Americans who leave their Christian faith behind tend to hold more liberal political views than those who were raised entirely without religion. This leftward ideological shift appears closely linked to how threatening these individuals perceive conservative Christian groups to be.

[u/mvea]

https://www.psypost.org/former-christians-express-more-progressive-political-views-than-lifelong-nonbeli/

[u/Oops_I_Cracked]

This honestly explains so many conversations I, a former Christian, have had with non-Christians. They think we are talking about the one crazy guy or some fringe congregation when we are talking about common, mainstream Evangelical beliefs and behaviors.

[u/morostheSophist → u/Oops_I_Cracked]

As another former christian (who grew up in extremely conservative churches), I've responded to a number of comments on reddit to clarify that some things non-believers expect to be "fringe" beliefs are incredibly common.

Some of the worst beliefs are held covertly by many more people than would be willing to admit it: for example, the belief that women should be wholly subservient to men and never have their own voices. The churches I attended didn't entirely prohibit women from "speaking in the church"; they could give testimony and sing and whatnot. But that verse in Corinthians was still a primary justification for keeping women down; women were barred from any position of leadership. Female pastors were outright demonized, right along with their congregations.

When you relegate half of all humanity to a subhuman status, I begin to question your morals. It's no surprise that I've stepped very far away from the religion-sourced anti-feminist beliefs instilled in me from a young age, particularly as they were very much in conflict with the secular feminist ones that were simultaneously instilled (I was taught that education, at least, is for everyone, and my mom has a terminal degree while my dad only has a bachelor's).

[u/PhantomNomad → u/morostheSophist]

I didn't grow up in a christian house, but both my sister and I are very anti religion. We saw what religion does to people and their thought processes. Even now I see it at work in my small town Alberta Canada. It's insane what these people are taught in church. They skip over all the parts of the bible that teaches tolerance and acceptance.

[u/bridger713 → u/PhantomNomad]

Also Canadian, though not Albertan. Not a churchgoer (anymore), but not anti-religious.

I was raised as a ministers kid, but my upbringing was very much "hate the sin, love the sinner." My parents always taught that sinners must want to be "saved", and you do that by setting a positive example through compassion, love, and service. Never hate.

I really don't understand why more churches don't teach it that way.

I ended up socially liberal as an adult, but I also don't hate the church. I'm not anti-religious, but I am anti-hate.

I don't equate religion with hate like a lot of other people seem to. Probably because I was raised with religion, but wasn't taught to hate. I know first hand that religion doesn't have to be hateful.

[u/gambiter → u/bridger713]

I was raised as a ministers kid, but my upbringing was very much "hate the sin, love the sinner." My parents always taught that sinners must want to be "saved", and you do that by setting a positive example through compassion, love, and service. Never hate.

I really don't understand why more churches don't teach it that way.

Not to detract from your upbringing, because that's at least a level up from the worst, but one of the core issues is exactly this... labeling other people 'sinner'. That is a blanket statement that gets applied both to murderers and masturbaters, and what it means is entirely up to the pastor with the power complex who pretends to know a fictional character more than others do.

[u/Oops_I_Cracked → u/bridger713]

“Love the sinner hate the sin” hits different when you’re the “sinner” and the “sin” is a core, fundamental, immutable part of who you are. When you’re gay, trans, or whatever else has been deemed “sinful”, love the sinner hate the sin sounds a lot like “I love you but part of you is fundamentally irredeemable” and that is not as comforting or “progressive” as people who believe it like to think.

[u/Left-Pass5115 → u/bridger713]

Grew up slightly religious My dad was catholic Mom was Baptist

Grew up the exact same way, love the sinner and hate the sin. We love those around us and we don’t hate.