Originally posted by AOR
Well considering childeran are "blind devotee with absolute conviction"Didn't Jesus say we must enter the kindgom of God like children. Ah yes, Mark 10:13-16
its only when people become blinded with conviction does the truth soon seem to slip past their view as they are to busy focusing on their "faith."
Kind of interesting AOR your from the south? I went to a catholic school in camp lejune north carolina was an altar boy for some years there🙂
Originally posted by MicahLynn
In order for you to have gotten hate out of the words I wrote, you must not have read them at all. I'm just being honest. If I were full of hate, I wouldn't bother to show you the truth. I wouldn't care. But here I am, bothering and caring. Though you might not care, and it probably won't bother you if I were to quit, I'll keep on keeping on.
After reviewing the previous posts I may have misread you. Maybe what I am really seeing in you is fear. Please understand I’m not concerned with what you believe, but you remind me of my brother and my relationship with him. Maybe that influenced my decisions.
So, why are you afraid? Some people are afraid that if they are wrong, some balance they have found in their life will be in question.
You simple do not understand my relationship with God. How could you understand something so personal and individual?
You are in no position to judge me.
Originally posted by MicahLynnYou sound like a busy girl...There's nothing wrong with helping the needy, I also do that whether it's paying a friends bills on the sly, visiting a nursing home, meals on wheels, giving to organizations, organizing some kinda drive to collect money for the poor, helping out at a soup kitchen, giving my birthday money away to a friend who may need it more than I....etc, etc, etc... These are all part of what it is to be a caring human being. This is what Jesus taught along with other religions, yet there are people not involved in ANY religion that does the same. Doing these things is not scoring brownie points for some god. You won't be rejected if you don't....Sounds like what you are doing is more selfish with the thought of "I'll help you out, BUT let me tell you about my religion" kinda thing. Like giving candy, but with a catch. And I think you are afraid of hell, because you stated you are afraid of being without god. When infact you are never with out what god is....If there is no place where god is not then god would also be in hell, but since there is not an actual place called hell, you should be able to do charity work with out the religious slant and concentrate more on loving the person instead of leading them to your direction.
My life was never worth living without God. For one, I wouldn't even be here if it weren't for Him. Secondly, once I allowed Him to save me from my sins, I could truly live. I have more joy and peace than most people will ever know. I've been able to do so many wonderful things in my life: I've been privileged to work in two orphanages in the Dominican Republic, I get to minister to the homeless ever Wednesday night, I have a "little sister" that I get to mentor, I've gotten to teach children the Truth in churches and schools and camps and Vacation Bible Schools since I was in Middle School. I have a wonderful family and have always enjoyed just spending time with them. I've gotten to travel to different places and see the fingerprints of God. I get to go to Boston in March to spread the Truth to fellow college students. I moved from Florida to Tennessee to learn more about the Truth of the Bible. All this, and I am only 20. Have no fear, for I am truly living. Not a day goes by without my thinking, "Wow! I was blessed to live another day, and to enjoy every moment of it." I'm not afraid of hell or demons or satan, for I have God on my side. The only thing I'm afraid of is life without God, and that is something I don't even have to worry about.
hmmmm, would any1 {who TRULY BELIEVES in an organised relegion as many here do} be doing things like working in orphanages and helping people out with no worldly rewards IF you found out that there is no god/jesus saviour and no heaven and hell based on your actions? i dont think so. its not really christian PEOPLE doing it, its mostly just people doing it to get into heaven and expect a reward later on. thats not love{as many claim that god filled em with love blah blah blah n give these evidences to their changed ways} thats just being selfish. im sure over 95% of you guys would leave any helpin/lovin{as if} jobs n activities in life if you found out that there was no god/heaven/hell/jesus/saviour. its more like an insult to true love.
Originally posted by AOR
Draw you attention to me for a sec, as I try to point out the follwoing flaws in your so called truth. You believe that in order for one to merit heaven (and essentially happiness), they must believe in God/Jesus, and do good works. However, you would be sadly mistaken. Just like truth takes many forms, so can ones beliefs. And therefore, you should take it like the Buddist do (now that is irony):Be tolerant of other religions, as long as they are founded on Love.
And I believe it is you who are mistaken.
Originally posted by leonheartmm
hmmmm, would any1 {who TRULY BELIEVES in an organised relegion as many here do} be doing things like working in orphanages and helping people out with no worldly rewards IF you found out that there is no god/jesus saviour and no heaven and hell based on your actions? i dont think so. its not really christian PEOPLE doing it, its mostly just people doing it to get into heaven and expect a reward later on. thats not love{as many claim that god filled em with love blah blah blah n give these evidences to their changed ways} thats just being selfish. im sure over 95% of you guys would leave any helpin/lovin{as if} jobs n activities in life if you found out that there was no god/heaven/hell/jesus/saviour. its more like an insult to true love.
A little pre-face before I answer the question...
Growing up I had no religion in my life. I was agnostic and willing to admit to that. I LOVED volunteering my time to help other people out, and since I was agnostic it wasn't to "keep me from hell" or other such notions...it's because I honestly wanted to help other people out....it extended from simple things in grade school like giving up my lunch recesses to help in the SMH (Severly Mentally Handicap<yeah slightly politically incorrect...but that is what it was called) room, to giving up much more time volunteering at hospitals and places like that.
Now I have found a church that I love with all of my heart and soul. I have never been happier....but to answer your question...I STILL LOVE volunteering, infact lately I have been training to start helping at a local Crisis Center. I'm not volunteering because my church is telling me to, I'm actually a Social Work major and it's just something that I believe is good to do in order to help people out.
So no...I havn't changed my motives from what they were in grade school - high school just because I have found a faith in something new.
There are too many people that I want to quote, so I'll just reply instead. I'm not doing the things I'm doing to receive bonus points in heaven, and I didn't tell you about them to make you think better of me. I told you that I do those things because they are the things that make me happy. In doing those things, I am living my life to the fullest, not wasting it worrying about heaven or hell and my every sin. It shouldn't be like that, for that wouldn't be grace. I'm not afraid of hell or satan because God is SOOOO much bigger than them. I said that if anything I am afraid of life without God: who wouldn't be? Life without God would be like taking all the good and wonderful things away and only having darkness and evil left. I have lived my life with God, and I can't imagine it without Him. I don't even want to think about it. He is my King and the Love of my life: no one wants to lose someone they love so much and that loves them unconditionally in return. Because God is so good to me, I WANT to do good things for Him and His Kingdom and people. About the orphanages that I worked in: I went with a team that wasn't even Christian based, but it was a chance for me to share my faith at the same time. When non-Christians do good things, I think it proves that God really did create man in His image. His image is good and perfect; helping people is something He loves, thus it is also something that even the worst people enjoy. Deep down, people still have some good left in them, but with God's help, they can be even better.
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
After reviewing the previous posts I may have misread you. Maybe what I am really seeing in you is fear. Please understand I’m not concerned with what you believe, but you remind me of my brother and my relationship with him. Maybe that influenced my decisions.So, why are you afraid? Some people are afraid that if they are wrong, some balance they have found in their life will be in question.
You simple do not understand my relationship with God. How could you understand something so personal and individual?
You are in no position to judge me.
I will gladly admit that I am in no position whatsoever to judge you, for that is God's job, and I am certainly not Him or anywhere close. I mentioned before that I fear life without God, for it is something so dark I don't even want to imagine it. But, there is something else I fear: that people will die without hearing and accepting the message of the Gospel Truth of Jesus Christ. It's as easy as the ABCs - Admit, Believe, Confess, and people try to make it so much more difficult. I only want all people to know God as I know Him and to long for others to know Him as well. I am afraid that it will never happen, and that some people will never get to know God and see Him in all His glory.
Originally posted by MicahLynn
FYI... just because my name is Micah, doesn't mean I'm a he.
😮
I didn't go off of your name. I just never looked.
Originally posted by MicahLynn
I will gladly admit that I am in no position whatsoever to judge you, for that is God's job, and I am certainly not Him or anywhere close. I mentioned before that I fear life without God, for it is something so dark I don't even want to imagine it. But, there is something else I fear: that people will die without hearing and accepting the message of the Gospel Truth of Jesus Christ. It's as easy as the ABCs - Admit, Believe, Confess, and people try to make it so much more difficult. I only want all people to know God as I know Him and to long for others to know Him as well. I am afraid that it will never happen, and that some people will never get to know God and see Him in all His glory.
But that is were you are wrong. There is more then one path. Do not let fair shadow your life.
Religions need people and are in direct competition with each other to gain the uncommitted population. Many religions use the ploy of “my way is the only way”. I believe this is a lie that was inserted into Christianity at the time of Constantine.
Most of the traditional religions..............christianity and islam and judiasm don't require their people to become enlightened. They really don't ask you to look for a more "pure" truth rather to listen and obey.
That lie was placed before them before Constantine I am fairly certain🙂
Which most of my post wasn't directed at you shaky but more of a shout out🙂
Originally posted by Shakyamunison
So, when do you believe the lie of don't seek just obey was inserted in the Christian religion?
and thats a very good question🙂 Now if I could just find my little book of answers.........................
Actually there is a book called How the Irish saved the World and it goes into documentation about many of these pieces we are discussing now except I cannot find it so with that I'll have to give you a promissory note for an answer.
However I will say this the only reason I read the book was I was duped by the title and I thought it was going to be some great tirade of battles and such...................nope pretty much how christianity helped to form Ireland and its culture and how Irish monks went around saving religious documents.................alot of latin in it and roman culture as well.