Forums → WEPR → Theism and Atheism
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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
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Your parents aren't an idea or belief. It would be like being comfortable with the idea that your parents are wealthy and well off while you see that they are starving in the street
I'm comfortable with the idea that there's elements in space which haven't been proven yet. That's an idea/belief. You can call me naive but your opinion doesn't affect me, i respect it, but i'm me, and my beliefs are fine by me.
Justifying with things like "i find comfort in my faith" is called an emotional plea. Your making a plea to the emotional aspect of your beliefs.
I already stated to you what a plea is. That is not a plea in any way. I am stating how i feel about my belief, which is relevant to me, not pleaing to anyone.
You already know your beliefs are flawed thinking yet you accept them anyway. So your turning a blind eye to the points that show them wrong.
Do you believe in the big bang? If so, it's flawed. I didn't say i accepted my belief system 100%. I'm aware of the flaws, but i believe in a God. That's my own choice.
your opinion doesn't affect me, i respect it, but i'm me, and my beliefs are fine by me.
sounds to me as putting figers in your ears and singing LALALA
if your not willing to listen in a debate. then why comment in the debate?
sounds to me as putting figers in your ears and singing LALALA
Quite the opposite- i take everything someone says into consideration.
But how would someone speaking to me via internet change the belief i've had for twenty years?
I understand why people don't believe. I just choose to believe. My reasons for that are mine. People call believes naive, ignorant etc, but they're beliefs we have grown up with.
if your not willing to listen in a debate. then why comment in the debate?
How am i not listening if i'm replying to what is being said?
My views won't change, doesn't mean i'm not listening.
My views won't change, doesn't mean i'm not listening.
And this is why someone cannot have faith and be a critical thinker at the same time - one of the criteria to allow for critical thinking is that one must be prepared to change the things that they believe or the views that they take on an area.
[quote]Jesus came to earth, died to forgive all our sins so that we may once again have a personal relationship with God.
All powerful God just can't say, "You're forgiven?" No, instead he has to pick the bloodiest, cruelest way possible? That's just sadistic, not forgiving.[/quote]
God became human so that he could pay the cost of sin for all people (but they must repent). He decided to do this through the way of justice back then when the rulers were Roman. One of their punishments was death by the cross (or tree).
John the Baptist calls him the Lamb âwho takes away the sin of the worldâ (John 1:29). Paul calls him a âsacrifice of atonement,â a âsin offering,â~
The many sins of the world obviously include, Murder, Adultery, Stealing just to name a few. Millions of these sins would have been committed before God returned to earth (let alone the future). These would have accounted for multiple deaths for the people who committed these sins (but of course you can't kill somebody more than once).
So Jesus went on the cross to pay for our sins, our ransom, the punishment for all our sins are obviously death.
I think this sums it up quite nicely:~
He became sin for us, so that we might be declared righteous through him. Because he suffered what we deserved, he redeemed us from the curse of the law. âThe punishment that brought us peace was upon him.â
Because he suffered death, we can enjoy peace with God.
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Ransom - Ransom: a price paid to achieve someoneâs freedom. The emphasis falls on the idea of being freed, not the nature of the price.
And this is why someone cannot have faith and be a critical thinker at the same time - one of the criteria to allow for critical thinking is that one must be prepared to change the things that they believe or the views that they take on an area.
If you read the post above it, i referred to by someone over the internet. In another thread i stated that if science was able to prove itself, i would admit i was wrong and accept it.
But someone who cannot provide me with 100% evidence, someone who i have never met nor had a conversation with will make me change my views. I'm open to change, when it's proven.
I believe in God and Christ and all that stuff as well. To the atheists...why would the Lord just be like 'Hey guys! I made everything! Coolio.'
Theres a reason he doesn't do that. It would be too easy to just play follow the leader. Thats why we have to exercise faith.
Disclaimer. I am open to some debate, but not some of the trolling or such that has gone on here.
I don't have much time here so I might have to get back to some of this later.
I already stated to you what a plea is. That is not a plea in any way.
If your saying you believe X because it gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling then use that as an excuse for beveling it that's called an appeal to emotion ie an emotional plea.
Do you believe in the big bang? If so, it's flawed.
I accept scientific theories based on the evidence provided fro them.
I didn't say i accepted my belief system 100%. I'm aware of the flaws, but i believe in a God. That's my own choice.
But you do so when you know the basis for that belief is fundamentally flawed. It's like your saying you know this stuff doesn't add up, but you believe it anyway.
But how would someone speaking to me via internet change the belief i've had for twenty years?
By keeping an open mind and accepting new information as it comes and reevaluating and discarding preconceived notions. All of which is an antithesis to faith.
My views won't change, doesn't mean i'm not listening.
they're beliefs we have grown up with.
i know a man of 82 who has been a christian for his entire life. when he was young he even went to priest school and worked in a local church. he tells me that he no longer believes in what the bible says. because of all the evidense that scientists came up whit during his life. he is sad that he didn't know this earlyer because he liked to talk about the turth of what life is and why we where here on earth. he told me that if he could do his life over he whold speak a whole differet truth.
it's because of him that i became intrested about the scientific results except for religions blabla.
moral of the story:
it's never to late to change the way you think. 20 years is only a small part life.
If your saying you believe X because it gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling then use that as an excuse for beveling it that's called an appeal to emotion ie an emotional plea.
Nowhere will you see the words warm and fuzzy. For comfort yes. Your term is still wrong, an emotional plea is a request made on emotion. I am not requesting anything.
By keeping an open mind and accepting new information as it comes and reevaluating and discarding preconceived notions. All of which is an antithesis to faith.
I have a very open mind and you have not provided me with any new information - when new information is presented i do take it on board, and as stated, would admit i was wrong.
moral of the story:
it's never to late to change the way you think. 20 years is only a small part life.
If you actually read what i have previously said throughout the thread - if i was proven wrong, i would admit it and accept it.
srry about my spelling i forget the spelling check evry time =(
If you actually read what i have previously said throughout the thread - if i was proven wrong, i would admit it and accept it.
thats actualy why i didn't comment on this topic befor. because it was so long and i didn't realy know what it was all about.
but the mods closed the other topic and sended it to this topic.
danm you mods =P
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