How did you become Christian ?

Originally posted by JesusIsAlive
I was mocking Gregory (in good Christian love and fun of course. He called me Jesusboy to slight me).

HA! and slighted you were.

Originally posted by Lord Urizen
If you are Christian, were Christian, whatever...how did it come to be ?

I used to be Christian....I look back now and realize it was only for two reasons:

1) I needed something to beleive in. I felt like I had no power at all. Beleiving in a superior force that cared about me made me feel safer, more secure, more powerful, and gave me a sense of a guarantee to some sort of happiness....

2) I was taught to beleive by family, freinds, and school.

Well..things happened, and I'm Agnostic now...I duno, i guess i just [b]GREW UP or something....

Okay that sounds mean....but seriously...to be dead honest: I just became more confident as I got older. I got better looking, I filled out, people started to treat me different and I no longer felt socially anxious. My depression slowly withered away...and I started doing things for myself instead of praying to God for everything to go my way (none of the prayers actually worked...well maybe some did, but I'll never know, will I ?)

I am a lot happier now than I ever was before....that could be for many reasons, I am not blaming Christianity for any of my past suffering.

All I am saying is that Christianity did not work to help bring "fulfillment" into my life. Not at all. It didnt truly make me any happier, it didn't make me love myself or anyone else any more than I already did, it didn't bring up my confidense, pretty much nothing....it made no contribution to my mental health.....

I just felt like "God was teasing me"...promising me a life of completeness, of deliverance from "evil and suffering"....didn't happen. I stopped beleiving two years ago...and sorry but...coincidently, I am a much happier and more secure person now than before....

Well enough about me.....I'm sure Christianity works for some of you guys....tell me. What is your story ? How did you become a Christian, and how is your life now because of it ? [/B]

Originally posted by JesusIsAlive
Some people who claim to be happier now that they are not followers of Jesus say this because they do not want to live a life responsible toward God. They can do any thing that they want as such because they are not accountable to anyone or anything. To them this is bliss. "Do what I want (so long as it doesn't violate any man-made laws they may think to themselves)." That is all it is: a sefl-centered life that leads to indulgence in sin. Sin is pleasurable (the Bible says so) that is why people who turn their backs on God and live a life of self-centeredness and sin can say, "I'm happier...." Gratifying the flesh makes your flesh happy. That is all there is to it. . [/B]

Do you have some sort of philosophical or psychological proof to verify that?

Other then the claims of a self promoting religious text that is? So proof that the happiness or joy or contentment of a Non-Christian is less valid or less real then that of a Christian? It shows woeful ignorance to claim that the happiness of a nonbeliever is somehow a shallow thing of sinful flesh. No accuracy in that at all.

Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
Do you have some sort of philosophical or psychological proof to verify that?

Other then the claims of a self promoting religious text that is? So proof that the happiness or joy or contentment of a Non-Christian is less valid or less real then that of a Christian? It shows woeful ignorance to claim that the happiness of a nonbeliever is somehow a shallow thing of sinful flesh. No accuracy in that at all.

Originally posted by Rogue Jedi
so if a guy gets lucky and gets laid, he is not happy?

pretty shallow definition of happiness.

i never said it was the only definition, just one of many.
let me put it this way. you and i are in a bar. a gorgeous chick comes over. i try my best to mack on her, but she chooses you. she takes you home, does you 6 ways from sunday. are you happy about this?

happy about the event yes...but that does not mean i have achived happiness.

There is a difference between the emotion and the state of being.

emotion and state of being are indeed different. a person can be clinically depressed and still be happy for a few seconds.

Yes. Hence...my points ^^^

Originally posted by Rogue Jedi
so if a guy gets lucky and gets laid, he is not happy?

First, don't mistake physical pleasure for happiness. Usually the two can be related, but not always,

And? A Christian does the same thing - is he not happy? Are you implying the only way a non-Christian gets happy is by sleeping around? Do you truly believe that the sole avenue of happiness for a person is God, and if you don't have god you can only be happy through less valid means like debauchery?

Originally posted by Lord Urizen
So you became a Christian out of fear ?

no. I decided to follow Jesus... It's a choice i could make right?

Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
First, don't mistake physical pleasure for happiness. Usually the two can be related, but not always,

And? A Christian does the same thing - is he not happy? Are you implying the only way a non-Christian gets happy is by sleeping around? Do you truly believe that the sole avenue of happiness for a person is God, and if you don't have god you can only be happy through less valid means like debauchery?

Those things can make you happy, but they will not lead to happines..

Originally posted by Rogue Jedi
dude, you are reading WAY too much into my posts. all i am saying is that sex can lead to happiness. so can eating chocolate cake. so can finding money. so can playing xbox.

Progression: JesusIsAlive makes a post about how real happiness is with God, that people without God might think they are happy but it really is just indulgent sin making you happy because sin is pleasurable.

I respond that it is a load of garbage and ask for some proof beyond the claim of the Bible that the happiness of a non-believer is less valid or worthy then that of a believer.

You respond with don't I think a guy getting laid is going to be happy. For logical reasons it seems you are suggesting that pleasures of the flesh are the way of the subject.

I respond yes, of course it can make a person happy and ask are you saying a nonbeliever only gets happy with pleasures of the flesh and misses out on other forms of happy.

You respond I am reading to much into your posts and list a number of things that can make a person feel good and might lead to happiness.

I now respond with "So what on earth point are you trying to make and what does this have to do with what I asked JIA?"

Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
Progression: JesusIsAlive makes a post about how real happiness is with God, that people without God might think they are happy but it really is just indulgent sin making you happy because sin is pleasurable.

I respond that it is a load of garbage and ask for some proof beyond the claim of the Bible that the happiness of a non-believer is less valid or worthy then that of a believer.

You respond with don't I think a guy getting laid is going to be happy. For logical reasons it seems you are suggesting that pleasures of the flesh are the way of the subject.

I respond yes, of course it can make a person happy and ask are you saying a nonbeliever only gets happy with pleasures of the flesh and misses out on other forms of happy.

You respond I am reading to much into your posts and list a number of things that can make a person feel good and might lead to happiness.

I now respond with "So what on earth point are you trying to make and what does this have to do with what I asked JIA?"

Originally posted by Rogue Jedi
no, non believers get just as much pleasure out of sex as believers do. did i say otherwise?
you guys were talking about pleasuring flesh, so i just commented. dont get your panties in a bunch.

?

I never said he or she didn't or wouldn't. In fact I am fairly sure I was saying, in effect, that there is no proof what so ever that the a nonbeliever is incapable of achieve equal or greater happiness then a believer, or that it is just as valid.

It was the other side that was somehow making out Christian happiness is a higher form of happiness. Higher then a nonbelievers happiness.

Originally posted by Rogue Jedi
no, non believers get just as much pleasure out of sex as believers do. did i say otherwise?
you guys were talking about pleasuring flesh, so i just commented. dont get your panties in a bunch.

I'm not wearing panties.

Its a valid point. Happy does not mean happiness.

you know you are wearing a pink thong, you sexy stallion. msn-wink

Originally posted by Rogue Jedi
i was raised a christian. i didnt take itntoo seriously until my early twenties, when some things happened to me that opened my eyes.

Share with us....what opened your eyes ? This sounds interesting...

Originally posted by Imperial_Samura
Do you have some sort of philosophical or psychological proof to verify that?

Other then the claims of a self promoting religious text that is? So proof that the happiness or joy or contentment of a Non-Christian is less valid or less real then that of a Christian? It shows woeful ignorance to claim that the happiness of a nonbeliever is somehow a shallow thing of sinful flesh. No accuracy in that at all.

JIA's full of shit, i stopped listening to his ignorant ass a long time ago...