Why don't YOU believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God?, page 1
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reply posted on 10-7-2003 @ 02:53 PM by Fry2
Well these discussions usually end up pretty heated but I'll bite

I was brought up Christian. I went to church every Sunday with my parents who were both VERY active in the local church. My mother was in Yale divinity school actually to become a priest. My mother died of Lupus when I was 10. I began to question this whole god thing.
I continued to go to church with my father every Sunday. I was even an "alter boy" 'till the age of 15. There was a theft from the rectory (sp?), a bottle of wine was stolen, and what happens? Pretty much everyone in the congregation decided it was me (it wasn't) and made it known that's what they thought.
No matter how much I protested they insisted it was me, with absolutely no evidence mind you.
That was it. The hypocricy of these so called christians was enough for me to walk away and never look back.

Today, 18 years later I have researched many religions and belief systems and I find that I will not accept ANY organized religion. The jury is still out with me as to whether or not I even believe in this so called "God". I would say at this point, no. I am not one for blind faith. I need some proof. A book written by a bunch of people 2000 years ago and translated and modified so many times over the ages to fit those in power in the church does little to convince me otherwise.
If one were to believe everything in the bible then you would have to admit there were an awful lot of miracles going on back then. Where are they now? I don't need a whole sea parted or anything. How about parting Long Island Sound? That might convince me.


reply posted on 10-7-2003 @ 05:42 PM by jammerman
Fry2:

I am terribly sorry to hear about your negative experience with the church. I would not even attempt to make an excuse for them. I will say, however, be careful not to misplace your anger and distrust. It was people who betrayed you, not God. God knows you, all of you, the good and the bad. He loves you dispite it all. The best advice I can give you is to forgive them. In doing so you will free yourself from the bondage of the negative experience. Try to understand that they have their path too and their sin too. We all do. Forgive them without them asking. Show them the grace that God has shown you. Let it go and move on. Use it as a lesson, but don't let it stunt you own spiritual development. You will grow by letting it go. Until you do, the baggage will stay with you.

Thanks for sharing.

I would like to briefly address your concern about a the "2000 year old book" called the bible. Yes it is an ancient text and it has been transcribed meticulously by monks into every common language on the planet. Something you probably don't know is that it is the most historically accurate ancient text. A scientist named Don Bierle (PhD) began a quest to show that the bible was false and couldn't be trusted. His scientific inquiry into the matter resulted in a profoundly different result than he expected. He statistically showed that it is the most historical ancient document to date. I HIGHLY recommend his book. It's short, readable and to the point. You can get it on amazon at the link below:

www.amazon.com...=1057876470/sr=8-3/ref=sr_8_3/104-4582748-7412729?v=glance&s=books&n=507846#product-detail s

Being open to a relationship with God is the first step to having a relationship with God.

That's all for now.

With Sincerity,

~Jammer


reply posted on 10-7-2003 @ 06:37 PM by tomazlan
I do not have a problem with others who have faith in their respective religions. I, however, dont believe in organized religion. I may be wrong or I may be right.

My personal belief is there there is something, a force, an energy, or something out there that guides us through our travels. Through out my life I have looked into many different religions always searching. not searching for a deity, but searching for knowledge.

If you look at the various religions that are out there, everyone that I have seen/read/heard about seem to have the same basis. The religions give rules for living.
Most of these "rules for living" are things that someone who wanted power would use to "control" his people. That control could be a good thing that would eliminate problems in an anrachist society. However that power could be a bad thing.

Most humans are never satisfied. think about it. How many times have you gotten something or done something that you felt good about or proud of, only to realize that after awhile that sense of pride and feeling of accomplishment had dissappeared. When those feeling went away what did you go out and do? Did you go out and try and do more, or go out and try to do better.

Same thing would go with someone in a position of power. You get that position of power and for awhile everything is hunky dorey..... but then something happens. All of the sudden you dont feel like you have that power. Free minds are thinking. You start to worry that someone else is going to take that power away from you. So what do you do. You do whatever it takes to increase that power.

Humans are competitive by nature. Only the strong survive. And the strong (mental or physical) will do whatever it takes to maintain that order, that power they have over others.

I do have to apologize for my rambling but sometimes I see something, and I just have to write the words that come to my fingertips. My posts are not meant to offend/tickoff or do any harm to any others. I feel all should have their beliefs. We would not be individuals if we didn't.


[Edited on 10-7-2003 by tomazlan]


reply posted on 10-7-2003 @ 08:47 PM by jagdflieger
Even though I am a Christian and believe firmly in the salvation that our Lord Jesus Christ can bring, I have the following message for other Christians who post on this forum "GIVE IT UP" . You will never convince any of the non-believers here of the validity of Christ's message. You are attempting to "drop pearls of wisdom" before swine. There is no amount of posting that can convince them of the truth. Only God with His Mercy can lift these people out of their ignorance through direct intervention and revelation in their lives (as He did with me). In fact you may be getting in God's way in His dealings with whom He Elects. God will save whom He chooses. Indeed if you think I am presenting a Calvinist view point, you are 100% right. Only God can intervene in the life of the Elect to reveal Himself and give them belief.

Indeed this "skeptics" will accept anything without question which dismisses and criticises the Christian Faith and the Christian believer. There is a well respected writer (among the "skeptics") whose work contains many misconceptions not only of Christianity but of othrer beliefs (Buddist and Krishna). These misconceptions can be refuted and brought into question by reading any text book on comparative religions. They can also be brought into question by accessing the web sites of the appropiate belief (Yes the buddists have lots of web sites). Yet this person's work is quoted and used by the "skeptics" without question. No amount of refutation of this writer's work will convince the "skeptics" that the works contain misconception upon misconception.

Therefore based upon my personal exprience, I have come to the conclusion that God will reveal Himself to whom He Elects. No amount of presentation of the truth on our part will change the attitude of the non-believer. We are merely wasting our time.

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