Someone asked this question on a site I frequent and post articles to:
"If the bible is true, and it is, faith in Jesus Christ promises an abundant life now and for eternity. Jesus came to give us something not take something away. So what do you have to lose?"
As you might imagine, being a former Christian, this struck me as incredibly inflammatory at first. I reminded myself this was likely someone ignorant of how much the question was designed to look down on others. (When you were once a believer, and have since changed religions, you know this is incredibly common.) Perhaps I shouldn't say "designed" to look down on. As I said, it's quite common for believers to be ignorant of the way others take their wording. My family, some friends, and the society in which I've spent the majority of my life make that plain. For any of us, it's easy to get caught up in our own views and forget how others see them.
At any rate, I gave myself some time to think about the question, and ask what their intent was. Then, knowing my answer was too complex for the simple answer format, I answered with an article.
The article itself goes into detail about my thoughts on the subject and at the end I directly answered the question with a list. Here's the list:
The List: So What Do I Have to Lose?
Respect for others
Curiosity
Honesty
Courage
Integrity
Contentment
Moral Fiber
Free Will
An Open Mind
Self Respect
Self Worth
Happiness
These are all things I didn't have when I was Christian. Leaving that world behind helped me find them.
I figure sharing the list gives a good idea of my perspective for many who are where I am. It may make no sense to one who believes though. To see the whole article and a lot of my why, follow the link:
https://hubpages.com/religion-philosophy/What-I-Have-to-Lose-by-Believing-in-Jesus
As always, I'd love to hear any thoughts you have on the subject. I feel through sharing our thoughts openly and honestly, we all grow, and we grow as a culture. The hardest part is, of course, respecting each other when our beliefs don't coincide. So here's a chance to practice ;)
Thanks for your time!