My Deconversion Story
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.พ. 2021
- Fitting my whole life's story into one video was harder than I thought! I'll probably go in-depth on more of my experiences in the future, so let me know if you're curious about anything else!
#atheism #deconversion #exchristian
Thanks for watching! If you like my videos, subscribe to my channel and check out my other social media at the link below!
jaketheatheist.com/
I love replying to comments on my videos, but sometimes a thread can run long and be hard to keep up with. So feel free to reach out and message me on my socials to continue the conversation! :)
Your story, is more powerful than anything I have heard any atheist say about why to question religion. I've listen to hundreds of hours of debates, debunkings, seminars, and you did the one thing that none of them ever do. You said what you had to say, without bringing science into it. That is a turn off for so many people. They might be smart, but they sometimes talk like they are better than others. That doesn't win anyone over. But what you said, came right from your life, and heart. And you never talked about science. I think people of all religions can relate to what you said. Without being made to feel inferior. Good job!
This is my favorite comment ever, thank you so much! I really want my channel to be a place where I can talk with anyone about anything, so I do my best to be respectful and angle my content to the widest audience possible. :)
@@atheistjake Thank you for YOUR response. You dont come off as arrogant, or superior. That goes a long way with people. You certainly have a new subscriber here. I'm really looking forward to future content from you.
Dear Wishmakr - you sound wonderful ! Your name says a lot about a heart that is giving and loving. I'm a scientist and my eyes well up with tears when it sounds like someone is feeling inferior. We all don't share the same interests, so perhaps those who like to talk about the more material things of nature can be a downer. But it still sounds like from your writing (if I may be so bold) that you would be a great person to talk to and the desire to want to smile, that comes through in the comment, if seen, would, I'm sure, make even a scientist's heart be joyful. So please don't feel inferior when others communicate. You express a warmth that can be shared, which is a gift that is hard for some scientists (wink) to do.
"That doesn't win anyone over." facts not in evidence
The videos thes atheists make are all self centered..You couldnt fit into Christianity because Christianity is not about self
Thanks for this. I can really relate. It’s funny how they say being a Christian “sets you free” but I’ve never felt more free than letting go of all those beliefs.
You're totally right, I feel the same way. It's good to hear from you as well, man! Thanks for checking out my channel! :)
Oh my goodness! This hit. I agree. I actually really sat the other day and analyzed my own life and beliefs and realized how freeing it is
Christianity (and all religions in general) are antithetical to freedom, they are shackles and it's unsettling how people of faith do not see the obvious. Indoctrination is wholly to blame..
This is how the "real" Atheist can be recognized "more free that letting go of all those beliefs"! Yes 👍🤘
Same.
That moment where you transition from "questioning" to "not believing" was probably the most liberating moment in my life.
I hope more people get the chance to be honest with themselves
I agree, it's a great feeling!
Best book on ever I read is "I am that" by Nisargadatta. I lost religion and got freedom from my ego. Once read and discarded that book forever. I am free
The truth will set you free, eh?
yikes
You’re not alone. I’m a former Christian (extremely devout) myself. I wanted to become a pastor and dove into apologetics and it actually lead to my deconversion.
I've noticed that a lot. Taking Christianity seriously often leads people to realizing just how little we can prove about it. Thanks for watching my video, and good luck on your new path! 😁
Thank you 🙏
@@atheistjake the more l looked into the books the more contradictions l found
look into eastern orthodoxy
My maturity level was essentially stagnate while I was a christian. Since becoming an atheist I've become so much more inspired to be a better person. The world feels so finite, dull, and ritualistic when apart of the church. Now the world feels infinite, exciting, and novel.
Me too! It's such a motivating thing to realize that we are responsible for improving ourselves and our world, instead of waiting for a god to fix everything or to just end it all with fire and brimstone lol
@@atheistjake Exactly, my brother was stuck in a dead end job for 6 years all the while praying for god to fix it. Since he gave up faith, he’s been growing and setting his own plan for life.
Good for him! I wish I could get my family members to do that haha XD
@@JM-us3fr God had a plan all along for your brother to succeed this wasn't down to Randoness or your brother taking control of his own life ..
Same!!!
Wishing you the best on your journey through life. I opened my eyes when I was 25 and now I'm 60 and haven't regretted or missed the silliness of religion.
Thank you so much! That's really encouraging to read :)
Silly indeed! So refreshing to hear it said plainly.
I started be the Atheist from 19 years old, I'm 50 right now and my learning adventure continues to this day! 👍🤘
Thank you! We are not alone.
Me: 63 - atheist about 28 years. Very happy person.
Not to live in constant fear. Not to constantly examine the negative side of me. Not to constantly apologize to a supernatural being for upsetting him and letting him down. If we really think about, how is that even possible? - he's supposed to be God!
No regrets and I don't miss it either.
Just made up nonsense by people who knew very little about anything.
As a christian nether do I hehaha
Thank you. As a Black woman in my 50s I am glad you discovered the truth sooner than I did (about 2 years now). There is no way I can go back to a system that was based so deeply in fear, guilt, and shame. I remember that all to well and constantly wondering "what am I doing wrong." It is such a sick mind game when you look at it from the other side. I am in a good place now!
Yes, I'm so glad you found your way out! Thank you for watching my video and sharing your story! 😁
Guilt? You never learned to use the blood of Jesus.
@@odensjournal8373 One thing I find particularly ridiculous about Christians is that every single one of them thinks _they_ do Jesus right.
You all claim to "know Jesus" to "know the Bible" and yet y'all have opinions about it that are 180 degrees apart from each other and are mutually exclusive. There are thousands of Christian denominations, every one of which thinks they are The Right Denomination.
It's so unbelievably STUPID. It's also narcissistic and dishonest, two OTHER things Christians are.
"Once you realize how much of religion is based on fear and guilt, it's impossible to go back to." This is so relatable and true. I didn't realize until a couple of years after my deconversion just how much of my constant anxiety was a result of religious dogma that had been drilled into me from infancy. But we're not allowed to acknowledge just how fear-based faith is because god is supposed to be love, and "perfect love casts out fear" as 1 John says. Towards the end of my time as a Christian, that was one thing that was getting harder and harder to understand. If everyone in the world that didn't believe in the Bible was going to hell, how could I bear to pass anyone who might possibly not be a Christian without at least trying to save them? It's so nice to not have that constant urgency to save everyone around me, now that I realize we're all just human beings doing our best to live our lives and be happy. Truly freeing.
Well said! Thanks so much for watching and sharing your thoughts! :)
So true on ''fear and guilt'' and that is how they hold the believers in bondage
Hannah, who is Jesus Christ to you?
@@timetoreason181 John 8:36
New International Version
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
I can relate heavy to this comment. I’ve found some Christian studies that deconstruct hell. The Bible is taken way out of context. No one is going to hell. Thank God! I’m not an atheist but I’ve def left the religious cults I used to go to. It was so hard carrying that burden that everyone I was around i had to save from hell. What a joke. Freedom!!!!!
I started questioning when I was about 11 years old and heard the Noah's flood story. It didn't make any sense to me that god would kill everyone, even innocent animals. Also how did polar bears get on the ark in that area ? Then Rock and Roll hit me, and I became free from religion.
That's a great place to start! XD
@Donee Stoner
Wait, Noah's flood was a catalyst for you? It's written that the people in Noah's day lived immoral lives, i.e. partying, fornication, drinking themselves silly. Regarding the animals on Noah's ark, I will concede that based on evidence of prehistoric animals existing, that leads to questioning why those animals weren't mentioned.
My guess is because biblical writers either weren't aware of such creatures at the time. Though given how some of the earliest paleontology started in 5th century B.CE, my second guess was that such creatures were omitted because the Bible focuses on preaching a religious message, not science.
@@DemonicRemption so what about the newborn children?? were they leading immoral lives as well this'd apply to the really young kids as well
@@anandhua.b4589
*Sigh* The problem with being honest with opinions, is that not everyone takes it well, especially given the negative perception towards Christians. Not saying I don't expect that, just acknowledging the reaction I'll get for the following response. Because I'm not Greg Kouki, I'm not gonna lie to you about my understanding of my theology.
Given how children are, and given that newborn aren't cognicent, they were unfortunate casualties due to the sins of their parents. Same thing happened to Egypt during Exodus. The Pharoh's stuborness cost him his kingdom and son. I know that's the answer you wanna hear given that "God is all good" narrative giving a rose tented view of how he should operate. Christian though I am, I'm not blind to the harsh realities of this world, mostly because I'm living in it.
@@DemonicRemption pharaoh’s stubbornness was caused by god hardening his heart
My first time doubting Christianity was when I was a teenager reading the Bible from cover-to-cover and I came across something in the Old Testament that basically said, "if you rape someone, you should purchase her from her father." "Seriously?" I thought, "for a moral book, that's pretty messed up." There's a ton of garbage in the Old Testament, but whenever I asked my parents about it, they'd just say not to question God. For example in Job, why did God make a bet with the devil in the first place? My grandma said, "He didn't make a bet because he's God and knows everything, therefore knew what the outcome would be. Fair enough, but if he already knew the outcome, why bother arguing with the devil in the first place? Why not just ignore him. Why did he have to prove anything? My parents used to tell me, "it doesn't matter if people call you names because you know that's not what you are." If God knew the outcome, why did he care so much what the devil was saying?
Insecurity? Maybe, but my parents would get mad at me for using such adjectives to describe God, so rather than address the argument, they'd just yell or make me ask God for forgiveness or _both!_ If you wanna know why I hate religion, look no further than my religious family.
Wow, I'm sorry you had to face that kind of treatment! I agree with your questions about Job and the Old Testament. I think it's heartless to intentionally "test" the faith of people who love you. I never used to see these kinds of atrocities as bad, because I felt very similarly to your parents for awhile that "God did it, therefore he must have had good reasons". As soon as I allowed myself to step back and question, the problems with God became all too clear and I knew I couldn't worship such a being. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and watching my video! :)
If you read the bible from cover to cover, wouldn't you have your answer in regards to your religious family?
And for a bet the devil was permitted to destroy Job's life. Kill his family and all his livestock and then inflict the most excruciating physical pain on him. And after all this is over, God gives Job a new family!
If we think about it, that's pretty sick! His first wife and children only existed for some game!
My story too! My parents and siblings used to tell me that I am been deceived by the devil, and they used to say endless prayers for me, especially from the Book of psalms. The day I left home I remember my own elder brother muttering ''you are evil'' repent for your sins and come back to avoid hell, imagine my own fear!!!
That first point isn't a very good example given that it was pretty much a mercy in an ancient near eastern culture.
I had a friend who was an atheist. I didn't disagree with his beliefs, but he was so argumentative that it made it hard to listen to him even when he was right. You make your points so honestly and gently, that everything you say becomes compelling. Thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you so much! I'm sorry your friend was like that, it always sucks to feel that way during these kinds of discussions. I'm glad you enjoyed my video! I do my best to be sympathetic and respectful to both atheists and believers, since I remember what it's like to be on both sides of that discussion too. You're welcome on my channel anytime! :)
Can I ask a couple of questions though?
Did you ask him why he was so argumentative ?
Was the people he was getting bent out of shape with the type to just use anything to try and act like god done it because they did not know of a natural explanation for it ?
Were they not willing to compromise on anything or admite to actual faults that were their in the doctrine or reasoning ?
I am not saying this is why he was so argumentative because I don't know.
I am in fact asking because I see this with most religious people and this fuels most of the crap I see on the web and what causes me to get so bent out of shape with most religious people.
@@Raiden-the-Goat32 I'm not sure. His family weren't atheist but I don't think they were overly religious either. But he brought it up all the time and was very dogmatic in his beliefs. I know that religious folks can be the same way, and I don't find it appealing in them either.
He would constantly call me a fence sitter, because I'm not atheist, but I'm not religious either.
He was argumentative because you believe in stupid things without evidence
I guess you didn't understand. I said that I didn't disagree with his beliefs. @@kimguy4159
I had God's message of peace, love, mercy, and forgiveness beat into me quite vigorously, and repeatedly. Somehow, I just wasn't buying it.
Good, for you!!!
@Skeptomaniac
Maybe it had something to do with it being forced onto you...>_>
Which being a Christian myself who takes issue with religion being forced onto anyone especially kids, I have a theory on how kids should be raised in religion. The problem is, I could be wrong.
@@DemonicRemption
What’s your theory???
@@DemonicRemption The problem is that religion is bullshit, and bullshit needs to be forced on children, because most adults are too smart to fall for it. Every pastor knows that you have to get them to believe before they have developed their own critical thinking skills, or their church is doomed. Many children like myself will reject religion no matter how you package it, but if religion wasn't forced on children, it would have died a long time ago like it has in Europe. I was about 10 years old when it became undeniably obvious to me, that the bible was a book of fiction, but my dad was a pastor, and he had an image that he needed to maintain, so obedience was necessary at all costs. One of those costs is losing the respect of your children. Even though I wasn't very good at it, I managed to fake my way though it, as did most of my friends and family members. Our family were friends with at least 20 other pastors, and their families, and out of the 60+ pastors kids that I knew, maybe 5 actually believed the crap they were being fed, the rest faked it. To this day many of them are still faking it, but most have moved on.
@@tealx2014
The best way I can describe it, is to treat it like a school assignment. Educate them about God, the bible, and what it means to have faith and see what they do.
It's derived from what my parents taught me, except I learned what it means to have faith in God. Simply put it's positive thinking tethered to the notion that a higher power watches over you. As it's not enough to believe in something, but to act on that belief, which is something even atheists do.
The problem with this is given how I am, my kids might suffer a similar fate of being miserable and lonely. And I don't want what I'm going through to happen to anyone else, let alone any offspring I bear. That and given how most Christians finding any woman who's allow this amount of freedom under religion is impossible.
I know that sounds pessimistic for a Christian, but just because I believe in God doesn't mean I'm not aware of how crap-tastic the world is.
"When I realized how much of my faith was based on faith ... " That is very well put.
Childhood indoctrination is the main reason people remain religious/Christian. Once you start asking yourself why you believe what you believe and are serious about the truth it's just a matter of time until you leave any religion.
The key to success ain´t working hard, it`s SACRIFICING A LOT, AND I MEAN, BLOOD SACRIFICES, YOUR FRIENDS, CO -WORKERS, FAMILY MEMBERS, AND FINALY YOURSELF. The truth and the fact that many of us still don`t understand nor know: NO MAN/HUMAN have ever been rich, famous yes, but not rich, for satan is a liar and stealer and murderer, he has never given the riches away, he owns it all. And he owns our souls also, only COMING TO REPENTENCE save us form satan`s strong grip.
Fortunately for me I wasn't indoctrinated into Christianity as a child, so I was freely able to become a Christian at 33.
i find it harder to believe that the universe just magically created itself from nothing by coincidence?
No serious scientist has ever used the word "magic". You're just twisting one of our current theories for the sake of ridicule, which isn't exactly honest imo
@@JesusSavesTheDay96 There are a few things wrong with your comment, first of all, what created God? If the answer is that he always existed, then why is it not possible for the universe to have always existed? Second, why can't the bible be written by the devil? If his goal is to get as many people to hell as possible then would it not be an effective strategy to create a false religion and pass it off as the only right one? Third, how do you know it was Jesus and not Satan that came to you. Do you have any pictures to know what Jesus looks like, and why couldn't the Devil pretend to be Jesus in order to send you to hell? Finally, how do you know that Jake hasn't asked as much as you have already? And why do people have to ask in the first place, wouldn't it be trivial for God to reveal himself to everyone in an easily recognizable way since he is all powerful?
It is also mentioned in the video, but Faith can lead you to any conclusion you want. Every religion has their believers believing on faith, reinforced by personal experience, so what makes your belief system better?
"Has anyone else ever had this experience? The more that Christian Apologists tried to explain the Bible to me, the less sense they made!" - Seth Andrews
Great quote! Seth is a treasure lol
I ❤️ Seth's too!
If the Bible was written by God we wouldn't need apologists.
@@naturadventur7425 : I would ask "... why do Apologists exist at all, if God is infallible and all the statements in the Bible are obvious and written by the hand of God?! ..." 🤘
@@naturadventur7425 Truth!
I’m a Christian and i truly do appreciate your honesty and care in making this video. You didn’t come off as arrogant nor snobbish, you were genuinely simply telling your reconversion story. Thank you!
I really appreciate that! My entire family is still Christian, so I approach all my videos as if I were talking to them directly. I really don't want to damage relationships or attack people with my channel 😁
I have elves in my basement. One of them died and came back to life
@@kimguy4159are you trying to suggest a comparison between elves and Jesus?
@@tysonnelson8444 Jesus is more like Thor or Apollo because he is claimed to be a human god son of another bigger more powerful god, although there is no evidence for any of them, some people believe in them because they personally felt their presence. Most people don't believe in any of it because of lack of evidence, including elves
BTW I PERSONALLY saw my elves die and come back to life
To lead a happy life , you don't need to be a religious person. What you need is that you have kindheartedness .
I agree! Anyone can practice empathy, kindness, and respect!
But to have eternal life for the next life you will only have it if you believe in Jesus and praise him with your whole heart.
@@jeanclaudepierrot2971 many say it's an illusion !
@@QuyNguyen-lm1gq Well, they're wrong!
There is a God and there is a Son of God.
If you want eternal life, believe in Jesus , God's Only Beloved Son.
@@jeanclaudepierrot2971 you say they are wrong, but they say you are wrong. No one knows who is right who is wrong !
As a 19 year old who is going through the process of deconversion , this means a lot to me.
Hi Green,
What’s your story? I’d like to hear it, if you’re interested in sharing it.
@@JesusCreatedAllThings You're gonna evangelize him, just be honest. I despise these fake-friendly proselytizers.
It is nice to see a young intelligent person like yourself come to such positive self realization. I was not raised in a Christian home and yet I became one at age 22. I finally deconverted when I was 57. I am now 63. Somewhat of an anomaly, I guess. The way you present yourself and tell your story is very good. I look forward to hear from you in other videos.
This made my day! Thanks so much for the kind words, I can't wait to upload more videos! :)
Good for you! Took a long time, but you did it!
Welcome a next one in the team! 🤘😎
Right on bro. I suffered unearned guilt many many many years from religion by well meaning parents both pastors in the Pentecostal faith sooo glad I dropped it . I feel soooooo much better no more nightmares of supernatural fire pit
Thanks man, I'm glad we both found a better way! Also "supernatural fire pit" is hilarious btw XD
Happy for you. I was a name it and claim it Fundie all throughout college. When I was a kid I seriously considered becoming an apologist. I loved Ravi Zacharias, Tim Keller, Lee Strobel, John MacArthur and consumed tons of their apologetics material. I ended up reading The God Delusion because I was super sure I would "see it for the lie it was." Hoo boy was I wrong. Dawkins EASILY pointed out the flaws in ALL their arguments. Afterwards I struggled so hard to hang onto my faith. Eventually I just realized if I have to work SO HARD to believe something, it probably isnt true. I was just afraid to not believe because I was sure it would mean breaking with my family. I was right about that bit :\ But the world is so much more magical and amazing now that I have a relationship with reality.
@Rachael Williams... sorry to hear you lost your family.. but I bet it was them that refused to interact with the person who is the real you and not you refusing to interact with them. It's so sad when people put ideas and dogma a head of love and discourse... even more so when the ideas/dogma are about imaginary things.
You are certainly correct about existence being so much greater and more magical with out religion... I am always amazed at how small and petty the god of the bible was and how small his accomplishments were.
That's a big switch to make, I know how drastic that can feel. Good for you for being honest with yourself and willing to consider other perspectives! Thanks so much for watching!
@Andre Ghio Nonsense! Lennox is a dolt. Only true believers think he won a debate with Dawkins. Let's test this: tell me one thing Lennox said that "squashed" Dawkins in any way. I can wait.
@Andre Ghio Craig is regularly refuted by a number of rational thinkers. His arguments are also nonsense. Dawkins is science-oriented, and would not be a good fit against someone like Craig, who poses all kinds of philosophical crap that actual philosophers can shoot down. There are no good arguments for gods, and no good reasons to have "faith".
@Andre Ghio Your appalling ignorance is duly noted, and worse than I thought. Demonic possessions? ;-) What a strange world you live in! I have watched that debate and it was no contest. But again, feel free to point out any specific thing Lennox said that you felt was so powerful! That's how you make a good case. Now can you do it??
Abiogenesis is the best explanation for our origins, but there is much more to learn. After all, life didn't come with an instruction manual!
Evolution never happened?! Seriously? You're off the rails, my friend. The need for your delusion is too deep for you to be rational.
"With or without religion, you would have good people doing good things and evil people doing evil things. But for good people to do evil things, that takes religion"
-Steven Weinberg
I am what a lot of people refer to as a hard atheist. I have no problem saying I know there are no gods. We, however, really need to stop quoting this. It's just wrong, unless you want to say religion is any irrational or motivated system of thought or ideology.
@@scottwmackey : Hooray, you have an opinion.
@@scottwmackey
Well as a Christian I get where any atheist who quotes that is coming from, but I also see where you're coming from too.
That being said I'm unfortunately confused by the term "hard atheist." What is that?
@@DemonicRemption It is what he said, soft atheist generally don't assert that no gods exist while a hard atheist will. Fun fact Babies and infants would be a soft atheist.
'The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being.' - Aleksander Solzhenitsyn
I think that is a lot closer to the truth.
Being a Nazi in 1930 would have quite different implications to being a Nazi in 1945.
I always had doubts even though I went to church. I wanted to believe, but as time passed by, I started realizing that I was in a fantasy world, believing in myths. That no matter how much you look up at the sky and ask "God" for help, things were going to be what is going to be and that it all depends on myself to make things happen.
I relate to your sentiment as well. It reminds me of that quote by Madalyn Murray O'Hair, "Two hands working can do more than a thousand clasped in prayer." Thank you for watching and commenting!
@@atheistjake Lovely quote. I had a teacher tell me in fifth grade that god was so powerful and smart that "he" could make a paper with only one side ! As an inquisitive child, I read lots of math and science books, so I told her I could do that too ! Of course during the resulting detention she asked why I would think that, and I showed her a Mobius strip. She was fascinated but told me that using tape on the paper was cheating and only god could make the same thing without it. It was then I learned that god, like Santa, was something adults made up. I hoped one day when I was older I would be let in on the secret that religion was just made up so that bad boys and girls would learn to be good. Alas, I'm 65 and 1 Corinthians 13:11 still seems to not have happened for most people. Dude, at my age, I saw the cover of Time magazine when Jones Town occurred...I know what Kool-Aid and preaching can do. Check out Moses after the golden calf incident.
I came out of a fundamentalist church and have never looked back.
Glad to see how much you are learning in your new found freedom Jake...
Thank you so much! Good job finding your way out too :)
A few years ago I met an active catholic priest, he was around 60 years old. After a few beers, he told me his whole life, he talked about the seminary, about half of all his colleagues were gay, and at the end of their studies, Most doubts about their decision, many became teachers of religion, he was ordained as a priest and is still responsible for 3 parishes today. He said he feels like an actor, but his job is not difficult, all roles repeat themselves again and again, baptism, , wedding and funeral. His parishioners have no idea that he has been an atheist for ages ... he said he was looking forward to his retirement.
and he doesn't fear one hell ... all just humbug
Wishing you all the best
Wow, that's really interesting! A little bit funny too haha. Thanks for watching!
I think all catholic priest know it's all a money making bullshit organization.
great story....apparently Billy Graham started to doubt too
Much love, as a Muslim, I can relate to what your growing through. Much love!!!
Thanks so much! I wish I knew more about Islam, so I can cover that in my videos as well. Maybe someday, once I get the chance to study it in more depth!
Yeah check out the TH-cam channel “Hassan radwan”. He’s a great source who has great knowledge of classic Arabic, and is more complex arguments than “Muh, islam bad Muh”
@@naelchowdhury1404 Awesome, will do. Thanks for the suggestion!
@@naelchowdhury1404 I agree Hassan has a great set of videos. Another great guy is the masked Arab.
Glad to know you are now free of shackles. Good luck!!
Thank you so much! I'll try my best! :)
I was raised in the Assembly of God too! It was so abusive and toxic.
Wow, I'm so glad you found your way out too!
I agree! Especially when, after 30 years of being an Atheist, I still hear from my mother that "it's just love"
@@wtfjesus8251 ugh my mom used to say that too! How is "love" conditional on our loving him back - especially a narcissistic, genocidal, sadistic, bloodthirsty, slavery and incest promoter?! Dude is an insecure abusive boyfriend...
Also, your user name is epic 😁
@@ImaCatMaia : Perfect characterization of the biblical god! 👍🤘
Thanks, I like my nick too 😁, whatever channel I post some opinion, sooner or later some Christian bigot starting to feel "offended"😉
Abusive and toxic? Yeah right! I have been going to church my entire life and love the community. No abuse or toxic behaviour whatsoever. I even met my wife at church the first time I saw her.
The effort you put into replying to comments on this video is amazing. You seem like a really nice, fair-minded person.
Aw thank you so much! You're the first one who noticed, and it made my day haha :)
It's so inspiring seeing this community be so introspective and honest with themselves. I honestly didn't even know about Christianity until I was about 12. I went to a very secular school and lived in a secular home. Safe to say the stories didn't have as much of an impact when I finally did hear them. I am always respectful to those who believe, but always feel a bit bad for people who try to convert me.
Once you see it from the outside, its just impossible to convert.
Exactly right. Thank you for watching and sharing your story! I wish more people could grow up separate from religion like you did, I'm sure the world would be a much better place for everyone :)
This was so articulate. I myself have never been of faith but did go to Catholic school for my middle and high school career (still do and dislike it very much). It took a while for me to see through the fear mongering, gas-lighting, and manipulation. I'm glad that you feel like you're on the right path!
Thank you so much! I appreciate your comment and story :)
When you start to question it all falls apart.
Keep fighting the good fight comrade!
Thank you so much! :)
Yea, it's good to share why we've left. As we know, it's not the devil telling us things. It's seeing other dynamics for what they are. I can tell this was difficult, it's in your voice. Talking about this is hard for me, too. But it's important. So thank you
I appreciate your comments so much! Thank you for watching my video, I feel like I've found my own purpose in life, and I'm excited to keep talking about these issues and learning more every day :)
People's religion is based on where they was born and who their parents taught them to worship. Just stay a good person and you will be fine.
This is called a genetic fallacy.
@@anunknownentity1637 but it's the truth. My dad was Christian so I started off as a Christian. Just like many other Christians, muslims, Hindu, or whatever else.
Jake will be better than fine ! The world is a buffet and religion makes us consume only one item on their own menu. On top of that, the beLIEvers tell us that everything else, outside of what they say, is toxic. The poison really is, making you believe that. Only the caged bird thinks that flying is abnormal.
Signed - Mr. Metaphor.
@@onedaya_martian1238 I keep chatting with people on TH-cam that honestly believe the bible is 100% true and a real account of history. No matter how much proof you give them that the flood never happened they still think its true
Agree
I am happy for you that you figured it out by 21. I didn’t figure it out until I was 45 (2 years ago). Early on I wished I had not come to the realization and wished I still believed. I struggled with the idea of no afterlife and never seeing my passed loved ones and my kids and grandkids some day when they died and I was there waiting to welcome them. That one thing was my hangup because I stopped believing in hell long before I stopped being a Christian. I am now much happier, less stressed, and more accepting of others. My wife followed me out of the faith: she was about two years behind me in her faith journey, becoming a liberal Christian about 2 years after I did, right around when I became a non-believer. We are both happier and healthier since we left the faith. I wish you the best of luck and I hope you find peace and comfort in your life as a result of your deconversion.
Wow, that's an amazing story! I'm so happy you found your way out and are living a happier life now! :D
Jake: thanks SO much for taking the time to put together your story and share it with us. What I really appreciated about your presentation was the complete lake of bitterness, blaming, or diminishing of those who do believe. You just stated the details of your process and your story in a very honest, real and relatable way -- a human story. I'm 51, but I started on my deconversion process about when you did. It was hard learning to be honest in answering *any* question I could come up with, but I did, and was eventually released from my years of faith-based thinking. Though I attended mass (I was a Catholic) sometimes 3 times per week, I am now kinder, more compassionate, and more connected to people, even strangers at the grocery store. I used to think, "I'll pray for them", say nothing, and leave, but now I think "This moment may be the only moment I'll have to serve / listen to / care for / hopefully help this person, so I'm going to make the most of it." That shift has dramatically changed how much I engage with the world around me. And I think that reveals something very important. >> Best of everything to you in your continued journey!
Wow, thank you so much for your kind words! I really tried to tell my story in a way that would not be disrespectful to believers, since so many of my friends and family are still Christians. I'm glad my story resonated with you! You have a great perspective on your approach to other people, I'm glad you were able to find more happiness and generosity outside of religion! :)
Good luck and well done ,I left the church 30 years ago but still find it fascinating looking at all the other people leaving and stories to be told, I watch all the great channels on here.
I have family still in I hope they will find freedom one day but seem to deep now.
Well done for sharing your deconversion story.
Thank you so much! I hope one day you might consider me among the other great atheist channels on TH-cam haha XD
@@atheistjake I already have , keep up the great channel 👍😅
I relate so SO much to almost everything in this video. There wasn't really any tragedy in my deconversion story, mine was, perhaps ironically, started by a desire to better reach non-believers as I had come to realize my story of how I came to believe was basically "my parents and community believes and raised me to believe to" which wasn't super compelling. I didn't doubt what I believed was true even a little bit, but my heart broke for those who were "lost" and so I wanted to better understand its history and all the piles of evidence I was confident existed that pointed to the truth of Christianity. It sent me down pretty much the exact road you described, though, with a similar result. Thank you for taking the time and having the courage to share your story and I look very much forward to your future videos!
I'm curious, do you have any favorite youtube atheists? Some that really resonate with me are Pinecreek, Paulogia, Prophet of Zod... actually come to think of it I follow a lot P names. Lots of other great ones, but those are just a few who I think generally do a good job of being respectful to believers, while also very thoughtful and at times adding in a nice touch of humor.
I definitely get what you mean! My path out of Christianity probably would've looked similar to yours if I had met more nonbelievers growing up. Homeschooling had other plans for me tho haha. Thanks so much for watching and for the encouraging comment! I'll have another video uploaded as soon as I possibly can!
Those are all great TH-camrs as well! A few more of my personal favorites would be Seth Andrews (aka The Thinking Atheist), Cosmic Skeptic, and Genetically Modified Skeptic. I really want my channel to be a positive place to discuss this stuff, and they're all good role models for that too :)
Thank you for openly sharing your story of how you came to your new realization of non faith belief. I deeply felt your story. I’ve been an atheist for over 10 years now. 2 weeks ago I lost my oldest brother to a heroin overdose. This past week was the funeral and all of my catholic family came to visit. Having to hold back my non belief with them was extremely hard. Last thing I wanted was to fight with them over religious issues and dogma. When you talked about the part of saying “I don’t know” that really resonated with me. It’s ok to not know what happens and to try and search for those answers in a meaningful way. Definitely subbed to your channel and can’t wait to see what other content you will have
Thank you for the very kind words! I'm so sorry about your brother, that's hard enough to deal with, let alone any religious insensitivity you may have put up with from your family. I'm always happy to chat in DMs on Instagram or Twitter if you need it! (@atheistjake) Your comment was so encouraging to read, I promise to upload more videos like this one soon! :)
Thank you, he struggled with his addiction for 20 years. He’s at peace now. My family means well, I just don’t share their beliefs/politics anymore, and that can definitely cause friction between us
I feel that, my family is very similar. They do their best, but they just don't understand what it's like to be an atheist or how to navigate an inter-religious family, so they tend to just stick with what they know. That can feel very alienating sometimes.
@@atheistjake My perception is that religious folks have built this "high-wire of certainty". As they cling to their dogma harder and harder, the higher the tightrope they walk gets. Questions of their belief causes them to look down from the height they have raised themselves to and often, that fear of falling from that perch, like acrophobia, results in lashing out, anger and judgementalism (almost as if people are beneath them, in keeping with the analogy).
Being a critical and open minded thinker keeps one grounded. Making mistakes is "ok" as, when one trips up, the fall is not too far. And, on the ground, you are certainly not alone watching others screw up as well. Plus, with a more solid underpinning, living a finite life, there is never the threat of an endless torture (how unjust!) only the pleasure of knowing purpose is what you make of it, and not what others are telling you what is commanded of you.
I think that's a great comparison! Another reason why so many people can be hostile when faced with considering another perspective is that they have internalized and have begun to identify themselves with their beliefs, so questioning those beliefs can feel like a personal attack against them. It's a bad place to be, since it makes it so hard to change your mind or be truly honest with yourself. Thanks for sharing! :)
Bro I became an atheist 6 months ago, best of luck to us both 🤜🤛
Hell yeah! Keep on questioning your beliefs!
I was raised in the Assembly of God denomination and also nondenominational churches as well in Louisiana in the Bible Belt. I went to Royal Rangers and other church programs. I deconverted when I was 38 years old and I'm now 45. I started questioning it at 15 so it took from 15 to 38 for me to finally leave. My deconversion story is pretty long and painful.
I remember being in Royal Rangers too! Although it never lived up to my time in the Boy Scouts haha. I appreciate you watching my video and sharing a little bit of your story! :)
When you feel ready,Make a video and share yours,it will be a blessing to many
Hey Jake, I’m a Christian, but always try to be open minded and respectful to those who don’t believe what I do. For me, my faith is what keeps me alive and face the day. Would love if you explained more about what gives you hope in this world and keeps you going. All the best.
This is the main concern I hear about when talking to religious people (I grew up in a "christian" household). What is the point if you don't have god? Everything seems so bleak and unending, like the blackness of the cosmos and now you're floating alone, in darkness, untethered and alone forever. At least that is what it felt like for me when I first started broaching the possibility of god not existing. It was literally unimaginable in the beginning. The fear you feel when you first become untethered from religion pales in comparison to the awe and freedom you feel on the other side thankfully, you just have to take the leap.
I'm definitely not the person to give you some wise answer haha, especially as I don't quite know how to explain the liberation you feel when you realise the blindfold has been lifted and you see and think in a completely different way. You now have hope of things that are now possible that weren't possible before, you have a completely different perspective on everything, you are a sponge open for learning (most people who lose "faith" often educate themselves on how the mind works and why the lies and manipulative tactics worked on you and millions of others), and life just seems brighter and more precious...you connect with everything around you differently. It's almost like you've been living in the clouds, mostly in your head, and then you wake up and are super aware of everything around you and see the beauty in everything in a way you didn't before. It's ironic because there is so much MORE hope and actual knowledge on this side, in my opinion of course, yet people stay on that side because they are terrified. My mom is one of them. She would rather blindly believe than find out what's on the other side.
Good luck!
ho, that's a good question. gg man.
if you allow me a shot at it, with french F'ed english (sorry), i'm guessing that giving up on faking a faith in god help a lot. i had serious doubth after i read my schools bible and read about a few stuff i disagreed would be the mark of a all loving all seeing and al mighty god. (i even dare to say i think he's character is quite a jerk) when i left the church, i realised i had controle over my self, that i wasn't watched by a creepy old guy, and that moral is just a human concept we incontientaly agree on. I don't know if i had depression in my life, i might currently have it. Dark times happens, but i hang on to friends, or perspectives of the future, or even needs and desire. i'm learning stuff that i care about, crafting models for miniature effect. hopefully this will get usefull at some point.
i guess only my faith in god died, my hearth as been open for a long time before i dicoverd/relise how dark he's suposse to be. scriptures are quite contradictive and seeing how much appologiste and current of thougth existe makes me realise how much The Doctor Who canon and mythos isn't that bad of a mess. laking belief in god was a bit of a hard pass, and i was mostly on my own at that time. but after realising and accepting it, i was free of mind (and also no need to go to the chapel's school anymore, wearing that wierd robe and being yeld at to clean up after the priest)
i hope you'll find much confort on your journey, and that your awnser will, at least mostly be awsnered. I guess no one can really know in the end without trying to get awnsers. my choice went on science and trying to demonstrate facts by logic over beliefs for lack of awnsers. All you have to accepte, is that when you don't know, admit that it's an unknow and look for the awnser if you want/can. other wise it's ok.
I appreciate the question! For me, and so many other secular people, my hope comes from myself and the good people that share this world with me. We're the ones who have the ability to change this world for the better, and it's so fulfilling to be a part of that, in my own small way. What keeps me going is my relationships, my goals, my passions, my memories, and my curiosity. I find my purpose in learning new things about myself and about the world, and in the satisfaction that comes from becoming a better person every day. :)
I hope that helps? I'm happy to discuss further with you, and thanks for watching my video and commenting!
@@atheistjake Thanks for responding! I'll admit those are some good reasons! But yeah wouldn't mind getting to talk more about it sometime
Awesome! Feel free to message me on my Instagram or Twitter accounts (@atheistjake for both). I love meeting and chatting with people from all different beliefs! :)
"If you require evidence to believe this, your faith is weak." Anyone who does not want you to think is NEVER your friend. Welcome to the world of skepticism and rational thinking! The world is even more wonderous and life is even more fulfilling when you don't just say, "god did it".
This guy has such a gentle manner, and he really helped me to understand a different perspective, but Faith isn't believing without thinking. Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. For example, we have faith in chairs that they would hold us up, and we sit on them without thinking because they've always held us up. We know from experience, if it is designed to be a chair that we can sit on it, unless of course it's missing a leg because we know from experience that chairs with missing legs are unreliable.
Likewise with faith in God, the confidence comes from an experienced relationship. Of course we should question everything, but even more than that, we should be better at Relationship. When we have a relationship with Jesus religion disappears. Religion is created by human understanding of who God is not the other way around. Jesus spent time correcting religious leaders and loving the people outcasted in society. He came and showed us how to be human and how to love, and he died doing that.
I have been sitting here reading through so many of the comments, every single one of them that I have read could have been authored by me! I’m 58 years old and I only escaped very recently. I’ve been a closet easiest for most of my life but I couldn’t come out. Most of my life has been alive and it has been wasted. I’m so happy when I see young people escaping and living their authentic lives and being happy! I’m so happy for all of you young people! I’m a little sad for me but I hope I have at least 30 years and possibly more ahead of me. I’m less than one year out of a dead 18 year marriage. I’m actively searching for my first forever love, someone who shares my non-belief! Someone who I can truly grow old with and have true happiness with once and for all. Someone who I will not marry will live happily ever after with. ❤️
Hey Jake, I went through the same thing lately- it’s really nice to know I’m not alone. And neither are you.
I appreciate your comment! It's been so encouraging to see the number of atheists commenting on this video. I can't wait to post more content for everyone!
*Kudos to anyone who makes it out from childhood indoctrination.*
It seems like a huge mountain to overcome, to me, and I was never any kind of devout believer.
Nor was religion ever pushed on me as a child.
Stories like this are valuable evidence that minds can be changed.
Ignorance 😒😒😒You need The Holy Spirit
@@gabriellamashiah3965 Ignorance:,
Claiming knowledge about things that can't be demonstrated and must be taken on "faith".
Welcome to reality. There is now a whole world of new ideas to explore...
Thank you! I'm excited to absorb so many new ideas and perspectives!
@greyeyed123
I'm not so sure as reality I've seen is somehow subjective to opinion, as facts are hidden or distorted.
But maybe that's because I've been paying to much attention to politics and not the sciences I was taught in school.
To say Christians don’t explore new ideas is a ignorant and a bit ironic. That being said reality is relative to everyone’s experiences.
@@NinaR478 Reality is what it is. It is not relative to experiences. The Pew research poll indicates atheists know more about all religions than even religious people do (even about their own religion).
I went through the same thing. After my sister died from cancer my mom got crazier with Christianity and my dad became a minister. I went to homeschool religious co-op groups and the whole 9 yards too.
Wow, that is really similar, I'm sorry you had to go through that too. I hope my video helped you realize there are people out there who can relate to your experiences. Thank you for watching and sharing your story! :)
The institutions of cult and religions make it extremely painful to leave. Congratulations on your success.
Loved the video! I always enjoy hearing what brought people to deconstruction and deconversion. I'm glad to hear you have found your way to the path of logic and reason!
Thanks so much! I'm glad you liked it :)
Many people don't "arrive" at who they really are until their 30s. You've got a head start!
My philosophy over many more decades has been to leave the door open to learning: once you slam that door closed with an "I know," or "I believe," you're dead from the neck up.
It's hard to question one's assumptions and beliefs, but that hard work is SO worthwhile and even joyful. The more we practice this, the more liberating it is.
I agree, that's a great philosophy! Thanks so much for watching my video :)
Thank you so much for sharing your story. Everything you said is so well put, and I can relate to all of it. I had the same amazing relief once I realized I was an atheist! ❤
Thanks for sharing Jake!
Thanks for watching! :D
Just saw this vis. I can relate a lot. Thanks for your story and honesty. Greatly edited also.
Thank you so much! I appreciate your watching and commenting :)
Duuuude I relate to your story so much!
Like you I grew up with a very filtered view of the world and was mainly only exposed to christian ideologies, and I was homeschooled for six years.
I "got saved" when I was seven and followed it with all my heart for the following 26 years.
When I "woke up" (lol as I call it) at 33, I was in a baaad place for a while, as I realized I had lived my entire life for something that didn't exist.
I've not only missed out on so much, but it's so much more painful because I missed out on things I "chose" to turn away, all for gawd.
I spent all my prime years turning away soooooo many things, including my passion and lifelong dreams of film as well as turning away someone who felt like the love of my life (since I felt like he was pulling me away from gawd).
All in the name of something that didn't exist.
It felt like I'd been building a skyscraper building my entire life, and that building finally collapsed.
And there I was, under the rubble, thinking it had killed me.
But, as I lied there under the rubble, I began to crawl my way through, and found my way toward sunshine.
Once I got out of the rubble, battered and bruised, but finding my footing, I slowly began to heal (from all the pain and damage that religion had done on me, that went deeper than I ever imagined).
Once I began to heal, I began to spread my wings in this new world.
And it's been Incredible.
I feel like a fucking phoenix, who had thought she had died in the fire but actually emerged as something more beautiful and bolder than she ever was before.
Metaphors are my life btw, lol.
I'm impressed that you managed to keep this video less than 12 minutes, I'm not sure I could sum things up that briefly. Good job.
I'm so glad you got liberated from the chains and endless mindgames of religion!!!!! Much love!!!
Also, subscribed! I look forward to checking out the rest of your channel. :D
Wow, I really appreciate you sharing your own experiences! We had a pretty similar journey it sounds like - and it wasn't an easy one. Congrats on finding your way through it all!
Thanks for subscribing and welcome to my channel! This video was actually 90 minutes when I was finally done recording it, so you can see why it definitely needed editing 😆
@@atheistjake Wow thanks for the nice reply, lol I wasn't expecting one (I see you have like over 2,000 comments on this video).
Well hallelujah for two ppl that found their way outta religion, and it's been encouraging how many ppl I've found on TH-cam who have shared their deconstruction story too.
Maybe I'll share mine some day.
Have a good day yo!!! Glad I found your channel. :)
@@atheistjake Oh and the 90 minute part, that sounds more like what I'd expect, haha. Well huge kudos for figuring out how to condense it to less than 12 minutes. :D
A lot of those comments are mine probably... I'm still not past the point of reading and (usually) replying to every comment I get 😅
If you ever do make a video about your own experiences, let me know! I'd love to give it a watch 😁
@@atheistjake A lot of those comments are yours probably, bahaha. Thas great.
I feel ya on that, I'm about in the same boat too (my channel is less than a third the size of yours, so I typically respond to most of my comments too haha).
And will do, if I ever film my becoming atheist story, I'll let ya know. :)
I grew up in the Pentecostal faith being a gay guy as far back as I can remember. I have tried to change but that change never came. I finally gave up on things and just decided to live life as I am.
Your faith was faith-based... yep, can relate. I've been deconverted now for about 25 years, although I didn't use the term "atheist" for the first 10 years. It's an incredibly difficult transition to make. Even after all these years, I still face challenges. When psychologists say the first 5 years are the most formative in a child's life, they aren't kidding.
Well said. Thanks for watching my video! I'm glad other people can relate, and have found their way out like I did 🙂
Religion really is based on fear and guilt like you said.
I admire your courage and ability to communicate your sincere thoughts on the subject of faith. I am 69 and as a child, I was baptised Catholic without my consent. I attended Catholic schools and experienced the worst treatment from the Priests and Nuns who in their eyes were closer to God because of their status. At the age of nine, I got baptized simply because of the fear of going to hell. I just wanted to fit in a world of deception and lies. The one thing that struck me odd was Adam and Eve getting banished simply because they ate the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge. I had a different opinion that God punished Humankind simply for acquiring knowledge. That did it for me! The Trinity, celebration of the Crucifixion, Santa Clause, the Easter Bunny etc. I had so many questions at a very young age that were never answered but was ridiculed and punished for asking. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and keep seeking knowledge!
Thank you for sharing as well! I'm glad you found your way out of that harmful system 😁
I'm sorry to hear about the pain you had to go through.
As an atheist myself, I find great consolation in not fearing that anyone just might go to hell.
Some christians seem to think that the thought of death is the scariest part of not believing. I think it's the best. The joy of heaven doesn't excuse the fear of hell, or even a single person going there to suffer forever.
I hope your life will be full of joy :)
Thank you so much! Your comment genuinely made my day better 😁 I also agree that death, and appreciating the shortness of our experiences here, is what makes life so precious. Thanks again for watching my video!
I spent the whole quarantine time and nowI realize a couple of years prior coming to the conclusion I had lost my faith. I had so many mixed emotions. Until I heard Seth Andrews "The Thinking Atheist" and a couple former Christian youtubers. I have a complicated relationship with Christianity bc I loved it yet it kept me from really knowing who "I" was. Bc that woman did not line up with my faith. I am more of a "Christian". Whatever that means as an Atheist than I ever was as a believer. Its a scary yet liberating experience. I look fwd too hearing more about this journey. U r already living your truth. Congrats.
That's a really great way of putting it! Thanks so much for sharing. I hope you keep growing and finding more of yourself in the future! 😁
I left religion over 15 years ago. One of the best decisions I made. Living without religion is so freeing! I am very happy. I decided to not raise my children with religion so they would be free from all of the guilt and shame I once felt. I am so glad I did. Doing so, has allowed them to be their true authentic selves. Something I was not able to do until I was well into my 30s
That's such a heartwarming comment! I'm so glad you found your way out, and I'm sure your kids are too! :)
Been reading down comments here for a while..but decided to pause here, with a little reply for some reason.. I'm a 70 yo mom, grandmom, and great grandmom as well..I was raised in the Church but never forced to go..My parents were Christians who went off and on..( As my Dads job required international travel every 2 weeks..) ...but mostly I was taken and dropped off simply because I just wanted go..I loved Sunday school and church camps etc..Can't remember not believing in Jesus or the Bible as the true Word of God, from a child..I finally drifted away from church attendance while in High School, but sill a believer through graduation..I had walked aisles, been baptized, etc..but finally after High School I had a 'personal and life changing encounter with Christ, that transformed my life forever!!..' I would love to tell all of the details here, but it would be quite time consuming.. I'd just like to say that I'm so glad I was raised as a Christian, though it was a "religious experience" until I got "born again, of the Spirit of Christ" at 18!! Many leaving religion, are doing just that it seems.. They never entered into that living personal relationship with God, through surrender to Jesus as Lord, that's available to all by God's faith..I believed in my heart that God raised Jesus from the dead ..but had never confessed him OUT LOUD WITH MY MOUTH, AS LORD..When I finally did that, I had such a supernatural encounter with him!!! And have KNOWN and have loved him, ever since!! (Some 50 plus years ago now!!..) I'm not saying I haven't been down many paths..no perfect Christian here..but my heart as always been his special dwelling place and my body is his Holy Temple..He lives in me and 'makes himself known', as my constant companion and friend..My dear Lord Jesus, ..through his Holy Spirit within!! I could no more walk away from him at any time, than I could be physically unborn!!! I've been born of his Spirit and can assure you he's real!! And he is the only true way to salvation!! ..I was born again exactly like Romans 10: 8-10 says.."Behold the word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that is the word of faith which we preach..That if you will confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved..For with the heart man believes unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."!!!
Sorry for losing your brother Jake! Yes for me it was this "Anything which causes Fear and Anxiety Avoid".. çheers from Australia ❤️
Much love, brother. Hoping to see your videos now and then.
Thanks so much! :)
Thank you for sharing this, Jake. Subscribed and looking forward to more content!
Thank you so much! I can't wait to post my next video in just a few days :D
@@atheistjake I was a YEC, too. Grew up in southeast Michigan and was almost obsessed with Kent Hovind when I was a kid 😆
Oh nooo! Kent Hovind was the reason my Christian girlfriend broke up with me when I became an atheist hahaha
@@atheistjake Please see Viced Rhino for the "anti-Eric Hovind". His channel name is an anagram of Eric's name. He and Paulogia are really into showing the fallacies of the Hovind claims.
Oh dang, that's a genius name! I'm gonna check him out asap haha
thanks for making this video. i actually really needed to hear something like this right now.
Thank you for watching! I hope you found my video interesting and enjoyable :)
@@atheistjake i did! i’m deconverting right now so it’s kinda hard to realize that i don’t believe something that used to be a huge part of my life. seeing stories like this helps me realize that i’m not the only person who goes through something like this.
Yeah, these kinds of videos really helped me too! I'm glad my video could help show you another perspective. If you ever have any questions for an atheist, feel free to message me on my Instagram or Twitter! My tag is @atheistjake on all platforms :)
@@atheistjake ok i will reach out if i need to. thanks jake 👍🏾.
"Agape Love" bro, or sis. The caged bird has been taught that flying is abnormal. The delusion of certainty that religion provides is hard not to cling too. And any scourging from those whom you have trusted is harsh, as they tend to forget the words to "forgive them for they know not what they do" even as YOU actually have to do that for them. A popular atheist quote is "It is easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled". And so it goes, generation after generation Santa Claus and god.... You have done a great thing by stopping that.
Well said, Jake. I'm a 75 yr old lifelong Christian who gave it all up in the last year. There's so much peace in living a life of reason rather than believing in the unreasonable. Thanks!
You might have given up on God, but God hasn't given up on you. So many NDE's like Bryan Melvin's 'What Comes Next Will Shock You' and 'the Hidden Code in Genesis 1:1' prove the truth of the Christianity. You can always examine the evidence and change again, it's never too late... you have until after your last breath... after that then it really is too late.
I haven't given up on God. He doesn't exist.@@ristonalaimo5048
Hi Jake, thank you for sharing your story. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother.
It's nice to find another ex-homeschooler on TH-cam :) Looking forward to watching more of your videos!
Thanks so much for watching! I need more fellow ex-fundamental homeschooler content in my life, I'm subbing to your channel rn! :D
Can’t wait to see more from you! I subscribed. :) yay for more atheists.
Hillary, who is Jesus Christ to you?
Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts on your deconversion.
Thank YOU for watching!
@@atheistjake I find deconversion stories fascinating...do you have any favourite atheist deconversion stories that helped you in your journey?
A couple I really liked were from Evid3nc3 and a British TH-cam atheist called Theramin Trees who appears to be little known in the USA.
Hmm... I don't really know if this counts, but I loved Julia Sweeny's "Letting Go of God" performance, and I thought she did a great job of working through all different sorts of religious beliefs on her way to a secular worldview. I have it added to my Atheism 101 playlist on my channel, for anyone who's interested! :)
@@atheistjake thanks I will take a look 👍
So happy that you are free now! I am sad that you had that experience but happy you escaped. Faith has many meanings and some people seem to need it for reasons I can’t understand. I’m inspired by your bravery and appreciate you sharing it with me.
Thank you so much! I hope more people will feel comfortable being known as atheists in the future as well :)
@@atheistjake I think not only will more people be more positively impacted but the spotlight on the terrible things resulting from the radical religious movements is making their gifts less possible. No true god of any kind should be so awful to it’s followers. I believe only horrible humans can be so evil to other humans.
Well-said! Thanks again for checking out my video!
Hi Jake, I so enjoyed hearing your story. Your honesty, sincerity and integrity are impressive. Well done. I too was AG, spent some time in AG ministry in the 80s, but de-converted in 1990. Letting go of a stack of beliefs that are not true has made life better for me in every way. Yes, the truth does set you free. All the best to you in your effort to help others break free.
So what are the "beliefs that are not true," if you don't mind me asking?
Really interesting to hear your story.
I'm always left wondering what sort of God needs to "test" his children?
I've heard all sorts of "excuses" for this, none of which have provided me with a satisfactory answer. But, that's religion for you!
That is a really good question! I couldn't imagine testing my wife's faithfulness to me, that would be so manipulative. I can see how any excuse for that would sound like special pleading.
I can relate to this story. Reading the bible multiple times and looking into church history honestly has pushed many others, like myself to Atheism. No more praying to
Thanks so much for watching! I'm glad you were able to look at your beliefs honestly and find a better path!
Your honesty and humility are truly impressive!
You are a truly beautiful human being.
Stay curious and continue to question everything.
Religion loves self-doubt but hates intellectual curiosity.
Thank you so much! This was so encouraging to read :)
@@atheistjake
Just watched your video again.
You reminded me of the first time I drove a car after I had passed the driving test.
No longer being dependent on someone else to carry me and not having an instructor sitting next to me. It felt incredibly life affirming to be able to maneuver this vehicle and go wherever I wanted. The sense of personal responsibility and liberty were huge. (I was only 18. No siblings, only my mother).
Many people in life are unwilling to step outside their comfort zones. They will stay with what is familiar. In some societies like in parts of your country (the US?) leaving religion can have huge consequences as well.
I am now 63 and have been a very content atheist for about 28 years!
I'm ex Mormon, Seventh-day Adventist and Church of England. I also had an interest in Zen Buddhism for a while and even though it's atheistic I never became religious. I still draw "inspiration" from Zen philosophy. Found Marcus Aurelius about 10 years ago and the Stoic philosophy is very attractive as well as Epicurus and other ancient Greek and Roman philosophers. I don't adhere to any particular philosophy. Just dip my toes every now and then.
The voyage of discovery is actually quite exciting, especially after removing the shackles of religious indoctrination.
Always new things to learn in philosophy and science.
In Isaac Newton's day "science" was called "natural philosophy".
Lawrence Krauss told me that I'm made of stardust which came from exploding stars. Far more amazing than the Adam and Eve story.
I could go on for hours. Sorry.
Aww, another great comment to read! I'm impressed by your experience, and I hope to be in a similar place in my future as well. Thank you for sharing, I appreciate the kind words! :)
As a Christian, I appreciate your humility in talking about this and for sharing your reasons. I have wrestled with my beliefs for a long time. And that has been a form of satisfaction. Like Jacob in the Old Testament, we're encouraged to wrestle with God. To wrestle with who we are. To wrestle with the truth. I recommend, if you haven't already, reading "The Reason for God" by Timothy Keller, and the works of C.S Lewis as well.
For me, when I look at the scriptures, the sheer number of copies that are available, and their harmony with one another I can see that there is something (almost) supernatural about their preservation (both Old Testament and New). 66 books written over thousands of years, with stories and themes that reference each other in a hyperlinked fashion that are rooted in historical events that are backed up by a lot of archeology.
Then you have Jesus. The man who was born in obscurity that has made more impact on human history than anyone has come close to. The arguments for his existence, his miracles, and his resurrection are too compelling for me to ignore.
Consciousness, morality, the fine-tuning of the universe, our love for art and beauty, etc are also compelling arguments to me about God.
I do agree there are a lot things I don't know. Does the earth have to be strictly 6,000 years old for the Bible to be true like young earth creationists say? No I don't think so. It could be true. But if its not it doesn't disprove the Bible (parts of Genesis are in fact in poetic language).
Also, I think it was a mistake if you were taught that people who aren't Christians are not "good" people. The fact is, if Christianity is true, is that we all need a Savior. So if the behavior of atheists and non-Christians are better than some Christians that shouldn't be surprising.
Christians are flawed and often self-righteous. Which is a shame. That's not a result of them being too Christian, that's a result of them not being Christian enough.
Anyway, I hope you continue to seek the truth, no matter where it leads.
I want so hard to believe but I feel like God is ok with my pain and suffering if He ignores my constant prayer...And I don't understand how a God that loves me would do that. I feel like I'm just talking to myself when I pray.
I know how you feel. Why do you feel like you need to believe in a god in the first place?
@@atheistjake I dunno so that I don't suffer? So that things go right in life?
If you choose to follow God then do it but no one is promised a life of rainbows. We will have trials, life is hard.
I’m glad that you ended by saying that these changes have made your life better. Religious people don’t seem to be able to fathom this point
Exactly!
Really good video, friend. I'm really sorry to hear about your brother. I relate to pretty much everything you've said because I had a pretty similar journey in the more that I learned, the less I could hold onto the beliefs I had, which eventually led me to atheism. I was also inspired to start a channel to share my perspective on theology and philosophy. We should get together sometime. I love connecting with other small content creators.
Thank you so much! I'm checking out your channel right now haha. Be on the lookout for a comment from me, or feel free to connect on social media! :)
As a kinda new atheist myself( 3 months coming up on Oct 28 ) I enjoyed this story. And glad to see it’s working out. It may seem difficult at first and take time as well but at the end of the day YOU’VE BECOME WHO YOU WANTED TO BE!!!!!! Great powerful story
Edit: btw I was agnostic before but for only a few weeks before transitioning over to atheism, so from being born as a Christian to switching to agnos 30 years later for a few weeks ish to now atheist as of July 28 2022, ‘‘twas a great journey for me
Btw I’m 30 1/2 so better yet late than ever.
I did not leave due to an issue with a family member but as you said in the latter part of your story on the question authority, authorship, and scriptural issues such as violence, anger, hate/evil on non believers, and eternal punishment from a supposed to be a ever loving creator Father and His Son. Began questioning in my early teens by my late teens I have left but not without anger from family for turning my back on Jesus and getting deceived by the devil and my own trauma and fear of eternal damnation or eternal hell. Yes I am a much better humanistic person than been in a religion such as followers of Jesus aka Cult of Jesus, yes question, and question without any fear which will ultimately lead you to become a better loving compassionate person. You are a brave man been born into a Pentecostal family, I was a Fundie who took the Scripture literally, very similar to yours.
Thank you for watching and sharing your story! I'm sorry you received backlash from your family over your decision, but I can relate to a lot of the same beliefs you walked away from. Keep it up, you've got a lot of welcoming atheists here to support you! :)
I really relate to a lot of what you said here. I've been an atheist for about the same amount of time as you (3 years) after being a Christian for about the same amount of time as you (20 years). It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders!
Yes, exactly! I appreciate you watching my video and sharing your story! :)
Meghan, who is Jesus Christ to you?
@@Psalms-fr8yy One of many apocalyptic preachers who were alive during that time who amassed a following. Jesus was not God, but a normal human man like every other man.
@@meghanworkman6449 where did you learn this?
@@Psalms-fr8yy I don't remember one specific place or person I "learned" this from. It's more that, after all of my research, prayer (yes, I did pray fervently to God to help me strengthen and keep my faith) study and thinking, that is just one of the conclusions I came to.
Realizing that we don't have to claim to know everything was very liberating for me, too. It's one of the worst things I think I experienced from the church - instilling in me the fear of dying, eternal suffering, etc. when I was just a kid and didn't have the capacity to question it. I'm glad to have found this video.
It really is. I wish I had learned that lesson a lot earlier too. Thanks for sharing!
Hey! Thanks so much for this video. I grew up catholic and left the church for a while. I tried atheism and it didnt work for me but Im glad it works for you. I believe we are all on different journeys I appreciate this heartfelt story. It gave me more perspective of what not to do as a catholic. I sometimes feel more connected to my atheist friends because they think beyond boundaries. I could never find myself to be part of a more evangelical/ fundamentalist protestant group. In my view if I wanna follow a religion, I want to follow something that has deep rooted history, not 500 years of existence. I wish the best for you ❤️
Thank you for watching, and I appreciate your honesty! I hope more people can see atheists the way you do too :)
Good for you Jake! Best of luck
Thank you so much! I'm excited to help more people like me with my videos! :)
A god who threatens to torture you for all eternity unless you believe he exists, entirely based on _faith,_ has to be evil beyond belief! Or at least very, very, unreasonable!
Or non existent
yes sadistic, evil.
sin is unreasonable
Also hell was not originally meant for people anyway its meant for the devil and his angels its our choice if we choose to go there. And its much more than believing he exists.
@@SFayeLewis _"hell was not originally meant for people anyway its meant for the devil and his angels"_
So why is God sending people there?
The story of doubting Thomas demonstrates very clearly that any kind of scientific inquiry is frowned upon.
The principle virtue is absolute faith without questioning whether something is actually true.
Doubt or skepticism is seen as the opposite of faith and therefore is seen as something which should be avoided or if it can't be avoided should be seen as part of the journey towards ultimate union with God.
The road to atheism is paved with bibles that have been critically read by believers.
Thanks for sharing your personal journey out of religious bondage into the true liberation of Freethought.
Thank you so much! That line reminds me of a great quote by Andrew Seidel: "The road to atheism is littered with Bibles that have been read cover to cover." :)
Wishing you all the best on your new path Jake. The perpetuation of ancient religions in modern society constitutes one of the most egregious frauds/confidence schemes ever perpetrated on humanity.
That was very well-written, thank you so much!
Growing out of the Christian doctrine can be a traumatic, lonely and confusing experience in an of it self. Thanks for sharing your story. I can relate heavily with your experience. Keep some faith in love and compassion - these are the main takeaways from the bible that I think actually explain the human experience. Atheist or not, I think there is a certain level of transcendence in that message. However, all the guilt tripping and talk of human sacrifice can and maybe should be thrown out.
Thank you, that's good advice! I agree that there is good to be found in parts of the Bible, I just disagree on how and why it's perceived as good. We don't need a god to be good to each other! :)
What a great video. Thank you for sharing your story and for starting this channel. 💚
Thank you so much! This made my day :)
I'm so sorry you lost your brother 💙 I hope your mum is doing better although I can't begin to imagine her pain.
You don’t need faith when you have evidence.
Faith is what makes every sort of scam artists and conmen to thrive.
Very level headed, non-emotional reasoning. Also it's especially interesting that you used critical thinking as a means of coping with your brothers death instead of moving to extremist views as your parents have. I wonder to what degree you'd believe the same now if you hadn't gone through what you did?
Thanks man! I think I probably would've arrived at a similar conclusion tbh, since my questions surrounding religion started even before my brother's diagnosis. I remember both him and I used to talk a lot about our thoughts on church and our beliefs, so if he was still around today, I wouldn't be surprised if the both of us were hosting this channel!
Sorry to hear of your brother. I had worked as an oncology RN for a number of years, and your story hits home to me. As a deconstructed Xian for many years I concur with your feelings of freedom from christianity. I strongly believe in religious freedom which also includes freedom that goes beyond christianity. Anyway, all the best!!
Thank you, I appreciate your kind words! I'm a big proponent of religious freedom as well, so I know we would get along even if we don't agree 😄
Greetings, I strangely feel on to this video but I have always been interested in hearing other people stories specially those who are different from mine. I grew up in a christian home but I have always been skeptic of religion. I have studied and earned my law degree in a catholic university but I have never took religion seriously. Now I’m in my late 30s and fully embraced christianity for almost a decade now. The reason why I’m here is both of us had the same struggle and questions about faith but my experience with asking the same question resulted differently. It lead me to a greater understanding of God. I hope one day as you continue your journey in finding sense and meaning that you will revisit your thoughts on Jesus.
Hang in there Jake, there are many people out there with a very similar story... "Kind of refreshing"... at: 10:06...
Thanks so much! I can't wait to meet more amazing people in the atheist community!
Thanks for sharing your story. I really resonate with everything you said and have only recently de -converted in the last couple of years during my mid-20s. How do you find the transition was from being a Christian to living in the ‘outside world’? I sometimes feel like a little child again learning how to just be ‘normal’ and reshaping my beliefs and values. I feel like I’m behind my peers who weren’t religious in terms of expression, life experience, and being comfortable in your own self. Would love to hear your thoughts and experiences!
Thanks for watching my video! Honestly, you pretty much summed it up for me too. I felt like I had so much catching up to do on music, movies, games, and all sorts of other stuff. Sometimes it would feel overwhelming to be taking in so much so fast, but I'm glad I'm out now 😁👍 Thanks for the question, happy to chat more too!
Thanks for sharing your story. I am glad that you saw your way out of Christianity and also for not just jumping into another religion. I left Christianity in 1990 and I still study the Bible. I am still amazed at the things I did not see in the Bible because I read it with "faith". Cheers.
Thank you so much! I definitely want to keep reading the Bible and analyzing the arguments that apologists give. Cheers to you too!
Congratulations for breaking free of the spell. Welcome to freedom.
Its not witchraft so it isnt a spell. Now if he left new age then you could say that.