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I could no longer reconcile Jesus’s calls for non-judgment, loving your enemies, and taking up your cross with many of the Religious Right’s positions on social services, women’s rights, and the LGBT community. Even though I felt alone in my theological shift, I was not. A recent Pew Research Center poll puts the evangelical retention rate at 65%, and while we don’t know to what extent education plays in the decision of a believer to leave a tradition, I suspect the fears of many of my religious peers regarding secular education were not unfounded. It isn’t just general education that can shift beliefs; indeed a recent study by Baylor University researcher Aaron Franzen found that increased reading of the Bible correlated with greater passion for social justice — a trait typically associated with liberalism.

Having my worldview fall apart like a house of cards was unnerving, but it only increased my desire for knowledge about the theology of my youth. I continued to study religion, and I received my PhD in Religious Studies two years ago. Now I no longer identify as an evangelical, but I study them for a living.

Only after my doctrinal evolution did I realize I no longer aligned with the political conservatism for which I once literally campaigned. Jesus was a champion of the poor, the weak, the meek, and downtrodden. He encouraged his followers to “sell their possessions” and give them to the poor. He hung out with hookers and crooks. The lifestyle of Jesus didn’t look anything like the politics of the Right.

kalm wrote:From George W. Bush campaign worker to liberal through..........education. Those god-less teachers are indeed dangerous!

I could no longer reconcile Jesus’s calls for non-judgment, loving your enemies, and taking up your cross with many of the Religious Right’s positions on social services, women’s rights, and the LGBT community. Even though I felt alone in my theological shift, I was not. A recent Pew Research Center poll puts the evangelical retention rate at 65%, and while we don’t know to what extent education plays in the decision of a believer to leave a tradition, I suspect the fears of many of my religious peers regarding secular education were not unfounded. It isn’t just general education that can shift beliefs; indeed a recent study by Baylor University researcher Aaron Franzen found that increased reading of the Bible correlated with greater passion for social justice — a trait typically associated with liberalism.

Having my worldview fall apart like a house of cards was unnerving, but it only increased my desire for knowledge about the theology of my youth. I continued to study religion, and I received my PhD in Religious Studies two years ago. Now I no longer identify as an evangelical, but I study them for a living.

Only after my doctrinal evolution did I realize I no longer aligned with the political conservatism for which I once literally campaigned. Jesus was a champion of the poor, the weak, the meek, and downtrodden. He encouraged his followers to “sell their possessions” and give them to the poor. He hung out with hookers and crooks. The lifestyle of Jesus didn’t look anything like the politics of the Right.

https://medium.com/life-tips/why-i-left ... .g8pys7kwc

He encouraged his followers to “sell their possessions” and give them to the poor. He hung out with hookers and crooks. The lifestyle of Jesus didn’t look anything like the politics of the Right.

Ivytalk wrote:The young lady decided to become an apostle of Jimmy Carter and Jim Wallis. Probably went through a "Huntsman phase" too. Nothing to see here.

CID1990 wrote:

Ivytalk wrote:

CID1990 wrote:

CID FTW!!

Chizzang wrote:A nice post from CID,
The guy who has admitted you've got to be pretty stupid to be Christian
And look who chimed in after his post

CID1990 wrote:

Chizzang wrote:A nice post from CID,
The guy who has admitted you've got to be pretty stupid to be Christian
And look who chimed in after his post

CID1990 wrote:

Chizzang wrote:A nice post from CID,
The guy who has admitted you've got to be pretty stupid to be Christian
And look who chimed in after his post

i've never said that (that I can recall)

I'm atheist and Jesus was a good dude by all accounts (iron age accounts anyway)

sometimes I envy people's faith

Chizzang wrote:

CID1990 wrote:
i've never said that (that I can recall)

I'm atheist and Jesus was a good dude by all accounts (iron age accounts anyway)

sometimes I envy people's faith

Faith in America is now a weapon...

Santa Claus and Iron Age God
One is for Children and one is for Adults - both are the Same

SDHornet wrote:

CID1990 wrote:

Nailed it.

dbackjon wrote:

SDHornet wrote: Nailed it.

Said the Roman Centurians

Jesus was a limited government freedom loving son of God!

kalm wrote:This thread is everything I had hoped for!

Jesus was a limited government freedom loving son of God!

Messiahs like that don't exactly grow on trees!

It's like bringing up the subject of gratitude. Like fish to a lantern!

CID1990 wrote:

kalm wrote:This thread is everything I had hoped for!

Jesus was a limited government freedom loving son of God!

Messiahs like that don't exactly grow on trees!

It's like bringing up the subject of gratitude. Like fish to a lantern!

JohnStOnge wrote:And BTW, I don't think the Jesus character would EVER have recognized a homosexual relationship as marriage. He did not hesitate to identify sin as sin according to whatever theology he was following. Like, he didn't say prostitution wasn't sin. He just said don't stone the woman. The after that he told the woman not to sin anymore.