Welcome to Gaia! ::

Christianity has had both positive and negative influence on me. From one perspective, it given me more knowledge of human nature; I've learned that people, in general, like to believe that there is someone always there to protect them. Christianity also helped me go more into Science and Philosophy, too.

I, unfortunately, have to deal with the negative effects both online and in real life. Wherever I go, there is always a close-minded Christian being annoying by attempting to convert me. And many of them seem to get offended very easily when I try to talk some logic into them in return.

The influence it had on me was negative, for certain. I grew up in a semi-religious family (my parents believe in God but don't really act like Christians) so I grew up expecting God to help...instead, the opposite occured, in particular as I hit teenage years. Every time I prayed for something it went COMPLETELY wrong. The exact opposite happened. This, of course, lead to much suffering on my part, in particular since I had/have depression issues. I always had to wonder what I was doing wrong, why God wasn't helping, and why he was letting good people suffer against my will and prayers while the ******** scum of the earth were just fine and had all the happiness they wanted. I eventually had a rather painful break from religion since I didn't want to worship such a b*****d and later turned to agnosticism. Up until then I always had this feeling that God hated me, or that I was doing something really, really wrong...Many of my friends believe that I have an inferiority complex (I simply view it as taking an honest look at myself, like I would with any other person and not liking what I find, but I digress) and if I do, I know the source. On the other hand, I've always valued helping those that are worth helping more than my own happiness, so I suppose the dark cloud does have its silver lining since it's allowed me to have an insight into just how much harm religion can cause and it helps me help others going through the same process.

I wouldn't have thought I would be atheist two years ago. But church just pisses me off. They beam in their subliminal messages very subtly, but once you got it, they are easy to pick up on. I sat through a seminar on non premarital sex and an entire hour of evolution bashing. Eventually I turned deist when I dug heavily into science. And here I am a year later, no God and an open mind. Granted, I see nothing after my demise and the thought of it gets me depressed sometimes. Plus, I'm a jaded corrupt pervert. But I despise ignorance more than anything and seeing the world in this light satisfies me more than anything.

I'm what'd you call a very liberal catholic, I hate ignorance and how the Christian Right has taken over so much of America. I can admit parts of the bible are a bit iffy if not completely wacko unless considered very metaphorically and or based in the understanding of the ancients, I do disagree with interpretations that others use to bash others, and I can and do on a regular basis support science against the fundie threat

Not to mention that Jesus is mythological which makes the religion void in itself.

It makes it 'void' if the entire religion is based off of claiming that that character is a historical figure, really did exist, and really was sacrificed 'for our sins'.

well, i the fact that my gurl friend, my friends and i, are still alive, is pretty much due to the fact that humans are scared shittless by eternal punishment. I think people not going out and murdering everything has a lot to do with fear of an omnipresent power seeking justice. I makes society a safer place when the stupid ones are brain washed.