Ex Christians get the Terminology Right
In a world where everything is down to subjective opinion where something is not true just because someone says so; the question of what it is that constitutes a Christian is a murky one.
Someone can pretty much reject Catholic doctrine and Christian Theology and still call themselves Catholic as one example.
The funny idea that there are no standards and Christianity is this extra-large tent where one can just improvise as they go along is becoming more common place.
Conversion is the standard and according to the orthodox view; it’s change through an inward and spiritual grace; born of the spirit is the biblical term that describes this experience.
Ex Christians tend to get mightily fed up when they are accused of never having been Christian in the first place but their argument is not with Christians but the scripture that says; they went out from us but they were not of us.
This verse implies some were never believers according to the Christian definition of the word.
Atheists like to prove scripture wrong so this is likely the main reason for their pushback but there’s more.
It might seem strange that those who’ve rejected Christianity love to cling to the label former Christian but it’s only because they deem it as giving them some sort of authority; as in I’m speaking as a former Christian and as an authority so listen to me.
Remember they are also seeking potential de-converts so the idea they never were believers damages their street cred aka de-conversion testimonies.
It’s not just the imperative to go onto the internet and make heathens that drives them; the idea is to discredit Christian testimony and elevate their personal non-experience as the gold standard.
While no-one can evaluate the spiritual experience of another the fact they are now atheists’ proves even if it did happen, it never stuck.
Yes it’s possible to attend Church for years and even get baptized without being a true believer, then there’s the other side; it’s also possible to have been a true believer who chose to opt out.
However, the latter are apostates, a name given a wide berth by many for obvious reasons but one that’s appropriate because these people had both faith and experience; then renounced it.
Atheists should be glad and not offended when they are accused of never having believed rather than being called apostates with its negative connotations.
But there again the end times ‘falling away’ is laid at the door of the Great Apostacy not the Great Non Belief.
Either way those who now go by the name of atheists still would not like it.
