Zone1 Not a Christian

[Carl in Michigan]

Think whatever you want. I will do anything God tells me to do. You are right. I don't believe that God wants anything to do with me. If He did, He would have contacted me by now. I think deep down you know what the truth is. Why would I be looking for God? That sounds futile.

Think whatever you want. I will do anything God tells me to do. You are right. I don't believe that God wants anything to do with me. If He did, He would have contacted me by now. I think deep down you know what the truth is. Why would I be looking for God? That sounds futile.

I understand your motive in posting here. It's not good. It's not pure. I see the source in you.

God has NOTHING to do with you because, despite your lies, you have no interest in "finding" Him. You have separated yourself from God, not the other way around.

And again you lie. Unlike you, I KNOW the Bible is the ONLY inspired Word of God.

You're a miserable soul and misery loves company. You don't post in the Religion section to learn, or to find God, but to cause division and cast doubt among any who might be naive enough and gulible enough. That is why you haunt the Religion section.

I honestly hope you can find repentance, but that's on you.

 

[presonorek]

I understand your motive in posting here. It's not good. It's not pure. I see the source in you.

God has NOTHING to do with you because, despite your lies, you have no interest in "finding" Him. You have separated yourself from God, not the other way around.

And again you lie. Unlike you, I KNOW the Bible is the ONLY inspired Word of God.

You're a miserable soul and misery loves company. You don't post in the Religion section to learn, or to find God, but to cause division and cast doubt among any who might be naive enough and gulible enough. That is why you haunt the Religion section.

I honestly hope you can find repentance, but that's on you.

Repentance of what? Unbelief? I’d love to believe that I am going to live in eternal bliss for all of eternity and that the creator of the universe is my best friend. Just convince me.

You know the truth. Of course I have no interest in finding God. Last I heard He was invisible. That’s not like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It’s like trying to find an invisible unicorn in a haystack. It’s a waste of time. You have diverted from the original post.

What is the benefit in being a Christian?

What is the detriment of not being a Christian? Only two people have answered the question so far. You aren’t one of them. The thread isn’t about me at all. Why did you make it about me?

 

[Carl in Michigan]

Last I heard He was invisible. That’s not like trying to find a needle in a haystack. It’s like trying to find an invisible unicorn in a haystack. It’s a waste of time

You say that yet you "waste your time" with the vast majority of your time posting in Religion. Like I said, I understand your motive even if you believe your own lies.

Your mind and heart are not open. You have all the answers and you know better than the believers. So no one can convince you of anything. That's not my job or my responsibility. God can't even do that. He's looking for a broken spirit. A contrite heart. When you're ready to seek God, you will find Him. As long as you justify your unbelief, He is on the other side of the universe to you.

 

[presonorek]

no one can convince you of anything.

Nobody has a convincing argument that God wants me to do this or do that? Are you certain of that? Surely there is somebody that has a good argument that God needs me to do something for Him. I doubt it though since He is an all powerful being. If He needed something done He could very easily do it Himself. He wouldn't need me. That's dumb and you know for a fact that is dumb. You can pretend all you want. I'm not buying it.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

What is the detriment of not being a Christian? Only two people have answered the question so far. You aren’t one of them

LIFE -- eternal life -- as a LITERAL son of God, and becoming like our Father in heaven is the ONLY benefit of being a Christian in this life. That is all that matters.

 

[Meriweather]

Repentance of what? Unbelief? I’d love to believe that I am going to live in eternal bliss for all of eternity and that the creator of the universe is my best friend. Just convince me.

Where did you come up with the idea God is your best friend? Scripture tells us we are servants.

As far as eternal bliss: My grandfather was an atheist. About a year after he died, I needed help and he came to my aid. While helping a granddaughter may not be the definition of eternal bliss, it does indicate an afterlife, even for atheists.

 

[presonorek]

Where did you come up with the idea God is your best friend?

You seem very unfamiliar with Evangelical Christianity.

 

[presonorek]

LIFE -- eternal life -- as a LITERAL son of God, and becoming like our Father in heaven is the ONLY benefit of being a Christian in this life. That is all that matters.

No hell for the naughty ones?

 

[presonorek]

Where did you come up with the idea God is your best friend? Scripture tells us we are servants.

As far as eternal bliss: My grandfather was an atheist. About a year after he died, I needed help and he came to my aid. While helping a granddaughter may not be the definition of eternal bliss, it does indicate an afterlife, even for atheists.

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. John 15:13-15 KJV

In my religion the scripture is literal. Picking and choosing are not optional. That's why I really don't have an interest in pursuing Christianity anymore. Romans Chapter 1 has a lot of inaccurate things to say about homosexuals. There are almost no Christians in the United States that believes what "God" said about homosexuals in Romans Chapter 1. Even if the other 1188 chapters in the Bible are true. Romans Chapter 1 is obviously not true just by personal observation of homosexuals. If one word of the Bible is a lie then that is fine but it negates any authority that it has.

 

[Meriweather]

Surely there is somebody that has a good argument that God needs me to do something for Him. I doubt it though since He is an all powerful being. If He needed something done He could very easily do it Himself. He wouldn't need me.

God doesn't need you. You do not need God. It is an option. If I want to learn to love and create as God does, the last thing I need is for Him to do it all in my stead. It would be like a math teacher doing all the assignments taking the test for all his students.

 

[Meriweather]

You seem very unfamiliar with Evangelical Christianity.

No argument there. It is quite foreign.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

Surely there is somebody that has a good argument that God needs me to do something for Him

You can do NOTHING FOR Him. You need God. He doesn't NEED you. He wants you to know Him and HONOR Him as a father. What can a 2 year old do for his parents beyond honor them and obey them. That's what makes a good parent proud.

As far as FINDING God, I can tell you MY experience. I recommend the process to anyone truly SEEKING God.

When I was in my teens, I was into the occult. I also believed in reincarnation among other things. It "made sense."

I had almost zero background in ANY religion.

Because of something my sister said, at about age 18 I opened the Bible for the first time and said, "God, if this really is your book, and these are YOUR words, whatever you tell me, that's what I will do."

Over several weeks I read cover to cover. I read it with an open mind, with the intent of understanding the mind of God.

I thank God my mind wasn't tainted with the teachings of men. That's why I mostly laugh when I read the debates here about what the scholars tell us the Bible says.

Just imagine yourself on a desert island, alone with this book. Anything you have been taught in the past, you must be willing to sweep away. Ask GOD to be your Teacher, and He will. But here's the catch.

As long as you are willing to DO, God will continue to show your more. Once you close your mind because what you discover goes against what you were taught by MEN, that's when God will stop teaching you new things.

Here's ONE example:

When he I got to Leviticus 11, I learned about clean and unclean meats.

I IMMEDIATELY gave up pork, shellfish and everything He said was forbidden. Se Christian friends have me all the reasons I've heard too many times, justifying these things, yet Christ and the apostles and the prophets NEVER ate these things. So neither did I. I OBEYED God to the best of my understanding.

When I got to the NT, because I obeyed that COMMAND, I read the many scriptures most Christians twist to justify eating unclean foods. It was SO easy to see thru their arguments BECAUSE I OBEYED MY FATHER in this matter.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

God doesn't need you. You do not need God. It is an option. If I want to learn to love and create as God does, the last thing I need is for Him to do it all in my stead. It would be like a math teacher doing all the assignments taking the test for all his students.

God is proud of our good intentioned EFFORTS though, much as a 6 year old bringing home a picture they drew and colored for them. Moms especially will cherish those little things for as long as they live.

After my mom died a few years ago, we found many such memories she kept all these years. God is the same. They're important to Him, because they were done with love on our part

 

[Meriweather]

Romans Chapter 1 has a lot of inaccurate things to say about homosexuals. There are almost no Christians in the United States that believes what "God" said about homosexuals in Romans Chapter 1. Even if the other 1188 chapters in the Bible are true. Romans Chapter 1 is obviously not true just by personal observation of homosexuals. If one word of the Bible is a lie then that is fine but it negates any authority that it has.

Chapter 1 is addressing idolatry. It begins with people who give up God and replace Him and His ways with what Paul terms worldly pursuits and pleasures. Lusts over love. Forget about God and spirituality, let's see what pleasures the world and our own bodies have to offer. Paul is addressing Godlessness.

While this passage may fit some people today, it does not fit all. I am quite sure we all know a Godly person, a believer, who is also homosexual. Good people who I am honored to stand/sit/kneel next to in Church. People we are proud to call our boss or employer.

Don't turn what Paul is addressing into something else. Don't tell me, you don't do that but your Evangelical Church did. Unfortunately, the Bible takes decades of study. While Catholics hear this, it is my understanding that many Protestants believe anyone can read the Bible once through with perfect understanding. Not possible. One also needs to understand the cultures and histories of Biblical times.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

Chapter 1 is addressing idolatry. It begins with people who give up God and replace Him and His ways with what Paul terms worldly pursuits and pleasures. Lusts over love. Forget about God and spirituality, let's see what pleasures the world and our own bodies have to offer. Paul is addressing Godlessness.

While this passage may fit some people today, it does not fit all. I am quite sure we all know a Godly person, a believer, who is also homosexual. Good people who I am honored to stand/sit/kneel next to in Church. People we are proud to call our boss or employer.

Don't turn what Paul is addressing into something else. Don't tell me, you don't do that but your Evangelical Church did. Unfortunately, the Bible takes decades of study. While Catholics hear this, it is my understanding that many Protestants believe anyone can read the Bible once through with perfect understanding. Not possible. One also needs to understand the cultures and histories of Biblical times.

I disagree with nearly all of this. This is the root of the problem. I'm neither Catholic nor Protestant. This is why I don't bow down to your doctrines, though I often agree with your church on many moral principles. I see that you too disagree with your church.

Homosexuality is a grave sin. Don't do it. I too had a friend who was a REPENTANT homosexual. He struggled with it until he died of AIDS at age 50. He made mistakes and paid the ultimate price. But he died in the faith.

 

[Meriweather]

Homosexuality is a grave sin.

Sin, by definition, is grave. But I also believe the very reason they are defined as 'sin' is because they are actions that harm both individuals and society as a whole.

There is a big difference between struggling with any kind of sexuality and celebrating lust of all kinds. Heterosexual lusts are just as bad.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

Sin, by definition, is grave. But I also believe the very reason they are defined as 'sin' is because they are actions that harm both individuals and society as a whole.

There is a big difference between struggling with any kind of sexuality and celebrating lust of all kinds. Heterosexual lusts are just as bad.

I agree with this. But you cannot live the homosexual lifestyle and receive eternal life. Maybe I misread what you said, but if that man is living that lifestyle, it is the same as any married person commiting adultery. Ultimately it is between them and God but anyone treating this as "okay" is not doing the guy any favors.

John the Baptist told them to come back after they have fruits of repentance.

 

[Anathema]

I wonder if you know the great positive impact you are having on those around you

I don’t have a positive impact on anyone or anything. I never have and likely never will.

 

[Carl in Michigan]

I don’t have a positive impact on anyone or anything. I never have and likely never will.

That's only what you believe. Not what really is. Everything gets revealed in the end. Since you believe this, I have no doubt you'll be pleasantly surprised at the end of this

 

[Anathema]

That's only what you believe. Not what really is. Everything gets revealed in the end. Since you believe this, I have no doubt you'll be pleasantly surprised at the end of this

Yes, everything gets revealed in the end. I would prefer Hell over Heaven, to be honest. Especially if it’s anything like the Christian version of Heaven.