Cool story about how God can change lives (Buddhism, hell, America)

[Mr5150]

Ex-criminals leave gang life to follow the Lord in Modesto - Life - Modbee.com (http://www.modbee.com/2011/07/22/1786344/gangs-crime-impact-grip-on-community.html#storylink=omni_popular - broken link)

Ex-criminals leave gang life to follow the Lord in Modesto



By Sue Nowicki - snowicki@modbee.com





MODESTO -- Joe Whitson, 35, Joseph Cabral, 32, and Tony Grijalva, 44, have a lot in common. They began drinking booze or doing drugs when they were youngsters, joined neighborhood gangs, spent time in the juvenile justice system and graduated to prison stints once they reached age 18. That's where the hard-core gang life set in.
The Modesto residents say they thought nothing of using guns and boosting cars. They were the kind of guys who would give you nightmares, the kind you prayed would stay far from you and your family.
The three probably would be serving life sentences — or perhaps be dead — except for one thing: Each heard God's voice and eventually followed his invitation to change his life. Their transition from bad guys to Christians was not easy — it turned everything in their lives upside down.




Read more: Ex-criminals leave gang life to follow the Lord in Modesto - Life - Modbee.com (http://www.modbee.com/2011/07/22/1786344/gangs-crime-impact-grip-on-community.html#storylink=omni_popular#ixzz1T5FzleP 0 - broken link)

Discuss.

[sanspeur]

You'd better let these guys know....

Christian Biker Gang Breaks Bad on Hell's Angels

More than 150 officers and the SWAT team swarmed across Orange County as the result of a fight July 27 between Christian biker gang "Set Free Soldiers" (SFS) and local Hell's Angels. 10 men have been arrested and an 11th is being sought by police.

Seven Set Free Soldiers are being held on conspiracy to commit murder charges with bail set at $1 million each. Two Hell's Angels were arrested on drug charges and a third for assault with a deadly weapon for assaulting a SFS biker with a pool ball.

Founding Set Free Churches Worldwide Pastor Phil Aguilar was one of the SFS bikers arrested in the stabbings of two Hell's Angels that led to the conspiracy charge. According to the church's website they "love Jesus and love to ride hard." http://www.shortnews.com/start.cfm?id=72602

[LuminousTruth]

booze is the legal drug.

[Rafius]

"In addition to immigration, the state, federal and local prisons of the United States may be a contributor to the growth of Islam in the country. J. Michael Waller claims that Muslim inmates comprise 17-20% of the prison population, or roughly 350,000 inmates in 2003. He also claims that 80% of the prisoners who "find faith" while in prison convert to Islam."
Conversion to Islam in U.S. prisons - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Guess that must mean that Allah changes lives too huh 5150?

[KCfromNC]

Why didn't god get involved before these guys got in trouble in the first place? Seems kind of arbitrary to give god credit for them changing their lives for the better if she doesn't get the blame for them being criminals in the first place. Either she's in control or they are - can't pick and choose after the fact.

[PatsCats]

I've heard stories of people's lives being radically changed for the better by Christianity, as well as Buddhism, Judaism, Islam, Paganism, Humanism, Atheism, you name it.

It is not only the God of the Bible who can change lives, but also the Gods of other religions, or taking control of one's own "fate."

Old one, for those who have never heard it:
How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb?
Only one, but the light bulb has to want to change.

[Visvaldis]

"Cool story about how God can change lives"

Some story. Some guys accepted the gospel. Big deal.
There are many stories about people who suffer from various physical ailments. I bet god will do nothing for them...except expect praise and gratitude.
Currently, in the Horn of Africa, millions of people are threatened by starvation. Do you think god will do anything to change their lives? I bet not.

[mikebnllnb]

Originally Posted by Mr5150

Ex-criminals leave gang life to follow the Lord in Modesto - Life - Modbee.com (http://www.modbee.com/2011/07/22/1786344/gangs-crime-impact-grip-on-community.html#storylink=omni_popular - broken link)

Ex-criminals leave gang life to follow the Lord in Modesto



By Sue Nowicki - snowicki@modbee.com





MODESTO -- Joe Whitson, 35, Joseph Cabral, 32, and Tony Grijalva, 44, have a lot in common. They began drinking booze or doing drugs when they were youngsters, joined neighborhood gangs, spent time in the juvenile justice system and graduated to prison stints once they reached age 18. That's where the hard-core gang life set in.
The Modesto residents say they thought nothing of using guns and boosting cars. They were the kind of guys who would give you nightmares, the kind you prayed would stay far from you and your family.
The three probably would be serving life sentences — or perhaps be dead — except for one thing: Each heard God's voice and eventually followed his invitation to change his life. Their transition from bad guys to Christians was not easy — it turned everything in their lives upside down.




Read more: Ex-criminals leave gang life to follow the Lord in Modesto - Life - Modbee.com (http://www.modbee.com/2011/07/22/1786344/gangs-crime-impact-grip-on-community.html#storylink=omni_popular#ixzz1T5FzleP 0 - broken link)

Discuss.

I'm sure you could replace religion in your post with a great many things that ex-cons/gang members have used to stay on the straight and narrow.
Such as car building, bird watching, model airplanes, law school, dance, needle point, online poker and The World of Warcraft among just a few.

[Djuna]

Originally Posted by Visvaldis

"Cool story about how God can change lives"

Some story. Some guys accepted the gospel. Big deal.
There are many stories about people who suffer from various physical ailments. I bet god will do nothing for them...except expect praise and gratitude.
Currently, in the Horn of Africa, millions of people are threatened by starvation. Do you think god will do anything to change their lives? I bet not.

Yeah, god has nothing better to do than save the lives of a bunch of useless criminals but doesn't even bat an eyelid at the mass suffering of people in other countries. Too bad there's another massive famine in Africa and the children are starving to death.

I guess god only likes Americans

OP, people can convince themselves to change for all kinds of reason, family, god, whatever. It simply means people have the ability to change, nothing supernatural about that.