[news] Coming out atheist — former pastor speaks at Humanist of Florida Association conference

source:

http://www.goddiscussion.com/95755/coming-out-atheist-former-pastor-speaks-at-humanist-of-florida-association-conference/

April 23, 2012 By God Discussion Reporter 3 Comments and 8 Reactions

Teresa Macbain led a double life — as the minister of three years at the Lake Jackson United Methodist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, and as an atheist.

According to WCTV, Macbain explained, "I was one of those crazy fundamentalists, right wingers, haters…that's the only word I can use for it."  She resigned on Friday, March 30 and by Monday, April 2, a video on YouTube showed her telling the American Atheists that she no longer believes in God and was a right winger fundamentalist. WCTV said that congregants still have faith that God will hear their prayers and orchestrate a U-turn in Macbain's thinking.

During her talk at the American Atheists conference, Macbain admitted that she had been a member of The Clergy Project, an outreach for pastors who no longer believe in God (hear our God Discussion show guest, Jerry DeWitt of The Clergy Project, here). For many pastors who no longer believe in God, they are faced with economic problems and an inability to find work if they "come out." They are also shunned by friends and family. The Clergy Project helps those pastors. She apologized to the members of her audience for her behavior as a Christian and thanked the atheist community for its love and acceptance.

Since coming out atheist, Macbain has been publicly quiet, until this Saturday, April 21, when she was part of a panel that spoke at the Humanist of Florida Association's North Regional Conference.

"As a pastor, it was especially hard on her coming out of that extremely religious community and those people who had come to see her in a certain way and now having to understand that well in reality she has come to believe over a long period of time some very different things," said Mark Palmer of the Humanist of Florida Association.

Palmer says the conference dealt with issues within the Atheist Community and allowed people to share their various perspectives. He says another conference is planned for September in Lakeland.