To be honest, it broke my heart when you left Christianity but I really do love that you’re so honest and open especially with so many ambiguous thoughts/beliefs…You really don’t owe anyone what you’re sharing so I’m grateful you allowed us to know your world. Best wishes, Joe 🫶🏾
I’m on the same journey. I left the church after growing up at a christian school and being a hard core christian for a year. The journey comes with so much guilt, but then acceptance! It feels so good to be free from it all and just be. These videos are exactly what I’ve voiced to myself since this time apart from church. Thank you so much!
Sis, it is definitely important to know where you are going. We all have a option. If we choose YAHWEY, we will have eternal salvation. If we choose Satan we will be condemned to hellfire. So, I choose YAHWEY, because I know where I am going.
I know there is a God because of the specific situations I have encountered. Three years ago I had a mental breakdown, almost lost my whole mind. If not for God, he spoke to me to do a 40 days praise fast everyday I sang and fasted, joy bubbled over me, by the time I was done Joe, God broke the shackles of depression over my life. I can be sad, depressed but I can never fall so low even unto death like before. This is just one encounter God is real Joseph. Really real but God is patient we can never go too far from him, we are in his hand.
@@alinathomas1181 I ate 6am after praying and broke my fast 6pm after praying. Fasting is less about eating but more about setting time aside for God. When i wasnt eating, i read, prayed and sang. I also stayed off social media and other distraction.I Gave God those days.
Hi Joe! First off let me say I'm glad you're doing this channel. I had no idea you had walked away from the faith. I just happened to come across your IG skit about ancestors. I saw someone in your comments say, "I thought you were Christian?" to which you responded, "You're late, boo."😂 I myself, am a ten toes down believer in Jesus, BUT, your journey is super familiar to me because it was mine in reverse. While I grew up in the church, I didn't grow up in church like most. I grew up in a religious, Baptist household. We believed but it was just standard, robotic religion. Because of this, I stopped going to church once I went to college. I was churched out! Lol! A few years after college, I moved to New York to pursue my acting career, then to LA. It wasn't until I moved to LA that I started questioning everything. Up until that point, I wouldn't say I necessarily had a relationship with God. But when I got to LA, something shifted. I began to meet people who believed in all sorts of different things. I even worked third shift for a psychic hotilne as a customer service rep, LOL! Hey, it paid well and I had my days free for auditions! BUT, while I was working there and speaking to psychics, I became curious about how these people who knew nothing about me had the ability to know things about my life that no one knew. This made me deep dive even more into the spiritual. This experience, combined with A LOT of things I saw while working in front of and behind the scenes in Hollywood taught me that there IS SOMETHING opposite of God that people worship and the result is NOT good. I knew that if this existed, there HAD to be a God. So after some more years of probing, digging, reading, etc., I realized and believed that the God of the Bible was the ONLY ONE who required nothing of me aside from belief to be accepted: Well that, combined with a revelation of the human existence through scripture and how nothing has changed. Scripture captures life so accurately to me. Every other religion seemed to be some kind of self-reliance in order to achieve any kind of spiritual connection. But I came to that after years of seeking, searching, some VERY WEIRD spiritual encounters, and just a deep desire for truth. I said all of that to say, I pray you find what you're looking for. I apologize for this long message. And p.s., you were one of the people I discovered on my journey. I related to your videos because I felt we had a common struggle of being artists and trying to balance our love for God with what we've chosen as careers. I felt like I sensed that in some of your vids, I don't know. But again, best wishes on your journey. It ain't easy! LOL! But I'm rooting for you❤
Joe, I can't begin to express how much emotional relief I have felt listening and watching your videos about life after leaving Christianty. You are saying the things I have been feeling and thinking but did not have the words to explain. This is a thank you. For me there was no church hurt, there was no major incident. I think I checked out slowly and after the pandemic, I did not want to go back. 'The shores somewhere over here' episode on your podcast - I must have listened to it at least 20 times. It was definitely a lot because flights and feelings is in my Spotify wrapped top podcasts for the year. 😄 Also just a side note, Find Me is an amazing album. You also made my top 5 artists list. So thank you for the music, thank you for openly processing all of this. You are making me feel just that little bit less lost. 🙂
1. Do you feel that humans have an inherent need to want to believe in something or do you think we are conditioned to? 2. Are you closed to the idea of believing in something else one day? If one day you resonate with a different belief system, would you reconsider aligning yourself with a new faith? Or do you have a general fatigue about faith and religion as a whole? Sorry to bombard you with questions. I used to listen to the ChaseGod webisodes and you have always been full of so much insight. I'm just so curious about your perspective as you navigate this new season. Thank you for taking us along on your journey.
There are so many people who try to convince others that their belief or lack of belief is the truth. But the best thing is to always embody your own philosophy rather than explaining it to others
Your transparency is really dope 👍🏾. Everyone just acts like they have all the answers, from fear of what THEY might say... It's pretty cool to see someone just... be human
I've been on and off about Christianity since the lockdown. I've been thinking about it a lot, experiencing a lot stuff that has been indulging my doubt. It's weird cause I haven't "officially" left the faith, I've lost someone I considered a sister because of it. It's been nice to see you open up and be vulnerable. It's nice to know that you're not alone in your thinking and feelings.
“I’m tired of not believing in something” that statement hit me. Honestly this entire video hearing you speak about home. Hilarious at your actions in your lucid dreams 😂 thank you for this.
I’m so grateful to have found your content again. Before when I initially discovered your music, you were deep in the faith and as was I. Now you’ve popped up on my feed and I’ve been binging your content on leaving the Faith. Over the past year I have as well and it’s been quite a journey. I’m grateful that you are sharing such intimate and thoughtful conversations. Thank you!
I watched the Shadow of a Doubt video when I first converted to Christianity five years ago. It was compelling to me though I can't remember my exact thoughts... I do know though that, now, watching it again with your commentary...current-me is then-you. So I know the hell that it is. I understand that this was your choice and I don't know my future or yours but I've felt tortured so many times and every time something pulls my focus back on Jesus like it's implacable...but I just want to say that I appreciate all this openness of yours so, so much. Thank you. I hope the very best for you. ♥
Yeah. We as black people are wired to be spiritual. Sometimes I feel like it’s just in our DNA. I always find it intriguing to hear people’s perspective when they leave the faith and what that means. I guess it’s the sociologist side of me. Anyways. Happy Holidays.
I completely understand what you mean about finding when you stop seeking. Different application, but we tried getting pregnant for almost 4yrs and it finally happened the moment we stopped “trying”. I’m personally at a point in faith where I’ve prayed “God show up or everything I’ve been taught about faith is a lie”. It’s difficult being that honest with yourself let alone out loud to God and others. Your new posts are helping me navigate that level of honesty and vulnerability
I believe we all have seasons in our Christian walk when we have doubts, I believe everyone goes through this, but I truly believe people leave the faith because they have more head knowledge then a intimate encounter with the Lord where you feel his real presence of the Holy Spirit, where you have such a peace and joy inside you. Joe I respect your path, but you mention your childhood pastor who was a true man of God of integrity, I truly believe he was a true man of God by the sound of it, if he was alive I bet he would guide you but at the end is your free will and decision. Your a very smart and intellectual young man, but I believe that was your down fall, thinking and pondering and doubting which ain’t wrong we humans we have questions for everything in life, but I truly believe you didn’t encounter his presence and the reality of a true heart transformation. Peace and love ❤
i do agree it's ok to not have it all figured out. one of the beauties and tragedies of the human condition (imo) is .. just when you think you have it all figured out, u dont.
Shout outttt!! East African here!! Canadian born but now living here. Anyway, I left church in 2020 and christianity in 2021 as well and I am so thankful for these videos!!!! You are giving me language and making me feel less weird? odd? I am at so much peace and more clarity though. Only thing I don't know is what happens after death (of course, because who alive really does?).
i used to use this scripture as a comfort to someone like me who was always doubtful. but i remember being in chicago at a small group bible study and we had this like hour long debate about what that scripture actually meant. i remember my position being changed thst night. i believe the author’s intention was not necessarily a comfort to those who are faithless but an assurance that god will still be about god. the line before it is a hint at the author’s/song’s intention: “if we deny him, he will deny us”. pretty straight forward.
@@jaybrick8973 lol i’m not a christian, so that question is kinda moot. to say i believe or don’t believe a christian can lose their salvation, would essentially be saying that i believe christian salvation exists in the first place.
I watched you when I was a die hard believer. I left the faith, and found out you did too. But I found myself seeking what my ancestors believed. Fortunately as someone who was not a decendent of slaves, I can find out specifically what my specific ancestors believed before Christianity. I'm not sure how much of a "belief" journey it is for me, but it is a learning journey. I'm learning what my Igbo ancestors believed and I'm happy there. I hope you're happy where you are too. 🙂
I met him a couple of times, he has nothing common with most of the Christians i know. He is so chill, so powerful, loving. He is a Superstar in his Realm, maybe also here at times.
i agree with the idea of being single spiritually, no rush to figure it ut, you can let it slowly unravel. I look at it as an exciting thing, cause I look at it in terms of exploring, and now I have many options, many lessons i'm yet to learn, many religion to read/critically think about, it sounds both exhausting, and exciting that I get to use the power of my choices, and that it is okay to change my mind. life is a journey, it is okay to go through that journey spiritually too. btw it is so true, when I told my neighbours I don't believe, they were so shocked to the extent they were suggesting if maybe i'm Muslim or rastafari, minutes after bashing Muslims in front of me. it was as if 'at least be this that we hate, than not believe in anything'. and being a Tanzanian/ African, it can be hard to be an unbeliever as many Africans are religious, and unbelief is quite frowned upon. you can be called a satan believer or a pagan which are all made to be the worst things one can be. I remember one time I got in a car to Malawi, and we were talking and the driver said if he knew anyone who didn't believe in the car he would have dropped them on the way. and there was my ass ready to pretend to be a Christian cause I wasn't about to be left on the way in a new country at night.
“You don’t have to know where you’re going to know you should not stay” that right there! A good Christian would say that’ll preach 😂 For real though that hit me like a ton of bricks bc that’s been my intuitive mantra for longer than I can remember. I’ve been criticized for it all to receive confirmation along the way that many times what I know is for me. ❤
Hebrews 6:4-6 [4]For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, [5]and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, [6]if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
and what good does this do me or you, quoting this? have you added anything to the conversation? have you told me something i didn't already know? have you helped me to move closer to your god?
@@cairegrigsby7682 and say the same to you: what good does this do me or you, saying "just sad. just sad"? have you added anything to the conversation? have you told me something i didn't already know? have you helped me to move closer to your god? these are legitimate questions. because if you're not here to actually contribute to the conversation or do your christian duty of loving/trying to do draw someone to jesus, what is your purpose here, other than blatant condescending judgment?
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" Also, Joel 2: 25,26 "So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you and My people shall never be put to shame.
Thank you for allowing us to bear witness to your journey! When you are mature enough to recognize you don't need anyones validation! I always say, if you are THAT invested or interested in my life, please chip in on my car payment, student loans, and mortgage! Amazing how that shuts them up!
Just came to say the sweater is fire lol and so is the set. Sometimes it’s good to appreciate the environment. I appreciate your existence bro. Much love keep figuring things out even if you never land.
Book rec: Doing Nothing by Steven Harrison. I know this video was from a year ago but what you said about when you stop searching things just come into your life it made me think that youd enjoy this book. Post christianity i was grasping so hard for something new to believe in and this book helped calm that in me and help me to be at peace with just being.
im not a "non-Christian". that would just christianity must be the normative that everything else relates to. and i'm not "anti-Christian". that would suggest i ultimately have a bone to pick with christianity. i simply value curiosity and honesty. it happens that my journey started with christianity, and it ended when curiosity could no longer thrive in honesty. my life now will always reference christianity because it played such a major role in my life, but being anti-christian is not the centrality of my life. maybe those labels applied to you at a time in your life. they don't for me.
Joe, I feel your struggle man. I know that imagination and faith and belief is a beneficial thing yet it’s a thing that doesn’t always come easily, whatever that may look for you. Did you struggled with this aspect of skepticism in believing when you were Christian?
I think this has highlighted a few really significant points that are true of the Christian faith, in particular. As in, "to seek" is a VERB but can be achieved by doing, as well as by receiving or, by searching and eventually finding. I believe a good job has been done to highlight the importance of REST and its significance in the process of seeking and finding. The key anecdote really honed this in well. I'd say though that rest also includes elements of Faith and Trust. Hebrews 4 This leads on to the next point. I feel that while you understand yourself to be a sceptic, you may equally overlook a few really strong evidences of faith that already exist in you. I believe that faith is a divine gift and hope but, they're also quite concrete, demanding active participation. And I believe a measure has been given to each person on the face of the planet; for very specific and generic things to do with life, whether or not they ascribe theirs to the God of the Bible. But like gravity, each of us participate and are affected by it. For example, going out on a journey demands faith because there's an expectation that you're going to return or, reach a destination? Same as being a consumer and buying products/ services - demand faith, before the items are delivered or bought in store etc. Same as when working on short-term goals, toward long-term dreams. It's all faith! Active faith with an objective in mind... I think the operative word is OBJECTIVE or INTENTIONALITY. All of the above scenarios demand a level of intention. Seeking and finding is the same, I believe. Matthew 7. I'm sad that you're not too sure atm but happy that you're at peace and receiving your personal doses of wisdom, as you said. But my question is, to get to the root of your Seeking, are you perhaps being unintentional in your quest and keeping the door too wide open for interpretation(s)? If you had many keys but needed JuST THE ONE which you found. What use would it have been to have one that you didn't need to access whichever thing you needed it for? Same way, if there are many roads, many gods, many, many other things but one Sat-Nav. Surely, only ONE road could lead you to THE thing that you are truly searching for OR, resting to find and receive and that you NEED? Hope this helps a bit. I've honestly found your journey sharing really helpful and touching. Thanks for sharing Joe, praying for you. 🙏🏾
You inspire me a lot, Joe. With your comfort, ease and confidence in expressing yourself and where you're at in your journey. Just being authentic, which is really all that matters. I don't think you can go wrong with that guiding ethos. I have one question for you, do you think your talent and practice as a performer over the years helps you show up for these videos without preoccupation about what dissenting voices may say?
“You don’t have to know where you’re going to know that you should not stay” wow , I love the level of rigour, critical thinking and nuance with which you’re navigating this journey. Thanks for sharing!
How do you explain the presence of God? Surely being in the faith for so long you’ve must of felt his presence. What do you tell yourself that was? Or now believe that was?
@@flightsfeelings it’s not to satisfy me. It’s curiosity. I don’t look for satisfaction through what you now believe nor don’t believe. Simply curious.
Hi Joseph! I have watched your journey for a while now, since p4cm, and I just want you to know that I absolutely love your UA-cam channel and your openness in conveying your thoughts and ideas. I see so much of my own journey in yours, and I have never seen or heard someone express their time within the faith, as well as leaving it, the way that you do. The things you say are so touching and I relate to it so deeply. I wish I communicate to you through this message how much I relate to the parts of your journey you have been kind enough to share. But since I can’t, I want you to know that your voice is sooo appreciated! I hope you keep posting and sharing, if that is what you choose to do. I look forward to watching them and remembering the parts of my own journey that are so similar to yours. Thank you so much for being human and expressing it in your own way!
Got to know you from your music channel which is AMAZINGG BTW but also really enjoying this channel for how thought- provoking it is and the authenticity! Kinda in your shoes and when asked this question, I just say I'm agnostic and feeling fantastic😆
I wonder if you’ll read this or not but if you do, have you ever looked into early church fathers writings found today in the orthodox christian faith? They are the correct teaching on Theology and Christology, a lot of which was lost due to schisms in the church around 10th-15th century. I find a lot of people turn away from the faith in protestant circles because their intellectual curiousty is met with heretical teachings/misunderstanding passed down because of the unfortuante history of the church. Just a thought - I totally respect where your at in terms of searching and seeking truth its a journey that is not easy to share with honesty so i appreciate your openess and about it and i hope your weary soul finds rest soon ❤️
I have a lot of respect for how you’re doing what you’re doing. You’re very courageous. I saw you opening for KB in tampa years back. You were the first to play out of like 5. Your talent blew my mind. It was the first time I saw the amazing power potential in a stripped live guitar/vocal performance. You and Tauren Wells played good, good father in separate sets lol. Started watching chasegodtv and was intrigued by it, I’ve always thought you were a very thoughtful, well spoken person. I have a question just rooted in curiosity: Did the ability to make a living in an additional sphere of influence act as the ‘straw that broke the camels back?’ Do you believe you would have left Christianity publicly, if at all, had you not found success in a secular realm?
hey jason. thanks for kind comment and the listening ear over the years. i appreciate the encouragement. publicly it may have looked like like i left after finding success in another space, but privately that wasn't the case. 1. i had already confirmed by decision with myself and voiced it to those close to me prior to any virality. 2. even when i first began experiencing success in the "secular realm", i wasn't really making a lot of money from it lol. i was losing money during the switch. my main source of income was church shows (of course COVID canceled that), and christian themed merch. i still have a large closet full of "faith over feelings" hoodies and tees that i just never sold. they were immensely popular but i didn't feel right selling them. so i took that L. lol but 3. i was already intentionally trying to make a living outside of the church prior to coming to that decision. for the past couple years, i felt the tension of wanting to be honest in my journey while also feeling like landing in the "wrong place" (even if that was simply an unpopular doctrine, not necessarily leaving completely) would make me lose my livelihood. i didn't like that my livelihood was based on, not just my faith but, a particular brand and intensity of faith. being behind the scenes, i believed then, and i believe now, that the more money you make for your firm faith claims, the harder it becomes to genuinely reconsider those claims later on. it's not so much that i set out to stop making christian content so that i could stop being a christian publicly. i set out to stop making christian content so i could be honest and land wherever i needed to genuinely land. you're right, when you're on tour making a healthy six-figure living, and christian beliefs are the only way you know how to make kind of living (or just a living at all), it is harder to leave. i think that's why a lot of pastors and artists stick around.
I used to lucid dream so much but like you said, as soon as I became aware of the dream it would just fade to black. It’s been years since I’ve had a lucid dream. I love that you’re trying to be more open to spiritual things. I will say that when you were a Christian and would say you don’t believe in prophecy I looked at it as you dismissing a part of God or putting limits on him and of course, you’ll never experience that side of him if you automatically dismiss it. After all, God is a spirit so it would make sense for him to move in spiritual ways. I totally understand the skepticism though. I grew up in a full gospel church and was exposed to the charismatic side of Christianity at a young age. I definitely thought it was weird and was skeptical of it. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve had personal experiences with prophecy which has definitely contributed to me being less skeptical of it all. I love the fact that you still want to believe and are open to new experiences. I pray God will reveal himself to you in new ways.
i feel like that’s a pretty peculiar stipulation to put on belief in prophecy. the fact that you can only experience it if you’re open to idea is sorta circular and protects itself from any real critique. it’s like “you would believe in prophecy if you experienced it, BUT you can’t experience it unless you believe in it.” can’t really do anything with that. and the same could be said about that kind of argument for god, “you would experience him if you believed in him, but you must experience him to believe in him.” there’s no entryway, only a closed loop to those who are already predisposed to believing. take something like gravity: i experience it, whether i’m open to the idea of it or not. is it unreasonable to believe prophecy, or other spiritual phenomena essentially work the same? after all, if “supernatural” phenomena actually exists, then it calling it “super” is kind of a misnomer. it would actually be quite natural. it just exists on a non-material plane. on the non-material plane, prophecy, instantaneous healing, walking on water, etc are all very normal everyday events. so then material and non-material phenomena together make up reality as a whole.
@@flightsfeelings I would agree that’s a pretty terrible argument for anything really. However I do strongly believe in biblical Christianity, and it’s in no way a blind faith. I think the historical arguments for Jesus’ death and resurrection as well as the fact that in my opinion God being the best argument for our existence and the fine toning of our universe. I would encourage you to keep searching through, your videos meant a lot to me back in high school and I’ll definitely be praying for you, though I’m sure you’re probably tired of hearing that lol
@@flightsfeelings I think being open is the entryway. If I’m open to something, I may still be skeptical about it but I’m open to it actually being true or whatever. If I say I don’t believe this or that, to me, that’s saying I’ve closed the door on this or that being true. If I’ve closed the door on it, what can be said or done for me to open it? In my experience with prophecy, you have to be open to God speaking to you through this person. If I say I don’t believe in prophecy then whenever I get around someone who claims to be a prophet or claims to have a word from God I’m gonna be like “nah I’m good.” Whereas if I’m open to it, I’ll hear them out first and see if what they say lines up before making up my mind about whether or not God speaks to or through them. I think being open is the key to faith/belief.
Joseph, this may sound so silly - especially after hearing your words spoken in this video, but I’ll write it anyway. I stopped watching your videos, following you on social media, and listening to your podcasts for years now; simply because my heart grieved too much from hearing someone so public in the creative space walked away from the Faith. After some weeks, I stopped thinking about it and eventually moved on from praying for you to “return” to Christ. However this morning, 4 years later, I had this very vivid, clear and what seems like random dream about you. The things you were proclaiming out loud to people around you stayed in my mind even after waking up. You were witnessing to others about Christ. Anyway, you have a lot of people praying, debating, urging and encouraging you on this journey you’re on. You sharing your very intimate thoughts and only responding to the comments that vocalize the concerns others may have for you shows that you not only have a great sensitivity to how others might perceive you but also you have a desire to re present the way “Christians” talk to one another about Christ. Joseph, sometimes faith sounds and looks a lot different than what we’re use to in church or how we’re told it should look and sound like. And I am clearly hearing and seeing it from you.
There’s no way you go from knowing and loving Jesus to saying he’s not real to you. You just never knew him to begin with and got tired of faking it. His whole relationship with God was an act probably bc he felt pressure from his upbringing.
That’s a very common response. And a very mean and ignorant response. Is it really that hard to understand that someone might be a christian just as much as you, but then learn thing and realize that they can no longer believe it to be true. Is it really impossible for you to grasp that?
To grasp that means that all us Christians are at risk of losing our faith and that’s scary. It’s shaking my faith because I believed like the OP that once you know Christ you can never ever turn away… but here we are with a lot of believers turning away. The bible does not talk about choice we have the choice to believe or not
So my mom and I watched a couple of your videos and they sparked a discussion. When you speak you sound very cerebral which is what also sparked the train of thought of the conversation. So this is not an accusation of any kind. But the discussing was surrounding the idea of if a person can be a Christian cerebrally. Meaning can a person be saved without emotional contact from the holy spirit. People seem to normally have an interaction with God that changes their heart (i associate that with emotion) which sets them on the course of being a Christian. But I have seen one instance, literally one, where a person decided intellectually that they believed in Jesus and admitted to not having any emotions tied to the decision. But I wonder if they only have an intellectual decision then can they be intellectually dissuaded away from the faith. Open to comments from anyone.
honestly, i think i'm a bit over the emphasis on "intellectual vs spiritual", and here's why. 1. it inherently dismisses the idea that someone can be both spiritually/emotionally sensitive and intellectually astute at the same time and this unnecessarily compartmentalizes people. example: consider a medical doctor who has gone through 8+ years of rigorous academic study yet they also believe in prophecies, and signs and miracles and the like (this is not uncommon). we'd agree this is a very intellectually astute person. 2. every single person is intellectual, we just exist on a spectrum of it. when you make claims of hearing the voice of god, or believing a prophecy or having a supernatural experience, your intellect/mind is still involved in the process. i.e. someone spoke a prophecy to you. you then use your mind to think "well the bible says, if it doesn't come true, it's a false prophecy. i will wait to verify the validity of this claim. that's an intellectual activity. reading a commentary on the bible or listening to a pastor breakdown the context of a scripture is an intellectual activity. 3. TO ME, it always comes off as a weird way of self-degradation, no? like, i hope you believe you are also capable of handling relatively complex ideas. 4. even your bible doesn't create this unnecessary divide. example: to persuade people deeper into faith, even paul appeals to the intellect and empirical/material evidence in 1 COR 15. he basically says don't just take my word or your feelings for it. 500 people saw the risen jesus. he actually is alive and you should put your trust in that fact. he's reasoning with people and not appealing to abstract emotional experience.
Thank you Joseph. I watched you since Chase God Webisodes/ Chase God TV. I really resonate with you in this video. I am Christian (well I identify with it still) however, I struggle within Christianity. I fell like I am in transit within the faith as well. I was Protestant and was in different Christian denominations and then I convert to Catholicism and then I am floating between Catholicism and Protestantism. I just don't even know what I believe in anymore. I am becoming quite more skeptic. I am now reading arguments against the Trinity. I am like going through my own deconversion. There is so much guilt and then the thoughts or fear of hell just comes in.
Your God-Niece … Yeah they call that the backwards law . I apply that to my life. The more you chase the more what you want eludes you. I like how you see your journey as that & also the being too aware. I think that’s perfect. It’s ok to enjoy it and let those things come to you organically.
i also left Christianity. the whole indoctrination was kinda weird, Jesus being the Son of God but being co equal to God. i have struggled to understand this for the longest and i have struggled with my faith and believing in Jesus and incarnation of God but being an atheist was a no no for me. it wasn't realistic and an option so i did some research on other religions to see which one made better sense of the world and i found Islam. at the beginning it was okay, but now i'm struggling to adjust into Islam. this video was kinda helpful and i found some sort of comfort after this, oddly enough. 😅 so yeah, thank you. a fan from South Africa. 🇿🇦
I've been following you for maaaaany years on the spy, in awe. - LOL, I would peep you out from time to time. As many have shared, what always gripped me about you and still does is your vulnerability, Joe. As Tim Ross likes to say, ❝Vulnerability is a gift and a superpower.❞ Your words have been intentional, and your experiences touchable, and that's what always kept me coming back to literally find out, "what is joe doing" -- I am a reformed PK (pastor's kid). I was and still am an emotional skeptic and spent a portion of my life choosing agnosticism because I had too many questions that couldn't be neatly tucked away in responses like, "just believe" or "stop overthinking" -- I couldn't and still have a difficult time wrestling with the painful realities people all over the world and in our backyard endure with the I AM, God allowing/permitting it, but one truth that I cannot deny is the authority the name of Jesus holds. - I encountered a demon-possessed woman who was cursing and yelling at people on the street over 5 years ago. I wasn't even sure she was possessed at the time because I had never experienced what I saw before, but I knew that woman was troubled. She was raging in a bullied way, and I thought to walk past her and tell her to be quiet because she was obnoxious. -- In a calm and normal volume, I spoke with sternness. I looked at the woman and told her to "be quiet in the name of Jesus," or I said., "In the name of Jesus, be quiet." She became mute and still was acting frantically, but she was silenced. Not even a whisper was coming out of her mouth. I was big-eyed, stunned by it all, and walked away --- There's more to the story, but all I wanted to share is that demons are real or whatever was manifested in that woman was real, and it submitted not to me, but to the name of Jesus. - THAT NAME (Jesus) holds power for us to know personally, intercede on behalf of others, and share so that others can be empowered with the strength of that name. I share all of this from a place of brokenness, naivety, and curiosity about many things. ---- It is in Jesus' name I pray that you, my bro, Joe, will continue to experience the beauty of rawness without ration, to discover the way, the truth, and the light. Thank you for sharing as you do. I remain in awe of your superpower. - Love, peace, and a (((((virtual hug))))) to you. ❤
@@PHATGrace Thanks for your comment, Grace T. If you mean Yeshua or Y'shua, Yehoshua, or something else, the point is that ❝the name❞ believed in faith crediting Romans 10:9 is the name I used. Jesus' name had authority, Philippians 2: 9-11, the evil spirit inside that woman had to submit to what was spoken and used in faith. Whether I called the name (Jesus, Yeshua...) right or wrong, the demon that possessed the woman knew it and yielded to the command. Blessings, and love to you. ☺❤
Until one has an actual, personal, undeniable encounter with the Holy Spirit, I can’t blame them for lacking faith or even rejecting it altogether. I pray that God confronts you in that way and germinates that seed that was planted.
“i can’t blame them for lacking faith” lol yes you can. and you likely do. the bible does. your god will. that’s how it works. “i’m listening to your story and i feel so bad for you that it isn’t true or genuine. i don’t blame you for god not choosing to give you an ACTUAL, personal UNDENIABLE encounter with the holy spirit. i don’t blame you at all… hope it all works out.” lol i’m not sure which one is worse: the christians who are overtly condescending or the ones who mask it in piety. 🤔
I feel like I’m in a similar place. I wouldn’t consider myself to be an atheist. Maybe I’m agnostic… I don’t know. I feel like it will come to me eventually.
Personally it sounds like a lot of your headspace is coming from a point of view of trying to mathmatically & mentally figure out God and His ways, but realistically God is a mystery and moves in ways we will never understand. Questions are great to have and although I am sad that you left the faith I think if it’s in God’s sovereign plan for you that He will circumnavigate you back to Him. I always go back to when NF said “If God ain’t real, real isn’t” and even though that is a simple statement it’s profound.
it’s profound to you lol. it’s quite a rudimentary notion to me. i’m not trying to mathematically figure out god lol. i don’t even like math. the “you’re thinking too much for god” argument is an intellectual copout. but whatever brings you peace, run with that fam. 🙏🏽
I want to be corny and say but He hasn't left you because it's just too easy with the title of the video...🤣 thanks for sharing your story by the way...
i think there are many expressions of belief in jesus. i would say i believe i differentiate fundamentalism from “christianity”, but the question is then “what is christianity?” and “who determines what is fundamental about it?” but yes i do know what you mean when you say “fundamentalism” and i also believe there’s no real way, especially historically, to say what is the “real” christianity to compare all other expressions of it against.
Do you think a spiritual encounter is what would take for you to believe again or what would really take?... If you find out in the next life that Christianity is true do you wouldn't feel guilty that you have all the knowledge and the evidence to believe in it or you just gonna say i didn't have enough faith to believe in it.... Im a Christian and I don't think we have enough faith to believe in anything but with the little faith I have it supersedes any other believe... I guess the question im trying to ask is what would take for you to believe because clearly God won't fall from the sky and say "Hey believe in me" or maybe where you at right now i don't have any capacity to believe 😅 Please forgive me with all of these questions but you the one who Said it that there's going to be a lot of ambiguity.... Still waiting on do you accept about Jesus and what don't you accept about Him though
Maybe you just need someone to talk to, just to get it all out, get your head clear. And when it's cleared, everything will make sense. This is gonna be a powerful testimony later.
When people ask me this question, which is all the time after I tell them that I don't believe, I always tell them I believe in myself, and I don't believe in any god figure. sometimes I say, I believe in nothing because it is true. or I say I'm a spiritual explorer, as in I'm open to hearing from different beliefs, I take what I think is wise, and see how it will enrich or be a positive thing in my life if I go somewhere where they believe, I'm open to hearing, and to watch their practice/mass, but at the end of the day, I personally believe in nothing.
Without receiving the love into your life in the same measure as you put in the world, is there not still left an empty space where harvest was intended on growing only to be neglected left abandoned. If your present and able to not just see what you’ve conducted but understand it and grow, then you are always going to remain key because until you can believe fully in self and what self will do Your simply searching for answers to spiritual truths in public areas and low vibration. It gets tiring loving and not receiving it back but not because of loneliness, because of self hate imperfections and why nots. If it’s not reciprocated then it’s not as sub consciously beneficial. Consciously recorded but for learning , overstanding and adaptation . But when combined is absorbed and output radiating over all. Attacking all having no affiliation much like free radicals on natural cells. I never cared for titles… I Just Believe!!! I find peace in my physical ,virtual and musical abilities and understand my existence is the fabric of a map leading me back home
I was wondering what happened to the videos you made with chase god years back. I really enjoyed those. Im just now learning you arent christian anymore. While its upsetting to hear i realize following jesus isnt for everyone and if it were than we wouldnt have free will to begin with. God allows us the chance to choose whether we stick with him or walk away from him. I say if you believe in anything then believe in yourself and just know that you can do anything you set your mind to.
Just remember. A lot of people aren’t smart in this world. Therefore you’ll get a lot of Christian’s saying a lot of dumb things to you. Don’t let this discredit God. The imperfection and corruption of man is so intense so unfortunately most Christian’s are not true ambassadors of Christ. You probably already know this. Just felt like saying it anyway.
I’m sure others have said this but in case they haven’t, I just wanted to clarify that atheism isn’t the claim that “there is no god.” It’s just the lack of belief in a god. So if the question is “Do you currently believe that a god exists?” And the answer is “No” then that person is an atheist, or without-theism. Some people are hard-atheists (there is no god) and some are soft-atheists (I don’t believe in any of the god concepts I’ve heard but there could be a god).
semantics. if someone asked me if i believe there is a god, again, my answer wouldn’t be a hard no. it’s that i genuinely have lost much of my concern for the answer. is there a god? maybe? idk. either way i don’t think it effects me much.
@@flightsfeelings Huh. I disagree with your framing. In my view, you either hold a positive belief or you don’t. But okay! Agree to disagree. You’re certainly right that it doesn’t matter that much.
@@niqueo9233 i don't think all or even much of life is quite that black and white. most beliefs exist on a scale. you may skew slightly more to one side or the other, but at least for me, many of my larger worldview beliefs exist on a spectrum.
your question seems leading. i'll put in context how your questions sounds to me though. if i were to walk into your dream while you were dreaming and ask you "would you say you are actually climbing up this extremely high mountain." you would say yeah. when you woke up, you'd realize there was no extremely mountain at all. so your question, like many who have asked similar questions, seems to try to dismiss the actual experience i had as a christian by asking how i see it now. i cannot say, in my current state of mind, that i "actually" had a relationship with "God". i can't say that because i can't say i believe in your definition or particular brand of god. but in the time of my experience, yes, i would have said i have a relationship with god and it would have been an honest answer.
My God and Saviour Jesus Christ has changed and saved so many lives that I cant listen to this guy. He thinks he has authority to speak coz of a following.. I pray God forgive his trespasses
Joseph you disabled all the comments on your recent videos so I can’t post this there, but I wanted to ask because you said that you tried really hard to seek God and you basically had a crisis where you couldn’t understand because people were telling you God shows up by grace not by works or by you trying really hard but at the same time you were told to seek and you will find, Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that you didn’t truly seek God but I just wanted to mention this because I wanted to ask, Did you ever consider trying fasting? I’ve even heard of people fasting for a completely different religion or spirituality and The God of the Bible ends up showing up and answering them. So that’s why I’m asking did you try fasting?
I left christianity too, it has so much religiosity in it. I do still love Jesus and finding my authentic identity in Him. I would never leave Him! He wasn't a christian, so wasn't God and Holy Spirit. @avamakeup
To be honest, it broke my heart when you left Christianity but I really do love that you’re so honest and open especially with so many ambiguous thoughts/beliefs…You really don’t owe anyone what you’re sharing so I’m grateful you allowed us to know your world. Best wishes, Joe 🫶🏾
I’m on the same journey. I left the church after growing up at a christian school and being a hard core christian for a year. The journey comes with so much guilt, but then acceptance! It feels so good to be free from it all and just be. These videos are exactly what I’ve voiced to myself since this time apart from church. Thank you so much!
well welcome to the channel Ariel. hope it offers some relief and clarity or at least resonance. :)
“You don’t have to know where you’re going to know that you should not stay.” Love that 💛
Sis, it is definitely important to know where you are going. We all have a option. If we choose YAHWEY, we will have eternal salvation. If we choose Satan we will be condemned to hellfire. So, I choose YAHWEY, because I know where I am going.
@@zenaidawilson7058 well um.. okay, that’s good for you.
I know there is a God because of the specific situations I have encountered. Three years ago I had a mental breakdown, almost lost my whole mind. If not for God, he spoke to me to do a 40 days praise fast everyday I sang and fasted, joy bubbled over me, by the time I was done Joe, God broke the shackles of depression over my life. I can be sad, depressed but I can never fall so low even unto death like before. This is just one encounter God is real Joseph. Really real but God is patient we can never go too far from him, we are in his hand.
Amen 🙏
Did you fast for 40 days from food???
Yes pleaseeeee PLEASE share about the fast that you did, did you stop eating for 40 days????????
@@course3166 I ate 6am and broke my fast 6pm. I ate twice a day.
@@alinathomas1181 I ate 6am after praying and broke my fast 6pm after praying. Fasting is less about eating but more about setting time aside for God. When i wasnt eating, i read, prayed and sang. I also stayed off social media and other distraction.I Gave God those days.
Hi Joe! First off let me say I'm glad you're doing this channel. I had no idea you had walked away from the faith. I just happened to come across your IG skit about ancestors. I saw someone in your comments say, "I thought you were Christian?" to which you responded, "You're late, boo."😂 I myself, am a ten toes down believer in Jesus, BUT, your journey is super familiar to me because it was mine in reverse.
While I grew up in the church, I didn't grow up in church like most. I grew up in a religious, Baptist household. We believed but it was just standard, robotic religion. Because of this, I stopped going to church once I went to college. I was churched out! Lol! A few years after college, I moved to New York to pursue my acting career, then to LA. It wasn't until I moved to LA that I started questioning everything.
Up until that point, I wouldn't say I necessarily had a relationship with God. But when I got to LA, something shifted. I began to meet people who believed in all sorts of different things. I even worked third shift for a psychic hotilne as a customer service rep, LOL! Hey, it paid well and I had my days free for auditions! BUT, while I was working there and speaking to psychics, I became curious about how these people who knew nothing about me had the ability to know things about my life that no one knew.
This made me deep dive even more into the spiritual. This experience, combined with A LOT of things I saw while working in front of and behind the scenes in Hollywood taught me that there IS SOMETHING opposite of God that people worship and the result is NOT good. I knew that if this existed, there HAD to be a God.
So after some more years of probing, digging, reading, etc., I realized and believed that the God of the Bible was the ONLY ONE who required nothing of me aside from belief to be accepted: Well that, combined with a revelation of the human existence through scripture and how nothing has changed. Scripture captures life so accurately to me. Every other religion seemed to be some kind of self-reliance in order to achieve any kind of spiritual connection. But I came to that after years of seeking, searching, some VERY WEIRD spiritual encounters, and just a deep desire for truth. I said all of that to say, I pray you find what you're looking for. I apologize for this long message. And p.s., you were one of the people I discovered on my journey. I related to your videos because I felt we had a common struggle of being artists and trying to balance our love for God with what we've chosen as careers. I felt like I sensed that in some of your vids, I don't know. But again, best wishes on your journey. It ain't easy! LOL! But I'm rooting for you❤
Joe, I can't begin to express how much emotional relief I have felt listening and watching your videos about life after leaving Christianty. You are saying the things I have been feeling and thinking but did not have the words to explain. This is a thank you. For me there was no church hurt, there was no major incident. I think I checked out slowly and after the pandemic, I did not want to go back.
'The shores somewhere over here' episode on your podcast - I must have listened to it at least 20 times. It was definitely a lot because flights and feelings is in my Spotify wrapped top podcasts for the year. 😄
Also just a side note, Find Me is an amazing album. You also made my top 5 artists list.
So thank you for the music, thank you for openly processing all of this. You are making me feel just that little bit less lost. 🙂
1. Do you feel that humans have an inherent need to want to believe in something or do you think we are conditioned to?
2. Are you closed to the idea of believing in something else one day? If one day you resonate with a different belief system, would you reconsider aligning yourself with a new faith? Or do you have a general fatigue about faith and religion as a whole?
Sorry to bombard you with questions. I used to listen to the ChaseGod webisodes and you have always been full of so much insight. I'm just so curious about your perspective as you navigate this new season. Thank you for taking us along on your journey.
I love the transparency and I love the openness to all things to come. Won’t stop praying for you!
Yes love this comment and was thinking the same thing I will be intentionally praying for I'm ❤
There are so many people who try to convince others that their belief or lack of belief is the truth. But the best thing is to always embody your own philosophy rather than explaining it to others
Many are called, but few are chosen; Matthew 22:14
I pray 🙏 every one who has an ear would accept the Creator, YAHWEY.
mmk
@@flightsfeelings😂😂😂 perfect response
I'm so glad you're doing this. This is going to help so many ppl. Thank you for being Willing to share your story🙏🏽
Your transparency is really dope 👍🏾. Everyone just acts like they have all the answers, from fear of what THEY might say...
It's pretty cool to see someone just... be human
I've been on and off about Christianity since the lockdown. I've been thinking about it a lot, experiencing a lot stuff that has been indulging my doubt. It's weird cause I haven't "officially" left the faith, I've lost someone I considered a sister because of it. It's been nice to see you open up and be vulnerable. It's nice to know that you're not alone in your thinking and feelings.
“I’m tired of not believing in something” that statement hit me. Honestly this entire video hearing you speak about home. Hilarious at your actions in your lucid dreams 😂 thank you for this.
I’m so grateful to have found your content again. Before when I initially discovered your music, you were deep in the faith and as was I. Now you’ve popped up on my feed and I’ve been binging your content on leaving the Faith. Over the past year I have as well and it’s been quite a journey. I’m grateful that you are sharing such intimate and thoughtful conversations. Thank you!
I watched the Shadow of a Doubt video when I first converted to Christianity five years ago. It was compelling to me though I can't remember my exact thoughts... I do know though that, now, watching it again with your commentary...current-me is then-you. So I know the hell that it is. I understand that this was your choice and I don't know my future or yours but I've felt tortured so many times and every time something pulls my focus back on Jesus like it's implacable...but I just want to say that I appreciate all this openness of yours so, so much. Thank you. I hope the very best for you. ♥
Yeah. We as black people are wired to be spiritual. Sometimes I feel like it’s just in our DNA. I always find it intriguing to hear people’s perspective when they leave the faith and what that means. I guess it’s the sociologist side of me. Anyways. Happy Holidays.
I completely understand what you mean about finding when you stop seeking. Different application, but we tried getting pregnant for almost 4yrs and it finally happened the moment we stopped “trying”. I’m personally at a point in faith where I’ve prayed “God show up or everything I’ve been taught about faith is a lie”. It’s difficult being that honest with yourself let alone out loud to God and others. Your new posts are helping me navigate that level of honesty and vulnerability
I just love hearing you speak tbh - how you put things into words but also this is really helpful.
I believe we all have seasons in our Christian walk when we have doubts, I believe everyone goes through this, but I truly believe people leave the faith because they have more head knowledge then a intimate encounter with the Lord where you feel his real presence of the Holy Spirit, where you have such a peace and joy inside you. Joe I respect your path, but you mention your childhood pastor who was a true man of God of integrity, I truly believe he was a true man of God by the sound of it, if he was alive I bet he would guide you but at the end is your free will and decision. Your a very smart and intellectual young man, but I believe that was your down fall, thinking and pondering and doubting which ain’t wrong we humans we have questions for everything in life, but I truly believe you didn’t encounter his presence and the reality of a true heart transformation. Peace and love ❤
already did a video addressing the “too much head knowledge” claim. it’s a cop out.
lol the patience you have in responding to these comments is astounding.
i do agree it's ok to not have it all figured out. one of the beauties and tragedies of the human condition (imo) is .. just when you think you have it all figured out, u dont.
Shout outttt!! East African here!! Canadian born but now living here. Anyway, I left church in 2020 and christianity in 2021 as well and I am so thankful for these videos!!!! You are giving me language and making me feel less weird? odd? I am at so much peace and more clarity though. Only thing I don't know is what happens after death (of course, because who alive really does?).
I laughed so much during this video! I'm enjoying watching your journey as you share it with us.
What do you think of the scripture even when we are faithless he remains faithful
i used to use this scripture as a comfort to someone like me who was always doubtful. but i remember being in chicago at a small group bible study and we had this like hour long debate about what that scripture actually meant. i remember my position being changed thst night. i believe the author’s intention was not necessarily a comfort to those who are faithless but an assurance that god will still be about god. the line before it is a hint at the author’s/song’s intention: “if we deny him, he will deny us”. pretty straight forward.
@@flightsfeelings o ok do you believe that a Christian can lose there salvation
@@jaybrick8973 lol i’m not a christian, so that question is kinda moot. to say i believe or don’t believe a christian can lose their salvation, would essentially be saying that i believe christian salvation exists in the first place.
It’s crazy how some people feel so good after finding Christ. It’s crazy.
There is a difference between the religion of Christianity and actually having a relationship with God
The Holy Spirit .
I watched you when I was a die hard believer. I left the faith, and found out you did too. But I found myself seeking what my ancestors believed. Fortunately as someone who was not a decendent of slaves, I can find out specifically what my specific ancestors believed before Christianity. I'm not sure how much of a "belief" journey it is for me, but it is a learning journey. I'm learning what my Igbo ancestors believed and I'm happy there. I hope you're happy where you are too. 🙂
I met him a couple of times, he has nothing common with most of the Christians i know. He is so chill, so powerful, loving. He is a Superstar in his Realm, maybe also here at times.
Let's goo The last thIng I was expecting. Was you mentioning my country lol.. feels good to be recognised for our coffe
i agree with the idea of being single spiritually, no rush to figure it ut, you can let it slowly unravel. I look at it as an exciting thing, cause I look at it in terms of exploring, and now I have many options, many lessons i'm yet to learn, many religion to read/critically think about, it sounds both exhausting, and exciting that I get to use the power of my choices, and that it is okay to change my mind. life is a journey, it is okay to go through that journey spiritually too.
btw it is so true, when I told my neighbours I don't believe, they were so shocked to the extent they were suggesting if maybe i'm Muslim or rastafari, minutes after bashing Muslims in front of me. it was as if 'at least be this that we hate, than not believe in anything'. and being a Tanzanian/ African, it can be hard to be an unbeliever as many Africans are religious, and unbelief is quite frowned upon. you can be called a satan believer or a pagan which are all made to be the worst things one can be. I remember one time I got in a car to Malawi, and we were talking and the driver said if he knew anyone who didn't believe in the car he would have dropped them on the way. and there was my ass ready to pretend to be a Christian cause I wasn't about to be left on the way in a new country at night.
“You don’t have to know where you’re going to know you should not stay” that right there! A good Christian would say that’ll preach 😂 For real though that hit me like a ton of bricks bc that’s been my intuitive mantra for longer than I can remember. I’ve been criticized for it all to receive confirmation along the way that many times what I know is for me. ❤
Hebrews 6:4-6
[4]For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,
[5]and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,
[6]if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
and what good does this do me or you, quoting this? have you added anything to the conversation? have you told me something i didn't already know? have you helped me to move closer to your god?
@@cairegrigsby7682 and say the same to you:
what good does this do me or you, saying "just sad. just sad"? have you added anything to the conversation? have you told me something i didn't already know? have you helped me to move closer to your god?
these are legitimate questions. because if you're not here to actually contribute to the conversation or do your christian duty of loving/trying to do draw someone to jesus, what is your purpose here, other than blatant condescending judgment?
Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible"
Also, Joel 2: 25,26
"So I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, My great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you and My people shall never be put to shame.
Praying for you Bro.
you don’t need to tell me. just do it in private. god should hear you just the same.
Thank you for allowing us to bear witness to your journey! When you are mature enough to recognize you don't need anyones validation! I always say, if you are THAT invested or interested in my life, please chip in on my car payment, student loans, and mortgage! Amazing how that shuts them up!
Just came to say the sweater is fire lol and so is the set. Sometimes it’s good to appreciate the environment. I appreciate your existence bro. Much love keep figuring things out even if you never land.
I respect your honesty, vulnerability, and you at this time not knowing what you believe. You are just living and being. Spiritually single.
Book rec: Doing Nothing by Steven Harrison.
I know this video was from a year ago but what you said about when you stop searching things just come into your life it made me think that youd enjoy this book. Post christianity i was grasping so hard for something new to believe in and this book helped calm that in me and help me to be at peace with just being.
As someone who was a non /anti Christian for so long, I pray you get the answers you need to come back home…
im not a "non-Christian". that would just christianity must be the normative that everything else relates to. and i'm not "anti-Christian". that would suggest i ultimately have a bone to pick with christianity. i simply value curiosity and honesty. it happens that my journey started with christianity, and it ended when curiosity could no longer thrive in honesty. my life now will always reference christianity because it played such a major role in my life, but being anti-christian is not the centrality of my life. maybe those labels applied to you at a time in your life. they don't for me.
Joe, I feel your struggle man. I know that imagination and faith and belief is a beneficial thing yet it’s a thing that doesn’t always come easily, whatever that may look for you. Did you struggled with this aspect of skepticism in believing when you were Christian?
I think this has highlighted a few really significant points that are true of the Christian faith, in particular.
As in, "to seek" is a VERB but can be achieved by doing, as well as by receiving or, by searching and eventually finding. I believe a good job has been done to highlight the importance of REST and its significance in the process of seeking and finding. The key anecdote really honed this in well. I'd say though that rest also includes elements of Faith and Trust. Hebrews 4
This leads on to the next point. I feel that while you understand yourself to be a sceptic, you may equally overlook a few really strong evidences of faith that already exist in you. I believe that faith is a divine gift and hope but, they're also quite concrete, demanding active participation. And I believe a measure has been given to each person on the face of the planet; for very specific and generic things to do with life, whether or not they ascribe theirs to the God of the Bible. But like gravity, each of us participate and are affected by it.
For example, going out on a journey demands faith because there's an expectation that you're going to return or, reach a destination? Same as being a consumer and buying products/ services - demand faith, before the items are delivered or bought in store etc. Same as when working on short-term goals, toward long-term dreams. It's all faith! Active faith with an objective in mind...
I think the operative word is OBJECTIVE or INTENTIONALITY. All of the above scenarios demand a level of intention. Seeking and finding is the same, I believe. Matthew 7.
I'm sad that you're not too sure atm but happy that you're at peace and receiving your personal doses of wisdom, as you said. But my question is, to get to the root of your Seeking, are you perhaps being unintentional in your quest and keeping the door too wide open for interpretation(s)? If you had many keys but needed JuST THE ONE which you found. What use would it have been to have one that you didn't need to access whichever thing you needed it for? Same way, if there are many roads, many gods, many, many other things but one Sat-Nav. Surely, only ONE road could lead you to THE thing that you are truly searching for OR, resting to find and receive and that you NEED?
Hope this helps a bit. I've honestly found your journey sharing really helpful and touching. Thanks for sharing Joe, praying for you. 🙏🏾
You inspire me a lot, Joe. With your comfort, ease and confidence in expressing yourself and where you're at in your journey. Just being authentic, which is really all that matters. I don't think you can go wrong with that guiding ethos. I have one question for you, do you think your talent and practice as a performer over the years helps you show up for these videos without preoccupation about what dissenting voices may say?
“You don’t have to know where you’re going to know that you should not stay” wow , I love the level of rigour, critical thinking and nuance with which you’re navigating this journey. Thanks for sharing!
“I’m in my single season.” 🤣🤣🤣🤣
How do you explain the presence of God? Surely being in the faith for so long you’ve must of felt his presence. What do you tell yourself that was? Or now believe that was?
whatever answer i give for a question like that likely wouldn’t satisfy you lol
@@flightsfeelingsbut we still wanna know 😩🤣
No matter your answer I would really appreciate hearing what you have to say about this
@@flightsfeelings it’s not to satisfy me. It’s curiosity. I don’t look for satisfaction through what you now believe nor don’t believe. Simply curious.
Hi Joseph! I have watched your journey for a while now, since p4cm, and I just want you to know that I absolutely love your UA-cam channel and your openness in conveying your thoughts and ideas. I see so much of my own journey in yours, and I have never seen or heard someone express their time within the faith, as well as leaving it, the way that you do. The things you say are so touching and I relate to it so deeply. I wish I communicate to you through this message how much I relate to the parts of your journey you have been kind enough to share. But since I can’t, I want you to know that your voice is sooo appreciated! I hope you keep posting and sharing, if that is what you choose to do. I look forward to watching them and remembering the parts of my own journey that are so similar to yours. Thank you so much for being human and expressing it in your own way!
Got to know you from your music channel which is AMAZINGG BTW but also really enjoying this channel for how thought- provoking it is and the authenticity! Kinda in your shoes and when asked this question, I just say I'm agnostic and feeling fantastic😆
I wonder if you’ll read this or not but if you do, have you ever looked into early church fathers writings found today in the orthodox christian faith? They are the correct teaching on Theology and Christology, a lot of which was lost due to schisms in the church around 10th-15th century. I find a lot of people turn away from the faith in protestant circles because their intellectual curiousty is met with heretical teachings/misunderstanding passed down because of the unfortuante history of the church. Just a thought - I totally respect where your at in terms of searching and seeking truth its a journey that is not easy to share with honesty so i appreciate your openess and about it and i hope your weary soul finds rest soon ❤️
i reject religion as a whole. doesn’t matter what region it comes from.
I have a lot of respect for how you’re doing what you’re doing. You’re very courageous.
I saw you opening for KB in tampa years back. You were the first to play out of like 5. Your talent blew my mind. It was the first time I saw the amazing power potential in a stripped live guitar/vocal performance.
You and Tauren Wells played good, good father in separate sets lol. Started watching chasegodtv and was intrigued by it, I’ve always thought you were a very thoughtful, well spoken person.
I have a question just rooted in curiosity:
Did the ability to make a living in an additional sphere of influence act as the ‘straw that broke the camels back?’
Do you believe you would have left Christianity publicly, if at all, had you not found success in a secular realm?
hey jason. thanks for kind comment and the listening ear over the years. i appreciate the encouragement.
publicly it may have looked like like i left after finding success in another space, but privately that wasn't the case. 1. i had already confirmed by decision with myself and voiced it to those close to me prior to any virality.
2. even when i first began experiencing success in the "secular realm", i wasn't really making a lot of money from it lol. i was losing money during the switch. my main source of income was church shows (of course COVID canceled that), and christian themed merch. i still have a large closet full of "faith over feelings" hoodies and tees that i just never sold. they were immensely popular but i didn't feel right selling them. so i took that L. lol
but 3. i was already intentionally trying to make a living outside of the church prior to coming to that decision. for the past couple years, i felt the tension of wanting to be honest in my journey while also feeling like landing in the "wrong place" (even if that was simply an unpopular doctrine, not necessarily leaving completely) would make me lose my livelihood. i didn't like that my livelihood was based on, not just my faith but, a particular brand and intensity of faith. being behind the scenes, i believed then, and i believe now, that the more money you make for your firm faith claims, the harder it becomes to genuinely reconsider those claims later on.
it's not so much that i set out to stop making christian content so that i could stop being a christian publicly. i set out to stop making christian content so i could be honest and land wherever i needed to genuinely land. you're right, when you're on tour making a healthy six-figure living, and christian beliefs are the only way you know how to make kind of living (or just a living at all), it is harder to leave. i think that's why a lot of pastors and artists stick around.
...I'd pay for one of those tees 👀
I used to lucid dream so much but like you said, as soon as I became aware of the dream it would just fade to black. It’s been years since I’ve had a lucid dream. I love that you’re trying to be more open to spiritual things. I will say that when you were a Christian and would say you don’t believe in prophecy I looked at it as you dismissing a part of God or putting limits on him and of course, you’ll never experience that side of him if you automatically dismiss it. After all, God is a spirit so it would make sense for him to move in spiritual ways. I totally understand the skepticism though. I grew up in a full gospel church and was exposed to the charismatic side of Christianity at a young age. I definitely thought it was weird and was skeptical of it. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve had personal experiences with prophecy which has definitely contributed to me being less skeptical of it all. I love the fact that you still want to believe and are open to new experiences. I pray God will reveal himself to you in new ways.
i feel like that’s a pretty peculiar stipulation to put on belief in prophecy. the fact that you can only experience it if you’re open to idea is sorta circular and protects itself from any real critique. it’s like “you would believe in prophecy if you experienced it, BUT you can’t experience it unless you believe in it.” can’t really do anything with that.
and the same could be said about that kind of argument for god, “you would experience him if you believed in him, but you must experience him to believe in him.” there’s no entryway, only a closed loop to those who are already predisposed to believing.
take something like gravity: i experience it, whether i’m open to the idea of it or not. is it unreasonable to believe prophecy, or other spiritual phenomena essentially work the same?
after all, if “supernatural” phenomena actually exists, then it calling it “super” is kind of a misnomer. it would actually be quite natural. it just exists on a non-material plane. on the non-material plane, prophecy, instantaneous healing, walking on water, etc are all very normal everyday events. so then material and non-material phenomena together make up reality as a whole.
@@flightsfeelings I would agree that’s a pretty terrible argument for anything really. However I do strongly believe in biblical Christianity, and it’s in no way a blind faith. I think the historical arguments for Jesus’ death and resurrection as well as the fact that in my opinion God being the best argument for our existence and the fine toning of our universe. I would encourage you to keep searching through, your videos meant a lot to me back in high school and I’ll definitely be praying for you, though I’m sure you’re probably tired of hearing that lol
@@flightsfeelings I think being open is the entryway. If I’m open to something, I may still be skeptical about it but I’m open to it actually being true or whatever. If I say I don’t believe this or that, to me, that’s saying I’ve closed the door on this or that being true. If I’ve closed the door on it, what can be said or done for me to open it? In my experience with prophecy, you have to be open to God speaking to you through this person. If I say I don’t believe in prophecy then whenever I get around someone who claims to be a prophet or claims to have a word from God I’m gonna be like “nah I’m good.” Whereas if I’m open to it, I’ll hear them out first and see if what they say lines up before making up my mind about whether or not God speaks to or through them. I think being open is the key to faith/belief.
Joseph, this may sound so silly - especially after hearing your words spoken in this video, but I’ll write it anyway.
I stopped watching your videos, following you on social media, and listening to your podcasts for years now; simply because my heart grieved too much from hearing someone so public in the creative space walked away from the Faith.
After some weeks, I stopped thinking about it and eventually moved on from praying for you to “return” to Christ.
However this morning, 4 years later, I had this very vivid, clear and what seems like random dream about you. The things you were proclaiming out loud to people around you stayed in my mind even after waking up. You were witnessing to others about Christ.
Anyway, you have a lot of people praying, debating, urging and encouraging you on this journey you’re on. You sharing your very intimate thoughts and only responding to the comments that vocalize the concerns others may have for you shows that you not only have a great sensitivity to how others might perceive you but also you have a desire to re present the way “Christians” talk to one another about Christ.
Joseph, sometimes faith sounds and looks a lot different than what we’re use to in church or how we’re told it should look and sound like. And I am clearly hearing and seeing it from you.
There’s no way you go from knowing and loving Jesus to saying he’s not real to you. You just never knew him to begin with and got tired of faking it. His whole relationship with God was an act probably bc he felt pressure from his upbringing.
That’s a very common response. And a very mean and ignorant response. Is it really that hard to understand that someone might be a christian just as much as you, but then learn thing and realize that they can no longer believe it to be true. Is it really impossible for you to grasp that?
To grasp that means that all us Christians are at risk of losing our faith and that’s scary. It’s shaking my faith because I believed like the OP that once you know Christ you can never ever turn away… but here we are with a lot of believers turning away. The bible does not talk about choice we have the choice to believe or not
You are amazing and so is your sofa 🤗 Is it by Albany Park by any chance...?🧐🤔
what a gift you are.
Could you do an open discussion about this with Preston or Ezekiel? That would be interesting.
probably not
I hear you ❤️
So my mom and I watched a couple of your videos and they sparked a discussion. When you speak you sound very cerebral which is what also sparked the train of thought of the conversation. So this is not an accusation of any kind. But the discussing was surrounding the idea of if a person can be a Christian cerebrally. Meaning can a person be saved without emotional contact from the holy spirit. People seem to normally have an interaction with God that changes their heart (i associate that with emotion) which sets them on the course of being a Christian. But I have seen one instance, literally one, where a person decided intellectually that they believed in Jesus and admitted to not having any emotions tied to the decision. But I wonder if they only have an intellectual decision then can they be intellectually dissuaded away from the faith. Open to comments from anyone.
honestly, i think i'm a bit over the emphasis on "intellectual vs spiritual", and here's why.
1. it inherently dismisses the idea that someone can be both spiritually/emotionally sensitive and intellectually astute at the same time and this unnecessarily compartmentalizes people. example: consider a medical doctor who has gone through 8+ years of rigorous academic study yet they also believe in prophecies, and signs and miracles and the like (this is not uncommon). we'd agree this is a very intellectually astute person.
2. every single person is intellectual, we just exist on a spectrum of it. when you make claims of hearing the voice of god, or believing a prophecy or having a supernatural experience, your intellect/mind is still involved in the process. i.e. someone spoke a prophecy to you. you then use your mind to think "well the bible says, if it doesn't come true, it's a false prophecy. i will wait to verify the validity of this claim. that's an intellectual activity. reading a commentary on the bible or listening to a pastor breakdown the context of a scripture is an intellectual activity.
3. TO ME, it always comes off as a weird way of self-degradation, no? like, i hope you believe you are also capable of handling relatively complex ideas.
4. even your bible doesn't create this unnecessary divide. example: to persuade people deeper into faith, even paul appeals to the intellect and empirical/material evidence in 1 COR 15. he basically says don't just take my word or your feelings for it. 500 people saw the risen jesus. he actually is alive and you should put your trust in that fact. he's reasoning with people and not appealing to abstract emotional experience.
Thank you Joseph. I watched you since Chase God Webisodes/ Chase God TV. I really resonate with you in this video. I am Christian (well I identify with it still) however, I struggle within Christianity. I fell like I am in transit within the faith as well. I was Protestant and was in different Christian denominations and then I convert to Catholicism and then I am floating between Catholicism and Protestantism. I just don't even know what I believe in anymore. I am becoming quite more skeptic. I am now reading arguments against the Trinity. I am like going through my own deconversion. There is so much guilt and then the thoughts or fear of hell just comes in.
Your God-Niece … Yeah they call that the backwards law . I apply that to my life. The more you chase the more what you want eludes you. I like how you see your journey as that & also the being too aware. I think that’s perfect. It’s ok to enjoy it and let those things come to you organically.
i also left Christianity. the whole indoctrination was kinda weird, Jesus being the Son of God but being co equal to God. i have struggled to understand this for the longest and i have struggled with my faith and believing in Jesus and incarnation of God but being an atheist was a no no for me. it wasn't realistic and an option so i did some research on other religions to see which one made better sense of the world and i found Islam. at the beginning it was okay, but now i'm struggling to adjust into Islam. this video was kinda helpful and i found some sort of comfort after this, oddly enough. 😅 so yeah, thank you.
a fan from South Africa. 🇿🇦
Who are some of your mentors? I need to check out that video on what books you’re reading.
love the feel of these videos, very hygge 🤗
I've been following you for maaaaany years on the spy, in awe. - LOL, I would peep you out from time to time. As many have shared, what always gripped me about you and still does is your vulnerability, Joe. As Tim Ross likes to say, ❝Vulnerability is a gift and a superpower.❞ Your words have been intentional, and your experiences touchable, and that's what always kept me coming back to literally find out, "what is joe doing" -- I am a reformed PK (pastor's kid). I was and still am an emotional skeptic and spent a portion of my life choosing agnosticism because I had too many questions that couldn't be neatly tucked away in responses like, "just believe" or "stop overthinking" -- I couldn't and still have a difficult time wrestling with the painful realities people all over the world and in our backyard endure with the I AM, God allowing/permitting it, but one truth that I cannot deny is the authority the name of Jesus holds. - I encountered a demon-possessed woman who was cursing and yelling at people on the street over 5 years ago. I wasn't even sure she was possessed at the time because I had never experienced what I saw before, but I knew that woman was troubled. She was raging in a bullied way, and I thought to walk past her and tell her to be quiet because she was obnoxious. -- In a calm and normal volume, I spoke with sternness. I looked at the woman and told her to "be quiet in the name of Jesus," or I said., "In the name of Jesus, be quiet." She became mute and still was acting frantically, but she was silenced. Not even a whisper was coming out of her mouth. I was big-eyed, stunned by it all, and walked away --- There's more to the story, but all I wanted to share is that demons are real or whatever was manifested in that woman was real, and it submitted not to me, but to the name of Jesus. - THAT NAME (Jesus) holds power for us to know personally, intercede on behalf of others, and share so that others can be empowered with the strength of that name. I share all of this from a place of brokenness, naivety, and curiosity about many things. ---- It is in Jesus' name I pray that you, my bro, Joe, will continue to experience the beauty of rawness without ration, to discover the way, the truth, and the light. Thank you for sharing as you do. I remain in awe of your superpower. - Love, peace, and a (((((virtual hug))))) to you. ❤
Meanwhile, Jesus isn’t even the original name, but carry on.
@@PHATGrace Thanks for your comment, Grace T. If you mean Yeshua or Y'shua, Yehoshua, or something else, the point is that ❝the name❞ believed in faith crediting Romans 10:9 is the name I used. Jesus' name had authority, Philippians 2: 9-11, the evil spirit inside that woman had to submit to what was spoken and used in faith. Whether I called the name (Jesus, Yeshua...) right or wrong, the demon that possessed the woman knew it and yielded to the command. Blessings, and love to you. ☺❤
Until one has an actual, personal, undeniable encounter with the Holy Spirit, I can’t blame them for lacking faith or even rejecting it altogether. I pray that God confronts you in that way and germinates that seed that was planted.
“i can’t blame them for lacking faith” lol yes you can. and you likely do. the bible does. your god will. that’s how it works. “i’m listening to your story and i feel so bad for you that it isn’t true or genuine. i don’t blame you for god not choosing to give you an ACTUAL, personal UNDENIABLE encounter with the holy spirit. i don’t blame you at all… hope it all works out.” lol i’m not sure which one is worse: the christians who are overtly condescending or the ones who mask it in piety. 🤔
I feel like I’m in a similar place. I wouldn’t consider myself to be an atheist. Maybe I’m agnostic… I don’t know. I feel like it will come to me eventually.
keep learning and growing and being patient with yourself.
Come to Kenya🤗🤗
Personally it sounds like a lot of your headspace is coming from a point of view of trying to mathmatically & mentally figure out God and His ways, but realistically God is a mystery and moves in ways we will never understand. Questions are great to have and although I am sad that you left the faith I think if it’s in God’s sovereign plan for you that He will circumnavigate you back to Him. I always go back to when NF said “If God ain’t real, real isn’t” and even though that is a simple statement it’s profound.
it’s profound to you lol. it’s quite a rudimentary notion to me. i’m not trying to mathematically figure out god lol. i don’t even like math. the “you’re thinking too much for god” argument is an intellectual copout. but whatever brings you peace, run with that fam. 🙏🏽
I want to be corny and say but He hasn't left you because it's just too easy with the title of the video...🤣 thanks for sharing your story by the way...
Newbie, digging the vibe, subscribed
welcome!
Do you differentiate between fundamentalism and Christianity ?
i think there are many expressions of belief in jesus. i would say i believe i differentiate fundamentalism from “christianity”, but the question is then “what is christianity?” and “who determines what is fundamental about it?” but yes i do know what you mean when you say “fundamentalism” and i also believe there’s no real way, especially historically, to say what is the “real” christianity to compare all other expressions of it against.
❤❤❤❤❤
Do you think a spiritual encounter is what would take for you to believe again or what would really take?...
If you find out in the next life that Christianity is true do you wouldn't feel guilty that you have all the knowledge and the evidence to believe in it or you just gonna say i didn't have enough faith to believe in it....
Im a Christian and I don't think we have enough faith to believe in anything but with the little faith I have it supersedes any other believe... I guess the question im trying to ask is what would take for you to believe because clearly God won't fall from the sky and say "Hey believe in me" or maybe where you at right now i don't have any capacity to believe 😅
Please forgive me with all of these questions but you the one who Said it that there's going to be a lot of ambiguity....
Still waiting on do you accept about Jesus and what don't you accept about Him though
On what you accept about Jesus*
09:25 is what Frank was singing about in We All Try, "you must believe in something"
Maybe you just need someone to talk to, just to get it all out, get your head clear. And when it's cleared, everything will make sense. This is gonna be a powerful testimony later.
lol i talk to people all the time. my head is clear. my stance is resolute and articulated. curiosity and confusion are not the same thing.
@@flightsfeelings okay, all the best
When people ask me this question, which is all the time after I tell them that I don't believe, I always tell them I believe in myself, and I don't believe in any god figure. sometimes I say, I believe in nothing because it is true. or I say I'm a spiritual explorer, as in I'm open to hearing from different beliefs, I take what I think is wise, and see how it will enrich or be a positive thing in my life if I go somewhere where they believe, I'm open to hearing, and to watch their practice/mass, but at the end of the day, I personally believe in nothing.
Without receiving the love into your life in the same measure as you put in the world, is there not still left an empty space where harvest was intended on growing only to be neglected left abandoned. If your present and able to not just see what you’ve conducted but understand it and grow, then you are always going to remain key because until you can believe fully in self and what self will do Your simply searching for answers to spiritual truths in public areas and low vibration. It gets tiring loving and not receiving it back but not because of loneliness, because of self hate imperfections and why nots. If it’s not reciprocated then it’s not as sub consciously beneficial. Consciously recorded but for learning , overstanding and adaptation . But when combined is absorbed and output radiating over all. Attacking all having no affiliation much like free radicals on natural cells. I never cared for titles… I Just Believe!!! I find peace in my physical ,virtual and musical abilities and understand my existence is the fabric of a map leading me back home
I was wondering what happened to the videos you made with chase god years back. I really enjoyed those. Im just now learning you arent christian anymore. While its upsetting to hear i realize following jesus isnt for everyone and if it were than we wouldnt have free will to begin with. God allows us the chance to choose whether we stick with him or walk away from him. I say if you believe in anything then believe in yourself and just know that you can do anything you set your mind to.
Just remember. A lot of people aren’t smart in this world. Therefore you’ll get a lot of Christian’s saying a lot of dumb things to you. Don’t let this discredit God. The imperfection and corruption of man is so intense so unfortunately most Christian’s are not true ambassadors of Christ. You probably already know this. Just felt like saying it anyway.
Not the coffee shot! 😍
Off topic but u are so eloquent!!!
thank you!
I’m sure others have said this but in case they haven’t, I just wanted to clarify that atheism isn’t the claim that “there is no god.” It’s just the lack of belief in a god.
So if the question is “Do you currently believe that a god exists?”
And the answer is “No” then that person is an atheist, or without-theism.
Some people are hard-atheists (there is no god) and some are soft-atheists (I don’t believe in any of the god concepts I’ve heard but there could be a god).
semantics. if someone asked me if i believe there is a god, again, my answer wouldn’t be a hard no. it’s that i genuinely have lost much of my concern for the answer. is there a god? maybe? idk. either way i don’t think it effects me much.
@@flightsfeelings Huh. I disagree with your framing. In my view, you either hold a positive belief or you don’t. But okay! Agree to disagree.
You’re certainly right that it doesn’t matter that much.
@@niqueo9233 i don't think all or even much of life is quite that black and white. most beliefs exist on a scale. you may skew slightly more to one side or the other, but at least for me, many of my larger worldview beliefs exist on a spectrum.
Would you say when you were a Christian that you actually had a relationship with God
your question seems leading. i'll put in context how your questions sounds to me though. if i were to walk into your dream while you were dreaming and ask you "would you say you are actually climbing up this extremely high mountain." you would say yeah. when you woke up, you'd realize there was no extremely mountain at all.
so your question, like many who have asked similar questions, seems to try to dismiss the actual experience i had as a christian by asking how i see it now. i cannot say, in my current state of mind, that i "actually" had a relationship with "God". i can't say that because i can't say i believe in your definition or particular brand of god. but in the time of my experience, yes, i would have said i have a relationship with god and it would have been an honest answer.
You still never said what you believe lol
*Ray Comfort enters the chat lol.
gaaaah that dude is annoying
Sounds like you want to be a "free" spirit...
I dont think you understood this video...
you’re in LA now ?
My God and Saviour Jesus Christ has changed and saved so many lives that I cant listen to this guy. He thinks he has authority to speak coz of a following..
I pray God forgive his trespasses
ah shutup lol
@@flightsfeelings relax youngsta
@@daviddaniels3398HeartOfWorship "he thinks he has authority to speak because he feels older than me" i forgive your trespasses, my elder.
@thshores I called u youngsta coz of your immature reaction to my comment..
@daviddaniels3398HeartOfWorship yeah and i told you to shut your mouth because of your initial immature reaction to my video. :) move around
Joseph you disabled all the comments on your recent videos so I can’t post this there, but I wanted to ask because you said that you tried really hard to seek God and you basically had a crisis where you couldn’t understand because people were telling you God shows up by grace not by works or by you trying really hard but at the same time you were told to seek and you will find, Please don’t misunderstand me, I’m not saying that you didn’t truly seek God but I just wanted to mention this because I wanted to ask, Did you ever consider trying fasting? I’ve even heard of people fasting for a completely different religion or spirituality and The God of the Bible ends up showing up and answering them. So that’s why I’m asking did you try fasting?
I left christianity too, it has so much religiosity in it. I do still love Jesus and finding my authentic identity in Him. I would never leave Him! He wasn't a christian, so wasn't God and Holy Spirit. @avamakeup