converting to christianity

what religion are you shaman sun? I think I will have a look at that religion for myself. You seem calmer than christians.
Your words are like looking at what everyone else looks at but from further away so you see more. when you said that about all religions worshipping the same thing. Well I just realised thats true. Anyone who says there religion is right is right, everyones religion is right for that person. So everyone could be wrong and everyone could be right but it doesnt matter whats written in the books its what you feel is right thats right. A god like the christians say is the only god and is everywhere well thats the kind of god that could make themselves right for people who dont want to be christians .
did god say in the bible that he was only the god of the christians and not anyonelses god? I remember seeing here at hipforum someone wrote that god is a jealous god but does it say dont be jealous if god is someonelses god as well? God may be the muslim god and the christian god and he might think you are both stupid if you dont see how he could be the same god but look different to different people and have many books

 

The Bible was, keep in mind, written by people who had a similar perspective about God. So it goes without saying that they would write through and for that perspective, claiming it to be the only true way to salvation. Anything that is exterior to that belief is rejected, anything wishing to fullfil that belief is discovered and used to emphasize and strengthen the belief's validity. No?

This is not to say that the Bible is without Divinity! It sure is. However, it is also a clear cut example of a text written by an ethnocentric culture.

Maybe we all experience divinity in certain ways, as an individual, as a people, as a species. (MY personal God, OUR God, everyone's God.) Ego to ethno to worldcentric. Maybe, just maybe.

 

Hey Rah, I have to admit that I don't follow any particular religion. I don't really 'pick and choose' either. I find the subject interesting and enjoy learning about various practices, but I've always felt apart from the actual processes, rituals and beliefs. Personally, I feel that everything can be a teacher, a lesson, and all can be discovered as Spiritual. It's 'all inclusive'. It's just a matter of being aware of that, discovering what was already there to begin with; which every religion attempts to do. Come full circle. So, I cannot dive into one particular religion without noticing the important and significant roots that appear to tie all religions. If you want to chat about it all more in depth, feel free to message me or email me.

You brought up a great point about God. How could an all powerful, all knowing God, omnipotent, all loving, include one people and reject the rest? That doesn't seem like God talking, it seems more like the culture talking. Taking a piece of divinity that bubbles up into our lives, permeates our consciousness, and then lets us go. What do we do? What can we do? Only what we are capable of at the time. An ethnocentric individual will have an ethnocentric worldview, religiously, culturally, spiritually.

How we see ourselves in relation to the world, to the cosmos, is how we experience things - religious encounters are no exception. Perhaps the truth is; God is revealed by a multitude of names, and by no means is one ultimately superior to the other. If one wishes to understand Spirit, they must see beyond their self-limitating scope. Perhaps that is the future of Spirituality. And, hopefully, that future is now.

 

I think I have changed my mind about christians and other religios people that have a church. I like thinking now more like you do that there is something church people carnt see. I stopped writing then because I have just thought perhaps people should pray outside and then they might feel like they are right to believe in god but not to think they are the only ones god thinks are going to heaven. Perhaps if muslims and christians prayed where they could see each other praying it would be good. They would see each other is good.
but they carnt do that in a building. You carnt see anything in a building but the people who are there and the walls. it makes people not think about what is happening outside

 

It might be good to see each other, but having your own place, such as a Church, isn't so bad as long as you are not limiting yourself to those four walls (Or spires, arcs, tapestry, etc). Besides, much like it is good to see other faiths praying, it might also be good to share their houses of worship.

 

THE BIBLE IS A COMPILATION OF 66 DIFFERENT BOOKS

-WRITTEN BY MORE THAN 40 DIFFERENT AUTHORS

-WRITTEN ON 3 DIFFERENT CONTINENTS, WRITTEN IN 3 DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES--HEBREW, GREEK AND ARAMAIC

-WRITTEN OVER A TIME SPAN OF 1600 YEARS

-ALL THE AUTHORS CAME FROM DIFFERENT:
WALKS OF LIFE
CULTURES
BACKROUNDS
COUNTRIES
TIME ERAS

MOST OF THESE AUTHORS NEVER MET EACHOTHER--
YET THROUGHOUT ALL 66 DIFFERENT BOOKS, EVERY AUTHOR
HAD ONE THEME-

GOD'S PLAN OF REDEMPTION FOR HUMANITY THROUGH JESUS
CHRIST WITHOUT A CONTRADICTION

-FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END OF THE BIBLE IT ADDRESSES
EXTREME CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES, TOUCHY SUBJECTS SUCH AS:
*LIFE
*MEANING OF LIFE
*MARRIAGE
*HOMOSEXUALITY
*SIN
*GOD
*HEAVEN/HELL
YET WITHOUT A CONTRADICTION

-MILLIONS OF COPIES COME OFF THE PRESS EVERY YEAR, IT IS
STILL THE #1 SELLER AROUND THE WORLD, THE MOST SOUGHT
AFTER LITERATURE ON EARTH

*TRANSLATED IN WELL OVER 1000 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

*THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY RELIGIOUS WRITING THAT APPEALS TO:
THE MOST EDUCATED YET THE MOST UNSCHOOLED
THE OLDEST ADULT YET THE YOUNGEST CHILD ALIKE
CROSSCULTURAL, IT DOES NOT MATTER WHICH CORNER OF THE
WORLD YOU GO TO, THE BIBLE WILL BE IN GREAT DEMAND

*THE BIBLE IS THE ONLY RELIGIOUS WRITING THAT SPEAKS WITH
AUTHORITY--
WHERE WE COME FROM
WHY WE WERE CREATED
WHERE WE ARE GOING

*EVEN THOUGH IT DATES BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS, IT STANDS
THE TEST OF TIME AND IS STILL RELEVANT AND SURPASSES THE
UNDERSTANDING OF MODERN MAN

 

The Old Testament was written by Jews, and those who wrote the Book told us ahead of time, that when Gods man comes to this earth His own people would reject Him. Jesus Christ fulfill the 300 prophecies of the Old Testament. No other faith or religion has this kind of record to point to. If you want to ignore this, thats your choice. God will never force you to believe in Him.
But Christ has told us that no one comes to the the Father but through Him.
If you want to play Russian Roulette with your Soul, thats your choice. I cannot ignore the evidence for the Bible, and I cannot ignore the warning given to those who ignore that evidence. Jesus ask the question, "how will they neglect so great a Salvation?" Without Christ, the only thing you have is religion, an works, and neither of those will save you.

 

To JD4U

First off I NEVER said the Bible is full of errors. Never said it. Please show me where I said the KORAN is true. Never said it. So, I don't know where you used DISCERNMENT but you didn't apply it too judicially.

BTW No disrespect but I don't NEED you to qualify me as a Christian. I'm just wondering why you think you're in the position to do so. I think it's when people who are young and have barely seen the world put themselves in such a position of authority it's dangerous to Christianity.

So next time don't try to just prove me wrong try to win souls for Christ.

 

If its a book which no man can understand. Its not a book that has anything to teach us. A well written book is one which can be fully understood by at least one man other than its author. Since the bible is therefore useless may I suggest that it be recycled into kitchen towel or toilet roll? There is a shortage of trees

Usually they have one thing in common, the need to escape the reality that man is a beast and their best efforts to act like a civilised man have failed
we are uncivilised beasts - face it !

and extremely warped views that involve pain suffering exclusion and the idea of self denial and pennance for enjoyment
a particularly fatalistic and dismal depressing and sordid view of humanity

 

The Bible can be understood, yet it requires a person who seeks God. Thats why the Bible tells us the natural man will not understand the things of the Spirit. The natural man is not a seeker of truth, or God. And the reality of the Bible is it's prophecies of truth, which the natural man ignores to escape the reality of what is coming upon this earth. As the Islamic nations grow in power, the prophecies of Ezekiel 37, 38, and 39 will be fulfilled. This should be obvious even to you, because these nations are are just filled with hate. When the Islamics finally get tired of killing each other, they will turn their vengence on the Jews. That day is coming, the Bible has gone to great lengths to explain this to us. The natural man, and this includes the Islamic nations, will ignore these prophecies.

 

Those were examples...


Specifcally what you said was the Koran was simialr to the Bible. That caught my eye. I asked the simple questions: Is the Bible true? Is the Koran true or both?

All you had to say was: "Just the Bible"

Instead you went on a spew about judging.

I have no idea if you are a Christian. Nor will I ever know. I do use discernment with Christians however. And when someone compares the Bible to the Koran it raises some flags especially if it is a Christian... that is all. But to stop those flags from going up again all you had to say is "The Bible is only true."

This should have ended along time ago... and if we were talking face to face you would probably understand me better and even agree with me.

 

Well, first off you had no right coming on a thread and blindsiding me THEN questioning my Christianity. From now on if you have something to ask me or want to know my beliefs more specifically why not PM me instead of calling me out on a thread?

 

So, JDFU, per your criteria, a Christian who reads a scripture other than the Bible and finds truth there is not actually a Christian, or has ceased to be a Christian...am I correct?

 

Oh youre just makin it up as you go along - one minute you say the bible surpasses the understanding of man now you say men can understand it.
It seems clear to me that you dont just trying to win your argument at all cost with truth as a secondary consideration

have you seen any un-natural men around ? who are these un-natural people you refer to?

what you mean even a complete ignoramous like me can understand it - gee I bet Einstein is glad he was smart - and your qualification for understanding it is? exactly?

of what and whom? They dont hate me I havent done anything wrong to muslims - must be those arrogant capitalist arseholes that keep blowing muslim kids to bits thats causing all the hate perhaps and the ridiculous foreign policies of the west - and because they know some westerners think they are ignorant apes

I hope so I dont think they read the bible - if they just did it to fulfill a prophesy in the bible we'd be screwed. I'm so glad that you are loving and benevelent toward other races and religions and think highly of your fellow man. Its gives me such a warm feeling to think that you dont just think of them as a bunch of moronic apes simply because they dont happen to read the same books as you. BTW say hello to hitler for me when you two get together in the afterlife you will be able to make up for where his thoughts lacked tact

 

I will remember that... you can "call me out" anytime... I know what I believe.

 

Reading is fine...

Embracing and believing is a different story. As long as it does not contradict the Bible... I am fine with it. But if someone were to say that the Koran is a 100% true and so is the Bible... that cannot be.

 

Once again...No one said that. I know what I believe. You shouldn't post here for two reasons.

#1 The people who are already turned off to Christ you're giving them ample reason to think Christians are liars.

#2 With your ego driven over the top sense of holier than thou the people on the fence you'll push over to a different path.

You know what you believe but you aren't who you say you are. Jesus constantly called out the Pharisees for acting EXACTLY like this. You're not being loving. You're not "practicing" what you preach young man. You're more worried about showing me up then bringing people to Christ young man. So which is it? Are you trying to bring people to the Way of Christ are are you trying to really give it to somebody? Which is it young man?

Read this title thread. You've done the opposite. It's treachery. Again, if you have something to say to me man up and PM me OR start another thread. We're hijacking this thread. No scratch that. I'm pming you.

 

Once again...No one said that.

Once again ... it was an EXAMPLE... EXAMPLE ... EXAMPLE.

How many times do I have to say that...

 

If you want to obey the Fourth Commandment you go to church on Saturday. see Exodus 20:8-11.

 

A righteous book to read is The Phat News of Mark by 2 Hawks.