How Christianity hijacks your personality

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Ending music by Kazuya / Eyal Raz, "Friends"

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[FatherDragon]

I have so much trouble explaining this to ppl. As a former youth leader/worship leader for over 15 yrs it was difficult identifying my true self. Im 39 and still struggling to figure out who i am today. God and worship music was my whole life. Now as an atheist i can say this freedom i feel now feels more genuine and true than anything i ever felt in church.

[Siygrah]

It was in my journey to figure out who I really am that I realised that Christianity was suppressing my identity. My love for fantasy books and games was regarded as shameful, my open-mindedness about other perspectives was me opening myself up to demonic forces...
When I shucked Christianity, I felt so free and just peaceful because I could be me.

[Rain-Dirt]

This has been a good episode. Looking forward to and curious about the one you'll do about "narcissism".

We can be 100% sure that religions and cults are made by humans, but clearly not for humans, but for "controlling" humans/reality.

What's also remarkable is that people who are controlling (or fearful) by default, always know the best what "god" wants and want to see you OBEY them. Obey obey obey. To hell what you or anyone else wants or thinks.

When looking back at myself as a christian I would always describe it as a prison, with an iron ball attached to my leg with a chain. I thought the burden of the world was inside the iron ball and was happily carrying it through the world which I thought was the prisoncell. The light coming from between the bars in the door was my hope for salvation.
Only when I found out the door was not locked and making me go through, discovering the iron ball held the key for the chain, allowing me to "break it open" and leaving the iron ball and chains behind... I found out that the "light" was not "god", it was freedom from religion. It is somewhat like Plato's allegory of the cave.
Scariest decision I ever made, but also the best! Words can not describe the sense of liberation after decades of imprisonment, internal conflicts, supression and guiltshaming. The facade has fallen, the veil moved away. What has been seen can not be unseen. How would anyone even be able to go back to that?

[laredolassoo]

It's crazy you mentioned denying oneself a musical path. I spent a couple years in high school deeply depressed that my desire to be in a band as a life path was not the proper use of my talents because it didn't maximize my evangelizing opportunities.

[stephieboston]

You should have more likes than you do for this video. It hits home on a level that I haven't even been able to articulate, and I'm sure there are plenty of other evangelicals and fundamentalists out there who can resonate with this. It said so plainly and such a calm and loving voice that it can't possibly sound evil and that's why people are so scared to acknowledge it. Good job!🎉🎉🎉

[ckvarnmass]

My ex narc would not allow me to dance in the living room, with my kids. Once divorced, his favorite thing to do was go to dances. Yet, his religion said dancing was a sin.

[Eisblume]

Thank you so much for this video. I left charismatic Christianity, and this video has deepened my understanding about the psychological effects of this harmful cult. It is sad to see what I let these teachings do to me... Realizing it helps me heal from the religious abuse. Please do more videos like this.

[KerstinJ_]

This has been so important for me; perhaps even more important than any other live or interview you’ve ever done. I can’t thank you enough for doing the work you’re doing!! It’s changing my life. Thank you!!!

[heatherclark]

For many years I very much wanted to trust God that he would heal me of several muscular skeletal conditions

But I was afraid that he would heal me

I was afraid that I would somehow have to thank him by doing what I thought that I, as a woman, should do.

I thought that I had to show my gratitude to God by getting married and having lots of children

I really didn't want to do that

When I think back to that, it seems so ridiculous but, at the time, it was perfectly in line with the culture of the denomination and church I belonged to

[alternativevoice]

It's true that it does these things you mention (a subtle process of change). It evokes supreme power that cannot be questioned/criticised/debated with. It is an iron fist in a velvet glove.

[DebbieCarter-pwrf]

Growing in a high control denomination cause me to suppress myself to just follow the rules. I was the good girl even though my true identity was trying to fight against the programming. I feel like I was constantly living a double life. What I did was going against what I truly believed. By 30, I was finally living my life as I wanted.

[christopherhamilton]

Finally: the stark truth about the psychological impact of religiosity… Kudos & best regards, Tim!

[Lenergyiskey]

Thank you Tim. This was a really great talk with insight into how people's minds are affected through these practices.

[MrMister]

Thanks Tim for speaking about this. I left christianity 5yrs ago, Immediately I started feeling the old very jovial pre-christian self coming back. Christianity really had done a number on me negatively. But I'm glad I came out.

[sugasweet]

As a s.a trauma therapist I second this completely. It’s so saddening to talk to a client who blames demons and unclean spirits for the misfortunes in their life including their s.a. instead of holding self and others accountable. These teachings not only hijack authentic personalities but converts them to codependent, externalizing, spiritual bypassing trauma personalities.😢

[aaronparker]

Tim you are a true treasure to a lot of people including myself. A great communicater and very thoughtful and profound. I look up to you and enjoy your content

[karnobot]

Hey Tim, good video. I think it's more like Religion convinced us that we are BROKEN UGLY pot and commanded to be unbroken and good when we actually generally born intact and a beautiful pot.

[ginnabaker]

I’m not sure who I would have been if I grew up outside Christianity. I grew up being rewarded for “sitting down and shutting up
” 😅 and specifically as a girl-child “a gentle and quiet spirit” from Proverbs 31.

I re-discovered my curiosity well into adulthood.

[magicnova]

Tell it Tim 💥🧨💥 you hit it all on the head at the jump start 💪 I'm just up to minute 7 and WOW🔥 EVERYTHING you speak is actually the way I see. 🥰

[iw]

Yeah, we were taught to fawn and pretend to be okay. All the mental gymnastics 😢😮. Glad im out 😅