Why Did You Stay in the Evangelical Christian Cult for So Long Before You Realized it Wasn’t True?

[@seriouslypagan6904]

Came out of Charismatic Lurthianism in my 40s, came out as a lesbian soon after. Studied alcoholism, Buddhism, Taoism, Atheism, and then Paganism. I now believe in what I view as real. The Universe, me, love and possibility. Thanks for sharing, Pastor!

[@Eyesopeningheartrealigning]

I was duped for 47 and half😢 year so I’m with you brother!

[@wizquinn8021]

I got you all beat. 63 years old. Deconverted at 58. This sh%t is real for us. An alternate reality among many alternate realities within this world. I'm not proud of it but I was when I was in it big time. It was all I knew.

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

@@wizquinn8021 They do not reject God, those atheists, as any religious people talk always about religions and do the only thing they can do, waging the war of religions... it is about that we got, it always be about that, at least can you be so honest to admit it?...

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

They do not reject God, those atheists, as any religious people talk always about religions and do the only thing they can do, waging the war of religions... it is about that we got, it always be about that, at least can you be so honest to admit it?... Atheists stop to show us how much frustrated you are.

[@janinegriffiths8281]

I had a wild childhood. Was adopted from South Carolina (I found out later they are Lutheran) by a Jewish family from NYC, this was 1966. My father had been a conservative rabbi until he had a crisis of faith before I was born and became a Freudian psychoanalyst. My parents then divorced when I was like 4 or 5 and my mom moved us to Miami Florida. She had issues and ended up in AA where she found Jesus when I was 8 or 9. She also found a husband, my second adopted dad, and we became evangelical Christians. I had been involved in a Baptist church when I was 7, they sent a bus into neighborhoods to pick up poor children to take to church, even then I didn't understand why Jesus, whom I liked because he seemed nice and kind, and cute, hung out with those people! Anyway, we went to southern Baptist and Presbyterian churches, Sunday twice, Wednesday night, and I was involved with the youth group and choir. We also went to strict private Christian schools, crappy education. By my senior year, I had decided to go to Miami Christian College and got a full 4 year music scholarship, I wanted to serve as a missionary abroad. During the summer between high school and college, I had a crisis of faith, the church people did not in my mind reflect Jesus' teachings so I decided not to go to Miami Christian College and left home at 16. I put myself through college later. I just didn't understand how Jesus' teachings could be squared with all the crap I was seeing going on around me. I was always attracted to spirituality and still am, I became Pagan in my late 20's. Now I am still Pagan and have come to realize I am also agnostic, the nice thing about being Pagan is no one cares what you believe in as long as you take responsibility for what you do. Anyway, years later I still enjoy hearing about other's transitions so thank you for sharing.

[@tonygilchrist9113]

Hi Timmy, I'm 62 & I stopped fully believing some time ago (I guess I'm agnostic) but I still attend my church as I love the people there. It's hard for me to walk away completely because of that but I know I will. Your videos are an encouragement to me so thank you.

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

They do not reject God, those atheists, as any religious people talk always about religions and do the only thing they can do, waging the war of religions... it is about that we got, it always be about that, at least can you be so honest to admit it?...

[@ckvarnmass]

I came into Christianity around 18 years old, following my new husband and his wishes to be what he felt would cover his sins. I was sincere and wanted to be a "good" Christian wife. As time wore on, within that "holy" institution, I became more and more disenchanted. I became very cynical as time passed, due to the husband being all but Christian towards his family, and in being so emotionally abusive. Of course that was all hidden from the church goers, they only saw his goodness in sitting there Sunday mornings, shouting out, "Amens" once in a while. Church allows fake Christians to thrive! Each passing year I became more and more fed-up with it all. Then one day I broke and broke bad! I want no part of organized religion and proudly profess that, now. It's been over 30 years since that breaking point. I divorced the fake Christian husband and he continues to fool the world and his adult children with his fake lifestyle. Those from that church who knew me, as a friend, turned their backs on me. Recently I went to a yard sale the church had, just for the heck of it. It creeped me out being there. No one knew me from long ago, but I did see some familiar faces. The energy in the place made me flee!

[@DCronk-qc6sn]

I'm so glad you escaped. The ex is real evil. ✌️❤️

[@i.m.watching5536]

Just because your ex was a fake Christian, it does not mean all Christians are fake. Some are. Some are very sincere. Sorry for your experience.

[@mohamedsirker4858]

Brave lady! ❤

[@ileanahope466]

@@ckvarnmass Well he was a fake christian not a true one that is the difference.

[@beingaware8542]

no true Scotsman.​@@ileanahope466

[@oliveapple]

I think the hardest part of leaving was losing the community. My only friends were in the church. It was a scary experience for me in my early 20s. Church was my family.

[@Sean-oy8xm]

When I left, the Christian community completely shut me off. Not even a “concerned” brother knocked on my door. That spoke volumes to me about the entire religion.

[@marciwilliams8654]

Women who live with abusive husbands are asked the same question, "why did you stay so long?" Usually when a woman marries an abusive man it is because her own father was abusive. It is a pattern she has grown up with and to her, this is "normal". We look at people who smile and seem happy and know in our hearts... "we know what goes on behind closed doors". We cannot see that it is not normal because we grew up in it.

[@TechTab00]

Right, great response. Religion is definitely a form of abuse, on many different levels.

[@brooklynloutheskeptic]

Was duped for over 40 years. I think part of it, is that we really wanted to BELIEVE this stuff.

[@adrianazollo2688]

yup

[@nathaniellopez6438]

It becomes a form of peer pressure that keeps many Christians in Christianity. It's harder to cut away from something that you've been taught to believe all your life. But it can be done.

[@pierrelabounty9917]

So enter by the right door.

[@booksquid856]

The internet really did change things. Thank goodness!

[@DIBBY40]

I'm from the UK. I was a born again Christian for about 4 years only. More gentle Anglican before that. Being gay I knew it wasn't working for me. I was an emotional mess. However, the reason I kept at it? Well: 1) No self- confidence and low- esteem; if there's a problem then it MUST be me, I'm only a sinner after all. 2) So many great testimonials and stories that other Christians have, it works for them, so the problem must still be me, 3) I was anxious and frightened in life, so it was some sort of anchor, 4) I DID have genuine experience of the Divine, so was confused. The confusion has ended for me now that I've embraced my natural spirituality, accepted myself, asked my questions and ditched indoctrination. I started curious in life, got an unsatisfactory certainty and regained my curiosity again. Its absolutely wonderful not to try and KNOW everything and have all the answers!❤

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

and now you believe in what exactly? Tha war of religions wages by those religious people called atheists?

[@edbok2751]

Same. I was about 52. Born into it. Christian grade school and highschool. BA degree from a Bible College. Devout Christian my whole life. Was 100% invested. Spent my whole life searching for evidence to support my beliefs. Had to ultimately admit that the evidence was sadly lacking, if not non-existent. Fought tooth and nail to hang onto my beliefs. At the end they just evaporated and I was left with nothing. Had to walk away from everyone I had ever known. Much happier now. Wouldn't go back.

[@angelgoindoo4518]

Happy for you but know that Jesus Christ " The Lord of Host." Is real I know when he brought me back to life after being dead and covered up for 35 mins and healed me from stage 4 osteosarcoma cancer. Since That day I never bow to any Hindu Gods ever again I became a believer without ever going to church and accepting Christ. Eventually landed in a church and turn totally away from God to Atheistism until one day God filled me again with His Holy Spirit and I never doubted again. Jesus simply say " just believe on Him" not all the nonsense they carry on in those evangelical churches. Till this day I am a living miracle pass the 6months the experts give me to live up to by almost 35yrs healed and no medications ever. Believe that's all Jesus Christ is who He say He is . Simple

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

I think you are regrewtting to be Christian... At least believing in God is muscvh better than be stulkked in this pathetic religious cult called atheism, talking toxically about what you do not even believe.. That is so toxic and obsessive.

[@joelmouton9365]

I stayed in fundamentalists Christianity for 30 years. I was raised in it. But another major reason I stayed in it for so long is because of the fear of eternal torment aka Hell. The fear of being left behind in the rapture and the eternal torment of hell worked on me because I was an extremely fearful and obedient child so I was ripe for the mental torture of Christianity. I also was in church 4 times a week; twice on Sunday, Wednesday night and Friday night. I was inculcated in Christianity and was not allowed to question god. If I did I was punished.

[@mohamedsirker4858]

I like your "god" with lower case as it should be.❤

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

there is no mental torture in Chrstianity, you mean atheism!

[@bobbarron1920]

I was a cradle Catholic and didn’t wake up until I was 67. That’s kind of unbelievable considering that I am also a PhD chemist who had a 30+ year career in industrial chemistry. I was very successfully indoctrinated and was just deep in my faith despite having occasional doubts. I just put the doubts on a shelf to be considered later but eventually there were too many doubts and the nonsense just became overwhelming. From the other side now, I can see how ridiculous the whole thing is and I berate myself for wasting so much time, effort and treasure in support of a lie. But, I have to move on and live the rest of my life in the best, most objective, reasonable way possible.

[@mohamedsirker4858]

Congratulations! Better late than never....

[@c.merritt7884]

I was "saved" and baptized when I was 13 at a Southern Baptist church in Florida in the 1960s. The first big crack came a year later when my mom asked me what we covered in history class that day. My teacher had glossed over the Holocaust, saying something like he thought we shouldn't continue to hold any grudges against Germany for what they did during the war. He omitted all the grisly details. Well, that hit my mom all wrong, and she started telling me all the stuff he left out. I went out and sat under a tree in the backyard and thought about what she had told me, sick at my stomach. I knew all those poor souls had to have prayed for deliverance. I wondered why God had turned his back on these people. For a variety of reasons (mainly fear of hell), I remained churched until about 12 years later, when I realized religion had turned me into an insufferable asshole.

[@Mr.PeabodySkeptic]

I'm 54. I left at 14. I can pinpoint the day. Freshman prayer class at a Jesuit high school. The lay teacher just began speaking. And it clicked. NONE of what he was saying made any sense. My sister is just a couple years younger and a believer and attended the neighboring Catholic girls school. Most of my older family members are believers. Belief is the norm.

[@Bosse_C]

how nice you figured things out for yourself early enough.

[@Mr.PeabodySkeptic]

I guess. My sister is pretty happy in her faith as am I in my non-belief. But, she doesn't force her beliefs and votes humanely. So we get along great.

[@NightsideOfParadise]

Very true. People in general aren't very good at adjusting their frame when something contradicts it. When you read the comments under big atheism focused channels they aren't really that much different from some Christian or islamic channels. Uniformed, emotional opinions that are not balanced at all. Especially when it comes to politics. The smaller the ego the better you see reality and it doesn't matter if one has figured out that X is not true if the ego is still big. Edit. My grammar was garbage 🗑️🗑️🗑️

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

@@Mr.PeabodySkeptic till waging the war of religions, because it is the only thing you can do, atheist?

[@69camaro19]

Non believer here, but I bet you were a good pastor. :)

[@gabrielleangelica1977]

Sweet 🎂

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

They do not reject God, those atheists, as any religious people talk always about religions and do the only thing they can do, waging the war of religions... it is about that we got, it always be about that, at least can you be so honest to admit it?...

[@InquisitiveBible]

Yeah, the threats of hell are so tiresome. They just show how cruel and hateful the hearts of some religious people are.

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

They do not reject God, those atheists, as any religious people talk always about religions and do the only thing they can do, waging the war of religions... it is about that we got, it always be about that, at least can you be so honest to admit it?...

[@johnalexir7634]

It's also a good example of how one's interpretation of a religion/book says more about the one interpreting than the god who supposedly wrote it. Good people see mercy, judgmental people focus on the punishment. The whole buffet of texts is there in the bible for the taking, one can pick based on their appetite.

[@bchristian85]

American society, social structure, and culture makes it difficult to leave.

[@dustcircle]

Reading Thomas Paine's "The Age of Reason" during a classic lit binge stirred me to start questioning. Paine takes the Bible and starts to destroy it section by section, and I started to think to myself, If part of the Bible is wrong, then the whole thing is suspect.

[@mohamedsirker4858]

Great book!

[@unfixablegop]

Now that you mention it, presidents habitually thanking god is a real nuisance. The last honest believer was Jimmy Carter, the rest just do what they have to do. I think it will take until the 22nd century for an openly atheist candidate to become president.

[@sloanchessman5783]

The incoming president is definitely a non believer; however, he says what he thinks his followers want to hear.🙄

[@DM-zq8qy]

When the “fakers” realize they have a HUGE MAJORITY, religious doctrines will all be exposed as WRONG, WRONG, WRONG.

[@JR954]

Timmy I got you! I had doubts but believed in those bible stories for more than 30 years. The stories gave me comfort and a fear that what if I am wrong. My children weren’t grown with church but my oldest daughter joined a crazy cultish church in Wisconsin and she is slowly walking away after 18 years(the years we lost just physically spewing love on each other). Now my son is dealing with his new wife’s return to JW after she was disfellowshiped many years ago. Ma Mia!!

[@Darrin-z1r]

Duped for over 40 years. Born in 69. I knew nothing else.

[@shelzp7272]

My dad was a Baptist minister and I distinctly recall sitting in the pew drawing a picture on my little Sunday school handout or the bulletin and I’d be looking around thinking ‘All these people believe this and I don’t’. I can’t explain it but I just knew it wasn’t true. That being said, I always gave my folks respect but as soon as I was on my own I didn’t go to church and I was open with my parents about it.

[@lisathrasher540]

I was told looking or listening to anything outside of the bible, was the devil trying to pull me away from God. I am 61, and it's only been 1.5 yrs of deconstruction.

[@crucifiddle]

Very enjoyable video. I guess I kinda started losing it when I was playing in a Christian rock band in the early 90's. Alot of the scene was very....well, what they use to call Carnal. Our sound man/manager was always picking up girls and many of the beliefs were frankly, wacky. You know, people are being raised from the dead in Africa but not America, because Americans are not strong enough believers. What the total F? Anyways, slowly after that I started to actually read the Bible more and that was an eye opener. Like you I was raised completely around Christianity, I had absolutely NO choice. It's at least nice now to be able to decide what I believe in, rather than be forced into something. Great video!😄

[@sandracampbell9822]

Even when you are questioning itching d hard because it is your social life. Your friends and everything are all there. You also had a career which made it harder. Even though they no longer speak to me I still miss many of them.

[@thekendredspirit5771]

Leaving a religion is just as difficult if not more as leaving an abusive relationship, or leaving a gang or leaving an addiction. There are so many variables people don’t understand unless they’ve experienced it.

[@christahewitt2758]

My mom was Mexican and Catholic and my white dad was atheist or agnostic from from a Christian family. My mom converted to Christianity when she was 16. I think my dad probably converted because of her, but he said he had an experience with God, AFTER they were married so who knows. My parents were only 20 and 21 when they got married. They had 3 kids in 4 years. I am their 3rd daughter born in 1984. I was dedicated to the lord in the Nazarene church at 6 months old, indoctrinated my whole life, said the “magic prayer” at age 3, speaking in tongues by age 9, baptized at 12. First questioned Christ only doctrine at 13, was in a 7 mountains mandate cult from 15-18, was briefly an atheist at 18, then a “liberal Christian” from 18-28 and finally fully deconstructed around 2015 or 2016 I was no longer a Christian. It was partly due to toxic religious abusive pastors and partly due to see Christianity for what it is, but it took that long because of the childhood indoctrination 😢

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

you mother was way better than you, at least she believe in God, and she been not part to a religious cult, called atheism like you, waging all the time the war of religions like you.

[@MTTWynn22]

Remember. It is ok to have a small circle of friends. Better to be close to a few than have a huge number of people who don't really know you.

[@heatherturner3225]

I was about 38 when it started to unravel and the catalyst was trying to figure out what was going on with the infighting between Paul and the other apostles, it was a thread that o just kept pulling.

[@InquisitiveBible]

Roughly ten years ago I decided I needed to take theology seriously and start studying the Bible. I began reading theology and biblical studies books and started my own blog. I also ended up watching a lot of debates involving people like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens and eventually realized that Christian teachings didn't make a lot of sense and no consistent theology could be found in the Bible. I still like studying the Bible as a book *about* the beliefs of ancient Jews and Christians, though.

[@scottyc7739]

That's what we forget, we weren't "convinced", but indoctrinated into it. I still have to remember that even 50 years later... Congrats for everyone who makes it out!

[@ginagamba]

Oh wow. I think it was in 1997 pre Google and KZbin in the early days of the internet, I’m not sure what the catalyst was. I remember going to an adult religious education class as a 17-year-old at the Catholic Church where I was raised. The whole idea was to prepare Catholic adults for the jubilee year 2000 Being shy as I was I would sit in on the lesson but then skip out on the discussion group at first. It took a while before I would stay and participate. But the more I learned there the more questions I had, and stuff started making less sense based on what I knew to be true. It took until 2000 before I admitted to myself I can’t be Catholic anymore and even longer to actually leave because like you, Timmy, my own area is steeped in religion.

[@Polonez123-r4w]

I think a lot of us were fooled for many years of our lives. In my case, even when I started questioning it, there was always this excuse that god’s ways are not our ways, that we don’t understand things and one day we will. Also the idea that there is someone up there, you can talk to him, he loves you, and he will help you was desirable. 🤷‍♂️

[@littleredcorvette-l3d]

I am so upset with myself for believing in a Snake Serpent talking to Eve. Also for many Years I question God on how could He keep on watching all of these hellish trauma evilness for Centuries? Nowadays I find myself distancing myself from Religious relatives and friends. I cannot take it hearing I'll Pray for you sister. As if I'm doom for the outer darkness. Just recently this 7th Day Adventist guy said to me. That I lost my Zeal for God and he hopes that I get it back. Today is my off day from work. And I'm tired and exhausted from everything. I cry almost daily, because I've had it with Religious Cult people. I'm free from it, however when you walk away from the foolery. Chances are you would stand along on Planet Earth, until you take your last breath.

[@kristenraejohnson]

Take heart, you are not alone..tons of people these days are deconstructing.

[@archbishoprichardforceginn9338]

​@@kristenraejohnsonPreyz Gord for this wisdum and discernment

[@angelgoindoo4518]

Take strength knowing that God love never fails and His mercy endures He never said follow religion but Him just believe Jesus is who He say He is and that's it. If people would just read His words nothing else it would be enough to free their souls from the bondage of religion. Faith is simply believing Christ is Alive not all the doctrines of men.

[@archbishoprichardforceginn9338]

@@angelgoindoo4518 Read Leviticus 🔥🤣

[@311mlin]

I was Christian for over 35 years in a very religious South American country, now living as an atheist in middle east muslim country,not much a change.

[@Sean-oy8xm]

Tim. If you are ever in Southern Colorado, let’s have a beer. Our stories are very similar.

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

Stop wage the war of religions, atheists, we got you are religious and your religion atheism push you to wage the war of religions(it always been about that)

[@fedup2476]

My life was very similar to yours. My family still owns and operates churches. A Bible scholar Martin Zender book “how to quit church without quitting god”. We would have debates and i come to realize it’s all about money and prestige within the community. Not really for the truth.

[@StaceyMifsud]

2 things that made me really question everything. First was the homophobia. Of course God loves the person but hates the sin which sustained me for a while, but it caused me so much internalised hatred due to my bisexuality. 2. I have 2 autistic children and although there have been some really lovely helpful and supportive people at church, I've also had some terrible experiences from being told that my daughter's disability resulted from getting pregnant before marriage, to people telling me to control my child in church, to a church actually sitting me down in a meeting asking me to go to another church as they are not equipped to support us with our kids (this was a 1000 plus congregation). Also being told by a pastor that the kids had demons in them with caused their autism, causing me to frantically fast and pray for them genuinely thinking that it could all just disappear and that they weren't "healed" because I wasn't faithful enough. Also not to mention the questions I had about hell and how a loving God would throw anyone who hadn't become a Christian before death in a lake of fire forever and ever. Even with all of that, I was in it between ages 18 and 28-30 when I started to slowly deconstruct. I stayed in an abusive marriage because "God hates divorce". Glad it's all behind me now but definitely not easy to leave, and I didn't even grow up in it and my family aren't even evangelical, I converted on my own. Thanks for your videos, there's a lot of ex Mormon stuff online butcher evangelical movement has a lot of similar toxicity and issues.

[@hellygeer]

Timmy sitting in church thinking, “that seems odd.”

[@othelialewis429]

Brought up Christian, drank the kool aid until my husband suddenly passed away at age 47. Changed my entire perspective. At first it was anger and when that lifted, the veil slowly lifted too. I guess I am a spiritual agnostic at best as I practice yoga, meditation etc

[@tom-ss2mn]

Same here. Raised to believe a certain way. Only allowed to associate with like minded believers. Plus told you cant question the church/bible. So its all i knew. But thank black santa i woke up around 21/22 years old and left religion

[@johnmdane]

I first suspected that something was off when I realized there are so many Christian denominations that claim to read the same book. Yet, there is very little continiuty in be(LIE)f(S) among all these different churches. Then I started reading the bible for myself, and noticed all of the contradictions, discrepencies, and the misalignment between the Old Testament and and New Testament. The more I actually read the bible, I realized that it was all a bunch of hooey.

[@yaboicoach]

Spot on with "Santa". Heaven n hell is the exact same thing as naughty and nice list. Maybe thats where the inspiration started? The carrot and stick motivation tool✌️

[@FryNeedsCalm]

Love your personality! 😁 I grew up Catholic but I started questioning at around 17. I’d always been more science oriented and such regardless. George Carlin had a lot to do with my questioning! I used to think, if you say bad things about God, bad things will immediately happen to you. But then I saw George Carlins bit about religion and wondered “why is he not dead? Why is he a successful comedian? Why hasn’t God punished him?” And then I realized maybe because God probably isn’t real! That’s how it started and then the original atheist movement came about with Dawkins and Hitchens and I started reading/watching their stuff. I’d considered himself an atheist/agnostic but also a Zen Buddhist at this point.

[@KCBfly25]

I've pretty much always been an atheist & always questioned all of it. BUT, having said that, it's easy to see how, especially if you know no other life or views, the religion you're taught would make sense. You aren't exposed to other things, & if you are, the particular religion you belong to will tell you the other way is bad/evil. It's psychology. And what many high-control groups do is brainwash & block out other views. I much more understand someone being born in a religion & sticking to it than an adult who gets into a religion. It's like- if you'd never heard of Christianity or other monotheistic religion, & you instead believe that many gods are responsible for different things-storms, etc- your polytheistic religion is the only one that makes sense. I totally get it. Even as a non-believer, I didn't know the word atheist for years. AND, I really did just think I was the weird one & something was wrong with ME, because I grew up in a very Catholic city & family. It is reinforced & drilled into you. I did try to make religion make sense. So, yes, I get it.

[@belkyhernandez8281]

Imo the reason any of this works at all is because humans want and need the approval of other humans. That need for approval generally helps society work but that need can also blind us to realities which threaten being approved of by the group.

[@RolfStones]

I am Dutch, so this is a whole different context from America. I am a 4th generation atheist from my father's side, so I have been an atheist all my life. I have friends who have deconstructed from fundamentalist religion and I have played a role in their deconstruction by discussing religion and atheism. Though it was helpful I don't live in the bible belt (yes, we have one too). This all happened in my late teenage years almost 2 decades ago.

[@RobertSmith-gx3mi]

I would think peer pressure inside a confirmation bubble would be a powerful way to keep people first entrapped and snared into these cults as children in the cults into adulthood.

[@angelgoindoo4518]

While Jesus Christ is " The Lord of Host" and after believing in Him there is nothing else to fall back on but to believe God don't exist the reality is He is Alive and is very real but the man made religious church beliefs we once follow is absolutely false many things Christ never teach and we all once follow as sound doctrines. Give up on the tradition of men but don't give up on The Lord God Jesus Christ. I was an Ex - Hindu , dead man ( cancer) took my life , Christian, an Atheist to now being a follower of The Lord of Host " Jesus Christ." He is real.

[@mohamedsirker4858]

Honestly, Im confuse. I just realize that I had NO particular reason why I left religion (Evangelical) at all! I was born into a religious family. In my teen years I was wild like most sane teenagers. Having Catholic friends and expose to a revolution (i am Nicaraguan that lived and participated in the Sandinista revolution) really challange my beliefs.... but again, although I did believe....i also think i was never 100% sincere. Im happy it was not all wasted time....since I never actually beleived it blindly.

[@GarthDomokos]

I worked with a young teeny bop who was home schooled religious. We started chatting about the bible, so I brought up Jonah and the whale. ( I always bring up that story because its my go to story) I asked him whether or not Jonah was swallowed by an actual whale, which of course he gave a resounding yes. I then asked him why Jonah was totally unaware of this, as why the old testament makes it clearly obvious that there was no actual sea mammal that swallowed Jonah. Either Jonah was a liar, or being swallowed by an actual fish was a very common occurrence. (young teeny bop didn't know that I actually researched this). Even worse, if you don't agree with them, then they try to guilt you into their deception.

[@BionicLatino]

I knew a guy who spend seven years as a pastor in a pretty big church. And then he had a crisis of faith and walked away. Unfortunately he had no other marketable skills in his early 40s and the bills were still coming I . So not even a year later he was on his “god found his lost sheep” testimony tour and was back where he started. So let’s not pretend that isn’t a factor for some.

[@jxsanche]

Your best video yet!

[@jasonk5979]

Most people I know believe their whole life. I stopped believing around Junior high School. Trying to still act like you believe while being stuck in a christian school and going to church 3 times or more a week. With 1 parent totally dedicated to it. Was not fun. I figure it was having ADHD and them trying to use corporal punishment (paddling) to make it go away that convinced me that the love of Christ was BS. And I had no Internet at the time so I really couldn't talk to other people who felt the same way.

[@ileanahope466]

God is real non believers will realize it eventually. Im catholic and glad to be and tried other religions and came back!!! Science and knowing God is not mutually exclusive! There is Good and Evil and bring on side of god gives the greatest satisfaction🙏✝️

[@archbishoprichardforceginn9338]

Ta Hell with the Gord of the Holey Script-Yourz. Monstrous Blood Guilt Cult Leaders you warship

[@archbishoprichardforceginn9338]

Gord is Good, Good is Gord 😇🤣

[@cynthiacoy1229]

If you are such a true believer, why are you listening to an atheist!!!

[@Sean-oy8xm]

What is your evidence?

[@archbishoprichardforceginn9338]

@Sean-oy8xm in his back pocket. Sean maybe put up a few videos. Aaron and the bruthren would enjoy them

[@supersawyer358]

I've had my doubts in life but never questioned the existence of God.

[@Bunlover117]

Maybe you should question that before you dedicate you life to it

[@supersawyer358]

@@Bunlover117 Looking at the order in the universe and the complexity of the human body is what won me over to a creator.

[@Bunlover117]

@@supersawyer358 that’s fine and all, but what makes you think that that “creator” is the one from the Bible?

[@supersawyer358]

@Bunlover117 looking at the moral depravity of mankind, the Bible in my opinion best addresses the sin nature of man and a way to address it. But I can not prove to you or anyone else the existence of said being nor am I trying too. Just an opinion.

[@cynthiacoy1229]

If you don't question god, why are you listening to an atheist?

[@itsmeee4293]

0:24 because my heart wanted to do right by "God" and people. That's how i was hooked for so long and afraid to trust what i felt due to hell fire and condemnation.

[@itsmeee4293]

Btw, I'm 42, and deconstruction began around 35 to 37. It has been continuous work! But the reward has been GREAT!

[@lh1673]

2nd generation from late 70s, married to Only in the Lord late 90s. I remember had questions from childhood but pushed um aside cuz was having good feelings and enjoying being at Christian community. Then at last in 2019 WOKE fully from the Christian org I was, by being shocked watching their Bible drama at the convention that was pushing members to SHUN your own leaving family (or say to STONE, was using Deuteronomy ch.13 event in that drama)😮

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

They do not reject God, those atheists, as any religious people talk always about religions and do the only thing they can do, waging the war of religions... it is about that we got, it always be about that, at least can you be so honest to admit it?..

[@mender722]

This sounds like the person was hearing some of what you said and then attempted to 're-write your story' with their understanding as a guide. I have experienced this. They are hearing but not listening. I find this frustrating. I like to interject, 'That's not my story, it's yours. Please listen.' By the way, I think you have a fascinating story. I enjoy hearing your insight. As for the catalyst that caused a shift, it was seeing the Genesis stories as myth. They turned to smoke and blew away. You can't build a castle on a cloud.

[@yw8931]

People go to church act worse than those who don’t go. i stop believing .

[@ferbogadoaSalirAJugar]

Bravo

[@johnalexir7634]

5:18. Mic drop moment. It's hard for believers to accept our non-acceptance of their punishment-reward racket.

[@DM-zq8qy]

A deeper STUDY of the BIBLE revealed the flaws for me. 🙈 Just READ it (without commentary from “faith leader” (brain washers.) I was actually a “faith leader” / believer for 50 years before REALLY questioning the SOURCE. (There are many sources of the patchwork quilt called THE Bible. None of those sources are from “God.” He would NOT tell such horrible lies about himself!)

[@archbishoprichardforceginn9338]

The Manmade doctrines fall apart all by themselves when The Holey Script-Yourz are red Honestly. Been there, Big Time

[@garyhershkowitz3435]

Hi Timmy!!

[@thefunpolice]

The question is kind of ridiculous. I'm agnostic and have been so since I can remember, I was raised by atheists. I had a reckoning at the age of roughly six that the religious school I went to was teaching all kinds of weird stuff that made no sense. Attending church services only confirmed that. I might ask that bloke who realised at the age or 12 that it was mythical, what took you so long? It's a dopey question of course. Why do some people never wake up to the mythology? My uncle converted into Christianity in his 20s after getting a degree in physics. Why does he still not realise that it's a myth? He's a razor sharp guy, after all. Holding to a faith has almost nothing at all to do with intelligence. This is the only conceivable explanation. Why was Isaac Newton a Christian zealot until the day he died? How do we explain him, or Leonhard Euler? Or Galileo? It's not that these questions are bad in some way, but when phrased as some kind of competition to pass some non-existent finishing line in the shortest time possible, it reeks of someone who hasn't considered much of what it might be like outside of their own experience. The moment you assume perfectly intelligent people believe perfectly unbelievable things you are forced to peel away at the demonstrably false preconception that persistence of faith is some kind of failure of some ancient IQ test.

[@amandaarmstrong4962]

I was 30.

[@ramesis55]

Dune you are 10 years older than me and still have more hair than I do. At 45 I have long hair and a good hairline. But you hair is so much thicker than mine. I need some of that DNA

[@scottlewis2883]

More prayer 😳 .....................kidding 😅

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

They do not reject God, those atheists, as any religious people talk always about religions and do the only thing they can do, waging the war of religions... it is about that we got, it always be about that, at least can you be so honest to admit it?

[@rickemmons7300]

Luke 9:62

[@levicohen-autor]

Believe it or not: I only stopped being a Christian because of the concept of the Flat Earth. It took me a year to muster the courage to watch a video on the subject made by a flat-earther. And everything he said about the New Testament is true. I wasted 50 years of my life on this.

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

They do not reject God, those atheists, as any religious people talk always about religions and do the only thing they can do, waging the war of religions... it is about that we got, it always be about that, at least can you be so honest to admit it? Which Flat Earth?

[@garyhershkowitz3435]

Next time I come to KC I will buy you breakfast and give you the evidence??

[@sloanchessman5783]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@i.m.watching5536]

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life! Praise God.

[@cynthiacoy1229]

Are you serious? If you believe so heavily in your god, why are you listening to an atheist? Read your "word of god" so you know what you are supposed to and not supposed to do! Right now you're spinning! You are not too pray, talk ect in public about your god!!! READ YOUR BIBLE FROM GENESIS TO REVELATIONS before you try to preach and think your better!

[@gabrielleangelica1977]

Christianity IS paganism 🗿.

[@markastoforoff7838]

I've never believed in god. Wasn't brought up in a religious household.

[@D.MarcelloRadice]

They do not reject God, those atheists, as any religious people talk always about religions and do the only thing they can do, waging the war of religions... it is about that we got, it always be about that, at least can you be so honest to admit it?...

[@SapientCephalopod]

Sapiens!

[@adrianazollo2688]

you are os handsome lol

[@Drank818]

Whos santa claus anyway lol

[@i.m.watching5536]

Why do you want to lead people away from God, Timmy?

[@DocNightingale-hp6zd]

@@i.m.watching5536 back up your claims then. People are asking questions and you guys arent answering any of them. "The queen of sheba" is asking difficult question and noone has the answers. Why should u follow something/someone that has no evidence it for it being true? Blind faith, is a CULT without reason.

[@DocNightingale-hp6zd]

@@i.m.watching5536 we're tired of your BS and infighting and u projecting your faith to people without consent. And being caught in the crosshairs ofnyour stupidity. You guys are the most annoying religious group EVER. "Its not a a religion its a relationship with God" shut the F up. You are religion just except it and stop gaslighting people with your BS and changing the meaning of words to fit your narrative of the world and make your God look "good".

[@DocNightingale-hp6zd]

@@i.m.watching5536 we're tired of your BS and infighting and u projecting your faith to people without consent. And being caught in the crosshairs ofnyour stupidity. You guys are the most annoying religious group EVER. "Its not a a religion its a relationship with God" shut the F up. You are religion just except it and stop gaslighting people with your BS and changing the meaning of words to fit your narrative of the world.

[@DocNightingale-hp6zd]

@@i.m.watching5536 People are asking questions and not getting ANSWERS, when there is no answer and ONLY BLIND FAITH.....thats called a CULT. And its only reasonable people are leaving. Queen of sheba is asking difficult questions and NOBODY got the answers.

[@DocNightingale-hp6zd]

@@i.m.watching5536 we're tired of your BS and infighting and u projecting your faith to people without consent. And being caught in the crosshairs ofnyour stupidity. You guys are the most annoying religious group EVER. "Its not a a religion its a relationship with God" shut the F up. You are religion just except it and stop gaslighting people with your BS and changing the meaning of words to fit your narrative of the world.

[@Manehoph]

it happened twice men, now you're being dictated by the internet. you didnt met God in your worst and dark moment i guess, and sure :)

[@MohaKaarshe]

My friend, I understand that you’ve rejected belief in God due to the theory of evolution and your trust in science. However, did you know that many scientists who once supported the theory of evolution have since rejected it? Many of them now at least believe in the existence of God, as they find that the theory of evolution contradicts several scientific facts. I encourage you to look into the work and perspectives of scientists like Dr. Stephen Grocott and Dr. Kurt Wise for more insight

[@user-pw6ei2mn7x]

So sorry for you. May you be enlightened sooner rather then later 🍀🍀🍀

[@jakobstisen6366]

Do you know that is stupid and a lie "However, did you know that many scientists who once supported the theory of evolution have since rejected it" (ethos) People who want to use ethos and pathos over logos is to damm high. What a load of nonsense "Many of them now at least believe in the existence of God, as they find that the theory of evolution contradicts several scientific facts. I encourage you to look into the work and perspectives of scientists like Dr. Stephen Grocott and Dr. Kurt Wise for more insight" Truth is not something you feel, like faith (pathos) and truth is not something a preast/paster/politician or random shunned scientist gives you and you say thanks that must be true. Not truth is logos, meaning you have to use your own brain, read text and argument with more objective lenses in ways you could end up wrong, if you read something from the direction that you cant be wrong then you started the wrong place. Ape's has ears like humans, eyes like humans, hands like humans, vocal cord of a 3 year old human so some few can say words like MOM as it's simple. If you look at there skeleton far away, and mixed them then you would get it wrong what skeleton was human or ape time and time again. The DNA evidence is so overwhelming that the discussion is not if it true, but more that people just want to reject it. It's easy to look up, I don't think it's hard to understand but I do have some education it it. Saying stuff like "My friend" is a way to play on that pathos/feelings is gross when the next thing you write is a big fat stupid low IQ no integrity lie.

[@DCronk-qc6sn]

You are a liar of the first order. Reclaim your brain while you have time. You should be embarrassed.

[@gaywilliams7163]

Long story short.... Fan-fiction... specifically one called Take Me To Church... kick-started my search for answers.

[@archbishoprichardforceginn9338]

The Holey Script-Yourz fall apart all by themselves when red Honestly

[@JM-mj3xy]

Timmy…. You were NOT a “fundamentalist Bible thumping” pastor who talked via tongues. I went to your church in KC and you were actually much more liberal than other pastors in the area and you would even brag about it. And that was 15 years ago. It’s somewhat saddening to see you go down this path where you are mocking the faith, but I know the Lord still loves you…and he will never forsake you. Deep down I think you know this. Always remember….Christianity is not about having a perfect facade, it’s about transformation and allowing the Holy Spirit to change your heart and mind and following Jesus. None of us are perfect, and if you truly believe, you know God extends grace and wants us to strive to be like Him.

[@realhealthrealwealth]

Because I was brainwashed hypnotized indoctrinated fearmongerd ssssstrrreeesssed emotionally traumatized...Stockholm Syndrome Trauma Bonded.