Jerry DeWitt on his transition from Pastor to Atheist - Arkansas Society of Freethinkers
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- Опубліковано 1 лют 2012
- Jerry discusses the events that inspired him to become a pastor, when he was 17 years old, and what happened 25 years later, that cause him to leave that profession, and become an atheist. He explains why it is difficult for those pastors, who no longer believe in the supernatural, to walk away from that profession, describing the turbulence in his own life that came with leaving the church, and coming out as an atheist. Jerry joined the Clergy Project in May, 2011, and is the executive director of Recovering from Religion.
![Would We Be Better Off Without Religion? - Christopher Hitchens [2007] ✝️ | Intelligence Squared](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/DIR7_X-ahy4/mqdefault.jpg)
Jerry, has a preacher's swagger but the heart of someone who's had a rough time with the fallout from loss of friends and family. I relate to this story so much and hope he can reach some young people who are tackling the big questions but are afraid to speak out.
@ Heffsta ... I moved back to my home town years ago to take care of my aging parents. To my chagrin I learned that my old friends had become "re-born" and they explained that their "period of questioning" was just that "youthful phase" that some people go through.
I accepted them regardless of their beliefs but was ostracized by them because I didn't share their beliefs. My defense was always that I felt that my religious beliefs were a personal thing that I didn't like discussing... not good enough, you're out.
As long as I live in this town ( which is proudly christian and has as many churches as bars) I have to live my life as a "closet agnostic". To do otherwise would be social suicide, they'd bring out the torches hunt me down, hang me from the nearest tree with a sign that reads "this is what we do to Satan's followers". So I can understand why people are hesitant to speak up.
*** "Where ignorance is bliss ... 'tis folly to be wise." -- Thomas Gray
Had a similar experience with friends/people I grew up with.. YUK! They get ostracized, by me, for not being atheist... lol, so to speak..
Carl Pen : In my country in western europe it is just the other way around. If you confess you are a believer, people think you are mad or a simpleton or even a dangerous lunatic, and pity you. ALL politicians avoid to tell their religion if they have one, because voters would'n vote for them anymore. People here don't like people who believe they have an invisible friend who lives in the sky, they think they are not rational.
He's a good man. And a perfect vehicle to spread the morality & truth of secular thinking
I was never a pastor but i was going in that direction. I did preach most of my life, but i never got my license to preach. I came out about 3 years ago and i have to say i have found a few people but very few that share my none belief as i do now. Im from west tennessee so i understand growing up deeply religious i was raised pentecostal.
When I first heard the term 'backsliding' I thought it was a really super awesome dance.
They had better mics during the first moon landing.
Chris VanKula
Savage level 💯 :))
Yeah, but I'm so intrigued by the content that I'm ignoring the bad quality! 😃
Buzz Aldrin, come in!
😂😂😂
U can't walk on a light God created.
This is just about the best talk about the subject I ever heard. He explains everything so well... and I'm glad that for once someone managed to pull through a change like that and keep his family.
Takes an incredible amount of courage to do what this man did, especially coming from a small town the way he does. Religion is not only ingrained in our minds, but I also believe it's part of our genetic code. We want answers to questions we can't answer and so we create answers to satisfy our curiosity. He took a huge risk in doing what he did, kudos to him, and respect for being so brave in his stance.
I really have to agree with @ Uncle AL, religious people have to shun the apostate because their own faith and self delusion us so thin. This is why they dont ask why anyone changed their mind, they already know as they have their own doubts and can see that there is no substance to religion. They just dont want to give up the few real things that religion offers them like fellowship, direction without having to think and the grand prize of eternal life after you die of corse. Jerry had to not only risk and lose all his friends but also his job. Being a preacher and realizing that reality does not match scripture makes for a much larger issue than what just the average believer faces. I wish Jerry continued success and am so happy he has escaped that self imposed prison
The only worst thing *gasp* would have been to convert from an atheist to an actual Believer in Jesus. You hypocrites would roast this guy to high heaven and if he was a Professor or something you would force him out of Academia.
@@elitedrumlessons6174 because that rarely happens. People don't usually go from a reasonable position to an unreasonable one. There's a reason most places of higher learning are more liberal and less interested in dogmatic religious beliefs.
"...it's part of our genetic code..." sounds an awful lot like "God's word is written on our hearts"
@Jeff Jeffery You are the one inserting a god. Evolutionary traits that help us survive and stay together as a social species, can include ideologies that bind us. It doesn't make them any more true. God is simply one way that humans have tried to answer the hard questions that we have no answer for, but IMO God is a lazy way out of really pursuing the truth of our universe.
This internal human power this ex Pastor demonstrated is the core of everything good in humanity.
1000 Bravo.
There always was a struggle between the light of human free spirit against the darkness of Dogma.
From ancient Greece, to renaissance and western civilization, people made two steps ahead and religion pull them one step behind…
Although Dogma have very strong submissive mechanisms eventually shit flows .
What a compelling speaker....I'm halfway through this and simply enjoying the delivery (and the message!). From godless Britain it's hard to truly appreciate what it takes to stand up to social pressure - so, from across the pond, all the best to him, I'm full of admiration.
hitchadmirer
Greetings from Finland mate!
I feel the same. I feel a strong need to hand out thumbs up, support good commentary etc. in order to express emotional support for all those who face this kind of social pressure and even discrimination because of being honest! Sonething that the majority of theistic public seem to lack.. =/
It's great that reason is finally overcoming stupidity. I can see how religion in a few hundred years will be in the history books as a tragic, very destructive era of humanity.
ivan sanabria No. Religion will still be around. Humans evolve extremely slow. I predict that in 2000 years the dominant religion will be LDS and The Book of Mormon would be combined with the standard Judeo-Christian Bible. Though I don't see a pope bringing it in but one never knows. No one knew 2000 years ago that part of the Torah would be called the Old Testament and the Jesus story would become the New Testament.
I don't share your enthusiasm that humans. will be around in 2000 years I highly doubt it. I don't think we will make another 100 years.
religion is slowly dying.. much too slowly, but it is.
Shown by the amount of clergymen in the roman catholic church who fundamentally believe in evolution.... we will need a few more years yet though.
I'm always happy when someone sees the light and escapes from the shackles of religious superstition!
Steve Both the “seeing the light” concept and the devil come from the Bible. As well as Christmas, marriage through the church, the “in God we trust” printing in all currency, Easter, prayer before a football game or when someone gets injured.. the vastly overused phrase “I’ll pray for ....” passing a test for example... and so it goes. If you are against religion you must give up all those or that would be hypocritical
@@Sigueme1 Nope. Bible borrowed from previous religions like Zoroastrianism. It's packed with Plagiarism to the full. Not a single original idea that matters.
@@Sigueme1 If you're religious you must everything anti-religion, and that include science
See the light? He had freedom and turned around to be chained by Satan
@@dianestafford6968 That's not how it is when you finally see religion for what it is *wink*
Thank you Jerry. You are a very brave man. I feel sad that you had to sacrifice so much, for seeking the truth. I hope that your loved ones still talk to you.
this guy is the real deal
I cannot tell you how much I enjoyed listening to this! Thank you so much for posting it!
As a seminary graduate and former minister, I can totally relate. For the record, it was the learning process (including seminary itself and studying the bible and religion/theology) that caused me to slowly drift from evangelical Christian to moderate Christian to liberal/progressive Christian to spiritual seeker/freethinker to eclectic philosopher/freethinker to 'full-fledged' atheist/freethinker.
I was born to a regular catholic family in São Paulo, SP, Brazil (1961). Grew up going to church once in a while. We traveled a lot, so church was not that important but for the weddings and baptisms celebrations (parties). This did not prevent me from taking part in Kardecist Spiritism, Mormonism (1974/5 - for fun - they had dancing parties...) and an Afro-cult called Umbanda, of which later my mother became a priest. In 1982, I was just out of a personal crises and I went to visit the ship known as MV Doulos, that used to be a floating church under the disguise of selling books around the world (Good Books for All) There I became a born again Christian (protestant), finily now I knew the truth. I worked in the church for about 15 years, made seminary and, staid like you Mr. DeWitt, from church to church. Later, I was away from church with many questions... until last year I came across Sam Harris, Christopher Hitchens and Dan Barker. People were already used to me being kind of a lousy Christian (liberal), but things got ugly when I finally came out. I feel now like if something bad happens to anyone in the family I will be blamed for it...
Jerry, I am Eldon, the 68 year old man, former minister, who wrote to you earlier this year. You wrote me back and ask a few questions. Self serving, no, self preservation. From 1998 until now I have studied Science intently, reading fifty to a hundred books by well accepted leading scientist. I did this to see if there was any mention of God in science and the answer was no. There is no scientific evidence there is a god. I am at peace with myself more now than I ever was in religion. The truth will indeed set us free.
scientists are just asking questions and working to find the answers
True science accepts only that which can be proven. The age of the earth is proven as approximately 6,ooo years old There are over 100 positive proofs of this age published for all who have the courage to seek the absolute truth. This age bankrupts all so called science of evolution and associated origin theories and claims. There is no empirical transitional fossil evidence of any specie nor can there if be for it has been proven by many experiments in wartime prison camps and other sinister labs to be impossible . The introduction of first millions of year up to billions of years is to camouflage the reality and claim the transitions occurred over such a vast age as to be indiscernible. The motivation for all these atheistic claims is a futile attempt to deny accountability to our creator. When God created time and all life and matter He did not need billions of light years to bring light to earth nor did he require any embryonic stages to create man in His own image and likeness. God's unsearchable wisdom far transcends man's capacity of comprehension He has made known to us the necessities for life in fulfillment and abundance. Man is without excuse
If the earth is 6,000 years old,and and few thousand years After that god killed Everything in a flood because he wasn't happy about his creations...How do you account for the vast variety of human races and population that apparently stem from a one family with 900 year old drunks at its head having incestuous sex to populate the earth,producing European people's,Asians Indians,Native Americans et al? The pyramids are not much older than you claim the earth is. Where did the huge labor force needed to build them come from? And how to fit billions of species on a boat in the first place? And all their food? What about the many animals that only eat live prey? Where did their food come from? How did all the meat stay fresh?How did penguins walk from the Poles to the Middle East and back again?
In the 1st Book of the Holy Bible: Genesis, Chapter 11 you can read of the 'Tower of Babel' and the confusion of languages and scattering of mankind across the earth.True science has revealed through the study of DNA, we all descend from one source.and from the region described in the Bible. Universal consensus in denial of truth can never alter reality. We are all accountable to our creator man is without excuse. Evolution theory and associated origin theories are not science. I n fact true science reveal they oppose all laws of nature and sound logic.
@ Terry Renehan
You literally know nothing of which you speak. Just because you have closed your mind to the processes of biology in our world and claim that we are "all accountable" to some invisible deity you've never seen or heard from does not make one less reputable and another less illogical. You KNOW that science does not support your view. You can go around wrongly repeating blatantly false information (ex. "science refutes evolution! ") but in the end the data does not support your claims.
that's a man with integrity - I wish him more success and happiness in his life journey
Jerry DeWitt is a great and couragous man. It's refreshing to see the raw truth spoken about the false facade of religion and belief. This is a guy that knows the Bible inside and out (Just like an atheist) and it was clear to him that the book was nonsense. Atheists accept all christians with open arms if they open their minds.
baxtar1963 l”
I do not feel love from atheists, all I see are people looking down their noses, calling people stupid, on and on.
baxtar1963 has
it' so nice to see people change thier hearts by using thier minds. i feel sad for thoose believers that confuse hope with faith and close thier minds to reality..
say I have a pitcher of water and 2 glasses. I then pour some water into the glasses. Is the water any different because it's in different containers?
It is that way with God The Father, God The Son and God the Holy Spirit
Such a brave individual. I salute you and best of luck on your new path.
If churches had a preacher as skilled as Jerry DeWitt, they wouldn't have congregants leaving in droves. He is genuine, truthful, comical and very kind. Kick ass Jerry Dewitt.
I was going to a pentecostal church off and on for a while (not a believer then or now), and I have to say that this guy certainly gives the same patter that became so familiar there. He's definitely not full of crap.
Anybody can sit in a church but that doesn't make them a Christian. Any more than sitting in a garage will make you a car
This man had some serious issues that I can identify with. Although not a Pastor i was very involved in ministry that I did wholeheartedly at first but as I questioned christianity or religion in general, I declined to the point of total disillusionment and have recently finally gotten out from under the pebble in the shoe mentality that religion (or a relationship with god) causes you to have. There is a freedom to being a free thinker and as I continue down this path, I feel even more free. It's just painful to know that the people you met along the way and even your own families can cut you off in a minute.
@J J my God yes. My recommendation is to search Bart Ehrman on UA-cam and research biblical accuracy? Make a decision yourself afterwards but fear no more
Whoever did the sound on this needs to be flogged.
LOL
God did it.
Sounded great to me.
I enjoyed this immensely. Great speaker! Cool guy. Thanks to him for speaking and sharing his thoughts.
Top man Jerry DeWitt, keep getting your story out there.
The cruelty of good christians.
Isn't that the truth! They'll turn on you in a heart beat.
We need more people like him around.
This is so good to see, shedding all that crap off my shoulders after 40 years was one of the best feelings I have ever experienced....
Jerry I love you man! thank you for being there for other people who find themselves in the position you were in. Keep it up (once a helper always a helper!!!!)
My 20 year old tape recorder works 50x better than this audio recording... Still, it's worth listening to. Thanks for uploading this.
Perhaps Steve Jobs said it best when he wrote: “Don’t be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people’s thinking."
Thank you so much for your courage Jerry! what a beautiful display of what it is to listen to your deepest truth... thank you for letting integrity win the day.... I have so much hope....
I have never know you Jerry, but, I have known you forever.
Thank you for being yourself.
And thanks to you, other Arkansasn, for recording and posting this.
holy smokes, that audio clipping
What a bunch of shameless hypocrites. As if they never had doubts in the course of their spiritual lives? Everyone does; and it takes incredible moral courage to do what's right in this scenario, as Jerry did. It astounds me that they could hate this man for being true to himself and being true to his congregation. One minute they look up to him as a shepherd, the next, they turn on him like a pack of wolves.
Thank you for your courage in sharing your story.
Absolutely wonderful talk. It sure gives me more appreciation for the potential consequences of identity suicide, not just for clergy but for all true believers who have come to question and then discard their belief in supernatural nonsense. I went through a little bit of that several years ago, but certainly nothing as painful as Jerry DeWitt describes. Thank you for that informative talk.
My friends and I joined a Pentecostal Church... I loved the enthusiasm and energy, but not the pulpit-pounding hater talk. Then my friend had a brush with Cancer and got disfellowshipped...she was sick, not being punished by God; she was devastated. I could not believe the hateful narrow-mindedness I saw. I have always loved Science, but I still believe something created everything, perhaps too mighty and great, and apparently benevolent, for us to comprehend. I wish the fighting between human beings over faith's dictates would give way to open-mindedness would stop... We as a species need to appreciate our gift of Life and the wonder of the Universe, the Multiverse, the Omniverse - my term - (which, BTW, Jesus himself appreciated fully! and got crucified for that!), fully...find Peace with one another. Thank You for being brave enough to share and dare. And I myself got banned from Facebook (3078 "friends" gone!) for being too outspoken in my love for science. You are daring and a hope for freethinkers. So, per Facebook, I tried again...I'm sure I'll be banned again. I founded my own website and couldn't afford it and now the company is hawking my beloved website. Oh well; try again. Peace.
I love this man, he is such a good force for the atheist community. We need people like him who know what christianity is about.
I read many books about atheism and science and scientist explaining how and why christianity is wrong but that doesn't matter in the mind of the theist because I noticed that for the most part its not an issue of evidence or facts. They believe what they believe due to emotions and also because they were indoctrinated so having someone who know exactly what they feel is very helpful.
+H8stupidppl He is just an sample of any christian that do not understand God. No can understood God.
+Alice Ng How do you know that ?
+Alice Ng troll
It took a lot of courage to walk away like he did. Jumping in the abyss of the unknown. Great speaker. Wishing you tons of success in the future .
I like Jerry's term "identity suicide." Many who leave lose jobs, friends, family--everything. They have to learn new ways of thinking, learn new skills, find new friends, new spouse, sometimes with a family that wants to drag them back with guilt and shame.
I like you very much, Jerry...mainly because you're so different from all the bloody pentecostal psychos one has had the deep displeasure of being unable to avoid meeting.
Thankyou Jer.
This newly out atheist thanks you. No more rock in my shoe. Oh, and what greater purpose is there than to love and support your family and community?
Another individual that has saved himself from his own idiocy. Praise God.
Your God doesn't even exist...
+Alec Eisenbison "Praise God" was sarcasm. The real problem is that this is another self important individual that believes far too much in his own opinions. He is wasting everyone's time with "you should believe because," or "you should not believe because..."
Allie May Using actual logic and facts to support an opinion or conjecture instead of blindly believing? How ABSURD!!!
Allie May So it's just saying One of Us One of Us we can ate the Borg. yes or no???
Hi, EJAS. Can you rephrase that, please?
Thank you for sharing this. Spellbinding from start to finish.
really really liked this vid. He is clearly A smart man. Watching him and listening to him speak it is Like he is finding he can still Preach but know he gets to Preach truth.
I think that DeWitt's analogy of staying in a bad relationship is very apt as to the emotional reasons that we do what we do. I did the same with my ex-wife. But if I thought for one minute that staying in a relationship with her would seriously hurt other people, I would not do it. If I don't like my job, I might continue to do it, but if I learn that my job is pumping toxic chemicals into the water supply, when I had thought I was adding vitamins, I would hope I would leave that job immediately and try to stop what was happening.
I understand his meaning, but he should not be so quick to forgive himself. I can forgive him, but he fucked up and behaved very badly for a long time, and he should just own it.
What a cool guy!
THANK YOU JERRY DEWITT. YOU ARE THE BRAVE VOICE WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!! THIS MAN IS HITCHENS HEIR.
Just finding this channel for the first time, I'm a few minutes into the video... again I'm reminded of how small this world is. I'm from Arkansas, grew up in/around LR. Currently living in BR, LA. And... several years ago I worked in a building right across the street from Jimmy Swaggart's ministry. I think he actually owned the building I worked in and my employer was leasing the building from his organization.
LIFE IS GREAT WHEN YOU GIVE UP HATE...
If you think life is great when you turn your back on God. A MUCH BETTER LIFE IS KNOWING THAT JESUS CHRIST IS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR
@@dianestafford6968 Wow! what can I say? You're upset because you seem to know something without actually having any knowledge whatsoever. However, that being said still doesn't make your god real and moreover doesn't strike the fear of your gods that you have for them, in me. You know just enough to think you're right but not enough to know you're wrong.
@@proslice56 Psalm 14:1-2
English Standard Version
The Fool Says, There Is No God
To the choirmaster. Of David.
14 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
there is none who does good.
2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,
to see if there are any who understand,[a]
who seek after God.
@@dianestafford6968 I wish I had a dollar for everyone that started quoting verses out of their holy books! Try this one Luke 19:27
@@proslice56 yes and?
Atheism is being nicer, non judgmental and free.
Some people care & dont want u to go to eternal torment were demons eagerly await u, they control u mind on earth until ur last breath & u wake up👀 in hell what a horrible horrible thing to go to a place without Gods mercy. Jesus is the only way.
I enjoyed this. Jerry's sincerity and struggles seem downright believable and relatable. I cheer for more pastors to have the courage of this man, as it is clear, that one will pay a price for those convictions. Great job.
Thanks Jerry. It's great to hear you talk about your journey out of faith. I hope that you can continue to use your excellent public speaking skills for whatever use you see fit.
Take care.
Jerry is an inspiring speaker who connects. His insights into catholic & protestant dynamics are an eye-opener. Atheism is only a rising American cultural influence now because people are reacting to the egregious excesses of an increasingly less rational minority who warp political discourse and gain unwelcome influence in popular culture. Like other recovered preachers, Jerry offers an inside view, and he does it very well!
SIMKINETICS And ATHEISM Hasn't reached out to ANY part of the Govt?? please....
Les Sanders First, your question makes no sense. Atheism is not an ideology or cause that 'reaches out'. There are Atheist organizations that engage in insisting the government stays out of religion and vice-versa, but other 'reaching out' is not obvious. Even then, it's certainly justified for a secular organization to uphold bans against religious icons & monuments on public lands, as implied in the First Amendment; the Constitution is a secular document! Your 'question' is pretzel logic.
Les Sanders Wow! You read *all that* into my response? I'm impressed! Did you use a divining rod? Tea leaves? Maybe god told you all this! Of course, it's mostly inaccurate projection... but hey, you gave it a try!
SIMKINETICS told ya...once an arrogant asswipe, always an arrogant asswipe...
Les Sanders You have such a nice smile on your icon, yet you are so angry at a simple differing of opinion?
Do you know what Simkinetics means by projection?
When criticism hurts, usually there is a reason for that.
Thanks for the great support everyone!
I truly love you all for it!!!!! :-D
It's truly an honor to be part of the Little Rock family. I can't wait to see all of you in October...or sooner!
👎
You prolly won't see this but I respect you a whole lot. I was never a pastor but Im an ex apostolic pentecostal so I relate to your story. Hope you're leading a happy and successful life.
love your videos give new outlook on religion and everything
You can tell how battered his mind has been by religion and his involvement in it.
I find it interesting to say the least that someone that claims to be of "Faith" would feel compelled to 1) Watch these types of videos 2) Comment and insult... No one is stopping anybody from believing in their version of GOD, maybe stop and reflect as to WHY you are here in the first place.
I will look at any additional evidence to confirm the opinion to which I have already come. Of course I am not going to watch a video that challenges my views. It's kind of like reverse education.
Are you being sardonic?
Yes, quite sardonic. Yet this attitude of confirming an existing opinion is, unfortunately something we all do. We atheists have discovered that faith operates by confirming a bias - nothing more.
Religion is a business...
Love love love Jerry and Dan Barker! It's so AWESOME to be FREE INDEED and out from the bondage and slavery of the insanity of Christianity...an evolved mythological PAGAN religion of a magic blood sacrifice death cult.
I love when Jerry preaches secular sermons.🌹🌹🌹
We can't unsee what we have seen of THE REAL TRUTH.
Much love brother. Going through leaving right now.
fascinating talk. should be elementary material for all street epistomelogists/militant atheists out there.
I've found that at least churches tend to have better microphones because God really cares about good audio and that's why atheists sound like shit even when they're making sense. Just my random theory.
what a powerful "testimony" this man gave!!! i never knew about the clergy project but as an agnostic atheist, i'm sure glad it does! i can't imagine how many lives have literally and figuratively been saved. i remember when i found this freedom and i'm not giving it up for anything. i'm so glad to be part of the skeptic and secular communities! not to sound egotistical or conceited but it's people like us who make the world go 'round. thanks to everyone else in this community that exists to serve humanity!
as a side note - there's a song called "truce" by the band twenty one pilots with lyrics that read, "stay alive for me; you will die but now your life is free; take pride in what is sure to die." TØP is my favorite band and whenever i listen to this song (which is everyday, to be honest!) i think of this community. you all taught me to live for life and sure things instead of living for death and maybes! stay alive, friends! 👽 I-/ 💀
I'm so honored to see that the kind words are still coming in. I've read each of your comments and I'm touched my your support!
Thank You...
Did they dig that microphone out a dumpster or something? You could get a better one for $50 brand new, even 4 years ago.
It's whatever they're using to record this, they've got the audio settings fucked up, prob the input gain maxed out
lol nearly blew my ears. Sounds like something from the 70s
Yeah I'm pretty sure someone thought the gain knob was an on-off switch and hiked the bitch to eleven. Maybe the audio engineer was a creationist.
Alec Eisenbeis I
Very brave Jerry, my thumb up for you! I hope Ayatolah's in my home country Iran leave Islam and supernatural one day! the world is really suffering religeon!
You are now preaching for the right side Jerry.Respect from Cambridge England.
Keep getting the word out Jerry!!!! We NEED MORE people like you, Richard Dawkins, Dan Barker, and David Silverman just to name a FEW names!!!! Jerry is SUCH an AMAZING speaker and does a GREAT job at what he does!!!! He has done GREAT things in the Atheist community!!!! Just want to say THANKS SO MUCH for all you do Jerry!!!! Samuel Milton, Seattle, WA
The fact that what he said at the beginning about how they ostracized him is not the exception but the rule should be clear to any reasonable person that these religions are nothing more than a cult, not much better than The Manson family or the People's Temple. Sick, sick people that can just turn on somebody like that. He didn't want to disown them even though he didn't believe the dogma anymore.
I have to say that I have an admiration for someone who displays the intestinal fortitude to sacrifice friends, family, and lifestyle for the conviction of his beliefs. That being said, I am glad I was shown the difference between the American evangelical (Pentecostal) version of Christianity and the true faith once delivered to the saints. He should have done some homework before declaring his position publicly.
"Drama" is the *best* way to describe Pentecostalism.
I've heard this line before. "Denomination X is not a true faith, and I have been shown the true faith as once delivered by the apostles. My faith is that which jeebus taught." That is an easy claim to make, but a difficult one to prove, especially when faith is the "substance of things unseen." How can you objectively compare your faith to someone else's faith without providing more than assertions that you are right?
It would take far too long to explain, but you need to do your own research.
I find it funny that the Bible is the only book in the world that invites criticism from those who have yet to read it.
sherpajones And btw, it's the "substance of things hoped for, and the *evidence* of things unseen".
cheagan . And I find it funny how you presume things about me you don't even know. I've read the bible cover to cover. That is why I am atheist. And I think it is fairly ignorant of you to claim that people who criticize the bible don't read it. I guess you just assume that anyone who has ever read the bible simply fell to their knees and prayed for forgiveness. And really, faith being the substance of hope and evidence of the unseen, no matter how you read it or misquote it, is thin ice. It doesn't stand up to hard criticism, and your claim that you have the true faith has no more merit than the next guy with differing views and opinions about said faith.
cheagan .
Also, I have no interest in doing the research that would supposedly support your claim that your faith is the true faith. You presented the claim, you prove it. If you are not willing to take the time to support your claim, then it is easily dismissed as subjective opinion. And I don't consider any other person's subjective opinion to be solid enough ground to build a philosophy on.
Thanks for the thoughtful, fair, and reasonable reply. It's been delightful talking with you. Now off with you to the drugstore to renew your Prozac prescription.
I drink to compliment a good mood. Drinking while angry or depressed tends to make the situation worse for me.
Often people who de-christianize are responding to unhealthy forms of "evangelical christianity" and many were members of a particular strain of 'fundamentalism' Christianity is able to answer who we are, why we are here and is there meaning in this life? It also explains why men can do such great things but also be the vilest of creatures. I must admit, I have had a good conversation with an atheist on this site but other than that all other atheists seem to be sucking on prunes and cannot bring themselves to be cordial to others who disagree with them and cannot seem to understand that atheism is a minority view for good reason.
Do you think you might be better disposed to atheism if it gave better answers to those three questions?
Liz R
Atheism cannot give better answers. Atheism can state we are accidents of nature-nothing more nothing less. We are animals who will soon die. There is no 'meaning' to life.
*****
Your statement only shows your lack of education on the matter. Atheism is a position on a single point: You say there is an all knowing all powerful sentient being who created all out of nothing (The Word) that loves you and you call it god. I do not believe you. that's it. You are correct on one thing, we are animals, mammals, primates. And we as individuals soon will die. And because my life is so short makes it that much more important to make a positive impression on the lives of those who will remain after I'm gone. Life is as meaningful as you would make it. A good biology book will dispel for sure that "accidents of nature" misconceptions. Be well.
I fail to see why my statement shows my 'lack of education' and then you go on to speak gibberish which is poorly written. Instead of using emotion and using poorly thought out reasoning you need to read up a little on the debate-possibly even becoming well-informed.
*****
I'm sorry, Dr. Sir for my poor choice of words. For a moment I was under the impression you Sir was confused about what atheism is and is not. Foolishly thought you were using a "straw man" argument to misrepresent atheism and science into something they don't state and something they are not.
For my serious lack of judgement I extend my most sincere apologies to you, Dr. Sir.
Sincerely
Blowme
Religion is dead, faith is alive. I believe in Christ but am not religious. Real faith has evidence and produces abundant life. Religion is a prison that produces bad fruit.
If there was evidence it wouldn't be called faith buddy, instead it would be called fact. However the only thing the religious like yourself can cling to is faith, as science slowly strips away your invisible god/deity/boogieman
sure. and you're a vegetarian but you eat meat.
So says the mental slave. You're religious, just by another name.
Well I'm glad you have peace.
Dustin Mccormack Non-sequitur hour?
great video
Jerry is fantastic.
It takes a lot of courage to do that in the environment Jerry was in. I wish Jerry continued success.
What Jerry did took a lot of courage. So I sincerely hope that he leads a happy (and prosperous) life in the future. I wish him the best of luck.
One of the best logical explanations of modern Christianity. And I’m ok at it myself.
A big thank you for the communication - I consciously squeeze my brain muscles all in my own reality. In fact I have to consciously stop myself from clenching my arse & be real, think real & be open mind, eyed & living with eyes wide open !
jerry is a real asset to the atheist movement. i'm glad he came over to our side.
It is good to hear from someone who has walked in places that I have walked. I am struggling with religion, or better said lack thereof. I was UPC/Apostolic for almost 30 years. I no longer attend any church, but it is so hard to get the junk out after being so brainwashed. I fight this fight alone, but can never go back
Always, we need great speakers, when you think about it, it is a perfect move.
A genuinely nice fella who had the courage to break away from the nightmare of superstitious nonsense. Been there myself.
Good speaker. Excellent!
The only regret I have is giving in to my parents out of fear of consequences. They made me get confirmed as a Lutheran. I should have stood up and refused to go through the ceremony b/c I felt forced. I truly believed but I wasn't comfortable being forced.
This was fantastic interesting insigth. As a norwegian growing up with just a small Jesus love as a teenager, and a cultural view on religion as benign (or good?), these "coming out" stories are an eyeopener and at the same time scary.
I hope Jerry and people like him never forget to tell about the internal cognitive steps that secular people can't normally fatom. We go around keeping our mouth shut, while we really should be telling what we know about history and religion.
Thanks and good luck!
I've been listening to Jerry on podcast interviews and the AA convention and I absolutely love him. Although I was never a minister, I can really relate to so much of his story. I'm from close to Little Rock and recently spent some time there after being away a while. It was total religious culture shock! Two out of every three billboards is religious. Churches everywhere. Every 3rd sentence mentions Jesus. It's impossible to avoid.Total saturation.
Love you, Jerry! Keep on preaching!
Jerry is one of my best friends, still to this day. He is one of the finest people I've ever known. We studied martial arts together, graduated High School together, hung out together. Talk to him at least twice a week. I too was raised in a super-christian home, and hold out hope that God is real. However, the so-called Christian people, at least of our community, are no more than politicians.
I do have so much respect for people raised in 'fundamentalist faith' who find their way out of it. It takes an immense commitment to wanting to live a life of honesty and truth. Especially when it means walking away from your entire life, and everything you've ever known. It takes a huge amount of personal conviction and dignity to say to yourself, honestly, that 'truth' is more important than what is 'comfortable' and 'familiar'.
I respect anyone who does this with every fibre of my being, it must be incredibly difficult xxx ooo
I joined The Clergy Project, had a great interview, and in the last two years, have approached a dozen people and been told, over and over, "I'm not interested in talking." or "I did a lot of reflection right away and am not interested in reflecting any more." I am ready to quit, not because I have changed my mind, but because I can find no one to talk with. Found the exact problem in the church when I was there.
Its apparent that DeWitt didn't go into the ministry to promote the message of Christ, but for reasons that he perceived to be personally advantageous.
54:57 Amen! It's a sad amen, but it's the truth. I am in awe of this man and his courage. His testimony really goes to show how the religious have such a strong hold on America. That grip is slowly loosening due to information being easily accessible (internet), people like Jerry DeWitt, and those that band together to form talks and groups such as freethinkers. I cannot imagine coming out as atheist to my parents. I am strongly aware of that role that I play when I go home and have to attend church with them. It pains me to have to lie to them about what church I am attending, but they are so entwined in Christianity that they would be devastated to learn that one of their children no longer believed. They strongly believe in the "train up a child in the way he should go" mentality so they would be constantly questioning what they did wrong. It might help them to reconsider their own beliefs, but I doubt it. I think it would cause more harm than good. Instead, I use my role to plant knowledge seeds. I am a chemist and so they often ask me about science related stuff. It gives me a position to clear misconceptions they are fed by the church. I have slowly started to plant seeds that evolution is true as well as many others. It's painful to play that role, but so far it's been better than the alternative. Granted, it's easier to play that role because I generally only have to play it a small portion of the time. Most of my colleagues are atheists as well so I'm in good company most of the time. This is why I can continue to play my "Christian role." I can only extrapolate how I feel when I have to put my role on to how this man felt on day to day. It would be so much worse. I applaud you, good sir, for taking that leap, committing identity suicide, and now helping others that were walking in similar shoes.
You've come a long way. I think you know this sayjng.."whatever doesn't kill you can only make you stronger."
struggling with theology as a Christian teen, having already read the Bible through a couple times at that time, and being unable to reconcile a eternal punishment for finite "crimes" coming from an infinite unconditionally loving god was exactly what led to me rejecting religion as well. I know exactly where Mr Dewitt is coming from. Luckily for me, right after high school I joined the military and didn't have to directly face my friends and family when I dropped my religion and began to explore philosophy, agnosticism and eventually atheism.
Jerry Dewitt is an AMAZING speaker!!!!
I have been an atheist since I was 11 or 12. I am now 69, drink very sparingly and have never once been "wasted". I am also very content. Don't generalise.