A Pastor, a husband, a bible school teacher. Now I am not. What events caused the loss of my faith. What were the first steps that lead me to make such a change? Read on!
I grew up in a devout penticostal / Charismatic Christian home. The son of a pastor, I endured the attention and expectations of the large congregation. Obviously the pressure was there from a young age to go into the ministry myself.
Our family life totally revolved around church. We went to church every Sunday and attended the many weekly meetings and conferences. My youth was spent living in a “fish bowl” of christianity. I had to look and act the part of a good Christian boy. It was actually a part I played well and enjoyed greatly.
As a teenager, I worked in the Youth department and eventually became a youth leader in the church. If you have been involved in the charismatic movement you will know that the whole experience is exciting and for the most part wholesome and fun. I certainly don’t have any regrets about my youth and upbringing. It was fun and something that I was totally immersed in.
After leaving High School, I felt the “call of God” to go to bible school and train to be a pastor myself. After attending Bible School I left to pioneer my own church. The church grew and soon became a well known establishment in the charismatic community.
I loved preaching and enjoyed the power I felt it gave me week after week. After several years I started preaching overseas and became a very popular preacher, I wrote several books and released selected preaching series on DVD and CD. I was being invited to bigger and bigger conferences and worked hard at developing my ministry and popularity. All of this sold more books and CD’s and further increased the demands on me to preach a certain message and live a particular lifestyle.
I remember one night after a particularly “wild” church meeting I went back to my hotel and thought about my life. What was I really accomplishing? What change was I really making to other people’s lives? It seemed that I was getting paid a lot of money to entertain the crowds and increase the popularity of the pastors who ran the churches I preached in. I was a paid performer who used hype, enthusiasm, guilt and fear to control the way people lived, ensured that they supported the church with their hard earned money and time.
I felt used. I felt like I was prostituting my “god given” talents and abilities.
My journey out of the ministry and Christianity was not a sudden one. It took several years of evaluation, change and personal development.
Today I look back at all this without regret, I admire the pastors who work tirelessly to help marriages and young people. Those who’s hearts are right and actually do make a difference in some people’s lives. Unfortunately all this help is so often laced with control and fear. Sadly the “cure” given by the church turns out to be worse than the disease.
I am no longer a believer. I don’t believe in Heaven. I don’t believe in Hell. There is no devil and if there is a higher power, I very much doubt he is even remotely like the entity described througout the Bible as “Jehovah”, “God” the creator of heaven and earth.
Sadly thousands of people are caught up in world of religion and Christian experience that is no more than manipulation and control designed to get their money and support. Organisations that exist to get support so they can keep existing and feed the ego’s of those who run them.
I am a happy person with a great life! I don’t feel guilty any more! Like the old hymn says “I once was blind, but now I see!”
I hope this blog helps others see the light too!
As a Charismatic/Pentecostal Bible teacher and pastor for many years, I preached a hard gospel. I subscribed to the belief that the only way to heaven was through confession and belief that Jesus is the son of God.
I preached that the road to salvation was narrow and the way to destruction broad. I preached that with 2 rusty nails and a wooden plank, Jesus built a bridge across the gap between heaven and hell. I was passionate, I was focussed and single minded in my belief that not only was there a God and a devil, there was a heaven and hell. Those who believed in Jesus went to heaven and those who did not, went to hell.
I believed that the Bible was the inspired word of God. It was factual and absolute.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: I naively believed and taught that the word of God (the Bible) was infallible, inspired by God and 100% correct.
I went through a stage of questioning my beliefs, what is the purpose of the church?, what is the end result of my beliefs? Why does God answer the prayers of some and not others?
I now no longer question these things. I know that God, the story of Jesus, the acts of the apostles and the stories told in the Bible are just that… stories.
Stories that have been passed down from all different cultures and religions that existed long before the time of Jesus. Stories that have been changed and manipulated to serve those in power to keep the populace controlled and living in fear.
This brings us to the ultimate question… Who created whom? ”Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” Romans 12:2
You could interpret this verse as: “Don’t accept scientific, factual or rational information from human sources, but let your mind be changed so you believe everything the “word of God”, the bible says instead”
.
.
The creation story as recorded in the book of Genesis is not unique! A similar creation myth can be found in almost every human culture. These myths take a similar form; a supernatural, all powerful being created the world and all life on earth. Almost all these creation stories predate the Genesis version by many thousands of years!
Primitive inhabitants from all parts of the globe including the Australian aboriginals, African tribes, the Aztec of South America, North American Indians and Eskimos all have creation mythology as a central part of their religious beliefs. These beliefs date from a time period many thousands of years before the Bible was even written.
Perhaps the Genesis account of creation came from these stories, passed down generation to generation and eventually a written account of it was made. This would lead us to conclude that the account we have in the Bible is simply a myth. A myth created by simple minded people who desperately wanted to believe in something other than their own existence.
Death is a subject that dominates all religions. Life after death is a concept we would all dearly love to cling to. By thinking there is a god who created humanity and that this god provides for us after we die is a comforting one. Certainly early humans would have been eager to believe and propagate such stories!
The Bible account of creation, that God created the world in six days and then rested is not a fact. It is fiction. The genesis account of humanity and its generational accounting of humanity from Adam to Jesus contains approximately 4000 years of human history. Considering that Jesus apparently existed 2000 years ago, this would place the creation of our world roughly 6000 years ago. Our world and the life that exists and once existed in it are far older than 6000 years!
Of course today, due to carbon dating methods, archeology and scientific research we know that humanity in its current form has existed on the earth for more than 200,000 years. That is a fact.
In response to this overwhelming factual evidence, Bible scholars have, of course, started to back peddle on their staunch “If the bible says it I believe it” stand! Apparently they now believe that one “day” in the creation story could be “1000 years” or even a million years….
Hmnnn, does it seem strange to you that the God of the universe can’t effectively communicate to humanity an accurate time frame for creation?
The overall conclusion is this: Man wrote the Bible account of creation. It was not “divinely inspired”, it was based on the mythological beliefs of humanity at the time. We live in a world where scientific research has superseded these beliefs. Sadly much of humanity would rather cling dogmatically to an outdated belief system.
Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with you or anyone else believing in God, heaven, hell, life after death – you can believe whatever you like! The problem is when you pass off as FACT something that is simply a belief. Christian leaders then take this belief, which they now state as factual and use it to control and manipulate children, families and loved ones.
The end result of this manipulation of the masses has, sadly, too often ended with bigotry, judgemental attitudes, murder, guilt, oppression and fear!
It starts off with stars in our eyes and pure bliss. However, after the ‘new’ wears off, we begin to make assessments about our spouse’s emotions; whether true or false, we form our own perceptions of what mood he or she is in. Here are two pie charts that illustrate the point.
A Pastor, a husband, a bible school teacher. Now I am not. What events caused the loss of my faith. What were the first steps that lead me to make such a change? Read on!
I grew up in a devout penticostal / Charismatic Christian home. The son of a pastor, I endured the attention and expectations of the large congregation. Obviously the pressure was there from a young age to go into the ministry myself.
Our family life totally revolved around church. We went to church every Sunday and attended the many weekly meetings and conferences. My youth was spent living in a “fish bowl” of christianity. I had to look and act the part of a good Christian boy. It was actually a part I played well and enjoyed greatly.
As a teenager, I worked in the Youth department and eventually became a youth leader in the church. If you have been involved in the charismatic movement you will know that the whole experience is exciting and for the most part wholesome and fun. I certainly don’t have any regrets about my youth and upbringing. It was fun and something that I was totally immersed in.
After leaving High School, I felt the “call of God” to go to bible school and train to be a pastor myself. After attending Bible School I left to pioneer my own church. The church grew and soon became a well known establishment in the charismatic community.
I loved preaching and enjoyed the power I felt it gave me week after week. After several years I started preaching overseas and became a very popular preacher, I wrote several books and released selected preaching series on DVD and CD. I was being invited to bigger and bigger conferences and worked hard at developing my ministry and popularity. All of this sold more books and CD’s and further increased the demands on me to preach a certain message and live a particular lifestyle.
I remember one night after a particularly “wild” church meeting I went back to my hotel and thought about my life. What was I really accomplishing? What change was I really making to other people’s lives? It seemed that I was getting paid a lot of money to entertain the crowds and increase the popularity of the pastors who ran the churches I preached in. I was a paid performer who used hype, enthusiasm, guilt and fear to control the way people lived, ensured that they supported the church with their hard earned money and time.
I felt used. I felt like I was prostituting my “god given” talents and abilities.
My journey out of the ministry and Christianity was not a sudden one. It took several years of evaluation, change and personal development.
Today I look back at all this without regret, I admire the pastors who work tirelessly to help marriages and young people. Those who’s hearts are right and actually do make a difference in some people’s lives. Unfortunately all this help is so often laced with control and fear. Sadly the “cure” given by the church turns out to be worse than the disease.
I am no longer a believer. I don’t believe in Heaven. I don’t believe in Hell. There is no devil and if there is a higher power, I very much doubt he is even remotely like the entity described througout the Bible as “Jehovah”, “God” the creator of heaven and earth.
Sadly thousands of people are caught up in world of religion and Christian experience that is no more than manipulation and control designed to get their money and support. Organisations that exist to get support so they can keep existing and feed the ego’s of those who run them.
I am a happy person with a great life! I don’t feel guilty any more! Like the old hymn says “I once was blind, but now I see!”
I hope this blog helps others see the light too!
As a Charismatic/Pentecostal Bible teacher and pastor for many years, I preached a hard gospel. I subscribed to the belief that the only way to heaven was through confession and belief that Jesus is the son of God.
I preached that the road to salvation was narrow and the way to destruction broad. I preached that with 2 rusty nails and a wooden plank, Jesus built a bridge across the gap between heaven and hell. I was passionate, I was focussed and single minded in my belief that not only was there a God and a devil, there was a heaven and hell. Those who believed in Jesus went to heaven and those who did not, went to hell.
I believed that the Bible was the inspired word of God. It was factual and absolute.
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: I naively believed and taught that the word of God (the Bible) was infallible, inspired by God and 100% correct.
I went through a stage of questioning my beliefs, what is the purpose of the church?, what is the end result of my beliefs? Why does God answer the prayers of some and not others?
I now no longer question these things. I know that God, the story of Jesus, the acts of the apostles and the stories told in the Bible are just that… stories.
Stories that have been passed down from all different cultures and religions that existed long before the time of Jesus. Stories that have been changed and manipulated to serve those in power to keep the populace controlled and living in fear.
This brings us to the ultimate question… Who created whom? ”Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will”
Romans 12:2
You could interpret this verse as: “Don’t accept scientific, factual or rational information from human sources, but let your mind be changed so you believe everything the “word of God”, the bible says instead”
.
The creation story as recorded in the book of Genesis is not unique! A similar creation myth can be found in almost every human culture. These myths take a similar form; a supernatural, all powerful being created the world and all life on earth. Almost all these creation stories predate the Genesis version by many thousands of years!
Primitive inhabitants from all parts of the globe including the Australian aboriginals, African tribes, the Aztec of South America, North American Indians and Eskimos all have creation mythology as a central part of their religious beliefs. These beliefs date from a time period many thousands of years before the Bible was even written.
Perhaps the Genesis account of creation came from these stories, passed down generation to generation and eventually a written account of it was made. This would lead us to conclude that the account we have in the Bible is simply a myth. A myth created by simple minded people who desperately wanted to believe in something other than their own existence.
Death is a subject that dominates all religions. Life after death is a concept we would all dearly love to cling to. By thinking there is a god who created humanity and that this god provides for us after we die is a comforting one. Certainly early humans would have been eager to believe and propagate such stories!
The Bible account of creation, that God created the world in six days and then rested is not a fact. It is fiction. The genesis account of humanity and its generational accounting of humanity from Adam to Jesus contains approximately 4000 years of human history. Considering that Jesus apparently existed 2000 years ago, this would place the creation of our world roughly 6000 years ago. Our world and the life that exists and once existed in it are far older than 6000 years!
Of course today, due to carbon dating methods, archeology and scientific research we know that humanity in its current form has existed on the earth for more than 200,000 years. That is a fact.
In response to this overwhelming factual evidence, Bible scholars have, of course, started to back peddle on their staunch “If the bible says it I believe it” stand! Apparently they now believe that one “day” in the creation story could be “1000 years” or even a million years….
Hmnnn, does it seem strange to you that the God of the universe can’t effectively communicate to humanity an accurate time frame for creation?
The overall conclusion is this: Man wrote the Bible account of creation. It was not “divinely inspired”, it was based on the mythological beliefs of humanity at the time. We live in a world where scientific research has superseded these beliefs. Sadly much of humanity would rather cling dogmatically to an outdated belief system.
Don’t get me wrong, I have no problem with you or anyone else believing in God, heaven, hell, life after death – you can believe whatever you like! The problem is when you pass off as FACT something that is simply a belief. Christian leaders then take this belief, which they now state as factual and use it to control and manipulate children, families and loved ones.
The end result of this manipulation of the masses has, sadly, too often ended with bigotry, judgemental attitudes, murder, guilt, oppression and fear!
141/21 You might think that the patient’s problem is insignificant and obvious, but remember his or her pain and un… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…1 year ago
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Everyday you make a thousand choices. You choose what to wear, where to go, who to meet, what to eat and what to do. MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, YOU decide WHAT TO THINK. One thing is sure and that is that your day will not be better than your thoughts. ...................
Just close your eyes for a moment and see if you can visualise this open toolbox and if you can see the hundreds of tools that are neatly placed in this toolbox. Now look if you can see the maker’s name on these tools. The creator of these tools (thoughts and perceptions) is you. You created thousands of thoughts and perceptions (tools) about everything since your childhood. ..................
When confronted with any situation or problem you reach into this toolbox and take out what you think the most appropriate tool would be and then attempt to fix the problem. It is estimated that your mind thinks at least 2,500 thoughts an hour. Every thought that you think is a tool (perception) that you have that you imagine would work best under specific circumstances. This thought process continues day and night and will do so for the rest of your life. .....................................
I am convinced that we think ourselves to a standstill. We never stop playing with these tools in our toolbox and can hardly ever really relax for a while. If we are not faced with a problem or task that needs completion we still continue to take out these tools and mentally rehears and contemplate how we will use them should something that we fear become a reality. ............................
We are forever thinking and scheming and never become still and tranquil inside. Our bodies might seem relaxed, but deep inside our heads this thought process continues churning around. What I am most worried about is that most of the tools that you have in your toolbox are very old and outdated. .......................
Many of the opportunities, problems and obstructions that you face daily cannot be repaired while you are using old and outdated tools. If you take a modern mechanic’s toolbox and you place the toolbox of a mechanic of fifty years ago next to it you will find that there are major discrepancies. When you are confronted with something that needs repair and you do not have the right tool for the task at hand it can be very frustrating. We usually improvise and try using some other tools and hope that it will also get the job done. ........................
When you are faced with a problem you need to select the right tool for the task at hand. If you do not have the tool in your toolbox it can complicate your life. What most people seem to ignore is that it is sometimes better not to reach for your toolbox when faced with a problem. Sometimes you need time to pass or need to leave the problem with its rightful owner. How well you use your tools is usually reflected in the world you see around you. What would you do if you were faced with any or all of the following? .........................
You get a flat tire on your way to an important customer or meeting. You can fall apart, develop a migraine and think that life is against you or you can take out the right tools (patience and reality) and take care of the problem in a relaxed manner. ........................
You have been working on the computer for hours and suddenly lose all your work. You can drop dead with a heart attack; think that God hates you or you can take out the right tool (sanity and reality) and begin over and this time remember to make a backup of your work. ....................
A lover or wife possibly cheated on you. You can go crazy and get an assassin to take out the potential threat to your relationship, think that you are a failure or you can take out the right tool (no fear of loss) and get on with your life. .......................
When you have the right tools in your toolbox it makes life a lot easier. The choices we make are vital in our lives. The more quality choices we make during any given day the higher the probability of success and peace of mind. ................
I suggest that you equip your toolbox with the best tools you can lay your hands on. It is important to upgrade if you discover that one of your tools are outdated or that a more modern version is available. How would you react if your TV packed up and a technician that obviously knows very little about electronics arrived at your house with only a sledgehammer and a few other primitive tools in his toolbox? I am sure that you will send him away and find someone better qualified and equipped for the task. .....................
You might sometimes be like this incompetent and poorly equipped technician indicated above if you do not often update your tools (thoughts) in your toolbox. You can also have all the right tools in your toolbox and never use them because you are afraid that you might make a mistake. ..................
You must remember that happiness and success is always just one thought (tool) away. You should remember when you find it difficult to cope with something that one new tool (thought) could change your life. One fresh thought and one new idea can change your life from pain and suffering to success and peace of mind. ........................
You are today what you were programmed with yesterday. The choices that you make on a moment-to-moment basis decide your fate and future. You can never feel or perform better than the ongoing thoughts and feelings that you allow to occupy your mind! .......................
The mistake we make is that most of us live our lives on a reactive basis. We start and complete our day in a reactive state of being. Something comes to our attention via our five senses or via a thought in our mind. We automatically slip into the “role” that we created for ourselves many moons ago. We act, react and experience the same feelings and emotions that we embedded with our scrip at its inception. We do exactly the same when new stimuli push the previous “drama” off the stage in our minds. We sustain this reactive mode of thinking until we finally go to bed at night. Most of our days are made up of a tapestry of “roles” that we played in our own colorful way. It is important to understand that nothing is going to change until we do something different. We cannot repeat the same old recipes and expect a different outcome. ....................
You can use the “Portable Life Skills Wisdom” book to develop a range of appropriate scripts that you can use when you are faced with a problem or project that need your attention. You will if you apply the scripts in this book find that you no longer run your life on a reactive basis. The new scripts will help you to live your life in the moment. You will become more realistic. You will treat each event on its own merit. How do you do this? ......................
The Process ....................
Read the first message in your book. Write it down if at all possible. It will assist you to absorb the data provided. Now sit back and close your eyes and visualize how you will apply the specific message in the various areas of your life. See yourself on the screen of your mind using the message in all your day-to-day activities. It is important to attempt to feel and experience the benefits that this new mode of thinking will bring into your life. Do this for ten minutes. Then open your eyes and begin to apply the wisdom on all occasions where appropriate in your activities on that given day. ...........................
Proceed to do the same with second message etc. in your book tomorrow. You will upload almost a thousand powerful recipes if you sustain the process indicated above. You can in less than three years upload a powerful “tool” system that will serve you for the rest of your life. This can be a life changing experience if you apply it daily. You will discover that the ten minutes you invest daily will upload countless new strategies into your subconscious computer. Build a successful and happy life. The key however is action. You can have the best tools available to man and still fail if you don’t use them daily. Wishing you the very best with this endeavor. .............................
Daily Support System (This Blog) ................
You not only have the massive key ideas in the book that you can use when appropriate you also receive daily posts on a wide range of subjects that will expand this system to a level never offered before. Visit this blog daily for fresh new ideas with a sprinkle of historical wisdom that stood the test of time. ..........................
Rene