What do you make of the Alpha Course?

by boyzone 88 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  besty

  You believe Paul existed but not Jesus? Is that part of your reasonable argument? If you believe Paul existed, and he believed in Christ, why would you not believe Christ also existed

  I didn't say I believed Paul existed. For the purpose of this thread I don't feel that it adds to clarity to qualify my every reference to Jesus or Paul or God with a disclaimer about whether I believe they exist or not. For the record I don't believe that Jesus as described in the Bible ever existed, I don't know about Paul or god - maybe start a separate thread about the existence or otherwise of these characters if you are that interested.

  How can a newborn infant have any belief system at all

  Thank you - I rest my case.

  Which brings us nicely all the way back around to my question, which you and plenty others refuse to answer.
• 

  jonathan dough

  Do you think the bad guy sent them to my door? Can you give me any scriptures that show this as a possibility as I can't think of any myself.

  Didn't Satan enter Judas and send him to the Pharisees? We know demons possess human beings (Mt. 8:29). Acts 19:13-16. Remember, Satan is an angel of light and his ministers transform themselves into ministers of righteousness. 2 Cor 10:14,15.
• 

  besty

  *notes refusal by J-Dough to answer simple question

  Your silence is far more eloquent than your testimony.
• 

  scotsman

  Boyzone

  I know a few people who've been on the Alpha course or associated with churches that promote it. Some left because ultimately it made them suffer from a permanent sense of guilt as it focussed on sin, and how sinful humans are and how undeserving man is of god's kindness. They also felt it to be rather self righteous with a splash of bigotry about homosexuality.

  But it also seems to suit a lot of people as the happy clappy version of Calvinism. It's down to you to decide if it's for you.
• 

  jonathan dough

  *notes refusal by J-Dough to answer simple question

  Your silence is far more eloquent than your testimony.

  Maybe you could restate your question for us. I've already forgotten.

  http://144000.110mb.com/144000/index.html#I
• 

  PSacramento

  Besty,

  I recall that were you raised as a JW, correct?

  Do you think that going from one extreme like JW's to another like Atheism is perhaps a by-product of your "exodus" from the WT?
• 

  besty

  for the hard of hearing and forgetful:

  So what religion would you be if you had been born in Iraq?
• 

  besty

  Do you think that going from one extreme like JW's to another like Atheism is perhaps a by-product of your "exodus" from the WT?

  Possibly.

  But weak agnosticism seems to best fit the available facts. See http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/176244/1/My-Weak-Agnostic-Testimony for more details
• 

  Chalam

  Would God really have manouvered such a long-winded lesson involving so many people just so I can learn from the experience and help others?

  Maybe, maybe not. You can ask Him one day or even better ask now. You might not get the answer you want but if you keep on asking questions you will get some profound answers, I guarantee!

  Somehow it just doens't sit right that God would do that especially as the whole experience has turned my hubby and kids completely away from religion. They won't touch it with a bargepole.

  Hey that's cool. Religion is dead but God is alive and well!

  Religion is dead rites, legalism and the traditions of men. God seeks a loving intimate relationship with His kids, not with an organisation.

  So I'm now thinking, if the coincidence option is the right one, why didn't God answer my prayer at all? If He wasn't involved in the fateful knock on the door, why not? After all, I had prayed for help and support, I was already a christian and had faith and I needed Him right then. Why didn't God answer me?

  My advice is this, carry on praying, read your bible and listen out for His "voice". It almost certainly won't be audible but you will hear from Him.

  I guess I'm really having trouble with my faith until I can get some straight answers. As Alltimejeff aptly said recently on another thread, " God better start showing up!".

  He will, hang in there! Stick with the Alpha course, don't worry if they can't answer all your questions or even if God doesn't answer some of them. I do not answer all my kids questions and if I did that wouldn't help sometimes. Other times I do but it isn't always the answer they were expecting, sometimes it is better that they imagined, sometimes they are not so impressed but other times they knew the answer before they asked.

  Here's a verse that comes to mind

  Ecclesiastes 3:11 (New International Version)

  11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

  All the best,

  Stephen
• 

  PSacramento

  Ah, didn't see that thread...

  Well, for what it is worth, faith and religion are not the same and religion and Organised religion are not the same.

  I am a faithful Christian ( To me Jesus is my lord and saviour) and I do NOT belong to any organization at all, and I doubt I ever will.