I mentioned in a previous post that I was curious to read of other Liberty University graduates (alumni) who had left the faith — Liberty University atheists or agnostics. I listened to a recent Seth Andrews podcast on The Thinking Atheist called Religious Schools, Religious Rules where Seth read letters and also invited callers to share their experiences in various religious school settings.
He read a letter from a former Liberty University graduate, who like me, left the faith and who still remembers the craziness of life on campus at Liberty Baptist College / University. The writer said that he was thinking of forming something called Liberty University Alumni Atheists, and I think it’s a marvelous idea. I welcome any other graduates or former students to get in touch.
Feel free to email me at logan_lifeafter40@yahoo.com or use the Comment/Reply function below. We’re also trying to start a Facebook group for Liberty University agnostics and atheists.
” I welcome any other graduates or former students to get in touch.”…..maybe I am an idiot….but I don’t see a way to get in touch 🙂 Former Liberty Employee and student….Now I am enlightened….anyone else out there?
Thanks Daniel. I’ve updated the post to include an email address to reach me (logan_lifeafter40@yahoo.com). And wow, a former employee there too!? That must have been an adventure. 🙂
Hi there,
I see it’s a few months old, but I just found this post and I too am a LU alumni who has become an atheist. I majored in biblical studies, graduated in 2012, and the study toward earning my degree had a great influence on the loss of my faith. It’s helpful to see others that have had similar experiences.
Thanks for stopping by JC! It is encouraging to know we’re definitely not alone in where we ended up.
You want to hear from them who left the faith…………….
Maybe I can properly translate: You want to hear from people who found a greater affection; you want to hear from they who no longer live in ‘darkness,’ since the light of the new dawn of atheism has entered the mind and illuminated the path. Please.
Hmm. It’s kind of hard though to justify leaving faith, hope, and charity. It’s kind of hard to ignore He who established the institution of marriage, and it is supremely difficult to see why a person would fellowship with monkeys………..
At the end of the day, all men will wear out their tongues while hurling insults at the Creator, and God’s word will have lost nothing or no one, and while man draws fewer and fewer breaths, God’s grace is still the greatest trumpet call on earth. Ya just gotta change the channel from the static………….to hear it.
Hech, just look up for God’s sake, and get lost in your own insignificance.
When someone takes the time to write, even in disagreement, I appreciate it. Allow me to summarize what I read, if I may?
You have made an appeal to faith and hope (with I assume, the intent of referring to a future hope of eternal life), and then I read an odd reference to the institution of marriage (which I have to say — the Bible does a horrible job of defining), followed by a strange monkey reference, and finally I read a veiled threat of God’s judgement. This was capped off with a subtle insult that infers any idiot who looks up in the sky should come to the proper conclusion. Have I summarized adequately?
I will respond to a few points that you made. You mentioned faith and hope. Faith is believing something without evidence. I no longer wish to live my life doing that. There are far too many contradictory teachings among the world’s religions (and even within Christianity itself) — all of which strongly points to human authors with ulterior motives. I find it far more sensible to embrace reason and evidence. And while “hope” is a wonderful word and we can all agree that an eternal heavenly abode sounds just grand, we have no real evidence for it. It’s just wish fulfillment thinking. Instead, we have overwhelming evidence for a universe that is incredibly old, and we have overwhelming evidence for evolution showing that all life on this planet is connected and that it branches out like a tree.
Marriage is a man-made institution. The Bible’s version of marriage is convoluted, which begins with the sons of Adam & Eve committing incest with Eve and/or with their sisters, and it morphs from there to include *commanded* marriage of widows to brothers and commanded marriage of victims of rape to their rapist (after a few shekels are paid up to the father). And of course, we have lots of plural marriage and concubines — none of which is expressly prohibited in the Old Testament.
ColorStorm, I certainly don’t know you nor could I say that I understand your life’s journey or what you’ve been through. Likewise, you don’t know me. However, like many of the atheists that I have come to know, I spent the majority of my life in sincere dedication to Christianity. And perhaps you feel like pastor Samuel Kee does, when he indicated that we former believers are liars? (https://lifeafter40.net//2015/08/09/samuel-kee-hope-stands-former-believers-are-liars/).
Oh Clay, lucky you! You have been touched by ColorStorm. He’s a regular on many atheist blogs and his comments are always, shall I say, “colorful.” I admire you for making the effort to derive some sort of sense from his response to your posting.
I also apologize because there’s a very good chance that he migrated here from my blog. Hopefully, you won’t have to deal with him extensively.
Ah,yes my good friend ColorStorm, one given to lyrical prose, which I must admit I struggle to understand.
I do happen to have a picture of ColorStorm’s reaction to atheists arguing the contrary position on his blog:
http://www.la-voie-du-couple.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Libert%C3%A9-%C3%A9motionnelle-lion-300×225.jpg
Funny pic, lol. And I see what you mean. His responses are semi-lyrical, laced with insult but little substance.
Uh clay.
Marriage convoluted as described in the scriptures? Hardly. If you are wrong about something so simple, as equally is your friend’s nan’s opinion as to Where I saw your post……
Anyway,policemen who abuse their power hardly annul the role and need for policemen. Because mankind has laid waste to something so divine as marriage, takes nothing away from God’s original design. Marriage, as in the two shall be one. Pure genius, and I may add, impossible for men to dream of such an institution; this is why you fault it. It is God’s idea, not ours.He is not a bad cop……..
And by the way, your excuse that ‘faith’ does not have evidence is a fraudulent claim.
You will have engaged the principle of the proof of faith before you get out of bed. The question is merely, who and what ultimately gains your affection. Apparently, it is not scripture nor the living God. Your choice.
Clay, I’m an agnostic LU alumnus. Does that count?!? Lol. I just sent you an email as well.
1992 Graduate of Liberty with degrees in Religion, Psychology and Counseling. Also a former student of Dallas Theological Seminary. Left the faith as a process from 1995-1998. Good to find out there are others.
Thanks for writing in Bryan. I bet you have an interesting story to share too!
Hi all, if you’re on Facebook, please consider joining the private group now created for former alumni who no longer believe the fairy tales. https://www.facebook.com/groups/141982889867626/
I too have de-converted.
It’s been a long and lonely journey. I would love to connect with those of you who have been through or are on this journey with me.
Liberty alum 2002 with a Biblical Studies degree. Former pastor too. I lived the life.
Hi Bruce, thank you for posting! And glad to e-meet you. As a former pastor, you have probably joined and/or heard of the Clergy Project?
I can’t join since I was never a pastor, but I’ve always heard great things about that community of former clergy.
I’d be curious to hear if there was any particular tipping point for you in your deconversion?