How do we undo the brainwashing?

A letter from Emma

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My sister became a Baptist in the UK four years ago. From being happy and smug for herself and her husband (whom she followed down this path), she has become paranoid about the Devil in the world and desperate to convert me and others she loves. She believes every word in the Bible is true and the Word of God - an indication to me that those that are teaching her are insane. I know many lifelong and good Christians who recognise the Bible as being man-made, mistranslated, having tenuous links to Christ's true message etc., etc., yet maintain their love of Christ and God and live according to Christ's word.

My questions are:

Do I try to show her the error of her ways? (So far a waste of time. She doesn't listen, only thinks up Bible-speak counterarguments and resorts to the old retort: "That's the Devil speaking in you").

Or, do I try to ignore it and seek the old personality of my sister that still in there somewhere? She was loving and happy-go-lucky. Now she is arrogant, self-satisfied, bigoted and hateful.

She's really put her brain on hold to see how far she can suspend her sense of disbelief. One little step towards believing Christ is the Son of God has led to the giant leap of believing (no, sorry: "KNOWING") that just because she believes in this thing, it doesn't matter what she DOES in life -- she will still be saved and live happily ever after with Christ when the rest of humanity, who doesn't think exactly like her, will perish.

There is no talk of Love in their beliefs, only about being Right.

Will she be devastated when/if she finally sees how STUPID she's been??

Does anyone else out there know what I'm going through?

Thanks, please help.


A question to Christians

A letter from Lock

jehovah-image_by_PvasiliadisImage by ideacreamanuelaPps via Flickr

My question is for christians who visit this site. I myself am an ex-believer and I've posted comments on here in the past as anonymous.

My question is "How can christians possibly explain the contradiction between the character of God in the Old Testament and the character of God that Jesus teaches in the New Testament?

The Old Testament makes God out to be extremely vengeful, wrathful, and apparently hardens people's hearts so they won't repent. He even allows Moses to command the Israelite men to kill all the Midianite men, boys, and women who were not virgins, and sanctions the men to keep the young virgin girls for themselves.

Jesus describes God as all loving and merciful. The New Testament says there is no partiality with God... ect... ect... How do christians reconcile this?

When I was a believer, I was always taught that in the Old Testament it was the time before mercy, and that is why God's judgment presided over us rather then His mercy. The New Testament was based on the fact Christ changed things by bringing in the time of mercy.

Lol....thats a crock! Anyone who knows their Bible knows that God chose to forgive David for committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband murdered. God also sent Jonah to Nineveh to warn them cause He chose to have mercy on that city!

Yet, all through Old Testament, God chooses to be horribly wrathful on people for the stupidest things -- sometimes for nothing.

Can any Christians explain this to me?

Call for stories

A letter from Tina Dupuy

Hello! I was referred to you by Troy Conrad AKA Comedy Jesus.

I'm an investigative journalist and I'm working on a project about the "Satanic Panic" of the 1980's.

I'm are looking for stories about people accused of devil worship by listening to the heavy metal genre of music in the 1980's. Did your mom take away your Faith No More records? Were you sent off to bible camp or a mental hospital? Did the hysteria over satanic cults impact your teenage years?

I want hoping to contact any of your members who have experiences they'd like to share with me. Also if there is any other resources you can think of - I'd love to hear about them.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Note: Anyone with stories they'd like to share should send the stories and their contact information by clicking here. The stories and contact information will be forwarded to Ms. Dupuy.

Modern Christian Miracles?

A letter from Jari in Finland:

I searched some skeptical/ex-Christian sites and wanted to ask my question to someone who possible may have some ideas of the things I am gonna ask and maybe provide some helpful information.

I am myself agnostic at the moment. Was believer in past, but really started doubts some things in Christian faith. So much confusion and wrong prophecies, much fear instead spreading love and courage to peoples life.

Since I lost my faith I have read much skeptical material from the net and from books too.

My question to you is this: Have you or do you know if there is any study made about the current Christian miracle claims? I mean basically those extreme Charismatic meetings which report jewels materializing from thin air, instant weight loss, angel feathers from thin air, oils pouring from hands and gold/sapphire dust from bodies.

Basically I first heard of those claims from my Christian friend, who watching Sid Roth "Supernatural" programs on Christian TV.

There have been in guests on the programs like Patricia King, Joshua Mills and David Herzog who shows those miracles in their meetings.

On YouTube there are many videos claiming and showing those kind of strange manifestations, like different kinds of things appearing from thin air.

I am a bit worried myself about my current Christian friends who are watching those and believing them at face value.

What I have myself read from the Net, there are some guys who have been caught in some frauds, but there are much more of these phenomenon that seem to be coming from ordinary and seemingly decent people.

So basically I'd just be thankful for any advice, book or article recommendations.

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