christianity (page 4)

Brother Apostate

Faith is the tiredest of cop-outs.

I have been to this movie hundreds or perhaps thousands of times.

One can not ultimately support a pro-god viewpoint on logic alone, it requires faith to do so.

American Heritage Dictionary

faith (f

ath) Pronunciation Key

n.

1. Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing.

2. Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. See Synonyms at belief, trust.

3. Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance: keeping faith with one's supporters.

4. often Faith Christianity The theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will.

5. The body of dogma of a religion: the Muslim faith.

6. A set of principles or beliefs.

As I am a non-denominational Christian, all but definition #5 applies in my case, or, if you like, add 5 from the standpoint of "generic" Christianity.

That is as terse as I can state it.

Forgive me for being somewhat bored of the subject, as I have been in so many debates on this, both on line and in person, I neither have the desire nor the inclination to beat the horse to death again.

From my standpoint and experience, it is as fruitful as trying to prove the nature of God (trinitarian vs non-trinitarian), another battle that won't be solved until we die, if then.

My response to BR25 original post in this thread was intended to display a viewpoint he perhaps had not considered, that is, it is possible to be Christian without attending an organized sects' place of worship, nor adopting it's dogma as your own.

This is possible by praying for God's Holy Spirit, in faith that he both exists and that he will pour out his spirit upon you, before reading His word the Holy Scriptures.

If you haven't tried it, you might find it enlightening.

Of course, you'd first have to suspend your disbelief to partake of His word in this way.

That's obviously your call, I'm simply offering an alternative to your limited view based on strictly physically observable phenomena.

BA- Que sera, sera.

PS- "There is more in heaven and earth, Horatio, than is dreamt of in your philosophy." Shakepeare's Hamlet Hamlet to Horatio

Terry

Sad Emo says: I suspect (forgive me if I'm wrong) that your logic would say that people who do suddenly have musical talent or whatever, already had it within their personality - it was just undiscovered.

I've been on planet Earth for 60 years and have never seen, heard or read about somebody suddenly having a talent.

I'd be willing to entertain the notion I've missed the headline. Can you please direct me to a case of a sudden musical talent? A sudden artistic talent? A sudden mathematical talent? A sudden chess talent that had not been there previous to the onset of suddeness?

I'm not kidding.

Sad emo

Terry,

I told you I've met people in my life who have received sudden unexplained abilities.

Just because they didn't make the world news, does it mean it isn't true?

Just because you've never met them or anyone like them, does it mean it didn't happen?

Terry

I told you I've met people in my life who have received sudden unexplained abilities.
Just because they didn't make the world news, does it mean it isn't true?
Just because you've never met them or anyone like them, does it mean it didn't happen?

Here are two different sentences. Tell me if you see a substantive difference between the two sentences, okay?

"I told you I've met people in my life who have received sudden unexplained abilities."

"I told you I've met people in my life who claim they have received sudden unexplained abilities."

Hmmmm?

Sad emo

Here are two different sentences. Tell me if you see a substantive difference between the two sentences, okay?
"I told you I've met people in my life who have received sudden unexplained abilities."
"I told you I've met people in my life who claim they have received sudden unexplained abilities."

yes.

Threestars

A great book that explores the transcendent spiritual experience is Why God Won't Go Away by Andrew Newberg M.D. and Eugene DaQuill MD PhD.

I am fascinated with this subject because I have felt this "spiritual transcendence" in one form or another my whole life, but it was something that was always shut down, scoffed at, and even feared by my JW parents and so-called friends. They basically assumed I was under demon attack.

I believe that the part of the brain that controls, if you will, what some call the God Gene IS responsible for most of the great artistic and scientific achievements throughout history, yes, even professed athiests. I'm an artistic person myself and I have felt so many times that "epiphany" that leads to "creation". My own personal theory is that when, in Genesis, God says that he has made man in "HIS Image" what it means is that CREATIVITY, in any form, makes one like a God (or Goddess haha). We become, in essence "A Creator". Sadly, the mainstream Christian chrurches tend to frown on this type of thinking almost as much as the JWs did.

jgnat

What kinda of feeling do you get cause I hear this from so many other christians. Is it like orgasmic or something?

Just like anywhere else, churches are full of all sorts. I'm not to fond of self-designated evangelists myself, because they assume that everyone they have not "confirmed" is condemned to hell. Their first questions are not about the weather or your new dress, but your spiritual status. I find their approach as offensive as the Witnesses. How are they to presume your eternal destiny?

Me, I prefer to be a mentor and a teacher, so I help out in Sunday School. I find it very satisfying to raise up young people full of love, hope, and confidence that God loves them.

I think the conversion experience is very personal and very real. Knowing that you are fully accepted by God, flaws and all, is very liberating. Some grow from that conversion experience in to noble Christians, others wear their Christianity like a cloak without really changing much inside. I don't understand the second kind of Christian. Myself, I've felt that God has never let me rest on my laurels.

Also in these big churches do they jump around and scream and hollar like they show on tv. I am amused sometimes when I flip through these channels and the radio. They start going all spastic saying. OH JESUS, OH LORD MY LORD, COME UP HERE YOUNG MAN LET ME LET THE DEMONS OUT OF YOU. Is this how it really is?

In some churches, yes. Not all. Not mine.

IP_SEC

dont these things seem just as wierd and if not more than what everybody says about jws.

It seems wierd to me now that anyone would worship, praise or otherwise acknowledge an invisible poppa in the sky.

jgnat

dont these things seem just as wierd and if not more than what everybody says about jws.

There's weird, and then there's control freaks. I don't have anything to do with control freaks, organized or individually.

jgnat

Threestars, you might enjoy reading Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

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