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a. finding Christ
b. leaving the faith
c. both in either order
I am interested (and wonder if anyone else is, too) in hearing these stories together, because I think there is much that we can learn from both. This is not meant to be an excuse to judge others, or to attempt to convince anyone of your experiences, but just to share them for what they are and how it shaped your life.
I haven't found Christ....or Jesus.
I just follow what he said and he was right....and
now I have a wonderful life! (for the last 9 years, before that not so good! Ha!)
He was a great teacher with great examples and lessons.
I don't 'do faith' or belief...I 'know what I know' and don't what I don't.
Blind faith, I guess someone could 'leave'...when you know something... you
can't 'leave' that!
I've heard some people claim, "I used to be a believer, but, 'something happened' (typically an offense they felt in a church), and now, I am no longer a believer." That simply doesn't happen to a true, 'born again' believer in Jesus Christ,... any more than a person who believed the sky was blue, suddenly started to believe it was really green!
The work of God's Holy Spirit in the life of a true, 'born-again' believer -- is not simply a matter of changing one's mind, but, of God changing one's heart and life -- to a new life and heart. "None can snatch one out of God's hand!" In my experience and observation, those who claim this change, only imagined they were "Christians" ... because they attended a Christian church, generally agreed with Christian or Biblical principles, or perhaps, grew-up in a Christian home. Of course, these things no more make one a Christian than 'standing in line at a bakery, makes one a jelly roll!'
True Salvation is a work of God in a believer ... lest any man should boast (Eph. 2:8). And God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow" ... He doesn't change His mind once He has 'saved someone and sealed them in His own indwelling Holy Spirit.
Some people, cannot help being self-righteous?
Why is the Sky blue?
Hint: It has nothing to do with you.
What was it that made you lose your faith IF that is the correct term...correct me.
(Or belief...)
I read jghorton's post before I read yours... I thought he was right on...
I also did not pick up any self-righteousness...it was like
I was reading a textbook...I had no emotional investment...but felt it was true.
The Holy Spirit/ God can change a person's 'being'...I'm not seeing how anyone so moved
can 'become' now an unbeliever...
I have no dog in this race...I am unemotional and don't care to make anyone mad...that isn't my intention ...at all.
Just want to discuss this more.
You know I don't care what anyone believes.
(Just don't be wasting my time shoving stuff down my throat
and telling me I'm going to hell...well, actually I don't if anyone does that either, really, yawn.)
I'm not allowed to give anymore reps for 24 hrs, btw...again!!!
Last edited by Miss Hepburn; 12-06-2014 at 05:12 PM..
What was it that made you lose your faith IF that is the correct term...correct me.
(Or belief...)
I read jghorton's post ..and before I read yours... I thought he was right on...
I feel like I'm torn now between my parents again...I love ya both.
I'm not allowed to give anymore reps for 24 hrs, btw...again!!!
From my earliest memories I could not accept the stories about God. I spent the first 13 years of life as a closet atheist and the next 18 as an atheist Buddhist meditator and martial artist. I tried multiple methods and techniques of meditation during that time . . . but I could not abide any of the silly beliefs and mantras and such that were promoted. I considered it all Bunkum. I eventually discovered biofeedback and that is when I started to make real progress meditating while retaining conscious control. My epiphany occurred in a very deep meditative state when I experienced what was unambiguously God . . . to ME. My atheism evaporated immediately and i was in a true quandary. The joy and unconditional love and acceptance I experienced and the ONENESS with all life was amazing . . . but I still retained my sense of Self . . . unlike what I had been led to expect. I spent the next 40+ years learning and experimenting to try to explain it all to my intellect. My Synthesis is a brief summary of what I learned. My studies of the "Spiritual Fossil Record" of the evolution of our understanding of God eventually led me to Jesus the Christ as the embodiment of the consciousness I encountered. I do not think that what we believe ABOUT God matters one iota . . . but that we live as if we "love God and each other" as Christ demonstrated and instructed His disciples to do. It is as simple and uncomplicated as that . . . but it is NOT easy.
I was raised Christian, but only went to church because I assumed I had to. I started to actually understand and believe in God and Bible stuff late Middle School through most of High School. Once I was a senior in high school, I developed a different insight on the world and found I did not agree with much of what was in the Bible. I did not view women as lesser or homosexuals as sinners. So I said it was open to interpretation. Well, that list of 'interpretative' bits grew larger until the whole Bible was added to that list.
Location: Approximately 50 miles from Missoula MT/38 yrs full time after 4 yrs part time
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..some thoughts on the subject of being a Believer...............
.....IMHO the degree to which a person (who professes to be a "Believer") is "strong-in their-belief", is quite dependant on what they have "endurred" in their life, AND "how they have handled the Bad and/or Negative "situations" that they have had to "live-with" and "live-through".
Being in my 83rd year, I am comfortable with saying that I have experienced many, many, "Bad, Negative, Sad and Very-trying" situations in my life to this point.....HOWEVER, these afore-referenced situations ARE GREATLY OVER-SHADOWED by just THREE "sets-of-circumstances" that have been the "HIGH_POINTS" and situations in my life that I AM MOST THANKFUL FOR and attribute my good fortune to the "Grace of GOD"!.
I was born, raised and educated in the Catholic Faith, and firmly believe that without my Faith, I would not have "lived through" several situations in my life.
I do not "wear-my-religion-on-my -sleeve"..................but I am a True Believer!.......Enough said.....YMMV!.......CARPE DIEM!
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Becoming, Or Unbecoming, a Believer
