I’ve had a range of reactions to leaving religion. Born into the Catholic Church and left at age 19 for a more fundamentalist “Christian” church, where I was a true believer for 22 years. Religion-free now for 25 years. Most former church friends dropped all contact with me. However, one former fundamentalist friend treats me well but his faith is a strong wall preventing him form questioning the religion, a second is friendly and respectful and open to honest discussions, and a third is a smarmy holier than thou type who “hopes I can move on from past hurts.” But like many, I was mostly shunned/ignored.
@truthseeker12523
Жыл бұрын
Sounds like you were a Jehovah's Witness
@frankburke6298
Жыл бұрын
I was in the Worldwide Church of God from 1974 to 1996. Many similarities to JW.
@zodfanza
Жыл бұрын
Same. It's a relief to realise how much more support there is OUTSIDE of that awful fundamentalist/cult environment.
@AnnoyingNewsletters
Жыл бұрын
@@DrPaoloR Y'all Queda
@eprd313
Жыл бұрын
@@DrPaoloRyou are too comprehensive. I'd have shoved that book of immoral nonsense up where the sun doesn't shine.
@mr.c2485
Жыл бұрын
At my church, even the Holy Spirit was on a church schedule. He showed up exactly at 10:30-11:00 every Sunday.
@zodfanza
Жыл бұрын
He only showed up when the music was good or when one was fatigued from a very long prayer session. Then one might be able to convince oneself the weird fatigue and dissociation one was feeling was Him.
@petesmits6335
Жыл бұрын
How did you ever fall for that crap? If they ever said nonsense like that at my church I would walk right out -
@eprd313
Жыл бұрын
@@petesmits6335if you're still going to a Christian church then they are saying nonsense like that.
@petesmits6335
Жыл бұрын
@@eprd313 amazing how you know that!
@mainecoonmami
Жыл бұрын
It’s so important that you guys are bringing up your girls to have agency. I wish I’d had that.
@urielpolak9949
Жыл бұрын
I love the “sleeping in on sundays” that has value. Real value
@robind.phillips2129
Жыл бұрын
This is a very good talk. I can identify with almost everything you all said. Thanks so much for sharing.
@HarmonicAtheist
Жыл бұрын
Thanks, Robin! If you feel like you'd like to consider an interview, please reach out! facebook.com/timandjuliemills/
@robind.phillips2129
Жыл бұрын
@@HarmonicAtheist Oh ok😁I'm not a scholar or anything.
@essenceoneessence
Жыл бұрын
So many great points in this interview! Wow!! You guys are breaking it down to the science of musical manipulation. I knew the music moved me but the consideration in planning it down to the chords, tying to lyrics, WOW!! Thank you so much for sharing. I recently reconstructed but my husband is heavily indoctrinated so it has been difficult. It’s nice seeing a woman deconverting first and holding firm to it. Thanks again 🥰
@rainbowkrampus
Жыл бұрын
Said it before but passing this stuff down to children is what got me into exploring the harm of the whole religion concept. I don't even have kids. It's just, man... Something Anne asked was why her atheist friends didn't tell her any of this stuff. It's because there's a sort of laissez faire attitude that is cultivated around religion. "As long as it's not hurting anyone it's not a big deal." But it is hurting people. If nothing else it's hurting the believer. But ultimately, believers pass their beliefs down to their children. At the very least they validate belief and poor reasoning for others. It's impossible to keep your religion in a box. We, as the saying goes, live in a society. Anyway, great talk. Glad they're out there fighting the good fight on TikTok. Personally I can't stand that site so anyone with the fortitude to knock heads over there is cool in my book.
@Venusbabe66
Жыл бұрын
I totally agree with you! Same, I don't have children either, but I see 1st hand the terrible, heartbreaking trauma that religion has caused, especially within high control cults like the JWs. I see the life-long emotional trauma it caused my friend who still hasn't woken up and similarly set up her adult kids with religious trauma, too. Thank goodness she's starting to see the light. Also, there's the problem of saying something as an atheist which could push believers further within due to them being convinced that it's the devil speaking through us, testing their faith.
@rainbowkrampus
Жыл бұрын
@@Venusbabe66 Learning to talk around issues in a rhetorically effective manner, in order to avoid those defensive walls going up, is still something I'm working on. I'm glad your friend is starting to come around. Your persistence is admirable.
@rainbowkrampus
Жыл бұрын
@@lufhopespeacefully2037 Not if I can possibly avoid it.
@Venusbabe66
Жыл бұрын
@rainbowkrampus It's quite a difficult tightrope to manoeuvre because there's so much I'd love to bring up that I don't because I value our 30+ year friendship so much.
@somersetcace1
Жыл бұрын
I was raised in a non religious home and as a life long atheist, I had decisions to make as a parent as to how I was going to raise my children. It was very important to me not to `indoctrinate` them into MY worldview, but instead to teach them critical thinking skills. How to rationally assess what's being presented to you. When they had questions, I answered them honestly, but always with the notion that they need to think these things through themselves. `What do `you` think about it?` If they wanted to bounce ideas off of me, then great, but ultimately they need to figure it out for themselves. It lead to some really interesting discussions when they were teenagers especially. In the end, they're all adults now and currently atheist. Well, my youngest daughter would call herself agnostic,. I think she just has an aversion to the label.
@tyroneallen7857
Жыл бұрын
Atheist, agnostic, and Satanist are all religious labels. Science rebukes religion. Read more non-fiction. For example, the theory of everything is time. Time is everything and everything is time. For example, energy equals mass times the speed of light square, no space. Time equals energy. For example we are our star.
@eemer2437
11 ай бұрын
Love hearing y’all’s story. I’m very much struggling with my faith. I do believe there is a high power but am reluctant to believe there is an active god in our world. I just don’t see evidence of it. The winners and losers are just arbitrary. The ones that say they are blessed generally come from a place of priveledge.
@grayintheuk8021
Жыл бұрын
'The claims of the Bible fell apart until there was nothing left' absolutely - I fully agree. Great video thanks.
@vlndfee6481
Жыл бұрын
I had my journey ... the other way.. Bible was just a book.... But then I had a question.. Christians had oposite anwsers So I thought what would God say... Then the bible started speaking... It opened my mind Then I had a moment I read the prophets... I almost tree the bible in a corner... but I just read again... it was like the letters jumped from the pages.... and pieces conected I saw God goodness in midst of the difficult stuff of the bible... It opened my heart. Since then I had more and more interactions with God. Once I even told Him.. I want to go to heaven, but I do not know you, I do not love you. Give me a heart that loves you. Then with in a few week Something happened. . Made me understand. . Just childlike faith... Turningbto Him, asking for help Touches His heart... Make Me really love Him He is amazing. Knowing God is eternal life. Not all the works you do. Any realationship is about getting to know each other.
@grayintheuk8021
Жыл бұрын
@@vlndfee6481 Hi you said: "Then the bible started speaking... It opened my mind" How did that book 'speak' to you, please? In what format and how? I mean starting at the beginning why the Bible? What questions did you have? You must have had some questions and went to look for the answers in the Bible. That is one part I do not understand. Why not look for answers in the Vedas or Quran or science? I am super interested to understand your process here. Can I assume that you already knew of the Bible and Jesus in that story? Is that why you looked to the Bible for answers and found them? Many thanks and please do tell me what I am missing with my journey and yours. Best Gray
@grayintheuk8021
Жыл бұрын
@@dirtypickle77 It's been demonstrated that you can get the same feeling in a secular setting. Religions do claim different types of miracles but that is the problem, the claims have no good evidence behind them. Really unless you are raised in this culture you will think it is bat 'poop' crazy.
@eprd313
Жыл бұрын
@@vlndfee6481@vlndfee6481 so you realised that worshiping a god that kills children out of spite is good for you
@james9524
Жыл бұрын
Former pastor Dan Barker said that he threw out all the bath water and realized that there was no baby.
@thedarknessthatcomesbefore4279
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for sharing your great discussion. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to you all.
@letahamilton
Жыл бұрын
11 minutes! I’m quick! Already watching.
@mainecoonmami
Жыл бұрын
Hi Leta!
@letahamilton
Жыл бұрын
@@mainecoonmami hello!
@mainecoonmami
Жыл бұрын
Omg I had the same feeling about not having a testimony!
@kinglyzard
Жыл бұрын
I never shared the "God-shaped hole" that others seem to have. I guess some of us have evolved past the need for a security blanket to protect us from eternal death.
@thedarknessthatcomesbefore4279
Жыл бұрын
@@kinglyzardgot to agree, no god shaped hole and no intrinsic urge to worship something. Genuinely don't understand the worship thing.
@17...20
Жыл бұрын
52:10 These verses, sayings, and song lyrics really hit differently now. It's wild. 💔
@kristinaginorio1344
Жыл бұрын
Nice to hear from a husband and wife about this.
@Claudi333
Жыл бұрын
Excellent show!
@Kennylou29
Жыл бұрын
Hi, Tim! I really love your channel and I can see that you have a true passion for what you’re doing, which I admire greatly. If by chance you happen to see this, I wanted to suggest bringing Richard Carrier onto your show. He has a very long and successful history in the atheist community, especially when it comes to dismantling Christian apologetics, and has such a wide range of knowledge in biblical studies that I think would not only be a benefit to your viewers, but to you as well on a personal level. I would absolutely love to see a discussion between the two of you and I think many others would be too!
@johnoleary4647
Жыл бұрын
These are a very insightful couple ,very real no bullshit
@paulthew2
Жыл бұрын
Great interview, as always.
@scofah
Жыл бұрын
Cute couple! Thanks for another great interview.
@theknittingrev
Жыл бұрын
Pony Up, Anne! ❤💙 Love seeing a fellow mustang in the wild!
@Cuffsmaster
Жыл бұрын
Once you realize the cards are falling they fall fast. There is really no underpinning for the propaganda once you see it for that it really is underl it all.
@laurentackett9399
Жыл бұрын
I wish Tim would put the name of the song at the end. He's got good taste in music.
@laurentackett9399
Жыл бұрын
I found it. he did. it's called friends by eyal raz
@bettyhyppolite1061
Жыл бұрын
I seriously rather believe in God than dealing with people. This world is too crazy for me, and most people are very cruel. For example, a group of people got their freedom to do whatever they want and believe in, then turned around and say “ we’re coming for your children” seriously? Treat others as you want to be treated, treat people right. God may be misrepresented, but does not mean He’s not in existence. That’s the mistake people are making, becoming a pastor and thinking that the church will take care of them. God is not going to beat on you for going to school and get a profession to help yourself prior into going to ministry. In the Bible it said that God will put his word in you, so use that common sense He gave you. In religion or out of religion, people are cruel, period. I’m not blaming no God, it’s people hurting people.
@patrickwoods2213
10 ай бұрын
Most people are cruel? MOST? I'm sorry, but the fact is - you don't know most people. The planet is approx 8 billion. No one knows most people. Most of the people I've met in my lifetime are GOOD responsible people. Cruelty of people is not the problem - it is ignorance. The cruel people on this planet are actually in the minority - we can see that through everyday experience. Most people do not rape. Most people do not kill. And it is the bad people that take advantage of the good people's ignorance - which is where religion comes into play. Most religious people are also good - but ignorant. That's where the hierarchy of the church takes advantage of people's ignorance and keeps them from questioning and doubting. That's why we have Christian apologetics - it's a cottage industry based on lies to keep people in the faith. If you really rather believe in god rather than good people - then you would have to question why he/she leaves so many of his children to suffer, starve, get raped, be murdered, abused, ignored, left unloved, killed in war, death from disease, killed in natural disasters, ect. Where is god when a woman gets raped? Where is god when a woman forced into sex slavery? Where is god when a child gets beaten? Good people are actually trying there best everyday to put a stop to these things, but your god has yet to show up and prove that he actually cares. The day your god arrives and shows himself to everyone on earth, I'll believe he exists. Until then, I'm more than happy to remain a skeptic.
@heatherclark8668
4 ай бұрын
I deconstructed after 21 years of being a Christian. In hindsight, I recall now that I started deconstructing right from the very beginning I questioned whether god was good I questioned whether he made mistakes and had regrets I questioned whether he was true to his word about healing people if they did what the Bible said about confessing their sins and asking for healing It seemed to me that he loves some people but not others Is seem to me that he made terrible mistakes and had terrible regrets - the great flood. Is seemed to me that he almost never healed people of illnesses. Are these illnesses weren't miracles but psychosomatic events. It seemed to me that most Christians were living in a fantasy world It seemed to me that the pastor was a chauvinistic controlling narcissist It seemed to me that the women in my church we're all oppressed It seemed to me that the longer I stayed in that environment the more depressed and oppressed I became Walking into that church was like walking into a big black cloud of condemnation I wondered what happened to the good old days in the very beginning when I was welcomed and loved But it didn't take long for me to not fit in I found it very hard to be fake I longed for honesty and intimacy I still long for those things.
@flpete
Жыл бұрын
Well done Tim, I can relate to things your guests talk about deconverting and your insightful questions. Have you had Gay guests deconverting ?
@HarmonicAtheist
Жыл бұрын
Yes! For sure.
@carlafilbert631
Жыл бұрын
As a Christian, i just have a question. So I'm looking at the way the world is, and what it says in the Bible, the wars and rumours of wars, increase in lawlessness, increase in earthquakes, the fires and crazy weather, Pestilence, unnatural affection, the start of the new world order, the start of digital currency, famines, the food supplies, what's happening in Israel, the Red heifers, the talk of rebuilding the temple, the UN meeting this month for the 7 year peace and safety plan, AI, all of this crazy stuff. I know some of this has happened before, but never like this, and never at the same time and all over the world. Signs are converging and prophesies are unfolding before our eyes. For me because I'm Christian. Im saved by grace through faith in Christ alone, I have hope. But do any of you see what's happening and know that it's crazy? If so, where is your hope? I can't imagine anyone actually putting hope in the government. Everything just keeps getting worse? So im just wondering, sincerely what you think?
@carlafilbert631
Жыл бұрын
@@rodbarrett1581 Hang in there, because you are right, what is going on in the world is demonic and we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, it's spiritual warfare. Stay steadfast in your faith. I don't know if you keep up with the world news, but this month, on the 19th of September, the UN is starting their 7 year peace and security. Could be nothing, but it sounds like something, and it's crazy that it is on the same day as Feast of Trumpets. Any doubts you may have, that is the enemy. The signs of end times are all converging on earth, but they are happening in the stars also, just like it says in Revelations 12. So stay strong. Remember Jesus loves you more than you can possibly imagine. We can't comprehend the things of God, but we will find out so much soon.
@patrickwoods2213
10 ай бұрын
That is your brain reinterpreting events in order to fit your beliefs. Religions and cults do this all the time. You could of said the same thing in the early part of the 20th century - we had only a decade separated by two world wars, a great depression, plus the rise of Communism and Facism - plus the civil rights movement in America. People were saying a lot of the same things then - that this was the end of the world. Only it wasn't............the world went on. And we spent the next half of the 20h century in post war prosperity, and relative peace. I'm not saying that it's going to totally pan out that way this time - but the future might be better. And as long as there are good people, then that's always possible. And that's where my hope lies. I have hope in good people, creativity, art, music and science. That's all I need. No matter how dark things get, there will always be something good. That's my hope. Your god has yet to show that he/she actually cares, or that he/she actually exists.
@carlafilbert631
10 ай бұрын
@@patrickwoods2213 I understand that the world has seen many wars in the past and horrible things have happened, but there is a difference now and it started when Israel became a nation in May 1948, that was a prophecy from the book of Isaiah, which was the Start of the last generation, the fig tree generation. Do you not see what is happening to Israel right now? These are prophecies. Do you see how Jewish people suddenly are being attacked all over the world now? This is a spiritual battle. You are still alive, you woke up today, I'm sure you have a home, I pray you do anyway, you probably have food to eat. God has created you, you are still alive and has provided for you, but time is running out for you to seek Him. We are living in the very last days! I wake up every day now to see if Damascus has been destroyed yet, that is something you should watch for. It is a prophecy from Isaiah 17:1. They will be destroyed and uninhabitable, it sounds nuclear. The rapture of the church is going to happen soon, then comes the tribulation, which will make what is happening in the world now pale in comparison. But those who are living during the tribulation who were not raptured will have a second chance to get saved if you don't get the mark of the beast (which the beast system is getting set up now with all of this digital currency), but the moment the Rapture happens many will die due to car crashes, plane crashes, fires, explosions, so some may not get a second chance. I'm not trying to be all doom and gloom but this is reality. Jesus came as fully God and fully man and died for all of our sins on the cross, He paid the penalty of death. You can either accept His free gift or you don't, the choice is yours, but I pray you accept, because He loves you more than you can imagine. God is perfect and without sin and sin cannot enter the kingdom of God, so unless you have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of you, the Holy Spirit that resurrected Jesus, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven. I pray that Jesus reveals himself to you and you know how much you are loved. The enemy will lie to you and make you think there is no God. It is a lie. There is a spiritual battle going on. "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13
@grantrobinson9129
9 ай бұрын
@@patrickwoods2213 Absolutely. Bottom line: God exists only in people's heads. No amount of faith can bridge the gap between make-believe and reality. It should be so obvious.
@sledderal1016
7 ай бұрын
Confirmation bias is a synonym for Christian prophecy.
@kinglyzard
Жыл бұрын
Christianity is like one of those cheap sweaters on those cartoons that disappear as you pull the loose thread. If you want to destroy my sweater...😅
@mainecoonmami
Жыл бұрын
Whoa-whoa-whoa… it’s an anthem with new meaning now!
@evangelicalsnever-lie9792
Жыл бұрын
Right on!
@Flyspray420
Жыл бұрын
nice interview
@HarmonicAtheist
Жыл бұрын
Thank you!!
@Flyspray420
Жыл бұрын
@@HarmonicAtheist No, thank you ;)
@a.b.2405
Жыл бұрын
Oh wow a salsa dancer!! I love salsa dancing!
@someonerandom256
Жыл бұрын
It look me nearly a decade to deconstruct AFTER I stopped going to church. Fortunately because of my doubt, I took a step back from indoctrinating my children. By the time I got around to telling them I was an atheist, a year more after deconverting, they were older teens. We had been teaching them for many years to so their own research and follow their instincts and to not just blindly believe what anyone tells them, even us. Fortunately my husband was always agnostic and a natural skeptic, and our kids had picked up on a lot of his approach, while I had taken a step back. All three are just what one might call irreligious or nones. I'd like to say it's because I didn't unduly indoctrinate them, but I know that's not true. *Edited only to correct a typographical error.
@tyroneallen7857
Жыл бұрын
Belief is acceptance without knowledge. Replace belief with knowledge. Knowledge is where you find facts. Knowledge of the star is where we find each other forever. Time is eternal. Time is the fabric of the universe. Time equals energy and energy equals mass times the speed of light squared, no space. Space is science fiction based on human imagination. For example, we are our star.
@coloradodutch7480
Жыл бұрын
Believe is not the same as ‘acceptance without knowledge’. That makes no sense, everybody believes based on some kind of knowledge. Take the believe that life came from non life. We have have never observed it happening, all scientific evidence proves life comes from life, and yet, people believe it to be true. Why? They have knowledge that life exists and they ‘know’ there is no God, so therefore life came from non life in spite of contrary scientific evidence.
@pineapplepenumbra
Жыл бұрын
I wonder how your wife feels about these videos if she's still a fundamentlist.
@HarmonicAtheist
Жыл бұрын
As far as I know, she does not watch them at all and never has. She is entirely disconnected from it all. She doesn't care what I think or what I am learning. Christians tend to see atheists and atheism as irrelevant to the true story of what's happening in the world and in their lives.
@rebeccadubois8270
Жыл бұрын
@@HarmonicAtheistatheists are background characters to the religious. Lol
@pineapplepenumbra
Жыл бұрын
@@HarmonicAtheist I see. Thank you for your reply, it's interesting to know how others view the world.
@someonerandom256
Жыл бұрын
@@HarmonicAtheistThat makes me really sad.
@ethanweber-rh3pr
11 ай бұрын
@@HarmonicAtheistI don't mean to be rude, but I haven't heard you talk about your marriage. You sound very angry with her?
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