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
C'mon. This isn't fair. There isn't any Christians in the thread right now.
as much as i dislike putting you down, there is a reason for that. you can understand what that means by yourself. i never saw one single christian who was sure of what he sais and actually managed to raise his voice all alone... its kind of disapointing really
My faith has been flying all over the place all my life. It has not been until recently when I realised what is the point in following one faith/book?
Why should one book hold the answer to everything? People have backed up this with it's God/Allah or whoever's word but I am a firm believer in logic and reasoning so you could say I am an atheist.
But I have always been a firm believer in religion. Taking Holy Books liberally (taking the meanings of stories rather than taking them as if they happened) I believe that you should read all of the Holy Books and then decide for your self what you believe in.
You don't even need to read them, our morals are so intertwined with religious morals nowadays you can literally look in the Bible, Torah etc. and find the stories that teach these morals.
Fixing yourself to one religion is like fixing your self to one field of science and denouncing all others or only buying one series of video game.
Belief shouldn't stick to one type of faith; you can take morals from any religion and make your own choices.
Regarding my own beliefs about an afterlife, I hope for one but I think it is better to enjoy your life and do good and having a possible chance of getting into Heaven than dedicating your whole life to something that doesn't exist.
Why should one book hold the answer to everything? People have backed up this with it's God/Allah or whoever's word but I am a firm believer in logic and reasoning so you could say I am an atheist.
Logic and reason can be a means that often leads a person to atheism given how illogical and unreasonable religion often is. However this in itself does not make you an atheist. Simple question do you believe god (any gods) exist? If no, then your an atheist. If you do then you're a theist.
But I have always been a firm believer in religion. Taking Holy Books liberally (taking the meanings of stories rather than taking them as if they happened) I believe that you should read all of the Holy Books and then decide for your self what you believe in.
As a theist I saw how each religion didn't have the right story. I still believed religion had truth to it. So I thought perhaps each one held a piece of the truth and it was just a matter of putting it together. The result is no better then any one religion. Though I will agree learning about as much as you can, even religion, is good to do.
Also while I will agree that a person is entitled to their beliefs and opinions, they are not however entitled to their own truth.
You don't even need to read them, our morals are so intertwined with religious morals nowadays you can literally look in the Bible, Torah etc. and find the stories that teach these morals.
actually it's sort of the other way around. Religions took these concepts that were already present and required for societies to exists and incorporated them into themselves. Adding the requirements of mindless worship.
Belief shouldn't stick to one type of faith; you can take morals from any religion and make your own choices.
Belief shouldn't stick to any faith, that can just be gullibility. You don't need religion to get morals, as noted religion hijacked morality and even corrupts it as times.
Took up a lot of heat recently and stood my ground with these people. Still arguing as of right now. I want to share this link and to any Christians who might be reading the link I set up. This could be you further along down the line of your faith. Its ridiculous the answers these people gave. I thought that I'd like to share this.
Arguments begin on comment page 12. Any input or advice on how I could've handled this better or what I did wrong would be appreciative.
Also a reply from a dead thread called "calling all Christians"-
So WHY, for the THOUSANDTH time, do people STILL use a book that almost EVERYONE agrees is OUTDATED and proven to be shown wrong in many instances! I don't understand the stupidity there.
Because it still applies in our lives today, it's alive, it guides Christians, it stimulates our thinking...
No, the bible is not outdated and "old". If it were old and outdated it won't be around anymore. Instead it's one of the most popular books out there.
and proven to be shown wrong in many instances!
Name one circumstance where the bible is proven wrong.
Have you heard of strong Christians becoming atheists? Like....Half the people on this forum?
You guys in this forum are so stubborn. But anyways, look how there are so many Christians in world (AG is just a very small portion). There are actually many Christians in AG. Look at my friend list. They're all Christians.
If Christianity is wrong, stupid, dumb, outdated, false, and just a bunch of fairy tales, then why would anyone be a Christian? But, there are many Christians out there. But they're not dumb. Like I said, even strong atheists (ones like magegraywolf) have become Christians.
Ok, about the link. So let's say that Creation is the truth. Sorry if you can't accept the truth, but that's the truth. Anyways, name another place in the Bible that is not true(besides the Creation/evolution thing).
Because it still applies in our lives today, it's alive, it guides Christians, it stimulates our thinking...
Yep, especially that teachings on slavery. Those apply to our life so much today.
Name one circumstance where the bible is proven wrong
The world being a few thousand years old.
You guys in this forum are so stubborn
Fallacy #20: Ad Hominem
But anyways, look how there are so many Christians in world (AG is just a very small portion). There are actually many Christians in AG. Look at my friend list. They're all Christians.
A repeat of fallacy #19: "'Appeal To Widespread Belief' fallacy - Thinking that because more people believe something, it is correct."
If Christianity is wrong, stupid, dumb, outdated, false, and just a bunch of fairy tales, then why would anyone be a Christian?
Because people are all of the named insults.
But more seriously, because they forced most the people at one point and then teach them not to question it. Pretty much every Christian country throughout history has forced all of it's people to become Christian, and then everybody is taught not to question the religion. If people do question the religion, they're killed, like in so many cases in middle ages Europe.
But they're not dumb. Like I said, even strong atheists (ones like magegraywolf) have become Christians.
And vice versa. Also, in the only case you linked, they gave him money. It sounds more like a bribe.
The Bible doesn't say that the world is young or old.
Because people are all of the named insults.
People aren't stupid. They're thinking is just like yours.
Pretty much every Christian country throughout history has forced all of it's people to become Christian,
That's Catholicism. Kind of different from what I believe. Now that's wrong because God wants to give people free will. If they want to reject God, that's fine if they burn in hell for eternity. If they choose to follow God, then that's great. Eternal life in heaven.
