From Evangelical to Agnostic: An Academic's Journey

[@mattstakeontheancients7594]

Recently found your channel. Love your work and as a fellow lover of ancient history especially Sumerian, Assyrian, and Persian history love your videos. When I came out parents asked me why not hedge your bets and believe in god and science. Told them I can’t believe lies especially historical ones that don’t add up. Was church of Christ until a teenager and questioned the flood when other civilizations existed when the world was under water. Pastor couldn’t answer and my road to agnosticism began.

[@j.gstudios4576]

So do you still believe there can generally be a higher power (since your agnostic)

[@mattstakeontheancients7594]

@@j.gstudios4576 I’m not arrogant enough to say there can’t be but if there is it definitely isn’t of the Abrahamic faiths. No sane diety would allow killing of so many in their name IMO. Also I believe there is more evidence against than for a higher power but to just write off the possibility that nothing higher exist is short sided. Sorry long answer for a yes or no question.

[@j.gstudios4576]

@@mattstakeontheancients7594 oh ok thx for your response

[@mattstakeontheancients7594]

@@j.gstudios4576 no problem would add many family members are deeply religious but respect my lack of belief and I respect theirs. Don’t have to agree but I refuse to think myself infallible as to mock someone else’s faith.

[@greglogan7706]

Matt, I am curious what would the lack of historicity of the flood have anything to do with the existence of a supra-natural realm(s), supra-natural entity/entities, creator/intervener type entity??? May I humbly suggest The dispensing of these above possibilities in conjunction with dispensing of the it's expensive of The Bible's historicity and accuracy reflects the massive air of evangelicalism of essentially equating the bible with this whole other reality. Essentially eventually eventually make The Bible to be God thus without The Bible they have no God. This is a horrible error and very destructive. This is also why there is this massive desperation on their part to somehow defend the Bible at all cost including their integrity and their morality. I realize you did indicate you are oriented towards agnosticism so perhaps you have already adjusted for this are to distinguish the veracity of the Bible from any sort of supra natural reality.

[@xosferens]

11:25 Yes Josh, it’s five years later and I’m watching! Thanks for your honesty, openness and for sharing your knowledge.

[@mikeodell6090]

Dr. Bowen. As a Christian I really appreciate your perspective on the Bible. It is so necessary to for us,at least myself personally, to "test" our beliefs. In doing so we either find a fuller conviction or be resigned to the fact that I am no longer seeking God . As I state, this my personal journey as a Christian . Much respect and admiration to you Dr. Bowen. Keep posting

[@DigitalHammurabi]

Thank you so much, Mike! We really appreciate you being here to give your perspective on these issues! :-)

[@davidsabillon5182]

How did it go Mike?

[@jacobpeters5458]

@@DigitalHammurabi I wonder if you also think Chronicles is anachronistic because it changes David's wealth from gold "minas" to "darics". Ever heard of an expression?

[@lengnauer78]

Thank you, Dr. Josh. I realize this video is 5 years old, but I appreciate being able to see the 'real you' (and Megan!) behind the amazing content that you put out regularly. Was concerned to hear about your MS from a recent interview you did with MythVision, but I get the sense that you are well and managing. You are too brilliant for us to lose. My journey, though not as educated as yours, was just as committed (full-time pastor for 2 years, leaving the business world) and yes, I came up against the inconsistencies and what I saw was Scripture being used as a control system to keep people in line. Now I work on being a loving, truthful person to those around me, fighting for love and truth rather than dogma. Bless you and Megan!

[@DigitalHammurabi]

That is so incredibly kind of you. Thank you so much!!

[@martifingers]

Just found your channel and am watching this to fill in the background. It is hard for any of us to be intellectually honest and all the more when there are huge social pressures to conform. You are a role model.

[@wilkiebunkers1352]

Hey, I really appreciate your doing this. Similar background (with much less training), and same fears of hell from a young age. I love that you're talking about this stuff.

[@erink3289]

I love this, thank you for sharing! I understand the rapid unraveling… mine happened in 3 distinct stages. I quit Catholicism for its abuses the moment my first child, a boy, was born. Years later, Christianity dissolved with Ehrman’s “How Jesus Became God.” Lastly, what was left of my belief in god was evicerated by learning the history of Yahweh. Each one was a bottom falling out. And I’m much happier now, living without the fear that controlled me for so long. I’m also steeling my kids against the pitfalls of life in the Bible Belt with various mythology stories. We listen to the Greeking Out podcast whenever we’re in the car, and my kids love it. I highly recommend it for accessible and entertaining storytelling. Thank you again for sharing your story!

[@MrArdytube]

For many of us who were born into sincerely Christian homes…. The struggle with losing faith is long and arduous. I think this struggle is not near to what we would prefer.

[@steventhompson399]

Yes indeed, I believed in Christianity (young earth, protestant) when my parents influenced me around 13 or 14 yrs old, and I deconverted over a couple yrs at 17-19 in a difficult process. My love of science and history pushed me into valuing reality and truth too much, something had to give...

[@jacobpeters5458]

Bowen is just a typical American who can't critically think about much. The "Philistines" in Genesis unravelled him. lol. That's like saying someone who refers to Americans about a period before 1776 is wrong. He had his presuppositions as a Christian, and now he has them as an agnostic. it'd be sad if it wasn't such cringe

[@bariumselenided5152]

10:22 Oh my lord, I remember this too. Used to not be able to sleep and I’d just stay up crying from like 5 to 9 years old imagining that if I went to sleep, when I opened my eyes I’d be in hell cuz I did it wrong. That feeling actually never went away, I just learned how to not cry over it

[@jacobpeters5458]

lol, you're seriously citing your mental state from 5 to 9 years old as a testimony?

[@bariumselenided5152]

@@jacobpeters5458 yes, 2 years late person, I am. Tf else am I supposed to cite as a testimony other than, ya know, a testimony?

[@pathologyiscool]

Dr. Josh, this was a beautiful elucidation of your experience of transitioning from Evangelical Christian to Agnostic. I really appreciated your candor and transparency. I fairly recently left being an ordained Elder in the SDA church and I feel a bit of a kinship with you. I am grateful for the work you and Meagan are doing. Ordering your Atheist Handbook tomorrow on Amazon.

[@usmagrad87]

It is amazing when what you build your identity around is proven to be false. It is very difficult.

[@historian96]

This is AWESOME! .. So refreshing and encouraging to see such honesty and humility combined with diligent scholarship and a desire/willingness to share the personal journey with others. I identify with soooo much of this story. I wish we could talk. Thank you so much for sharing your story with the world. Keep up the great work. [And I'm a recent subscriber who plans to share this with others.]

[@dragongirl7978]

There was a PureFlix ad before this video and I am dying. 😂

[@ShannonQ]

Sad I missed this live. Thanks for sharing your story. Do more streams!!!

[@sanmcnellis94]

Keep those sexy glasses on.

[@irenafarm]

I went to Liberty U. Amusingly, it was a more liberal alternative to my abusive fundamentalist home. The abuse I grew up with, never challenged my faith. It was AFTER I escaped that I started realizing that things didn’t add up. I resisted for so long…because my beliefs were all I had, the alternate reality where “Father” was kind and good and home was free of confusion and pain. But all the “just so” stories and weird alternate science and convoluted counter explanations about why it’s okay to be mean to people, broke my confidence. It was the late 80s, and 90s, and Christians were so frickin’ mean…I couldn’t stand it.

[@kriss1956]

It's been a year but just watched you on Telltale's latest video and this was the video I chose to watch. I love the greater insight into the types of literature. As a former fundamentalist I struggle with doubt too but I never felt completely secure as a christian either so it's just my cross to bear, ha. I subscribed and plan to watch your class on Sumerian, thanks for the content!

[@McbrideStudios]

I really want to thank you for making this. As someone who has driven myself insane with the what-isims its amazing to have your channel and story to help work this all out.

[@robcrochet2025]

Man, I wish I had been there to see this live. Dr. Josh is such a luminous mind, and so honest about his perspective.

[@pathologyiscool]

Literally JUST ordered your book The Atheist Handbook on Amazon!!! I can't wait to receive it.

[@mydudeleakytiki3261]

I was directed to your channel from MythVision Podcast (Derek Lambert). Really love your channel and how it has grown. Since I'm usually just listening, I haven't yet taken up your Sumerian courses, but, you never know. Hope to continue to see your channel grow. BTW ... I purchased your Atheist Handbook of the Old Testament and Did the Old Testament Endorse Slavery on Audible. Great listens! Going to share some priestly love to your channel on Patreon as well. Best regards!

[@samuelthamburaj]

I love the way your wife supports you... during the livestream 🙏🏾 I had a girl, who understood me and supported me. But I lost her due to my stupidity and anger... It's been 35 years... I am happy that you have that support...

[@iamdanielmonroe]

Found you via your convo with Alex O’Connor on your book about Slavery and other subsequent podcasts. Appreciate your work and your transparency about your deconstruction story. Its helped put a lot of things into perspective in my own deconstruction journey and eventual journey out of faith.

[@Ken_Scaletta]

Regarding the "subjective experience" thing - I studied World Religions in college and did a lot of study both on comparative religion and on the so-called "universal religious experience." Religious experiences - in particular mystic experiences, which are basically defined as altered states of consciousness. Such states can appear spontaneously or be deliberately produced or evoked by a variety of means. I did an independent study just on mystic techniques a lone and tried as many as a I could (various types of meditation and yoga, chanting, shamanic drumming. fasting, psychedelic drugs and more that I'm forgetting). I did have some successful experiences that would qualify as classic "religious experiences," even though I was already an atheist and did not think anything supernatural was going on even as it was happening. I was having out of body experiences and observing it clinically like, "this is an interesting illusion," then I would write about it. One thing I took from both my research and personal experimentation was that the experiences could be induced regardless of what you believed and that people's personal interpretations of essentially the same altered states were heavily influenced by enculturation and starting beliefs. More broadly speaking, I also learned (it slaps you in the face over and over again when you study this stuff) is that people in every religion have experiences which they are absolutely convinced really happened and absolutely confirm whatever religious beliefs they started with. There are millions of people who sincerely believe they have talked to Krishna, to Buddha, to the spirits of their ancestors, etc. They are just as sure of their revelations as the Apostle Paul was of his (Paul was a raging narcissist, by the way). So my question to people who cite personal experience is what do they say to people who KNOW that Freyr has appeared to them (I'm not making that up, someone really told me that once). I lived in West Africa for two years. People believed in magic and witchcraft people who got cursed would really get sick, then a witch doctor r (and they literally used the term "witch doctor") they would get better. People believed in spirits in the forest, both good and bad ones, and would talk about seeing them or hearing them like they were talking about deer. One more thing I learned - and it was something I specifically tried to test myself for - was that religious experiences never confer any new information, at least not verifiable information. I never learned anything that I didn't already know. It was always just me and that's what's scary. It's easy to get seduced into thinking its external, and that is dangerous because it amounts to a deification of one's own thoughts. You start thinking that voice can't be wrong because that voice is God, but that voice is just you.

[@LuisGonzalez-oy3ku]

Fascinating insights, much of which I agree with and recognize the probability thereof. But, not to be flippant, who or what is Freyr you mentioned? Was that simply sarcasm? 😊 Cheers nonetheless!

[@Ken_Scaletta]

@@LuisGonzalez-oy3ku Norse god of war.

[@LuisGonzalez-oy3ku]

@@Ken_Scaletta Thanks for the clarification

[@gavtater]

You know, you’re story is very similar to mine. I grew up oneness pentecostal. And God your story as a believer seems to be an amalgamation of me and my former youth pastor’s religious experiences.

[@Alpha-gw5ws]

My faith got stronger after watching your interview. Thank you!

[@JagnaLesna]

😂

[@susansteinkraus2821]

Thanks! I'm very interested in hearing more details about your deconversion. What were the historical problems?

[@hollandershomestead4481]

You give me hope - I also have trouble remembering words, especially when under pressure. But you are very well educated, and it makes me feel like it’s possible to be smart and still struggle with articulating thoughts. Thank you for sharing your story. Deconverting is not easy, it’s nice to hear others’ stories.

[@MarkHyde]

Powerful video. Awesome story. - thanks for sharing. Subbed.

[@markray5604]

Hey Josh and Megan - love your channel. Please look after yourself and make sure you manage your stress levels with your MS. I love and appreciate your scholarship and your openness. Love you guys ❤.

[@Bbarfo]

I left Christianity by way of education as well. Even though it was all by reading books at my leisure, I have learned a lot. I began in 2018 and approximately 60 books later, including Dr. Bowen's Atheists Handbooks 1 and 2, I have become an atheist and an agnostic. I use Dr. Bart Ehrman's philosophy on the subject. Do I believe the god of the Bible exists? No. Do I believe there is a higher power out in the universe? I don't know, but I doubt it. One book worth mentioning that I read was titled, "The Evolution of God" by Robert Wright. I came away from reading the book with a conclusion that most ancient societies/cultures either invented or adopted a deity as their own for worship. This is precisely what the ancient Hebrews did at the end of the Bronze Age with the creation of Yahweh. I'm enjoying this KZbin channel and want to thank you for it.

[@sharon_rose724]

Yahweh was never "the most high", as they like to say. It says in Deuteronomy that Yahweh inherits Israel (the lines of Jacob). He didn't create or birth them, but he and the other "sons of God" inherited nations to rule over. He's literally their slave master aka lord.

[@ardbegthequestion]

Josh, though I totally appreciate the scholastic rigor and experience that you bring and communicate, I think for me, your down to earth, honest and humble “spirit” (haha) speaks volumes and to what “truth” is to be found. Keep up the great content!

[@JMM33RanMA]

Doctor Josh, I love your videos and appreciate all of your academic work. Our journeys from religion are somewhat similar but in some ways very different. What I would like to ask, after your answer on the accuracy of the NT, are the following: 1.1. Have you read Bart Ehrman's work, "Forged" regarding the reliability of scripture? 1.2. If so, what is your response to his methodology and conclusions. 2.1. Have you read any of Richard Carrier's Mythicist work on the Bible and Jesus? 2.2. Which of his books have you read and what is your reaction to the method and conclusions? 3.1. Have you listened to any of Ehrman's or Carrier's KZbin video lectures? 3.2. If so, which, and what are your responses to the method and conclusions. (4.) By method above I include scholarship and attribution as well as justification of assumptions. Keep up the great and very interesting work and video production.

[@JMM33RanMA]

@Time to Reason I respect Buddhism, but, like every other religion, there are good and not so good points. I never made a commitment to Buddhism. I am nominally a Unitarian, and every one is admitted to that fellowship, including Buddhists.

[@JMM33RanMA]

@Time to Reason Meditation is not just Buddhist, though the various sects of Buddhism are particularly well noted for it. The same is true for pacifism. The most extreme pacifists are Hindu from the Jain sect. I don't use typical meditation. I am a pacifist, but not a strict one, especially in politics. Force should be the last resort and peaceful means the first. I have moderated my diet without becoming a committed vegetarian, much less vegan. In other words I have been borrowing good ideas wherever I find them. This profile image is the 3rd or 4th one I've used, primarily because the color and shape are unusual and easy to see. I had used my university ID picture a while ago, but was criticized for being elitist, for having a beard, and other nonsense. As for religion, when I left the RCC, I searched for a compatible Christian denomination and found only Quakers and Unitarians acceptable. I lived and worked in the Middle East for a decade without finding Islam appealing, though the six or so sects are interesting. I lived in Korea and Japan for a decade. While I appreciate Buddhism and find the many sects interesting, I was never motivated to join one. I did acquire a distaste for the American Evangelical and Mormon missionaries, especially as the former firebombed an ancient Buddhist temple because, of course, Yahweh & Jesus hate Idols.

[@dirk4926]

I really enjoyed this video and found it very powerful. While I was never a super Christian like Josh, I lived most of my life believing without a doubt the Bible was true, that the God of the Bible was real and that the only salvation from Hell was through Jesus Christ. I honestly don't remember ever even questioning those tenets of Christianity; though I did have serious doubts about whether I was a Christian and if it was even possible for me to be saved. Thank you both Megan and Josh, I've not been a subscriber to your channel for very long, but your videos have been an inspiration to me. While it's been several years since the paradigm shift in my world view took place, at times I still find myself struggling to understand my life and beliefs, past and present, and and I've been helped along in my journey by some of your videos. I think you both are great!

[@DigitalHammurabi]

We are SO excited that you are with us! If you ever want/need to talk, don’t hesitate to contact us.

[@hal7741]

How did you get over the indoctrinated fear of hell and Satan? Edit: asking because I’m going through my own paradigm shift in beliefs and I was raised super religious

[@DigitalHammurabi]

Hi Haleigh! I don’t know if I have ever fully left those fears behind, unfortunately. After 25 years, it is difficult to shed those now unconscious trepidations. However, it has subsided substantially. :-)

[@NM_rocker]

@@hal7741 I can attest that the fear subsides over time On a rare occasion it'll rear it's ugly head but not often. I was a believer from an early age up until about 3 years ago, so just over 40 years. If you ever need someone to chat with I'm on Twitter, @NM_rocker aka azkendrick

[@rogertraylor7288]

I know it's tough undergoing the stresses of evangelicism, best to you for your growth and escape! And you look great with a crewcut!

[@kenbartlett749]

Sorry about your MS mate. You still have great things to share w mankind over many years. It’s important so I hope u are able to find the strength.

[@fernandoalarcon8534]

WOW! I’ve watched most of your videos. Never watched your video of how you lost your faith. I truly enjoy your material. I will become a patreon member.

[@TheNonAlchemist]

Thinking about the problem of evil in depth and realizing that inerrancy was false were the two main things that led to my deconversion (I also consider myself an agnostic). It's helpful to hear other people's stories, thanks for sharing.

[@shawnlincoln296]

Thanks for sharing this video! A year and a half of faith deconstruction has led me to Megan's work with Bart Ehrman, and eventually your work, Dr. Bowen. It's informative hearing your personal journey and background.

[@justdata3650]

Dr. Josh you are such a nice guy when I started hearing you say, "What if I'm wrong", I had to pause to give you a different perspective. I was never indoctrinated despite my mother being Lutheran and my dad believing in God (both of which I didn't know until I was in high school) so please consider this... I could not do that because I never had the knowledge to even think that so next time you are about to think "What if I'm wrong" perhaps ask yourself, "What if I never knew about this?" I think you will find it an appropriately useful addition to your internal dialog.

[@Heretical_Theology]

I appreciate you opening up, Josh. Thank you. Next time though, you may want a script and some note cards : ) Good thing you got Megan directing you! lol I jest but honestly I am not better.

[@HApqzr77]

I suppose I’m similar to your friend Caleb. I’m learning that a lot of philosophical arguments between Christians and atheists end up at an impasse because of a difference in intuitions that don’t seem provable. There appears to be intellectual cover to believe or reject the existence of God. I remain a Christian because of a subjective religious experience I had over 25 years ago. That said, I have shed a number of the doctrines I held as a younger Christian, including biblical inerrancy, the existence of an eternal hell, among others. Thank you for sharing your story.

[@vegeta2800]

Thank you for this. This was very very enlightening. I went through deconversion myself. Now i am not knowledgable about the bible as you, but as a kid growing up, i found issues with hell. It just didnt make sense to me. As a kid, it frightened me. I was often told if i do not go to church, i would burn in hell. So I would go. Then i got older and the idea of infinite punishment for simply not believing was absurd to me. Especially when you consider that we as humans do not get to choose where we are born. You could be a muslim, buddhist etc depending on how strict and/or religious your parents are. So, I undersrand this video very well.

[@fredarroyo7429]

thats what usualy happens in deconversion. People dont agree with something in the bible so they find other ways to not give the bible authority. The source is really a heart issue not an intellectual issue.

[@cynthiaellis1578]

@@fredarroyo7429 during my own journey out of Christianity, I find your premise utterly false. Most of the people I have been privileged to meet or read their works are former pastors and very learned bible scholars. They certainly did not become unbelievers due to lack of biblical knowledge or from finding one mistake in the bible. It was generally after years of internal conflict over such issues. Attempting to label nonbelievers as individuals using their heart rather than their intellect shows your lack of knowledge. Using the farce that the deconverted just found one thing in the bible with which they didn't agree is ludicrous and shows you are judging an issue you have no right let alone knowledge to judge.

[@fredarroyo7429]

@@cynthiaellis1578 " it was generally after years of internal conflict over such issues " . You made my point. It's a heart issue not an intellectual issue. Ppl deconvert not because of a logical issue but because they don't like what the bible says , they disagree with the standard it puts forth, it doesn't matter if it's years after years of dealing with same sex issue or 10 minutes of dealing with the fact God will send sinners to hell. Whatever the issue is or how long one deals with the issue, it is the heart of the deconverted that is at odds with what the bible dictates, not logic.

[@anniekayyy]

I really enjoyed this video. Though I was not nearly as religious as you I do identify with your transition out of Christianity. This is the first video I’ve seen of yours so perhaps this has been answered before, but I’d love to know why you take your children to church if you’re agnostic. I think often about how I’ll address religion with my future children and it never occurred to me as a non-believer to take them to church. Would love to hear your thoughts!

[@DigitalHammurabi]

I think the majority of it has to do with the comfort that it provides Megan, as she was raised as an Anglican.

[@saffronhammer7714]

Such a similar childhood to that of being raised JW, but replace the fear of Hell with Armageddon, which was / is coming any day, any minute, like a Thief In the Night, when least expected. And being expected to witness to other children and teachers at school, and every week knocking on doors. Plus three meetings a week, daily bible reading (genesis to revelation over and over, studying for meetings, preparing "talks". 5 day, all day conventions, where kids sat from 9 am. to 8 pm, no playing, just sitting and listening. No "once save always saved" for us. "Beware you who thinks he is standing less you fall." You never knew. Never. Never enough. Be afraid, always afraid. And on and on.

[@piratepenguin5821]

I only recently found your channel because of binge watching AronRa's videos, and I wanted to say thank you for being open about your past and experiences. This stream hit home for me because I used to be a seminary student studying for a BA in Biblical Theology at SBTS Uni. I didn't get into ancient languages at the time (thank god), but I did however focus on Church history, and OT & NT hermeneutics. I remember the first day of my Church history class my professor warned every class (including the one I was in) that by taking this course we understand that we may destroy our faith's within a semester. And boy was he right, and yet I still ended up taking it for two. Learning contextual criticism, ancient ,medieval, & reformational church politics, with heavy doses of differing theological perspectives (Arminiam, Calvanist, HYPER Calvanist, Baptist etc.) you'll easily begin to see just how chaotic and unorganized Christianity is, and through that understanding you will see how the Bible can't be perfect. Also the realization that 1st John 7:53-8:11 was added to the cannon around 400ish years after the death of Jesus made me begin to question immensely. Sorry for long post, but I can truly empathize with you. I loved Jesus and genuinely wanted to commit the rest of my life to him and I would preach to as many I could. But I know if I were to ever tell my former classmates I would be shunned and be called a wolf in sheep's clothing. a liar. a heretic etc. Thank you from one former Sem student to another. (PS learning Hebrew sucks lol)

[@chadarra]

Pirate Penguin What’s the source for that section of John being added? Was just wondering, I grew up in church, went to Bible college , became a preacher, but lately it’s just almost like I can’t believe it anymore, but’s it hard to leave something that’s been such a major part of your life.

[@piratepenguin5821]

@@chadarra Sorry I made a mistake when I typed that out I meant 1st John. But still I can answer both. 1st John 5.7-8 was discovered to be a 4th century inclusion by the Renaissance philosopher Erasmus in the 15th Century. This controversy was known as the Johannine Comma in it he (Erasmus) showed that by comparing the Latin Vulgate (4th century Latin NT translation that was the bases for NT translations) to the oldest sources of the Greek NT many passages had translation errors, later editions, or out right forgeries. 1st John was discovered to be a later edition dated around 400 CE as that is the first it begins to appear in the Cannon. The Council of Nicea was being held (325 CE) in which the church was divided on a theological issue (Trinitarinsm vs Arianism). Triniarinsm won out and become adopted as Biblical cannon in 381 CE. Not long after we have 1st John show up in NT translations. This is a blatant example of how the Bible has been manipulated over time to push a theological narrative (that narrative being the Holy Trinity). Most bible's today (except KJV onlyest) have outright removed the passage ex: NIV, ESV, New KJV. As for the second part I know how you feel. I can no longer look at Christianity (Divinely inspired) in the same light anymore.But that shouldn't diminish the good that's there in the gospels. Jesus can still be a figure to emulate, and joining a church can still be good. I view my faith as a mix of Christianity with Buddhism. More of a way of life than a theology. I would suggest looking for Bart Ehram on youtube for great videos on the matter. Hoped this helped in some way :) Sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johannine_Comma#Manuscripts www.gotquestions.org/John-7-53-8-11.html (Christian source, but still admits it was forged) www.bibleodyssey.org/en/passages/related-articles/Manuscript-History-and-John (Academic) www.academia.edu/35088533/Erasmus_and_the_Johannine_Comma_1_John_5.7_8_ (Academic)

[@janglandis773]

That was a good presentation, and your humility and honesty touched me. I think there are people out there that really need to hear your story--people who are struggling the way you did and maybe still are. I am one of them, I guess. I am 76, and became an atheist in the last few years after having delved into the Old Testament for the first time in my life. In Sunday School, they were careful not to expose us to the horrendous atrocities ordered by god. They cherry picked what they wanted us to know. I had some hang ups/guilt about sexuality and often felt unclean. I could go on. The other thing that convinced me god was not real is divine hiddeness. When trying to determine if god/Jesus was real, I prayed almost daily for a few years for some sign. I received none. I also thought about how none of my important prayers were answered even though I believed I'd attempted to be a good person for the most part. And then there were the times god failed to intervene to save children from school shootings, cancer, starvation, birth defects...I am so sick of people telling me we should not question the wisdom of god and that the ills we bare in this world will be made up for in the next. Many people struggle and live their lives in extreme pain--a life time of suffering. Jesus, on the other hand, suffered for a weekend and then quickly rose to heaven. Not that big of a sacrifice in my opinion. So glad I don't believe in any of that BS anymore.

[@cufflink44]

Good for you. Sometimes it takes a while to see the light. But it's never too late to lose the blinders and see life as it really is. I've alway preferred truth to stories, even if the stories make you feel good and the truth hurts. All the best to you.

[@Flockmeister]

I was 64. In Zoom hangouts held by Recovering from Religion, I meet people in their 20s and 30s who recently deconverted. They bemoan that they have wasted so much much of their life before they found the truth. I laugh--inwardly, not in their faces--and tell them my story and encourage them to take heart that they got out much sooner than that dumbass, Bob. If I permit you to laugh at my complaining about taking so long, can I use your story to feel a little better when I am feeling down about wasting so much of my life ?

[@bhughes3663]

Bro. Loving your channel. This one hits hard. I appreciate your vulnerability and honesty. How to you feel about Heiser and his divine counsel material? Thanks again for all you do.

[@yeinerperez46]

11:11 Yes, i am watching this in 2020. I love your channel.

[@mugglescakesniffer3943]

I totally relate to how you talk. I feel terrible when I speak and I feel I am getting more cognitively dull. You are so lucky to get language and learn so many of them. I wish I could learn everything you have learned. I grew up in Christianity. I know bible but I am reading the bible again as a nonbeliever and realize I don't really know my bible. But I don't think I could have aced college tests without looking at the materials that is a great feat and you should be very proud of that kind of learning. I think you are doing great. I love this video. I did debate OSAS v LYS and all the other familiar ones online in Yahoo chat and Paltalk for 28 years.

[@autobotstarscream765]

I remember having a similar freak-out as a kid growing up in a Fundagelical household and watching programs about the eternal Hell long before I was ready for them.

[@MrArdytube]

Thanks for sharing Josh. I think that many believers misconstrue your intent. Which, as I understand it is NOT an attempt to erode anyone else’s faith… but is instead an attempt to be straightforward about where you are coming from, and how you got there. One frankly annoying tendency of believers is treat non believers as though their views are ill considered. In my experience, the large majority of explicit atheists arrive at their views after extensive… often agonizing periods of decidedly non frivolous reflection.

[@helenr4300]

Sadly so many believers have such a closed view of faith, king james only is siren alarm to me, as is the insistence on 6 day creation and flood etc. For all those holding those views there are many more Christians who hold a wider view, who have a faith that faces questions, and live in the tension of that. That doesn't rule out that questions may lead away from faith, but a literalist faith demands denial of science etc and so people who accept the science can no longer be considered to be a believer, it is a form of belief that fails to tell people that they can have science and faith, that faith can live with questioning beliefs , God, church.

[@tomesplin4130]

I have deconstructed & demystified my Christian faith over the past 10 years. I no longer believe in the god portrayed in the Tanakh, but I do believe in a supreme Intelligence demonstrated by a self-learning universe (eg. quantum physics, genetics, evolution). I have just discovered your site and enjoy your learned guests and respectful approach. I’m fascinated by the history of different religious traditions and your channel has become a ‘go to’ site for me.

[@WalterRMattfeld]

(17 August 2023) Josh Bowen in this video noted his realization that the Bible was wrong about the presence of Philistines circa 2000 BC in Abraham's world this fact shattered his belief in the Bible being the inerrant word of God. He was at Johns Hopkins when he came across this realization. Archaeology understood the Philistines were the Pelest mentioned as a tribal group amongst the Sea Peoples from the Aegean World who had settled in southern coastal Palestine, and then attempted to conquer Egypt in the reign of Pharaoh Ramesses III. Ramesses defeats them at the border of Egypt, by land and by sea, but allows them to serve as mercenaries in his army, and serve in Egyptian forts in Canaan. There is an overlooked item, here however, in regards to the Pelest being Philistines. The Bible has the Philistines being feared by Israel in the course of the Exodus. So, God detours Israel, having them take a southern route to avoid Philistines. This route is called the way to Yam Suph, or the way to the Red Sea in English Bibles, thus avoiding the Way to Philista and war in Canaan. It is via the Way to Yam Suph that the Red Sea is crossed and Pharaoh's army and chariots destroyed. The issue here? Some Christian scholars date the Exodus as beginning circa 1446 BC based on 1 Kings 6:1. Others opt for circa 1260 BC and the World of Ramesses II based on the mention of the Exodus beginning at a city called Ramesses. There are NO PELEST/Philistines IN CANAAN (GAZA) TO PREVENT ISRAEL FROM ENTERING THE PROMISED LAND, FORCING Israel to take A SOUTHERN ROUTE VIA THE YAM SUPH/RED SEA! In other words, Exodus is fiction, it never happened! Why? There were no Philistines in Canaan before 1175 BC, and the Exodus account hangs on the presence of Philistines which Israel fears to engage in battle circa 1446 BC or 1260 BC! Now, one can see WHY Josh Bowen has had his Christian faith in the inerrancy of the Bible shattered! The realization that archaeology (inscriptions of Ramesses III) shows there were no Philistines for Israel to fear circa 1446/1260 BC.

[@jinxy72able]

Seth Andrews said something funny about himself in a talk I watched, he said "I'm no genius, I'm the dumbass that took 30 years to realize people couldn't live to be 900 years old."

[@troydrury12]

So it's ludicrous that people could live to be 900, but it's not ludicrous that my distant relative was pond scum?

[@vincentabbott7641]

@@troydrury12 One is supported by testable evidence and the other isn't.

[@troydrury12]

vincent abbott there is no evidence that humans evolved from lower life forms. There is the natural record and lots of speculation about it. Real science is based on observation, not speculation.

[@PiotrekZadworny]

@@troydrury12 There is evidence, you simply either dismissed it on ideological grounds or didn't care enough to read about it.

[@troydrury12]

Piotrek Zadworny okay, so what is one piece of direct evidence that my ancestor was a fish? Will you accept the written record of the apostles who claim that they saw Jesus risen from the dead, along with over 500 others, many of whom were still alive at the time of their writing?

[@BrianNeil]

Great job Dr Josh! Being in the UK, I missed the live stream but you were precise and concise.

[@DigitalHammurabi]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@MPERIALENTERTAINMENTD]

I enjoyed this video. I share in some points of your story & I found it somewhat comforting. I was born and raised in an evangelical church. I had similar issues with how I was saved. I went on mission trips too. I had a video ministry at my old church. Some of those videos are available on my channel. I went from Dispensational to Covenantal, pondered Messianic Judaism, bordered on agnosticism, but have returned to Covenant theology for my core. I too have laid in bed wondering about it all. I find your videos fascinating and in some cases inferiorating. As someone who has been studying Puritanism, I like to think I know more than the average evangelical, but I am no expert in ancient languages. You said the biblical account of the Philestines did not happen. Can you briefly explain that or is there a video about that I have yet to see?

[@garytheosophilus]

I’m not Dr. Bowen but he discussed how he couldn’t reconcile the Bible’s Philistines with the Sea People’s place in history (invasion of Egypt and settling Canaan) in an episode of the KZbin program When Belief Dies. Search for When Belief Dies #75 and listen starting around @17:15.

[@jakekershaw4882]

Thanks for sharing! More livestreams would be awesome of Josh just discussing his research. I actually prefer casual long form streams like this. For some reason my brain remembers it better than the the shorter, compact videos. It gives me more time to process it all I suppose. 😊

[@Tysto]

I was a Baptist fundamentalist whose grandfather preached biblical literalism and inerrancy: if there was one error then the whole thing was false. To deal with Genesis, I told myself God created a universe with apparent age (adult Adam & Eve, immediate starlight, fossils...). Then in college, a foreign student in Anthropology 101 called the story of Adam & Even "a quaint story". And it all came crumbling down.

[@simoncorrigan1329]

Just saw this video Good on you - stay strong!! As a long time non believer of traditional versions of what ‘god’ is ; i could take enjoyment at your changed views and others falling ‘off the wagon’ , so to speak. However i only feel sympathy for someone being forced to reassess their spiritual life etc. Logic and common sense has driven you to the position you are at now.... We are all here trying to make sense of it all and find some universal truths and reasons for being. Unfortunately the dreams of some people, from many thousands of years ago, are not the answer and are clearly and undeniably a product of their time on the planet. They just made some interpretations of the natural world and added their hopes and dreams. By the way, bought your book today on Amazon. Best wishes to you and Megan.

[@taraprater9013]

I went through this same thing and thought I committed the unforgivable sin. I was tormented for years. Became delusional and started a war in my brain. I ended up in therapy, on meds and I had to work my way out of the lies I had been told from childhood. I lived in an alternate reality or I could say I lost my sanity due to scripture. I will never go back to that mental state. The cognitive dissonance in Christianity is so bad it’s like being trapped and you don’t know which way to go. It took me converting to Catholicism and never feeling good enough for communion and a priest to tell me I needed to relax and I started to realize there was something wrong. Depak Chopra and Buddhist affirmations for my anxiety made me see the similarities in Jesus which opened a door in my mind to find my way out. When I saw the truth it saved me. For real.

[@husariatowarzysz4924]

What's interesting is that for the religious scholar Bart Ehrman who went down a similar road that Josh did and was a quite a bible thumper as well, when he realized that the doctrine of total inerrancy of the bible was objectively untenable, instead of immediately throwing all of his faith out the window like Josh, he was able to hold onto his faith for a while as a liberal Christian, and he finally only lost his faith in God for a completely separate reason because he was bothered by the problem of evil. So it's interesting how Josh didn't go in that direction despite starting from a similar place.

[@Cheepchipsable]

Seems like his framework for belief was so strict, the evidence that even one aspect of it was irrefutably false it caused the whole lot to collapse - I lol'd at the "about an hour and a half" line. Paulogia was in the same boat, only he started by investigating dinosaurs which lead him to discover all what he had been told about dinosaur and fossil knowledge by his religious group was completely untrue, which caused him to investigate other claims to affirm his faith, only he wrestled with it and prayed for a year or so before "coming out", so to speak. If you tout the bible as literal, all it takes is demonstrating a few aspects to be untrue to cause the believer to doubt the whole.

[@cynthiaellis1578]

No one's journey is the same. We are all individuals with different religious upbringings, teachings and life experiences. It was Mark Twain that coined the phrase, The best or fastest way to become a former Christian is to read the bible. (Paraphased)

[@scottgrohs5940]

Dr. Josh, my own path from Christian faith to agnostic truth in retrospect was a long time coming. The catalyst that finally pushed me over was the sheer tenuous connection that even the first state church of Rome actually had to Jesus and his 12. It has more in common with Paul, which many of the 12 were at odds with.

[@tripp8833]

It’s amazing how learning about the philistines is what you led you to believe the Bible is false, not the Adam & eve, Noah and Moses stories! Lol… I don’t mean that in an offensive way, it’s just interesting how people are able to leave fundamentalism … it’s not as easy as we outsiders think it is!

[@jennifersilves4195]

Dr. Josh. So beautiful. So sad children think about hell.

[@Wkumar07]

I was raised to believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible and it was only when I entered adulthood, with years of personal study on history and theology, did I realize that the standard fundamentalist/evangelical view of scripture is incorrect.

[@paulbrandel5980]

I'm so glad I left the fundamentalist Christianity. I am this a believer but I realize a lot that's in the Bible are stories parables and allegories. Like the Tower of Babel the global flood and that fallen angels had sex with earth women 😂😂😂

[@paulbrandel5980]

Also no way does the Bible states its inerrant.

[@Wkumar07]

@@paulbrandel5980 there are a lot of powerful stories in the Bible that should be studied, but attempting to make them literal defeats the purpose of the moral lessons.

[@paulbrandel5980]

@@Wkumar07 I agree

[@speedknob]

My story has some parallels, and I'd like to talk about it sometime. Anyhoo, thank you for sharing, from a Delawarean.

[@DigitalHammurabi]

Definitely! The best way for conversation is to email us - [e-mail] :)

[@sanmcnellis94]

No parallels dude. You want attention it seems.

[@williambutler5091]

Why am I watching this? Three days straight I've been on your channel. None of this is going to make any difference to anything ever but it's fascinating.

[@dereksloan2972]

Thanks Megan for reminding him to let those of us who can’t see the chat to tell us what questioned had been asked

[@michelebriere9569]

I think being inept with technology makes you perfect for ancient history studies. :D

[@zoozone9895]

I've been learnong Hebrew ever since I was about 15 and am now turning 19

[@jadbel3]

Good job Josh! And welcome to the better side! I would call you an atheist. My understanding of this is that atheism is not saying there are no gods, just saying we don't believe in the claim that there's a god and that there's no reason (demonstrable evidence) to believe in the god of christianity, Judaism, Islam, etc. Example: Christians were called atheists by the Romans because they didn't believe in their gods. Saying that there is no god is antitheism. Just my 2 cents. Not a big deal though.

[@historian96]

Right. There are multiple ways of defining atheism. This version, which is closest to the authentic, etymological meaning of the word, is also called "weak atheism," "soft atheism," or "negative atheism" -- the lack of positive belief in a (personal) god or gods.

[@RalfePoisson]

I found this video particularly moving; the honesty and authenticity is very refreshing. I also spent the first 30 years of my life dedicated to in-depth biblical study, and have just recently gone through what you described. My doubts started a few years ago, though, as I just couldn't reconcile the translation of Genesis 3:24 to use the word "sword", which seemed crazy to me, as this is an artificial, man-made weapon which would only occur much later on in history, and which could not have been something Adam and Eve would have used. Then, very recently I started reading about the rise of monotheism and the evidence for the influence of Zoroastrianism on ancient Israelites. It was also an almost instantaneous shattering of my reality. It is quite difficult trying to reconstruct your understanding of "everything" after such an event.

[@fredarroyo7429]

The devil knew the scriptures and made plagarism before they scriptures came out. You may not want to believe that but it is logically consistent with the bibilical worldview which is the true one.

[@robinbush5135]

@@fredarroyo7429 Um...wow.

[@fredarroyo7429]

@@robinbush5135 whats wow?

[@Cheepchipsable]

@@fredarroyo7429 So the devil copied the scriptures and offered them as his own?

[@fredarroyo7429]

@@Cheepchipsable No he made counterfeit religions beforehand before the scriptures were sprwad

[@txvoltaire]

Dr. Josh--When are you starting your cat video channel?

[@ctvtmo]

Very interesting, thank you for sharing your story. I would love to hear in particular why the study of the ancient Philistines made you so quickly give up your faith in Christ. Though I do not have such a detailed academic background as yours (Especially in the langues. Yikes! How many years were you in school?), my graduate degree work in biblical studies at an ivy league university turned me into a conservative Christian who believes in inerrancy.

[@pr6189]

Found you from your debate with Matt against the father and son on slavery. Only one missing was the Holy Spirit 😂

[@26beegee]

I raised my children in the charismatic non-denominational church pastored by my brother. My oldest daughter rejected religion at 15, but my younger daughter accepted it as true until her death. Since rejecting religion (about 10 years ago) I have struggled with a lot of guilt over indoctrinating my girls. Do any people still speak Sumerian?

[@darnytoads]

Wow. Similar. 25 years in paid and volunteer ministry, M.Div., all that crap. Christianity warped my life by "mainstreaming me" (get married, have kids, etc). Faith dropped out of my head and basically my perspective caused me to regret my entire adult life. Lol. I called it the pit. Got over that, but now I see Christianity and Islam as the most horrific religions ever. Honestly they aren't religions. Gore Vidal hit the nail, politics by other means. BUT it was my only vehicle for community and I still struggle to regain that.

[@counselwiththestars9601]

Wow. Thank you, Dr. Bowen, for sharing this personal journey. I would for sure be curious about what you learned in that history class that took you so quickly from faith to atheism. However, I have a more important question: Suppose someone from a similar upbringing, stumbles upon information that jars them in the same way that class did for you. Whether a class, or a friend, or whatever- some source they trust just rips the rug of their certainty right out from under them. If they don't have friends like your Mark, or Caleb (Kaleb?), can you recommend some sources they could turn to, in order to find their own footing on this topic? Where would one begin, if they didn't know the languages; if they didn't have friends who it would be productive to discuss these things with?

[@IAmAlgolei]

At 1:05:00 what's this video you're talking about? Cain and Abel animation? Searching youtube turns up a horde of videos, but they're mostly "Bible Stories for Children".

[@DigitalHammurabi]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y6fdg36baq2Hfc0

[@quippy8402]

The actual metaphysical ploy is actually this: The deities are using religious beliefs to filter out their faulty creations who don't study enough history when they should have and believe in something popular but not true. There goes the Pascal's wager.

[@BreadofLifeChannel]

Digital Hammurabi, you have an amazing channel! I'm so excited about the information here. I have a question about your loss of faith: How is it that you studied the Bible for so long and never encountered a problem with Bible inerrancy prior to your Phd studies? I am really confused by this aspect of your story. You studied Greek and Hebrew, and knew the Bible backward and forward, so you must have encountered difficulties in the text and contradictions prior to your Phd. I'm confused. Can you enlighten me? Thanks!

[@Cheepchipsable]

He may simply never have questioned things at that time, if he effectively lived in a closed community and everyone was telling him the same thing... If his degrees were from Christian university, there is a good chance he would never have been given anything "controversial", or only passages that confirmed the bible stories, (he already believed they were true.). Many Christian universities have people sign disclaimers that they agree with the philosophical views of the university, and simply refuse to publish anything that doesn't.

[@garytheosophilus]

I could see someone studying the Bible and raised as a fundie wouldn’t see a contradiction. Then, being educated at Liberty University and Capital Bible Seminary wouldn’t present objective fact (e.g., archaeology) that contradicts Biblical text. I’m guessing, at the time, he didn’t seek out nonreligious scholarship that is contradictory. Finally, he found contradictions in an academically rigorous environment that was not grounded in belief/theology.

[@kylekeiper4514]

This is super interesting because I can completely identify with you. I grew up in a "we believe in the full inerrancy of the Scriptures" type church, which caused a TON of dissonance for me intellectually (Who tempted David to take a census - God or Satan? If it was God, what happened to "God tempts no man, nor can he be tempted with evil", who was high priest when David fled from Saul? etc, etc). I eventually came to the personal conclusion that the Bible is a compendium of people's experience with what they believe to be God. In that sense, it was 100% true to them, but not necessarily 100% factual. In that sense, yeah, maybe a "global" flood wiped out humanity back in the time of Genesis, but it most certainly was just "global" in the sense that it encompassed the writer's known world. Kind of along with that, when Caesar taxed the whole world, he certainly didn't send some tax collectors to China to get some tribute.

[@NormalizingAtheism]

I feel like this haircut was what skyrocketed you into atheist stardom.

[@tripp8833]

Atheist stardom sounds like an insult! Lol

[@bernardofitzpatrick5403]

Spent five years in Anglican orphanage , 3 months to 5 years. Horrific, tho there with my sister. Adopted by worldly parents. So the church was my first home. I never feared hell or god, was just intent on surviving and trying to be happy and thought Jesus was cool in terms of things like sermon on mount etc I succeeded and became “idealist” in terms of consciousness but atheist in terms of a god/man ,after really reading the Bible. I feel unease for those who grow up in “good”evangelical Christian homes. Thank the flying pasta monster for giving me sceptical adoptive parents, who disliked each other, but freed me into the unfettered welcoming world.

[@helendillard7784]

Good job, very genuine! Maybe go within, meditation? you are not lukewarm, and that is so refreshing.

[@ThrashLawPatentsAndTMs]

@31:30 Dr. Josh's story of transformation as he is confronted with the orthodox archaeology and its chronology. His transformation was a complete 180 in just 90 minutes.

[@yowut2386]

Dr. Josh love what you have to say on religion. But I’m also curious about your MS. I to have PPMS don’t seem to be slowing down. It’s a horrible disease. My brain is fried lol. Have lots to say but take hours to text. 😂

[@DigitalHammurabi]

Yo! WUT? We should definitely have a conversation about it!

[@alainarnaud9528]

Thanks for being so honest. There must be something I did not understand, but did you say your kids go to Sunday school? What would be the benefit of doing that?

[@DigitalHammurabi]

Hi! I’m Megan, Josh’s wife. I’m an Anglican, and up until recently we attended the local episcopal church as a family, where our daughters went to Sunday school. They benefitted from a social environment outside of school, and from learning about a religious system that, while problematic, was still an important part of my life. I’m not currently sure where I stand on it, but I don’t regret having taken them.

[@danbreeden1801]

I love this channel you and your guests have freed me from fundamentalism

[@fredarroyo7429]

More like put into bondage of the world

[@danbreeden1801]

@@fredarroyo7429 you are in error sir even more so than your claim on the authority scripture even more errant than than the average person

[@fredarroyo7429]

@@danbreeden1801 You are left to your own devices and that will always end in destruction. You dont even have a basis for truth, outside your subjective feelings and opinions.

[@danbreeden1801]

@@fredarroyo7429 your concept of truth leaves much to be desired sir it savage belonging to an age long since past belonging ti age when it was still believed the earth wasa disc with a solid dome on top you authority acceptance is blind without a foundation other sources of knowledge whose validity is widely accepted how dare claim I am going to be condemned because I don't accept your narrow perspective which has done me great harm in past

[@fredarroyo7429]

@@danbreeden1801 So your basis for truth is a foundation of fallible sources of others opinions and speculations? Sounds very undesirable. The truth is very narrow and falsehood is very very broad. You are doing yourself great harm now.

[@NM_rocker]

As usual I'm fashionably late to the party. I've encountered similar responses about me not having been a real Christian since I'm no longer one. No true Scotsman fallacy 😉

[@fredarroyo7429]

That no true scotsman fallacy only apply to rigid defintions.

[@susanmalesky6214]

U go Doc. Being a self avowed agnostic, I still pray but I always qualify it with the saying "I know u know I don't believe but others do and just incase they are right, on their behalf, could u see urway to ......" seems to work for me.

[@Justin_Beaver564]

I grew up evangelical too. I think I permanently lost my faith when I lived in Japan. In that nation the national myth was a goddess named Amaterasu who gave birth to the first emperor. Every ancient kingdom had a national myth that was meant to unite the nation and preserve national identity. That's exactly what the Bible was for ancient Israelites, a way to preserve Jewish identity.

[@bhavens9149]

I believe it was the old atheist Spinoza who said, 'there is no god but Mary is his mother.' referring to the fact that whatever you believe, you are raised in, and have certain residual comforting behaviors that just transcend belief. Also if you are looking for a good parking spot, pray to Asphalta, Concretia's sister. just saying. ;-)

[@historian96]

That's not Spinoza. ... But Spinoza was awesome, for sure!

[@bhavens9149]

@@historian96 I'd always heard it as Spinoza, but I see at least one reference attributing it to George Santayana? who I have no idea who that is, regardless, it is the reality of culture.

[@jinxy72able]

I call myself an agnostic atheist. I do not claim that I know there is no god (that is the agnostic part), but I am not convinced that there is a god. I disbelieve that the claim god exists is valid and sound claim, that can be supported by sufficient evidence to warrant justified belief in the soundness and validity of that claim.

[@robertjimenez5984]

This was great. But it shows how difficult it is to discover that something you have been taught from very early in age is not true or has been verified as true. I stop believing when I started to study and hearing debates. But for those that are in the box and have no intention to see what’s outside the box, the box is all they will know and they will be in that box for ever.

[@LuisGonzalez-oy3ku]

Well said, sir. Christian doctrine, rooted in the presupposition that the Bible is inerrant and infallible, is an ideological echo chamber guarded by fear and, ironically, distrust of critical thinking/academic inquiry. I've been inside that chamber for over 45 years, and I'm progressively recognizing how cognitively irrational its tenets appear. It begs the question, is religious faith (regardless of its specific manifestation) held because of compelling evidence of it OR because its adherents yearn for it to be true, despite the scarcity of and evidence for those beliefs/claims. I, for one, want to believe or affirm ONLY what is more likely than not, what most comports with reality, aka TRUTH. Everything else, no matter how lovely it may sound, is either delusional or illusional and not worth believing in. Btw, I'm philosophically a skeptical agnostic on the cusp of becoming a practical atheist.

[@kaidrewry4378]

Ur awesome dude...Love your vids

[@Demolish_DoctrineRichardMadsen]

“You were never among us.” This can be true at one time and only one time, it does not allow for future repentance, there is only once that there is no opportunity for future repentance .... last half of “End Times”. Full stop.

[@Flockmeister]

11:05 "Thousands and thousands of people are gonna watch this" 26K at this writing !

[@mSalam.30]

As a multi lingual it’s really thought to come up with words sometimes lol, or sometimes I think of a word, but it’s a in a different language than what i need lol

[@SilverSixpence888]

There is no "good way" to drill into a child that they are a sinner in need of salvation and on their way to hell. It's simply child abuse.