My Experience With Christianity - Philip Udoimeh

A commentator asked me: " what were those things you were raised to believe and later found out not to be true?"

My reply to him reproduced here:

 "I was raised to believe that:

1. the god of the bible is the creator of the universe and of all lives. I have come to find out that the god of the bible is just one of the hundreds - maybe thousands of "creator" gods to have been worshiped by humans. The same reasons Christians advanced in dismissing other gods as false gods can also be used in dismissing the christian god (god of the bible) as a false god.

2. I was raised to believe that Christianity did so many good things in the past and this religion was always presented to me in good light. I have come to find out that while christianity did some good things, it also did many many evil things. It abused, tortured, imprisoned, maimed, and killed millions over the centuries in god's name.

3. I was raised to believe that African Traditional Religions (ATR) engage in human sacrifices and engage in rituals. I have come to find out that while ATR did practiced some forms of human sacrifices, Christianity which replaced it as a dominant religion in Africa was founded on human sacrifice - a father sacrificing his only son to atone for the 'sin'  of humanity. There are also many rituals in Christianity: baptism, communion, child dedication, fasting, sacrament, procedures for marriage, funeral services, etc.  Some of these rituals they copied/inherited from the so-called Pagan religions.

4. I was raised to believe that the Bible was inspired by god, the "creator" of the the universe. I have come to find out that the Bible is purely and completely the handiwork of primitive men; it is not of divine origin. I arrived at this conclusion because the bible is (a) scientifically erroneous, (b) historically inaccurate, (c) generally morally repugnant, and (d) literally absurd. Further researches I carried out show that many things and ideas in the Bible bear striking resemblance to predated pagan mythologies. This suggests plagiarism.

5. I was raised to believe that prayers can be answered. I have come to find out that it is work that produces results and not prayer. A hand that work is more effective than a million lips that pray.

6. I was raised to believe that marriage is of divine origin and that marriage is a blessing. I have find out these to be pure lies. Marriage is a product of social evolution and has absolutely nothing to do with any god. Also, marriage can be  blessing and it can also be a curse. What is most necessary for a successful marriage is MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING. Though love is important but love often erode with the passage of time.

7. I was raised to believe that there is a heaven and a hell in the hereafter. I have come to find out that there is not one iota of credible evidence for the existence of heaven and hell. Heaven and hell are tools employed by the few to control the many. Strangely, the ideas of a heaven and a hell was borrowed from the so-called Pagans. The truth is that you can make your heaven here in this world...so also can you also make your hell.

8. I was raised to believe that god is the source of morality and the Bible is the best moral compass. I have come to find out that (a) the god of the Bible is a malevolent, vindictive and fiendish being unworthy to be emulated by any sane person who loves humanity, (b) the Bible, while it contains some things on love, generally is an immoral and evil book that should be kept away from children, (c) societies that are nonreligious generally live a more upright life and enjoy a high quality of life than the mostly Christian societies, and (d) our conscience should be our moral guide.

9. I was raised to believe that we should always give money, material things and our efforts to the church as god will bless us for doing so. I have come to find out that  it is better to give to the poor and to the disadvantaged than to the church. Giving in church further enrich and empower arrogant and self-serving pastors.

10. I was raised to believe many other things about life and societies which I have come to find out are untrue.

 It saddens me when I see children today being raised in these same errors we were raised. I am appalled when I see grownups defending these errors."