Tim Mills is one of the best interviewers I’ve seen. Actively listens, allows space, asks very thoughtful questions, allows the other to answer, no visible urges to interrupt. This is pure kindness. A gift to the person being interviewed. Amazing skill to watch and learn from.
I just left Christianity about a month ago at the age of 59. Thank you so much Tim M. and Tim S. I grew up in a very religious family of ministers and missionaries and I have not told them. (That will be a very difficult conversation!) I came to recognize the absurdity of the Christian religion through years of serving in ministry and "seeing behind the curtin," but the nail in the coffin came after 5 years of biblical and theological studies at the college level. Your conversation in this video helps me tremendously and I am so grateful there are people like you speaking out for the truth. Please keep sharing these conversations, there are many, many people out there like me.
Why are so many going to these bible colleges leaving the religion? What are you seeing “behind the curtain?” Hypocrites? Hypo - under, Crites - judgment. Hypocrites pretend to be nice and good because they do not want to be judged by the law. All the while the law they are under causes them to sin behind the curtain. But this is not Christianity. It is legalism - adherence to some law and legalism is practiced by all world religions - except true Christianity! In Christ, we are not under law. We are under grace. You have missed Christianity!
Raised a christian but rejected Christianity in my late 20's. At 69, I am happy & live life w/o the guilt associated with being a believer. When people find out I am (black)atheist, they are shocked, 'really? But u are so nice' . Thanks for sharing ur story.
What if both are right Like if a person doesn’t need/want God…there is no… But, for others, there is…even if only because he or she wants/needs God As I live life, some could say I have created this life…others might say I live the hand I’m dealt Even if all the suffering leads someone to God does it even matter if there is one or not if it’s working for them Just as it is a person who does not accept God…so be it. They win too. Why? Because they’ve got what they wanted That’s a pretty good God if there is one To give freely Amen
They’re shocked when black people aren’t into religion of any sort because most black people are heavily into worshipping religion. They are either Christians, Muslim, Islam, Or Hebrew Israelites or Woke African Consciousness racist cults. It’s all fake and BS.
This is very Sad... I came across this video that two men were talking about Tim Sledge . I am a new Chrisian and I have to say I've been through many atheist anxiety attacks. PrOFoUND nothing Could be more devastating then to hear this story. Praying for you to come back and fight with me this world needs you. Nice to meet you . Amen
I know this is a year old but this video has helped me more than any other thing I’ve watched or read since leaving my Southern Baptist upbringing. His story is almost exactly what I was going through, almost at exactly the same time. I’ve never felt more validated. Thank you, Tim.
This is one of the best interviews I have heard in some time. I left the JW cult one year ago after 40 years of slavery. Channels like yours help more than you know.
I was born into Catholicism but got sucked into the Worldwide Church of God at age 20, where I went down the rabbit hole for 22 years. Many parallels to the JW organization btw. Church free since 1996. Many parallels to Tim and Tim’s stories too. Feeling rejected and pushed around when I wasn’t a Yes Man, being shunned when l finally quietly walked away, divorce, rebuilding from scratch. A good point mentioned here - you are stronger than you think. Thanks gentlemen.
Was born into the Worldwide Church of God. Herbert W. Armstrong...was a false prophet. It took me years to shed his influence. However...I must say, I do not equate being misled by a false prophet, that that means there is no God. There is a Creator/Designer. I just don't believe in "organized religion". Just because a "man" claims to be of God, certainly does not mean God has anything to do with him. That goes for any organized religion. I am not going to blame God...because the Catholic religion misled me...or the Jehovas Witnesses misled me. Or the Mormon religion. I don't believe God has anything to do with ANY organized religion. That is the real tragedy I see. So many in an organized religion, come to see the falseness of it...and then abandon God altogether. A true tragedy there. I've never equated a false teacher, with God. It is not God's fault...any of us are misled by some organized religion. I wish more people could see that. One doesn't have to attend a specific church or religion...to believe in a Creator/Designer.
I was forced into the worldwide church of god when I was a kid. I had to leave home at age 15 to get away from it. I’m so glad that more people seem to be finding their way out of life-destroying apocalyptic doomsday cults
As an ex Jehovahs witness, I was born in. My wife and I left 3 years ago it's amazing to hear these stories and how they sound just like the JW faith. What people don't realize is the JW'S have you under a F.O.G. Fear, Obligation, and Guilt. When I started to research the religion, I found out I was in a cult. Now, it sounds like religion as a whole is a cult. I noticed that the higher I was moving up the ranks, the less I saw God's hand in serious issues. I only saw men making decisions, and the Bible was a side note. The organization's handbook was more relied on than the scriptures itself. My conscience wouldn't allow me to stay. I'm so much happier now I'm spiritual but definitely not religious.
Tim baptized me in West Houston at his successful church when I was 9. I want him to know that I love him, and I'm sorry you had those experiences. I too am now an atheist. Thank you for being so open and vulnerable.
@slhkslhk2998atheists don’t believe your claims. Whether you are religious or not religious you have to find your own meaning in life or none at all. I know plenty of religious people who see no particular meaning in their life. It’s not a product of religion or atheism.
Thank you for your channel. I am 68 yrs old and just woke up to the truth 2 yrs ago, although I left church in 2016 and vowed to never go back. I do wish there was someone in my area that I knew who has also left. I’m also going to hell according to my friends. My husband is concerned, but doesn’t say anything. We were also Pastors and I was in many areas of ministry.
Would love to hear your story. Well done on leaving the nonsense behind. Hell's where all the good stuff happens. It's got the best people and is never boring.
Oh my word!! This was deeeelish! You two carried me through my shopping and my ride home! I, too, continually ask my self how/why I was so blind to everything that now appears so clearly?! Why did I go “up down staircases”; by faith?!😫 My joy overflows with the fact that the scales, TRULY, have been removed from my eyes! Asante sana. 😌 Think I” chillax and listen again. 😉
I spent about 25-30 years in fundamental Christianity and the thing that bothers me the worst is that I held backyard Bible clubs to try to indoctrinate the neighborhood children. It always felt wrong somehow. I totally would rather have been teaching them about nature.
Sad you thought you had to say indoctrinate...when all Jesus said was love one another that and teaching nature would have been Gods work, too bad you did not see that
@aromaofhope I’m with you there. I lived at and worked for a Bible camp for several years. That is now the biggest regret of my life. I wasn’t involved much with the kids myself (I was the maintenance guy) but still, to look back at my life and see that I spent years of my life making sure that other people were able to teach 10 year olds that their parents would be tortured forever if they failed to convert them…. How? How could I not see how terrible that was?
@@piratessalyx7871 Really? "Love one another" is ALL Jesus is purported to have said? Doesn't the gospels have him saying many other things? Its convenient to cherry pick passages and act like that's all the Bible says. I too did desperate things to hang on to my faith- but I finally- like Tim Sledge- had the courage to admit there is no intentional, supernatural deity that has any control over what happens every day. Took me 40 years to finally admit that. In the meantime- I cherry picked verses and lived in denial too.
@@dmichael100 fine, guess you will find out one day, and Jesus and God both have said love one another, do unto others as you would have done unto yourself….just these two alone, if only every person followed that, the world would be in a different place now wouldn’t it? And of course God doesn’t run the world like a corporation….he gave us free will, and we have decided to muck it all up, due to narcissism, greed, hate and power hungry beings! Good Luck!
This story truly impacted me. I freed myself from Christianity and separated myself from a very religious family. I can now be open to be who I truly am and enjoy life instead of yearning to be in “heaven”.
It sure might as well be? How could a loving honest God act like a evil delinquent deciding he will take who he want's (the Elect) and through away or burn every one else he didn't elect in Hell burning for eternity..
It's human nature in some degree I think, to want to belong, follow and please a higher being. Maria Bamford (one of my favorite comedians) wrote a book called "Sure, I'll join your cult." 😅 We need to feel community without religion or a demigod.
It takes a big man to leave Christianity after so long and especially after being a Pastor. It only took me only a year to realize that Christianity wasn’t for me. Wow, is all I can say. Thank you Mr. (Dr?) Sledge for having the courage to leave and sharing your story with us. ❤
i see you like children talking about dividing the world in atheist and religion such ignorance inocense , its a shame , think to much and talk to much never really having any real emptiness to let the truth come in always dividing.
I really enjoyed and received a great deal from this conversation. I left jesus maybe about 1 year or so ago. I grieved that i bought into the lie and that i have judged and placed non believers in hell because of the "truth" . I still in my heart ask for my own forgiveness that i did that 😢. Thank GOODNESS That i didnt spend my whole life in that lie...
Great interview Tim. So glad you allowed Tim S space for those long form responses. Wow, I could listen to Tim S tell a story for days. He knows how to connect and tell a story. Plus his voice is smooth, and his Texan draw and slightly slower pace is like a warm day at the beach for my ears and brain. ❤
I thank both of you Tim's for sharing your very real and personal experiences with us. As an active Christian I want to apologize for the way you both were treated. It is shameful that people would treat you both in this way. On behalf of them, I genuinely ask for your forgiveness for their lack of love and respect for you. I will also add that I would love to have conversations with either of you. Not to try and convince you otherwise, but to show genuine care and involvement in your life. Your life and your heart matters. ❤
Great interview. Inspiring and encouraging.... (even after I've been free from Christianity for 31 years, I'm 64 now ) it is still wonderful to hear these stories. Tim Sledge's story is especially encouraging to me. Such a transparent, authentic, humble and kind person. Thanks for the interview. Former Christians , especially former ministers, are some of the greatest people on earth.. Family.
I also deconstructed around the age of 30. Am 64. The term " deconstruction wasn't used yet and I went thru it alone. When I told my closest friends they, over time, rejected me. That part hurt very much. I became much more at peace later. But I live the the south ( bible belt territory , and am older now. My current social circle doesn't know I'm a non Christian.. It's hard to find like minded people in a small southern town. Can't bring myself to commit "social suicide's twice in my life. My question to all former believers is,...why do some of us deconvert and others not?
Wrong. For any pdf file atheist woman, whether or not something or someone is bad, all comes down to how much a convenience that thing or that person is to the pdf file atheist. So, for example, a pdf file atheist women who sleeps around and gets pregnant, that baby is an inconvenience, and any inconvenience in atheist religion is dealt with by the death penalty. We see this in anything pdf file atheists do, for example, christians were an inconvenience to mao too.
Fellow deconstructed Wheaton alum here. This was fantastic. At Wheaton late 80's early 90's it was generally known the students were on average more conservative than the faculty, while the board of trustees, the alumni and the big donors were more conservative than either students or faculty. Of course conservative v liberal in those circles is still a relative term. My favorite professor came to Wheaton from UNC Chapel Hill and he liked to joke that without changing any of his beliefs or opinions he had gone from being embarrasingly traditional and conservative at UNC, to a perceived wild eyed liberal at Wheaton. Thanks to Tim Sledge for sharing his story and to both Tims for the great, insightful and encouraging conversation .
Many of us who left the church realized finally that we were just trying to be a good boy/girl. I escaped when I re-parented my inner child. That’s when I realized I didn’t need Jesus to save me any longer. I saved myself.
This has been a wonderful conversation. I am fortunate that I was raised by an atheist father and mother who believed in reincarnation. But, I was sent to Protestant Sunday School and we celebrated (secularly) Christian holidays. I declared myself to be an atheist as a teenager. You can imagine the horror of my classmates in the 1960s! “You’re the kind of person who undermines society!” I asked my father why they made me go to Sunday School. He said it was because you could accept the morality (Golden Rule) without the myth. I am almost 75, married to the only husband for 54 years. My life has been rich and fulfilling without religion. I consider myself an agnostic now as the older I get the more I recognize how little we know. I embrace the idea of a collective unconscious. I do not believe in the Bible or organized religion. Everything you said about the loving God torturing people (for what???) and allowing babies to be born with horrible defects which he could cure, or giving unconditional love while imposing lots of conditions, nothing against child abuse or rape in the 10 commandments… Brainwash children while they have not developed their brain and frighten them with the threat of burning for eternity. That’s how people become indoctrinated into a religion. It takes a very brave person to put aside this early teaching and see the truth. ❤ Shirley
Thank you for your program. Many thanks. For a religion that’s supposed to liberate, for 31 years I felt ashamed, guilty, sinful, should be suffering and the devil is always around the corner or under some stone. Thanks once again.
I have been a Christian all my life (70 yrs). After my de-conversion experience which shook my core like severe earthquake, I found my peace in Spinoza who said, the universal laws of nature and the eternal decrees of God are one and the same thing.
Thank you both for this great and honest interview! I was a teen believer, born in Houston, TX thoroughly indoctrinated and engaged in my faith, briefly Southern Baptist, then non-denominational, but heavy into Campus ministry, including 1 stateside and 2 international mission trips, through my college years, then stagnant for 2 decades, pleasantly distracted by kids. I have spent the past 5 years working and building on my deconversion, as eager as I was when I was a new believer. Special thanks to Hitchens, Dawkins, Gervais😉, Dan Barker, Freedom From Religion Foundation and others. I'd also like to give a shout out to Trump (hear me out) for the added eye-opening, jaw dropping realization that this age-old story is probably the longest surviving myth of them all, a true testimony of human capacity for believing something into reality. We are born with curiosity, not a "god-shaped" vacuum. I think y'all touched on this some, but it seems to me that all religions depend on and take great advantage of the basic human need to belong. I have always been persuaded, my beliefs reinforced, by well-educated people of faith. I don't think these seemingly wise individuals have seen or considered the consequences of their misguided influence. It's not faith, it's coercion. But, I also think it's a human frailty and tradition to fill in the blank rather than live with an open, curious, questioning mind. I remember the warm fuzzy feeling of a shared belief, especially one that is the truth, and therefore making all the others wrong. I totally agree that indoctrination of children is a form of abuse, in a way, robbing them of a chance to develop their thinking skills. I think this in turn has an unpleasant undermining of our cultural and societal intelligence. Although I still struggle with whether or not to "come out" to my old posse, I am finally beginning to enjoy my new-found view that I am lucky, not blessed, to be alive.
Thank you for this interview! I'm 60 years old and grew up in Atlanta in an IFB church and IFB elated elementary and HS. I didn't begin to leave the faith until the age of 40. Growing up in the 60's and 70's it was the typical strict religious family. My father suffered from mental disorders and while the doctors were putting him on medication the church was telling him to get rid of sin and trust Jesus. Physical and verbal child abuse coupled with my fathers attempted suicides and at one time placement in a mental institution were the results of the churches influence in our family life.
Really interesting, thanks both of you. Tim Mills, I thought your comment about burying your heavenly father particularly thought provoking. Keep up the good work.
Tim still has the vibe of a fatherly pastor. What a beautiful person, it grieves me he had to go through all that pain. I’m so happy he’s making the best of his life
This is the most powerful story I’ve ever heard. Thank you so much for sharing Tim. I appreciate what you were counting as lost to put your personal story in an open forum. And what I have seen in Christians online the last few years has sicken me because it is exactly as you say. in the name of Christianity people do and say horrible things. compassion is lacking in Christianity for those who think differently.
This was for me the best interview I have seen! I totally connected with Tim's story of his childhood as well as his journey in/out of christianity. I think this one hit me so hard but also helped me to have the courage to cross that threshold out of the negative feeling I have had during deconstruction. I was once of the shiny happy people mom's and my biggest regret. I think forgiving myself has the hardest. When Tim said the comment about being a good boy ...I had to pause the video...that was it in a nutshell for me. god was this toxic relationship I was carrying on to get that "your a good girl" No going back.....sooo thankful for the Harmonic Atheist and the work being done!! Thank you...I feel a lot less alone!!❤
Ditto to Tim’s reply. Helping others who have left feel less alone is one of the main reasons I share my story, and it means so much for you and others share that our discussion helped in this way.
I was a Christian my whole life. I even married a preacher's daughter. When I retired at age 60, I decided I wanted to know more about the bible like who wrote the books. I was shocked to find out the unknown aspects of this. I kept looking into the actual history of the bible and found out that the bible does not relate to our actual known history. At age 62, after so much research on the Christian religion, I finally let go of the faith including Jesus. After getting over the related grief around this, my life was better than before. I live in reality now and I'm not always wondering what a non-existence Christian god wants me to do. During my grief process I beat myself up for living this many years without doing my own studies into a faith I believed. I came to the conclusion that a person that is indoctrinated into Christianity never has time as an adult to do self-study. Life is so busy with college, marriage, and work. One does not have the time to dedicate months of self-study and reflection to come to a conclusion. It wasn't until I retired before I had this time. My wife has deconstructed based on my findings. I remember asking my parents when I was 6 years old who created God. I was 60 years old before I started researching my own answer.
Freeing!! Congratulations the relief is beyond words. My story pretty much matches yours - minus the marriage part. So happy for you and your wife! Now you have the time to unwind, research and shatter the dogma, lies,, and propaganda we all were stuffed with. Continued freedom and expansion!!!
Interesting. After studying the claims of Christianity and evidence supporting the fact that this guy Jesus was in fact the son of God and came to earth to die for our sins, I placed my faith in Christ for my salvation.
For some reason, this was one of the most fascinating stories on this channel. I have a feeling that this channel has the potential to really take off, keep going Tim!
This was wonderful! Thank you both Tims! I am about 3 months into “deconstruction”….. it has been terrifying and freeing at the same time. I was not raised a Christian, I came to the faith through my hubby and his (very religious) family. That was 40 years ago…. About 3 years ago we (my hubby and my oldest daughter) began to question why we were not following the commandments…. Why did we pretty much ignore the Old Testament? Why was church on Sunday? Why do we glorify bunnies at Easter? That led us on a journey of practicing Torah, celebrating Passover, throwing away all the Christmas decorations…. It was one of the most burdensome processes I have ever been through. THEN we started questioning Paul…. That was pretty much the catalyst that prompted us to question EVERYTHING… Thank you again!!
I wish I'd questioned Paul earlier but even as a child, I loathed him. His writing (if it is his writing; scholars disagree) is pretty much all hate-filled rants. Which we are supposed to take as loving. (Classic abuse scenario.)
I am sure that I have watched every video you developed. I can't even put into words each time how amazed and refreshing each one is . This particular one is epic!!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
I want you both to know that, as a lifelong non-believer, I do get how much courage it takes to deconstruct. More so thanks to your interviews, Tim. And your insight, Mr. Sledge, about how believers are terrified of your deconversion and why they simply avoid the discussion. My sister's a believer who often injects religion into our conversations. Not asking what I think, mind, but just stating what she believes. I say nothing, or simply acknowledge she has that belief without endorsing it. And I never try to deconvert her, or even bring up my lack of belief and its reasons. That would be a fool's game IMO. Anyway, thank you both for a great interview.
I smiled when Tim told about the clarity he had after he stopped going to church. The same happened to me. I stepped out of the bubble, the indoctrination reenforcement machine and... oh. What did I actually believe when no one is telling me what to believe? Then it hit me one day when I overheard a conversation about the Bible. I didn't believe any of it. I didn't believe in anything supernatural. I just believed in being kind, honest and trustworthy. My mind and heart cleared. That was my epiphany. I saw the light.
Not feeling like I have to judge people because of what some ancient texts say was a big eye-opener for me. "Jesus loves you, but..." My vision had been clouded the whole time.
Former Mormon bishop here living with regrets. Girlfriend is former JW. I agree with Tim (Sledge) 100% - "I don't understand how people can believe that." I don't believe if I had been presented with that theology as an adult I would have accepted it. However, I was baptized into the church as a second grader, fully expected at that age to enter an eternal covenant with God, a second grader. It is child abuse. Wonderful interview by the way, just subscribed.
@@danielbelteshazzar-mg7rb Appreciate your reply. May I ask where you are from? English is not your native language? Not that it matters, just curious. Maybe we can communicate in another language. When I studied the Bible in depth, like you, I found I could not follow any established denomination. But my study led me to understand that I could not trust the word of the Bible any more than I could the Koran, the Book of Mormon or any other text that I studied. I honestly felt I was left with no witness of God other than direct revelation.....still waiting. All the reasons people give for God (other than personal revelation) do not seem to hold true. Would be interested in whatever reasons you have other than personal revelation, if any. I have no evidence for eternal life. Everything I experience and see (despite personal desires) seems to be the exact opposite. Thanks again.
Tim Sledge is a genuine, kind, and introspective person. He’s obviously had a heart to help others his whole life- it’s just how he’s wired. For a young person in the heavily religious south, there are really no other options but the church for community-minded people like Tim. He didn’t care about money or profit- so the church is really the only logical choice in Texas- and most places throughout the US. His journey is fascinating and after reading his books, I admire and respect him for his never ending quest for truth and self reflection. His bravery in standing up for his principles and willingness to question his beliefs and change his mind after years of indoctrination is truly inspiring. Tim is too humble to ever label himself but he has all the qualities of a great human being. He readily admits he’s imperfect like the rest of us but always striving to improve himself and the world around him. Hats off to you for sharing his important and inspiring story.
I have been through a similar situation but certainly not at this mans level but the only difference is that I walked away from the mainstream church but have always maintained my faith in Christ. I remember going on talk radio once and sharing how I walked away from the "Church" but not from the man Jesus as he is still my Lord and Saviour. I can fellowship with other Christians no problems. I have my own relationship with the Lord. My experiences in my walk have kept me sane in and insane, imperfect world, more so today than ever before. Jesus is coming soon with all the evidence mounting at this very time especially with the US paving the pathway to hell for the rest of the world. I will not stop evangelising where the Father leads. I am not ashamed of the gospel message. God is good. Let me just say I do appreciate having listened in on this interview it has been very interesting. I have no ill will for either of them. I respect their honesty and can pray for them.
Hey, Bill. Appreciate (really, I do) your response. I left the church but not b/c of the people in it. We're all broken. But I was fed up with God and tired of pursuing him. I still believe in God's existence and Jesus. But I guess I severely doubt his interest in everybody and everything. There's more to my story of course but too long I think for a comment section. I believe it's intellectually disingenuine for people to flat out deny God's existence or at least the existence of a divine creator. But I understand their tendency to not believe anymore at all. After all, 2 seconds after we die, we will know who was right, who was wrong. I don't feel so confident, though.
I noticed that most of us leave church because of our u pleasant experiences with people in the church, I guess that’s the biggest struggle for me throughout my journey with God. I was born an atheist and converted in campus and since then, it has been a roller coaster ride. I left the church a few times and even searched for other religions in between. Now at 55, I finally have re-established my personal relationship with God. That’s all I can say, life can be good but how do you define meaning and Good without God ? For me it’s simple now. I want a relationship with God. 🙏 and that’s all it matters
Wow, that was captivating. I stumbled across this video and saw that it was almost 2 hours in length and thought I would watch it for 5 min or so and move on. I was riveted for the full two hours even replaying certain parts because I did not want to miss any points. As someone who was born into religion and walked away almost 40 years ago it was like listening to my own biography. I want to thank both Tims for this interview, because I find a calm thoughtful respectful voice so powerful in this sphere where kicking over chairs and frothing at the mouth gets more clicks. I have subscribed to this channel and will pick up a copy of book.
I have not been to church in several years but recently changed my beliefs. I do not know how to tell my family who are immersed in ministry and church. They are that life. My father is an independent Baptist minister. I love my family but I don't know how to be with them. I only have my grown children to talk to. I was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer a couple of years ago and have been racked with pain nearly all the time except for this week. I believe that relief has come because I'm actively letting go of my childhood religious beliefs. This is the 3rd time I've had cancer and I think my religious beliefs I've hung onto that were damaging internalized into disease. I've been told stage 4 is not curable but i do hope that as i keep letting go of harmful beliefs my body will heal itself. There's no other explanation for me to keep getting sick since I have lived a seriously healthy life. Thank you for this video. ❤
Just starting to listen but your honesty and fortrightness is to be cherished! I really like that you two can have a true discussion of value. Thank you!
I hurt for the grief that you described in walking away from a faith in God. You are both such humble and genuine people. That said, I think your presumptions about many talking points are ill informed. I remain persuaded that God is an ever present reality and he has only ever represented love, light, and purpose in a dark world (yes, even from a biblical standpoint). I deeply appreciate your authenticity.
Goodbye Jesus was the 1st book I read in my deconstruction. Resonated deeply with me as I'm a pk... Thx u, Dr. Sledge🥰 for sharing ur remarkable journey!
Oh man, I am so incredibly sad that this is a possibility. My only one hope for healing was in Jesus, I am so sick and it is beyond anything that can be helped other than with a miracle. I am so traumatized daily because I feel totally forsaken by god when I was an extreme extreme believer who would have done anything for Jesus. I feel like following him got me sick like this, I have no idea what to do now. I’m beyond devastated and my life is destroyed.
Please Don’t give up on God i am sorry you are going through what your going through I understand because I was in your same situation at one time. I am a believer in Father son and Holy Spirit. I quit listening to religious people and religion. I serve God one day at a time . This life is short compare to eternity. Please don’t stop praying and one day, I don’t know when you will be happy you didn’t give up praying and believing. I’m praying with and for you. Bless you
Major props to this interviewer. I mean, I understand when an interviewer's goal is to bring out points that would facilitate a broader understanding for the viewers sake but obviously this interviewer didn't find the need to do that because Tim's outpouring from his heart is both all-telling and compelling. This translates as a interviewers dream, & it's great that this interviewer had that knowing and maturity....the end result being a very interesting interview no matter what one's beliefs.
OMG! Finally someone who tells me it's ok to have the feelings that I have had for years. I am not an atheist by any stretch, but I also cannot accept that "God has NEVER heard your prayers unless you have prayed to Jesus first". I am fearful every time I encounter Christians trying to spread the word and save you from eternal damnation. What I am desperate for is something simple, short and sweet to say to them at times like that to show them that I am NOT following the Christian belief. Something I can say that would not trigger their passionate desire to save my sorry ass from the fire. I ordered your book.
You tell them go read Romans 14. If they followed their own doctrine they would realize it speaks against enforcing your belief on anyone because whatever is done without faith is a sin. Sin is just missing the mark or literally not praising the Sumerian moon godess called Sin. Just say I have my beliefs please respect and go read Romans 14 (the whole chapter)
I am so grateful to you both for this interview that y’all are so selflessly sharing with all of us. I am having to take this video in sections so I can process each part. I have a loving alcoholic father but I didn’t realize the shame I still carry. I have an abusive birth pod/vessel that I had to cut off. And now I don’t believe in Jesus anymore. I am lost, sad, accepting, and finding peace all at once. So thank you. Thank you for this space.
Yes, shame just for existing is one of the basic tenets of Abrahamic religions (the Eden story). And when it's programmed in young, it takes courage to delve it out, and that's not always fun . But the further you get, the easier life gets. Wishing you a journey that continues to get smoother.
As a more or less all time atheist (61y) living in a country just about in the northern part of Europe, this was very helpful and instructive. Always wondered how grown people could be so scared of an old storybook. Here (52% do not believe in a god) most have left their faith without really realizing it. And even most of those who have remained are mostly cultural Christians and had never held a Bible in their hands. But then we have a very clear "Separation of church and state" and I think that helps a lot.
These religious people are smart. They always target people in vulnerable situations (e.g. Preaching to the poor and homeless) or impressionable young kids. As someone who grew up with Christianity, you don't bother to question why you believe in it
That is exactly what I experience, not only with strangers, but friends and family too! I still feel any loss, the relationship could not have been sincere in the first place. We believe because we’re indoctrinated as children.
I got saved in the Baptist Church, then be came a pentecostal and attended a pentecostal Bible College. I served with my whole heart, sacrificing my own pleasure to do "God's will" for 40 years. I am now an atheist and I am at perfect peace.
Stories like yours are the only evidence I need that God does not exist. Such an energy as God is supposed to be could not leave such sincere and loving people to struggle spiritually and emotionally.
Wow, I can listen you you both all day long. When Tim Sledge said you have to have something happen that jars you, that makes you start listening, if that something hasn’t happened, you don’t wanna listen, you don’t want your bubble burst. Gawwd dam that was a very good line after so many this whole interview. Sledge said if I could take a magic pill and get this belief back, would I? No, truth matters. How do you waste your life, spend the whole thing never being open to the truth, never being willing to change. Wow, just wow. It is a magic spell, I’ve been saying this ever since I left the cult. Last thing, he said, deconversion is something you do, but it’s also something that happens to you. You’re not totally in control of it, because it’s about reality. Reality takes over. Deconversion is not something I chose, it happened to me. This is the logical outcome of what I learned!! I love the Matrix movie even more that I left Christianity cult!! I loved this interview. Tim thanks for your work and dedication putting these videos out, you’re helping thousands, next up is millions.
Thanks, Tim. Been an atheist for 53 years. Had minimal contact with my parents for decades; because, I just couldn't handle the types of interaction they would insist on. Something in your talk here today just clicked. When you talked about how surprised you were that so few people - people who had said they loved and cared about you - made any attempt to even try to understand what you were going through., it suddenly occurred to me that they had never believed all that stuff about "love conquereth all" etc. that I had been taught was the core of the Christian message. Someone who truly loves you will try to understand you.
Most of my family were still religious , but didn't have a problem with me being athiest , I even still took my elderly Mother to church sometimes ... I grew up surrounded by a lot of different religions , I just treated them as cultural differences and learned as much as I could about them , my best friend was Jewish and I loved some of their customs too ...
What an incredible and moving "testimony"!! I'm not American, but spent my early years on the "mission field" surrounded by Americans and others, and I can relate so closely to this story. Thank you Tim, I feel your channel is important and have just been on your justgiving page to help keep you going. More power to your elbow as we say in the UK! In regard to the "Oh, you were never really saved anyway", I just wonder how, in all the years I was active as a Christian, and many times going forward for prayer and ministry, not one of the spirit-filled people around me or ministering to me, ever discerned that I was not a real Christian. Hindsight is always a great thing but clearly doesn't need any supernatural input!
not really sure what that means are you gloating?...why would it matter to them about your walk or your not walk...shouldn't it have mattered more to you?
Wow! This is a powerful testimony. I agree with u Tim entirely. I also gave up going to Religious Churches when i came to realize the hypocrisy among the so called believers. Thank u for your story.
Christians are saying they are built in to Gods word who HATES Hypocrisy the most in the entire Scriptures? yet, the worse Hypocrites are the ones who built it is raging insanity.
I left religion a few years ago and am now so grateful that my children are atheists in spite of my trying to indoctrinate them. They are such kind good people I do not understand how Christians can believe we don't have morals.
I am on the same boat. Grew up Pentecostal and took me years to de-convert. Seeing my son who is now 9 through the process of learning I can see clearly how my fears of hell were asinine. I’m honest with my child about Santa clause and religious POV and what people say and what’s logical and what’s not. We learn about different mythologies and religion and I teach him religion could be useful if he needs to cope but made him aware of all the brainwash and manipulation. Honest that no one really knows what lies beyond but one thing is for sure we are made of star stuff. So he is now enamored with science and how all the elements out there are in our bodies. Even then one we think are harmful (phosphorus, sulfur etc.) I remind him everyday We are not a drop in the ocean but the ocean in a drop. So there is NO separation form “God” regardless of what they say we are made from the same thing. Identity and delusions is what makes us classify us versus demonizing others. Needless to say he went from begging for a religion and constantly asking me what we are to: I’m not ready. I’ll figure it out. He still listens to his Christian music before bed. But he now more into mythologies of different cultures and looking for morals and what people belief (I told him it gives us insight to the ancient mind) then obsessing the Bible. And as far as me! Everyday I learn something new along my research with him. I love him so much I want him to truly enjoy his “God given free-will” no strings attached like religious institutions and cults do.
OMG, me too! Two sons who we raised in church. The entire family became atheists within a period of 18 months. I continue to apologize to my two sons, 43, and 40, for raising them in this environment. And they always say, "Dad, get over it, it wasn't your fault, and we've all left that far behind!" 🥰🥰
Very powerful! Thank you so much! Myself having been in full time ministry for decades - and now deconstructing and deconverting - Tim Sledges's story moved me a lot.
Regret is a devastating emotion. It is so much worse than being unhappy, being discontent or being sad. Because WE and our actions and decisions are the direct cause of our regret. And the feeling of loss when you realise what YOUR own actions cost you, cannot be compared to any other feeling, because it is self-inflicted. If someone hurts you, it is painful. But it was actions you are not in control of. If your actions hurt someone and you later realise what the results of your decision were, the regret is overwhelming. If you shunned a loved one because he/she is on a different journey than you, you lost precious time with that person. Time that you will never get back. Every second you lose with a person you love, is a second gone forever. We can change many things, but time lost is the most profound loss, because you can never get it back. EVER. The regret is going to be the most painful thing you're going to have to live with.
Well, if you don’t believe in the afterlife , then the sadness of regret from your actions will only last a lifetime and then your dead. And I believe it’s never too late ,all human beings are really trying to achieve is happiness or contentment anyway and if you don’t believe in God then these are just emotions that can be felt again , regardless of regret. It will pass
As a ex Jehovah Witness now a agnostic atheist my punishment is eternal extinction not eternal torment. Nowhere in the old testament does it teach in life after death, Ecclesiastes 9: 5 says ,,The Living are conscious that they will die but as for the dead they are conscious of nothing at all,, The Greeks believed in conscious torment in hell and the New Testament was written in Greek. Mark Twain 1835 to 1910 had it right when he said,, I'm not afraid of being dead I was dead for billions upon billions of years before I was born and I never suffered the slightest inconvenience from it,, Justin Porter ex jw ❤️
What a good story. Thoroughly enjoyed the conversation. So true, it's amazing what we humans conjure up as delusional thought. Our Beliefs are our own personal jigsaw puzzle.
Im just now starting to think this way, and question. I don't have the guts to say it out loud yet but it sure helps knowing that others have been through it and can provide guidance. Following!
So many you have no idea. Many listen to delusions and agree but internally feel pity. But that doesn’t mean scriptures are not full of wisdom as long as you read them for what they are, literature. And ancient literature at that with a window to ancient ideologies. From many POV. I like reading a piece of all. You may enjoy reading Mark Twains satire A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court ( it was controversial when it came out of course by Catholic Church) but it’s hilarious. And in the end you see you can’t force people out of their delusions because you only end up killing yourself for nothing. Inherent beliefs always wins people over when rubber meats the road.
I understand your struggle. I too, am struggling and have set my faith aside. I still believe in the existence of God/Jesus but I doubt his interest in everybody and everything. If you haven't already, maybe check out Dr. Frank Turek. Best to grasp both sides of this profound matter. Please understand i'm not judging or trying to covertly convert you. Just stumbling my way through this is all.
Thank you for sharing. My doubt started before seminary, and I went to seminary to strengthen my faith. I held on for another ten years as my faith became increasingly liberal, but finally after thirty years of committed discipleship, I realized the Bible was simply a human book like all others, and I couldn't continually do mental gymnastics to justify even the good parts. Once I saw how flawed Jesus was and that it is clear we have no idea what he really said, the faith game was over for me. The truth matters too much.
I can identify with so much of this testimony. I left Christianity due to becoming unconvinced of its message, and through examination of the Bible. But I am not an atheist as such. I am convinced that there is a spiritual reality woven through all existence, and that the desire for meaning and truth is but a small evidence of this. My investigation of the NDE phenomena has replaced doctrine based religion with a more intuitive awareness and experience of spirituality.
After being an active member of a church I had attended for 14 years, one day I snapped. I just stopped going. Not one single person reached out to see what had happened. I was surprised but relieved at the same time. I realise, now, that ignoring the fact that someone has left the church is the norm. Church is a social club and if you no longer want to be part of that club, then people just let you be. It's no different to leaving Rotary or Toastmasters.
@@HarmonicAtheist I’ve struggled with Institutionalised Christianity most of my life. Fifteen years ago I began learning tai chi. Oh my the comments I got from Christian’s “it was evil” “the devil with enter your brain when you are mindful in the present!”… I carried on because it did me a power of good. I just didn’t discuss it with Christian’s. Having been practicing for a while, a strange thing happened which was never spoken of or mentioned would happen by my teacher(s) - I became aware of a higher power! The penny dropped then as to why Christianity says Eastern practices are evil! Because you can access the Devine within, as opposed to a god in heaven up there, but only if you follow the rules! I appreciate you now do not believe but I thought I’d share my story in case someone reading might still believe in “something” but not the way Religion indoctrinates! I’ve found Daoism to be a wonderful way forward. 😊🙏🏻☯️
You know its time to consider deconversion when you ask God if you can write off Vacation Bible School on your taxes as a working vacation. Or when you confess to yourself that the vacation with the time sharing condo sales seminar was more fun and laid back. Thank you Tim Sledge for setting an excellent example of working to leave the world a better place and Tim Mills I am impressed at how you have grown the channel and stayed true to your style and integrity.
The point made about grief and having no one who supports you or understands…wow. I didn’t realize that is what I was feeling at times. I also agree about a comment made about family who you shared the same beliefs with. When you start to tell them what is wrong with that belief, I do feel that it’s out of fear or losing the comfort of believing that they don’t want to listen to you or have anything to do with you or completely disregard the facts. I’ve been dealing with that since leaving my faith about a year and a half ago. I haven’t been on the channel in a while. Forgot how therapeutic it is to listen to other people’s deconstruction stories. Thanks!
In spite of billions of believers in the Jesus character described in the New Testament, no such person has ever appeared in public for pictures, ever written anything or decided to clean up the mess.
@@samunderdog1354Same….. I recently left and tried telling my wife that info I found out that made me leave… But unfortunately, she doesn’t wanna hear the information.
The BEST heart felt coming out I have ever heard. I love you brother.... you are not alone. After fifty years I decided to dig deeper into my faith and come closer to God. I even hosted a men's group. Yes, I might have opened myself up to both sides with some concerns from the group. I then came to the same conclusion. This happened without anything tragic happening in my life like what you went through with your wife and church. I will probably spend the next ten years like you, lost, alone and in the dark because sharing my feelings would surely be the downfall in my marriage and strong Christan family members. Although, I believe they are starting to sense it because they have asked if I'm having doubts and my wife is concerned. Signed, Ignorance is Bleis, I wish I could go back. Lost Soul
Wow, this was amazing, refreshing, and very insightful. I woke up and they couldn't put me back to sleep. So grateful for the freedom to see reality as it is and have the blinders off. Your guest is fantastic and I plan to continue watching. I subscribed to your channel and appreciate the variety of individuals you have here to share their stories. You are fantastic and I learn more about myself every time I watch. I've been binge-watching your videos because finally, I don't feel alone on this journey. There is so much to learn, but more importantly, it is nice to know I am not alone in my journey. Thank you and keep up the good work. Your channel is outstanding.
I found the animated YT videos of nonstampcollector and darkmatter, retelling Bible stories from the point of view of "what honestly is this?" to be super helpful to unwind further from my early indoctrination. (Like, how was I convinced that a father being willing to kill his own son was somehow a sign of a merciful and loving god?) They include chapter-and-verse Bible citations, so if someone tells you you're full of it, you can tell them to look it up.
Spent my childhood in Texas, it very much is that way. Reflecting on my youth spent in Texas, I feel like it is one of the most socially backward places in the US. I have witnessed a lot of racism in my life and it is hands down the most racist place I have ever been. I wouldn't say that it's any less religious than my home state of Missouri but the attitudes are very different. In Missouri, there is a big emphasis in religious circles that everyone is a terrible, evil sinner. In Texas, they are very much believers in white superiority, in which a lot of people have both a persecution complex while simultaneously also have many narcissistic and purist traits. Essentially, in Texas, Christianity seemed more like it was putting other people down to raise itself up while in Missouri it more so believes in dragging everyone down to their level of codependency and fear-mongering regardless of race.
@@robynsnest6242 My family was Catholic. We were encouraged to learn the religion through school and church but it wasn't preached at us in the home. The religious bent and bleed over into politics, race and nationalism is much more overt and accepted today as it was in the 80's.
@@robynsnest6242 My wife and I live in a suburb of Houston, in what is the most racially diverse country in the USA. Our neighbors on one side are Chinese. The neighbors on the other side are Anglo and African-American. We all get along. It depends on where you are in Texas, and race relations are better than in my childhood years in Texas. But, sad to say, the other side, the hateful side is here in Texas as well. Tim Sledge
I was born into the Seventh day Adventist 'church'/ 'faith'...40 years of my life gone wasted...I always remember as a kid and my childhood sweetheart, who lived in my town, went to the same Junior school and high sch0ol with me and to this day remember being told i was not allowed to go to the high school prom (where she'd be) because...Dancing was of the devil basically and Adventists don't do such things...I was distraught...Broken...My life went downhill from there (especially seeing my dad die the same year), even though i couldn't break away from the 'faith'...At 44 i'm still struggling with social situations, insecurities, confusion, struggle to make friends etc Nowadays I prefer to stay in my own company...I now just have extreme doubts when it comes to people in general
I know what you are talking about. Spent my childhood in the Reformation Movement of the Seventh day adventits. It` a hard core version of STA. It takes Time and studying. Watching TH-cam videos also helps. Most of the serious scholars are not believers. It slowly sinks in. Check my life story: th-cam.com/video/-Rl24wL9ZZA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zcN-_ETQ3W7ybdA2
I grew up in the Jehovah's Witnesses and it was very much like that but I turned it into "I've got the world by the balls and they just don't realize it." I acted proud that I didn't do holidays or birthdays or after school activities, I was better than that, I had the TRUTH. I quit when I was 25 now 51 and I feel like I've lived about twelve different lives so I've had my fill. Now I'm tired, directionless, body and mind both breaking down. Sometimes I attempt to emulate the "peace and tranquility" Christians talk about but with a Spinoza twist however I have to admit I miss the feeling of superiority and resolve that everything would work out in the end. I hold very few grudges and am totally ok with my parents doing what they thought was right (mom is 78 and still an active Witness). My brother on the other hand is still extremely resentful that he wasn't allowed to have school friends or do anything with anybody that wasn't a JW. I often wonder what it was like for kids to have a "normal" upbringing, or even a Mormon one, I mean those guys do politics, business, education etc with the best of them and as JWs we shunned those things as satanic. One thing we did do is drink a lot, I was an alcoholic by age 20 and still struggle with it though the last year has gotten better. Anyway I appreciated your story, it's always interesting to me what people of other Christian persuasions have been through. I sometimes feel like the JW experience is unrelatable but I think I'm wrong and it's pretty solipsistic for me to assume nobody else really gets it.
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Tim Mills is one of the best interviewers I’ve seen. Actively listens, allows space, asks very thoughtful questions, allows the other to answer, no visible urges to interrupt. This is pure kindness. A gift to the person being interviewed. Amazing skill to watch and learn from.
Thank you for your encouragement!
Very patient with no sense of wanting to cut short or jump in! A true listener and there are FEW!
Tim talking to Tim
I agree! He's the best.😊
Well said. Couldn't agree more
I just left Christianity about a month ago at the age of 59. Thank you so much Tim M. and Tim S. I grew up in a very religious family of ministers and missionaries and I have not told them. (That will be a very difficult conversation!) I came to recognize the absurdity of the Christian religion through years of serving in ministry and "seeing behind the curtin," but the nail in the coffin came after 5 years of biblical and theological studies at the college level. Your conversation in this video helps me tremendously and I am so grateful there are people like you speaking out for the truth. Please keep sharing these conversations, there are many, many people out there like me.
Now, what are have you to Do,. Ef 2:11-14. Prov 14 :12. João 11:25-28.
Why are so many going to these bible colleges leaving the religion? What are you seeing “behind the curtain?” Hypocrites? Hypo - under, Crites - judgment. Hypocrites pretend to be nice and good because they do not want to be judged by the law. All the while the law they are under causes them to sin behind the curtain. But this is not Christianity. It is legalism - adherence to some law and legalism is practiced by all world religions - except true Christianity! In Christ, we are not under law. We are under grace. You have missed Christianity!
What in theological studies was the actual nail?
Raised a christian but rejected Christianity in my late 20's. At 69, I am happy & live life w/o the guilt associated with being a believer. When people find out I am (black)atheist, they are shocked, 'really? But u are so nice' . Thanks for sharing ur story.
❤
"Really? But you are so nice."
It's so strange to me that people think you cannot be a kind person if you are not a Christian.
What if both are right
Like if a person doesn’t need/want God…there is no…
But, for others, there is…even if only because he or she wants/needs God
As I live life, some could say I have created this life…others might say I live the hand I’m dealt
Even if all the suffering leads someone to God does it even matter if there is one or not if it’s working for them
Just as it is a person who does not accept God…so be it. They win too. Why? Because they’ve got what they wanted
That’s a pretty good God if there is one
To give freely
Amen
@@Willie_Wahzoo more like " if you are not religious" i think that muslims along with other religious people sat that too
They’re shocked when black people aren’t into religion of any sort because most black people are heavily into worshipping religion. They are either Christians, Muslim, Islam,
Or Hebrew Israelites or Woke African Consciousness racist cults. It’s all fake and BS.
Tim Sledge is such an articulate, concise speaker that he is powerful. I have great respect for his suggestions for a future humanist community.
This is very Sad... I came across this video that two men were talking about Tim Sledge . I am a new Chrisian and I have to say I've been through many atheist anxiety attacks. PrOFoUND nothing Could be more devastating then to hear this story. Praying for you to come back and fight with me this world needs you. Nice to meet you . Amen
I know this is a year old but this video has helped me more than any other thing I’ve watched or read since leaving my Southern Baptist upbringing. His story is almost exactly what I was going through, almost at exactly the same time. I’ve never felt more validated. Thank you, Tim.
This is one of the best interviews I have heard in some time. I left the JW cult one year ago after 40 years of slavery. Channels like yours help more than you know.
Thank you so much! Feel free to reach out if you think you'd be a good candidate for an interview.
facebook.com/timandjuliemills
Best wishes my friend
I was born into Catholicism but got sucked into the Worldwide Church of God at age 20, where I went down the rabbit hole for 22 years. Many parallels to the JW organization btw. Church free since 1996. Many parallels to Tim and Tim’s stories too. Feeling rejected and pushed around when I wasn’t a Yes Man, being shunned when l finally quietly walked away, divorce, rebuilding from scratch. A good point mentioned here - you are stronger than you think. Thanks gentlemen.
I grew up SDA
Yes I was a JW and didn't realize the same cult control techniques are used across many religions.
I was in worldwide church of god when I was a kid. I did love the holidays
Was born into the Worldwide Church of God. Herbert W. Armstrong...was a false prophet. It took me years to shed his influence. However...I must say, I do not equate being misled by a false prophet, that that means there is no God. There is a Creator/Designer. I just don't believe in "organized religion". Just because a "man" claims to be of God, certainly does not mean God has anything to do with him. That goes for any organized religion. I am not going to blame God...because the Catholic religion misled me...or the Jehovas Witnesses misled me. Or the Mormon religion. I don't believe God has anything to do with ANY organized religion. That is the real tragedy I see. So many in an organized religion, come to see the falseness of it...and then abandon God altogether. A true tragedy there. I've never equated a false teacher, with God. It is not God's fault...any of us are misled by some organized religion. I wish more people could see that. One doesn't have to attend a specific church or religion...to believe in a Creator/Designer.
I was forced into the worldwide church of god when I was a kid. I had to leave home at age 15 to get away from it. I’m so glad that more people seem to be finding their way out of life-destroying apocalyptic doomsday cults
Being raised a southern Baptist, listening to this man talk, feels like coming home lol.
Are you ready for the Millennial Kingdom?
David Jesus is not real sorry
@@davidlafleche1142
When does it start?
@@Yossarian. The Millennial Kingdom begins after the Tribulation.
@@davidlafleche1142
When is the tribulation? Do you have a date? And are you looking forward to it?
As an ex Jehovahs witness, I was born in. My wife and I left 3 years ago it's amazing to hear these stories and how they sound just like the JW faith. What people don't realize is the JW'S have you under a F.O.G. Fear, Obligation, and Guilt. When I started to research the religion, I found out I was in a cult. Now, it sounds like religion as a whole is a cult. I noticed that the higher I was moving up the ranks, the less I saw God's hand in serious issues. I only saw men making decisions, and the Bible was a side note. The organization's handbook was more relied on than the scriptures itself. My conscience wouldn't allow me to stay. I'm so much happier now I'm spiritual but definitely not religious.
Thank you for explaining your story this way. Very helpful. Enjoy!
Yessss!!!
I concur…
Hi,
What do you mean, you're spiritual but not religious? Do you still believe there is a God?
@renejacques8288 Yes I do believe in God
An excellent interview, Tim. You allow your guests to speak without interruption, and it makes for a great podcast.
Tim baptized me in West Houston at his successful church when I was 9. I want him to know that I love him, and I'm sorry you had those experiences. I too am now an atheist. Thank you for being so open and vulnerable.
Good!! Nothing fails like prayer!!
@slhkslhk2998atheists don’t believe your claims. Whether you are religious or not religious you have to find your own meaning in life or none at all. I know plenty of religious people who see no particular meaning in their life. It’s not a product of religion or atheism.
@slhkslhk2998 I believe in my self, without needing to "have something" to rely on.😊
He felt called? By who?
@@annchovey2089 the bogeyman?
These men are being so articulate, candid and soft spoken. What a joy to hear their thiughts and experiences.
?????????????? Very sad, very bad, to living witout God, I wiill pray for you. Psalm. 14:1. I haven' t faith to be an atheist.
*thoughts
Thank you for your channel. I am 68 yrs old and just woke up to the truth 2 yrs ago, although I left church in 2016 and vowed to never go back. I do wish there was someone in my area that I knew who has also left. I’m also going to hell according to my friends. My husband is concerned, but doesn’t say anything. We were also Pastors and I was in many areas of ministry.
Thanks for sharing that, Judy! Please reach out if you'd like to consider doing an interview:
facebook.com/timandjuliemills
Would love to hear your story. Well done on leaving the nonsense behind.
Hell's where all the good stuff happens. It's got the best people and is never boring.
Reach out to “Recovering From Religion”.
We would love to have you interview on this show!
That sounds challenging, wish you the best
Oh my word!! This was deeeelish! You two carried me through my shopping and my ride home! I, too, continually ask my self how/why I was so blind to everything that now appears so clearly?! Why did I go “up down staircases”; by faith?!😫 My joy overflows with the fact that the scales, TRULY, have been removed from my eyes! Asante sana. 😌 Think I” chillax and listen again. 😉
Karibu sana 😊
I'm bawling.
Thank you so much❤❤❤❤
Asante pia for sharing!
Hujambo?
@@kileleafricahummingbirdvib3899heyyyyy sijambo, 😅 Asante
@@AnnA-hw2ojIf you want to be sure you are going to Heaven watch How to go to Heaven by Steven Anderson
Thanks for sharing your story Tim with Tim and the rest of us. Good luck to both of you with your journeys.
I spent about 25-30 years in fundamental Christianity and the thing that bothers me the worst is that I held backyard Bible clubs to try to indoctrinate the neighborhood children. It always felt wrong somehow. I totally would rather have been teaching them about nature.
Sad you thought you had to say indoctrinate...when all Jesus said was love one another that and teaching nature would have been Gods work, too bad you did not see that
@aromaofhope
I’m with you there. I lived at and worked for a Bible camp for several years. That is now the biggest regret of my life. I wasn’t involved much with the kids myself (I was the maintenance guy) but still, to look back at my life and see that I spent years of my life making sure that other people were able to teach 10 year olds that their parents would be tortured forever if they failed to convert them…. How? How could I not see how terrible that was?
@@KLmoxie read what...smeh
@@piratessalyx7871 Really? "Love one another" is ALL Jesus is purported to have said? Doesn't the gospels have him saying many other things? Its convenient to cherry pick passages and act like that's all the Bible says. I too did desperate things to hang on to my faith- but I finally- like Tim Sledge- had the courage to admit there is no intentional, supernatural deity that has any control over what happens every day.
Took me 40 years to finally admit that. In the meantime- I cherry picked verses and lived in denial too.
@@dmichael100 fine, guess you will find out one day, and Jesus and God both have said love one another, do unto others as you would have done unto yourself….just these two alone, if only every person followed that, the world would be in a different place now wouldn’t it? And of course God doesn’t run the world like a corporation….he gave us free will, and we have decided to muck it all up, due to narcissism, greed, hate and power hungry beings! Good Luck!
This story truly impacted me. I freed myself from Christianity and separated myself from a very religious family. I can now be open to be who I truly am and enjoy life instead of yearning to be in “heaven”.
I love this
Do you yearn to be in hell?
“I landed in the water, into the sunshine”, what a beautiful description. Thanks for sharing, I thoroughly enjoyed this chat.
It's not insanity that "an entire culture could believe this way." It's an incomparably immense tragedy.
It sure might as well be? How could a loving honest God act like a evil delinquent deciding he will take who he want's (the Elect) and through away or burn every one else he didn't elect in Hell burning for eternity..
It's human nature in some degree I think, to want to belong, follow and please a higher being. Maria Bamford (one of my favorite comedians) wrote a book called "Sure, I'll join your cult." 😅 We need to feel community without religion or a demigod.
Thank you so much Tim Mills for this video!!! And thank you Tim Sledge for sharing your VERY INTERESTING heartfelt story!!! I hung on every word!! ❤❤
Thanks, Kelly!
It takes a big man to leave Christianity after so long and especially after being a Pastor. It only took me only a year to realize that Christianity wasn’t for me. Wow, is all I can say. Thank you Mr. (Dr?) Sledge for having the courage to leave and sharing your story with us. ❤
i see you like children talking about dividing the world in atheist and religion such ignorance inocense , its a shame , think to much and talk to much never really having any real emptiness to let the truth come in always dividing.
Go to school, and learn proper grammar, @@mariariveraortega6311
If you want to be sure you are going to Heaven watch How to go to Heaven by Steven Anderson
I said, WOW, also, Tim Mills. The two Tims - the dynamic duo.
I'm here for the life histories. This talk was special. Thank you.
I really enjoyed and received a great deal from this conversation. I left jesus maybe about 1 year or so ago. I grieved that i bought into the lie and that i have judged and placed non believers in hell because of the "truth" . I still in my heart ask for my own forgiveness that i did that 😢. Thank GOODNESS That i didnt spend my whole life in that lie...
Good for you!
Why is your name "promised land"?
Great interview Tim. So glad you allowed Tim S space for those long form responses. Wow, I could listen to Tim S tell a story for days. He knows how to connect and tell a story. Plus his voice is smooth, and his Texan draw and slightly slower pace is like a warm day at the beach for my ears and brain. ❤
I thank both of you Tim's for sharing your very real and personal experiences with us. As an active Christian I want to apologize for the way you both were treated. It is shameful that people would treat you both in this way. On behalf of them, I genuinely ask for your forgiveness for their lack of love and respect for you. I will also add that I would love to have conversations with either of you. Not to try and convince you otherwise, but to show genuine care and involvement in your life. Your life and your heart matters. ❤
Great interview. Inspiring and encouraging.... (even after I've been free from Christianity for 31 years, I'm 64 now ) it is still wonderful to hear these stories. Tim Sledge's story is especially encouraging to me. Such a transparent, authentic, humble and kind person. Thanks for the interview. Former Christians , especially former ministers, are some of the greatest people on earth.. Family.
Well said!
I never understand how Christians in this day & age can believe a man born of a woman can be god & also have 2 natures , 100% man 100% God .
@@denisebutler5938 Do jews believe Jesus is God ? I have never heard of this claim !
@@zarabees2123they drunk with the koolaid😂
I also deconstructed around the age of 30. Am 64. The term " deconstruction wasn't used yet and I went thru it alone. When I told my closest friends they, over time, rejected me. That part hurt very much. I became much more at peace later. But I live the the south ( bible belt territory , and am older now. My current social circle doesn't know I'm a non Christian.. It's hard to find like minded people in a small southern town. Can't bring myself to commit "social suicide's twice in my life. My question to all former believers is,...why do some of us deconvert and others not?
It's a relief knowing just being born doesn't mean I'm bad.
Wrong. For any pdf file atheist woman, whether or not something or someone is bad, all comes down to how much a convenience that thing or that person is to the pdf file atheist.
So, for example, a pdf file atheist women who sleeps around and gets pregnant, that baby is an inconvenience, and any inconvenience in atheist religion is dealt with by the death penalty. We see this in anything pdf file atheists do, for example, christians were an inconvenience to mao too.
@@MilitantAntiAtheismathiesm isnt a religion
Being born means you have the chance to become a child of God.
@@MilitantAntiAtheismyou need help man
Tim sledge, Dan Barker those who have become atheists after ministering are so amazing they are so intelligent, coherent and most of all human!!
“Jesus’ Biological Father was Joseph: According to the New Testament” by DS Waggoner debunks the Virgin Birth legend. You may enjoy it❤️
Fellow deconstructed Wheaton alum here. This was fantastic. At Wheaton late 80's early 90's it was generally known the students were on average more conservative than the faculty, while the board of trustees, the alumni and the big donors were more conservative than either students or faculty. Of course conservative v liberal in those circles is still a relative term. My favorite professor came to Wheaton from UNC Chapel Hill and he liked to joke that without changing any of his beliefs or opinions he had gone from being embarrasingly traditional and conservative at UNC, to a perceived wild eyed liberal at Wheaton. Thanks to Tim Sledge for sharing his story and to both Tims for the great, insightful and encouraging conversation .
Many of us who left the church realized finally that we were just trying to be a good boy/girl. I escaped when I re-parented my inner child. That’s when I realized I didn’t need Jesus to save me any longer. I saved myself.
Well said.
That’s a great way of putting it. I bet that will resonate with a lot of people.
Yes!!!
Hi Dorothy. This sounds very interesting indeed. Have you written anything about this process? My guess is it wasn't that easy.
Yes I’ve been listening to Patrick Teahan here on YT about re-parenting the inner child ❤️❤️❤️ Game-changing.
This has been a wonderful conversation. I am fortunate that I was raised by an atheist father and mother who believed in reincarnation. But, I was sent to Protestant Sunday School and we celebrated (secularly) Christian holidays. I declared myself to be an atheist as a teenager. You can imagine the horror of my classmates in the 1960s! “You’re the kind of person who undermines society!” I asked my father why they made me go to Sunday School. He said it was because you could accept the morality (Golden Rule) without the myth.
I am almost 75, married to the only husband for 54 years. My life has been rich and fulfilling without religion. I consider myself an agnostic now as the older I get the more I recognize how little we know. I embrace the idea of a collective unconscious. I do not believe in the Bible or organized religion. Everything you said about the loving God torturing people (for what???) and allowing babies to be born with horrible defects which he could cure, or giving unconditional love while imposing lots of conditions, nothing against child abuse or rape in the 10 commandments… Brainwash children while they have not developed their brain and frighten them with the threat of burning for eternity. That’s how people become indoctrinated into a religion. It takes a very brave person to put aside this early teaching and see the truth.
❤ Shirley
Thank you for your program. Many thanks. For a religion that’s supposed to liberate, for 31 years I felt ashamed, guilty, sinful, should be suffering and the devil is always around the corner or under some stone. Thanks once again.
I have been a Christian all my life (70 yrs). After my de-conversion experience which shook my core like severe earthquake, I found my peace in Spinoza who said, the universal laws of nature and the eternal decrees of God are one and the same thing.
Energy is not created or destroyed but transformed.
Yes. It’s a whole different god. May as well call it ‘the energy’ around us needed for existing.
I’m sad that Mr. Sledge had to unwind the twisted message of Christianity.
Great to have you on the side of empathy and reality.❤
Thank you both for this great and honest interview! I was a teen believer, born in Houston, TX thoroughly indoctrinated and engaged in my faith, briefly Southern Baptist, then non-denominational, but heavy into Campus ministry, including 1 stateside and 2 international mission trips, through my college years, then stagnant for 2 decades, pleasantly distracted by kids. I have spent the past 5 years working and building on my deconversion, as eager as I was when I was a new believer. Special thanks to Hitchens, Dawkins, Gervais😉, Dan Barker, Freedom From Religion Foundation and others. I'd also like to give a shout out to Trump (hear me out) for the added eye-opening, jaw dropping realization that this age-old story is probably the longest surviving myth of them all, a true testimony of human capacity for believing something into reality. We are born with curiosity, not a "god-shaped" vacuum. I think y'all touched on this some, but it seems to me that all religions depend on and take great advantage of the basic human need to belong. I have always been persuaded, my beliefs reinforced, by well-educated people of faith. I don't think these seemingly wise individuals have seen or considered the consequences of their misguided influence. It's not faith, it's coercion. But, I also think it's a human frailty and tradition to fill in the blank rather than live with an open, curious, questioning mind. I remember the warm fuzzy feeling of a shared belief, especially one that is the truth, and therefore making all the others wrong. I totally agree that indoctrination of children is a form of abuse, in a way, robbing them of a chance to develop their thinking skills. I think this in turn has an unpleasant undermining of our cultural and societal intelligence. Although I still struggle with whether or not to "come out" to my old posse, I am finally beginning to enjoy my new-found view that I am lucky, not blessed, to be alive.
Thank you for this interview! I'm 60 years old and grew up in Atlanta in an IFB church and IFB elated elementary and HS. I didn't begin to leave the faith until the age of 40. Growing up in the 60's and 70's it was the typical strict religious family. My father suffered from mental disorders and while the doctors were putting him on medication the church was telling him to get rid of sin and trust Jesus. Physical and verbal child abuse coupled with my fathers attempted suicides and at one time placement in a mental institution were the results of the churches influence in our family life.
Man this guy is so humble and vulnerable. Very emotional
Really interesting, thanks both of you. Tim Mills, I thought your comment about burying your heavenly father particularly thought provoking. Keep up the good work.
Tim still has the vibe of a fatherly pastor. What a beautiful person, it grieves me he had to go through all that pain. I’m so happy he’s making the best of his life
This is the most powerful story I’ve ever heard. Thank you so much for sharing Tim. I appreciate what you were counting as lost to put your personal story in an open forum. And what I have seen in Christians online the last few years has sicken me because it is exactly as you say. in the name of Christianity people do and say horrible things. compassion is lacking in Christianity for those who think differently.
Come embrace Hinduism
This was for me the best interview I have seen! I totally connected with Tim's story of his childhood as well as his journey in/out of christianity. I think this one hit me so hard but also helped me to have the courage to cross that threshold out of the negative feeling I have had during deconstruction. I was once of the shiny happy people mom's and my biggest regret. I think forgiving myself has the hardest. When Tim said the comment about being a good boy ...I had to pause the video...that was it in a nutshell for me. god was this toxic relationship I was carrying on to get that "your a good girl" No going back.....sooo thankful for the Harmonic Atheist and the work being done!! Thank you...I feel a lot less alone!!❤
Thank you so much for sharing that, and for your encouragement and support! --Tim
Ditto to Tim’s reply. Helping others who have left feel less alone is one of the main reasons I share my story, and it means so much for you and others share that our discussion helped in this way.
I was a Christian my whole life. I even married a preacher's daughter. When I retired at age 60, I decided I wanted to know more about the bible like who wrote the books. I was shocked to find out the unknown aspects of this. I kept looking into the actual history of the bible and found out that the bible does not relate to our actual known history. At age 62, after so much research on the Christian religion, I finally let go of the faith including Jesus. After getting over the related grief around this, my life was better than before. I live in reality now and I'm not always wondering what a non-existence Christian god wants me to do. During my grief process I beat myself up for living this many years without doing my own studies into a faith I believed. I came to the conclusion that a person that is indoctrinated into Christianity never has time as an adult to do self-study. Life is so busy with college, marriage, and work. One does not have the time to dedicate months of self-study and reflection to come to a conclusion. It wasn't until I retired before I had this time. My wife has deconstructed based on my findings. I remember asking my parents when I was 6 years old who created God. I was 60 years old before I started researching my own answer.
Freeing!! Congratulations the relief is beyond words. My story pretty much matches yours - minus the marriage part. So happy for you and your wife! Now you have the time to unwind, research and shatter the dogma, lies,, and propaganda we all were stuffed with. Continued freedom and expansion!!!
Interesting. After studying the claims of Christianity and evidence supporting the fact that this guy Jesus was in fact the son of God and came to earth to die for our sins, I placed my faith in Christ for my salvation.
For some reason, this was one of the most fascinating stories on this channel. I have a feeling that this channel has the potential to really take off, keep going Tim!
Thank you!! I really appreciate your support. --Tim
This was wonderful! Thank you both Tims! I am about 3 months into “deconstruction”….. it has been terrifying and freeing at the same time. I was not raised a Christian, I came to the faith through my hubby and his (very religious) family. That was 40 years ago…. About 3 years ago we (my hubby and my oldest daughter) began to question why we were not following the commandments…. Why did we pretty much ignore the Old Testament? Why was church on Sunday? Why do we glorify bunnies at Easter? That led us on a journey of practicing Torah, celebrating Passover, throwing away all the Christmas decorations…. It was one of the most burdensome processes I have ever been through. THEN we started questioning Paul…. That was pretty much the catalyst that prompted us to question EVERYTHING…
Thank you again!!
Thanks for sharing that, Andrea! Also, based on what you wrote, you'd probably really enjoy the recent interview w/ Justin Best. --Tim
@@HarmonicAtheist I will check it out! Thank you!
I wish I'd questioned Paul earlier but even as a child, I loathed him. His writing (if it is his writing; scholars disagree) is pretty much all hate-filled rants. Which we are supposed to take as loving. (Classic abuse scenario.)
I am sure that I have watched every video you developed. I can't even put into words each time how amazed and refreshing each one is . This particular one is epic!!🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
A journey into light. Pain along the way but worth every step! The blinders come off and the view becomes as clear as glass!
I want you both to know that, as a lifelong non-believer, I do get how much courage it takes to deconstruct. More so thanks to your interviews, Tim. And your insight, Mr. Sledge, about how believers are terrified of your deconversion and why they simply avoid the discussion. My sister's a believer who often injects religion into our conversations. Not asking what I think, mind, but just stating what she believes. I say nothing, or simply acknowledge she has that belief without endorsing it. And I never try to deconvert her, or even bring up my lack of belief and its reasons. That would be a fool's game IMO. Anyway, thank you both for a great interview.
I smiled when Tim told about the clarity he had after he stopped going to church. The same happened to me. I stepped out of the bubble, the indoctrination reenforcement machine and... oh. What did I actually believe when no one is telling me what to believe? Then it hit me one day when I overheard a conversation about the Bible. I didn't believe any of it. I didn't believe in anything supernatural. I just believed in being kind, honest and trustworthy. My mind and heart cleared. That was my epiphany. I saw the light.
Not feeling like I have to judge people because of what some ancient texts say was a big eye-opener for me. "Jesus loves you, but..." My vision had been clouded the whole time.
Best interview ever! I have the same experience as you both. (without the education)This is going to help me finally have peace. Thanks
This is one of the best . So heartfelt.
You are both such beautiful people.
Thank you for all you do, have done, and have become.
Former Mormon bishop here living with regrets. Girlfriend is former JW. I agree with Tim (Sledge) 100% - "I don't understand how people can believe that." I don't believe if I had been presented with that theology as an adult I would have accepted it. However, I was baptized into the church as a second grader, fully expected at that age to enter an eternal covenant with God, a second grader. It is child abuse. Wonderful interview by the way, just subscribed.
@@danielbelteshazzar-mg7rb Appreciate your reply. May I ask where you are from? English is not your native language? Not that it matters, just curious. Maybe we can communicate in another language.
When I studied the Bible in depth, like you, I found I could not follow any established denomination. But my study led me to understand that I could not trust the word of the Bible any more than I could the Koran, the Book of Mormon or any other text that I studied.
I honestly felt I was left with no witness of God other than direct revelation.....still waiting. All the reasons people give for God (other than personal revelation) do not seem to hold true. Would be interested in whatever reasons you have other than personal revelation, if any. I have no evidence for eternal life. Everything I experience and see (despite personal desires) seems to be the exact opposite. Thanks again.
Tim Sledge is a genuine, kind, and introspective person. He’s obviously had a heart to help others his whole life- it’s just how he’s wired. For a young person in the heavily religious south, there are really no other options but the church for community-minded people like Tim. He didn’t care about money or profit- so the church is really the only logical choice in Texas- and most places throughout the US. His journey is fascinating and after reading his books, I admire and respect him for his never ending quest for truth and self reflection. His bravery in standing up for his principles and willingness to question his beliefs and change his mind after years of indoctrination is truly inspiring. Tim is too humble to ever label himself but he has all the qualities of a great human being. He readily admits he’s imperfect like the rest of us but always striving to improve himself and the world around him. Hats off to you for sharing his important and inspiring story.
Thank for sharing those thoughts, BR! I appreciate it. Tim Sledge definitely has a heart of gold, and it was an honor to hear his story.
I have been through a similar situation but certainly not at this mans level but the only difference is that I walked away from the mainstream church but have always maintained my faith in Christ. I remember going on talk radio once and sharing how I walked away from the "Church" but not from the man Jesus as he is still my Lord and Saviour. I can fellowship with other Christians no problems. I have my own relationship with the Lord. My experiences in my walk have kept me sane in and insane, imperfect world, more so today than ever before. Jesus is coming soon with all the evidence mounting at this very time especially with the US paving the pathway to hell for the rest of the world. I will not stop evangelising where the Father leads. I am not ashamed of the gospel message. God is good. Let me just say I do appreciate having listened in on this interview it has been very interesting. I have no ill will for either of them. I respect their honesty and can pray for them.
Hey, Bill. Appreciate (really, I do) your response. I left the church but not b/c of the people in it. We're all broken. But I was fed up with God and tired of pursuing him. I still believe in God's existence and Jesus. But I guess I severely doubt his interest in everybody and everything. There's more to my story of course but too long I think for a comment section. I believe it's intellectually disingenuine for people to flat out deny God's existence or at least the existence of a divine creator. But I understand their tendency to not believe anymore at all. After all, 2 seconds after we die, we will know who was right, who was wrong. I don't feel so confident, though.
I noticed that most of us leave church because of our u pleasant experiences with people in the church, I guess that’s the biggest struggle for me throughout my journey with God. I was born an atheist and converted in campus and since then, it has been a roller coaster ride. I left the church a few times and even searched for other religions in between. Now at 55, I finally have re-established my personal relationship with God. That’s all I can say, life can be good but how do you define meaning and Good without God ? For me it’s simple now. I want a relationship with God. 🙏 and that’s all it matters
Wow, that was captivating. I stumbled across this video and saw that it was almost 2 hours in length and thought I would watch it for 5 min or so and move on. I was riveted for the full two hours even replaying certain parts because I did not want to miss any points. As someone who was born into religion and walked away almost 40 years ago it was like listening to my own biography. I want to thank both Tims for this interview, because I find a calm thoughtful respectful voice so powerful in this sphere where kicking over chairs and frothing at the mouth gets more clicks. I have subscribed to this channel and will pick up a copy of book.
I have not been to church in several years but recently changed my beliefs. I do not know how to tell my family who are immersed in ministry and church. They are that life. My father is an independent Baptist minister. I love my family but I don't know how to be with them. I only have my grown children to talk to. I was diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer a couple of years ago and have been racked with pain nearly all the time except for this week. I believe that relief has come because I'm actively letting go of my childhood religious beliefs. This is the 3rd time I've had cancer and I think my religious beliefs I've hung onto that were damaging internalized into disease. I've been told stage 4 is not curable but i do hope that as i keep letting go of harmful beliefs my body will heal itself. There's no other explanation for me to keep getting sick since I have lived a seriously healthy life. Thank you for this video. ❤
Just starting to listen but your honesty and fortrightness is to be cherished! I really like that you two can have a true discussion of value. Thank you!
I hurt for the grief that you described in walking away from a faith in God. You are both such humble and genuine people. That said, I think your presumptions about many talking points are ill informed. I remain persuaded that God is an ever present reality and he has only ever represented love, light, and purpose in a dark world (yes, even from a biblical standpoint).
I deeply appreciate your authenticity.
Goodbye Jesus was the 1st book I read in my deconstruction. Resonated deeply with me as I'm a pk... Thx u, Dr. Sledge🥰 for sharing ur remarkable journey!
What's a pk?
@@ryanorionwotanson4568 pk just means preacher's kid.... so I saw the church politics behind the scenes.
@@exvangelicarol5336If you want to be sure you are going to Heaven watch How to go to Heaven by Steven Anderson
Oh man, I am so incredibly sad that this is a possibility. My only one hope for healing was in Jesus, I am so sick and it is beyond anything that can be helped other than with a miracle. I am so traumatized daily because I feel totally forsaken by god when I was an extreme extreme believer who would have done anything for Jesus. I feel like following him got me sick like this, I have no idea what to do now. I’m beyond devastated and my life is destroyed.
Please Don’t give up on God i am sorry you are going through what your going through
I understand because I was in your same situation at one time.
I am a believer in Father son and Holy Spirit. I quit listening to religious people and religion. I serve God one day at a time .
This life is short compare to eternity.
Please don’t stop praying and one day, I don’t know when you will be happy you didn’t give up praying and believing. I’m praying with and for you. Bless you
That’s because you haven’t paid attention to what Jesus was telling you. He told you who God is, and you didn’t listen.
Major props to this interviewer.
I mean, I understand when an interviewer's goal is to bring out points that would facilitate a broader understanding for the viewers sake but obviously this interviewer didn't find the need to do that because Tim's outpouring from his heart is both all-telling and compelling. This translates as a interviewers dream, & it's great that this interviewer had that knowing and maturity....the end result being a very interesting interview no matter what one's beliefs.
Thank you so much for your kind words of support! I really appreciate that. --Tim
It was a great interview. A great account.
This is a great conversation. Thank both of you.
Thanks, Pete!
Powerful stuff. Thanks to both "Tims" for sharing this.
OMG! Finally someone who tells me it's ok to have the feelings that I have had for years. I am not an atheist by any stretch, but I also cannot accept that "God has NEVER heard your prayers unless you have prayed to Jesus first".
I am fearful every time I encounter Christians trying to spread the word and save you from eternal damnation.
What I am desperate for is something simple, short and sweet to say to them at times like that to show them that I am NOT following the Christian belief. Something I can say that would not trigger their passionate desire to save my sorry ass from the fire.
I ordered your book.
You tell them go read Romans 14. If they followed their own doctrine they would realize it speaks against enforcing your belief on anyone because whatever is done without faith is a sin. Sin is just missing the mark or literally not praising the Sumerian moon godess called Sin.
Just say I have my beliefs please respect and go read Romans 14 (the whole chapter)
I went from devout Christian to Buddhist with polytheism. I don't believe in the divinity of jesus
Why are you trying so hard and for whom ?
I am so grateful to you both for this interview that y’all are so selflessly sharing with all of us. I am having to take this video in sections so I can process each part. I have a loving alcoholic father but I didn’t realize the shame I still carry. I have an abusive birth pod/vessel that I had to cut off. And now I don’t believe in Jesus anymore. I am lost, sad, accepting, and finding peace all at once. So thank you. Thank you for this space.
Have belief in yourself. You can see the former road as a past obstruction. Go forward with hope and renewed strength. 🙏👍👏💟
Yes, shame just for existing is one of the basic tenets of Abrahamic religions (the Eden story). And when it's programmed in young, it takes courage to delve it out, and that's not always fun . But the further you get, the easier life gets. Wishing you a journey that continues to get smoother.
As a more or less all time atheist (61y) living in a country just about in the northern part of Europe, this was very helpful and instructive. Always wondered how grown people could be so scared of an old storybook.
Here (52% do not believe in a god) most have left their faith without really realizing it. And even most of those who have remained are mostly cultural Christians and had never held a Bible in their hands.
But then we have a very clear "Separation of church and state" and I think that helps a lot.
These religious people are smart. They always target people in vulnerable situations (e.g. Preaching to the poor and homeless) or impressionable young kids.
As someone who grew up with Christianity, you don't bother to question why you believe in it
Are you Norwegian?
@@bk6086 Nop Belgium.
That is exactly what I experience, not only with strangers, but friends and family too! I still feel any loss, the relationship could not have been sincere in the first place. We believe because we’re indoctrinated as children.
I admire the bravery and strength of character of both of you.
I got saved in the Baptist Church, then be came a pentecostal and attended a pentecostal Bible College. I served with my whole heart, sacrificing my own pleasure to do "God's will" for 40 years. I am now an atheist and I am at perfect peace.
Stories like yours are the only evidence I need that God does not exist. Such an energy as God is supposed to be could not leave such sincere and loving people to struggle spiritually and emotionally.
Wow, I can listen you you both all day long. When Tim Sledge said you have to have something happen that jars you, that makes you start listening, if that something hasn’t happened, you don’t wanna listen, you don’t want your bubble burst. Gawwd dam that was a very good line after so many this whole interview. Sledge said if I could take a magic pill and get this belief back, would I? No, truth matters. How do you waste your life, spend the whole thing never being open to the truth, never being willing to change. Wow, just wow.
It is a magic spell, I’ve been saying this ever since I left the cult.
Last thing, he said, deconversion is something you do, but it’s also something that happens to you. You’re not totally in control of it, because it’s about reality. Reality takes over. Deconversion is not something I chose, it happened to me. This is the logical outcome of what I learned!! I love the Matrix movie even more that I left Christianity cult!! I loved this interview. Tim thanks for your work and dedication putting these videos out, you’re helping thousands, next up is millions.
Thanks, Tim. Been an atheist for 53 years. Had minimal contact with my parents for decades; because, I just couldn't handle the types of interaction they would insist on. Something in your talk here today just clicked. When you talked about how surprised you were that so few people - people who had said they loved and cared about you - made any attempt to even try to understand what you were going through., it suddenly occurred to me that they had never believed all that stuff about "love conquereth all" etc. that I had been taught was the core of the Christian message. Someone who truly loves you will try to understand you.
Most of my family were still religious , but didn't have a problem with me being athiest , I even still took my elderly Mother to church sometimes ... I grew up surrounded by a lot of different religions , I just treated them as cultural differences and learned as much as I could about them , my best friend was Jewish and I loved some of their customs too ...
thank you guys. That was time well spent!
What an incredible and moving "testimony"!! I'm not American, but spent my early years on the "mission field" surrounded by Americans and others, and I can relate so closely to this story. Thank you Tim, I feel your channel is important and have just been on your justgiving page to help keep you going. More power to your elbow as we say in the UK! In regard to the "Oh, you were never really saved anyway", I just wonder how, in all the years I was active as a Christian, and many times going forward for prayer and ministry, not one of the spirit-filled people around me or ministering to me, ever discerned that I was not a real Christian. Hindsight is always a great thing but clearly doesn't need any supernatural input!
@xylay3540 Haha, no, it's more an ironic reference to being "the son of a preacher man" to borrow from a song.
not really sure what that means are you gloating?...why would it matter to them about your walk or your not walk...shouldn't it have mattered more to you?
@@RooniP sorry I'm not with you at all! Gloating? Where does that come in?
Wow! This is a powerful testimony. I agree with u Tim entirely. I also gave up going to Religious Churches when i came to realize the hypocrisy among the so called believers. Thank u for your story.
Christians are saying they are built in to Gods word who HATES Hypocrisy the most in the entire Scriptures? yet, the worse Hypocrites are the ones who built it is raging insanity.
Contradiction Complete
I left religion a few years ago and am now so grateful that my children are atheists in spite of my trying to indoctrinate them. They are such kind good people I do not understand how Christians can believe we don't have morals.
Agreed, it's amazing to see!
I am on the same boat. Grew up Pentecostal and took me years to de-convert. Seeing my son who is now 9 through the process of learning I can see clearly how my fears of hell were asinine. I’m honest with my child about Santa clause and religious POV and what people say and what’s logical and what’s not. We learn about different mythologies and religion and I teach him religion could be useful if he needs to cope but made him aware of all the brainwash and manipulation. Honest that no one really knows what lies beyond but one thing is for sure we are made of star stuff. So he is now enamored with science and how all the elements out there are in our bodies. Even then one we think are harmful (phosphorus, sulfur etc.) I remind him everyday
We are not a drop in the ocean but the ocean in a drop.
So there is NO separation form “God”
regardless of what they say we are made from the same thing. Identity and delusions is what makes us classify us versus demonizing others.
Needless to say he went from begging for a religion and constantly asking me what we are to: I’m not ready. I’ll figure it out.
He still listens to his Christian music before bed. But he now more into mythologies of different cultures and looking for morals and what people belief (I told him it gives us insight to the ancient mind) then obsessing the Bible.
And as far as me! Everyday I learn something new along my research with him. I love him so much I want him to truly enjoy his “God given free-will” no strings attached like religious institutions and cults do.
I'm lucky to be in my 40s childless. It only takes busting a nut once to ruin your life.
OMG, me too! Two sons who we raised in church. The entire family became atheists within a period of 18 months. I continue to apologize to my two sons, 43, and 40, for raising them in this environment. And they always say, "Dad, get over it, it wasn't your fault, and we've all left that far behind!" 🥰🥰
I don’t believe religion has given human beings anything that didn’t already exist within our brains.
Very powerful! Thank you so much! Myself having been in full time ministry for decades - and now deconstructing and deconverting - Tim Sledges's story moved me a lot.
Regret is a devastating emotion. It is so much worse than being unhappy, being discontent or being sad. Because WE and our actions and decisions are the direct cause of our regret. And the feeling of loss when you realise what YOUR own actions cost you, cannot be compared to any other feeling, because it is self-inflicted.
If someone hurts you, it is painful. But it was actions you are not in control of. If your actions hurt someone and you later realise what the results of your decision were, the regret is overwhelming.
If you shunned a loved one because he/she is on a different journey than you, you lost precious time with that person. Time that you will never get back. Every second you lose with a person you love, is a second gone forever. We can change many things, but time lost is the most profound loss, because you can never get it back. EVER. The regret is going to be the most painful thing you're going to have to live with.
Well, if you don’t believe in the afterlife , then the sadness of regret from your actions will only last a lifetime and then your dead. And I believe it’s never too late ,all human beings are really trying to achieve is happiness or contentment anyway and if you don’t believe in God then these are just emotions that can be felt again , regardless of regret. It will pass
As a ex Jehovah Witness now a agnostic atheist my punishment is eternal extinction not eternal torment. Nowhere in the old testament does it teach in life after death, Ecclesiastes 9: 5 says ,,The Living are conscious that they will die but as for the dead they are conscious of nothing at all,, The Greeks believed in conscious torment in hell and the New Testament was written in Greek. Mark Twain 1835 to 1910 had it right when he said,, I'm not afraid of being dead I was dead for billions upon billions of years before I was born and I never suffered the slightest inconvenience from it,, Justin Porter ex jw ❤️
What a good story. Thoroughly enjoyed the conversation.
So true, it's amazing what we humans conjure up as delusional thought.
Our Beliefs are our own personal jigsaw puzzle.
Well said!
Im just now starting to think this way, and question. I don't have the guts to say it out loud yet but it sure helps knowing that others have been through it and can provide guidance. Following!
So many you have no idea. Many listen to delusions and agree but internally feel pity. But that doesn’t mean scriptures are not full of wisdom as long as you read them for what they are, literature. And ancient literature at that with a window to ancient ideologies. From many POV. I like reading a piece of all.
You may enjoy reading Mark Twains satire A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court ( it was controversial when it came out of course by Catholic Church) but it’s hilarious. And in the end you see you can’t force people out of their delusions because you only end up killing yourself for nothing. Inherent beliefs always wins people over when rubber meats the road.
I understand your struggle. I too, am struggling and have set my faith aside. I still believe in the existence of God/Jesus but I doubt his interest in everybody and everything. If you haven't already, maybe check out Dr. Frank Turek. Best to grasp both sides of this
profound matter. Please understand i'm not judging or trying to covertly convert you. Just stumbling my way through this is all.
I was mesmerized listening to Tim. Fantastic interview!!
Great show Tim
Thank you both for sharing your stories in this very heartfelt interview. ❤️
Thank you for sharing. My doubt started before seminary, and I went to seminary to strengthen my faith. I held on for another ten years as my faith became increasingly liberal, but finally after thirty years of committed discipleship, I realized the Bible was simply a human book like all others, and I couldn't continually do mental gymnastics to justify even the good parts. Once I saw how flawed Jesus was and that it is clear we have no idea what he really said, the faith game was over for me. The truth matters too much.
I can identify with so much of this testimony. I left Christianity due to becoming unconvinced of its message, and through examination of the Bible. But I am not an atheist as such. I am convinced that there is a spiritual reality woven through all existence, and that the desire for meaning and truth is but a small evidence of this. My investigation of the NDE phenomena has replaced doctrine based religion with a more intuitive awareness and experience of spirituality.
After being an active member of a church I had attended for 14 years, one day I snapped.
I just stopped going.
Not one single person reached out to see what had happened.
I was surprised but relieved at the same time.
I realise, now, that ignoring the fact that someone has left the church is the norm.
Church is a social club and if you no longer want to be part of that club, then people just let you be.
It's no different to leaving Rotary or Toastmasters.
A brilliant painful and honest discussion. Thank you, proud of you both for sharing the truth.
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement, John! --Tim
@@HarmonicAtheist I’ve struggled with Institutionalised Christianity most of my life.
Fifteen years ago I began learning tai chi. Oh my the comments I got from Christian’s “it was evil” “the devil with enter your brain when you are mindful in the present!”…
I carried on because it did me a power of good. I just didn’t discuss it with Christian’s.
Having been practicing for a while, a strange thing happened which was never spoken of or mentioned would happen by my teacher(s) - I became aware of a higher power!
The penny dropped then as to why Christianity says Eastern practices are evil! Because you can access the Devine within, as opposed to a god in heaven up there, but only if you follow the rules!
I appreciate you now do not believe but I thought I’d share my story in case someone reading might still believe in “something” but not the way Religion indoctrinates!
I’ve found Daoism to be a wonderful way forward. 😊🙏🏻☯️
Great video...I left the faith 10 yrs ago...had an old friend tell me Jesus is just a placebo . Think about it.
That was all it took? ;) I wish that had been all I needed to free myself.
You know its time to consider deconversion when you ask God if you can write off Vacation Bible School on your taxes as a working vacation. Or when you confess to yourself that the vacation with the time sharing condo sales seminar was more fun and laid back. Thank you Tim Sledge for setting an excellent example of working to leave the world a better place and Tim Mills I am impressed at how you have grown the channel and stayed true to your style and integrity.
The point made about grief and having no one who supports you or understands…wow. I didn’t realize that is what I was feeling at times. I also agree about a comment made about family who you shared the same beliefs with. When you start to tell them what is wrong with that belief, I do feel that it’s out of fear or losing the comfort of believing that they don’t want to listen to you or have anything to do with you or completely disregard the facts. I’ve been dealing with that since leaving my faith about a year and a half ago. I haven’t been on the channel in a while. Forgot how therapeutic it is to listen to other people’s deconstruction stories. Thanks!
This has been a life changing and comforting interviews. I love this❤
I love this interview with you two. I’m happy he found himself,found out the truth, & peace. Both Tim’s are smart men 😊
In spite of billions of believers in the Jesus character described in the New Testament, no such person has ever appeared in public for pictures, ever written anything or decided to clean up the mess.
He has never showed up to me in my Christian life. I dumped him. wish my wife would!!
@@samunderdog1354Same….. I recently left and tried telling my wife that info I found out that made me leave… But unfortunately, she doesn’t wanna hear the information.
There are plenty of historians who talk about Him, non Christians included.
@@nancystockwell7829 Hi. Aaaaaand, your point would be what⁉️
Are you a fanatic of religion❓😬
@@nancystockwell7829 An appearance in the sky for our cameras to record would be nice.
The BEST heart felt coming out I have ever heard. I love you brother.... you are not alone. After fifty years I decided to dig deeper into my faith and come closer to God. I even hosted a men's group. Yes, I might have opened myself up to both sides with some concerns from the group. I then came to the same conclusion. This happened without anything tragic happening in my life like what you went through with your wife and church. I will probably spend the next ten years like you, lost, alone and in the dark because sharing my feelings would surely be the downfall in my marriage and strong Christan family members. Although, I believe they are starting to sense it because they have asked if I'm having doubts and my wife is concerned. Signed, Ignorance is Bleis, I wish I could go back. Lost Soul
You are not alone. May you find your own inner strength. Following the truth is not a reason for shame.
Wow, this was amazing, refreshing, and very insightful. I woke up and they couldn't put me back to sleep. So grateful for the freedom to see reality as it is and have the blinders off. Your guest is fantastic and I plan to continue watching. I subscribed to your channel and appreciate the variety of individuals you have here to share their stories. You are fantastic and I learn more about myself every time I watch. I've been binge-watching your videos because finally, I don't feel alone on this journey. There is so much to learn, but more importantly, it is nice to know I am not alone in my journey. Thank you and keep up the good work. Your channel is outstanding.
I found the animated YT videos of nonstampcollector and darkmatter, retelling Bible stories from the point of view of "what honestly is this?" to be super helpful to unwind further from my early indoctrination. (Like, how was I convinced that a father being willing to kill his own son was somehow a sign of a merciful and loving god?) They include chapter-and-verse Bible citations, so if someone tells you you're full of it, you can tell them to look it up.
brilliant story and a great storyteller. good luck out there Mr. Sledge 👍
I rarely use the term atheist . I use “ free thinker “ , libre penseur . In French it automatically implies no whatever that dictates your thoughts .
'Texas is in the South but not quite the South. It's different.' As a born and raised Texan from Houston, that's exactly how many of us feel.
Spent my childhood in Texas, it very much is that way. Reflecting on my youth spent in Texas, I feel like it is one of the most socially backward places in the US. I have witnessed a lot of racism in my life and it is hands down the most racist place I have ever been. I wouldn't say that it's any less religious than my home state of Missouri but the attitudes are very different. In Missouri, there is a big emphasis in religious circles that everyone is a terrible, evil sinner. In Texas, they are very much believers in white superiority, in which a lot of people have both a persecution complex while simultaneously also have many narcissistic and purist traits. Essentially, in Texas, Christianity seemed more like it was putting other people down to raise itself up while in Missouri it more so believes in dragging everyone down to their level of codependency and fear-mongering regardless of race.
@@robynsnest6242 My family was Catholic. We were encouraged to learn the religion through school and church but it wasn't preached at us in the home. The religious bent and bleed over into politics, race and nationalism is much more overt and accepted today as it was in the 80's.
@@robynsnest6242 My wife and I live in a suburb of Houston, in what is the most racially diverse country in the USA. Our neighbors on one side are Chinese. The neighbors on the other side are Anglo and African-American. We all get along. It depends on where you are in Texas, and race relations are better than in my childhood years in Texas. But, sad to say, the other side, the hateful side is here in Texas as well. Tim Sledge
I was born into the Seventh day Adventist 'church'/ 'faith'...40 years of my life gone wasted...I always remember as a kid and my childhood sweetheart, who lived in my town, went to the same Junior school and high sch0ol with me and to this day remember being told i was not allowed to go to the high school prom (where she'd be) because...Dancing was of the devil basically and Adventists don't do such things...I was distraught...Broken...My life went downhill from there (especially seeing my dad die the same year), even though i couldn't break away from the 'faith'...At 44 i'm still struggling with social situations, insecurities, confusion, struggle to make friends etc Nowadays I prefer to stay in my own company...I now just have extreme doubts when it comes to people in general
I know what you are talking about. Spent my childhood in the Reformation Movement of the Seventh day adventits. It` a hard core version of STA. It takes Time and studying. Watching TH-cam videos also helps. Most of the serious scholars are not believers. It slowly sinks in. Check my life story: th-cam.com/video/-Rl24wL9ZZA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=zcN-_ETQ3W7ybdA2
I grew up in the Jehovah's Witnesses and it was very much like that but I turned it into "I've got the world by the balls and they just don't realize it." I acted proud that I didn't do holidays or birthdays or after school activities, I was better than that, I had the TRUTH. I quit when I was 25 now 51 and I feel like I've lived about twelve different lives so I've had my fill. Now I'm tired, directionless, body and mind both breaking down. Sometimes I attempt to emulate the "peace and tranquility" Christians talk about but with a Spinoza twist however I have to admit I miss the feeling of superiority and resolve that everything would work out in the end. I hold very few grudges and am totally ok with my parents doing what they thought was right (mom is 78 and still an active Witness). My brother on the other hand is still extremely resentful that he wasn't allowed to have school friends or do anything with anybody that wasn't a JW. I often wonder what it was like for kids to have a "normal" upbringing, or even a Mormon one, I mean those guys do politics, business, education etc with the best of them and as JWs we shunned those things as satanic. One thing we did do is drink a lot, I was an alcoholic by age 20 and still struggle with it though the last year has gotten better. Anyway I appreciated your story, it's always interesting to me what people of other Christian persuasions have been through. I sometimes feel like the JW experience is unrelatable but I think I'm wrong and it's pretty solipsistic for me to assume nobody else really gets it.
Loved this video and loved the connection Tim Mills made about not being able to have a funeral for your heavenly father when you lose your faith.