At what point did you realize that god is not real

[itsApril]

A lot of stories from the Bible bugged me.  There's a definite nastiness to the book.  There's the God egging Abraham on to kill his son, there's the Noah genocide, there's the fact god is good with slavery, stoning, war, women as property, slaughter of first borns, etc, etc. There's hundreds of really nasty bits.

One of the parts I disliked was in Exodus.  God sends Moses and Aaron to demand that Pharaoh free the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  Okay!  That's great!

But then, each time Moses and Aaron talk to Pharaoh, the Bible says that God "hardened Pharaoh's heart" to make sure that he wouldn't agree.  So each time the negotiations fail, and God gets to unleash a new plague against the people of Egypt.

So why would God intervene to PREVENT Pharaoh from doing the right thing?  Just so he could show off by inflicting harm?  Even if I wanted to believe (which I don't!), I could never worship a God like that!

[Paige]

Even if I wanted to believe (which I don't!), I could never worship a God like that!

Exactly.

[AnneK]

One of the parts I disliked was in Exodus.

Add to that the fact, according to history and archaeology, that the exodus never happened.  Another example of fiction in the bible.

[itsApril]

Add to that the fact, according to history and archaeology, that the exodus never happened.  Another example of fiction in the bible.

In 1879, American atheist Robert Ingersoll toured a number of cities delivering a series of public lectures called "Some Mistakes of Moses."  He reviewed the story of Exodus and then walked through it systematically, step by step, and demonstrated how ludicrous, impossible, absurd, and embarrassing it all was.  The lecture was later published in print.  I was lucky enough to find and read a copy recently.  Even after 138 years, it's a classic!

[Deborah]

Jesus said,  "21 May they all be one, just as, Father, you are in me and I am in you, so that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe it was you who sent me. " (John 17:21)

Christianity has been fragmenting since before the Bible was written.  Referencing the words of Jesus himself we can see that Christianity in its entirety is what we would expect from a man made institution and contrary to what we would expect from something headed by an omnipotent and omniscient being.  Christianity = Fail.  The same can be said of its cousins, Judaism and Islam.


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[CallMeKatie]

I don't realise, I just don't believe.
As I do not know for certain as there simply isn't the evidence, I go by the probablility of it.
It's very low.

[AnneK]

In 1879, American atheist Robert Ingersoll toured a number of cities delivering a series of public lectures called "Some Mistakes of Moses."  He reviewed the story of Exodus and then walked through it systematically, step by step, and demonstrated how ludicrous, impossible, absurd, and embarrassing it all was.  The lecture was later published in print.  I was lucky enough to find and read a copy recently.  Even after 138 years, it's a classic!

It's available online.
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38099

[SashaHyde]

I still believe there is something beyond this incarnation of reality. I can easily believe in a simulation universe or even a multiverse but the concept of God as a old white dude in a throne in the sky is long gone.
Likely we are accountable to someone/something? Even if it's just as the gnostics believe that we exist as an entity beyond this realm.
Think about this. If you put a VR goggles on a child and they grew up with them on, removal of said goggles would mess them up. Perhaps our bodies are just avatars for this existence. Heck even logging into rpg games as an adult could becone fully emmersible if we figured out how to put memory on hold while we play.
Cool stuff.

--Sasha

[Jessica]

I realized it when I gained insight that we are all connected physically by our souls energy.  In turn creating the powerful force some mistaken for god.  WE are god if there is a god. 
Think about the power of prayer, a thought magnified by many can have a dramatic effect.
Think about a newbie that is scared and is surrounded by love from caring members at Susan's and finds the strength to persevere.  We know it works and this is why I think it does.

Hugs, Jessica