous, and Just God. (Romans 3:21)And then when their conscience is awakened to their sinful ways; they can then be open to hear and receive the gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ. So, in conclusion you are wrong about saying that they are good people. It is clear from the Word of God; there is no one that is good, or righteous. (Romans 3:10-12) They may do "good things", but that is not counted as righteousness before God. Only the righteousness that comes throught Jesus Christ makes one justified. To think anything else is just a smoke screen of deception.

[@Rhewin]

@@christophergibson7155 nah, they’re not sinners. They’re good people. The only bad people I know are those corrupted by evangelicalism who believe no one is good.

[@CharlesPayet]

On the divorce topic - the worst Christians are the loudest ones - multiple divorces, virtually always more instances of infidelity, etc.

[@CharlesPayet]

16:36 LOL and moments later, you specifically point that out.

[@ghostreyn]

When i was a christian this whole thing of being a new creation confused me so much. I was already use to acting in a way which people expected before becoming christian then after other Christians would say i was "new" and "my past deeds were forgiven." All i could think is 'what past deeds, i had never done anything which would warrant such talk.' At the time all i was looking for was a friend which would accept me, but boy was i wrong. This god being taught would never have accepted me, the part of me i hid from everyone. I kept trying to hide it deeper and deeper diving in farther into the cult mindset, going to church multiple times a week and training to be a missionary, but it wouldn't go away and only made me more depressed. By the time i accepted that part of my self i had left the faith, after wasting years of my life including my teen years trying to be something i wasn't. Now i am still dealing with the things i was taught and undoing those teachings in my head, the guilt of converting people to a religion which taught acceptance but is not, and learning how to move on from that and letting my self exist.

[@justice8718]

How are you confused when the Bible gives you more context about it? Maybe if you actually read it, you wouldn’t be the mess you are today. Watch John MacArthur and Voddie Bauchum if you need some amazing help.

[@Krikenemp18]

​@@justice8718 More lack of empathy. Just gather those spoils for the Lord.

[@QuestionThingsUseLogic]

@@Krikenemp18 yeah these trolls are mentally unstable.

[@Kirasfox]

Hello! Morning, another fun to watch on my break. I'd also like to say, always thought provoking which I do enjoy.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad to hear. Thank you!

[@kingmarx810]

The only thing I feel I lack as an agnostic atheist is a loss of community. In every other way, I find myself more empathetic and compassionate towards the conditions of others. I see a lot of vitriol towards others coming from a lot, not all, of American Christians. That is not just religion but, people using religion as a method to deceive Christian. But, if the holy spirit were real you would think Christians would be less susceptible of hateful rhetoric, and they are not. I can tell a lot of work went into this and to get it all into 40 minutes! Great job.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate you watching it!

[@rizdekd3912]

"I find myself more empathetic and compassionate towards the conditions of others. I see a lot of vitriol towards others coming from a lot, not all, of American Christians. " That comes from embracing the notion that we are all in this together and there isn't a us/them but a 'us' a human species who is connected by genetics, ie common ancestry. Believing God exists can exonerate one from that feeling and release them from feeling responsible for the plight of others. The vitriol is due to the doctrine that it is because of human sin that the world is in the fallen condition it is in. So they feel justified in blaming others since THEY have been redeemed and are no longer part of the problem.

[@Krikenemp18]

​@@rizdekd3912 God literally turns people against each other constantly. Not having God looking out for us means we only have each other, so we better be good to each other if we want to make it. It's so simple, but it can't be grasped by the indoctrinated.

[@justice8718]

Angels and God will not tolerate sin. Why would the master of angels and the servant of God tolerate sin? That’s completely contradictory to the basics of the holy order.

[@rizdekd3912]

"Believing God exists can exonerate one from that feeling and release them from feeling responsible for the plight of others." And why should it not? Why shouldn't it make me feel I'm not responsible and that I shouldn't have to help? IF God exists and if God is omnipotent and all good, and IF God is omnipresent, that means the most powerful good person is always right there watching every victim suffer whether it be from natural or man made assault. So why should I care to get involved and spend my meager resources that God gave me to help them? In fact I can go one further and say it is obviously something they did that causes them to suffer so it further exonerates me. Their suffering is all part of this omniscient God's master plan that I should not try to change. Intervening might piss him off...who wants to piss off the big guy? Perhaps this is what THEY did to cause their ill fate.

[@thekendredspirit5771]

I’ve always struggled with lust for females. I remember when I became a Christian at the age of 12 being extremely ashamed because of my desire for the opposite sex. The more I tried to suppress my attraction the more intensified it became. At age 14 I would buy swimsuit magazines with the little money I earned from the little jobs I would do and then I’d return them because I’d hear the words of Jesus in my head: “If you look at a woman with lust in your heart you’ve already committed adultery with her”. I believe in the power of words, thoughts, emotions, feelings, and actions and I think one should be constantly cultivating one’s character but to be shamed for having natural and healthy feelings may not be beneficial for one’s overall wellbeing.

[@BobMillspaughMusic]

Yes! Those feelings cannot be turned off... Shame just amplifies them.

[@scrider5493]

I see no benefit in feeling disgust for what is biologically/evolutionarily in your nature. The damning of human sexually and sexually attraction seems to be common. Religion appears to damn the desires and feelings god has put in his creation. It is as if they are saying God made a mistake.

[@maggienewton8518]

@@BobMillspaughMusic sure! Shame amplifies them and unhealthy sexual activity can occur as a result instead of the natural, healthy passion coming from not only accepting "lust" or attraction, but embracing it.

[@justice8718]

You’re literally experiencing why Christ is the only way to heaven.

[@leelee1921]

Christianity shames you for being human. What else am I supposed to be?

[@davidpebworth]

Nice work on this 👍🏼

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much!

[@lilafeldman8630]

I first became a Christian when I was 19. I was told that I was a new creation in Christ. But I still struggle deeply with my mental health and deeply with many sins in my life. I also had a lot of hurt and unforgiveness in my past. It took me till I was nearly 30 years old to start resolving some of that. But if I was a new creation when I was 20 years old why didn't God just take all of that away? Why was I unable to leave my problems at the foot of the cross and walk away with victory like everyone else was?

[@japexican007]

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. "why didn't God do X" he will why hasn't he done x now God's not subject to your timeline

[@FoursWithin]

​@@japexican007 That's such ridiculous cult BS that at first I thought it was sarcasm. But nope looks like full fool indoctrination instead

[@toonyandfriends1915]

@@FoursWithin it is literally just a bible quotation (except the lines before the quotation). Why make a full bible case about what the holy spirit is supposed to do if you ignore verses like these?

[@FoursWithin]

@@toonyandfriends1915 Not sure if I'm getting your point here. "It's literally just a bible quotation". That's fine, but that certainly doesn't eliminate it from also being cult B.S. Of which the bible is littered with. Some of it is much more blatant than others, But all of it offering ways to avoid thinking about facts , common sense, or other matters at hand and instead just ease ones mind into the loving welcoming hands of rhetorical woo-woo profundities.

[@justice8718]

@@FoursWithin Oh look, a hater of God with fruits of a rotten and evil soul. How unexpected… NOT.

[@RobertBaker-cg4md]

Most church today is a social thing. Very little focus on anything spiritual. Just say the right words eveyone expects to hear & then go on with your usual day.

[@scrider5493]

I would guess that Church is very much social, a time to relax, sit back, no cell phones, no demands for the car keys, to go out with friends. Everyone dresses fairly nice, acts really nice and you get to sing and socialize. Humans are group seeking and social, that's in part why we survive. Add food at the fellowship hall and you have a winner.

[@ssww3]

Yep that's right I can confirm it

[@jeffbenelli6999]

Brandon, this truly was fantastic! Coming from a person with a masters in mathematics and a 34 year career is a data scientist witin actual oral group. This might be my favorite episode. Thank you.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Oh man, amazing credentials. Very glad to hear it was able to hold up! Always open to critiques too.

[@bbhalstead]

Leaving the church has had the opposite affect. I fell in with a bad crowd and my reputation and mylife were 0:00 totally destroyed.

[@dennisjoiner4164]

Thank you so much for your research and studied presentation. Your work in presenting the truth is much appreciated.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad to hear it! Thanks for being here!

[@Djax111]

Love your approach to this data as someone who's been in law enforcement myself. I'd like to add my own personal story of my grandmother's husband being a respected church leader that fits your point specifically about overlooked situations. He was a worship leader and church musician who also happens to be one of the most disgusting human beings I have ever come across. He has essentially had 4 attempted murders under his belt against my grandmother, plus an actual animal slaying of her pet dog. He's in a prominently Christian county who finds it convenient to use his story of being a war veteran church leader looking to become a better person from his "mistakes" and subsequently has had a lot of his charges amended thanks to those privileges. The church and their narratives have encouraged my grandmother to forgive him and work at supporting him in their relationship, even after her life has been threatened multiple times by him. So you are absolutely right that churches and even their communities will protect people, and gaslight victims, simply for the grander narrative and its absolutely sickening. Talk about wolves in sheep's clothing!

[@FoursWithin]

"Demons" are attracted to ideologies that allow them to shirk responsibility. Sad your grandmother may never see the light.

[@justice8718]

It doesn’t matter if you’re caught up in boring dramas when your own eternity is at stake and you cannot use these stories as excuses for rebelling against God. Besides, the one you are watching isn’t actually a man. Deception is all around you, but only God is truly honest with you and even wrote a book to make sure you’re talking to him.

[@FoursWithin]

@@justice8718 No one's eternity is at stake Mr cult member. But I understand, you have to spread your cult ideology in order to have meaning in your life.

[@Djax111]

@FoursWithin I completely agree. And thank you! I would like to think so someday too. Luckily the guy had a bad cross up with some medications and booze and ended up extremely weak after being resuscitated, so you can almost breathe on him and he'd crumble. Funny how life works out sometimes

[@Djax111]

@justice8718 I wouldn't call real people's real life situations "boring dramas", nor would I look past them to simply say that none of their lives matters in the grander narrative. It's honestly sad to see when people have this mentality that you have because at some point in your life you have or will struggle and it would be incredibly shitty for someone to look you dead in the eyes and say "Oh well that doesn't matter, it's all borning drama. At least you're saved!" It doesn't take away from the realness of your situation. God or not.

[@HonestInquiry8]

I used to think I was transformed as a Christian, but then as time went on I realized that the areas of my life where I had grown or become more disciplined were due to the work and I had put in and the decisions I had made. Any peace I ever had as a Christian was fleeting at best.

[@Adriell.h.b.]

I found the statistics in this context really interesting. You framed them in a really interesting way. Great video!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

So glad to hear it!

[@dasbus9834]

Thanks Brandon! No doubt that took a while. Nice consolidated reference sheet, just in case 👍

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks man, can you confirm it worked then? You can link out to the sheet and click any study?

[@dasbus9834]

Looks good, except for the "drunk-driving" link to "thezebra" - their server infrastructure blocks me as a security threat 🤔😂 Not related to the sheet or the URL as far as I can see, and all the other dozen or so links I checked work fine 👍

[@jamesgrosrenaudjr812]

I stopped meeting with my pastor . When I started meeting with my therapist and he had real world answers. Instead of some theological answers. Pray more , give it to Jesus more. .

[@SCP-SAM]

Well done Brandon....the #'s don"t lie!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you!

[@marycollis6900]

This was one real eye opener to me as I started looking more critically at faith. That those around me in church really experienced little positive life change - in fact many seemed to have worse outcomes - and the constant barrage of “I’m an undeserving sinner” tended to make people less excited about life or about sharing anything outside of church life which they enjoyed. As if loving a hobby made them Less spiritual. This Lack of ability to really enjoy life can make for some fairly dull people.

[@greganderson2239]

Yeah you really can’t have any self worth apart from Jesus because all your works are like filthy rags to God. This along with believing there’s some evil spirit realm influencing you makes it really hard to maintain sanity much less remaining a Christian.

[@headams6]

Your last few minutes really drove it home. We don't see evidence of a spirit moving, we see evidence of people supporting people making a difference . I bet if we looked at other religions and included them to compare to, we would see them do better in some areas and see the same improvement in those that seek community regularly. Great topic! I love it when you bring the research!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate that!

[@donovanwilliamsroker4734]

I have to admit, you hemmed me up with this one. Been praying for a change for over 40 years. Haven't seen it yet.

[@James-wv3hx]

Former Episcopalian Priest, Alan Watts claimes that telling people not to think of sinful thoughts, is like telling them not to think of a green elephant, in his video called - Genuine 😜. He also claims that making sex forbidden, actually makes it more erotic, in his lecture - Sex in the Church.

[@elliottpaine9259]

And also to add to what your saying: ppl who have sex know ; it’s overrated

[@UltraVioletKnight]

Well I wasn't thinking about a green elephant before he brought it up.

[@FoursWithin]

​@@elliottpaine9259 Bad sex is overrated and according to research is common.

[@chriswest8389]

“ If you wish to swim, sink. If you wish to sink, swim”. “

[@Shattered3582]

what i really love about your channel and channels like alex O'Conner, genetically modified skeptic, and rationality rules is how you are able to give criticisms on religion without sounding like you hate the religions. sometimes i feel angered at the stuff i used to blindly believe with my whole heart and it blinds me from seeing how religion can have some good aspects, but it is simply about having a calm and skeptical mind. the same goes with things like meditation. sure i dont believe it is anything spiritual, but i can see where it can be useful.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate that feedback. Thanks!

[@cringeLoop]

So true. As a former Christian I used to be so depressed due to my inability to overcome certain sins. I used to be pouring my soul out to God for victory along with fasting and not seeing results. There is no holy spirit power.

[@greganderson2239]

Feel the same way.. the Holy Spirit just seems like an idea and imagination with no real power.

[@dmcd415]

Brandon, what an excellent video. This is an issue that always bothered me when I was a Christian, and I always felt guilty that I couldn’t do better and didn’t feel changed. My depression and anxiety never got better until I saw a doctor for help. I never felt that “peace that surpasses all understanding” and I didn’t see that in anyone else either. I feel more like a new creation now that I don’t believe in god. Thanks for all your work on this video. If people actually became new creations, the churches would be full.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Appreciate this!

[@merbst]

Ok Brandon, great video topic! it is very rare to hear Americans citing quantitative empirical research due to our exceptionally poor numeracy rates here in the United States. Also, I have lomg held an interest in empirical statistical surveys, which had me listening closely at the differences in each category. I am aware of additional information that changedbthe meaning of one category's results! Specifically the figures you had cited on charitable giving & volunteerism are only telling half the story, while the other half flips the script! Somewhere in my reference library I have a book entirely dedicated to studies on secular giving versus christan charity that clarified that yes, Christians give more often to the collection plate / basket, nearly 99½ of the funds collected by churches does not ever get applied any service of any needs beyond the church itself. Excluding the church collections, & volunteering coordinated by churches, Christians actually give far less & far fewer of their hoursvto charitable causes. The most damning statistics for Christian Charity Organizations compared to Secular Humanist Charity Organizations were those about the average charity effectiveness figures, which is measured by the percentage of every donated dollar that is finally expended directly in service ofbthe aims that were stated before the donations had been collected. I will find the book to cite the proper book, & its relevant pages, providing those figuresandvreturn herevsoon! byebye for now oh PS from one harm reduction activist to another (I volunteered an enormous amount of my time helping peoplebusevdrugs safely), the most dangerous aspect ofany drugs has been their criminalization! In countries with more reasonable systematic approaches to recreational drugs , such as Portugal or Sweeden, nearly no deaths occur nor lasting injury from even what you think of as the hard drugs like heroin, meth or crack, in a wild contradt to Americas deliberately Racist, classist, politically biased drug laws & penal systems! I agree with the vuestra of books on Prison Abolition, & calls to decarcerate the state, in addition to legalizing the possession, sale, & uae of every psychoactive substance!

[@maggienewton8518]

" I have lomg held an interest in empirical statistical surveys" I love it when people get excited by things like this. Beats video games! :)

[@timothymulholland7905]

You hit the nail squarely on the head, congratulations!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad you think so!

[@paulmichael7194]

Much needed topic conversation. I do not think many cover this well. The divorce rate non-difference always bothered me when I was a Christian.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thank you much!

[@dedscene2521]

First of everyone else lol. Hey Brandon I hope you're doing OK. Your videos are great thank you.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much for being here!

[@Muhluri]

29:55 I can vouch for this. My family always went to a restaurant after church

[@CharlesPayet]

“Oh, but you can’t criticize God just because some people in the Church are hypocrites and do bad things!” Oh hell yes I can. If God/Jesus/Holy Spirit are that damn weak, that people who claim to follow them and have changed their lives, can’t be a**holes, then I can absolutely call that god weak and useless.

[@CharlesPayet]

@paulfromcanada5267 that has to be one of the dumbest analogies I’ve ever heard.

[@rokkitserjun]

@paulfromcanada5267 - Beethoven never claimed to be the omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent creator of the universe. He also never produced a Holy Book telling everyone how to live or claimed that those who don't like his music would burn in hell. Most importantly, I've yet to meet a Beethoven fan who tries to get laws passed forcing others to follow his music while denouncing lovers of Bach or Tchaikovsky.

[@CharlesPayet]

@paulfromcanada5267 meh, no it doesn’t.

[@FoursWithin]

​@paulfromcanada5267 "The analogy still stands" Sure it still stands, as an example of a bad analogy.

[@caffetiel]

@paulfromcanada5267 Beethoven's your conductor and micromanager. Yeah, I'm gonna blame him.

[@JDrocks4ever]

Great video! Just finished watching. Another thing that you didn’t discuss a whole lot in this video is not only how Christian’s are supposed to be transformed behaviorally, but they’re also supposed to gain these super powers (gifts of the spirit) from the Holy Spirit as detailed Roman’s 12 and 1 Corinthians 12, that we just don’t see. It results in them either having to fabricate these gifts, make unbiblical excuses that these powers are supposed to be rare occurrences, or flat out claim that the gifts (along with the offices of the 5-fold ministry) have ceased after the apostles started the church. Both this and everything you said in the video worked as major cracks to my deconversion.

[@jaflenbond7854]

ATHEISM and RELIGIONS versus the BIBLE, GOD and JESUS CHRIST Atheists who are claiming that God and Gods don't exist and Jehovah's Witnesses, SDAs, Mormons, Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Born Again Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and fanatics of all kinds of Religions who believe and preach the Unbiblical teachings and doctrines of their Pastors and Leaders about - 1. hellfire 2. immortality of the souls 3. afterlife 4. Trinity 5. Armageddon 6. rapture 7. reincarnation are obviously opposed and against the TRUTH that the Biblical teachings of Jesus Christ about the - 1. "Kingdom of God" written in Luke 4: 43 2. "Resurrection of the Dead" written in John 11: 25, 26 will definitely bring honor and GOD's favor and reward of ETERNAL LIFE and existence on earth without sufferings, pains, griefs, sickness, and death as written in Revelation 21: 3, 4 to lowly, ordinary, kind, and respectful persons on earth who believe and obey what's written in Matthew 28: 18 that Jesus Christ is the One given by GOD all authority in heaven and on earth. Atheists, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and fanatics of all kinds of Religions are obviously opposed and against the TRUTH that the lives, dignities, and existence of human beings are of great worth, value, and importance to GOD and Jesus Christ and the teaching of Jesus Christ about the "Resurrection of the Dead" guarantees that loving, kind, considerate, and respectful persons on earth who died recently and thousands of years ago like Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Job, Naomi, Ruth, King David, Jesus Christ's Followers and disciples, and many others will all be RESURRECTED back to life in the right and proper time so they can live and exist on earth forever as submissive and obedient citizens and subjects of the "KINGDOM of GOD" and fully enjoy the eternal love, kindness, goodness, generosities, compassions, favors, and blessings of GOD and his Christ for eternity under the loving and kind rulership, guidance, and protection of Jesus Christ as his GOD and Father's Chosen King and Ruler of the heavens and the earth as written in Revelation 11: 15.

[@TheRatzor]

A new creation is interesting but some people when they leave Christianity becomes better people, some when they joint they becomes worse people and vice versa. Regardless if there is a God or not i want to be good because that's the way my brain is wired, but its so sad when people join Christianity or other religion how they can become so hateful and judgmental not all but its goes to show its really down to the person and how they think they should act and behave!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yup people do things for people reasons that we can observe. No supernatural change

[@justice8718]

@@MindShift-Brandon You worship a demon and pretend to be something you’re not all of the time. No one should trust you.

[@imjustsayingthough2261]

Enjoyed this. It shows people are full of it.

[@damzey911]

I think i speak for most of your subscriber You worry about dragging on sometimes.....We don't care. You're so efficient and well spoken that it is not going to matter. Thank you!

[@torreysauter8954]

Meet the new creation, same as the old creation

[@rokkitserjun]

I loved the marriage statistics. I'm an agnostic-atheist married to a evangelical Christian. She is on marriage #3. This is my first and will be my only marriage. Kind of shows a stark contrast.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

That first category really is so very telling as a whole.

[@CharlesPayet]

I hate to be pessimistic, but if you’re #3, how can you be sure that you won’t become Ex #3? I wish you all the best for a long & happy marriage.

[@rokkitserjun]

@@CharlesPayet - Nothing is ever sure, I could become Ex #3, but I doubt it. We've made it 10 years, and I'm a disabled vet with Gulf War Syndrome, so it's much more likely she will be a widow instead of a divorcee. All I can be sure of is I will only be married once.

[@CharlesPayet]

@@rokkitserjun if you’ve made it 10 years, sounds like you have something good. I’m so sorry to hear of your suffering due to that war.

[@justice8718]

@@rokkitserjun If you want to step up to be better, become an eternal reward for her, and the only way is God’s way.

[@18471902]

I was brought up in and indoctrinated by the church from before I can remember, accepted the lord jesus christ as my savior at age 11, and was sure god fundamentally changed me as a result. Although I did not feel one iota different after I was baptized than I had felt before, I was absolutely convinced I WAS a changed being. Part of this was I took the story of the potter and the clay to heart--its even in the hymn "Have Thine Own Way God"--I KNEW god made me an all new person as a result of becoming a christian. The result was that, without noticing it in the least, I went around with an arrogant attitude toward everyone else for 18 years because I KNEW that, as a result of my faith in him, god was directing my every step so that he would not allow me to make any missteps. It destroyed all my relationships. When I finally de-converted after 18 years, the blinders fell off and I realized how deluded I had been. As a result of de-conversion, I now have much more respect and empathy for humanity and that makes me a much better person than I ever was as a christian.

[@justice8718]

You’re not supposed to feel different. You’re supposed to be different. But instead, you’ve changed into an idol worshipper for fallen mankind. Take my hand, and I will show you true light from the God who created it.

[@kmgg5005]

@18471902- thank you for sharing this. I believe it is helpful to share the myriad of ways that indoctrination impacts people; it takes courage to self-reflect and much more to act on what those reflections reveal. My journey went the path of self hatred but I experienced/knew people who had similar outcomes as you (ie: arrogance, etc).BTW, I did the jesus thing when I was 11 as well- such an impressional age 😵‍💫😊. Cheers, kelly

[@Krikenemp18]

​​@@justice8718 And yet you can't even show this person empathy. This is why people are leaving faster than ever and not coming back - not the accusations you heap on them. Watch as you only drive them further and continue to ask why.

[@AzureBeatPony]

This is the thing that finally broke my faith. Also how they will just change their beliefs when convenient for political circumstances, even when they are supposed to be supernaturally transformed.

[@justice8718]

Your focus on others instead of God is exactly why you don’t belong to him.

[@phi4721]

American Christians are not a representation of Christians in the whole world.

[@chamicels]

One of the reasons I left Christianity was the confusion and frustration with the Bible. I have the gifts of the spirit, I am patient kind etc. and I don't have a Holy Spirit. I much rather not go to church ever again.

[@justice8718]

You try to put it into your own understanding rather than the dictionary of God’s understandings.

[@francescaan110]

The amount of research that goes into each one of your videos is impressive!

[@IFYOUWANTITGOGETIT]

They gaslight themselves because the alternative is being shunned or losing their relationships and support of their family or church group.

[@martinelzen5127]

Thanks Brandon!

[@DarthCalculus]

This is the video I wish I could make. Thank you

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Glad to be able to do it!

[@lorrilewis2178]

My father grew up traumatized because of a physically abusive father. When he became an adult, he perpetuated the abuse. Christianity DID NOT cure him in spite of him being a Christian since childhood and devoted to the church.

[@christophergibson7155]

Without knowing any more details I would say based on God's Word that your father carried forth a generational curse from his father, and perhaps it went even farther back than that. Curses from anything from involvement in the occult, to pronounced or spoken actions can bring repetitive symptoms, such as abuse, anger, and manipulation. The Holy Bible show that these things can and do indeed take place. Only The Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the active Holy Spirit can deliver and set people from curses.

[@lorrilewis2178]

@@christophergibson7155 1) I don't believe in Christianity or generational curses. 2) If I did believe in Christianity and generational curses, I'd be asking WHY my father was not delivered and set free since he has been a Christian since childhood. He even taught Sunday School and was a deacon.

[@QuestionThingsUseLogic]

​​@@lorrilewis2178oh dear, you have the gas lighting troll trying to 'guide' you. He's well known for giving out unsolicited 'advice' perpetually quoting his sick guidelines. But l am sorry for the abuse you've clearly suffered... it's psychologically damaging and never acceptable. I hope your life improves and you heal from your trauma. There are some great people on YT who help others with PTSD, CPTSD etc to help them find healing and inner peace, which is a good way one can find it. 😊

[@christophergibson7155]

@@lorrilewis2178 There are many Christians who are dedicated and love the Lord, but need to be delivered from oppression and control of demons. If there is no ministry offered to cast these out, (Just as Jesus did in His ministry on the earth) then people can suffer many years of horrible affliction, or spend all their life trying to cope. Jesus commanded His disciples..."“Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:15-18)

[@thedeebo410]

Lol, it's always "bEkUz MaGiC" with these dunces.

[@gavinyoung-philosophy]

This is very needed! I see a lot of smugness in Christians around me who forget the humility Jesus supposedly preached and insist on the baselessness of drug addicts, divorcees, and murderers who are then put to death. Seeing how these statistics reveal the problematic consequences of religious adherence and/or its minuscule effects where promises had been made for greatness is telling. Keep it up!

[@davidrexford586]

What smugness?? I went to God as a drug doing reprobate and became a new creation that acknowledges I am nothing more than anyone else. So if you call that being smug, you don’t know what smug is. Instead I see Atheists cussing out people that believe in God and you don’t see Christians cussing out Atheists that don’t believe in God. So who is the smug ones right? All I see is people who really don’t want to believe in God and they probably wished God didn’t even exist.

[@dasbus9834]

@@davidrexford586 _So who is the smug ones right?_ Well let's see... _All I see is people who really don’t want to believe in God and they probably wished God didn’t even exist._ Yeah looks like you certainly qualify 😂

[@dasbus9834]

Numbers don't lie. But of course the devout can still lie about the numbers.

[@davidrexford586]

@@dasbus9834 good grief.. when one becomes a Christian they are but a sinner saved by Grace and not above anyone else and if you find a Christian saying he is above you, let him be. I don’t acknowledge myself above anyone else and I will never see myself above anyone else period.

[@dasbus9834]

@@davidrexford586 _I will never see myself above anyone else period_ Then maybe stop telling atheists how much you detest them. It's not like anyone cares anyway.

[@MythVisionPodcast]

Very good video

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks so much, friend! The false promises of christianity are its most telling parts to me.

[@karenmiller6088]

Thank you Brandon. I really appreciate you taking the time to gather and share all this information. I personally think this is pretty damning evidence against religion.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks, Karen!

[@Margo714P]

I can hear the usual Christian excuse now. "We are all human and fall short of the glory of God." As your video shows, 'falling short' is quite the understatement.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Yes and that verse is romans 3:23 which is Paul’s case that all need the salvation of christ. Its pre the being born again. Funny thing is most of the 20 verses i shared are Paul himself saying once saved we will not be like the old.

[@Margo714P]

@@MindShift-Brandon I always got confused (when I was desperately trying to make sense of Romans...my son is gay) with Romans, chapter 7. He's dead to sin, yet he continues to sin. I spent quite a few hours on that one.

[@justice8718]

@@MindShift-Brandon I’m sorry, but Paul didn’t give women like you the authority to teach.

[@jasonhighlander]

At 1:35 with the lists - Brandon's doin' his thing!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Lol feels good to be known!

[@rmoss42]

I almost didnt click on this but I'm glad I did. A conscientious, dilligent, and well-researched video, bravo! I am a Christian, yet I applaud your work in this video. You really take the time and give a pretty fair take, trying to understand using emic descriptions and the scripture itself! I believe it grieves the Holy Spirit that Christians, en masse and personally (including yours truly), have not been the salt and the light that we're meant to be. But i trust God is long suffering and merciful! There's a long pattern where those he rescues descend, thats pretty much the whole bible. Noah's family drama. Jacob's family drama. The Israelites in the Sinai wilderness, freshly delivered but longing to return to slavery and immediately engaging in idolotry and carnality. David being raise up, a man after God's own heart, yet succumbs to adultery, family in shambles, leads to civil war... And lest we think Christians are immune, there's Pauls account of struggling with sin in Chapter 7 of Romans 21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

This was extremely difficult to live up to as an addict. I was a Christian, though I'm sure there are those who will argue that point (queue the trolls), and struggled to understand how someone with the Holy Spirit could not overcome alcoholic behavior, and yet I continued to believe and chase God's deliverance. The problem is that I shouldn't have to if I've been "born again". Everything revolved around Christianity. I've already listed most of how I chased after this by going to one event or service after another. There's no spirit of god.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Thanks for sharing. And yes so often the guilt shame or fear of not seeing the promised outcome can cause the opposite

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

​@@MindShift-Brandon The kicker is that I got sober with no "higher power" ... I was simply done and was willing to DO anything to stop, not WISH it away. When you look at the landscape of all religions, including Christianity, there's nothing that stands out as special or supernatural, regardless of the claims. And those claims always seem to be people that I don't know and have never met and people that I do know have never met. Those who claim deliverance from addiction seem to either have issues in other areas of their lives (behavior doesn't change) or replace the addiction with religiosity.

[@cpherjennings]

Congrats on your recovery. Today is my 7 year sober anniversary. And I felt exactly the same as you. I've been on a long deconstruction path that has only sped up since getting sober. :)

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

@@cpherjennings That's awesome 👍🏼 Congratulations to you, too! 16 years on May 23rd and it does get better... Accelerates like the universe expands! And no magical entity needed.

[@Kattlarv]

To me, while I can't say 100 %: *Any* connections to a cult, makes someone a worse person. Be it slightly, or notably more evil and immoral. As, it comes with the built in "just say sorry to sky daddy, and all your crimes are forgiven, so that you can repeat them". People don't leave religions to sin, they *join* them to sin for free.

[@adambarnes7671]

I think an important thing to realize on the charity front is not all donations are equal. There are charities out there that pass most of what they receive into the needy and there are those that spend the majority on administration expenses.

[@abstraction6212]

"I the Lord do not change" Then the Bible changes constantly generation after generation. People twist narrative to project their egos (something the Bible forbids them to do) everyone's infighting, and more crimes happen. While other wisdom literature remains unchanged, doesn't need to decide to announce that it changes and stays consistent.

[@justice8718]

The KJV 1611 never changed. You and Joseph Smith claimed it was, then created your own gospels. Evil to the core you lot are.

[@9ja9ite]

Great Video Brandon. Very clean and straight forward with no judgment. Just the data. I love it. Just to give my own little personal anecdote - I really think (obviously not a controversial position) that the repressive and archaic views Christianity has on sexuality drive many of the negative stats on abuse, divorce, porn, etc. I was NOT raised with a built in guilt toward married sex. Once my wife doubled down on her own Catholicism and completely changed the rules of our sex life it changed everything. It's what in fact sparked the beginning of my deconversion. I was raised free of sexual guilt but within a family of strong and life long marriages so I never wanted anything more than to be married and have a family. I absolutely love and adore my wife and would be perfectly content with our sex life within the original framework we agreed to at the time we got married. It wasn't until she slammed the doors on more than half of the things we enjoyed together that I started thinking and longing for sexual enjoyment outside of my marriage. I never had a single thought or extra marital desire before the "Holy Mother Church" stuck her ugly nose into my bedroom but now it plagues me constantly. I am trying desperately to hold on for the sake of my children but a fidelity that was once as certain as the sunrise is now a very shakey proposition that I can not make promises on. ALL because of religion.

[@scrider5493]

Sorry to hear. Some religions really are in your head, I know that faith had a doctrine of "Impure thought" was a sin that would send you to hell for every, yet these sexy thought just sort of bubble up. You are speaking of a religion where the top of the tier church members are to be non-sexual, the priests, nuns. Is that to be the epitome of spiritual life?

[@jenna2431]

The most visible difference between my many Christian neighbors and me is where our cars are on Sunday mornings. The other most visible is the Christians who are devolving into stated threats of violence, harm, and even unaliving in these days since a certain Orange Menace was found accountable for some behavior that ALSO wasn't "set apart" at all.

[@phi4721]

Which country? Because I'm tired of American Christians being used as a rep for everyone else

[@danielthoenen3655]

i was just asking myself this question a couple months ago, thank you for making such a well thought out and researched video

[@robc1775]

Great Video! Keep up the good work, more people (Christians specifically) should see your videos! -- YT prayer, Oh dear Algorithm high and mighty, please present this channel and videos to more users, Amen! -- I have prayed to the Algorithm Gods on your behalf!!

[@MindShift-Brandon]

Ha! Many thanks

[@HolyKoolaid]

To be fair, the "charity" that the practicing Christians often give to is tithe donations - often as a result of pressure/manipulation from the pastor or because of prosperity doctrine-induced greed. Edit: I typed this before hearing you add the tithing caveat. 😅

[@MindShift-Brandon]

My man! Amazing to see you here. You were a big part of my own Deconversion years ago. Let me take a second to say thank you so much for all your work.

[@mcv2178]

Christians in the audience, I think your Bible says you can get divorced any time you like: 1, adultery is a legit reason for divorce. 2, anyone who looks on another with lust in their heart is an adulterer. So 3, pretty much anyone married has committed adultery. Hope this helps anyone in an unhappy marriage.

[@Vadjong]

It should be illuminating to quantify the difference between 'saying something' and 'doing something' and what groups have the widest discrepancies. Iow: who is the more honest/realistic (with themselves).

[@CatDaddyGuitar]

Scientifically and observationally there just doesn't seem to be any agency of a holy spirit working within the lives of those who claim it, given very few exceptions.

[@dantallman5345]

Wow, nicely done. I can see that you put a lot of time into this; this video is a highly distilled product. Thanks for providing the spreadsheet of links to the studies you cited.

[@DomainofKnowlegdia]

Brandon how are you doing these days been a while a really love your work.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

All good. Thanks so much!

[@Chuck-se5hh]

You are a genius in what you do in Mindshift channel, your work and insights and information is accurate and honest and fair. This work of yours must be preserved for posterity and perpetuity. Whoever wrote the Bible stumbled upon the strongest form and content of mind control and influence known to mankind and your work is its effective counter.

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

"accurate and honest and fair." 🤣🤣🤣

[@StephanieLi-h1y]

My friend, who soon after went on to commit suicide, told me she was the only Christian with such little faith. She wasn’t perfect enough

[@aheartonfire7191]

I don’t get it

[@QuestionThingsUseLogic]

​@@aheartonfire7191here again? It's obvious what they are saying.

[@TheHeavyshadow]

I can attest to the "leaving life is a sin"-bit. There was exactly one time in my life where I wanted to go more than when I was a firm believer who actually took what the Bible says seriously. But that's also the only time where my main thought was "I'm going to hurt people if I do this" and not "I'm going to hell instead of heaven". Quite fittingly, those thoughts came up because I wasn't all that "newly created" and struggled with such dark, unspeakable urges such as "wanting to kiss other men" and "ethical non-monogamy with informed, consenting partners". My main problem was that "I just have to keep drudging through this life for the next 40-80 years and learn new commandmends while I'm already a wreck trying to keep the ones I know of" made life seem extremely unfun and really like a chore to get entry into heaven (or rather: not burn in hell for all eternity). One that I really hoped an accident might shorten, because shortening it myself would just lead to hell.

[@jaflenbond7854]

UNBIBLICAL TEACHINGS of ALL RELIGIONS versus the BIBLICAL TEACHINGS of JESUS CHRIST Jehovah's Witnesses, SDAs, Mormons, Catholics, Methodists, Baptists, Born Again Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and fanatics of all kinds of Religions are all FREE to believe and preach the UNBIBLICAL teachings and doctrines of their Pastors and Leaders about - 1. hellfire 2. immortality of the souls 3. afterlife 4. Trinity 5. Armageddon 6. rapture 7. reincarnation but can't change the TRUTH that the BIBLICAL teachings of Jesus Christ about the - 1. "Kingdom of God" written in Luke 4: 43 2. "Resurrection of the Dead" written in John 11: 25, 26 will definitely bring honor and GOD's favor and reward of ETERNAL LIFE and existence on earth without sufferings, pains, griefs, sickness, and death as written in Revelation 21: 3, 4 to lowly, ordinary, kind, and respectful persons on earth who believe and obey what's written in Matthew 28: 18 that Jesus Christ is the One given by GOD all authority in heaven and on earth. Atheists, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and fanatics of all kinds of Religions are all FREE to mock, oppose, and defy GOD's Sovereignty and Jesus Christ's BIBLICAL authority and teachings but can't change the TRUTH that the lives, dignities, and existence of human beings are of great worth, value, and importance to GOD and Jesus Christ and the teaching of Jesus Christ about the "Resurrection of the Dead" guarantees that loving, kind, considerate, and respectful persons on earth who died recently and thousands of years ago like Abel, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Job, Naomi, Ruth, King David, Jesus Christ's Followers and disciples, and many others will all be RESURRECTED back to life in the right and proper time so they can live and exist on earth forever as submissive and obedient citizens and subjects of the "KINGDOM of GOD" and fully enjoy the eternal love, kindness, goodness, generosities, compassions, favors, and blessings of GOD and his Christ for eternity under the loving and kind rulership, guidance, and protection of Jesus Christ as his GOD and Father's Chosen King and Ruler of the heavens and the earth as written in Revelation 11: 15.

[@Dan_C604]

But oh boy, christians do believe they are in a higher moral ground once they do the magic spell of accepting Jesus….

[@lori3056]

Very interesting info. Thank you for putting so much time on this.

[@MindShift-Brandon]

My pleasure!

[@DavidRichardson153]

Funnily enough, I heard most of this in Guy P. Harrison's _50 Simple Questions for Every Christian._ In fact, a lot of it is under number 46: "Does Christianity make individuals better?" I know I have pitched his books before, mostly because he tries to avoid sounding confrontational with his writing, but I get the feeling that some Christians are not going to like what he brings up. And I'm not bothering with lumping in apologists under "some Christians." They shriek and whine as they spam their usual BS about each and every little thing that does not 100% adhere to their deluded ideal.

[@tomaskey6844]

I tried so hard for so long and could never ever feel a god’s presence or guidance. Then at about 58 y.o. I found out I was on the Autism Spectrum along with ADHD & CPTSD. Much of the CPTSD is from religion. I was held to a standard I could never ever reach.

[@01Aigul]

There's a HUGE difference between saying "Christians are doing slightly better in certain ways" (e.g. slightly lower divorce rate) and saying "Christians need to be perfect". If the Bible is correct, then it sounds like we should be holding people to the latter standard. That's not the case, therefore the Bible is wrong. Fin.

[@toonyandfriends1915]

Christians need to be perfect but are always bound to fail though, that's why they think they need salvation. However that's why james emphasize work "faith without work is dead"

[@charliedurie3013]

Wow!! That blew my mind!!

[@BluStarGalaxy]

Instead of Christianity making someone a better person it tells them they are a better person and superior to others that don’t believe what they believe.

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

Almost correct, the bible says that believers are better off than unbelievers.

[@BluStarGalaxy]

@@heavenbound7-7-7-7 Well then we can know for a fact that the Bible lies because believers are not as a rule better off than non-believers.

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

@@BluStarGalaxy I didn't mean financially, believers are better off because they aren't under God's wrath anymore.

[@BluStarGalaxy]

@@heavenbound7-7-7-7 The wrath of a deity that doesn’t exist. That is like saying Muslims are better off than Christians because they are no under the wrath of Allah while Christians are.

[@heavenbound7-7-7-7]

@@BluStarGalaxy "The wrath of a deity that doesn’t exist." How do you know? "That is like saying Muslims are better off than Christians because they are no under the wrath of Allah while Christians are." Islam is a Christian cult, Allah doesn't exist.

[@Isaac_L..]

Really interesting topic. I got a long drive ahead of me today, thanks for the entertainment, can't wait to listen.

[@iluvtacos1231]

One thing that I think could definitely have used more hammering in is that religion in general gives these benefits, not just Christianity. So other "false" religions have similar rates of benefits as Christianity.