THIS IS WHY JOHN THE BAPTIST’S MESSAGE IS STILL NEEDED TODAY:

WHO ARE YOU TO FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME!

CHURCH ATTENDANCE STATISTICS

From the Living Word Bible Church

The 12th fastest growing church in the Nation!

So help me these people who spend a lot of time educating themselves have absolutely no sense, and too… blindly lead others.

Attending church is helpful in the prevention of cancer, heart disease, and mental illness.

wrong… even the faithful attenders are not excluded from the many diseases which plague us today.

Teens who attend church are four-times less likely to commit suicide.
wrong… the statement contradicts many testimonies of the Faithful Attendees and their grief:   losing those and struggling with suicide, and suicidal tendencies.

People who attend church are more likely to remain married and have a better sex-life.
wrong… and perverse.

Church attendees stay half as long during hospital stays.
wrong… misleading

Those attending church are five-times less likely to require antibiotics.
wrong…

There is lower blood pressure among men who attend church versus those who do not.
wrong…

There’s an additional average life expectancy of seven years.
say what?

You say I don’t have time for church?!
Attend church for next 50 years.
add 110 days to your life.

… sadly the proofreader was too busy to notice the need to correct this statement, and unfortunately this statement is wrong again. Yes I can actually say this statement is wrong without trying to prove it.

Statistics say going to church prolongs life up to 7 years.
Bible says give it be given unto you…10 fold, 20 fold, 100 fold…
10 fold is exactly 3 years…20 fold is 7 years…for some 100 fold 30 years…

… they aren’t understanding this scripture; even while paraphrasing, and too the speech is needs correction, but then the educated need no correction do they?

People attending church report a 50% higher weekly average family income.
… actually my income increased by 100 percent plus, but having nothing to do with attending church, and it contradicts the many who are faithfully attending, who are unable to afford themselves the necessities of life.

Church-goers have fewer heart attacks than non-church-goers.
… wrong

Those who attend religious services in their youth have about $11,000 more in yearly income by their early 30’s.
… notice it says:  religious services.  I know the theory behind this one.

Cities with high church attendance have the lowest crime rates.
… and easier to hide those crimes committed.   Many church groups who shall not take brother to court, but instead settle matters out of court do not report those crimes to Societal Law.   Abuses continue inside of the church.  Forgiveness sermonizing is continually addressed.  They live under the guise of perfection.  They hold dearly to their secrets. When all else fails then they cut the cord; believing this one truly is of the devil.

People attending church are physically healthier and less depressed.
… more christians are addicted to prescriptive drug medication today than in any other time frame.

Alcohol abuse is 300% less for those who attend church.
… alcoholics are very good at hiding their addiction, and quite responsible people; who work faithfully and attend church faithfully.

1,135,000 divorces last year.  If they attended church 317,000 marriages don’t divorce.

… over a six year period attending a certain church where the congregation has been about 200 plus I can be certain of these facts…

… at least five marriages were dissolved.

… four out of five of those marriages dissolved were because of adultery

… four out of five of those marriages dissolved ended up marrying the one they left their spouse for

… four out of five of those marriages dissolved met their adulterous relationship within the church.

… no one called it out, no one acts like this is wrong, and a large portion of the church encouraged it.

… the pastor left his flock, due to his need to go save his son, saying God wanted him to journey into unknown territory… only to return several months later saying God sent him back.   Wife says she always wanted a house… not sure who wanted what, and not sure God was speaking.

… there are alcohol and drug abusers in leadership positions, teachers without knowledge of the Word; teaching from programs they half learn from radio,  television, and seminars like men and women of faith, promiscuous practices, kidney disease, cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and other plagues; like acceptance of Gay practices.

Most of these attendees will Faithfully get up to proclaim their Faithfulness:  to the church and to God.  Most have attended the church, according to their testimony:  since I was in the womb. And most proclaim that their lives have only been tainted at least one short season in their entire lifetime.

THIS IS WHY JOHN THE BAPTIST’S MESSAGE IS STILL NEEDED TODAY:

WHO ARE YOU TO FLEE FROM THE WRATH TO COME!

1 Timothy 6:10-11

For the love of money is the root of all evil:  which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows, but thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after Righteousness, Godliness, Faith, Love Patience, and Meekness.

Philippians 4:11-13

Not that I speak in respect of want:  for I have learned in what-so-ever state I am, therewith to be content.  I know both:   how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where and in all things I am instructed both:  to be full and to be hungry, both:  to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.

Matthew 6:31-34

Therefore take not thought, saying, what shall we eat?, or what shall we drink?, or where-withal shall we be clothed?  (for after all these things do the Gentiles seek):  for your Heavenly Father knows that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for tomorrow:  for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.  Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Psalm 37:3-4

Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.  Delight thyself also in the Lord:  and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

1Timothy 6:17-19

Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the Living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy;  that they do good, that they be rich in Good Works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Psalm 34:6-10

This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.  The angel of the Lord encamped round about them that feared Him, and delivered them.  O taste and see that the Lord is Good:  blessed is the man that trusts in Him.  O fear the Lord, ye His saints;  for there is no want to them that fear Him.  The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing.

Luke 12:42-44

And the Lord said, who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his Lord shall make ruler over his household; to give them portion of meat in due season?  blessed is that servant , whom his Lord when He comes shall find so doing.  Of a Truth I say unto you, that He will make him ruler over all that he has.

Luke 12:28-31

If then God so clothe the grass, which is to-day in the field, and to-morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?  And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.  for all these things do the nations of the world seek after; and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.  But rather seek ye the Kingdom of God; and all tese things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 4:2-4

And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward a hungered.  And when the tempter came to Him, he said:  if thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.  But He answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Psalm 37:25-26

I have been young, and now I am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor His seed begging bread.  He is ever merciful, and lending; and His seed is blessed.

Psalm 107:4-8

They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.  Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.  Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.  And He led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.  Oh that men would praise the Lord for His Goodness, and for His Wonderful Works to the children of men!

Psalm 9:9-10

The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble.  And they that know thy name will put their trust in thee; for Thou Lord has not forsaken them that seek thee.

Luke 12:15

And he said unto them, take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man’s life consists not in the abundance of the things which he may possess.

Hebrews 13:16

And He said unto his disciples, therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what you shall eat; neither for the body, what you shall put on.  The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.  Consider the ravens:  for they neither sow, nor reap; which neither have a storehouse, nor a barn; and God feeds them:  how much more are you better than the fowls?

Proverbs 11:28

He that trusts in his riches shall fall, but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

Proverbs 13:7, 11

There is that which makes himself rich, yet having nothing; there is that which makes himself poor, yet has great riches.  Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished, but he that gathers by labor shall increase.

Proverbs 30:8

Remove far from me vanity and lies; give me neither poverty, nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me.

James 2:5

Hearken my beloved brethren:  hath not God chosen the poor of this world; rich in faith, and heirs of the Kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?

¹⁸For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

¹⁹Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

²⁰For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

²¹Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

²²Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

²³And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and four-footed beasts, and creeping things.

²⁴Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:

²⁵Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

²⁶For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

²⁷And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

²⁸And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

²⁹Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,

³⁰Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,

³¹Without understanding, covenant-breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

³²Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

You see, it is our determination as men and women of flesh whether or not to choose what our flesh desires. Even while greater influences determine whether or not shame is placed upon our conscience for the choices we make, what may seem morally justified to one may not seem justifiable to another; therefore let us know and understand the difference between upright, upstanding morality and what is Justified before God. Upright and Upstanding Morality in our society today helps me to understand and see a clearer picture of this verse:  professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.   Many upon many who profess to know God, and profess that which they do is Justified by God are showing forth evil fruit in unrighteousness.   In view of verses 28 – 32, I would have to stop and ponder two issues…

• Jesus said many would come in His Name, but do not follow, do not believe them.
• These people having much wicked fruit had to exchange what they knew about God for what they had been convinced of was God.
  

I do not believe for one second that God, Jesus or the Holy Ghost as One in Spirit would ever just give your mind and sinful lusts over to satan, or that He would give you over to ALL matters of uncleanness without first WARNING you, SPEAKING to your conscience, giving you some direction whereby saying: “turn from this”, and too even while you may consider or entertain those thoughts to reason, imagine, and justify such behavior I still believe He will try to guide you away from it before things get out of hand.   He knows where you are heading even before you do, so instead of believing those voices inside your head go to Him in prayer FIRST and REASON with Him.   When you read verses 28 – 32 do you even remotely see any of those things chained to your heart?

You say:  haters of God?  Simply put… YES.  You would rather stand tall among your greatest influences, than to stand up before them and say:  God did not give me direction to follow this course.  Yet due to the cheering crowd you will move forward with them. There are only two choices in life:

(1)  submit to and become enslaved to the lusts of the flesh

(2) submit to and become enslaved to God, Jesus, Holy Ghost as One

(Full Submission will grow over time in the Believer)

Remember, we condemn ourselves, but it isn’t through the process of beating ourselves up daily.  Examining oneself is not putting yourself into a place whereby temptations cause you to fall.  No this is not what God does and neither should you.  Examining yourself is humbling yourself before God and honestly asking if He will search your heart over, and if there be anything that you do not seemingly see yourself, or have been influenced to believe which is NOT God directed, let this be known to you so that you are able to repent and have a good, clear conscience.

Conscience and Conviction

http://www.luc.edu/faculty/pmoser/idolanon/Conscience.html

Thank You Jesus for helping me to find these…

WAR ON EARTH

by Derek Prince

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Some people in christian circles tease others by the saying:  don’t go looking for demons behind every bush; yet I think the opposite is more Truth… demons more than likely relish  that idea. If you aren’t aware of them, or do not care to think of them as being real then this gives them all the more reason to hang around.

The World calls us nuts, lunatics, and delusional to believe in such bodies whereby the natural fleshly eye is not able to bring into focus.   Bodies or persons which inhabit the earth; walking to and fro, seeking to whom he can devour?   No I am not speaking of satan, and you should notice I will not capitalize the name, even though my spell check tells me to.    I won’t give him that place; not even in name.   I find myself at times speaking into the air:  “yes you know me, and I know you, and you know that I know you are there”… maybe it does sound like lunacy?   Demons are not devils; no there aren’t many little satans running around, as if he had a multitude of  offspring, but then again they do seem as if they are his offspring.

I believe our awareness of these bodies begin in our youth.  As I hear the words come flying out of the Bible…

‘believeth all things’,

when Paul is explaining the gifts, love and charity, I stop to take those words in.  As if those words are now nourishment to  my heart.    I will repeat:  ‘believeth all things’.  So my next question is:  believeth ALL of what things?

I believe ‘ALL things’ are those things the Word of God speaks to us; in the natural and in the spiritual.

On a Personal Note.

In recent weeks some news has entered into my ears.   First this news came from my mother; for she is a praying woman and I do believe God speaks to her.  She has trouble with her tongue.  Her mind flits back and forth as if she has one hundred things to speak; yet her tongue cannot keep up with her thoughts.   Many times I have to take control of the conversation and remind her:  mom, let us address one thing at a time.   Yet when her tongue is speaking slow and clear I know to listen.  She was the first to speak of an issue/news into my ear.   The Lord is good to bring the darkness out into the Light.   I did not dismiss what my mother told me, but I decided to wait to see what God would reveal to me… He generally does, if I do not seem to get it the first time.

A few weeks later a family member spent the day with me and once again the issue/news became more clear.  My niece who has been attending bible college for at least four years, and who is certain her calling is geared toward Missions suddenly is questioning her sexuality.   She is single and she has not defiled herself with any man.  Many of those professing christians she attends college with, and has graduated from High School with are now ‘coming out’.   “Coming Out”… an expression used to say:  I have struggled with my sexual identity and now I am comfortable in saying I am Gay.

The family member with whom I spent the day gave me some pretty hard things to digest; even about their-self.  Confessing the struggles of relationships and sexual identity; yet also confessing something which caught my attention:

“DO NOT BELIEVE THE LIE”

“DO NOT BELIEVE THE LIE”

“DO NOT BELIEVE THE LIE”

So now, whose voice do you think spoke these words?

Was this satan?

Was it a demon?

Was this God?

The Lie

Homosexuality is not something one is born with.  I do not believe, and will never believe it is a DNA issue.   One who says Homosexuality is a DNA issue is looking to Justify Homosexuality… especially one who professes to be Christian.    WATCH IT folks… because that which we do not understand; yet has become so great in numbers the World will open new doors to explain it with Reason and Logic and pave paths of ACCEPTANCE.   This doesn’t mean we as Christians go on a rampage to do them harm.

So what is the lie these words were penetrating into the mind of the person I spent the day with?

- give into it… homosexuality.

- do not fight it any-longer… sexual identity struggle.

- go with your feelings… emotion.

- you will feel a freedom like you never knew before … lust.

- all your relationships of past were indicators that you were with the wrong sex… Twisting of Scripture.

Demons are funny creatures actually; due their pride.    I find it quite a giggle knowing these creatures want so badly to be RECOGNIZED.

Yet as soon as the giggle starts, something greater stops me.

Because it isn’t funny.  And the worse part of it; even though the Word of God is quite clear on the subject of the one called satan,  many professing christians would prefer to believe they could not possibly be persuaded by, manipulated by, controlled by, enticed by, given subject to another spoken of:  demons.

So now, if God is Love then why do so many professing christians act as if they HATE one another?

No… the answer isn’t because we are all sinners.

and

the answer isn’t that we are all sinners saved by the Grace of God.

Because if we as sinners, saved by the Grace of God are behaving in a manner which shows forth the fruit of Hatred toward our own brethren and sisters then I must believe what God tells us in His Word…

thorns and thistles?

God = iron sharpening iron

Demonic = thorns and thistles

No… it isn’t a personality conflict of interest.

No… it isn’t a heated debate based upon opinions.

No… it isn’t flawed character.

No… there won’t be excuses.

God’s Word should not be an offense to the Believer… should it?

Yet, this seems to be the case.

For if God’s Word was not so offensive to the hearer then His Word would be preached.

Yet if His Word is an offense to even the ministering person, who leads a congregation, then he has become a servant to he which HATES God.

You have given yourself over to the LIE.

BELIEVE NOT THE LIE

BELIEVE NOT THE LIE

BELIEVE NOT THE LIE

So I realize now I will believe in ALL things; even those things I may not understand.  I will ponder them in my heart, and talk to God regarding them; yet I will not believe in them as the World believes in them, and how the World believes regarding them.  And with ALL things believed, I will do as God asks us to do…

TEST the SPIRIT/spirit.

Forgive them all, O Lord;

our sins of omission, and our sins of commission;

the sins of our youth and the sins of our riper years,

the sins of our souls and the sins of our bodies’

our secret sins of ignorance and surprise,

and our more deliberate and presumptuous sins;

the sins we have done to please ourselves

and the sins we have done to please others;

the sins we know and remember,

and the sins we have forgotten;

the sins we have striven to hide from others

and the sins by which we have made others offend;

forgive them O Lord, forgive them all for His sake,

who died for our sins and rose for our justification

and now stands at Thy Right Hand to make intercession for us,

Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

a prayer by John Wesley

Losing Faith In Faith: From Preacher To Atheist by Dan Barker
Chapter 3

I Just Lost Faith In Faith

This was my first article for Freethought Today. It ran in the June 1984 issue.

Religion is a powerful thing. Few can resist its charms and few can truly break its embrace. It is the siren who entices the wandering traveler with songs of love and desire and, once successful, turns a mind into stone. It is a Venus fly trap. Its attraction is like that of drugs to an addict who, wishing to be free and happy, becomes trapped and miserable.

But the saddest part of the dependency is the fact that most participants are willing victims. They think they are happy. They believe religion has kept its promises and have no desire to search elsewhere. They are deeply in love with their faith and have been blinded by that love–blinded to the point of unquestioning sacrifice.

I know this is true because I was one of Christ’s disciples for over nineteen years, and my subsequent self-excision was/is traumatically painful.

My Dad was a professional musician during the 1940’s. At one of his concerts he met a female vocalist and, as things go, they went (lucky for me). They got married and, when I was a toddler, they both found true religion. Dad threw away his collection of original Glenn Miller recordings (ouch!), turned his back on his former “sinful” life and enrolled in seminary to become a minister. He didn’t finish because of the strong demands of raising three boys. But he lived his faith through his family and through lay ministry in local churches.

My folks’ spirituality was so strong that they often found it hard to find a church that met their needs. So we church-hopped for many years. I can’t remember all the churches, but we were Baptists, Methodists, Nazarenes, Assemblies of God, Pentecostals, fundamentalist, evangelical, “Bible-believing” and charismatic.

For a number of years we formed a family musical team and ministered in many Southern California churches–nothing fantastic–Dad played trombone and preached, Mom sang solos, I played piano, my brothers tooted various instruments and we all joined in singing those famous gospel harmonies. It was a neat experience for us kids. My childhood was filled with love, fun and purpose. I felt truly fortunate to have been born into the “truth” and at the age of fifteen I committed myself to a lifetime of Christian ministry.

My commitment lasted nineteen years. It gave my life a feeling of purpose, destiny and fulfillment. I spent years trekking across Mexico in missionary work–small villages, jungles, deserts, large arenas, radio, television, parks, prisons and street meetings. I spent more years in traveling evangelism across the United States preaching and singing in churches, on street corners, house-to-house witnessing, college campuses and wherever an audience could be found.

I was a “doer of the word and not a hearer only.” I went to a Christian college, majored in Religion/Philosophy, became ordained and served in a pastoral capacity in three California churches. I personally led many people to Jesus Christ, and encouraged many young people to consider full-time Christian service.

I served for a while as librarian for Kathryn Kuhlman’s Los Angeles choir, observing the “miracles” first-hand. I was even instrumental in a few healings myself.

For a number of years I directed the “King’s Children,” a local Christian music group that performed quite extensively including a brief term of hosting a local Christian television show.

For fifteen years I worked with Manuel Bonilla, the leading Christian recording artist in the Spanish-speaking world. I was his main producer/arranger, and working with him gave me the opportunity to learn the skills to produce many more Christian albums, including some of my own.

I have written more than a hundred Christian songs which are either published or recorded by various artists, and two of my children’s musicals continue to be best sellers around the world. (“Mary Had A Little Lamb,” a Christmas musical, and “His Fleece Was White as Snow,” for Easter, both published and distributed by Manna Music. You can see the religious symbolism: Christ, the unspotted lamb of god who became the final sacrifice for sin.)

I could go on listing my Christian accomplishments, but I think you can see that I was very serious about my faith, and that I am quite capable of analyzing religion from the inside out.

Last Friday evening I directed a bible study in my own home. I opened it to all comers and announced that I would welcome all points of view with the purpose of examining the documents with skepticism rather than faith. The eight people who arrived (to my astonishment) were Christians who had been informed of my present atheistic stance and were curious about my intentions. My closest ally was my brother, a theistic agnostic [Darrell is now an activist freethinker]. One fellow, a theologian, informed me that his purpose in coming was to convert me back to the faith. (He failed.)

It was a fun, lively evening and much information was exchanged, but I noticed something interesting. They were more concerned about me and my atheism than they were about the bible. The discussion kept coming around to an analysis of my conversion from the faith. They were intrigued that someone who had been so strongly religious could so radically “stray” and not be ashamed. They kept probing for some deep psychological cause, some hidden disappointment, secret bitterness, temptation or pride. They were like spiritual doctors trying to remove a tumor or blinding cataract.

One fellow suggested I had been blinded by Satan–the Devil being so intimidated by my strong Christian witness that he needed to neutralize the enemy, get me out of commission. That was very flattering, but it misses the point.

The point here is that the merits of an argument do not depend on the character of the speaker. All arguments should be weighed for their own sake, based on their own evidences and logical consistencies.

Before the bible study even commenced one fellow said, “Dan, tell us what caused you to lose your faith.” So I told them.

I did not lose my faith, I gave it up purposely. The motivation that drove me into the ministry is the same that drove me out. I have always wanted to know. Even as a child I fervently pursued truth. I was rarely content to accept things without examination, and my examinations were intense. I was a thirsty learner, a good student, and a good minister because of that drive. I always took things apart and put them back together again.

Since I was taught and believed Christianity was the answer, the only hope for “man,” I dedicated myself to understanding all I possibly could. I devoured every book, every sermon, and the bible. I prayed, fasted and obeyed biblical teaching. I decided that I would lean my whole weight upon the truth of scripture. This attitude, I am sure, gave the impression that I was a notch above, that I could be trusted as a Christian authority and leader. Christians, eager for substantiation, gladly allowed me to assume a place of leadership and I took it as confirmation of my holy calling.

But my mind did not go to sleep. In my thirst for knowledge I did not limit myself to Christian authors but curiously desired to understand the reasoning behind nonChristian thinking. I figured the only way to truly grasp a subject was to look at it from all sides. If I had limited myself to Christian books I would probably still be a Christian today. I read philosophy, theology, science and psychology. I studied evolution and natural history. I read Bertrand Russell, Thomas Paine, Ayn Rand, John Dewey and others. At first I laughed at these worldly thinkers, but I eventually started discovering some disturbing facts–facts that discredited Christianity. I tried to ignore these facts because they did not integrate with my religious world view.

For years I went through an intense inner conflict. On the one hand I was happy with the direction and fulfillment of my Christian life; on the other hand I had intellectual doubts. Faith and reason began a war within me. And it kept escalating. I would cry out to God for answers, and none would come. Like the battered wife who clings to hope, I kept trusting that God would someday come through. He never did.

The only proposed answer was faith, and I gradually grew to dislike the smell of that word. I finally realized that faith is a cop-out, a defeat–an admission that the truths of religion are unknowable through evidence and reason. It is only undemonstrable assertions that require the suspension of reason, and weak ideas that require faith. I just lost faith in faith. Biblical contradictions became more and more discrepant, apologist arguments more and more absurd and, when I finally discarded faith, things became more and more clear.

But don’t imagine that was an easy process. It was like tearing my whole frame of reality to pieces, ripping to shreds the fabric of meaning and hope, betraying the values of existence. It hurt. And it hurt bad. It was like spitting on my mother, or like throwing one of my children out a window. It was sacrilege. All of my bases for thinking and values had to be restructured. Add to that inner conflict the outer conflict of reputation and you have a destabilizing war. Did I really want to discard the respect I had so carefully built over many years with so many important people?

I can understand why people cling to their faith. Faith is comforting. It provides many “answers” to life’s riddles. My Christian life was quite positive and I really see no external/cultural reason why I should have rejected it. I continue to share many of the same Christian values I was taught (though I would no longer call them “Christian”–they are my values); and many of my close friends are decent Christian individuals whom I love and respect.

Christians feel deeply that their way of life is the best possible. They feel their attitude toward the rest of the world is one of love. That’s how I felt. I couldn’t understand why people would be critical of Christianity unless they were inwardly motivated by “worldly” Satanic influences. I pretended to love all individuals while hating the “sin” that was in them, like Christ supposedly did. (We were taught that Christ was the most loving example.)

It was a mystery to me how anyone could be blind to the truths of the Gospel. After all, don’t we all want love, peace, happiness, hope and meaning in life? Christ was the only answer, I believed, and I figured all nonChristians must be driven by other things, like greed, lust, evil pride, hate and jealousy. I took the media’s caricature of the world’s situation as evidence of that fact. For me to grow into one of those godless creatures was almost impossible, and I resisted all the way. (I have since discovered that ethics has nothing to do with religion, at least not in positive correlation.)

There was no specific turning point for me. I one day just realized that I was no longer a Christian, and a few months later I mustered the nerve to advertise that fact. That was last January, six months ago. Since then I have been bombarded by all my caring friends and relatives. I appreciate their concern and I sincerely wish to keep a dialogue open.

As an example, while I was typing this article I received a long distance call from a former Christian friend who had heard about my “defection.” It is hard to handle calls like that. She was stunned, and I am certain that she is at this very moment in prayer for me, or calling others to join in prayer. I love this person, I respect her and do not wish to cause any undue harm. She told me that she had read an article I wrote to my local paper. (How it got to her area is a mystery.) I understand her concern and sympathize with her since I know exactly what she is thinking.

I was a preacher for many years, and I guess it hasn’t all rubbed off. I would wish to influence others who may be struggling like I did–influence them to have the guts to think. To think deliberately and clearly. To take no fact without critical examination and to remain open to honest inquiry, wherever it leads.

Proverbs 5
The Peril of Adultery
1 My son, pay attention to  my wisdom;

Lend your ear to my understanding,

2 That you may  preserve discretion,

And your lips may keep knowledge. 

3 For the lips of an immoral woman drip honey,

And her  mouth is smoother than oil;

4 But in the end she is bitter  as wormwood,

Sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet go down to  death,

Her steps lay hold of hell.[a]

6 Lest you ponder her path of life—

Her ways are unstable;

You do not  know them.

7 Therefore hear me now,  my children,

And do not depart from the words of my mouth. 

8 Remove your way far from her,

And do  not go near the door of her house,

9 Lest you give your honor to  others,

And your years to the cruel one;

10 Lest aliens  be filled with your wealth,

And your labors go to the house of a  foreigner;

11 And you mourn at last,

When your flesh and your  body are consumed,

12 And say: 
“ How I have hated instruction,

And my heart  despised correction! 

13 I have not obeyed the  voice of my teachers,

Nor inclined my ear to those who instructed me! 

14 I was on the verge of  total ruin,

In the midst of the assembly and congregation.” 

15 Drink water from your own cistern,

And running  water from your own well.

16 Should your fountains be  dispersed abroad, 

Streams of water in the streets? 

17 Let them be only your own,

And not for strangers  with you.

18 Let your fountain be blessed,

And rejoice with the  wife of your youth.

19 As a loving deer and a graceful  doe,

Let her breasts satisfy you at all times;

And always be enraptured  with her love.

20 For why should you, my  son, be enraptured by an immoral woman,

And be embraced in the arms of a  seductress? 

21 For the ways of man are before the  eyes of the LORD,

And He ponders all his paths.

22 His own  iniquities entrap the wicked man,

And he is caught in the cords of his  sin.

23 He shall die for lack of instruction,

And in the  greatness of his folly he shall go astray.