Compliment To National Geographic
Copyright © 1998 by J.A.Mcbean. Library of Congress Washington.D.C.20559
T he reasons why Christians cast off their faith, over the years, are due to about twelve mistakes made, by these x Christians. Before we go into the reasons
I have read a series of books call ”Problems missionaries face” Some missionary was doomed even before they leave their homeland, due to close-mindedness, one tract mindedness, biases and prejudice.
As soon as they enter the villages in Africa, the missionary stuck their nose up, and tries to change the people customs that were there for thousands of years.
One chieftain accepts the gospel message, and instructed his entire tribe to do so. However, he has nine wives, with whom he has children and grandchildren’s. These women did not become his wife by luck. These women fathers were also sub-chieftain. These women have great influence among the people. The missionary told the great chief to get rid of eight of his wives and must only keep one, base on church's doctrines, the chieftain cannot decide which eight to dump and which one to keep.
The women begin to use their influence against the missionaries; the missionaries loose the whole villages and loose their lives. Men lacking the will to understand other men, in time became like the beasts, and the beast’s ways life was his. What the missionaries should have done is respect the people customs.
Romans 13:7 (KJV) Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
The same mistakes that these missionaries make are the same basic mistakes that self-righteous Christians been making through the ages.
DOING THE FIRST WORK.
When a person became a Christian there is a thing call doing the first work. There are certain thing that, that new believers must do.
HE SHE MUST BEGIN TO PURGE THEIR LIVES.
2 Tim. 2:21 (KJV) If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work.
From covetousness, grudges, envy, biasness, prejudice, bitterness and self-righteousness. If you do not fix these they will spring up again and entrap you.
Hebrews 12:15 (KJV) Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;
Instead they begin to worry about their sex drives, which they will have little control over. When fighting wild beast, you must first kill the dogs before you bother about the lions. If you are having trouble killing a half dead dogs how are you going to tackle lions and tigers?
(2) STUDYING OF THE SCRIPTURES.
2 Tim. 2:15 (KJV) Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
IGNARANT OF THE SCRIPTURES WILL HAVE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES
Mark 12:24 (KJV) And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God? When Christians turn Muslims they begin to read the Koran, when they turn Jehovah witness they start to read magazines. But when they were in the faith they sit back and gossips. Make they go on back to beg Satan pardon. Make Satan pump water in them belly.
2 Peter 2:22 (KJV) But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
Proverbs 26:11 (KJV) As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
BLOWING ABOUT BY WINDS OF DOCTRINES.
Ephes. 4:14 (KJV) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
If you do not know the word, you will pick up rubbish by the way. If you do not know the road map and cannot read the sign, you bound go off course.
(3) THEY DID NOT ADD TO THEIR FAITH.
2 Peter 1:5-10 (KJV) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; [6] And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; [7] And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. [8] For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. [10] Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:
You will need to observe this thing, “If ye do these things ye shall never fall.
Luke 13:9 (KJV) And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
John 15:4 (KJV) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
GOD HAS NO USE FOR A CHRISTAISN THAT IS NOT BEARING FRUIT.
John 15:1-2 (KJV) I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. [2] Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, [23] Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Ephes. 5:9 (KJV) (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) »Summary of Proverbs Proverbs 26:11 a [As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly] This verse is quoted in 2 Peter 2:22 where it refers to backsliders going back into sin.
Twelve Examples of Returning to Sin
1. Aaron and Israel (Deut. 32:16-18; Exodus 32:32-33; 1 Cor. 10:1-11; Jude 1:5)
2. Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-20)
3. Korah and company (Numbers 16)
4. King Saul (1 Samuel 10:13-24; 1 Samuel 16:12-23; 1 Chron. 10:13-14)
5. Many disciples of Jesus (John 6:66)
6. David (2 Samuel 11-12; Psalm 51)
7. Judas (Psalm 41:9; Psalm 55:12-14; Psalm 69:25-28; Psalm 109:8; Matthew 26:24; John 13:18; Acts 1)
8. Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-14)
9. Many Galatians (Galatians 1:6-9; Galatians 5:4; Galatians 6:7-8)
10. Many early Christians (1 Tim. 1:19-20; 1 Tim. 5:8-20; 1 Tim. 6:1-21; 2 Tim. 2:18-21)
11. Demas (2 Tim. 4:10)
12. Whole churches (Rev. 2-3)
EX CHRISTIANS SINS AGAINS THE HOLY SPIRIT IN SOME WAYS.
We sin agains the holy spirit by sining agains the people in whom he dwell. When we are doing things that are not right to other christians, the holy spirit take those sins personaly. Just remember that.
1 Thes. 4:8 (KJV) He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.
1.Resisted (Acts 7:51)
2.Tempted (Acts 5:9)
3.Lied to (Acts 5:3-4)
4.Grieved (Ephes. 4:30)
5.Blasphemed (Matthew 12:31-32)
6.Insulted (Hebrews 6:4-6; Hebrews 10:26-29)
7.Quenched (1 Thes. 5:19)
8.Vexed (Psalm 78:40; Isaiah 63:10)
9.Quieted (Zech. 6:8)
10. Fellowshipped or dis-felowship with (Phil. 2:1)
d[as your fathers did, so do ye] Rebellious children of rebellious parents of many generations. The Holy Spirit deals with rational souls and works upon the intellectual and moral faculties in order to enlighten, convince, and persuade. If man closes his mind to light, his will to reproof, his conscience to righteousness, and his emotions to his best good, then he reverts to total rebellion and must face the harvest of eternal hardness.
AN EX CHRISTIANS TESTAMONEY.
This is when I first started to see some of the problems with Xianity. I presented a challenge to the kids in my high school youth group; "Find a biblical basis for babies going to heaven." This was a question of God's justice. Xians believe that the only way to be "saved" is to profess your faith in Jesus. A baby has no ability to do this. And since Xians also believe that life begins at conception, any aborted baby would also be condemned. Many of them came back with age of accountability arguements. I asked them to show it to me in the Bible. Of course they coudn't because it isn't there. The fact is that there are no exemptions in the bible.You have to believe in your heart and confess with you rmouth that Jesus christ is lord. This arguement also goes for anyone who has never heard of Jesus. I believe that this question was the reason that I was asked to resign from my position as the youth minister.
It was then that I decided to take a hard look at Xianity. I removed myself from the Xian atmosphere and began to look more closely at some of the things I had stuggled with as a Xian. My brother had a bit to do with this as well. He had recently left the church as well. He came up to my place and asked me some very difficult questions. If God is purely good where did evil come from. His arguement was that a purely good God could not even conceive of evil or the propensity for evil. He also had some questions about free will. "Could Adam have not sinned?" he asked. Because the Bible says that the plan for Jesus to come and pay the price for sin before the creation of the world. Another question was, "could Jesus have sinned?" For if it was impossible for him to sin he really wouldn't have been 100% man and therefore not a perfect sacrifice. If he isn't a perfect sacrifice he is nothing.
I guess this was the point that I actually renounced the church. I began to study comparative religions. What I found was that they aren't all that different. They all have one or more supernatural beings, some form of prayer,whether it be Xian prayer or Wiccan and Pagan magicor the Satanic Churches force of the will. They all teach that we should live as good a life as we can. And they all have their myths to explain those things we don't understand. So I have simply decided that there is no need for me to feel the pressure and fear of eternal torment to live a good life. I am accountable only to myself.
To wrap this up, I am much happier now living my life according to my own rules and not those written by religious fanatics thousands of years ago. The only struggle that I have now is the fact that my wife refuses to give up her religious views. I also have two children and it have become a real issue as to how we will raise them i.e. Xian or atheist. I have a post up about this in the relationship forum. Any in put would be great.
Personal information
Sex: Male City: Colorado Springs State: CO Country: USA Became a Christian: 8 years old Ceased being a Christian: 24 years old Labels before:
Licensed minister Southern Baptist Church / Youth minister Labels now: Atheist
Why I joined: I was 8 and thought it was the right thing to do Why I left: I studied my way out of the church"
AN EX CHRISTIANS TESTAMONEY.
Not one of these people could say Jesus done them any thing wrong. Their backsliding comes about by something that somebody do are did not do.
Sent in by Sam
After years of watching my mother drink herself into a stupor every night, something even more dysfunctional came to be. Upon learning of her pregnancy, she reconciled with and married an ex-boyfriend, who happened to be a church of christ preacher. So, after years of unsupervised delinquency, I was suddenly smashed in the face with all of these ridiculous rules and regulations brought about by her new husband (religion).
Of course, I rebelled. And what better way than to fully immerse oneself in witchcraft! Regardless of my heartfelt angst, I was always a pacifist. So, the ways of Wicca appealed to me, and even in retrospect I feel it was a very positive experience for me at that time.
However, as I grew older and was failing in many areas of my life, I began to wonder if maybe my Mom was right. I mean, I hadn't even given her the opportunity to explain what she believed in. So, I gave it a go.
Hmmm...where to begin...ahhh...yes, the brainwashing! Not only do these crutch of christ people believe in the bible as the word of god, but they believe EVERY single solitary sect other than their own is going straight to Hell, do not pass go, do not collect $200. I felt like it was a sin to breathe! These people had me second-guessing my every move, because even though I had come to the light, I was still not good enough! And I never would be.
Luckily, throughout the course of my studies with these weirdos, I was able to take advantage of a full-length bible study. The whole damned book all the way through! That's when I started seeing inconsistencies. And that's when I wanted to know more about the history of the bible and of religion in general. Why the hell did these people believe this book was literally written by god? (through quite a few humans, of course)
This is about the time I started putting two and two together and realized that maybe it was all just a big crock with a great big hidden agenda. I also learned more about self-hypnosis and just how powerful it is and realized why it seemed like all of my Wiccan rituals "worked" I have since befriended science and Darwinian theory. I feel more at peace now than ever in my life, I have purpose, my life has meaning, and I care more about the welfare of ALL people. (not just my "brethren")
I will be more than happy to elaborate on any of the above subject matter with anybody who chooses to Email me.
Personal Information
City: Cleveland
State: OH
Country: USA
Became a Christian: 20
Ceased being a Christian: 22
Labels before: Pagan, church of christ
Labels now: Total Atheist
Why I joined: Felt I had based my disbelief on ignorance
Why I left: Once I had the knowledge I concluded it was illogical and downright insane.
Sent in by Marvin
I've always been the type of person to question everything though and there were a lot of things that didn't make sense to me. I bought into the Mennonite thing to a degree and joined the church when I was sixteen. I married a someone in the church when I was nineteen.
That's where things started to turn around for me though and I started to question the things that were being shoved down my throat. They controlled you life in and the way you thought in every way if they could. For example they didn't like the length of my hair so they made me stand up in front of the congregation and say I was sorry. If I had not done that they would have told me I'm going to hell and excommunicated me.
After I was married I was able to get away from the really strict Mennonite church and joined a more liberal sect. The only problem was the thinking was the same when you really stripped away all the rhetoric. You had to conform or else you were an ungodly proud heathen who refused to bow to Jesus on the cross who and made the supreme sacrifice for you. Anyone who didn't do that was unbelievably proud and incredibly stupid. The only problem in my mind was that the people who believed the most fervently where the most ignorant.
I actually became a Sunday School teacher for my age group and started to research things from a biblical perspective and discovered that Mennonite beliefs were way our of the mainstream. Instead of swallowing the party line I started teaching things that went against church beliefs and did that get me in trouble LOL. The pastors visited me within a week to see what could be done about the "problem". I refused to accept their interpretation of the bible and they told me that I wasn't one of them until I was ready to accept the teachings of the church.
About a two years later my Mennonite wife had an affair. That was when I realized that all this Christian ******** was a total waste of time. Anyone that believes this fairytale should be put on medication. After my wife left me all my Mennonite friends deserted me because I was contaminated by adultery or some such crap. In the two years since she left all the people who are filled with the love or Christ have never picked up the phone to call me. When I would meet them somewhere in public it would always be uncomfortable. Within a year I moved out of state and if any of those former friends call I'll be to busy to talk to them. Since then I want nothing to do with Christianity. I have better things to do with my time thank you very much.
Personal Information
City: Calabash
State: NC
Country: USA
Became a Christian: 16
Ceased being a Christian: 25
Labels before: Old order Mennonite
Labels now: What labels, if any would you apply to yourself now?
Why I joined: Why did you become a Christian?
EX CHRISTIAN MISTAKES.
Isaiah 5:13 (KJV) Therefore my people are gone into captivity, because they have no knowledge: and their honourable men are famished, and their multitude dried up with thirst.
Hosea 4:6 (KJV) My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.
1 Tim. 4:13 (KJV) Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.
1 Tim. 4:13 a[Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine] Nine Commands to Timothy
1.Give attendance to reading (1 Tim. 4:13).
2.Give attendance to exhortation (1 Tim. 4:13).
3.Give attendance to doctrine (1 Tim. 4:13).
4.Neglect not your spiritual gift (1 Tim. 4:14).
5.Meditate upon these things (1 Tim. 4:15).
6.Give self wholly to them (1 Tim. 4:15).
7.Take heed to yourself (1 Tim. 4:16).
8.Take heed to your doctrine (1 Tim. 4:16).
9.Continue in your doctrine (1 Tim. 4:16).
b[exhortation] Greek: paraklesis Acts 13:15. c[doctrine] Greek: didaskalia Translated teaching (Romans 12:7); learning (Romans 15:4); and doctrine (Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:7; Ephes. 4:14; Col. 2:22; 1 Tim. 1:10; 1 Tim. 4:1,6,13,16; 1 Tim. 5:17; 1 Tim. 6:1,3; 2 Tim. 3:10,16; 2 Tim. 4:3; Titus 1:9; Titus 2:1,7,10).
c[resist] Greek: antipipto , fall against or pull against like a backsliding heifer that will not be led (Hosea 4:16; Hosea 11:7).
Come back for update soon.
Bearer Of The Mind Sword.
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