Hello FreeWilly and thanks for posting
Do you ever worry that your 'relationship' with God exists merely in your mind?
NO, I don't worry about that at all and glad that I have relationship now.
Afterall, this must be the case for those of other religions - yes? If you are an ABR, then you likely discount the validity of millions of other people's 'relationship' with God. For them it DOES exist ONLY in their minds.
I dont worry about others and who is right and try to figure out who is or isn't, I have LEARNED this is not my call or duty as a Christian, As a witness I was judgmental and pray that God does forgive me for such arrogance and ignorance. Yes I truly do love to read the Bible and try to as much as possible and within reason. Whether or not it is only in their minds is not my call or descision.
Yet you are different -what makes you so certain its not the same mental trick?
I don't proclaim to be different, just when I consider where my faith was, it was built around men and an organization, completely misdirected, yes it takes faith to put into someone you cannot see but nonetheless this is where it is at and I wouldn't want it any other way. I thnk and believe that we are all so scarred and beaten like the sheep in Christ day when the religious leaders harassed the flocks into submission to men and not God. I see God as a loving person that the witness do not REALLY teach about, One that considers all things and reads the hearts of men,
Like many of other religious beliefs, yours likely follows a similar model. You believe (I suspect) writings in an ancient holy book that dipicts supernatural interractions between God and humans from a time long long ago - events whose veracity is extremely difficult to substantiate with evidence.
You are coorect in saying that I believe in the Bible and its ancient writings. I believe in them doesn't mean that I understand everything and only now as a non-witness do I feel comfortable in saying this. However I know that what I do not know is NOT important to bringing Glory to God and salvation. It really isn't important whether I understand all things, as Paul said "make sure of the more important things", those things are not really important as faith in Christ and to God the Father belongs Glory and not to any man or organization.
And, just like those other belief systems, yours too must explain why these depicted supernatural interractions, for some reason, are never observed or substantiated by evidence today. This leaves modern believers of religious writings today with no other choice but to accept the supernatural claims of these ancient writings on the basis of "belief", "faith" or some other concept that overlooks and avoids tangible, confirmable evidence.
Must I explain what is not important to me as outlined in the teachings of Christ, simple faith in his sacrifice as I acknowledge my own sinfullness and yet do not use it as an excuse but realize that this is important and not my own self vindication or righteousness, which mean absolutely nothing. It is not about me or anyone, any religious system but rather our own personal relationship with God through Christ and our own willingness to admit that we don't know everything but it really isn't important as showing love as demonstrated with God and Christ. No wonder Christ asked the simple question and the apostles focused on faith in Christ, as simple as it may seem and yet Christ said, "when the Son aof Man returns, will he find the faith on the earth?" The witnesses have destroyed my faith in organized religion whether I am right or wrong, but not my faith in God where it should have been all along. I will never trust another man when it comes to God and Chirst.
How do you explain the descrepancy of miraculouse historical dipictions, yet their complete absence in our modern experience?
What convinces you that your beliefs represent reality?
I don't know everything but as a child acknowledges a father's abundant wisdom and knowledge above and beyond his own, I do the same and throw my trust and burdens on the One who has carried me this far and especially since I left the bondage of spiritual darkness and following men.
Thanks again for your comments and respectfully to you,
abr
