"Shouldn't they have known better?"

scout575

"Over the years I have come to know and know of many ex-Christians, most of whom were well-churched, their numbers including former ministers, apologists, missionaries, theologians etc. Why should such people leave Christianity? These people are the best versed in Christianity and yet leave despite so much personal and professional investment in their religion, enjoyment of their time as believing Christians and social pressures to stay. How can this happen if the evidence for Christianity is so good? If Christianity is true, shouldn't they have known better?"

The above quote is taken from one of the many websites for ex-Christians. The author is a former member of a "moderately high Anglican church" and his words prompt the question: Why do so many sincere Christians leave Christianity?

Narkissos

Drawing objective conclusions (such as "Christianity is right or wrong") from individual choices is absurd imo. You can probably find as many examples of atheists becoming Christians (of any brand), Muslims, Pagans or whatever. What is that supposed to prove? People can turn from anything to anything in a lifetime, especially when/where the social cost of change is relatively low and the ideological "market" very open. Ex-JWs probably pay one of the highest price in the Western world for leaving their religion (no matter what they turn to).

However, your post made me think: while I wouldn't claim the Christian label anymore, I would rather call myself a post-Christian than an ex-Christian; on the other hand I am definitely an ex-JW. I don't relate to Christianity as I relate to the WT. Even though I am not "in," I tend to acknowledge the Christian inheritance in a much more positive way.

Again, this cannot prove anything to anybody else.

looking_glass

Why do so many sincere Christians leave Christianity?

You would have to ask each person. You cannot assume they all leave for the same reason. My question to you is do they leave Christianity or do they leave organized religion? It may be that they still have a belief system in place but they are unwilling to follow any MAN, WOMAN, CHILD, BEAST blindly. Organized religion has been caused much hurt and pain to many people through out the ages.

JWs are not the only ones that suffer consequences of leaving, other fundamentalist religions have strict rules and enforce them. You can find sites for LDS, Adventists, Judisim (sorry I know I am spelling that wrong, but I am blanking on the spelling) and other non-mainstream and/or fundamentalist religions.

I know a guy who was a JW and became a LDS to marry a chick in the temple. Initially his family was devistated when he was DF'd and they shunned him. But later they softened and tried to get back together with him, but he turned the tables and shunned them because of his beliefs (he is part of the stricter branches that is pretty black and white about their beliefs) they were devistated again. I guess turn about was not fair play in their minds. He has cut everyone out of his life, no one sees or hears from him even those of us who were no longer active JWs. So it goes both ways with this kooky religions. JWs are the only knuckleheads out there.

scout575

Narkissos: I completely agree with much of what you say. Of course you can't draw objective conclusions from individual choices, of course people can turn from anything to anything, of course it proves nothing.

My intention in making the above post is to encourage research by JWs who read this site. Upon reading JWD for many months they may decide to leave JWs, but what then? They may simply exchange the JW myths for another set of Biblically-based myths. Maybe my posts will encourage them to read some of the ex-Christian websites, and THEN decide that they are finished with Christian myths of any 'brand'.

I'm posting questions and points that would have helped me when I was a JW. I suppose thats what many posters on JWD are doing. Each to his own, eh?

Shazard

I agree... there is no common reason. And in theology this is mistery, how one can turn away. But... you never know what is happening with them on the frontier of their lives at the very end. Those which I have known, they turned away coz they at some point loosed the focus on person of Christ. If you loose the Son in Christianity, you loose faith no matter how good theologican you are. Ecumenical views sometimes goes too far away, and they loose Christ in this mess... Loosing focus on Christ is dangerous. Christianity is nothing more as personal relationship with Christ. All ethics, politics etc. around christianity, all that is only working if you have Christ, if you don't you loose the meaning of it!

jwfacts

Belief is a very strange thing. Some JWs become stauch athiests, others staunch Christians. I am yet to understand what makes a person believe something, but it is like the nature-nuture debate, it is composed of a number of factors that vary between individuals.
For a JW that is made to believe that there is absolute truth it can be hard to accept that what is true for one person is not true for another, or that religion is many roads heading to the same place.
I personally think an individuals believes are not important as long as it leads to that individual leading a life that is right for them without harming others. When a religion has a negative affect on other peoples lives it is dangerous. Religious bigotry, forcing others to believe what you believe, whether by foot-in-the-door preaching techniques, use of misinformation, shunning, or violence are what is more wrong than the label a person wears.

scout575

Shazard: You say that its a mystery why Christians leave Christianity, and you suggest that they have lost their focus on Christ. If you were to check out the ex-Christian websites you will find very clear explanations why Christians leave their faith. You will find many testimonies from people who were very sincere Christians, and who explain their reasons for leaving in a very compelling and un-frenzied way.

Dr Jekyll

Why do so many sincere Christians leave Christianity?

For me its not the concept of Christianity that is unappealing, it's associating with his followers many of which are judgemental and self righteous. As a former dub I've had a bellyful of that already.

Shazard

scout, I sayed about those which I know! And I know not too much christians who have turned away. And actually to say for sure that they have turned away you have to look what is happening at the very end of their lives. Actually I guess each christian has "empty" period in their lives, sometimes people return sometime no. Why exactly... there is no common answer for each case.
Sometimes people devote themselves to Pastors, Churches (as organization), people to something what is RESULT of Christianity, not it's source. What is happening really, who can tell...??? I just can tell my own... I feel that I can loose everything, but if I have Christ, I don't loose anything. But if I will lose Christ, I will lose everything else. Without him the life looses meaning. With him each breath becomes meaningfull for me. And it is not about rituals, churches, pastors, apologetic, good works or whatever... it is all about realizing that God himself died for me. He was not forced to do so, it was his own choice, and only explanation to this is that He loves me. May be I don't love him, but I can't denie that he loves me. And this love keeps me ticking in this world. I wish that each one could realize that God does not requires from us anything as only permission to be our Father and our expressed will to be His children, everything else he has done for us and has given life which humanity have thrown away.

"Shouldn't they have known better?"

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