Why do some christians fall away from their beliefs?

well, I recently read something about how a guy said he was in Bible college and was a christian for many years, but just left it, because he thought it was just hypocrisy, well I'm just curious about that, because I'm only 16, and I am really trying to...

be a true christian, and I know how some people could label christians hypocrites, but I mean, if someone is a christian(like me), they should believe that they are sinners(meaning they make mistakes and aren't perfect), and that we still do bad things we just are forgiven for it unlike non-christians. Being a christian(to me) is just an awesome thing, I'm so glad that I can be one and not worry about getting killed, but I don't know how people can just up and leavbe something that they confees to be true at one point(and isn't that kind ofg hypocrisy, because they are saying that they believe it when they really didn't) sorry if this offensive 2 anyone I'm just wondering.thank you !

Anything can happen to anyone at any time. Don't base your life on what happened or didn't happen to someone esle. Put your eyes upon Jesus, and go forward in him.Don't look to the right, nor to the left. Keep your eyes upon him.

When Peter took his first step, out of the boat, he was amazed... that he truly was walking on water, however, when he took his eyes off of Jesus, he began to sink.
The same happens to each of us. If we look at the circumstances, they will disappoint us, if we look to man, he will fail us, if we look to self, we will never walk on water.

Jesus is the way, the truth and the life.

religion just isn't for all people, some can see through the lies that the church feeds people. And then finally say enough is enough

The bottom line is, we quit believing it. It isn't hypocrisy, it's a change in beliefs. How that happens varies from person to person.

In my own case, I was a devout Christian for many years and had even embraced *shudder* young earth creationism *shudder a second time*.

It was not a show. I REALLY believed it all, just like you do.

The details of my deconversion are long and tedious, but the spark that started the doubt was reading the entire Bible cover to cover.

I quit believing in god because my best friends my uncle died after having cancer for 2 years and I prayed and prayed every day for those 2 years and still he died. so ever since that day he died I blame him for his death.

This question demands many answers:
Firstly, religion is entirely hypothetical and it is the choice of every person whether to believe or not.
Secondly, religion cannot be proven, if it could we would have solid proof at this stage. Again I would like to remind everyone of the first point.
Thirdly, If one takes the time to browse the vaults of history or even to take a quick glance at our contemporary situation one will see that religion is the precondition (if not the essential condition) of nearly every war to have occurred. Of course I am taking into account that the motivation behind a certain 20th century war campaign (Hitler's of course) was one concerning ethnic beliefs, the superiority of the Aryan race, equally an enterprise however based on a belief on a hypothetical position.
Finally I would like to mention how easy religious arguments may be discredited. One of the major propositions which the Christian faiths hold is that every effect has a cause. Of course, I'm sure you will all agree on this, that if I push one snooker ball against another, it will have the effect of causing the other to move. Simple cause and effect. The christian church attempted to prove the existence of God by saying that logically this must have all started somewhere, that every effect has a cause, which in turn had a cause, which in turn had a cause etc. The church then went so far as to say that God was the one to originally start this movement. Is something missing? Yes, God is also faulted with being a cause (and remember that a cause is also an effect of another cause), which must also have a prior cause.
It seems that this sort of simplistic refutation of faith can occur (with all arguments I have heard, although not necessarily applying this logic) which may in fact lead some to leave their religion, as for them it has become entirely unsubstantiated. Let's face it, blind faith is a silly concept belonging solely to cliché.
On a final note, I would again like to re-enforce my first point and mention that belief is entirely personal and that it is based on hypothetical situations. Therefore if one wishes to believe in a religion then that is absolutely fine and an entirely personal choice. However do not forget that this sort of belief is inconsistent within the logical scientific world. The scientific view of the world has gather consistent momentum since the early enlightenment and with an increase in our rational discoveries of the world we see a decrease in believers in unprovable hypothetical faiths. This is why so many people, like the ones you have quoted have opted out of religion.
P.S. This is a quick response to a huge discursive area within philosophy. Check out Bertrand Russells' 'Why I Am not a Christian' for more.

There are some people who reason their way out of religion but I think there are many more who simply get tired of having holier-than-thou believers always telling them how to live and what to do.

I know some young Christians who I privately fear will 'fall away from their beliefs' in later life. I pray that I'm wrong but here's why:

They seem to associate being a faithful Christian with pleasing their parents, and don't appear to think for themselves.
They never seem to have any doubts or do anything wrong, which to be honest seems a bit like a facade they put up to cover their real selves.

I also know many other young Christians who I suspect won't 'fall away'. This is what defines them:

They may or may not come from Christian families, but all have shown the ability to think for themselves and choose Jesus for themselves, not to try to please others.
I see them have periods of doubt, make mistakes and generally be young people, and I feel that they are letting Jesus know the real 'them', instead of putting up a show of 'perfect Christianity'.

So my fear for the first group is that one day that false image of 'perfect Christianity' is going to fail, and they're going to realise how little of their faith was their own, and how much it was a show put on for those they care about. In my years of experience (I became a Christian 20 years ago, at the age of 18), the second group, who are more open and honest and individual in their faith, are less likely to fall away.

Flossheal I can relate to you. ( that was great)
I am 22 and I don't call myself a christian because I don't want to be a hyprocrit. I am young so I still like to do sinful things, but I wouldn't say im going to hell. I smoke weed, drink, and have sex ( and christians wouldn't agree with that I guess), but I also go to church, pray, and thank God everyday for me seeing another day and for his continous blessings. I am a loving person, I help out people in need, I try to avoid a lot of bad, but I am just me. I go to church to learn more of God and I feel good afterwords. Only God can judge me, so if I still go to hell bc I smoke,drink,party, and have sex, well then I don't regret anything bc I know I love God and I know im a good person. Maybe later in life I can commit to being a CHRISTIAN, but now I would be a hyprocrit if I said I was one.

some people fall away from their beliefs becuase they realize that most of it is bull sh*t and they figure they probably shouldn't waste any more of their lives devoting themselves to a certian religion when they can just be free. You do know... there are more religions out there and eveyone has the right to choose what they believe. Love is my religion. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Why do some christians fall away from their beliefs?

Because, with the acquisition of knowledge, they grow from their particular beliefs to something else. It's called maturing.

This doesn't mean that other Christians are immature. It just means that the other individual has grown to a level of understanding or believing that better suits themselves.

We should be in Harmony

If you're in my here and now,
Then it is certainly meant to be;
That for this moment, at this time,
We should be in Harmony.

Why? You ask. What is the reason?
That fate has brought us near;
Well, the only way we're going to know,
Is by listening – until we hear.

The purpose may be for you,
Or maybe even me;
Or maybe even someone else,
Whom we may not yet see.

But our meeting which brings together,
A fruition of our being;
Is meant to be of benefit,
In helping someone else to seeing.

For we all are our brothers' keepers,
Enlightening and guiding their way;
As we strive to fulfill our charge,
To gather back together – Whole someday.

But grant to each their individuality,
Their right to choose their path alone;
For though the roads may twist and turn,
All roads eventually do lead Home!

Well see thats the whole thing babe you dont know the whole story,,, they say in the end times many will rise up and false priest and false churches will rise up and this will affend allot of people and make them hate the works of god,,,
They say the leading cause of athiesm people who dont believe in god is christians,,, as christians we arent suppose to jusge but ALLOT of christians and this is what turns allot of people off,,, the dude because of fell away from god and only looked at fact you dont know the whole story not many people at all just fall away from god with out coming back

Well see thats the whole thing babe you dont know the whole story,,, they say in the end times many will rise up and false priest and false churches will rise up and this will affend allot of people and make them hate the works of god,,,
They say the leading cause of athiesm people who dont believe in god is christians,,, as christians we arent suppose to jusge but ALLOT of christians and this is what turns allot of people off,,, the dude because of fell away from god and only looked at fact you dont know the whole story not many people at all just fall away from god with out coming back

if a Christian falls away from there beliefs they truly werent saved

...well levzeroni, we both agree that at least some Christians were never saved. I just take that logic a bit further than you do.

really explain.
because I do to. I just dont really feel like explaining myself very much on the internet.

My logic leads me to conclude no-one is saved. Death = permanent dirt nap, nothing more.

oh ok. well I dont believe that.
how do you think we got here?

In my case, my parents conceived me. That's how I got here.

ahh. but how did man all together get here. there must have been something to start us off.

Man evolved from other creatures, which evolved form other creatures... all the way back to the first self replicating protein. The question then, is magic ...oops, I mean miracle...required to explain the first self replicating protein?

Why is it so much harder to believe that you came from a loving caring God, that to believe that you came from a self replicating protein?