Hi! My name is Nan Yielding. Thanks for stopping by.
First of all, I want to make it clear that I am not an atheist nor an agnostic. However, I do not believe in the Judeo-Christian God. If that’s confusing, the last chapter of my book explains it all.
This is a book I felt I had to write. After leaving Christianity, I discovered there are so many beliefs and teachings that have absolutely no basis in fact. Yet they are accepted as “truth” simply because this is what is (and has been for hundreds and hundreds of years) taught in Sunday School and church.
In the beginning of my book is the following quote:
“If you’re going to put all your faith into something, you need to thoroughly examine it to make sure your faith is justified.”
I feel it is so important to know what you believe and why.
Of course, when I was a Christian the Bible was my source of truth. It was the “final word” and beyond it there was no discussion. In fact, anything that was not based on “Biblical truth” was most certainly from Satan!
However, once I got the courage to look beyond the “Holy Book,” I discovered there is a whole world of available information (historical facts) about the Christian faith. What I learned was so fascinating that I felt compelled to share.
I don’t expect everyone to agree with the contents of this book … and that’s OK. I simply ask that readers carefully examine what they believe to be sure it’s based on more than tradition.
On a more personal note: I’m retired, both from the corporate world and from website copywriting, a business I operated for 10 years. I haven’t stopped working, however. I keep busy with my writing, a couple of other websites, and an active blog.
I live in Oregon with my ‘special guy’ and a couple of dogs named Lilly and BeeBee.
Things I Never Learned in Sunday School 
Sorry to hear this story. It looks like you have thrown out the baby with the bathwater. Like Bobby Dylan says, you gotta serve somebody. And you have to believe somebody. It just seems like you have chosen to believe all sorts of other sources who can spin a story and line up some “facts” that sound convincing. But, you have to trust that they are credible. That they are not just spinning yarn. You can have them. I’ve done my homework – and I have my Jesus. Time is getting shorter and shorter to test your theory – but Jesus waits patiently – and lovingly. And Grace is something that only exists in Him and the Gospel.
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I can assure you that I carefully examined the “baby” before I threw out the bathwater. I also did my “homework,” which is why I no longer believe in Christianity.
I have great respect for Jesus, but I do not see him as “divine” nor do I see him as a “savior.” Rather, I see him as a man who lived over 2000 years ago and spoke wisdom to his Jewish followers. As someone wrote on another blog, he was “a spiritual leader who wanted to give rise to humanity and the moral high ground” (read “Seeing Jesus as a Humanist“).
For me, Jesus’ primary mission was to deliver two great commandments to the Jewish people: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength, and You shall love your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:30 and 31, NRSV). It was not, as the Christian church teaches, to save the world through his sacrifice on a cross. This came much later and is primarily the teaching of Paul.
I understand your beliefs since I was once where you are. However, after extensive reading and research (both the Bible and outside sources), I can no longer accept the traditional teachings.
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Nan,
I’ve been meaning to hop over and spend more time perusing your delightful informative blog, so here I am. And what do I immediately find? Challengers on your very unique journey who would rather cast negativety (not nativity! 😉 ) on your discoveries, highly plausible discoveries I might add(!), without examining more closely their own. Sadly, that position smells of arrogance. I’m here & writing this to remind you that you are (obviously) not alone — out of planet of some 7.4+ billion people, only 2.1 billion (only 33%) are Xian; and that number is trending DOWN even with the global population going up. Do not despair good Lady. Besides, “TIME” is most certainly an ally of science, humanity, and incessant critical examination! That same “time” is the enemy of all faiths & religions — primarily because the ‘adherants’ want nothing changed or to evolve. (wink)
Nevertheless, I’m here on the blogosphere with you more than happy to stand next to you as one Freethinking Humanist to another intellectual unafraid to “lift the veils“!
Best wishes and cheers on your continued exciting journey!
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Thank you, kind sir (ma’m?) Appreciate the support. 😀
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Hah! Funny. I assume you’re wondering how to address me? My gender? 😉 (laughing)
Not that it matters one bit, but I am VERY male, with some tendencies to be the furtherest thing from homophobic, trans phobic, bi-phobic (is that a term?), or abnormally phobic — indeed, I am ‘free-range’ hetero male who LOVES & ADORES diversity! ❤
Nice to meet you Nan! 😉
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So many are “incognito” on the web, sometimes it’s difficult to know. 😉 Thanks for the clarification.
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True. My apologies. However, when I began my own WP blog, I was a new 4th – 8th grade General Ed & Special Ed teacher in Texas. Here in ultra-conservative Puritan Texas, internet activity is monitored by most/many employers. Also, because of my previous marriage/divorce (to an Evangy-Fundy spouse) with two children… it greatly behooved me to have a pseudo-name. 🙂
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