Any ex or former Christians?

originally posted by: Deetermined
a reply to: cynicalheathen

Is acceptance of Jesus a prerequisite to enter the Christian heaven

Yes.

Romans 14:11

11For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.

Phillipians 2:9-11

9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1 John 4:2-3

2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:

3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:

Matthew 10:32-33

32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me (Jesus) before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

33 But whosoever shall deny me (Jesus) before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

This post really resonates with me.
Bless you for posting it. Please join me in a silent pray to Jesus for the OP. I feel he is struggling on amuch deeper level than he cares to discuss on this thread.

Thank you 😊

a reply to: Sheye

To the OP, it sounds like you want to apologize to this girl you hurt. If you can , do it.

I may be wrong, but I get the distinct impression that the OP is trying to tell us that this girl has passed on, which is why he feels so remorseful. I'm wondering if the OP is struggling with his own mortality along with his guilt? OP can you clear this up for us?

a reply to: Sheye

Please join me in a silent pray to Jesus for the OP. I feel he is struggling on a much deeper level than he cares to discuss on this thread.

I agree! Yes, I will certainly join you in silent prayer for the OP! God bless you!

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: Sheye

No, not really. I just believe that God will judge everyone at the end, and He does have a means of judging them.

The Jews will be judged under the Old Covenent, so that's as close as I can come. It can't be that exactly as we aren't talking about Jews, but it has to be something like it.

But I do know that God's standard is perfection, and no one is perfect. That's way we're saved through Grace, and why I put "loophole" in scare quotes.

Makes sense to me .

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: cynicalheathen

All will be judged under the law and none can keep the law. For this reason was Christ sent to earth.

So, if you are looking for a "loophole" to Christian doctrine, as it were, I suppose your "out" would be to perfectly follow God's laws like He did.

the law is gone.. twas a curse...Scripture says....it couldn't save anyone

it was a harsh schoolmaster...to make israel jealous

So, to sum it up...

We all have different beliefs, based on personal experiences and faith.

Some believe 100% that their individual belief is correct, some do not.

Nobody has any empirical evidence to prove anything. All anyone has is anecdotal stories or old oral histories passed down for centuries. Many previously deeply held beliefs are now considered myths.

One wonders if Christianity would be as popular as it is were it not spread through conquest and acquisition of wealth through political power... Even so, believers in Christianity only account for about 33% of the world's population. So 66% of the world is damned?

I have no beef with any particular religion or belief. What does make me bristle is anyone representing their belief as objective fact. If, when speaking of their religion, believers would preface statements with "Well, my personal belief is that..." instead of matter-of-factly stating whatever, discussions would be more civil.

I guess I'm a little more jaded than most. The so-called "Christians" who comprise the vast majority of believers in my area ( the American South ) do not represent their faith very well. I have personally seen a member of one Protestant denomination tell a member of a different denomination that they were going to Hell for believing differently. This has happened several times. I have heard members of one denomination make snide remarks about members of another denomination many times. I have seen so-called "Christians" get downright ugly about a planned mosque being built. I have personally been told I'm going to Hell for my personal beliefs so many times I've lost count. Sometimes I actually believe that someone wants to hit me because I admit that I think differently.

It all just boggles my mind because, regardless of how someone may feel, nobody has any proof about religion or the afterlife, yet people are so sure that their belief is right that they'll berate or attempt to fight you over it.

It bewilders me, because it's akin to fighting over whose imaginary friend is better.

a reply to: cynicalheathen
Great post, and I felt it came honestly straight from your heart. I don’t think any human has the right to tell another they are going to hell, and what happens immediately after death to a soul is a mystery until we die. I do believe a soul is graced with seeing truth at that moment , and divine intervention is intervening for a soul to choose grace through Jesus.

It all just boggles my mind because, regardless of how someone may feel, nobody has any proof about religion or the afterlife, yet people are so sure that their belief is right that they'll berate or attempt to fight you over it.

There is proof , and that proof still exists today. The Blessed Virgin Mary has been appearing in many parts of the world over the century, and still continues to do so,bringing messages of hope and salvation through conversion and prayer.

I feel we are derailing this thread with religious talk though, and the poor OP just wanted help sorting out some deep feelings of remorse and guilt.

Sorry OP😕

a reply to: cynicalheathen
Some people in South America and Africa believe they are the real Jesus. Lol. Just watch the YouTube. It makes me roll my eyes a lot, I almost see the devil's aura behind those modern Jesus. How gullible people can be? I can't understand what are they thinking. But I highly suspected, they're not good.


The point is, if you know it's not true, then why should you allow it influence your own belief? Do they threaten you? You could always complain to your local law enforcer should you suspect any harm from their activities. Best is you should avoid them as far as possible.

We view things differently. They are mostly shape by our understanding and belief. A Muslim view their world differently compare to a christian, even though they technically worship the same Abrahamaic God. A Catholic may see the importance of keeping their tradition, while a Protestant may see the importance of their scripture. A Hindu may see the world govern by multiple forces and understand to respect each forces accordingly. A Buddhist, on the other hand, see the importance of perfect selfness and adhere to strict discipline including diet and rigorous mental traning. Druidism probably hold the sacredness of their ancestors.

Understanding the differences in each person point of view, makes me realize that truth is subjective. It can only come within you. I maybe damned eternally by Abrahamic God of Christian, Islamic and Judaism. But it doesn't bother me at all. My action is my own responsibility. My truth is my own reasoning. And from where I stand, I trust my God walks with me, be with me and within me all the time. It's more than enough for me to keep myself secure and remind myself to keep God's command in my heart.

As I watch all this modern false Jesus preaching hell, I smile imagining myself walking the altar of hell while all the demons bow down before me unable to look at me directly. I know no man and demons and spritual beings has authority over me except God.

I don't know Druidism's prays. But in times of doubt and trouble, it would best if you let yourself humble and sincere in front of your God. If you trust in him, you should realize something. A sign for your answer, maybe. Faith is mystery. If You have strong faith, miracle can happen. Otherwise, there're more than one gods to choose.

a reply to: Ohthewey778

I've sent you a PM.

.

a.

Yeah, I'm a former minister. I still like Christ, but it was the " Christians " that pushed me away. Paulians really.....

a reply to: Ohthewey778

I was a Catholic by birth. Baptism and communion.
As I went back one day to pray... A priest saw me and innuendoly turn a light off. One of those direct indirect signs from jerks who have no cojones to tell you face to face. So... Yes. I'm retired. No longer catholican. And I'm not happy, but I'm not sad.
Lesson I learned was... I am on my own.

So... I'm not Jesuit in any sense of the word.
Nor am I in muhammadology and judaics..

I'm am a practicing Cabalist mixed with Freemasonry.

I have a story to tell. But if I do... Lights will go out some more.

Any advice...????

a reply to: Akragon

In any case you don't need a religion or a label to believe in God

a reply to: cynicalheathen

Faith can move mountains... Stir humans to to strive in climbing that mountain...

I personally think that when somebody has to speak like it's all a matter of fact in regards to their faith? Their faith is ultimately weak.

I know that opinion won't get much respect with many of the faithful but it's what I truly believe.

Why else do they have to constantly reaffirm themselves? Insist on insistence?

It isn't their job to save me or anyone else, you cannot fear someone into faith. Because that is not faith at all. Come to think of it... That might be why many people struggle with education at school, because they fear poor grades or a low score on a test.

I literally didn't give a damn about tests at school, I wasn't clever either and I didn't suffer the repetitive repetition that is "education" yet I never failed a test. I was actually resented for that, by teachers too. I guess I had faith, I guess I didn't fear the so called consequences.

Life's beat is not repetitive, it's magical and spontaneous... Know what I mean?

People seeing mouse traps when in reality it's just free cheese and a challenge. People not seeing what's before their eyes because somebody else kept telling them what to look for.

I enjoyed reading your post. It provoked some thoughts and I always enjoy that.

a reply to: Night Star

Beautiful.

I love your signature too.

originally posted by: Ohthewey778
a reply to: chr0naut

Well I mean I guess I don't know how to do that or I lost my way or..I could get into it but I'm not sure I want to do that.

Best source I have found of solid hardcore info, start here:

Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj Testimony - Google Search
How My Spiritual Eyes Have Opened - Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj - Google Search
Sadhu Sundar Selvaraj Wait on God - Google Search
Lancaster Prophetic Conference - Google Search

a reply to: Murgatroid


Thanks but not looking for spiritual advices, especially those, but no not any..ok thanks....

a reply to: RAY1990

I personally think that when somebody has to speak like it's all a matter of fact in regards to their faith? Their faith is ultimately weak.

Tell that to the disciples of Christ , who spread His word with certainty and faith. They were neither weak or in lack of faith. They were willing to die rather than reject that certainty of faith.

originally posted by: Sheye
a reply to: RAY1990

I personally think that when somebody has to speak like it's all a matter of fact in regards to their faith? Their faith is ultimately weak.

Tell that to the disciples of Christ , who spread His word with certainty and faith. They were neither weak or in lack of faith. They were willing to die rather than reject that certainty of faith.

Or better yet, tell it to the Christian mother who's son killed himself, tell it to the Christian homosexual who's faith was denied by his own congregation, or maybe to that teenager who was deemed trouble because she had a child outside of wedlock at the age of 17.

Context is everything in within the context of my older post I was speaking of the kind of people who'd deny their own family, their own friends and fellow human beings all because a book told them to.

I'm not talking about friends of Jesus who taught and practiced a different version of Christianity than many today.