This is my story. It is quite long but quite interesting. I hope to do in 2 parts. Please read

I was baptised, as a child, in an anglican church, had a couple of years as a pentecostal then as soon as I became a teenager, attending church became optional. I only went if I really had to, but there was no compulsion. Attendance waned to almost zero as time passed. But I didn't discard my belief in God, and if I had to pray I would in Jesus’ name. Besides, how could there not be a god? when you’re never too far away to hear spooky stories from boarding school students, villagers, and people with haunting experiences; and if you, by any chance, didn’t, there was always a Nigerian movie to bring it all to your living room.

Going further, with the amount of information accessible on the internet, I started having questions about christianity, especially about the type common in Nigeria, although I wasn’t really keen on seeking for answers. But, one thing was that I became increasingly irritated by preachers living in opulence, using bullet proof cars, body guards, and jets, like pop stars while they had many poor and struggling people in their congregation, especially when I found that most of these preachers owned virtually nothing when they had started.

Didn’t the european missionaries who brought christianity, free education, healthcare and the bible - the same one we use till this day - leave the comfort of their countries, homes and families risking persecution and death for what they believed? I thought. Certainly, this couldn’t be the same Jesus, these preachers and their followers become so excited talking about. The Jesus I knew as a child from my A&M hymn book was a friend to the poor, meek and lowly; and I doubted if He were physically present, He would be the one in Armani suits using the most sophisticated gadgets. He certainly wouldn't live and act like these preachers did.

For this reason, I preferred devout muslims - not that I ever considered becoming one but because they were principled, kind and generally nicer in my experience - to the christian counterparts.

As a young lad predisposed to politics, psychology, science, and real hip hop -‘real recognise real.' I became savvy with Google search for almost every question that crossed my mind - and being a thoughtful person, I usually had a lot about everything. So, in 2014, while following the Israeli-Hamas conflict on the news - you didn’t have to watch the news for long to know about it because there were only two issues at the time and the other was the missing MH-370 - seeing the killing of people, including children by air strikes - although the Israeli claimed that they always fired warning strikes to allow for evacuation before actual decimation of targets-. However, I vividly remember an interview of a doctor, after a bombing of a UN reserved hospital by the Israeli forces, absolutely furious at the damage and injuries inflicted by the strike and how he said “...this is a hospital for God’s sake.”

I felt so much empathy for the doctor and the injured, thus, a barrage of questions started coming into my mind. I wondered if this Israel is the same one talked about in the Bible, If God supports this country, regardless, because they are His people, and from a song, or bible knowledge as a child, we were told Saul killed thousands and David killed tens of thousands: I wondered if these people killed were real people, I wondered which tribe they would be if they still exist in present day; and having those images in my mind, I wondered how God could support the murder of thousands by David because he loved God and is described as ‘a man after God’s heart.’

So, I got curious, I started my search with ‘How many people did King David kill?’ coupled with other search leads, I came across a book “God’s killings in the Bible” by Steve Wells - it counts the number of people God killed directly, and indirectly as recorded in the Bible - and bought it. To cut the long story, I didn’t finish reading the book before I became entirely uninterested in christianity. I no longer wanted to be identified with this ‘God’ that kills and supports the killings of the innocent.

However, I didn’t become an atheist after that, not yet. I only didn't want to be identified as a christian or be associated with it. I also looked up arguments, watched videos and got books from some of the most vocal atheists like Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss. Highly intelligent scientists although they’ve become more known for atheism than science. And as a scientist myself, I was impressed by their knowledge and arguments, and it only made science more desirable and fascinating to me. I am one of them, I would like to think.
Something noteworthy is that the more you know about science, you almost know evolution isn’t even an argument, you would feel stupid if you argued for creation, as an undergraduate, maybe you would get a pass, but afterwards No, just no. In fact, having faith or being religious only limits what you can achieve in the sciences. Especially with the recent discovery of the Higgs boson, the ‘God particle’ described by a scientist as ‘another nail in the coffin of religion.'

Anyway, when I returned to Nigeria, I noticed the proliferation of churches in every space like a malignant tumour, with competing ubiquitous billboards of ‘this and that’ ministry with smiling faces of pastors and their wives at every junction. Also those of politicians saying ‘God has given me the divine mandate' 'God has blessed,' 'God has appointed,' 'Power is from God’ ‘the voice of the people is the voice of God’ even by the ones in the occult, that were prayed against the previous year had turned around to become favourites of the same people. Worse still, they even get more celebrated in these churches.

Another thing I noticed was that this ‘christianity' despised the poor, that my childhood Jesus loves. I could remember in my younger days, churches used to offer hope, especially to the poor and downtrodden, but not these ones, they not only oppress the poor but also persuade them to rejoice with their pastors in their greed - I’m sure they would call it inspiration/motivation for semantics. They would tell them that it is their fault they are not rich because 'poverty is a curse’ ‘Jesus was very rich on earth’ 'If Noah wasn’t rich how did he build the ark?’ ’No faith’ ‘salt of the earth’ ‘...everything would be added on you’ and these come from same people that ask their congregation for money for every project they can think about, even for their maintenance.

The same people who had nothing and depended (often depends) on the benevolence of members to start and maintain their churches would after some time miraculously have wealth and finance tips to share - always a triangle of ‘faith, sowing seeds, and tithing’ and trust they don’t tell those without curse-laden threats attached ‘You invoke curses on yourself if you don’t pay/give...’ ‘you rob God’ ‘You can never reap if you don’t sow’ ‘You will become poor if you don’t give to God’ and ‘You are joking with your future/life if you don’t give.’ Thus, creating a society of avarice and impatience in the hearts, even among people with no skill or and qualifications, little if any. 'Everybody wan hammer', even the ones that only know a few bible verses and every detail about their pastor’s rag to riches story.

I often asked, even if this was God - because these guys often didn’t go without their wonder works that were usually propagated by their members - is it moral for someone who always asks for, not borrow, money for everything s/he is about to do to live in ostentatious opulence, brazenly up in your face? I know every nigerian is familiar with the derogatory term ‘borrow-pose’ and that’s even for borrowing.

Witnessing all these, I got even more incensed, I would have to lose a lot of brain cells to join this madness. Isn’t this why we are regressive in our development as a people and as a nation? There had to be no god, if not, why hadn’t he struck these people like described in countless occasions in the bible. There has to be no god, even the politicians knew it and they use it as tools to garner support in spite of the evil and wickedness they inflict in our society. There is no god.

I couldn’t bear all the madness anymore, better to use my time for sleeping than pray to this god that doesn’t help anyone except these preachers. So I quit and became an atheist, but remained informed about my decision.

Then came the stigma, once you say 'I don’t believe in God’ it strikes fear in almost every christian in Nigeria. They don’t ask you why, they never even, they fear you more than a known murderer and thief. In fact, keep saying that and you would find you have no friends left. Some would invite you to church, most times they don’t even know why they are going themselves, can’t even articulate what they believe in, you ask even basic questions about their faith and they would be unable to answer, but they get very uncomfortable if you refuse to go to church with them. Convince me, and I would go but no, they won’t even try, they just want you to follow them like sheep.

One thing I can take away from Steve Wells book is that most christians haven’t read the whole Bible - although he thinks, like many atheists, that if they actually do they would become atheists themselves after they find out about all the violence, ‘immorality’ and prejudice that is never preached about in sermons.- In Nigeria, it’s even worse because we don’t read at all. Probably, why many times anything that a pastor says is ‘it is written' and final, just about anything.

Part 2: Road to Redemption: https://www.nairaland.com/3289461/atheism-jesus-testimony/1#48517984

welcome back Bro

interesting
OP part 2 please :-)

Tune in for Part 2: Road to Redemption

Please bear with me, I'll post as soon as possible. I've got quite a lot on my hands currently. But trust now because of you guys I've got more motivation to finish the story. I just don't want to leave out any detail.

Following. I love the title "Atheism to Jesus"

RobinRay:
interesting
OP part 2 please :-)

Thanks, I would certainly

Great! But please rull your life from within and don't be intimidated by religious superstitions and their fallacious claims.

Shalom!

zzzzy:
Following. I love the title "Atheism to Jesus"

I tell you sis. The title just made up my few moments ago!

Chai! @op atheist will not be happyoooo. Damn!

Things like this can pain atheists in the ass!

TheSixthSense:


Thanks, I would certainly

Bro, I see you riding on a greater love with Jesus.

But it looks like you really got the title of this thread by revelation. Bro, keep it up. They shall be saved!

HCpaul:
Great! But please rull your life from within and don't be intimidated by religious superstitions and their fallacious claims.

Shalom!

Hia!!!

Who is this confused guy again?

Please, it is awful to give theists advice on their belief because it is none of your business!

Go and struggle with your atheistic life! Very simple!

promise10:

I tell you sis. The title just made up my few moments ago!

Chai! @op atheist will not be happyoooo. Damn!

Things like this can pain atheists in the ass!

Hahaha. Hope they follow as well. I'm sure I was more atheistic than some of them.

HCpaul:
Great! But please rull your life from within and don't be intimidated by religious superstitions and their fallacious claims.

Shalom!

Intimidated? I have Jesus. You should too.

*following keenly*

TheSixthSense, I praise God for your life. I've also been in such a situation. I stem from an islamic background and later professed Christ (after someone preached to me) even though I didnt even know what I was into. I sought to know the reality of the scriptures. Nigerian churches were not helping matters. During my service year, I had to stop going to church because the preaching and testimonies and even seats were clear show off, no single regard for the poor and needy. They had few churches around and most were the same. I remember my older brother who had just got converted telling me to just seek God and keep an open mind. I had told him earlier that i'm okay and I live a good life, I didnt need anybody to tell me what to do.
I didnt want to be affliated with religion or even atheism. I just wanted to be that free intelligent and self-reliant human. My parents also encouraged freedom of religion so that made it easy.

I "enjoyed" my life to the fullest. What we call enjoyment is actually killing us. I lost 2 of my friends to alcohol. One drowned while drunk, the other died while driving him to the hospital. I remember we had an accident while coming back from a club in lagos, the car summersaulted from overspeeding, no one was injured, we all got down laughing at our drunk friends who drove.

Recently one of my very close friends called me to tell me that she does not have a womb anymore. Do I need to talk about my battle with glaucoma. Most of the friends that I had are either addicts of alcohol, marijuana e.t.c. So I smile when atheists are telling me to enjoy my life. I actually live a better life right now than the sick, unrestrained and devil controlled life I've lived as a young man. I've noticed that the devil is in control of most of the lives of those people who think they are directing themselves.

My being sober still did not lead me to Christ, an ex-cultist made me see the world for what it really is. A man who was active in a spiritual realm controlled by demons started to tell me the inner workings of such government. I started to think to myself "are these things real?"...

Bros, lemme just stop here. I've seen things in this life. I'm more than convinced that Jesus is Lord. Maybe I should just open a thread on why I am a Christian.

winner01:
TheSixthSense, I praise God for your life. I've also been in such a situation. I stem from an islamic background and later professed Christ (after someone preached to me) even though I didnt even know what I was into. I sought to know the reality of the scriptures. Nigerian churches were not helping matters. During my service year, I had to stop going to church because the preaching and testimonies and even seats were clear show off, no single regard for the poor and needy. They had few churches around and most were the same. I remember my older brother who had just got converted telling me to just seek God and keep an open mind. I had told him earlier that i'm okay and I live a good life, I didnt need anybody to tell me what to do.
I didnt want to be affliated with religion or even atheism. I just wanted to be that free intelligent and self-reliant human. My parents also encouraged freedom of religion so that made it easy.

I "enjoyed" my life to the fullest. What we call enjoyment is actually killing us. I lost 2 of my friends to alcohol. One drowned while drunk, the other died while driving him to the hospital. I remember we had an accident while coming back from a club in lagos, the car summersaulted from overspeeding, no one was injured, we all got down laughing at our drunk friends who drove.

Recently one of my very close friends called me to tell me that she does not have a womb anymore. Do I need to talk about my battle with glaucoma. Most of the friends that I had are either addicts of alcohol, marijuana e.t.c. So I smile when atheists are telling me to enjoy my life. I actually live a better life right now than the sick, unrestrained and devil controlled life I've lived as a young man. I've noticed that the devil is in control of most of the lives of those people who think they are directing themselves.

My being sober still did not lead me to Christ, an ex-cultist made me see the world for what it really is. A man who was active in a spiritual realm controlled by demons started to tell me the inner workings of such government. I started to think to myself "are these things real?"...

Bros, lemme just stop here. I've seen things in this life. I'm more than convinced that Jesus is Lord. Maybe I should just open a thread on why I am a Christian.

Your testimony just made my day. You found Jesus without a doubt. Key word you used just 'Seek God' God bless your older brother for that. Just keep following, I've found most times people reject Christ because they're already in bondage to sin but they're unaware. you've also inspired me. God bless you mightily.

About Nigerian churches, read Rom 1:18-19 and also the wheat and tares parable of Jesus. God is just, He knows.
Thanks for your post.

promise10:

I tell you sis. The title just made up my few moments ago!

Chai! @op atheist will not be happyoooo. Damn!

Things like this can pain atheists in the ass!

pain atheist in the ass why? you sound like a young guy

athiesm is not a religion bros we are not competing for humans we believe everyone should use their head

i always tell people you cant be an athiest because of another person its personal you have to be the one to take that decision after you have carefully taught of it. please e no go pain us because we no they find followers abeg

nice one op I still hope I will get an evidence that there is a god because am seriously searching but till then I they my lane

youngestland:


pain atheist in the ass why? you sound like a young guy

athiesm is not a religion bros we are not competing for humans we believe everyone should use their head

i always tell people you cant be an athiest because of another person its personal you have to be the one to take that decision after you have carefully taught of it. please e no go pain us because we no they find followers abeg

nice one op I still hope I will get an evidence that there is a god because am seriously searching but till then I they my lane

You will. I believe God you will. Just keep following

winner01:
TheSixthSense, I praise God for your life. I've also been in such a situation. I stem from an islamic background and later professed Christ (after someone preached to me) even though I didnt even know what I was into. I sought to know the reality of the scriptures. Nigerian churches were not helping matters. During my service year, I had to stop going to church because the preaching and testimonies and even seats were clear show off, no single regard for the poor and needy. They had few churches around and most were the same. I remember my older brother who had just got converted telling me to just seek God and keep an open mind. I had told him earlier that i'm okay and I live a good life, I didnt need anybody to tell me what to do.
I didnt want to be affliated with religion or even atheism. I just wanted to be that free intelligent and self-reliant human. My parents also encouraged freedom of religion so that made it easy.

I "enjoyed" my life to the fullest. What we call enjoyment is actually killing us. I lost 2 of my friends to alcohol. One drowned while drunk, the other died while driving him to the hospital. I remember we had an accident while coming back from a club in lagos, the car summersaulted from overspeeding, no one was injured, we all got down laughing at our drunk friends who drove.

Recently one of my very close friends called me to tell me that she does not have a womb anymore. Do I need to talk about my battle with glaucoma. Most of the friends that I had are either addicts of alcohol, marijuana e.t.c. So I smile when atheists are telling me to enjoy my life. I actually live a better life right now than the sick, unrestrained and devil controlled life I've lived as a young man. I've noticed that the devil is in control of most of the lives of those people who think they are directing themselves.

My being sober still did not lead me to Christ, an ex-cultist made me see the world for what it really is. A man who was active in a spiritual realm controlled by demons started to tell me the inner workings of such government. I started to think to myself "are these things real?"...

Bros, lemme just stop here. I've seen things in this life. I'm more than convinced that Jesus is Lord. Maybe I should just open a thread on why I am a Christian.

hmmm I think I have an insight to why you are always attacking athiest you think we are athiest because we want to drink smoke womanize etc no brother thats not it

am an athiest I dont drink because I know its bad for my health I dont womanize because I love my partner smoking is far from me I live a very quiet life
atheism doesnt mean drinking and partying even christians drink and party its a personal thing which is done by both athiest and theist

TheSixthSense:
This is my story. It is quite long but quite interesting. I hope to do in 2 parts. Please read

I was baptised, as a child, in an anglican church, had a couple of years as a pentecostal then as soon as I became a teenager, attending church became optional. I only went if I really had to, but there was no compulsion. Attendance waned to almost zero as time passed. But I didn't discard my belief in God, and if I had to pray I would in Jesus’ name. Besides, how could there not be a god? when you’re never too far away to hear spooky stories from boarding school students, villagers, and people with haunting experiences; and if you, by any chance, didn’t, there was always a Nigerian movie to bring it all to your living room.

Going further, with the amount of information accessible on the internet, I started having questions about christianity, especially about the type common in Nigeria, although I wasn’t really keen on seeking for answers. But, one thing was that I became increasingly irritated by preachers living in opulence, using bullet proof cars, body guards, and jets, like pop stars while they had many poor and struggling people in their congregation, especially when I found that most of these preachers owned virtually nothing when they had started.

Didn’t the european missionaries who brought christianity, free education, healthcare and the bible - the same one we use till this day - leave the comfort of their countries, homes and families risking persecution and death for what they believed? I thought. Certainly, this couldn’t be the same Jesus, these preachers and their followers become so excited talking about. The Jesus I knew as a child from my A&M hymn book was a friend to the poor, meek and lowly; and I doubted if He were physically present, He would be the one in Armani suits using the most sophisticated gadgets. He certainly wouldn't live and act like these preachers did.

For this reason, I preferred devout muslims - not that I ever considered becoming one but because they were principled, kind and generally nicer in my experience - to the christian counterparts.

As a young lad predisposed to politics, psychology, science, and real hip hop -‘real recognise real.' I became savvy with Google search for almost every question that crossed my mind - and being a thoughtful person, I usually had a lot about everything. So, in 2014, while following the Israeli-Hamas conflict on the news - you didn’t have to watch the news for long to know about it because there were only two issues at the time and the other was the missing MH-370 - seeing the killing of people, including children by air strikes - although the Israeli claimed that they always fired warning strikes to allow for evacuation before actual decimation of targets-. However, I vividly remember an interview of a doctor, after a bombing of a UN reserved hospital by the Israeli forces, absolutely furious at the damage and injuries inflicted by the strike and how he said “...this is a hospital for God’s sake.”

I felt so much empathy for the doctor and the injured, thus, a barrage of questions started coming into my mind. I wondered if this Israel is the same one talked about in the Bible, If God supports this country, regardless, because they are His people, and from a song, or bible knowledge as a child, we were told Saul killed thousands and David killed tens of thousands: I wondered if these people killed were real people, I wondered which tribe they would be if they still exist in present day; and having those images in my mind, I wondered how God could support the murder of thousands by David because he loved God and is described as ‘a man after God’s heart.’

So, I got curious, I started my search with ‘How many people did King David kill?’ coupled with other search leads, I came across a book “God’s killings in the Bible” by Steve Wells - it counts the number of people God killed directly, and indirectly as recorded in the Bible - and bought it. To cut the long story, I didn’t finish reading the book before I became entirely uninterested in christianity. I no longer wanted to be identified with this ‘God’ that kills and supports the killings of the innocent.

However, I didn’t become an atheist after that, not yet. I only didn't want to be identified as a christian or be associated with it. I also looked up arguments, watched videos and got books from some of the most vocal atheists like Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss. Highly intelligent scientists although they’ve become more known for atheism than science. And as a scientist myself, I was impressed by their knowledge and arguments, and it only made science more desirable and fascinating to me. I am one of them, I would like to think.
Something noteworthy is that the more you know about science, you almost know evolution isn’t even an argument, you would feel stupid if you argued for creation, as an undergraduate, maybe you would get a pass, but afterwards No, just no. In fact, having faith or being religious only limits what you can achieve in the sciences. Especially with the recent discovery of the Higgs boson, the ‘God particle’ described by a scientist as ‘another nail in the coffin of religion.'

Anyway, when I returned to Nigeria, I noticed the proliferation of churches in every space like a malignant tumour, with competing ubiquitous billboards of ‘this and that’ ministry with smiling faces of pastors and their wives at every junction. Also those of politicians saying ‘God has given me the divine mandate' 'God has blessed,' 'God has appointed,' 'Power is from God’ ‘the voice of the people is the voice of God’ even by the ones in the occult, that were prayed against the previous year had turned around to become favourites of the same people. Worse still, they even get more celebrated in these churches.

Another thing I noticed was that this ‘christianity' despised the poor, that my childhood Jesus loves. I could remember in my younger days, churches used to offer hope, especially to the poor and downtrodden, but not these ones, they not only oppress the poor but also persuade them to rejoice with their pastors in their greed - I’m sure they would call it inspiration/motivation for semantics. They would tell them that it is their fault they are not rich because 'poverty is a curse’ ‘Jesus was very rich on earth’ 'If Noah wasn’t rich how did he build the ark?’ ’No faith’ ‘salt of the earth’ ‘...everything would be added on you’ and these come from same people that ask their congregation for money for every project they can think about, even for their maintenance.

The same people who had nothing and depended (often depends) on the benevolence of members to start and maintain their churches would after some time miraculously have wealth and finance tips to share - always a triangle of ‘faith, sowing seeds, and tithing’ and trust they don’t tell those without curse-laden threats attached ‘You invoke curses on yourself if you don’t pay/give...’ ‘you rob God’ ‘You can never reap if you don’t sow’ ‘You will become poor if you don’t give to God’ and ‘You are joking with your future/life if you don’t give.’ Thus, creating a society of avarice and impatience in the hearts, even among people with no skill or and qualifications, little if any. 'Everybody wan hammer', even the ones that only know a few bible verses and every detail about their pastor’s rag to riches story.

I often asked, even if this was God - because these guys often didn’t go without their wonder works that were usually propagated by their members - is it moral for someone who always asks for, not borrow, money for everything s/he is about to do to live in ostentatious opulence, brazenly up in your face? I know every nigerian is familiar with the derogatory term ‘borrow-pose’ and that’s even for borrowing.

Witnessing all these, I got even more incensed, I would have to lose a lot of brain cells to join this madness. Isn’t this why we are regressive in our development as a people and as a nation? There had to be no god, if not, why hadn’t he struck these people like described in countless occasions in the bible. There has to be no god, even the politicians knew it and they use it as tools to garner support in spite of the evil and wickedness they inflict in our society. There is no god.

I couldn’t bear all the madness anymore, better to use my time for sleeping than pray to this god that doesn’t help anyone except these preachers. So I quit and became an atheist, but remained informed about my decision.

Then came the stigma, once you say 'I don’t believe in God’ it strikes fear in almost every christian in Nigeria. They don’t ask you why, they never even, they fear you more than a known murderer and thief. In fact, keep saying that and you would find you have no friends left. Some would invite you to church, most times they don’t even know why they are going themselves, can’t even articulate what they believe in, you ask even basic questions about their faith and they would be unable to answer, but they get very uncomfortable if you refuse to go to church with them. Convince me, and I would go but no, they won’t even try, they just want you to follow them like sheep.

One thing I can take away from Steve Wells book is that most christians haven’t read the whole Bible - although he thinks, like many atheists, that if they actually do they would become atheists themselves after they find out about all the violence, ‘immorality’ and prejudice that is never preached about in sermons.- In Nigeria, it’s even worse because we don’t read at all. Probably, why many times anything that a pastor says is ‘it is written' and final, just about anything.

Hugs! Hugs! and more hugs! Testimonies such as yours encourage us in the work of the gospel. We just need to preach this Word not just for ourselves but for those who have not found Jesus. Nairaland is a ripe field and we all need to come together in prayers, in love, with one voice and one message. JESUS!

youngestland:


hmmm I think I have an insight to why you are always attacking athiest you think we are athiest because we want to drink smoke womanize etc no brother thats not it

am an athiest I dont drink because I know its bad for my health I dont womanize because I love my partner smoking is far from me I live a very quiet life
atheism doesnt mean drinking and partying even christians drink and party its a personal thing which is done by both athiest and theist

I understand you bro/sis. There is a reason why the title is 'Atheism to Jesus' and not christianity. All the womanising, drinking and partying you see around you by these so called 'christians' don't be discouraged, they are doing the works of their father, the devil. In my experience, It's almost impossible telling these 'christians' that their heading for destruction because they think they already know God and they probably speak in tongues.

But, if you seek Jesus sincerely - for He is One that searches the hearts and minds - He will come, He will make Himself real to you and you know experience trumps all logic any day. I know it may sound strange to you now, like it always did to me but I pray that you eventually accept Christ so He will give you a new spirit and you become one in Spirit with God, then you'll understand because these things are spiritually discerned, they are foolishness to the carnal man.

4everGod:



Hugs! Hugs! and more hugs! Testimonies such as yours encourage us in the work of the gospel. We just need to preach this Word not just for ourselves but for those who have not found Jesus. Nairaland is a ripe field and we all need to come together in prayers, in love, with one voice and one message. JESUS!

Thanks. God bless you. I'm encouraged by you guys.

TheSixthSense:


I understand you bro/sis. There is a reason why the title is 'Atheism to Jesus' and not christianity. All the womanising, drinking and partying you see around you by these so called 'christians' don't be discouraged, they are doing the works of their father, the devil. In my experience, It's almost impossible telling these 'christians' that their heading for destruction because they think they already know God and they probably speak in tongues.

But, if you seek Jesus sincerely - for He is One that searches the hearts and minds - He will come, He will make Himself real to you and you know experience trumps all logic any day. I know it may sound strange to you now, like it always did to me but I pray that you eventually accept Christ so He will give you a new spirit and you become one in Spirit with God, then you'll understand because these things are spiritually discerned, they are foolishness to the carnal man.

They need to understand that Christianity means "like Christ". If the life you see a supposed "christian" living is not "like Christ" then he is not a Christian.

We follow in the footsteps of Jesus and not in the footsteps of Religion or Church or the worlds stereotype of "Christianity".

It indeed is a life which can only be spiritually discerned as its a life that would be seen when you allow the Spirit of Christ to lead you. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, THEY ARE THE SONS OF GOD.

Atheists should try and read Romans 8 from verse 1 to the end. That would give you a clear arrow to the life of a true CHRISTIAN and not what they perceive it to be.

winner01:
TheSixthSense, I praise God for your life. I've also been in such a situation. I stem from an islamic background and later professed Christ (after someone preached to me) even though I didnt even know what I was into. I sought to know the reality of the scriptures. Nigerian churches were not helping matters. During my service year, I had to stop going to church because the preaching and testimonies and even seats were clear show off, no single regard for the poor and needy. They had few churches around and most were the same. I remember my older brother who had just got converted telling me to just seek God and keep an open mind. I had told him earlier that i'm okay and I live a good life, I didnt need anybody to tell me what to do.
I didnt want to be affliated with religion or even atheism. I just wanted to be that free intelligent and self-reliant human. My parents also encouraged freedom of religion so that made it easy.

I "enjoyed" my life to the fullest. What we call enjoyment is actually killing us. I lost 2 of my friends to alcohol. One drowned while drunk, the other died while driving him to the hospital. I remember we had an accident while coming back from a club in lagos, the car summersaulted from overspeeding, no one was injured, we all got down laughing at our drunk friends who drove.

Recently one of my very close friends called me to tell me that she does not have a womb anymore. Do I need to talk about my battle with glaucoma. Most of the friends that I had are either addicts of alcohol, marijuana e.t.c. So I smile when atheists are telling me to enjoy my life. I actually live a better life right now than the sick, unrestrained and devil controlled life I've lived as a young man. I've noticed that the devil is in control of most of the lives of those people who think they are directing themselves.

My being sober still did not lead me to Christ, an ex-cultist made me see the world for what it really is. A man who was active in a spiritual realm controlled by demons started to tell me the inner workings of such government. I started to think to myself "are these things real?"...

Bros, lemme just stop here. I've seen things in this life. I'm more than convinced that Jesus is Lord. Maybe I should just open a thread on why I am a Christian.

Please don't stop. Open a new thread and share your full story and mention me please? It's already captivating.

Waiting...

winner01:
TheSixthSense, I praise God for your life. I've also been in such a situation. I stem from an islamic background and later professed Christ (after someone preached to me) even though I didnt even know what I was into. I sought to know the reality of the scriptures. Nigerian churches were not helping matters. During my service year, I had to stop going to church because the preaching and testimonies and even seats were clear show off, no single regard for the poor and needy. They had few churches around and most were the same. I remember my older brother who had just got converted telling me to just seek God and keep an open mind. I had told him earlier that i'm okay and I live a good life, I didnt need anybody to tell me what to do.
I didnt want to be affliated with religion or even atheism. I just wanted to be that free intelligent and self-reliant human. My parents also encouraged freedom of religion so that made it easy.

I "enjoyed" my life to the fullest. What we call enjoyment is actually killing us. I lost 2 of my friends to alcohol. One drowned while drunk, the other died while driving him to the hospital. I remember we had an accident while coming back from a club in lagos, the car summersaulted from overspeeding, no one was injured, we all got down laughing at our drunk friends who drove.

Recently one of my very close friends called me to tell me that she does not have a womb anymore. Do I need to talk about my battle with glaucoma. Most of the friends that I had are either addicts of alcohol, marijuana e.t.c. So I smile when atheists are telling me to enjoy my life. I actually live a better life right now than the sick, unrestrained and devil controlled life I've lived as a young man. I've noticed that the devil is in control of most of the lives of those people who think they are directing themselves.

My being sober still did not lead me to Christ, an ex-cultist made me see the world for what it really is. A man who was active in a spiritual realm controlled by demons started to tell me the inner workings of such government. I started to think to myself "are these things real?"...

Bros, lemme just stop here. I've seen things in this life. I'm more than convinced that Jesus is Lord. Maybe I should just open a thread on why I am a Christian.

So you don flex life like this? It means you are not a young person anymore.

Waiting

TheSixthSense:
This is my story. It is quite long but quite interesting. I hope to do in 2 parts. Please read

I was baptised, as a child, in an anglican church, had a couple of years as a pentecostal then as soon as I became a teenager, attending church became optional. I only went if I really had to, but there was no compulsion. Attendance waned to almost zero as time passed. But I didn't discard my belief in God, and if I had to pray I would in Jesus’ name. Besides, how could there not be a god? when you’re never too far away to hear spooky stories from boarding school students, villagers, and people with haunting experiences; and if you, by any chance, didn’t, there was always a Nigerian movie to bring it all to your living room.

Going further, with the amount of information accessible on the internet, I started having questions about christianity, especially about the type common in Nigeria, although I wasn’t really keen on seeking for answers. But, one thing was that I became increasingly irritated by preachers living in opulence, using bullet proof cars, body guards, and jets, like pop stars while they had many poor and struggling people in their congregation, especially when I found that most of these preachers owned virtually nothing when they had started.

Didn’t the european missionaries who brought christianity, free education, healthcare and the bible - the same one we use till this day - leave the comfort of their countries, homes and families risking persecution and death for what they believed? I thought. Certainly, this couldn’t be the same Jesus, these preachers and their followers become so excited talking about. The Jesus I knew as a child from my A&M hymn book was a friend to the poor, meek and lowly; and I doubted if He were physically present, He would be the one in Armani suits using the most sophisticated gadgets. He certainly wouldn't live and act like these preachers did.

For this reason, I preferred devout muslims - not that I ever considered becoming one but because they were principled, kind and generally nicer in my experience - to the christian counterparts.

As a young lad predisposed to politics, psychology, science, and real hip hop -‘real recognise real.' I became savvy with Google search for almost every question that crossed my mind - and being a thoughtful person, I usually had a lot about everything. So, in 2014, while following the Israeli-Hamas conflict on the news - you didn’t have to watch the news for long to know about it because there were only two issues at the time and the other was the missing MH-370 - seeing the killing of people, including children by air strikes - although the Israeli claimed that they always fired warning strikes to allow for evacuation before actual decimation of targets-. However, I vividly remember an interview of a doctor, after a bombing of a UN reserved hospital by the Israeli forces, absolutely furious at the damage and injuries inflicted by the strike and how he said “...this is a hospital for God’s sake.”

I felt so much empathy for the doctor and the injured, thus, a barrage of questions started coming into my mind. I wondered if this Israel is the same one talked about in the Bible, If God supports this country, regardless, because they are His people, and from a song, or bible knowledge as a child, we were told Saul killed thousands and David killed tens of thousands: I wondered if these people killed were real people, I wondered which tribe they would be if they still exist in present day; and having those images in my mind, I wondered how God could support the murder of thousands by David because he loved God and is described as ‘a man after God’s heart.’

So, I got curious, I started my search with ‘How many people did King David kill?’ coupled with other search leads, I came across a book “God’s killings in the Bible” by Steve Wells - it counts the number of people God killed directly, and indirectly as recorded in the Bible - and bought it. To cut the long story, I didn’t finish reading the book before I became entirely uninterested in christianity. I no longer wanted to be identified with this ‘God’ that kills and supports the killings of the innocent.

However, I didn’t become an atheist after that, not yet. I only didn't want to be identified as a christian or be associated with it. I also looked up arguments, watched videos and got books from some of the most vocal atheists like Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss. Highly intelligent scientists although they’ve become more known for atheism than science. And as a scientist myself, I was impressed by their knowledge and arguments, and it only made science more desirable and fascinating to me. I am one of them, I would like to think.
Something noteworthy is that the more you know about science, you almost know evolution isn’t even an argument, you would feel stupid if you argued for creation, as an undergraduate, maybe you would get a pass, but afterwards No, just no. In fact, having faith or being religious only limits what you can achieve in the sciences. Especially with the recent discovery of the Higgs boson, the ‘God particle’ described by a scientist as ‘another nail in the coffin of religion.'

Anyway, when I returned to Nigeria, I noticed the proliferation of churches in every space like a malignant tumour, with competing ubiquitous billboards of ‘this and that’ ministry with smiling faces of pastors and their wives at every junction. Also those of politicians saying ‘God has given me the divine mandate' 'God has blessed,' 'God has appointed,' 'Power is from God’ ‘the voice of the people is the voice of God’ even by the ones in the occult, that were prayed against the previous year had turned around to become favourites of the same people. Worse still, they even get more celebrated in these churches.

Another thing I noticed was that this ‘christianity' despised the poor, that my childhood Jesus loves. I could remember in my younger days, churches used to offer hope, especially to the poor and downtrodden, but not these ones, they not only oppress the poor but also persuade them to rejoice with their pastors in their greed - I’m sure they would call it inspiration/motivation for semantics. They would tell them that it is their fault they are not rich because 'poverty is a curse’ ‘Jesus was very rich on earth’ 'If Noah wasn’t rich how did he build the ark?’ ’No faith’ ‘salt of the earth’ ‘...everything would be added on you’ and these come from same people that ask their congregation for money for every project they can think about, even for their maintenance.

The same people who had nothing and depended (often depends) on the benevolence of members to start and maintain their churches would after some time miraculously have wealth and finance tips to share - always a triangle of ‘faith, sowing seeds, and tithing’ and trust they don’t tell those without curse-laden threats attached ‘You invoke curses on yourself if you don’t pay/give...’ ‘you rob God’ ‘You can never reap if you don’t sow’ ‘You will become poor if you don’t give to God’ and ‘You are joking with your future/life if you don’t give.’ Thus, creating a society of avarice and impatience in the hearts, even among people with no skill or and qualifications, little if any. 'Everybody wan hammer', even the ones that only know a few bible verses and every detail about their pastor’s rag to riches story.

I often asked, even if this was God - because these guys often didn’t go without their wonder works that were usually propagated by their members - is it moral for someone who always asks for, not borrow, money for everything s/he is about to do to live in ostentatious opulence, brazenly up in your face? I know every nigerian is familiar with the derogatory term ‘borrow-pose’ and that’s even for borrowing.

Witnessing all these, I got even more incensed, I would have to lose a lot of brain cells to join this madness. Isn’t this why we are regressive in our development as a people and as a nation? There had to be no god, if not, why hadn’t he struck these people like described in countless occasions in the bible. There has to be no god, even the politicians knew it and they use it as tools to garner support in spite of the evil and wickedness they inflict in our society. There is no god.

I couldn’t bear all the madness anymore, better to use my time for sleeping than pray to this god that doesn’t help anyone except these preachers. So I quit and became an atheist, but remained informed about my decision.

Then came the stigma, once you say 'I don’t believe in God’ it strikes fear in almost every christian in Nigeria. They don’t ask you why, they never even, they fear you more than a known murderer and thief. In fact, keep saying that and you would find you have no friends left. Some would invite you to church, most times they don’t even know why they are going themselves, can’t even articulate what they believe in, you ask even basic questions about their faith and they would be unable to answer, but they get very uncomfortable if you refuse to go to church with them. Convince me, and I would go but no, they won’t even try, they just want you to follow them like sheep.

One thing I can take away from Steve Wells book is that most christians haven’t read the whole Bible - although he thinks, like many atheists, that if they actually do they would become atheists themselves after they find out about all the violence, ‘immorality’ and prejudice that is never preached about in sermons.- In Nigeria, it’s even worse because we don’t read at all. Probably, why many times anything that a pastor says is ‘it is written' and final, just about anything.

Wowww...To God be the glory. I'm so happy to read this testimony. Anxiously waiting for the rest of the testimony. God bless you and welcome back to the fold.
Singing....
What mighty God we serve
what a mighty God we serve,,,Halleluyah
Heaven and earth adore him
Angels bow before him
what a mighty God we serve.

4everGod:



Hugs! Hugs! and more hugs! Testimonies such as yours encourage us in the work of the gospel. We just need to preach this Word not just for ourselves but for those who have not found Jesus. Nairaland is a ripe field and we all need to come together in prayers, in love, with one voice and one message. JESUS!

Yes o. God bless you. Keep doing the good work of the Lord

TheSixthSense:


Your testimony just made my day. You found Jesus without a doubt. Key word you used just 'Seek God' God bless your older brother for that. Just keep following, I've found most times people reject Christ because they're already in bondage to sin but they're unaware. you've also inspired me. God bless you mightily.

About Nigerian churches, read Rom 1:18-19 and also the wheat and tares parable of Jesus. God is just, He knows.
Thanks for your post.

Thanks Bro. The old me is dead and buried forever. My new life in Christ Jesus is the real deal.

This pic below describes the issue with Nigerian churches.

TheSixthSense:


Intimidated? I have Jesus. You should too.

Am not fighting him either. After all, he is our imaginary friend.

Please am not fighting your belief cuz am not ignorant of the decision that triggered it.

I was only trying to advice but the guy above misinterpreted me.

I support your decision though, once it makes you feel happy and it doesn't cause any harm on the happiness of others. It is welcome and anticipated.
That is just our definition and the reason why we exhibit social relationships irrespective of our views on religion.

youngestland:


pain atheist in the ass why? you sound like a young guy

athiesm is not a religion bros we are not competing for humans we believe everyone should use their head

i always tell people you cant be an athiest because of another person its personal you have to be the one to take that decision after you have carefully taught of it. please e no go pain us because we no they find followers abeg

nice one op [b]I still hope I will get an evidence that there is a god because am seriously searching[/b]but till then I they my lane

I sure love the bolded if it's true..

Just be open minded..
You'll sure get the reward.

4everGod:



Hugs! Hugs! and more hugs! Testimonies such as yours encourage us in the work of the gospel. We just need to preach this Word not just for ourselves but for those who have not found Jesus. Nairaland is a ripe field and we all need to come together in prayers, in love, with one voice and one message. JESUS!

Wow! This is the most inpiring comment i have ever read on NL.



God bless you bro.