Niki’s Top Ten

I have created a Top Ten list of ridiculous things that have been said to me in regarding my faith change.

Number 10.
“They must not have had a good following!”
The pastor said this to me as I educated him on the Ebionites who viewed Paul as a heretic. They were of the earliest followers of Jesus and did not believe in his deity. The pastor used their small numbers to say they must have been wrong in their theology. However, numbers do not always indicate truth, as he has mentioned on one occasion.

Number 9.
“You were never a true believer.”
No explanation for this is needed. I know you’ve all heard this one.

Number 8.
“If you find a contradiction in the Bible, you have to find a way to make it work.”
Our associate pastor thought my issues were with doctrine and theology. He insisted that there was a way to reconcile “God is sovereign.” with “Man is responsible.” Instead, I found actual, factual contradictions.

Number 7.
“Why didn’t you come to us? WE are your spiritual leaders?”
I had already gone to them with my first set of problems and was insulted with number 6 and number 2. Why would I go to them again?

Number 6.
“You are not a biblical scholar.”
Silly me. I’m just a lay person. What do I know?

Number 5.
“This explains your history with anxiety and why you’ve had all those panic attacks.”
I wonder what he thinks about all the other people in  his church with depression and anxiety?

Number 4.
“Who ARE you?”
I am a human being. Who are you?

Number 3.
“Don’t worry about the Old Testament. Just focus on the Gospels and the claims of Jesus.”
Don’t worry about the foundation the house is built on. Just fix the roof.

Number 2.
“You are reading to much into it.”
Umm…seriously? This same person encouraged meditating on scripture as well as inductive Bible study.

AND THE NUMBER ONE RIDICULOUS THING THAT WAS SAID TO ME IN REGARDS TO MY FAITH CHANGE WAS…..

“IF WE KNEW YOU WERE NOT A BELIEVER, WE WOULD HAVE ADDRESSED YOUR QUESTIONS DIFFERENTLY.”