Christianity

Ten Clues That You’re Following The Wrong God

In ancient times, people followed lots of different gods. Nowadays, most people just follow the one… which makes it really important which one you choose. After all, your eternal destiny hangs in the balance. But there are still lots of gods to choose from, so how do you know that you’re following the right one?

God is great... because there are so many to choose from!

God is great… there are so many to choose from!

Adults generally don’t like it when you point out to them that their god isn’t real; it’s like saying they still believe in fairies. Which may be true but tends to cause a lot of defensiveness, hostility and resentment; especially when they’ve built their whole life around following their chosen god. I think it’s better to plant the seed of curious inquiry, and let them discover the painful truth for themselves.

So here are ten clues that you’re following the wrong god: (more…)

By Graham Stoney, ago

Cults are Fun, Easy and Popular

I’m fascinated by the phenomenon of cults, and our inherent vulnerability to the influence of charismatic leaders. The topic also touches on another personal interest, the human desire and ability we have to embrace supernatural and unsubstantiated beliefs.

My personal definition of the term cult is:

A derogatory term for any religious or philosophically-based minority group whose core beliefs and values you don’t personally agree with.

Yes, I know it’s a little different from the wiktionary definition, but I want to emphasise that cultness is in the eye of the beholder. It’s a derogatory term, rarely used by the members of the cult in question, although they may use it freely referring to other cults; just not their own. When you’re in a cult, you don’t see that it’s a cult. So when someone else uses the word cult, what they really mean is that they don’t like the … Continue reading…

By Graham Stoney, ago

How (and Why) I Went From Christian to Atheist

One of the greatest challenges of my life has been the journey of discovery that led me to abandon the religion of my upbringing, and the core beliefs about myself and the world around me that went along with it. Although tremendously challenging, the journey has also been one of the most rewarding; which isn’t surprising since it’s when we step outside our comfort zone and encounter challenges that we truly grow.

I was raised in a conservative church-going family in middle-class Australia. Every weekend my parents would take our family along to our mildly-progressive local Christian church. I went to Sunday School every weekend where I learned stories from the bible, learned to close my eyes when I prayed, heard about Jesus, sang cutesy Christian songs, and generally ran amok as often as I could. I was an energetic little boy, and the thought of sitting still in Sunday … Continue reading…

By Graham Stoney, ago