ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Why do people walk away from God? In this episode of the Ask A Christian Podcast, Nate sits down with a caller who spent 29 years in the Southern Baptist faith before leaving Christianity entirely. His story isn't abstract theology—it's personal. He begged God for years, pleaded until his knees hurt, and says he got nothing back. Then, when he tried to return to church, he was told he was an abomination. That's the kind of church hurt that Pew Research keeps finding in the data: former Christians consistently cite negative experiences with religious communities and dissatisfaction with how churches treat people as major reasons for leaving.
But this isn't a one-sided conversation. Nate pushes back honestly: on free will and suffering, on why he still believes, and on the difference between rejecting God and rejecting people who claim to represent Him. The caller also shares his experience with the Leviticus 18:22 debate, his pivot to paganism, and the moment he says witchcraft gave him answers Christianity never did. It's raw, respectful, and occasionally funny in the way only a live call-in show can be—because sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying.
If you've ever wondered why someone who grew up in church would walk away, or if you're the one who walked away and nobody ever really listened, this one's for you.
For more content, visit: https://www.askachristianpodcast.com
00:00 - Intro & West Hollywood Polyamory Ordinance
06:40 - Evolution Documentary & Creation Claims
09:50 - Caller: Born Into a Religion = Most Likely True?
14:00 - Ex-Christian's Journey: Reading the Quran & Other Faiths
17:00 - Why the Caller Left Christianity: Bible Morality & Slavery
28:00 - Leviticus 18:22: "Bastardized" Translation Debate
32:50 - Caller's Church Hurt & Childhood Trauma
35:40 - Nate Responds: Free Will, Suffering & Evil
40:00 - Can an All-Knowing God Allow Child Suffering?
44:50 - Coming Out, Church Rejection & Turning to Paganism
48:30 - "I Prayed Until My Knees Hurt & Got Nothing"
54:00 - Is Christianity Older Than Paganism? Historical Claims
59:00 - Nate's Final Plea: Reconsider, Read the Bible Again
1:13:20 - Caller's Final Thought: Six Read-Throughs & Contradictions
1:20:10 - Lou's Closing: Church Hurt vs. the Source
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