From all the way across the globe in Paraná, Brazil, I was born into a Presbyterian home. My father is a pastor and my mother also studied in a seminary. Since an early age, I’ve asked some tough questions about faith and the doctrines that I heard in the church, but since people gave me no answer that satisfied me, I ended up searching for answers on my own.

I remember myself asking my mother about the origin of god when I was only six years old. At age 10, I wondered about predestination, about the lack of forgiveness for blasphemy against the holy spirit, and about whether Christianity really was the true religion.

After experiencing neo-Pentecostalism when I was 15 years old, I decided to enter a seminary. When I turned 17, I left home and was received at the same seminary where my parents had studied. I sought answers for my questions. I had already rejected the neo-Pentecostal experiences I had had, and suddenly I found myself in love with Reformed theology. It seemed so strong and well prepared and even gave me some good answers.

However, the more I learned about the history of the church and about religion, the more I began to realize that everything was wrong, that it was all just a human endeavor and and without something divine or special.

Finally I graduated from seminary and served the church in its publishing house working with educational material for churches and then with church missions. During this period I had several ethical and moral crises. The moral and Christian / biblical ethics were very confusing and contradictory to me. All this mixed with a fanatical Calvinism left me extremely confused. Finally, I realized I could not continue in the church as a pastor and decided that I would live my life outside the church until I had found the answers I was seeking. It was not that difficult, except for the fact that a degree in theology means nothing for jobs.

Time passed and I was, step by step, rejecting the biblical canon, the inspiration of many books, I was disagreeing with the way that the authors of the New Testament interpreted the prophecies of the Old Testament, and I was suspicious of the real existence of Jesus, etc. One day I stopped to think about what I really believed. To my surprise I realized that I did not believe in anything that could characterize me as a Christian, nothing. It was a surprise. I’ve always been seen as skeptical and as liberal for my friends, but I never thought of myself as anything but Christian. No matter how liberal I went, I enjoyed being a Christian and I thought I was following the purest form of Christianity.

The moment I realized I was not a Christian, I felt confused: What I was then?

I knew what agnosticism and atheism were, but was not sure if I was some of both. After thinking and studying, I realized that I was agnostic, but I soon realized that because of evidence and lack of evidence I could call myself an atheist without a doubt. It was a shocking moment for me as thinking of myself as an atheist was something scary!

After two months keeping secret about my disbelief I found the Clergy Project. After receiving support for coming out, I had the courage to tell my wife that I did not believe in god at all. This was a shock to her and a confusing time for both of us. Today she respects my intellectual conclusions but keeps going to church a occasionally.

Since I came out the closet, I’m not worried at hiding who I really am and what I truly believe. But I also have not announced to all the people I know about who I am. That’s irrelevant to me, I am who I am and I do not need to advertise or hide that. However I realized that writing and being in touch with other people who think like me is very important, so I started to write in my blog about my ideas and to share with others a bit of who I am and about my history. Today a few friends and family members visit my blog and read my writings.

My journey was very lonely and very intimate. The whole deconversion process was shocking to me, however I do not regret anything of it. I now realize that I have a lot of difficulties, such as Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and I have developed certain phobias and paranoia that are the fruits of the religious indoctrination I had and how I faced it. Today I live in a new phase of life. After many years, I finally feel happy and motivated. The peace and security that I feel today are priceless. “

Read through major parts and found that your man had No conversion experience! Just born into a religious environment and some efforts to conform outwardly to same! What do you expect? Sure he would write a book with that title,afterall his belief was also imaginary!

Wesley Nazeazeno wrote the book "Imaginary Invisible Friend" and can be bought on amazon.com
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god or God?

Only kids still believe in god.
Or psychos

sekundosekundo:
god or God?

Makes no difference to an atheist

Nice thread during the end times people eyes will start to open and then differentiate BTW bullsh*t and reality!

ColdHardTruth:


Makes no difference to an atheist

What of sin

sekundosekundo:


What of sin

There's no such thing as "sin" to an atheist

@kingebukasblog and winner01

ColdHardTruth:

There's no such thing as "sin" to an atheist

Are you an atheist?.

sekundosekundo:

Are you an atheist?.

Yes

Scholar8200:
Read through major parts and found that your man had No conversion experience! Just born into a religious environment and some efforts to conform outwardly to same! What do you expect? Sure he would write a book with that title,afterall his belief was also imaginary!

Are you basing your response on what you didn't read? What if he did have a conversion experience but didn't go into it in detail. For instance, when I read this:

After experiencing neo-Pentecostalism when I was 15 years old, I decided to enter a seminary. When I turned 17, I left home and was received at the same seminary where my parents had studied. I sought answers for my questions. I had already rejected the neo-Pentecostal experiences I had had, and suddenly I found myself in love with Reformed theology. It seemed so strong and well prepared and even gave me some good answers.

... I would presume that the pentecostal experience would include a conversion, cos that's what happens in pentecostalism. This presumption is buttress by the fact that he went on to attend a seminary.

ColdHardTruth:

Yes

What is adultery?.

sekundosekundo:


What is adultery?.

Which kain Waec question you dey ask me now?

ColdHardTruth:

Which kain Waec question you dey ask me now?

Does it mean that you don't know the meaning of adultery?.

JackBizzle:
@kingebukasblog and winner01

He questioned his belief in God not his knowledge of God which of course is non existent . Since he had no knowledge of God , he became an atheist .

Its not rocket science bro

Dead thread by the way oh ye epigones of winner01

sekundosekundo:

Does it mean that you don't know the meaning of adultery?.

Okay, I'll indulge you,

Having sex outside marriage while married

No be so?

sekundosekundo:
god or God?

dog or Dog?

hahn:
Only kids still believe in god.
Or psychos

I completely disagree

hahn:
Only kids still believe in god.

Or psychos

More like you are a retard or something. So only adults and intelligent people believe there is no God or what are you trying to imply?

KingEbukasBlog:


He questioned his belief in God not his knowledge of God which of course is non existent . Since he had no knowledge of God , he became an atheist .

Its not rocket science bro

Dead thread by the way oh ye epigones of winner01

More and more people are becoming atheists.

Did you know that far back in 2012, you'd only find one atheist thread out of 64 threads in the religion section? In 2016, every third thread is either atheistic or anti-religious

johnydon22:


I completely disagree

You'll need to open a thread for this cos almost all your brothers think this is the case.

Why are you sympathetic towards religion nowadays anyway
Is there something you're hiding from your brothers?

johnydon22:


I completely disagree

Elaborate.

No epistles please

Just remember this always people, before you're dragged down that dusty lane: Atheists are under no moral obligation not to lie.

hahn:


Elaborate.

No epistles please

Seriously??

There are rational people that believe in God. Just because someone is irrational in one part of life, it doesnt mean that the person isnt rational in another part of life.

There are scientists that are racists. They believe black people are inferior monkeys.
There are atheists who believe that women are less intelligent than men.

winner01:
Just remember this always people, before you're dragged down that dusty lane: Atheists are under no moral obligation not to lie.

Peter denied Jesus thrice
Judas betrayed Jesus
Pastor VP Osinbanjo promised N5,000 for poor Nigerians
Adeboye claimed he drove for miles in a fuel-empty car



Point- the bible does not stop anyone from lying. Christians lie too.

JackBizzle:



Seriously??

There are rational people that believe in God. Just because someone is irrational in one part of life, it doesnt mean that the person isnt rational in another part of life.

There are scientists that are racists. They believe black people are inferior monkeys.
There are atheists who believe that women are less intelligent than men.

Rilwayne001:


More like you are a retard or something. So only adults and intelligent people believe there is no God or what are you trying to imply?

Lol. Just practicing hasty generalizations like theists do. Didn't know it would hurt so badly

I have many role models who are theists

JackBizzle:


Peter denied Jesus thrice
Judas betrayed Jesus
Pastor VP Osinbanjo promised N5,000 for poor Nigerians
Adeboye claimed he drove for miles in a fuel-empty car



Point- the bible does not stop anyone from lying. Christians lie too.

I made a claim. Refute it if you can.

winner01:
I made a claim. Refute it if you can.

What's the claim again? Point me to it......so that I can destroy it