How did you reach your conclusion

[Smartt33]

That your God/faith or lack thereof was correct?

I continue, daily, to arrive at the conclusion that Almighty God is my personal Savior. I experience a personal whispering of truth from Him daily. A hug that cann only be given by Him engulfs me many times a day. Calm in termoil, peace in life's battles, strength in weakness, and hope in the midst of what often looks like hopelessness, all find their way into my walk with God.

One day I listened, I heard, and I said yes. From that day on I believed, and in my unbelief I was given reason for stronger faith.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

The question could be:

How did you come to the conclusion that every other religion but yours is wrong?

Personally I do not believe in an all powerful supreme being but I do not judge others' choices in the matter of religion as right or wrong.

The reasons I do not believe in god are many but mainly based in anthropology and psychology. Given our history, it is easy to see why people need to believe in a god.

One does not have to believe every other religion is wrong in order to believe in their own. False premise.

Not necessarily

When one chooses one religion (or chooses anything for that matter) over all others, that choice defines one thing as right, at least to that particular person, and the others as wrong, or at lease not as right as his choice.

The act of choosing defines the validity of one over all others that were not chosen.

I am using the word wrong in this sense not as a judgment but more to describe a personal choice. One chooses something because it is "right" for him. Therefore, all the things he didn't choose can be defined as "wrong" for him.

Many religions and many segments of religions maintain that one's choice of a religion has nothing to do with viewing other religions as wrong or incorrect. Rather that it is your PERSONAL view that the religion or segment of a religion you chose as your own is the one that fits you and that all other are free to do the same for themselves.

I personally am not sure ANY organized religion has it right. I chose the one that seems the most right to me. Meaning that others viewing it from their life and experience may disagree as to how right that is.

It is always a PERSONAL choice when it comes to religion. One should search themselves, pray, meditate and research the religions as they would any other choice they must make. Ask for Guidance from God.

 

[ABikerSailor]

Inside that church, there was a coin, with the name AND LIKENESS of Christ on it.

Would you supply a link for that please?

Here ya go....

LiveScience.com

 

[Smartt33]

That your God/faith or lack thereof was correct?

I came to my conclusion by testing the formula spoken of by James in chapter 1 verse 5 and 6.James 1


And also in Moroni chapter 10 verse 3-5.Moroni 10

I think it will work for anyone who is willing to test it.

But Truthspeaker, this requires taking up a faith first.

I do not know of a better analogy here, So I guess I will use this one.

Is not what you have done equivalent to putting the Cart before the Ass?

I mean, more literally, do you not want to check the validity of a point of view before following that point of view?
(Well, I guess that did not come out right since one can point to a number of religions and show that the people who practice them live proper and fulfilling lives. From here one can easily say "Hey these religions are valid-these people are happy and live a life of great note due to their adherence to said religious belief."

When In truth, no pun intended Mr Truthspeaker, I am referring to the cosmological view of said religions. In short, I can see the common sense behind "Though Shall obey thou mother and Father" but what send me over the edge is the claim that commandment came from a Talking Bush.

A BURNING talking Bush--do you understand where I am coming from, Mr. Truthspeaker?

In my journey of faith it has been amazing to watch how many ways God has chosen to speak and teach me. It is quite often in the very unexpected where I hear God the loudest. The burning bush is a small thing for God, and I will admit, a confusing thing for man to take in. However, the only one who needed to do that was Moses. He is the one who had to walk out in faith that the cvoice in the bush was God. He was the one whose life was changed by that event.

I have had my walking on water experiences, and my walking in the fire experiences. I did not literally walk on water, or stand in the fire, but the events were just as valid. I have walked through things that I personally know I could not walk through without faith, so I can relate with Moses.

 

[Lonestar_logic]

The moment I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior.


Before then I was in and out of jail and not a penny to my name. Now I have a net worth of 2. 8 million, I own four thousand acres of land 800 head of cattle, twelve horses, two businesses, (one a bail bond agency I recently started another one a investment recovery firm that I co-own). I've retired after twenty years from Boots and Coots International Well Control formerly Red Adair IWC and began a second career with an Engineering/Construction firm.

 

[eagleseven]

It is always a PERSONAL choice when it comes to religion.

Not for the roughly 1 billion Catholics and 1 billion Muslims. Once a Muslim/Catholic, always a Muslim/Catholic.

Maybe that's why the kill eachother?

 

[Foxfyre]

That your God/faith or lack thereof was correct?

I came to my conclusion by testing the formula spoken of by James in chapter 1 verse 5 and 6.James 1


And also in Moroni chapter 10 verse 3-5.Moroni 10

I think it will work for anyone who is willing to test it.

But Truthspeaker, this requires taking up a faith first.

I do not know of a better analogy here, So I guess I will use this one.

Is not what you have done equivalent to putting the Cart before the Ass?

I mean, more literally, do you not want to check the validity of a point of view before following that point of view?
(Well, I guess that did not come out right since one can point to a number of religions and show that the people who practice them live proper and fulfilling lives. From here one can easily say "Hey these religions are valid-these people are happy and live a life of great note due to their adherence to said religious belief."

When In truth, no pun intended Mr Truthspeaker, I am referring to the cosmological view of said religions. In short, I can see the common sense behind "Though Shall obey thou mother and Father" but what send me over the edge is the claim that commandment came from a Talking Bush.

A BURNING talking Bush--do you understand where I am coming from, Mr. Truthspeaker?

There are those who literally believe in that 'God speaking from within a burning bush'. And there are those who have devoted a lifetime of study and research looking at all the historical, geological, archaeological, and political evidence for Biblical content. Then there are those like me who have studied what the experts say and who have also lived in the world of those who operate not by sight but by faith.

Like Amrchaos, I know that God is not something that must be accepted on blind faith, but He is somebody with whom we have a relationship. Once we enter into that relationship the presence of God becomes a certain and experiential thing. I believe all will have that experience and relationship if they give God permission to make himself known to them on His terms and on His time line. He is after all God and we don't get to set the terms or establish the time line of who God is or how God makes Himself known.

As for the testimony of God as related in the Bible, I see the Bible as a magnificent collection of people's inadequate but nevertheless poignant efforts to describe or explain God and his relationship to them. I think people of deep faith can take the Bible literally and I do not fault them for that and respect their faith.

But I think when you read the Bible through the eyes of the people who wrote it, even with its probably imperfect translations, the Bible is an edited together collection of wonderful poetry, metaphor, allegory, symbolism, myth/parables used for illustration/teaching, history, and prophecy. The words are foolishness to some, teaching for others, blessing to still others.

While I know that God will sometimes speak directly to us through the scriptures as well as in other ways--perhaps for some still from within a burning bush--I think it is foolish to attempt to interpret the Bible as if it was written in the 21st Century. You have to go back and read the words through the experience, perspective, culture, understanding, and faith of the people of God back then in order to fully understand its message for us today.

 

[uscitizen]

Logic and faith. Prayer and meditation. Reinforced by others experiences as told to me through their own words. Historical records and facts help also.

But in the end it is personal faith.

and supersticion.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

So, you don't think you're smart enough to not commit crimes if left to your own devices?

 

[Coyote]

OF COURSE they would discourage questioning.

Cuts down on the costs of executing the heretics!

Well come on, where is your Christmas cheer? There's nothing like warm heretic burning at the stake to give you the warm fuzzies. You can even toast marshmallows and make it a family lesson for the kids

Well........if we weren't in the middle of a recession, I might feel different. Have you seen the price of a good log for burning heretics? And then, when you throw in the cost of a chain to keep 'em on the log, the gas........well........seems like it's three times more expensive these days than what it was only 10 year ago!

Shit.........when I was a kid, burning a heretic was cheap! You could do it for the cost of a Moon Pie and an RC Cola.

And, if you're gonna burn a wild one, well...........them's kinda hard to find here in the Amarillo area, as it's in the center of the Bible Belt.

You can find 'em, but it's difficult. And the ones that are left are smart and fierce!

You just don't know where to go - have you gone to the Dollar Store and checked out the Chinese imports? If you don't mind a few dings and some weird color choices you can get a pretty decent heretic for a couple of bucks. I got me a batch of them and we drank eggnog around the fire

 

[Truthspeaker]

The question could be:

How did you come to the conclusion that every other religion but yours is wrong?

Personally I do not believe in an all powerful supreme being but I do not judge others' choices in the matter of religion as right or wrong.

The reasons I do not believe in god are many but mainly based in anthropology and psychology. Given our history, it is easy to see why people need to believe in a god.

I would have great interest in a list you could make of the reasons why you disbelieve in a god. Would you do that?

 

[Truthspeaker]

The question could be:

How did you come to the conclusion that every other religion but yours is wrong?

Personally I do not believe in an all powerful supreme being but I do not judge others' choices in the matter of religion as right or wrong.

The reasons I do not believe in god are many but mainly based in anthropology and psychology. Given our history, it is easy to see why people need to believe in a god.

One does not have to believe every other religion is wrong in order to believe in their own. False premise.

Not necessarily

When one chooses one religion (or chooses anything for that matter) over all others, that choice defines one thing as right, at least to that particular person, and the others as wrong, or at lease not as right as his choice.

The act of choosing defines the validity of one over all others that were not chosen.

I am using the word wrong in this sense not as a judgment but more to describe a personal choice. One chooses something because it is "right" for him. Therefore, all the things he didn't choose can be defined as "wrong" for him.

That is an interesting way to put it. I could make a list of all the reasons why I wouldn't subscribe to any religion or sect but that could take years.
Rather I would say I choose my religion because it is the only one whose doctrines I completely believe and agree in. down to the minutest details. Whereas all others I have questioned has left me unsatisfied after my investigation of it.

 

[Truthspeaker]

Inside that church, there was a coin, with the name AND LIKENESS of Christ on it.

Would you supply a link for that please?

Here ya go....

LiveScience.com

That's a really cool find. I wish I could see it clearer. i'd also like to know the name of the archaeologist who discovered it, the date and article describing it. I'd like to know also if the coin was traded or was just made as an honorary piece by a Christian minter. If this is authentic then it may add more significance to the story about Jesus teaching the jews to "render unto Ceasar, the things which are Ceasar. And unto God, the things which are God's." Then showing the coin of Ceasar and probably flipping it back to the guy who showed it to him. I'd wonder if the Jesus coin was in mint at that time.

 

[Truthspeaker]

Logic and faith. Prayer and meditation. Reinforced by others experiences as told to me through their own words. Historical records and facts help also.

But in the end it is personal faith.

and supersticion.

Why troll? What's the point of it?

 

[Truthspeaker]

So, you don't think you're smart enough to not commit crimes if left to your own devices?

It is indisputable that the natural man is carnal, overly sensual, selfish and devilish. Something must govern them to make them civilized. Some better way of life must persuade the natural man to take a different route than being concerned with the pursuit of pleasures alone.
Here is evidence of the existence of a God: If he weren't there, we'd be little more than animals, only interested in food, sex and power.

And still yet. If He weren't there, we wouldn't be here either, nor the plants, animals and elements which make up this unimaginably organized planet and solar system.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

So, you don't think you're smart enough to not commit crimes if left to your own devices?

It is indisputable that the natural man is carnal, overly sensual, selfish and devilish. Something must govern them to make them civilized.

you're starting to sound like a Statist

Some better way of life must persuade the natural man to take a different route than being concerned with the pursuit of pleasures alone.

Really? Is it not the pursuit f the pleasure of a peaceable society that guides man to strive to achieve such a peaceable arrangement?

Here is evidence of the existence of a God: If he weren't there, we'd be little more than animals, only interested in food, sex and power.

You mean we're not?

You mean other animals aren't like animals?

You mean to tell me that you're only kept honest and peaceable by the fear of some policeman in the sky? Why is it atheists can be honest without being afraid of some giant invisible hand but you cannot? Doesn't that make them more moral, peaceable, and just than you? Aren't you8 basically admitting to being a lying, child-molesting, homicidal thief who only restrains from molesting children, killing them, and stealing their lunch money because you're afraid your magical skydaddy will smite you?

And still yet. If He weren't there, we wouldn't be here either, nor the plants, animals and elements which make up this unimaginably organized planet and solar system.

and this based on what, your appeal to ignorance?

 

[Newby]

That your God/faith or lack thereof was correct?

My lack of faith is logic...

You apparently have a lot of faith in your logic then.

 

[☭proletarian☭]

That your God/faith or lack thereof was correct?

My lack of faith is logic...

You apparently have a lot of faith in your logic then.

this crap again?

 

[Newby]

My lack of faith is logic...

You apparently have a lot of faith in your logic then.

this crap again?

Again? Have we had this discussion before?

 

[ABikerSailor]

Would you supply a link for that please?

Here ya go....

LiveScience.com

That's a really cool find. I wish I could see it clearer. i'd also like to know the name of the archaeologist who discovered it, the date and article describing it. I'd like to know also if the coin was traded or was just made as an honorary piece by a Christian minter. If this is authentic then it may add more significance to the story about Jesus teaching the jews to "render unto Ceasar, the things which are Ceasar. And unto God, the things which are God's." Then showing the coin of Ceasar and probably flipping it back to the guy who showed it to him. I'd wonder if the Jesus coin was in mint at that time.

Tell ya what, just Google "Jesus coin". The one on Live Science dot com is the best.