Former Pentecostal Testimony

Testimony of deconversion from Pentecostal religion and mental wreck 'Anonymous' was put through.

Former Pentecostal Testimony
by Anonymous: FormerX

Well, here we go, I was converted to pentecostalism (holy roller West Virginia style) at the age of 16. In less than eight months I was a mental wreck. The constant preaching of sinning against the holy ghost had me convinced I had done so. I had to spend a year at Teen Challenge (not for crime) to be reprogrammed into the Assemblies of God doctrine. Of course, they did convince me that I did not sin. That was back in 1976. I then spent 12 years with the AG. As far as I knew I was on the right course.

On the other hand, after 12 long years I began to question doctrine. I also questioned the new translations that were making a strong presence within the church. I began to experience shunning from other church members. I was critical of Pat Robertson's Kingdom Laws (excuse me but there is no Heavenly Kingdom on Earth) and his presentation on what scripture had to say. Of course the other church members were eating Pat's ideology like pigs eating slop. I questioned the manuscripts from which the new translations were based on and the monies generated by those sales. Well, the more I got shunned the more upset I got and I was often told that God was very displeased with me for rocking the boat and would be doing something about it. I finally left, to their rejoicing, and left my conversion too.

Nope, that's not all. After a few years I got hooked up, through strange circumstances that I won't mention, with what is called the "Grace Movement." They believe the KJV to be the "only" word of God and that Paul taught a different gospel than what Christ and the 12 preached and I was introduced to Dispensationalism (added note: They also believed that the Jews were to rule the Earth under Christ and not the Christian believers. Christians were to abide in heaven only after the rapture and stay there until the New Earth was recreated). Finally, I thought at the time, I found the real deal. I spent several years going on and off to church. On and off because they lacked the emotionalism I was so used to. On and off because it was nearly impossible to live by faith alone. When I finally left I began to discover contradictions in scripture. A few things I noticed that God did not care too awful much about gentiles in the Old Testament. Women and Children were often slaughtered and abortions of infants being ripped from the womb was common. Reminds me of the Morrigan of Celtic myths. Human sacrifice was forbidden but we have Christ being one. I could go on but I hope you see where I am coming from. Will I quote scripture? No, find it out for yourself. I also found that the marriage supper of the lamb to be very similar to the great feast of the gods at world's end which is found in the Poetic Vedda.

I no longer believe in the Bible God or Christ. I don't think there is any historical evidence outside of scripture. Do I believe in God? Can't say but I often wonder if there are many gods which are told in myth. God was one of those myths don't you think? I do know one thing is that Christianity was designed to control the masses. Goddess forbid if the masses were to think for themselves. If that happen then the few would no longer rule over the many spiritually or politically.

Cheers,

FormerX