I grew up atheist for 16 years. I had always kept an open mind towards religion, but never really felt a need to believe in it. My sister started going to a Wednesday night children's program at a church. Eventually, I was dragged into a Christmas Eve service. Scoffing, I reluctantly went, assuming that this was going to be a load of crap, but when I went, I felt something. Something that I've never felt before. I felt a sense of empowerment and a sense of calling. Jesus called upon my soul, just like he did with his disciples. he wanted me to follow him. Now, my life is being lived for Christ. He died on the cross for my sins, and the sins of everyone who believes in him. He was beaten, brutalized, struck with a whip 39 times, made to carry a cross up to the stage of his death. This I believe to be true, and I can never repay him for what he has done. I still have my struggles with Christianity, but I've found this bit of information most useful. Religion is not comprehensible in the human mind, because we cannot comprehend the idea of a perfect and supreme being, a God, but we can believe it in our heart, and that's the idea of faith. Faith is, even though everything rides against me believing in Jesus, I still believe in him because I know that it's true in my heart. I invite my fellow Brothers and sisters of the LORD to talk about how Jesus has helped you in your life. No atheists and no insults please
I have no problem with the idea of religion to be honest, its all swell, its humanity's practice of religion that really makes me mad. The ideal of a perfect being that created earth is cool and all but the fact that humans think they can create an institution to teach of this perfect being is frankly ridiculous. There is no way to personify perfection so don't try to do it, it will only make you appear as a hypocrite. If you want a religion don't even try to bring a god into it, there is more than enough historical material to create a following of people like Jesus as HUMAN BEINGS not deities.
I have heard the F-117, but the b-2, at the end of the runway, you just hear a loud buzz, which gets louder, and just as it is in front of you, you hear a loud roar, then it just goes quiet again.
While I'm sure the B-2 has caused at least some UFO sightings, the F-117 was in the skies 8 years earlier making it a likely candidate for UFOs of that shape.
What about all the people who preach that god said this and this, and will do this and this (without any "might"?
This depends again, in case God said that in the Bible, or in the Church teaching, it's allowed to be preached, if not, I think they are wrong then. Say, Fatima's message of September 1917, "If people will not repent, there will be a greater war in the reign of Pius XI", after being constated of supernatural origin, is allowed to be preached. Saying "You will be in Hell" without any "if" is prohibited at all, a human cannot know if someone will end up in Hell, that someone can still choose life with God. Saying "If you won't repent your sins, you will be punished" is normal, since it allows you to choose, and only warns. Anyway, these classifications are not cast-iron in general, so each and every phrase is to be taken and considered regarding context.
What about the people who kill in god's name?
Christian teaching says that a wrongdoing cannot be righted with intentions. "Thou shalt not kill" applies to everyone. In case a killer had no valid choice to not to kill, his will is not free so his sin is not grave, like a soldier who is commanded to go to battle, and is bound by oath. He will kill there or be killed, but as he is bound, he does not carry the guilt of the sin of killing. The guilt rests somewhere on those who gave orders to start either the battle or the war, and I can't say on whom. So, any Islamic terrorist is wrong, but it's not me to say whether they had free will to commit themselves into killing.
Take DNA testing, it has shown that men convicted of murder, ****, etc, Identified by witnesses, were innocent because DNA evidence shows they didn't commit the crime.
Well, who would say that DNA tests experts weren't bribed? It's just another evidence from people who might be wrong. If the DNA evidence would be verified by a third party, then it could be considered prevailing.
This depends again, in case God said that in the Bible, or in the Church teaching, it's allowed to be preached, if not, I think they are wrong then.
No real difference then the people saying it. The Bible was written by people claiming to be speaking for God and church teaching come from the same source. The only difference is the Bible and church teachings are ingrained.
Christian teaching says that a wrongdoing cannot be righted with intentions. "Thou shalt not kill" applies to everyone. In case a killer had no valid choice to not to kill, his will is not free so his sin is not grave, like a soldier who is commanded to go to battle, and is bound by oath.
Psychopaths often have malfunctioning brains. Because of this it doesn't allow them to be able to accurately make such choices to kill or not. So by your definition some of the worst mass murders in history have not committed a grave sin.
Psychopaths often have malfunctioning brains. Because of this it doesn't allow them to be able to accurately make such choices to kill or not. So by your definition some of the worst mass murders in history have not committed a grave sin.
Yes, exactly. If you are nuts, your will is not here to take choices and you don't control your intentions in the way to be eligible for sinning. These are to be pitied more than sane people.
This depends again, in case God said that in the Bible, or in the Church teaching, it's allowed to be preached, if not, I think they are wrong then. Say, Fatima's message of September 1917, "If people will not repent, there will be a greater war in the reign of Pius XI", after being constated of supernatural origin, is allowed to be preached. Saying "You will be in Hell" without any "if" is prohibited at all, a human cannot know if someone will end up in Hell, that someone can still choose life with God. Saying "If you won't repent your sins, you will be punished" is normal, since it allows you to choose, and only warns. Anyway, these classifications are not cast-iron in general, so each and every phrase is to be taken and considered regarding context.
Technically since if an atheist went to heaven they'd convert to a theist they would all repent their sins and get into heaven would they. And they'd be truly sorry too. It follows christian rules.
Christian teaching says that a wrongdoing cannot be righted with intentions. "Thou shalt not kill" applies to everyone. In case a killer had no valid choice to not to kill, his will is not free so his sin is not grave, like a soldier who is commanded to go to battle, and is bound by oath. He will kill there or be killed, but as he is bound, he does not carry the guilt of the sin of killing. The guilt rests somewhere on those who gave orders to start either the battle or the war, and I can't say on whom. So, any Islamic terrorist is wrong, but it's not me to say whether they had free will to commit themselves into killing.
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They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in itâ"men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.
Joshua 6:21 on Jericho. And they did nothing wrong.
Technically since if an atheist went to heaven they'd convert to a theist they would all repent their sins and get into heaven would they. And they'd be truly sorry too. It follows christian rules.
You shift cause and effect here. In case of a former atheist to be in Heaven, he first has to repent and stop being an atheist. But it's the atheist who has to move towards God, because God made one single move towards everyone by sending His Son to humanity to suffer for our sins and redeem them with His life. While you stay on one place, you will not approach Heaven.
Joshua 6:21 on Jericho. And they did nothing wrong.
You mistake Judaist with Christian. By the time Jericho was under siege Christ had not yet come, and God's commandments encompassed only Jewish people. Now you are forbidden doing so, even if a war would rage.
You shift cause and effect here. In case of a former atheist to be in Heaven, he first has to repent and stop being an atheist. But it's the atheist who has to move towards God, because God made one single move towards everyone by sending His Son to humanity to suffer for our sins and redeem them with His life. While you stay on one place, you will not approach Heaven.
Well when an atheist dies I assume there is a transitional period where is goes to hell and during this time the atheist would repent as this is proof of god.
guys, this whole thread is off topic. He says he wanted to discuss, with Christians, their experiences with god. All of you have turned it into an argument whether or not he's real. I know you can't say who replies on a thread, but to you who are blatantly questioning a person's belief, that isn't what this thread is about. It's discussing your feelings with god. To be honest, I've had no real experiences, but I've had to but in. Stop this pointless argument. What really are you proving to anyone? Your not exactly going to stop religion in it's tracks, are you? Let the christians believe in their god. They're not harming anyone, in fact, they're making a lot of people happy. Get back on topic with this thread, will you?
but to you who are blatantly questioning a person's belief, that isn't what this thread is about. It's discussing your feelings with god.
Um, not to be nit-picking, but isn't questioning a persons belief and discussing ones feeling about a deity not more or less the same? If this thread is about discussing feelings about a deity, why should non-believers be automatically excluded?
They're not harming anyone, in fact, they're making a lot of people happy.
Um, not to be nit-picking, but isn't questioning a persons belief and discussing ones feeling about a deity not more or less the same?
No, it's not the same, and "more or less" fails. In the former case you're basing on that God's existance is questionable at least, or false, while in the latter you are basing on that God exists.
