The World’s Largest Coalition of Nontheists and Nontheist Communities!

Deprogramming Resources?

Hi everyone,

I am new to atheism. Due to the hyper-malleability of my family, I've been indoctrinated with everything from Christianity to Hinduism to Wiccan & Paganism to psychics and healers. The atheist argument of "Tell me why the other religions are false and I'll tell you why your religion is false" doesn't hold for me, because I've believed all the gods and goddesses are real. I guess it's some inclusive New Age thing that they are all part of the same god or something like that. So although I find the site Christianity Is An Ancient Pagan Religion amusing, it doesn't help me stop believing in pagan religions.

I've found some good resources to help me not believe in Christianity, but I'm having a hard time to not believe that there are any kinds of spirits out there. The occult stuff is the scariest aspect for me.

I have a therapist who specializes in trauma (I have PTSD) but does not specialize in my specific phobia of spirits and the paranormal nor any deprogramming.

I'd love to do some sort of phone counselling.

I consider myself an atheist, but I'm not yet fully able to control my out-of-control beliefs.

I've been trying to strengthen my rational mind and making my own decisions, but I still get triggered quite frequently with this phobia.

Tags: deprogramming, occult, paranormal, phobia, recovery, spirits, trauma

0 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Richard Goscicki on December 21, 2010 at 4:39pm

New Atheist,

The thing to understand is that modern science offers a splendid explanation of how we got here and how the universe began. There is no longer need for absurd myths.

I think reading Hitchens God Is Not Great might help you get a better grasp on humanity's existential condition. To think that nature evolved without divine guidance adds to one's appreciation. Art, music, sex, history, family, “the good life” all make life worth while, even if it's ephemeral.

All that heaven and hell stuff is utter nonsense. Don't let it bother you a bit. It's an ingenious carrot and stick technique that power-hungry people have devised to move to the upper echelons of the hierarchy. We evolved from primates (tree dwellers) and it's a lot healthier on the top branches. Think for a second, does it sound right that God made Eve from Adam's rib? Does a red flag go up when you read that the Jews, who wrote the Bible, just happen to be the “chosen people” of The Creator?

I'd be glad to answer any misgivings you might have. I've studied it my whole life and I truly think organized religion is worst thing that even happened to humanity and it better come to a quick end this generation or we run the risk of destroying ourselves.

Permalink Reply by New Atheist on January 5, 2011 at 3:18pm

Thanks Richard! Yeah, I'm doing a pretty good job letting go of the Abrahamic religion because the more books I read, the more I realize it's pretty ridiculous.

If you have any resources for debunking the New Age/ pseudo-science paranormalism that would be great!

Permalink Reply by L.Hunter on December 31, 2010 at 1:59pm

I don't know ic I can nelp.I recommend reading "Fifty Reasons People Give for Believing in God" by Guy Harrison. That books dispels all myths, not just chfistianity. Its tough to let go of all the nonsense, no matter what the nonsense was. Gooc luck in hour search. Thd biggest thing to me was letting go of religion. While I don't hink that any gods or spirits exist its te dogma that does the most mental damage.

Permalink Reply by New Atheist on January 5, 2011 at 3:15pm

Thank you L.Hunter, I will check out that book!

Permalink Reply by Jen E. on January 4, 2011 at 9:22pm