Zone1 We want to hear your conversion story

[Leo123]

Leo123
Yeah, you go there.

You and Ishtar butt buddies?

 

[sparky]

Right religion, the religion Christ established on Earth, the TRUE Catholic religion

is the most beautiful thing I have ever found...

(other than nature itself... but nature can be a bit wild, can't it?)

religion and faith are mutually exclusive Nomad

~S~

 

[nomadic5]

religion and faith are mutually exclusive Nomad

~S~

to a protestant, yes

to a true Catholic.. NOT

But I don't expect non-Catholics to understand that... what a pity

truly SAD

 

[nomadic5]

actually, we have to have a conversion experience often..

 

[Northwestresident]

I found Jesus (or he found me) at about age 3 or 4. I have been an outlier ever since.

MY TESTIMONY

I am a Christian. I have a testimony. I would like to have others hear it.
In the first part of 1982, I was a practicing alcoholic. Sometimes I drove a car drunk.

On March 28th, 1982, I was in Tacoma, WA. My father, mother, and brother were in Bellevue, WA. To celebrate my mom's birthday, the three of them went to have dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Seattle. On the way home, they had a head-on collision with a drunk driver. The three of them were taken to Harborview Hospital.

The following day, someone at Harborview called me and told me what had happened. I went to see my family immediately. My mom was in the ICU. My dad and brother were in better condition, so they were elsewhere in the hospital.

I stood in the ICU beside my mother's bed. She had been hit on the head very hard. She was unconscious. She was on a ventilator. Her head was shaved. I thought to myself that the person responsible for this should be killed. Then it occurred to me that the person responsible might be at Harborview. I thought to myself that if that person was also on life-support, it would probably be easy to disconnect it.

I went to the desk at the ICU and asked the woman there if the person who had hit my family was at Harborview. She said yes, and she said he was at Harborview Hall. That was across the street. I left the ICU and went across the street to Harborview Hall. I tried the front door. It was locked. This was in the middle of the daytime. Then it occurred to me that there might be a tunnel underground between the main Harborview building and Harborview Hall. I went back to the main building and went downstairs. There was a tunnel, but the door to that was locked. I gave up. On the basis of what I have learned since then, that guy was probably not at Harborview. Nonetheless, I wonder if I would have killed him if I had actually found him.

I had been a drunk driver, but I had been thinking that another drunk driver should die because he hit my family. That was pure hypocrisy. I believe that that incident showed me that I was a sinner. I did not undergo a religious conversion at that time, but I think a seed was planted in my mind.

Several days later, mom died. My father and brother eventually left the hospital without any permanent injury.

Several weeks later, I went to Alcoholics Anonymous. I got sober. Eventually, I met some people in AA who were Christians. I heard their testimony. I believe their testimony combined in my mind with what I had experienced that day at the hospital. Eventually, I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.

It's been a long time since the 1980s. A lot has happened. I am still following Christ. I have attempted many times to witness to unbelievers.

I said I was a sinner. In the Bible, in Romans 3:23, it says "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,...". That means everyone has sinned and failed to meet God's moral standards. That applies to everyone reading these words. Later in the Bible, in Romans 6:23, it says "For the wages of sin is death...". That means the payment that is due for sin is eternal separation from God in Hell. In other words, everyone deserves to go to Hell because of their sins. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, it says "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures,...". By his death and resurrection, Jesus made it possible for you to be saved from the penalty for your sins.

Here is how you can be saved: You need to be convinced that you are a sinner. You need to be convinced that your sins condemn you to Hell. You need to be convinced that you can't solve the problem by doing good works. Be genuinely sorry for your sins. Turn in your heart from sin to God. Become willing to obey God unconditionally. Believe with all your heart that Jesus is God, that he never sinned, that he died for your sins, and that he rose from the dead. If you believe that, God will make an exchange. He will count your sins as Christ's sins, so he pays for them on the cross. He will count Christ's perfect righteousness as yours. On the basis of those two things, God will declare you to be righteous. That means you will go to heaven when you die.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

My father was literally the most good and faithful person I’ve ever know. Faithful to his family, his community, his nation and his Faith. At the point in his life where he could finally have started putting his and my mother’s interests above everyone else’s need, he was struck down by Cancer thst wasted him away over two and a half years. His faith never wavered, even as his (and our) prayers went unanswered. One of the few people I would say deserved God”s help was completely ignored in his hour of need.

He wasn't ignored. He was healed. Because "flesh and blood cannot see the Kingdom" doesn't mean he hasn't received his "reward." If you think preserving THIS life is utmost in God's mind, you're foolish. A baby in the womb cannot see her life to come after birth, but she'll enter a glorious world beyond her understanding in the womb. It's the same when we pass from this physical life.

Your father would be disappointed by your bitterness and anger.

 

[Anathema]

He wasn't ignored. He was healed. Because "flesh and blood cannot see the Kingdom" doesn't mean he hasn't received his "reward." If you think preserving THIS life is utmost in God's mind, you're foolish. A baby in the womb cannot see her life to come after birth, but she'll enter a glorious world beyond her understanding in the womb. It's the same when we pass from this physical life

That’s not what I’m looking for in a Deity. I’ve been left holding the empty bag too many times to buy that BS. He spent 51 years working and caring for everyone else’s needs and at the moment he was finally going to be able to start doing for himself, he gets “called home”. Pretty bullshit deal if you ask me.

Your father would be disappointed by your bitterness and anger

That’s fine. It would pretty much mirror our relationship while he was alive and my fruits his lack of bitterness and anger at the situation.

 

[nomadic5]

MY TESTIMONY

I am a Christian. I have a testimony. I would like to have others hear it.
In the first part of 1982, I was a practicing alcoholic. Sometimes I drove a car drunk.

On March 28th, 1982, I was in Tacoma, WA. My father, mother, and brother were in Bellevue, WA. To celebrate my mom's birthday, the three of them went to have dinner at a Chinese restaurant in Seattle. On the way home, they had a head-on collision with a drunk driver. The three of them were taken to Harborview Hospital.

The following day, someone at Harborview called me and told me what had happened. I went to see my family immediately. My mom was in the ICU. My dad and brother were in better condition, so they were elsewhere in the hospital.

I stood in the ICU beside my mother's bed. She had been hit on the head very hard. She was unconscious. She was on a ventilator. Her head was shaved. I thought to myself that the person responsible for this should be killed. Then it occurred to me that the person responsible might be at Harborview. I thought to myself that if that person was also on life-support, it would probably be easy to disconnect it.

I went to the desk at the ICU and asked the woman there if the person who had hit my family was at Harborview. She said yes, and she said he was at Harborview Hall. That was across the street. I left the ICU and went across the street to Harborview Hall. I tried the front door. It was locked. This was in the middle of the daytime. Then it occurred to me that there might be a tunnel underground between the main Harborview building and Harborview Hall. I went back to the main building and went downstairs. There was a tunnel, but the door to that was locked. I gave up. On the basis of what I have learned since then, that guy was probably not at Harborview. Nonetheless, I wonder if I would have killed him if I had actually found him.

I had been a drunk driver, but I had been thinking that another drunk driver should die because he hit my family. That was pure hypocrisy. I believe that that incident showed me that I was a sinner. I did not undergo a religious conversion at that time, but I think a seed was planted in my mind.

Several days later, mom died. My father and brother eventually left the hospital without any permanent injury.

Several weeks later, I went to Alcoholics Anonymous. I got sober. Eventually, I met some people in AA who were Christians. I heard their testimony. I believe their testimony combined in my mind with what I had experienced that day at the hospital. Eventually, I accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.

It's been a long time since the 1980s. A lot has happened. I am still following Christ. I have attempted many times to witness to unbelievers.

I said I was a sinner. In the Bible, in Romans 3:23, it says "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,...". That means everyone has sinned and failed to meet God's moral standards. That applies to everyone reading these words. Later in the Bible, in Romans 6:23, it says "For the wages of sin is death...". That means the payment that is due for sin is eternal separation from God in Hell. In other words, everyone deserves to go to Hell because of their sins. In 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, it says "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures,...". By his death and resurrection, Jesus made it possible for you to be saved from the penalty for your sins.

Here is how you can be saved: You need to be convinced that you are a sinner. You need to be convinced that your sins condemn you to Hell. You need to be convinced that you can't solve the problem by doing good works. Be genuinely sorry for your sins. Turn in your heart from sin to God. Become willing to obey God unconditionally. Believe with all your heart that Jesus is God, that he never sinned, that he died for your sins, and that he rose from the dead. If you believe that, God will make an exchange. He will count your sins as Christ's sins, so he pays for them on the cross. He will count Christ's perfect righteousness as yours. On the basis of those two things, God will declare you to be righteous. That means you will go to heaven when you die.

Thank you so much for sharing this interesting story.

You were probably very young when you thought of killing the drunk driver. It takes a long time, sometimes, to see one's own sins as you eventually did (your hypocrisy, etc). I have also benefited from AA meetings even though I have rarely abused alcohol and never while driving. I would always choose either driving or drinking, never combined the 2, but that kind of restraint was only due to the grace of God (being raised in a... [barely].. Christian home and etc...

Actually, now that I think of it... my family was not very Christ-centered at all, so I am not sure I should say I was raised in a Chirstian home, although there was a smidgen of Christianity: We went to Mass on Sunday but ignored Jesus (and related matters) all during the week...

I could go on and on about the family but it's so negative/disturbing... etc.. I will C and D

 

[nomadic5]

That’s not what I’m looking for in a Deity. I’ve been left holding the empty bag too many times to buy that BS. He spent 51 years working and caring for everyone else’s needs and at the moment he was finally going to be able to start doing for himself, he gets “called home”. Pretty bullshit deal if you ask me.

That’s fine. It would pretty much mirror our relationship while he was alive and my fruits his lack of bitterness and anger at the situation.

God appears to have given your father the best Retirement plan known to man: Heaven (no more work, no more tears, no more disease)

(although no one knows where he ended up, save GOD)

so why are you so continuously bitter? Aren't you happy for him? If he did the best he could vis a vis God

my guess is he is on his way to Heaven via Purgatory.. but my guess is just that, a guess. We know who the only Judge is

 

[OhPleaseJustQuit]

Catholic as in universal, not RCC.

.

Lutherans say "I believe in the holy catholic Church" and some of them go so far as to say "holy Christian Church".

Catholics say "I believe in the holy Catholic Church."

I know, from the perspective of my Lutheran friends, that they do not believe in the holy Catholic Church.

.

 

[Woodznutz]

.

Lutherans say "I believe in the holy catholic Church" and some of them go so far as to say "holy Christian Church".

Catholics say "I believe in the holy Catholic Church."

I know, from the perspective of my Lutheran friends, that they do not believe in the holy Catholic Church.

.

I believe that God's church is the body of spirit-led believers, who may or may not be a member of a 'denominational' organization.

 

[Votto]

I remember as a kid feeling something was missing, and was not sure what it was, but something was nagging me as being missing.

Lots of soul searching and even talking to my parents about it who were just as perplexed as I was.

But I eventually found Christ and it all went away. I was home.

And sure, falling away, blah, blah, blah, and all the happy crap, just to remind me not to be an idiot anymore.

Looking at the world today, Christ is the only sanity there is left.

Sorry, no award winning testimony worthy of a movie or anything.

But yea, I'm good with that.

 

[Anathema]

God appears to have given your father the best Retirement plan known to man: Heaven (no more work, no more tears, no more disease)

He wasn’t looking to retire, from his job or this mortal realm. What he was finally retiring from was paying college tuition bills, having kids living at home, having to work 15 hours of OT every week, and being available for whoever else needed him rather than doing what he and my mom wanted to.

so why are you so continuously bitter? Aren't you happy for him? If he did the best he could vis a vis God

I was 27 years, 1 month and 5 days old when my father died IN HIS 54TH BIRTHDAY!!!! My mom, my siblings and I missed out on probably 30 years with him. He missed out on 3 weddings, the birth of 8 grandchildren, and (currently) 21* years with us. The guy who gave his entire lifetime helping others GOT FUCKED OVER BY THE GOD GE SPENT THST TIME SERVING!!!!!!!

 

[Blues Man]

I was never naïve enough to believe that some all powerful all loving god was looking out for all the people on this planet.

 

[Zebra]

The years went by and I fell into this and that sin.. but found Jesus again in a big later, at a time when all seemed lost for me (long story there). I kind of accidentally found Him... and found Him due to---

(Protestants will roll their eyes and/or vehemently ARGUE w/ the following but)

praying the rosary!

Jesus praying the rosary!

 

[nomadic5]

I believe that God's church is the body of spirit-led believers, who may or may not be a member of a 'denominational' organization.

The Church Christ founded is not just another denom

 

[nomadic5]

Jesus praying the rosary!

???????????

 

[Zebra]

???????????

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[nomadic5]

I was never naïve enough to believe that some all powerful all loving god was looking out for all the people on this planet.

I've been Christian in one imperfect form or another all my life, baptized as a baby

went astray from Jesus for years.. paid for it... met the creepiest people who also didn't have a connection to Him... etc... etc...

I've been walking closely with Him for years now and yet I still sometimes have these horrific moments in which I also do not feel loved by God...

The devil rules this world.. so it is not surprising that anyone feels thatway... and often...

He is cunning and sneaky and deceptive and smarter than humans... so yeh... it's no wonder we don't feel loved... and yet we are easily deceived in so many ways... we don't even realize how messed up we are 98% of the time and even when we do realize it, we can only do so much... etc

 

[nomadic5]

I remember as a kid feeling something was missing, and was not sure what it was, but something was nagging me as being missing.

Lots of soul searching and even talking to my parents about it who were just as perplexed as I was.

But I eventually found Christ and it all went away. I was home.

And sure, falling away, blah, blah, blah, and all the happy crap, just to remind me not to be an idiot anymore.

Looking at the world today, Christ is the only sanity there is left.

Sorry, no award winning testimony worthy of a movie or anything.

But yea, I'm good with that.

well, considering how rotten most movies are these days, that's not really saying much.. I'd rather watch a movie on your life or any Christian's life than all the modern movies in existence...

again... probably not saying much at all...