ExChristian.net ExChristian.net A site aimed at encouraging those who have discovered, or are discovering, that Christianity is false. 
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Is Islam a religion of peace?
2008-04-29 22:32:00 A video segment from Real Time with Bill Maher Bill Maher talks with panel guests about Islam and how it is not a religion of peace. Specifically highlighted here is Ayaan Hirsi Ali, author of "Infidel." She has very strong views on Islam and its treatment of Muslim women. More About: Religion , Peace , Religion of Peace
One year as a Christian was enough
2008-04-29 21:06:00 Sent in by Shadowed OneIronically, I became a christian due to mental problems, which lead to a psychosis.I guess an ideal Christian is a eunuch (you remember those parts about them in the bible, don't you?), who had a lobotomy so he has no sinful wishes or blasphemous thoughts.Well, from that point of view year of taking neuroleptics was very useful. My doubts grew over time, but the moment,when I stopped considering myself a Christian was when I read about God killing 70,000 innocent people because David ordered a census of the people (1 Chronicles 21) . The book of Job is also pretty stupid. God has a bet with devil that no matter what happens Job will remain loyal to him. To check it out he lets devil kill all Job's slaves and children and "smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown." Another nice Christian story.Also,I was a member of Messianic community, where pastor was very serious about the "don't ignore the OT" stuff. Surely,Jesus didn't cancel ... More About: Year
Ben Stein's Selective Quoting of Darwin
2008-04-28 08:29:00 One of the many egregious moments in the new Ben Stein anti-evolution film "Expelled" is the truncation of a quote from Charles Darwin so that it makes him appear to give philosophical ammunition to the Nazis. Steve Mirsky reports in the Scientific American's 60-Second Science podcast.Listen to this podcast:Download this podcast >Subscribe to 60-Second Science: RSS | iTunesPodcast Transcript:This is Scientific American?s 60-Second Science. Hi, Steve Mirsky here. I?m going over our usual one minute. By now, you?ve probably heard of Expelled, the new Ben Stein anti-evolution crockumentary. It officially opens today as I speak, that?s April 18th. Because of my job, I?ve had the misfortune of sitting through this film twice now. As least I was getting paid. The film tries very hard to connect Darwin with the Holocaust.Toward the end, Stein reads the following quote from the book Descent of Man: ?With savages, the weak in body or mind are soon eliminated. We civilized men, on the oth...
Saving lives is better than saying prayers
2008-04-28 07:37:00 By Chuck Lunney I?m sure that many readers have heard that Thursday is the National Day of Prayer. It?s supposed to be a day when believers of all faiths gather to kneel down and pray for healing, hope and peace (at least, I certainly hope that?s what most people would pray for).I do appreciate the sentiment, and I know prayer makes those doing the praying feel better, but unfortunately prayer is one of the most objectively ineffective and useless forms of assistance. Other than making those doing the praying ?feel better,? numerous studies have shown time and again that prayer fails to benefit those who are prayed for, and at best it is no better than a placebo. As an atheist, that just seems like a tremendous waste of time and personal effort, which I?d prefer to see spent in a more unselfish and demonstrably beneficial way.For the last two years I?ve participated in the National Gift of Life Day (see www.centerforatheism.org), which is an organized effort to get atheists, agnosti... More About: Prayers , Lives , Saving
Intelligent design is being expelled!
2008-04-27 19:34:00 A video by Edward Current Shame on Big Science for trying to squash Intelligent Design -- something I confirmed with only about an hour of research. Who knew that science is worse than Hitler? More About: Expelled
Founder of Christian school solicits sex in exchange for diploma
2008-04-27 13:22:00 The founder of a Christian school is confronted after 13 Undercover catches him soliciting sex from a parent, who's trying to get her daughter a high school diploma.At graduation ceremonies he talks about God, but you'll hear the founder of a Houston-area Christian school not only talk about sex, but ask for it on tape.It's the middle of the day when a white pickup truck pulls into the back of a motel on 1960. Then it goes to the very back to park for a long while. We already know who the driver is. His name is LaVern Jordan and he runs Parkway Christian School .Dolcefino: "What were you doing there at the La Quinta."Jordan: "I wasn't doing anything at the La Quinta sir."Dolcefino: "Were you there?"Jordan: "I was there."Dolcefino: "What were you doing there?"Jordan: "I was just driving around. Why?"Of course when Mr. Jordan was parked all that time, we were undercover just a couple of cars away.Dolcefino: "Were you going there to get lucky?"Jordan: "No, absolutely not."Dolcefino:... More About: Founder , Exchange , Diploma
Schism -- the movie
2008-04-26 19:20:00 A video portraying aggressive behavior by Christians matched with verses from the Bible is gaining traction on the Internet.Raed al-Saeed, a young businessman from Saudi Arabia, is the creator of Schism , a six-minute video response to Fitna ? a short film released last month that portrays Islam as a violent, fascist-like ideology. "Fitna" provoked anger in many parts of the Muslim world.Fitna, which in Arabic means discord or social strife, was posted on the Internet by right-wing Dutch politician Geert Wilders. It pairs verses from the Quran exhorting violence with scenes of deadly suicide bombings and planes flying into the World Trade Center.Saeed, who runs an audio-visual company out of a rundown villa on a quiet, tree-lined street in Riyadh, says he remembers feeling helpless after watching Wilders' video. But then he realized there was a way for him to try to protect his religion and way of life: Answer the video with a video of his own.A part-time blogger, Saeed decided to u... More About: Movie , The Movie
The curse of faith
2008-04-26 19:13:00 By Pat Condell Humanity's ball and chain.You can download an audio version of this video at http://patcondell.libsyn.comtag: faith, Pat Condell, , atheism, atheist, agnostic, Christianity, creationism, science, freethinker, freethought, reason, skeptic, Bible More About: Faith , Curse
The Darwin Online Project
2008-04-26 19:03:00 About 90,000 pages of manuscripts, field notes, photographs and sketches connected with Charles Darwin are being placed online, where they can be viewed free. Among the gems are his first formulation of the theory of natural selection, his first written doubts that species were fixed and touching correspondence from his wife on religious faith.The huge set of documents and images is part of the Darwin Online project, based in Cambridge, which claims to be the largest Darwin bibliography and manuscript catalogue created. Many of items were previously available only to scholars with access to the Cambridge University Library.The project began in 2002 and this is the last major set of additions. Dr John van Wyhe, Darwin Online's director, said: "[The documents] have been known to scholars, but for the first time they are available to everyone for free online."One set of pages that is likely to attract considerable interest is Darwin's scrawled first draft of his theory of evolution f... More About: Project
Soldier sues army, saying his atheism led to threats
2008-04-26 12:40:00 FORT RILEY, Kan. ? When Specialist Jeremy Hall held a meeting last July for atheists and freethinkers at Camp Speicher in Iraq, he was excited, he said, to see an officer attending.But minutes into the talk, the officer, Maj. Freddy J. Welborn, began to berate Specialist Hall and another soldier about atheism, Specialist Hall wrote in a sworn statement. ?People like you are not holding up the Constitution and are going against what the founding fathers, who were Christians, wanted for America!? Major Welborn said, according to the statement.Major Welborn told the soldiers he might bar them from re-enlistment and bring charges against them, according to the statement.Last month, Specialist Hall and the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, an advocacy group, filed suit in federal court in Kansas, alleging that Specialist Hall?s right to be free from state endorsement of religion under the First Amendment had been violated and that he had faced retaliation for his views. In November,... More About: Atheism , Army , Soldier , Threats
Morality as Truth: A Rogerian argument on Creationism
2008-04-26 11:03:00 A video presentation by Aspirin99As part of my graduate program, I'm taking a Rhetorical Theory class. For the last assignment, I was asked to take something I had previously written and improve it using principles we had studied.I chose Rogerian Argument. This principle is suggested for debating topics of hot emotional content, such as religion and politics. It seeks to place the opponent at ease by telling him or her what you like about their views and then finding common ground from which to start the discussion.I chose to take correspondence regarding Creationism and turn it into a Rogerian documentary video. I enlisted the help of Antlerman, a mod in the forums, to do some of the voice-overs.It's an hour-long documentary that I made in two weeks; so, it's not perfect, but I think you'll like it. I have not chopped it into 10-minute segments yet for Youtube, but it can be watched from my website (and here). I made a fast forward button for the player, so you can come back la... More About: Truth , Morality
My seed of doubt
2008-04-25 06:23:00 Sent in by JohnnyI was sitting with my pastor at the seminary I was attending for development in Christianity program, and we were talking about one of the finer points in Calvinistic dogma, that being predestination. This was the moment, after 20 years of Christian living, that would instill the mustard seed of doubt into my mind, which would eventually lead to my leaving of Church, of the faith, and eventually any notion of God.I was raised in a Christian home, by Christian parents. I was taught all of the same teachings that every Christian has heard thousands upon thousands of times. I was pulled out of secular middle school to be home schooled with a Christian curriculum. I had science classes that taught against evolution. I had writing classes with exercises that were always Christianized in theme. I had math classes that had me adding and subtracting problems, with Bible verses on the sides of the page.I went to Church every Sunday. And youth group every Tuesday. And I had B... More About: Doubt , Seed
Questions and a time to heal
2008-04-24 20:55:00 Sent in by MelindaIt has been a hard six months for me since the beginning of my questioning. I started college as a devout Christian, knowing the warnings of other Christians about the secularism of college and the dangers of the information I might receive in classes. After ending a ten month relationship in which my self confidence stooped to an all time low, and my life had been centered around the ex-significant other, I let go and moved towards some of my new friends in college who happened to have more open minds than I did. I became comfortable talking about topics I "should have" felt guilty about and listened to some of their opinions with interest. Not too long later, I met a guy through one of my friends and we hit it off. It was the first healthy relationship I had ever had, in which we were compatible with each other and both felt comfortable, like we had both finally found someone who fit us. The relationship started out wonderfully, until my parents found out that he... More About: Questions , Time , Heal
The noble position of atheism
2008-04-24 18:21:00 A short rant by Bob PattersonFor reasons not easily understood, humans seem to have a basic need to want to believe that an invisible, omnipotent and omniscient deity -- one that is entirely responsible for everything and that demands our unquestioning devotion, obedience and respect for everything good that happens -- is watching over us. This same deity, however, vehemently denies any responsibility whatsoever for those things which are bad, undesirable, or painful. It's the ultimate and most divine "cop out" that humanity has ever documented! To sum it up simply: God gets all the credit for that which is good, but takes none of the responsibility for that which is bad. This is all somehow justified by the doctrine of "original sin" -- an unpaid debt that was caused when Eve ate a forbidden cumquat from the "tree of knowledge" and was suddenly made smarter. This episode pissed off the big guy in the sky, who obviously wished women to remain ignorant. (Makes you think of the Catho... More About: Atheism , Noble , Position
The Good For Nothing Type of Christianity
2008-04-24 08:23:00 And the Egalitarian MythBy Brian WorleyYe are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. -- Matthew 5:13When one asks me for a positive thought or idea from Christ, immediately this verse comes to mind. Within the context of this verse, the preserving quality of salt is discussed and a frank evaluation of Christianity is rendered. Now if you only want to fight, just ?sound bite? this title without any further reading. If you are positive and want to do something constructive with your life, I want to challenge you!Missionary ChatterI have an English speaking Christian missionary for a neighbor here in Latvia. Some native local people find it ironic that they have one American in town that builds up religion and yet another that tears it down! Stranger yet, I am familiar with his home sending church in America. So far, I respect him and his lovely ... More About: Type , Good , The Good
I consider myself a cultural Christian
2008-04-22 06:52:00 Sent in by AngelaLet me first start out by saying that I love Christian ity. Many of my fondest memories as a child and some of my dearest relationships are based on this religion. But I am not a believer.There was a time when I struggled to reconcile my doubts about Jesus, the Bible and the Christian Church, but now I am able to completely accept the logic that used to nag me.Despite my evolution of thought, I have not completely expunged Christianity from my life, and I don't think I ever will.I now consider myself a cultural Christian.I feel free to partake in all religious rituals and holidays because Christianity is a part of my family history and culture. I don't skulk away or outwardly protest at family gatherings when a prayer is said, I just respectfully bow my head. I don't take any of it too seriously, it only means something if you let it.People who have strong beliefs about Christianity or Atheism may see this as a dire conflict to be resolved, but life is too short t... More About: Cultural
The Pope wears funny hats
2008-04-21 21:36:00 Whenever a cult leader sets himself up as God's infallible wingman, here on Earth, lock away the kids. Which is why I'd like to tip off law enforcement to an even larger child-abusing religious cult. Its leader also has a compound, and this guy not only operates outside the bounds of the law, but he used to be a Nazi and he wears funny hats. That's right, the Pope is coming to America this week and ladies, he's single!Now I know what you're thinking: "Bill, you shouldn't be saying that the Catholic Church is no better than this creepy Texas cult." For one, altar boys can't even get pregnant. But really, what tripped up the little cult on the prairie was that they only abused hundreds of kids, not thousands, all over the world. Cults get raided, religions get parades. How does the Catholic Church get away with all of their buggery? Volume, volume, volume!If you have a few hundred followers, and you let some of them molest children, they call you a cult leader. If have a billio... More About: Funny , Hats
Touched by an atheist
2008-04-21 07:28:00 In this short video, the American sketch comedy television program, MADtv, parodies the American television series, Touched by and Angel. George Carlin even takes the Pope to heaven. More About: Atheist
Pastor found guilty of abuse
2008-04-20 09:23:00 Twelve criminal convictions for abusing members of his former flock hit ex-Baptist pastor Royden Wood of London Ontario like a shot to the gut."Needless to say, we're stunned," Wood, 57, former senior pastor of the now-defunct Ambassador Baptist Church, said on the steps of the London courthouse yesterday, his wife Linda at his side."For those who wanted revenge, may they be blessed in their revenge," he added.Superior Court Justice Lynda Templeton ruled yesterday Wood was guilty of 12 of 13 charges. They included nine involving physical assaults on three boys, members of the conservative church's alternative school from 1985 to 1987, and three sex-related charges involving two female congregants.The decision came after a bizarre trial in which the former church leader defended himself without a lawyer.Asked outside court if he thought he was guilty, Wood replied "I absolutely do not.""Once they get a roll on, you know, some people have to hurt people," he said.The trial sometimes... More About: Abuse , Guilty , Pastor
Does it really make any difference what so-and-so believes?
2008-04-19 13:46:00 By Dave, the WMNearly every day I read another opinion piece in the press on how the "raging, militant proponents of the New Atheism? are destroying the framework of our society. Most harshly denigrated in these articles are typically one or more of the Four Horsemen: Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens. The atheistic authors and speakers who hail from Christian cultures and backgrounds are not the only voices in the world to be shouted down for criticizing theism. From ancient times, those who stood up and voiced skepticism against the prevailing theistic superstitions had a good chance of being demonized, or worse.A little history from Wikipedia:Diagoras of Melos (5th century BCE) is known as the "first atheist". He blasphemed by making public the Eleusinian Mysteries and discouraging people from being initiated. The Athenians accused him of impiety, and he was forced to flee the city. He died in Corinth. The efforts of modern day believers to s... More About: Make , Difference
Youth pastor convicted for soliciting sex from a minor
2008-04-19 04:55:00 The jury in the Troy Deal online predator case began to hear the words on Wednesday.For several hours, Calhoun County Circuit Court jurors heard explicit testimony from transcripts which prosecutors allege were from conversations between Deal, 35, of Battle Creek, and people he believed were 14-year-old girls. The girls were actually undercover officers from the Office of the Michigan Attorney General and the Wayne County Sheriff Department.Over several months before he was arrested in July, Deal allegedly used his computer to suggest performing various acts with the young girls, including threesome sex, bondage and submission."I like a slut to do what she is told and like doing it," Deal wrote on April 10, 2007, according to James May, an agent for the AG's office. "Do you like being collared. You will be my submissive slut. I will just call you slut until you earn another name."Deal, at the time of his July arrest, was the director of youth ministries at Chapel Hill United Method... More About: Youth , Minor , Pastor
This site is such a disappointment
2008-04-17 22:39:00 A letter from SUPERNOVA & AUBREYDAWNTHIS WAS FIRST WRITTEN AS A COMMENT POSTED ON "I HAVE EXPERIENCED GOD, BUT...". I WROTE ONE PREVIOUSLY (YOU CAN CHECK IT OUT ON ABOVE TITLE IF INTERESTED, BUT IT'S NOT IMPORTANT). THIS WAS GOING TO BE A SECOND COMMENT ON THAT POST, BUT I THOUGHT IT BETTER TO POST IT HERE.I'm not sure why I joined this discussion. It's the first discussion or comment exchange I've been a part of on-line other than some with myspace friends; rarely. I wasn't looking for inspiration or validation when I logged in to this site. I just ran across it by accident; read a few comments, became irritated, and was provoked by stupidity (not ignorance, STUPIDITY) to comment. I too was a "born again christian" for 20 years of my life. I was sheltered. It took that long (20 years) before I was introduced to any other ideas. Believe it! And how were they introduced to me? My own reflections. Really. You just have to be willing to think honestly. So anyway, I was a "born aga... More About: Site , Disappointment
I was once an MK
2008-04-17 22:30:00 Sent in by DKI was brought up as a fundamental, evangelical Christian - in fact, I am a missionary kid (MK) from Africa.But it took me 50 years to start seriously questioning anything that I had been taught. I had been brainwashed for so long and knew all the answers and comebacks, but they are is so full of holes - and it is so obvious now that I am an outsider looking back.This morning on the way to work I was listening to a book on tape, and they mentioned Mithra, who pre-dated Jesus by 600 years. He was born on December 25, had 12 disciples, was crucified, and rose again, and so many more similarities.Why haven't I ever heard of this before? This is almost PROOF that Christianity is not special - but just a clone of previous ancient pagan religions. This information has blown me away, and although I have already de-converted, I am totally horrified that this is not common knowledge with enough debate material to shoot down any Christian argument.Do you know if someone has reall...
I have experienced God, but...
2008-04-16 06:18:00 Sent in by Steve JohnsonsI am a practicing Christian and I go to the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago Illinois. Every day I am surrounded by some of the most ignorant people that I know. As a matter of fact, I only have one friend who confronts the tough questions of Christianity, like the origin of evil and some other tough ideas. I have been questioning my faith for a few weeks now. It's not that I don't have the "willpower" to believe, if you want to say that. It's whether I "want" to believe anymore. The "world" has become much more appealing to my eyes, and God, who does not communicate to me, has become less appealing. I am sick and tired of these fucking ignorant answers I get from every Christian I know. It seems as though they believe in God with no evidence, which is stupid. Why would anyone believe in something they can't see or have at least not experienced. I have experienced God, or so I think. I have cried in worship, I have spoken in new tongues. I have begun to ... More About: Experienced
Totally de-converted at 72
2008-04-14 16:12:00 Sent in by Jay PI was raised in the Presbyterian Church and had a flawless attendance record ? so many ?Gold Stars?. Then, there were church camps, becoming a Deacon in my mid-twenties and finally teaching a Sunday school class, made up of mostly teen-age girls (what?s wrong with that picture?)After a divorce, I was very much an ?outcast? in the eyes of my fellow Deacons and life-long church acquaintances. I simply moved out of my hometown and for the next 40-years (other than the 3-years I dated a Baptist minister?s daughter) I never attended a church. Not an atheist during those times, but just generally ?not interested?.Two years ago, my son the doctor, came for a visit. This is the young man, who during his entire life, was raised as a Lutheran ? attended a Lutheran college (among others) and during his visits during that period of his life, would constantly use such phrases as, ?Praise the Lord? or maybe, ?God Love Him/Her? - and others. It just drove me nuts!But on this visit,...
A stink in God's nostrils
2008-04-12 23:05:00 Sent in by Mike ZI have just recently come to my good senses concerning religion and god. Religion is horrible and there is no god. I was raised the first 18 years of my life in a United Pentecostal Church, and those were the most awful years of my life. I am gay and going to church three times a week, sitting there listening to how I was going to hell unless I changed my ways, was the most unbelievably horrible mind fuck anyone could receive.I was told that I was an abomination and a "stink in god's nostrils." The thing was, I knew I was gay and I prayed and prayed to be "delivered." I had preachers try to "cast out the homosexual demon." Nothing worked. Nothing I ever did at church ever changed the feelings I had when I left the building.After I got out of the South and moved on I knew I didn't prescribe to that brand of belief, but I thought I had to hold on to to some sort of belief. I remember visiting my older brother and him telling me that he was an atheist. Even though I ...
An inferior person who needs to be crushed by God
2008-04-12 23:00:00 Sent in by John DFor the past two years or so, I've experienced intense bouts of anger, hatred, and depression all wrapped together into one big nasty mix. Yes, I am an ex-christian. I know and am glad the most feared, sadistic, tyrant talked about so much in public circles is not a real being. I no longer have to worry about the things he might do to me if I dare to disobey him, and this was indeed a great relief for me just as much the time of my deconversion as it is for me today.Yet I still feel extreme bouts of rage and depression due to the fact now that I am an ex-christian, my family and relatives see me as an inferior person who needs to be "crushed." While I am no where close to being some kind of superstar prodigy, I've been a relatively responsible and motivated individual. Despite this, my family and relatives still treat me as if I am the lowest person on the planet. I am really starting to believe they want to kill me, not literally but psychologically.They call me ... More About: Person , Inferior
Spiritual idiots
2008-04-11 08:33:00 From Rev Bob Pyle, MAAs a nondenominational minister, I am disturbed and enraged by the fact that many people who leave the Church do so because of the dumb actions of certain believers. The idea is to concentrate on God, and not his alleged flock.A classic case to make my point is the organization CUFI (Christians United for Israel), which is led by a self-deluded, spiritual idiot named John Hagee. His big thing is we are to nuke Iran. This is to precipitate a violent response from Muslims, and in the aftermath, Christ is supposed to return to establish His kingdom.There is NOT one word in Scripture to support nor validate this stupidity on the part of Hagge & his flock. Therefore, I strongly recommend you give thought that with "friends" such as Hagee & his biblical illiterates who are quite willing to commit murder, Christ does not need any enemies.Enough said.tag: John Hagee, Nuke Iran, CUFI, More About: Idiots , Spiritual
Picking Christianity is like a game of Russian Roulette
2008-04-11 08:21:00 Sent in by Alan BAs far as I can remember I have been asking questions. To set the scene, I am from the United Kingdom, which is a country whilst not free from religious conflicts is not as willing to show religion on its sleeve with the same pride that America does.Both my parents raised me, and both my parents are Church of Scotland Christians. They are not the hell and damnation type, which seems to be a recurring theme on these testimonials, but the quiet type. In fact, you can barely tell they are of any religious persuasion. And this is where the questions would come. How come my parents were not as 'angry' as other Christians? Why did my parents not go to the same church as my Catholic friends? etc... The problem is, when you get two separate groups of Christians who both "love" their "god," but don't go to the same church, it is very hard to explain this phenomenon to a child. But here comes a sticking point: My parents would not go to a Catholic church any more than they... More About: Christianity , Russian , Game , Picking
Sometimes I cry
More articles from this author:2008-04-09 21:12:00 Sent in by Debbie LSometimes I cry.Sometimes I'm sad to be so far away from what I used to be.It's like missing home.I wouldn't ever want to live with my parents again, but hey, there was some really good stuff there, too. Now they look at me funny when I say I don't go to church. They look at me with sad eyes and remind me that they are praying for me. I'm sure they are, and sometimes it's hard for me to know my choices are breaking their hearts. But, I haven't chosen a life of crime. I've never hurt anyone willingly in my whole life. You'd think I was choosing to become part of the Taliban or something. They send me emails on the dangers of "THE CHURCH OF OPRAH" and how I should warn everyone that she is leading millions astray with her views....sigh...I love Oprah. I know it's cliche, but I love how she speaks her mind, no matter how dorky it sounds, and that she isn't afraid to look convention in the eye and roll her eyes at it. Do I buy everything she says? NO. But, ... 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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