I don't want to be an Atheist

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Remagoen

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Feb 20, 2008
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(kriss;42836)
How can you see what you dont understand?? your like everyone else who has heard and read out of lack of understanding and claim knowledge you know nothing.
Kriss, what are you referring to?
 

Christina

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Apr 10, 2006
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Your remark :I don't refer to the Bible because I've seen evil things in it, because I believe it was written by manSo I replied :How can you see what you dont understand?? your like everyone else who has heard and read out of lack of understanding and claim knowledge you know nothing.
 

Jerusalem Junkie

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Jan 7, 2008
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I don't refer to the Bible because I've seen evil things in it, because I believe it was written by man
Mind telling us what evil you have seen? Your right it was written by man, many men but these men wrote what was told to them by G-d it was not something they made up out of their heads. Like a secretary taking dictation so were the apostles and prophets taking dictation of G-ds word. And translations abound but it still remains G-ds word as taken by the apostles and prophets at the time.
 

Jackie D

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Mar 15, 2008
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(kriss;42844)
Your remark :I don't refer to the Bible because I've seen evil things in it, because I believe it was written by manSo I replied :How can you see what you dont understand?? your like everyone else who has heard and read out of lack of understanding and claim knowledge you know nothing.
well if the excuse of not referring to the Bible because it is an evil thing, because of belief it was written by man is going to be used...then we best burn ALL books..every single one, for all books were written by man...but not all books were divinely inspired by God.
 

Remagoen

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Feb 20, 2008
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To Kriss,(kriss;42844)
How can you see what you dont understand?? your like everyone else who has heard and read out of lack of understanding and claim knowledge you know nothing.
Oh! Sorry... My mind had blanked and I wasn't able to put two and two together on that one. My brain decided to go into drool mode; it was a long day at work...Anyway...I know I don't know anything. I've said it several times throughout this thread. But you can indeed see things, even if you don't understand them. However, I believe I understand them enough to form an opinion on it. Regardless, please refer to my reply to Two as I can sum up both statements in one.To Two,(Two;42846)
Mind telling us what evil you have seen? Your right it was written by man, many men but these men wrote what was told to them by G-d it was not something they made up out of their heads. Like a secretary taking dictation so were the apostles and prophets taking dictation of G-ds word. And translations abound but it still remains G-ds word as taken by the apostles and prophets at the time.
I would prefer to not tell about the evil I've seen, at least not yet. I've said several times throughout this thread that if God is all powerful, surely one could find evidence of him outside of the book. Even if I think the Bible is wrong, that doesn't stop me from looking for God elsewhere, and so while I limit one topic, I am freely looking for him in all others. It's only a preference.I've also realized that I'm over stepping myself here. When I say that the Bible is evil, I am not saying it as if I know that as fact. I'm saying that as an opinion based on what I've observed and thought. Please, please understand I'm not trying to say "I'm right and you must also accept it being evil." I'm only saying certain things within it are evil as I, a critically thinking individual, see it. (And as another point, I'll say that a heck of a lot of it is good as well! I don't think the WHOLE thing is bad!)EDIT: Btw, Two, slick avatar.
 

zadzial

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Mar 23, 2008
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Rem, I wrote another post on the thread "How can we know the God exists" (#35) in an attempt to show some possible sources of finding God outside the Bible. I am afraid I did not write it very well as some seem to not have understood the point I was trying to make. I detailed some sources that could lead one to belive in a higher power. These sources alone do not prove God's existence. There is a really good website that may help: www.carm.org.Also, other people's testimonies may help you to see God. I don't know if you have read any (or are interested in doing so) but it may be of some help to you.I would really love to help you come to know God and His amazing love. It has really transformed my life. I hope that I have been helpful to you in some way.
 

His By Grace

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Dec 28, 2007
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Good morning, Remagoen! How's it goin'? Hey, a rhyme! (I know. Forgive me. I've been taking my migraine medicine! I'm a little goofy!!!) I was just wondering if you have had a beautiful week of weather this past week after Easter like we have down in South Louisiana. I have been out of school (as I am a second grade school teacher- just a little reminder) and it has been so nice to go outside in the morning and listen to the birds sing, feel the wind gently blow, look at the big blue sky, the puffy white clouds, and say, "Good morning, Lord!" I can see all of God's handiwork without even looking into the Bible. I think the birds were even singing a praise song! (I'm not sure which one!) As the song says, "The heavens declare you are God and the mountains rejoice!". I see God in everything. I look at the lovely faces of children and how wonderfully they are made. I can't help it when I see their innocence. I say, "But God!" Faith hears the inaudible and sees the invisible through creation. There must be a Master Designer. It could not be from a tiny organism that slowly changed over time. Things are too perfect and complex. Check this out: Subject: God left us a great clue as to what foods help what part of our body! Size: 126 KB Attachments: ATT000121.jpg (3 KB) ATT000032.jpg (7.4 KB) ATT000023.jpg (6.4 KB) ATT000084.jpg (2.6 KB) ATT000055.jpg (6.3 KB) ATT000046.jpg (4 KB) ATT000077.jpg (3 KB) ATT000068.jpg (6.5 KB) ATT000019.jpg (6.5 KB) ATT0001010.jpg (4.9 KB) ATT0001111.jpg (4.6 KB) ATT0000912.jpg (3.7 KB) God's Pharmacy !!! Amazing !A sliced Carrot looks like the human eye The pupil, iris and radiating lines look just like the human eye...and YES science now shows that carrots greatly enhance blood flow to and function of the eyes.A Tomato has four chambers and is red. The heart is red and has four chambers. All of the research shows tomatoes are indeed pure heart and blood food.Grapes hang in a cluster that has the shape of the heart. Each grape looks like a blood cell and all of the research today shows that grapes are also profound heart and blood vitalizing food.A Walnut looks like a little brain, a left and right hemisphere, upper cerebrums and lower cerebellums. Even the wrinkles or folds are on the nut just like the neo-cortex. We now know that walnuts help develop over 3 dozen neuron-transmitters for brain function. Kidney Beans actually heal and help maintain kidney function and yes, they look exactly like the human kidneys.Celery, Bok Choy, Rhubarb and more look just like bones. These foods specifically target bone strength. Bones are 23% sodium and these foods are 23% sodium. If you don't have enough sodium in your diet the body pulls it from the bones, making them weak. These foods replenish the skeletal needs of the body.Eggplant, Avocadoes and Pears target the health and function of the womb and cervix of the female - they look just like these organs. Today's research shows that when a woman eats 1 avocado a week, it balances hormones, sheds unwanted birth weight and prevents cervical cancers. And how profound is this? .... It takes exactly 9 months to grow an avocado from blossom to ripened fruit. There are over 14,000 photolytic chemica l cons tituents of nutrition in each one of these foods (modern science has only studied and named about 141 of them).Figs are full of seeds and hang in twos when they grow. Figs increase the motility of male sperm and increase the numbers of Sperm well to overcome male sterility.Sweet Potatoes look like the pancreas and actually balance the glycemic index of diabetics.Olives assist the health and function of t he ovaries Grapefruits, Oranges , and other Citrus fruits look just like the mammary glands of the female and actually assist the health of the breasts and the movement of lymph in and out of the breasts. Onions look like body cells. Today's research shows that onions help clear waste materials from all of the body cells They even produce tears which wash the epithelial layers of the eyes
 

His By Grace

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Dec 28, 2007
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I'm sorry the pictures didn't come through with the post. I'm not a professional copy/paster yet! I'll get there, though. Have a blessed day! HBG
 

its_victoria08

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Mar 28, 2008
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I haven't gone through and read every single reply here because... well, there's a lot, so I apologize in advance if this is a repeat of someone else's response.I was in your shoes about 6 months ago. Now, I believe more strongly than ever, and I know that God is there for me. I know what it's like to be atheist, but not be sure. And I know the confusion and unhappiness it all creates.If you would have spoken to me 9 months ago about God and religion, I would have had you convinced that the Bible was contradictory, there was no proof of God, evolution was the only answer, yadda yadda yadda. Now, looking back, I realize just how wrong I was.All of the contradictory evidence I thought I had on the Bible was from other sources. And while it did seem contradictory, I now know that you can make any book seem contradictory by taking out bits and pieces and putting them next to each other. It's all about how you cut it up.The defining difference between me now and me then, was that then, I continually convinced myself I was an atheist. Over and over I had to reconvince myself of it. That's how I know I didn't truly believe myself. Now, I never have to reconvince myself of God. Never. And that's how I know that the belief is within my mind, soul, and spirit.My transformation began when I met my current boyfriend, N. He was patient and never forced anything upon me. I began asking him to read to me out of the Bible, and he'd pick the scriptures he thought could help me most. Finally, I admitted to him that I truly wanted to believe, and he helped me with that.I had this incredible thirst for knowledge, and truthfully, the only thing that satisfied this thirst was the Bible. N. bought me a Bible for Christmas and I began reading.So, the Bible satisfied my hunger for knowledge, but it didn't convince me of God. That happened solely through prayer. Most of the time, the praying seemd dumb to me. Especially in the beginning, I didn't see how it could help me one bit. But, in wanting to do the RIGHT thing, I continued. Finally, I was so fed up that I screamed at the Lord, telling Him to just tell me what I was supposed to do. I begged Him to tell me how to do this. I confessed how bad I wanted it, through buckets of tears streaming down my face. I fell asleep that night with tears still leaving my eyes, and a soaked pillow under my face.I know that to you, this will seem crazy, but just know that I'm not exaggerating any of this. The next morning, God put me at peace. I was able to say that I believe in Him, and I knew that it came from the deepest corner of my soul. I continued praying each day, and began to recognize God's hold on my life. I was on the phone with N., crying and praying that God would accept my life so that I may live through Him and that I may follow His plan for me.Since then, I still question it. I do. But, I know recognize that the question "is this really the right thing?" is not from God. It is from the devil, and the quicker I remember that I am, the easier it becomes to respond the next time it comes up.I was given a book entitled Start Your New Life Today: An Exciting New Beginning with God by Joyce Meyer and it really helps to explain those things that don't make sense.But, the place you should begin is the Bible. Just start reading, no matter how skeptical you are. And then, begin praying. That's my best advice, from someone who has been there.You can even read the Bible online at www.bible.com, so you don't have to buy one and "waste" your money if you find it is not what you need.All the best regards, God bless.
 

stlizzy

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Feb 6, 2008
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(its_victoria08;43365)
I haven't gone through and read every single reply here because... well, there's a lot, so I apologize in advance if this is a repeat of someone else's response.I was in your shoes about 6 months ago. Now, I believe more strongly than ever, and I know that God is there for me. I know what it's like to be atheist, but not be sure. And I know the confusion and unhappiness it all creates.If you would have spoken to me 9 months ago about God and religion, I would have had you convinced that the Bible was contradictory, there was no proof of God, evolution was the only answer, yadda yadda yadda. Now, looking back, I realize just how wrong I was.All of the contradictory evidence I thought I had on the Bible was from other sources. And while it did seem contradictory, I now know that you can make any book seem contradictory by taking out bits and pieces and putting them next to each other. It's all about how you cut it up.The defining difference between me now and me then, was that then, I continually convinced myself I was an atheist. Over and over I had to reconvince myself of it. That's how I know I didn't truly believe myself. Now, I never have to reconvince myself of God. Never. And that's how I know that the belief is within my mind, soul, and spirit.My transformation began when I met my current boyfriend, N. He was patient and never forced anything upon me. I began asking him to read to me out of the Bible, and he'd pick the scriptures he thought could help me most. Finally, I admitted to him that I truly wanted to believe, and he helped me with that.I had this incredible thirst for knowledge, and truthfully, the only thing that satisfied this thirst was the Bible. N. bought me a Bible for Christmas and I began reading.So, the Bible satisfied my hunger for knowledge, but it didn't convince me of God. That happened solely through prayer. Most of the time, the praying seemd dumb to me. Especially in the beginning, I didn't see how it could help me one bit. But, in wanting to do the RIGHT thing, I continued. Finally, I was so fed up that I screamed at the Lord, telling Him to just tell me what I was supposed to do. I begged Him to tell me how to do this. I confessed how bad I wanted it, through buckets of tears streaming down my face. I fell asleep that night with tears still leaving my eyes, and a soaked pillow under my face.I know that to you, this will seem crazy, but just know that I'm not exaggerating any of this. The next morning, God put me at peace. I was able to say that I believe in Him, and I knew that it came from the deepest corner of my soul. I continued praying each day, and began to recognize God's hold on my life. I was on the phone with N., crying and praying that God would accept my life so that I may live through Him and that I may follow His plan for me.Since then, I still question it. I do. But, I know recognize that the question "is this really the right thing?" is not from God. It is from the devil, and the quicker I remember that I am, the easier it becomes to respond the next time it comes up.I was given a book entitled Start Your New Life Today: An Exciting New Beginning with God by Joyce Meyer and it really helps to explain those things that don't make sense.But, the place you should begin is the Bible. Just start reading, no matter how skeptical you are. And then, begin praying. That's my best advice, from someone who has been there.You can even read the Bible online at www.bible.com, so you don't have to buy one and "waste" your money if you find it is not what you need.All the best regards, God bless.
Awesome testimony.
smile.gif
 

Jackie D

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Mar 15, 2008
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:Originally Posted by His By Grace I'm not smart enough to think this deeply into things.
Remagoen response to HBG:
Again, have faith in yourself. Have confidence! You're smart enough to type this to me, surely you are smart enough for other things as well. Study, read, learn. Become smarter! Never limit yourself and your own capabilities!
It is not a limitation we set on ourselves to give all glory to God for everything we do. In fact this gives us a boundlessness that those who reject Christ don't have, for we are free completely through Him and through Him ALL things are possible. For His Glory and Might far outweigh becoming smarter by man's standards..be blessed
 

thisistheendtimes

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Mar 3, 2008
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Remagoen,I didn't read through all 16 pages of this thread, but your first post said that you were exposed to Christianity and you're looking for something new (other than all the standard 'yada, yada, yada' that you've heard so much of). Your search for TRUTH is a 'labor of LOVE' (GOD BLESS YOU on that...God is LOVE).2 Thessalonians 2:10 "...they refused to LOVE THE TRUTH and SO BE SAVED".Because you have a passion for truth and are SEARCHING for God's TRUTH (the way an orphan searches for their biological parent), The Lord will guide you to Himself.I also searched for God (frustrated with all the 'yada, yada, yada') and found Him 22 years ago. The "strong delusion" has been around all throughout history because true Godlovers are uncommon (so are TRUTH lovers). I just wrote a post to someone who was searching, see if it makes any sense to you (it's not the standard hype, it's the DEEPER/true message of God in scripture.--------------------------------------------------------I'm 54 years old and have been a Christian for 22 years. I grew up in a severely dysfunctional family with parents that divorced when I was young and I suffered 51 years of suicidal depression (statistically common for children of divorced parents...subconscious identity crisis).So the things I'm going to say will sound unconventional, but they come from a lifetime of pain, suffering, heartbreak, introspection, searching for truth, love, and an identity.When I was 31, I became convinced that the bible held the truth of God (until then, I was searching for His true identity). The first 20 years were kind of 'dry' because all I found in these 'christian club' traditional teachings were 'mechanical' (go through the motions, do this, do that, follow the rules, read this, etc.). The teachings from traditional 'christianity' didn't satisfy my heart. I was like you, I was searching for MORE.Well, there is MORE (LOVE). TRUE Christianity is a LOVE, not a 'faith'. It is based on being 'true blue' and having an honest to goodness LOVE for the creator. Faith (trust in) should be borne out of LOVE for God (like the way someone would have love for their dad, when I was young, I also had faith in my dad...BECAUSE I LOVED him). I also have faith in the laws of physics, but I don't love them.You see, there is a SECOND message in scripture (a DEEPER message) that those who worship Him with their lips (CALL themselves "Christian) cannot understand or see. This is the "STRONG delusion" that has been in effect all throughout history,...the 'babylon' of the heart (the MYSTERY that nobody WANTS to see...the doctrines of the heart are the stumbling block, Ezekiel 14:4-8 in the KJV), and no matter how much the true message is told to "christianity", there will be ENDLESS INTELLECTUAL OBJECTIONS because they have "REFUSED TO LOVE THE TRUTH and so BE SAVED" (2 Thessalonians 2:10).Christianity has always been under the strong delusion because actually BEing a loving and just/righteous person is not 'convenient', it's much easier to 'follow the leader', conform to rules, simply read and INTERPRET text (as though it's a 'MAP to God') and glorify one's self as a master scholar/intellectual. It is still believed/taught that we should walk by FAITH, but we should "WALK BY THE SPIRIT" (Galatians 5:16 and 25). The word of God is the "SWORD of the SPIRIT" (Ephesians 6:17). The bible is the INTRODUCTORY doctrine of Jesus (Hebrews 6:1) and the "WORD OF TRUTH" (2 Timothy 2:15, Ephesians 1:13, John 14:6). We are to know God as "ABBA FATHER" (dear father), NOT "MASTER" ('taskmaster'),Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6 and have no fear of Him (1 John 4:18, Isaiah 29:13, Mark 12:30) because we should be a "FRIEND" of God (James 2:23).The 'sin laws' were abolished (Ephesians 2:15) and we are under the law of LIBERTY (James 1:25 and 2:12). We are justified IN CHRIST (1 Corinthians 6:11, Galatians 2:16 and 17) and wisdom IN CHRIST is not in parables (Matthew 13:13).Everything before the spirit was given (ancient scriptures, devotions/feasts, worship habits/Bereans, terminology, etc.), John 7:39, are irrelevant to New Testament devotion. We are obligated to do the "works of God" (John 6:28 and 29) by believing in Him so our goodness will not be by compulsion, but of our own freewill conscience (Philemon verse 14).There should NO "SELF abasement" (no self abatement/abandonment, Colossians 2:18 and 23). We should KNOW who we are (establish identity/individuality) so that we can have a TRULY 'PERSON'al relationship with The Lord ("I am who I am", Exodus 3:14, the Father's name FOREVER) and He can have one with us, His spirit "yearns jealously", James 4:5 (also, SELF discipline for repentance IN CHRIST is only possible with a strong sense of SELF). We should have 'tears of sorrow' in our heart about those who suffer misfortune ("rivers of living water", John 7:38, Revelation 7:16 (sorrow makes us sad/"poor in spirit", Matthew 5:3, the PRESENT heaven will be in our heart) and we should be transformed (new creation) by the renewal of our MIND (Romans 12:2, the heart can't THINK).This is a "MORE EXCELLENT WAY" of devotion (for the N.T. GODLY Christian, 1 Corinthians 12:31) because we should abide/live by "the GREATEST of these" (1 Corinthians 13:13) and have our CONSCIENCE PURIFIED ALSO (Hebrews 9:14). Adam and Eve ate of the tree of conscience and we should learn how to use that knowledge properly (Hebrews 5:14). These are just some of the better things (Hebrews 6:9) that belong to salvation. These are the "DEPTHS of God" (1 Corinthians 2:10).Mankind has always replaced God's 3 gracious gifts to humanity...1) creation (Father)2) salvation (Son)3) Godliness teaching (Spirit)...with the teachings and protocol of MAN (the SIXTH day creation)...666So, that you didn't find the teachings of man's institutional church satisfactory and it left your heart empty,....CONGRATULATIONS, you can "enter by the door" (John 10:1).All verses are from the RSV (I find it the most understandable and true to the real message).-----------------------------------------------------The Lord said that in the last days He will "pour out" His spirit.God bless you, Remagoen.