Posted by Kromey at 11:27pm Dec 10 '07The Readers' Digest version, since I think most people here have already heard my story:
Raised Christian, never attended Church, had a basic understanding of the Bible's most significant stories and lessons.
Long-time friend died my freshman year of high school, which naturally threw all my convictions for a loop - how could a loving God allow such a thing to happen?
Spent a long time looking for answers within Christianity: Read the Bible; talked to pastors, priests, anyone with any semblance of authority on Christianity; took support from my friends.
More friends died as I progressed through high school (7 friends in 4 years), each adding more doubt.
Couldn't find any satisfactory answer (the "God has a plan, but we can't know it" answer seemed the only one even remotely qualified, but it sounds too much like a half-assed cop-out than it does an answer), so rejected Christianity.
Began looking for other religions that were both rational and could answer the "why do good people have to die young" question. Atheist for a bit, but it just never really sat right - perhaps growing up believing that God and Jesus were always with me, protecting me and guiding me made it seem too lonely. Finally found Deism when we studied it in my AP European History class (junior year of high school), and the more I learned about it the more it just seemed right.
My beliefs have continued to evolve, and I'm now more of what I call a "spiritual" Deist. Working on a small series of essays that will explain that more fully (because several people have expressed interest in reading such), so I'll hold off the full explanation 'till then.
Raised Christian, never attended Church, had a basic understanding of the Bible's most significant stories and lessons.
Long-time friend died my freshman year of high school, which naturally threw all my convictions for a loop - how could a loving God allow such a thing to happen?
Spent a long time looking for answers within Christianity: Read the Bible; talked to pastors, priests, anyone with any semblance of authority on Christianity; took support from my friends.
More friends died as I progressed through high school (7 friends in 4 years), each adding more doubt.
Couldn't find any satisfactory answer (the "God has a plan, but we can't know it" answer seemed the only one even remotely qualified, but it sounds too much like a half-assed cop-out than it does an answer), so rejected Christianity.
Began looking for other religions that were both rational and could answer the "why do good people have to die young" question. Atheist for a bit, but it just never really sat right - perhaps growing up believing that God and Jesus were always with me, protecting me and guiding me made it seem too lonely. Finally found Deism when we studied it in my AP European History class (junior year of high school), and the more I learned about it the more it just seemed right.
My beliefs have continued to evolve, and I'm now more of what I call a "spiritual" Deist. Working on a small series of essays that will explain that more fully (because several people have expressed interest in reading such), so I'll hold off the full explanation 'till then.
Christian to Deist - Kromey