Bible Scholar & Missionary Dr. Matthew Monger Leaves Christianity 

Thanks for the support Derek!

Once you see it... you can never unsee it. I was a Christian for over 60 years, even worked in a Christian ministry for 25 years, went on mission trips. Bible College, etc... Thank you for sharing your story Matt. It absolutely resonates with so many!

“When the Missionaries arrived, the Africans had the land and the Missionaries had the Bible. They taught how to pray with our eyes closed. When we opened them, they had the land and we had the Bible.” Jomo Kenyatta

I went to the Garden tomb and I found it to be an archaeological find and never found feeling close to God all throughout our trip to Israel. The number of pilgrims was overwhelming, the noise, the constant changes of places, the tension was palpable. The historical sites, the Roman ruins were interesting, but as far as my Christian faith was concerned, I felt zero emotions. I thought I was alone in that situation, as I thought of Jesus more like a prophet after the trip. I returned from Israel with rather more questions than I had before, and started reading about early Christianity. That was an eye opening experience.

For me, the hardest part of ALL of it has been dealing with the COLD-hearted, CRUEL, SELFISH, Apathetic, Hateful, Prejudice "Christians" Who LOVE NOBODY!!!

Did you enjoy Dr. Monger's story out of Christianity? Do you relate to some of his experiences? Please let me know in the chat below and be sure to subscribe to his RU-vid channel. www.youtube.com/@Biblemonger

I walked into an Apostolic Church knowing nothing about the Bible. I came across the experience of Acts 2:38 and it changed my life. Because of this experience along with John 3:5 I believe in Jesus Christ with all my heart. Thank God for the truth! It changed my life for the better.

It’s difficult to come out & admit you are no longer a Christian but once done it is sooo relieving 👏👏. Life is good ❤️❤️

I was a Christian watching this and still a Christian now ❤☦️✝️🙏🏿💯⛪️

I feel blessed. The Bible has said that Faith is also a gift. And we come to him because he has drawn us and chosen us out of the world. When you look for evidence of faith look for someone who had lost it completely and then regain it. ( like I had been ) - from Hindu to Christianity.

I spent 40 years running from truth and just found Jesus in 2021. Christianity has changed my life and I’m so happy to have Christ as my savior.

Someone once said, "Jesus had to 'go to heaven' for the same reason the gold plates had to disappear." God ordered his followers to convert the world but refused to allow the most convincing evidence possible. It's trying to make sense out of nonsense.

Im 27 minutes in and this guy's faith journey is so similar to mine. I got an akkadian book for my birthday and I've spent about 6 hours a week teaching myself the language. That "this is something i can do" is such a real feeling for me. Closest thing to a real spiritual experience I've had in my life.

A very powerful testimony. I had 15 minutes before I left for work but ended up.getting the next bus because I did not want to break the momentum! I have not finished yet but so far very honest, sincere in what was a shocking and horrific situation for you and your family. SHAME ON THEM! Can't wait to get to the end of the journey and see where you are now. Peace and love from Manchester UK

This is very sad but it does say that in the last days there will be a great falling away. I became a believer of Jesus since I was aged 12, by myself sitting on a farmgate, I asked him to proove himself to me, whilst overlooking the valley in Devon, England. This happened after my brothers girlfriend left all her witchcraft books in the garage when they split up and I was looking at her stuff all stacked up. I picked up her bible out of the pile and started reading it. That's how I read about Jesus. I have gone through many many trials in life but have not walked away. The time is very very short. Please don't let your hearts grow so cold that it takes you to hell. Turn back to God.

Why are you all so surprised, this is not first time this thing has been happening... "From that time many of His disciples WENT BACK, and WALKED NO MORE WITH HIM. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, WILL YE ALSO GO AWAY?" (John 6:66-67 KJV).

Omg. I love this video. I came from a mixed religion family upbringing. My mom was a Baptist, and methodist, and even looked into Wiccan. My father came from a very devote catholic upbringing. My parents kinda gave me freedom of religion so I thought because all my friends were Baptist that's what I should be. So when I was a young kid this Baptist church down the street from house I would go to. As I got a little older my parents both decided to make up all covert to Mormanism. This was trauma for me because all my friends disowned me and I lost a high school boyfriend over this. My parents weren't in the church long and we left, but the damage was done. My friends never spoke to me again. As time goes on I'm kinda lost but I'm holding on the God and Jesus for myself on my own without a church.....fast forward to the beginning of my time with my Husband. He shows my this video called Zieguest. I probably spelled that wrong so I apologize for that. But this three part video made me go on a self knowing journey. I went on an educational journey to better understand why theses older stories seemed to be in similar to the Bible stories I read as a kid. Fast forward again and I find yall. Thank you for your testimony (sorry for the term if it offends) it reconfirm my stand on this. I still believe there is some kind of higher power out there. But I called it the power of the universe and the power of life. And I love and honor that.

I’ve been through some tough times in my life too, but my hope, trust and faith in the Lord is still intact. Whatever you do, don’t take your eyes off of Jesus.

Takk for at du følger overbevisningen din Matt! Jeg håper at din ikke vil møte for mye motbør på MF! Du er et forbilde!

I understand the struggle. I was raised old time Pentecostal with all of its rules. If not for my personal experience with Jesus I could have fallen away. I received the Holy Ghost when I was 10. I am now 60! I had severe things I went through such as OCD that began when I was 15. I prayed for deliverance for a long time not even knowing what I had. OCD was not well known back then. Things didn’t happen for me overnight, but I began studying legalism and grace and as I became delivered from legalism, the OCD lost its hold. I had extreme social anxiety and over time and the Holy Ghost counseling me what to do, I became free from it as well. All I know is God has shown me what to do many times and hopeless situations have melted away. The one driving factor was faith in God and the truth that one day if I held on, things would change. I have dealt with Lyme disease the last 13 years. If not for the things I’ve experienced and faith in God, who knows where I would be. His is the only hand that has held tight to mine, besides my husband’s, and sustained me and kept me from losing hope. Religion I can do without. Jesus I cannot do without.

What amazes me about faith in God is that you can have two biblical scholars who are experts in the same areas; yet one will believe and be encouraged by their research, the other will renounce their faith.

I left 20 years ago after being an evangelical leader and founder of an international urban poor mission for many years. Takes bravery and true honesty to do what Monger is doing. There's a high price to be paid but worth it to be able to live with yourself.

The "story" of your experience was a treasure. I made the journey over time from my young devotion to Jesus to where I am now at 86. Years of occasional studies, including a year at UCSB studying contemporary religions in an MA program, gradually led me to use the Internet to search out scholarly work that continuously validates my firm assurance that my journey has been exactly correct. I thank you for such a beautiful, honest account of your journey.

It was heartbreaking to see you understand so much of Matt's struggle and story, Derek. Just knowing you both had to wrestle with such painful feelings and fears just because of what you believed (or didn't). Then to see the results of your poll, Derek, showing roughly 300 people related to some extent with what Dr Matt has been through. What an awful thing, my heart goes out to you. I feel so incredibly grateful to have been raised by parents who never, ever made me feel that my goodness, worth or value as a person was in any way dependent on what I believed about religious or spiritual questions. I just wish everyone could have been as lucky as I was.

First up, loving the beard! Second, keep up the Great work! Stuff like this is amazing. It's not just the scholar's, but the people. The personalities you bring to the forefront, and the stories they share about how they got to where they did. You bring out the personal in such a cool and unique way that I don't see other interviewers do and that's why I've stuck around for so long! Thank you!

It was profound and moving to hear of Matthew Monger's experience. So powerful. A lot of trauma in his experience that is difficult to process but so glad to hear of his story. Work he does sounds really good.

I can relate with this, its like I started seeing major contradictions everywhere in the Bible. It made it Confusing and Chaotic. Sounds familiar right, like everything happening now. We have been lied to. And lied to about Everything.

Thank you ever so much Dr. Monger for being ever so vulnerable with us by sharing your journey. I have a friend, Darren Slade who when we first met, asked me if I wanted to pray with him and give myself unconditionally to the Lord. I declined and told him that if he continued his academic studies of the bible and other ancient religious texts he would eventually become non-Christian. He laughed and shook his head. He is now the President of The Global Center for Religious Research and founding editor of the SHERM Journal. His journey was different, but the end result was the same.

Bible College student and missionary and I left Christianity too just recently after 40 yrs. I gave up everything and left my homeland to be a missionary. I got stuck in Australia after I came here to study in a very questionable church. I was left here with $20 in my pocket. Havent seen my home for 20 yrs and I cry nearly every day 😢..it's all devastating to find out the truth 😢

Wow, first interview I watched from this channel! Love the honesty and vulnerability. It’s sad to hear about the PTSD but I definitely understand having been dealing with religious trauma myself, I know it’s real and complex, hard to explain it to friends and family who have not gone through it themselves. My heart goes out to his wife and kids, who experienced that school situation. Phew, I feel the sense of relief, knowing that it’s going to be okay now! You can live authentically from your self, it’s a journey of self exploration. Hats off to you for doing the interview! Wish you the best!

It's extremely difficult to break tradition and have creative, independent thought. Some take a lifetime to find the intelligence and courage to set themselves free from religious brainwashing. WHAT A CHILD WILL BELIEVE.

I imagine that putting everything that you’ve learned about God and the Bible out of your mind must leave you feeling very free. You no longer have to have a sense of guilt over sin or believe that there is something greater than humanity out there. I grew up in a very abusive church and at 13 yrs old was sent to a boys’ home for over a year for listening to contemporary Christian music. I could tell stories for hours that would make you sad and sick. However, I have never abandoned my faith and belief in Jesus Christ and God. I know you don’t believe the Bible but I do and the verses from Mark 8 about a man losing his soul comes to mind. May God have mercy on you and may you repent and turn back to Him. This conversation between the two of you has left me heartbroken.

This is very interesting. My experience is completely different. I was trying to run from God as a teenager. One summer I ended up being at a archeological dig in Southern Illinois when myself and a bunch of my friends entered a old church in town. As we entered the Church we began to talk about God and something very strange happened. We all became silent and it was as if God was actually in the Church with us. Time seemed to stop for about 10 minuets. Nobody said a word after we left. I was still swearing and acting like the devil but that experience really had an effect on me. The biggest problem I had was how could the earth be so old and the Universe be so vast. A few years later I went to College and got around some people who called themselves Charismatic and some of them were really weird, but most weren't. They kept on talking about a healing having personal relationship with God and talking to him. So I tried talking to God and sometimes I felt like I could hear Him. One night I heard an audible voice say, "My words are true." Next, I ended up going to Bible School then Missions School in Oklahoma. At this time a earthquake happened in Mexico city so a bunch of us went down to help. They had a meeting at one of the hotels that was still standing. I was in charge of the video so I started recording. The director of the Missions school was speaking and started talking in perfect Spanish and no he didn't know Spanish. That impressed me because the people in the room some of whom had lost everything and even loved ones were crying after he spoke. It was very touching. Some more years pass and one day before they were to launch the Discover Shuttle I felt that something was wrong with the shuttle but didn't know what it was. I almost called NASA and told them to stop but I didn't. I sincerely regret not calling because it exploded the next day. Many years past and I was in Church when I had a vivid vision. This vision really freaked me out. The next Sunday the same thing but a different vision. This went on for years. After this I started to go with my Pastor to other countries. I would photograph or do videos of the Healing events. Many people gave testimonies over the years but one of them stands out. We were in a tiny village in India. There was about 50-70 people who had come out. At the end of the preaching an elderly man came forward and told everyone that his eye had been healed. And he proved it by covering his good eye and seeing with the bad one. At this point everyone started to rush forward for prayer for healing, because everyone knew the old man. It was quite an experience. At another meeting this time in Peru we were holding a meeting in a small Church and many were praying or praising God when many of the women started weeping and falling on the floor. One young woman was standing in front of me with her eyes closed I could see into her heart and could feel the hurt and the pain. I started praying for her and she started to crying and fall down just like the other women. The women were twisting and turning on the floor sometimes violently. Sometimes they would scream. My pastor and others started casting out demons in the name of Jesus and one by one the woman started to change and peace came over them like a warm blanket. All of the woman became calm and peaceful. On the way back from the event we were told that many of the woman in that village had been beaten and rapped. This showed me how deeply God really loves and cares about people everywhere. He wants to heal their hurting hearts. About 3 years ago I was in my room when I saw a mini vision, I was driving the car and saw a car swerve into my lane from the left hand side smashing into me. I said, "Thank you Lord for letting me know." I then took out my wife for a fruit smoothy and then to my mother's house to check on her. As I was getting closer to my mother place a voice within me said, "This is it.", so I immediately put on the brakes and the car next to me comes into my lane just as I had seen it a half an hour earlier in the vision. The guy in the car swerves back into his lane and says that he is sorry and I wanted to tell him that I already knew about it a half an hour ago, but didn't get the chance. I haven't given up on God because He still talks to me even when I have ignored Him int he past. He does this because He loves me and He wants me to be with Him forever. I know people struggle if there is a God or not, but I don't. He talks to me every week. I have seen many people healed, demons cast out of others. Yes, I have more stories to my life. This doesn't even include the many other testimonies by friends, family, pastors, and others that I know personally. So is there a God? Well, from my experience, Yes.

Wow! What a journey Dr Monger has been on. As an atheist and amateur biblical scholar I still see the beauty and the intricacies of the ancient texts. It's a journey into the past and it is a window into ancient people's. What they thought. How they viewed the world around them. It's a tapestry that always reveals some new insight. The more one studies the more one discovers. It is thanks to scholars like Dr. Monger that I am able to learn so much more. Thank you both.

Christianity is a change of heart. Undoing it you will eventually die. I love my Jesus because He died for me and so I will live with Him in eternity🙏

So the good dr never had a born again experience. I thank God for mine 40 years ago. The peace & joy I have had saved me lot's of trouble. I could never say I did not have it. Although I hated anyone who talked about God and did not know what a Bible was, after I woke up & looked at a Bible I saw it was all right there. Thank you God my father & your son Jesus my savior !

Hi Matt, I was with you in Nic. You’re not alone my friend. Loved hearing about your deconstruction (as it were). I 100% don’t remember the speaking in rogues night but I was also the kid who slept face on the floor during worship. Haha! I know you’ll have a lot of people chatting you up but I’d love to talk about your experience more. Much love from your co-leader for a week in Nic. Send my love to Maria and the boys.

In the last days many will fall away. 😪

Wow; haven't heard anyone mention Y-wam before! My youngest son got involved same way by getting in trouble during high school & wanting to change. He went all in & spent 6 years as a missionary. Although I was relieved he wasn't getting in trouble anymore he had a very pious wall built around himself. He married a girl like him & sadly they are not close to our family because they are so judgemental:(

May the grace of our lord Jesus christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be us all, amen

Missed the direct livestream, but am looking at it now. Subscribed to mr Monger's channel immediately, Great conversation! Keep up the good work! Greetings from the Netherlands! Jan

Grace and peace of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ be with all who seek the truth. This is truly an age of deception and the full force of the enemy is at work....stay strong people of faith snd stay rooted on the Lord. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.

"Lean NOT unto your OWN understanding!

As a former preacher's daughter who has gone thru the deconstruction process myself, I can certainly relate. When we heard the word atheist, we'd all gasp, and now people are gasping at me. I know the truth in my heart and finding the truth was so freeing to say the least. It's so good to hear others who've gone thru the same thing and still do. I could never speak in tongues, and I vividly remember a woman telling me to just start making noises. I knew in that very moment she was wrong, but others told me to do the same as she said, so after much research in my older years, I now know man just wrote the Bible, a lot like your wife Derek. I do believe in a creator, but Im not stuck in religious dogma. Im more spiritual now..I just believe we should do the best we can and truly love one another. LOVE is the answer.. Great interview and subscribed to Dr. Matt Mongers channel, and I've been subscribed to Derek @ MythVision for a while now. 👏 👏 👏 edit: Holy moly...You mentioned Gilgamesh, and once you read the Epic Tale of Gilgamesh, it will certainly mess with your mind in the right kind of way. It has the flood story, etc.. A must-read, though. Again, 👏. 👏 👏 to you both.

1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

You know, after listening to more than one interview like this on your channel, it would appear that the real deconstruction is them coming to a realization that they weren't sincere from the beginning, and were somehow duped and coerced into conforming to beliefs and practices that they never personally experienced - in other words, faced the reality that they were pretending the whole time.

I now embrace the taboo and say out loud: I no longer believe.

I cannot imagine leaving JESUS ever, I rather stand alone than denounced him. If you truly love JESUS with your heart and soul nothing in this world will ever shake your relationship with him. Hearing this testimony makes me fall in love with JESUS even more. JESUS is my LORD till eternity. 🙏 ❤❤

This was wonderful and brave. Thank you. You give this old ex-pastor hope.

Thanks for sharing your testimony, @biblemonger! And thanks Derek @Mythvisionpodcast for having Dr. Monger on and getting him to share his testimony! Wow, Monger's story is so similar to mine. I did the YWAM DTS, not in Hawaii, but in Australia. I stayed on and did the School of Bible (as I understand they call it now, it was the School of Biblical Studies back then) after the DTS, and reconstruction started right there, on the YWAM-base (not deconstruction at that point, but definitely reconstruction). When I got back home, I studied theology for a while, and then decided to focus on linguistics. And I eventually got a PhD in linguistics. I did not go out as a Bible translator, but was seriously considering it. I ended up on the board of the national Swedish Wycliffe-organisation, though. And I've heard horror stories from friends who went out as missionaries (I'm not sure that YWAM counts in that respect. As you say in the podcast, the YWAM DTS is more about the experiences of the participants than anything else. Though this being a country where the churches generally do not have lots of money, those wishing to go and do a DTS have to pay for it themselves.) I have been within the academic world most of the time since 2006, though not within the field of theology (except for the three semesters that I studied theology, of course). Greetings from Sweden (hilsen fra Sverige; about 100 km from the Norwegian-Swedish border)! I'm looking forward to many interesting videos from the Bible monger! 🙂

Thank you for sharing. I do identify with what you shared. I was raised in an evangelical, independent, charismatic church, went overseas on missions for 4.5 years and never thought I would leave. I’ve been deconstructing slowly since I left the mission field in 1995. The Bible is the biggest reason why I left Christianity. After learning the truth of where it came from, how it was translated, I could no longer call myself a Christian.

Hi from down under. Great comments from you both. Setting aside the intellectual comments,discussion and academia, seeing the beauty, kindness and intrinsic goodness in people to me is more important at this time in our evolution than whether historical personalities existed or not.❤

I can echo much of what Dr. Monger shared. I have suffered from severe depression for over a decade, and all the while I strived to follow the Christian god. I went on missions trips, I was pressured to speak in tongues at a bible camp, served in the church each week, the whole nine. I studied and earned an undergrad in Theological studies, and during my entire life I was looking for evidence for the text I believed in. I expected there to be evidence for miraculous events because I believed the bible to be documenting historical events. All the while, other Christians would tell me to stop looking for evidence, that I was doubting God, or they knew more than I did at the time and were worried my faith with die out. There came a low moment when I looked at the night sky wondering why God wasn’t responding to my search for him in any way, until the question came to my mind, “what if there’s simply no one listening? What if there’s no one there to listen?” I was scared of those thoughts, but I couldn’t shake them off. It took me until my junior year in university and a trip to Israel before I reached a breaking point. I spent nearly a month traveling the Levant, exploring ancient sites, and “seeing the bible come alive.” My depression was at the worst it had ever been. I constantly felt a sickening void inside of me the entire time. Every night I contemplated ending things. There came a moment of prayer with our group of 40, and the group prayed for my depression as we had just spoken about Psalm 42, a passage I had felt as though I was living through for years. The more charismatic folks said they could feel the holy spirit in that moment, and many of them approved that. I, however, felt nothing at all. Weeks later, as our trip came to an end, I realized I was an atheist. The evidence was lacking, the origins of hell were foreign to Judaism, the satan and Satan simply did not exist in Judaism. It all hit me like a truck on the sunset bus ride to the airport. I resolved to finish my senior year, graduated, and have done my best to not look back at the hell that was christianity. I’m medicated now, with a well doing job, and I have not felt healthier and happier in god knows how long (pun not intended). Hearing your stories Darek, Dr. Kipp, Dr. Monger, and Dr. Josh, has all helped me feel a sense of community in this journey. Thank you always for your work and sharing your stories with us.

Loved every second of this! Thanks for sharing your amazing journey to reason, Dr. Monget. ✌

A life where I can relate to A God personally, beats my critical thinking, gives me a reality realer than life itself! The Bible pointed me to the reality of God, and I choose it over and over! If you have not felt this tangible reality of that relationship, then your mind will hear and see what it wants. My love for God is not based on what others told me, but the life and Person I have known!

Praying God’s mighty presence and power love touch your soul and spirit, In Jesus wonderful name. 🙏🏼❤️

As the saying goes, “ Denial is not just a river in Egypt.” I enjoyed this and I have also gone through something similar , at least with feeling the pain of detachment .

I am so glad that we found your podcast, and your interview with Matt Monger. I can't even begin to describe how our paths have covered so much of the same spiritual ground, the same confusion, the same missionary background, the same deconstruction... the same conclusions about Christianity. I grew up as a missionary kid, and served for 20 years myself as a missionary - much of that time in West Africa. I've been to Mali many times, and I was a crisis manager, and I taught missionaries how to get out of crisis situations. Wow, so much I could say here. My heart goes out to Matt and his family. As we listened to his story, I found myself getting increasingly angry - not at Matt, but at the mission agency and the system that would endeavor to get them to remain in a highly dangerous situation because of "God's Calling?" My God, what Bullshit. Derek, thank you for introducing us to Matt. I am going to look up his You Tube channel right now and reach out to him, but if you have another way for me to get in touch with him I would appreciate getting his email or whatever contact method is appropriate. Thanks Derek.

There were many that saw miracles with their own eyes that did not believe. Nothing new under the sun.

Need more spiritual intervention this guy. Praying to have more wisdom.

Coming to an honest decision about any existence about the Christian deity, or any other deity, is not an insignificant lifetime event. Like any other life changing event, we must avoid the urge to become a "born-again" non-believer and embark on a great non-believer evangelistic campaign. We must remember how irritating and offensive all of the god-believers were in our past. First seek your own peace on your new status and then your interaction with believers can be on a more truthful basis. I wish you well.

This guy is telling my YWAM experience in Mexico also. I feel horrible for going but it opened my eyes to another country’s culture and language differences and how beautiful it was. Best lesson I learned.

Jesus did save me and transformed my life. I was walking in darkness and Jesus saved me and turned my life 100% around. Now I go out to streets and tell people how to recieve salvation in Jesus. It's amazing how God saves people by faith and just spreading the good news of Salvation in Jesus! It's been over 30 years and I'm still hitting the streets with the gospel.😇 Thanks

So unfortunate that we allow certain experiences that have been set up by the enemy to completely destroy your faith. The insincere institutions of certain Church's that have other agendas opposite of making a true connection with our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. You have allowed the enemy to win 😢May our Loving Father open your true eyes to see and your heart to heal and hear. You can't intellectualize the eternal secrets of the Creator. . I honor your path of soul searching but to declare certain truths as false isn't wise. This is so sad...Ego n arrogance will always destroy May the Lord help you all❤

Every deconstruction story I watch seems to revolve around emotions and bad experiences. If everything had gone well for him as a missionary would he be where he is today? Is being hurt by other Christians or traumatized by life worth throwing out your faith in God and his word? Do you know what you're risking? It doesn't matter how many people are like you and support you. You'll stand before God someday...alone!

I almost forgot to breath listening his experience! Also in tears in some parts of experience ! So proud of both of them taking their power back !

Thank you so much for this Dr Monger. Shame, shame, shame on the church for what they put you and your family through. They put you on a super guilt trip. "God's calling" What a lie. That's the church's MO. Recently, an 80 year old Egyptian man who was raised in the Coptic Church was telling me about when he was a schoolboy. His teacher gave the students a picture with the 12 disciples on it and told the kids if they ever do anything bad that they should put a pin in one of the disciples. He was rude to his sister and used the pin on the "picture" He suffered so much guilt that he didn't go to school for 3 weeks!

Nothing to surprised as we have seen hard core atheist coming back to accept Jesus and what Dr Matt went through bad is nothing compared to some missionaries but still hold on to their faith until the last breath...

Whiskey? You should be drinking Aquavit in Norway! This was an interesting episode. Tusen Takk!

Ever since i was young ive had these really vivid daydreams, especially when listening to music. And a few months after i started listening to Jordan Peterson, they became more intense with different imagery, and i get the same experience you do, where my hair stands up and i feel like theres someone in my body better than i am, someone who sees death as a release and life as an opportunity and does what must be done without flinching. It happens at least twice a day, and apparently Carl Jung had these visions too. I feel that religion was written by people, who as their go-to a priori interprative frame, depended on the subconscious mind. Now since weve evolved, without knowing it, we read scripture using rationality as our a priori interprative frame, and its no wonder it doesnt make sense that way. Its like trying to reverse engineer a computer using only a compass and a straightedge, assuming everything can be constructed with only a compass and straightedge. Its like sex; sometimes you want the experience, but dont get it, but it won't happen unless you want it. Its like the two halves of the brain are like two people, and someone is only whole when they are in accordance with each other. Thanks so much for your content, keep up the good work

I was a backsider. Just like Matt. I also felt pressures from the church. And left because of the imperfections of church culture, as well as wanting to live for myself. Where Matt is now, I have been. Living for church, and then leaving the church. Church church church... Doing church for God. Etc 25 years later the Lord called me back. Nothing to do with church. In fact I wouldn't trust a church until 3 years later. I ask all the wrong questions that frustrated average Christians. But you can have all the theology in the world and still throw it away. My faith isn't in the church. It's in prayer in the quiet place where no one sees. It's in Jesus. It's not in church people. It's in prayer and relationship. All I hear is what Matt is "doing"... But salvation does not come from works. You can know the bible, know the church, do the work, and not love God

Once saved always saved. Going to church, seminary , getting your PhD doesn’t make you a follower of Christ. Once you truly give your life to God you are His forever. Life is never supposed to be easy for Christians in this world but we have greater hope after this life. A lost person will always be a lost until the day they are truly saved.

Prob 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil

We want more Monger! When do we want it? Now! 👏👏👏👏👏

Even though I'm not a biblical scholar and I didn't go to theology school, I can totally relate to some of these guys experiences. Thank you for posting

Jesus is the only way and truth, He is my Lord and my savior, I am christian for more than 25 years and He is so faithful to me every day of my life, He never leaves me or forsaken me, thank you Jesus I love you so so much❤️❤️❤️

You both are SO lucky that you had partners that got there before you did, and were patient waiting for you to grab the line back in. Huge congratulations on that!

Wait, @25:56 the guest says he concluded for his term paper that there is no Bible evidence for an immortal soul? How much of the Bible did he read? I'm sure there's others, but this is off the top of my head: "For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption." Psalm 16:10 KJV

I don't know which Bible he was reading as backwards. I used to be an agnostic for 9 years. Found the Truth in Jesus Christ in 2002. The way Jesus Christ revealed to me was nothing short of a miracle. I held on tight to my Faith when articles like this occurs because it's a devil thing trying to remove you from your faith In Jesus. His lies doesn't affect Jesus Christ at all, but rather it affects him and his family. Salvation is found in Jesus Christ alone.

Wow intense.. and yet the Lord has you doing greater things because of the experiences that you've had😊 at the end of all the horror we will find the Truth of God.. and what you are doing now is your truth, and what you are supposed to be doing to help us all come to that One Greater Truth🙏🏽 your experience is not in vain but as a testament of the human experience and connection with the All. Thank you for sharing. I'm also dealing with some missionaries that I've been dealing with for the past year but I've had to strictly put on my foot down and disconnect from the church aspect because I see the greater scheme of things. However, the love that we share for the Lord and also for scripture supersedes our differences. So I still do some studying by way of the missionaries so to help them along with their journey(plus I love talking about scripture and hence why I ended up on this channel), even though they like to take the position that they are helping me.. but I think I've really shined some light their way on things that they're not realizing about the structure they are in. See when you are strictly by way of the church there's a lot of fear to go outside of the box. I was not raised in any church and I have overcome the fears of the indoctrination that were in me just by living in this society and hearing Christians say this and that. Just like I wasn't afraid to see what you guys were talking about, I am not afraid to cross religious lines and I realize there is both truth and deception within the teachings. It's about knowing your own discernment within the scripture. Truth does reside within, but do you have the eyes to see it?❤

"We were doing it for us not for them" absolutely.

It is impossible to leave a place where you've never been.

What sucks the most is that there's no real community for non-religious people. In church there's bible studies, charity and ministry groups, activity groups where people share the same beliefs. Much harder to find a community of friends if you're not a Christian or affiliated with some religious group.

greetings sir ...from Brunei in SE Asia ...im admire your open mindedness ...I think you the only Christian podcast who is willing to let people to talk about their belief outside Christianity ... it is very refreshing to see such a respectful .host .. I know you for sure ...that you might experience haters from this presentation.... but I do hope you keep doing this work of building bridges with muslims and Christians ... may Allah bless you and your family sir .may Allah guide you to straight path.. amin

This guy’s life is like a Dan Brown novel. 💀😅❤️

Derek, I am continually blown away by the work you're doing, it is so important and I think you're finding the perfect balance of empathy and intellect that is sorely needed right now. Much love to you, your family and the Mythvision community.

Hi Derek , Dr. Matt. I have to reply re the confusion that Christians experience, Scholars perceive, Atheists pray to, Agnostics find solace in, etc. I have had a somewhat applicable upbringing, and around age 12-13, I attended different Churches by the spirit/grace that affected the citizenry of our remote town where I stayed at the time for about 5 years. (Greykingstad - a town of about 500 souls in Eastern Transvaal, Gauteng South Africa. I can relate to quite a number of Academi, Scholars, Atheists, et al. I attended 2 Protestant Chruches and about 13 other Church Denominations in towns 60 - 120 KM away, accompanying those in town that attended Methodist, Roman Catholic, etc. Churches. I had a similar view eventually, as constant reading up to 26 books in 3 days, seemed to keep me occupied. Fast forward to a Policing career and attending Insurgence - Border (South Africa War) in Zimbabwe/Rhodesia, and South West Africa (Namibia) with similar stints in or on the borders between South Africa and neighbours. Whilst preparing our "refreshment course" before we attend border duties and insurgence activities, we were devotedly (as a Christian Society and Protestant ingrained Society) attended by a round table variety of Christion denomination Pastors, Priests and Ministers. This is a given in South Africa. Well, whilst attending this "seeing off service" as the death rate on or while attending Border services, was prodigious and constant. This Minister gave a heart felt service and after, I had a few words and questions, that plagued me since age 9-10 when I stated researching life, purpose, pain - a poor Railway man father that attended Home 2 afternoons a month, yea, difficult to say the least. My Mom was disabled and believe me when I say that, I find that the saying, Been there, Has the T-Shirt or rather have a whole boutique, is my motto. Well, This Minister answered me honestly, and definitely NOT according to the rules, dogma and rhetoric of the NG Church - the biggest denomination of the Protestant Church in South Africa. In this answer, I found the truth, and since then, I tried to articulate it in a systematic and constructive manner. I had to do the Scholarly and Scientific way, and that took over 40 years. Yes not a Typo error. The answer that you seek, is simple, straight, and stupid in its simplicity. (I call it the Shakespearian Religare experience). This requires one, to start with the end as the Proposition - Supposition and work backwards to Ancien Historical and Scientifical evidence, ie the Forensic way, as I am an expert at the said. More than 30 courses and professional training disciplines later. My credentials, is not the issue. The real issue is what, why, where, when, who, how. This leads to a profound emotional experience with GOD. Which is the reason why I believe why Dr Ehrman, yourselves, et al. lost your way. The point of inception will be simplistic, that the "Compilation called the Bible, and the Torah as a inception of a Nationalistic conceptualizing for the Semite left over societies, is a study of Ancient Texts, Truths, Cuneiforms historical infomatics, Epics, Zoroarism, etc. that constructively, were used with Pagan tradition, believes,and Kaballah to create Judaism Supremacy and an establishment. True that that appears to be arrogant - remember what the Nazi view was about it and the error in ways that occurred as a result. Not being a Scholar would have you out and out believe a Genocide - Holocaust, whilst the truth is a bit stranger than that. This starts therefore with Gen 1. AND THE GODS CREATED - and the twisting that set off a twisted narrative occurs with God created. Following the narrative, were the Lie of the Bible. A honest attempt to create a believe system, but due to an error at Inception, twisted the whole Original Authoritative Truth, to a story of fiction, a more reliable Myth - story that the truths can't be validated and verified, AND this is a MAJOR error. As this is falsified. The truth is out there -and in casu you think its a Trekky saying, where do you think those outlandish and way out ideas originate? = Truths. This is my 1c. As the answer is way more detailed and complex than a few pages. CJ

And I rented a room in my house to a Christian couple who didn't pay rent and they still had the audacity to preach to me. It cost me thousands of dollars to evict them. I like listening to a former Catholic Priest Alan Watts lectures - On Being God. And - What is Reality? And - They Made it All Up!

I was a fundamentalist missionary for 30+ years and took my family to several countries to live before eventually deconstructing. I identify very closly with Dr. Monger's story. I appreciate Dr. Monger's candor and commend Derek for patiently allowing Dr. Monger the time to tell his entire story in all its nuance. Allowing someone to tell their story in their own way is rare on RU-vid and Derek models a refreshing approach to how to utilize this powerful platform. Good on you both.

There could never be any historical evidence? What? All of history is based on accounts written by people. A few events have some evidence written in stone that has survived, but most of history is an account that was written. And even some OT evidence is writtten in stone/pottery or on objects that have survived, which point to the authenticity of the OT. The Dead Sea Scrolls point to the fact that the book of Isaiah (and other OT books) we have today is the same Isaiah they had before Christ.

You have no idea how deeply this resonates with me

I came to Christ two years ago and my life is infinitely better in every way

I was born and raised in Norway in the 'Bible Belt' in the south of Norway, in a very fundamentalistic christian family. As a child I believed everything with hart and soul, but as a teenager I began to have doubts. I just didn't get it, that about everything my classmate found normal things to do, I was told was sinful. Using makeup, going to the movies, dancing, listening to pop music....the list of sinful things was endless. In the beginning I started secretly to do all these sinful thing, but getting older, I new I had to break away. I was depressed, even thinking about killing myself, because I just couldn't belief and live like a 'true christian'. To make a long story short,- I did break away. Moved abroad and lived the life I wanted to live, but always felt as a 'bad' person, because couldn't belief. I read a lot. Not only the Bible, but also reading and learning about other religions and beliefs. The more I read and learned, the more I came to the conclusion that ALL religions and cults was manmade with leaders that probably all were narcissists wanting power. Realising that I finally could let go and be happy as an atheist.

This was an amazing interview. I think this and the one with Brady Goodwin are the 2 deconversion stories I’ve enjoyed most on MythVision (or anywhere, really) so far. I’ve watched several of Brady’s videos since, and I look forward to Matt’s as well. And Matt’s channel is already over 800 subscribers, too!

Sorry to keep commenting lol.. but when I sent my last post through and I said that his experience was not in vain. I did not realize that you had said that in the video because I'm watching it in parts and I'm commenting according to where I'm at. Right after I sent my comments I turn the video back on and the host spoke about the journey not being in vain! I swear I didn't hear you say that first before I wrote that. These experiences we have amongst one another are the Truth of God to me. Once all the fears clear away on this path then you begin to truly realize God in the most purest way.. which you could not find in the church. People like Us have to go from one extreme to the next to find a middle ground.. and then to find our personal truth within all this. That is living our purpose! And I love that there is so many that I can now commune with that is on that same kind of wavelength. For me it is His Word coming alive in Love in my life.. it's all good man. We are all just trying to figure it out and it's okay😊😊😊

I just discovered this channel. Keep up the great work 💯👍

Great interview... life is hard, but being honest with ourselves and each other makes it so much better...dare I say, even wonderful. :)

When ever a believer ask what I believe and genuinely answer I believe in you. And look them directly in their eyes with all sincerity and it makes them feel uncomfortable while laughing it off. I say politely the feeling is mutual

I was called to share the Gospel with Muslims in Paris. The Muslims who accepted to pray with me, all saw the Christ, had visions….. the whole humanity is hopeless, for the Christians love themselves so much that they are all falling away! The first Christians died for the faith, today their children gave up to take care of their trauma! The salt has lost the taste. Time for the judgement?

Professing themselves wise, they became fools.