Is it normal for an atheist to go to church and pretend to be a christian?

61% Normal
31 Comments

Is this normal? I have always gone to church and still do. But a few years ago I thought it through and there is no way I can believe that we inherited Adam and Eve's apple-eating "sin" and therefore needed for a savior to die on a cross so we wouldn't have to burn forever when we die. I could believe Goldilocks and the Three Bears easier. But I go to church every Sunday and never tell anybody I don't believe any of it at all. Mainly I like singing in the choir and chumming with the people. I take communion and bow my head in prayer, say the Lord's prayer and the creed. I give money to the church and help out any way I can. But I don't believe one bit of it.

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61% Normal
Based on 28 votes (17 yes)
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Comments ( 31 )
  • Diego35LovesHilda29
    6 years ago

    I am in the same boat as you and agree with your new assessment of the fairy tale that we have been taught all our lives. The reason I still associate with my Christian brothers and sisters is about belonging to a community that does not exclude them. Cheers

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  • Pseodonihm
    6 years ago

    In many small towns the church is the only social gathering left. Well if you exclude bars. And there is nothing wrong with attending. As many stated above they reinforce good moral behavior, provide a support system (which is sorely lacking in our society today.), a strong sense of community, and who doesn't like the singing. So go ahead, just try not to lead people from there beliefs. Then you will see the negative side to all that. Even the appearance of this could cause you trouble.

    When I was 16 my stepmother went through my things (I didn't have a room because her two girls needed their own rooms). Then she found some song lyrics in a note book (from Tool). She then called everyone in her church and told them I was a Satanist and was going to kill everyone. Which at the time was not true. After my father through me out and I became homeless it became true. But my point is no one in that town who help me. I was called several names which I will not repeat. I even had things thrown at me. All because one person turned the church on me.

    So tread carfully.

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  • RoseIsabella
    6 years ago

    I'm a Christian, but I have never been able to bring myself to believe in all that Adam and Eve stuff.

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    • AnlytcPhil
      6 years ago

      Then what was the purpose of Jesus dying? Why was that necessary?

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  • Jack_Frost
    6 years ago

    Original Sin was not an early Christian belief. Eastern Orthodoxy teaches that we inherit death, not sin.

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    • AnlytcPhil
      6 years ago

      Adam and Eve ate apples, so we inherited death? LOL

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      • Jack_Frost
        6 years ago

        They did not eat apples. Apple is a mistranslation. Btw, you shouldn't take the story literally. They inherited death for breaking a rule, not because what they ate

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  • CreamPuffs
    6 years ago

    That sounds awfully weird to me, going to church when you don't believe. But it's cool with me. Just don't start taking it all too seriously.

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    • AnlytcPhil
      6 years ago

      No way I could go back to believing that stuff. But the people are nice. I've met some good friends there. It doesn't bother me that they claim to believe all that junk and I can't.

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      • CreamPuffs
        6 years ago

        Good on you then. If the people there make you happy, I say keep going.

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        • Pseodonihm
          6 years ago

          I agree.

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  • Murun
    6 years ago

    I'm in the same situation... I daren't own up, as I rely on my clergy salary, the vicarage is home to my family, and I'm not qualified to do anything else but preach.
    At least I know there's no god judging me for it!
    :o)

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    • Pseodonihm
      6 years ago

      I don't think that is except able. It's the same as fraud. That money is mean't to provide for the true believers and the poor. It's fine for you not to believe. but to take money mean't for someone else. You might as well be a politician.

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      • AnlytcPhil
        6 years ago

        Who am I hurting? Of course the money I give is for the "true believers" and the poor. Do you think the "true believers" and the poor would be better off without me giving money to them? Indeed Christians don't make a lot of sense, and I think you must be one of those. 'Course if they made a lot of sense they wouldn't be Christians.

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        • Pseodonihm
          6 years ago

          I was speaking to Murun.

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          • AnlytcPhil
            6 years ago

            Sorry Pseudo. I thought you were talking to me. But anyway, Pseudo, Murun is a trained minister. He knows the bible. I assume he's a rector (vicar) in the Episcopal Church. I'm sure he satisfies his parishioners. That's all you need to do -- satisfy the people who are paying you. Nothing wrong with that. He doesn't need to believe what he tells them. He tells them what they want to hear. He's doing just fine, supporting his family.

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    • BlackCatsAreAwesome
      6 years ago

      Haha I've always wondered whether clergymen actually believe what they preach or whether they were in the "know" like cult leaders.

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  • imadick
    6 years ago

    good.

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  • VetusRebellioIudaicum
    6 years ago

    Of course, it's been happening for centuries. To be an open Atheist was usually certain to get you killed. Some popes have secretly been Atheists. Just imagine, the Pontifex Maximus, a Satan fucking heretic behind closed doors.

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  • ChrissySnow
    6 years ago

    I'm suspect my husband is your same way. At church he is like all the other men but at home he brings up science stuff and calls church our effective... coping something for dealing with our death

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  • BartekIsGod2
    6 years ago

    For a fit lass, anything's normal lad!

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  • jtbmetal123
    6 years ago

    I think you should believe in what you want, but supporting another religion you dont believe in. It happens.

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    • AnlytcPhil
      6 years ago

      I support many of the activities of my church, just not the religious beliefs.

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  • _Mehhhh_
    6 years ago

    Depends on your surroundings. If you're in a very religious community and you could be ostracised or attacked for not going, then yeah I get it

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  • AnlytcPhil
    6 years ago

    I can't complain about Christians, because I was one for years myself. It's not their fault. I know from personal experience exactly how their emotional systems have been programmed by society to keep their reasoning powers off of the silliness that Jesus had to die because Eve ate an apple. Been there believed that.

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  • justbecause11
    6 years ago

    Millions of people do it ever Sunday. So many people have their entire wrapped up a church or a religion of some sort that if they give it they will lose everything. Pastors, preachers, clergymen, what ever you want to call them, don't believe in god but they can't stop because their entire financial life is tied up with this erroneous belief of an all powerful thing in the sky that will strike you down if you don't worship him. Yea, there are plenty.

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  • wigz
    6 years ago

    It's normal and sometimes necessary.

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  • AnlytcPhil
    6 years ago

    A church is a good (and inexpensive) social club. And churches do teach good moral behavior, and they do help the needy, which I'm all in favor of. I'm a Methodist, and they're pretty liberal. They don't bash gays, and you don't hear hellfire and brimstone and "R U saved?" constantly like the Baptists. I also enjoy chuch music.

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    • Pseodonihm
      6 years ago

      Have you ever been to a southern Baptist revival. Best reality TV show ever.

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      • AnlytcPhil
        6 years ago

        Yes I have. Once Billy Graham held a conclave in the football stadium in a nearby city and I went. I was a believer back then. They played and sang "Just As I Am" real emotional-like as Billy said "Won't you come and give your heart to Jesus?". And hundreds of people would come down and "give their hearts to Jesus". It brought him a lot of cash, I'm sure.

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  • Eagwol
    6 years ago

    What church doesn't have pretenders? This isn't new. You either got Irate, pansies, or fakes. Church is more of just a cult meeting place, when maybe only a few believe in the cause true heartedly. Besides, nothing wrong with knowing stuff to throw in peoples faces who have a problem with you not believing the same. Ugh, pushing religion is wrong.

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