ExChristianDotNet - encouraging ex-Christians (de-converting or former Christians)

"Prop 8 - The Musical" starring Jack Black, John C. Reilly, and many more...

Posted Thursday, December 04, 2008. —

Prop. 8 Protest, Sacramento Capital Building Steps
by Fritz Liess via FlickrProp 8: The Musical, created by award-winning Hairspray composer Marc Shaiman, features stars such as Jack Black and John C Reilly lampooning backers of the constitutional amendment, which limits marriage to a union between a man and a woman.

The ban was passed by voters during the November election, five months after gay weddings were legalised in the nation’s most populous state.

A number of legal challenges are seeking to overturn the amendment, which was opposed by Hollywood heavyweights including Brad Pitt and Steven Spielberg as well as President-Elect Barack Obama and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Its passage sparked protests nationwide.

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Labels: Videos

You're an atheist! Why do you care?

Posted Wednesday, December 03, 2008. —

Image by stuartpilbrow via FlickrGreg Epstein, Harvard's Humanist Chaplain, requested feedback on his Newsweek/Washington Post/On Faith post, "Less Anti-theism, More Humanism," where he argues:

In most people’s minds, “religion” does not just stand merely for belief in an unseen, all-seeing deity with a baritone voice and a flowing beard. It stands for the things we hold most dear: family, tradition, and community. Memories of lost loved ones and consolation in the face of death. The organized pursuit of social justice. Not to mention music, art, architecture, and I could go on and on.

These things are all good. If you take a rhetorical blowtorch to religion without acknowledging the way it provides them, you get precisely what we have today: a nation and world where despite all our scientific knowledge, 80 to 90 percent of people say they are religious.

In short, Epstein seems to be against outspoken atheism. What do you think?

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I LOVE Christmas

Posted Wednesday, December 03, 2008. —

Image by angelsk via FlickrEver wonder where we get our Christmas traditions? This video explains where the most popular Christmas traditions come from.

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Labels: Videos

Religious Billboards

Posted Wednesday, December 03, 2008. —

By DocMike

You can't swing a dead cat in many US cities without hitting a religious billboard. But when the Freedom From Religion Foundation put one up that simply said, "Imagine No Religion",

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Labels: DocMIke

Lights, Camera, Action!

Posted Tuesday, December 02, 2008. —

Image by TracyJones via FlickrBy Neal Stone

First off, I haven't written for a while. I am out of phase. What I mean is that I tend to switch back and forth between technical and creative. My research in the historical Jesus has also begun with interesting results so far. But more on that in a later post.

Out of curiosity I was browsing local ministries in my area, just to see what weird stuff was going on around here. First off I was amazed at all the bizarre religious crap I found -- even prophetic dancing!

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Labels: Neal Stone

Burned by the Incubator

Posted Monday, December 01, 2008. —

"Battle Of The Demons" by KmountManBy Angela

The earliest fights between my mom and step-dad were about church and music. My mom became a Christian before my step-dad did. By this time my grandma and grandpa had both become Christians due to my mom's influence. It was a good thing (for a while) and their life began to change too. Over time each of my mom's three siblings would come to the same conclusion, Jesus was the answer. Over time I would come to doubt that conclusion. If Jesus was the answer why did I have so many questions?

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How long does it take before you feel normal again?

Posted Sunday, November 30, 2008. —

Image by SoStark via FlickrSent in by by Kathlene

Wow, I am so glad I found this site. I am now only on my second day of turning away from God and it is so liberating on one hand, but terrifying on the second. My journey has taken 3 years, so it wasn't an overnight decision although it feels like it. I feel like I have taken my own brain back and I am giving myself permission to have my own thoughts. I am 35yrs old and I became born-again when I was 22. I was so young and naive back then. My husband and I had just broken up and I was angry, lost and hurt. My best friend had become a born-again Christian. I went to visit her and gave my life literally up. I am still in the anger phase of how many years I have lost by not living.

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I'm holding my options open

Posted Sunday, November 30, 2008. —

Roman statue of the goddess Luna/Selene.
Image via WikipediaFrom James

As I have been reviewing many of the articles on this website I have noticed something that needs to be addressed. Like many of the people here I have had a religious past - Christianity, New Age, Unity, and Wicca. The one thing I have noticed a lot in the articles is the equating of the discrepancies in the Bible with proof of the non-existence of a deity. Disproving the Bible does in no way disprove god. It only disproves the divine authorship of the Bible. Disproving any particular religion does not disprove god either.

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SILHOUETTE CITY

Posted Saturday, November 29, 2008. —

SILHOUETTE CITY is the first post-Bush investigation into the nature of the radical Christian right. This video follows the spread of apocalyptic Christian nationalism from the marginal groups of the 70's-80's to today's mainstream Christian right. With the impending re-marginalization of Christian nationalists on the horizon (with the election of Obama), the film explores the lengths to which religious militants in America are prepared to go for their beliefs.

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We Are All Just Humans

Posted Saturday, November 29, 2008. —

Detail of Religion mural in lunette from the F...

Image via WikipediaSent in by Trans-man

I didn’t grow up in a very religious environment. My father has been an atheist for as long as I know, making fun of religion and people who believe. However, he wasn’t a good father, and not a good role model. Had he been a better role model, maybe I would have had more conversations about religion and would have never gone into a church in the first place. Truth is, I was looking for a home of sorts, where I could experience some acceptance and friendship, and unfortunately, churches are good at filling some of those needs.

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Ethical Arguments against Christianity

Posted Friday, November 28, 2008. —

Image by Swamibu via FlickrBy Ty H Philips

For over two thousand years, western society has been influenced by the teachings of an obscure mythical figure known as Jesus of Nazareth. Why he was called this, is unknown, aside from his disciples trying to fulfill prophecy on their own, because he was neither born there, had family from there, nor ever lived there. Many, including myself, will argue that we are less influenced by the stories of Jesus as much as we are by the teachings of Paul and the future Roman Catholic Church. This paper will be a detailed refute of the ethicalness of the Judeo/Christian faith.

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The more I was taught in church, the more questions I had concerning Christianity

Posted Friday, November 28, 2008. —

By Marshall

I was not brought up in a religious home. My mother and stepfather never went to church or talked about it or God from my memory. I never remember thinking about religion when I was young other than when I was with my real father on weekends. He would drop me and my sister off at a church for Sunday School class every now and then. He would drop us off and then leave and come back and get us afterward. He never went to church.

I really don't know why he took us to this day.

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Even Jesus does not get his prayers answered

Posted Friday, November 28, 2008. —

by Lance

Courtney just posted an excellent rant on November 27th titled "Satan's waiting, and you better believe there are NO donuts." I was going to write a quick reply, but the more I thought about it, the more it turned into a full on rant. So thanks Courtney for your post.

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A Thanksgiving Prayer

Posted Thursday, November 27, 2008. —

Image via Wikipedia“Thanks for a Nation of Finks,” says America’s Poet, William S. Burroughs, in this beloved Thanksgiving Prayer. (It is traditional for the head of household to recite this prayer before the Feast.)

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Labels: Videos

Satan's waiting, and you better believe there are NO donuts

Posted Thursday, November 27, 2008. —

“Hell” by Hans Memling, 1485 By Courtney

I pointed out (in My Atheist Manifesto) that the Bible claims that people will know Christians at first glance 'by their light,' being such serene and loving beings, and how that's actually never the case. Christians rebut this, with such reliable consistency that you could bet your house on it, by claiming that most Christians are not 'true' Christians.

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