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Topic: My Story
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Michael Harrison
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posted
LOL oneinchrist! Well, no, it wasn't wax or anything.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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bluefrog
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MICHAEL...Take it from an Old Coot, go where your heart takes you. The Holy Spirit is with you and only those who know him understand.
If there is a lady out there that your key matches her lock you will know it when you meet. Going around trying to fit you key in different locks is expensive and dangerous. Your key can get stuck, it can break off, and you can even loose it. Just put it on a chain and keep it handy. My son has tried marriage twice and they both failed, so he is a Learner.
He is so pleased with his being single now that he is about as interested in women as he was when he was about 7 years old.
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Michael Harrison
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quote:
Hi, Michael Harrison, you said, more or less, that "everytime you are nice to a gay, it only encourages them".
Have you ever thought that that is what women also go through with men, being hit upon by men all the time?
love, Eden
I certainly have eden. And it also works the other way around. I find it difficult that I cannot simply be a fellow brother to a sister. Indeed, one of the big reasons I became discouraged from church attendence is because so many women see a 'single man', and they think he is an answer to prayer. And I have actually hurt someone because I was just being friendly, It was misread. So it is hard to be childlike sometimes.
Over the years there have been a lot of chances to get hitched. It kinda hurts to think of it. There have been some babes. And who knows how it woulda turned out? (But God always headed me off at the pass.) But this life after all is but a moment. Soon I won't remember, I keep telling myself.
But one time a girl propositioned me for something more spontaneous, and a whole lot more temporary, and that after a prayer meeting! She was cute. I mean she was unbearably cute. Oh my gosh! I didn't quite know what to say, but I spoke to the effect that she was not experiencing the fear of the Lord, which took her aback. She was of course embarrased after that. This was not the only time, or one with which this happened. The next thing I heard was that she had decided to go to bible school.
Dear God! What if I had made the wrong decision. People don't realize how wrong it is to cohabitate. And I understand about it. There is nothing on earth, I suppose, that I want more. But people don't realize what takes place when people join, and how it hurts the Lord. It hurt me every time my ex did, for she was joined to me, and betrayal was in every act. It is like being raped, for my part, when she does another.
I remember not knowing how to answer a man who inquired of me how I could give that up to serve the Lord. My answer to him should have been direct, to the effect that he would simply have to in order to know the Lord, even though he saw no reason. For what more could I say? But I wanted to express to Him meaningful 'reason'. For to know the Lord is beyond awesome. Way! However, unless one abandons his life to discover HIM, he will not discover. That is the bottom line. Therefore it pleased God that by the foolishness of preaching that men should be saved. And, that is what the beattitudes are about, people who 'need'. Perhaps when this man has children from hell, he will reconsider. Or something may humble him to make him think. But I understand the weakness. How does one give up that kind of wealth in order to seek the Lord. Thank God I was caught off guard when I was asked if I would be saved.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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Michael Harrison
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quote:
Originally posted by bluefrog:
Gayness is a subject I tend to stay away from.
The only gay guy I knew, or thought he was the only one, was caught in bed with 5 other gay guys by the law. The Air Force booted him out.
I feel sorry for gay guys. It is a shame that they don't want to get married and suffer the same as us straight guys. LOL
![[happyhappy]](graemlins/happyhappy.gif) LOL! ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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oneinchrist
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Gods love woos in the homosexual, but Gods Holiness does not allow for the continued practice. Do you see the distinction?
Any man that is living in any type of immoral sin(fornication, adultery, homosexuality) must repent and turn away from it before he will be forgiven. We cannot compromise on this truth and end up misleading those who live sexually immoral lives. I cant believe there are churches today that want to tell the world that there can be people who simeltaneously "practice homosexuality" and "are presently serving as a believer in the body of Christ" . They completely leave out Gods call to repentance.
We all need to understand that God is also strict.......but that is because He loves us.
With love in Christ, Daniel
Posts: 1389 | From: Wind Lake, WI | Registered: May 2007
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bluefrog
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Gayness is a subject I tend to stay away from.
The only gay guy I knew, or thought he was the only one, was caught in bed with 5 other gay guys by the law. The Air Force booted him out.
I feel sorry for gay guys. It is a shame that they don't want to get married and suffer the same as us straight guys. LOL
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Eden
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Hi, Michael Harrison, you said, more or less, that "everytime you are nice to a gay, it only encourages them".
Have you ever thought that that is what women also go through with men, being hit upon by men all the time?
love, Eden
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oneinchrist
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Hey Michael,
You said that you "tripped" some bosses because you produced a product cleaner and faster..........was that "floor wax"? LOL
Posts: 1389 | From: Wind Lake, WI | Registered: May 2007
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Michael Harrison
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Every time I have been nice to gays, they have lusted after me. Therefore I hate to be rude, but all the talk about 'loving' them, only encourages them.
I remember this guy who was a boss of mine. He had somewhat long brown hair and a beard. He was my supervisor at a retail chain during the Christmas season. Well, when I told him I was going to quit he felt like he had to tell me something. He said, "I am gay!" Alright! I confess, it caught me off guard, and all I could do is wonder why he was compelled to tell me. I was happy not knowing. He didn't after all, look the part. It turns out he was the son of a Baptist minister in a town thirty minutes from Charlotte. Anyway.... But that was off the cuff. It was not one of the examples I referred to.
It is problematic. If one cannot speak to one about Christ with that one thinking you are being nice, and getting the wrong idea. Well, what is one to do. The other problem is when one clings to the scriptures, but has a different interpretation of what they mean, and they think you are like them.
Boring subject! ![[roll on floor]](graemlins/6.gif)
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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Michael Harrison
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If I were an eye surgeon, and Jesus showed me a more effective way, I would be in great trouble for not 'looking' like the world expected me to. However, if the results spoke for themselves, I would be vindicated. Selah!
Now, I was in no race with my boss. I didn't know that I did something wrong until I saw his displeasure. On the other hand, with other bosses I got raises. Nuff said. Thank you!
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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bluefrog
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MICHAEL..If you are an eye surgeon or do colonostomies I would be concerned with how you hold your tools too. Especially if you got in a race with your boss to see who could finish first. I would also be pleased to find that you were one of God's children because I would sure do a lot of prayin. Glad I don't live in Charlotte any more. rivit
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Michael Harrison
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I am free in Christ. I am free to be kid-like. The world doesn't take it so well. They don't see Jesus. Instead they think I am defective! Either they think I am happy, or they think I am mildly retarded, or something or another.
I have learned that the world is all about image. It is the image that one projects. Another way of saying that is it is about the front that one presents. I have been through grief because of this. For example, this is small, but in my trade if I don't hold my tools a certain way, and look a certain way, they don't think I am doing a good job. That is how one is evaluated, by how he looks doing his job. Yet over and over again I have tripped some bosses because, thanks to the God I serve (the glory belongs to Him), I have produced a finished product cleaner and faster than expected. Once though, the boss was not pleased. It was not a good thing to outdo him. But over and over I have had to 'prove' myself. But thanks to Jesus, I do not have to put up an image any longer. People will just have to think what they think.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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Glory belongs to Him
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Oh I wouldn't say that I think we can all think about what it was like being a kid as we say "back then." All we have to do is sat back and take inventory of our lives.
Even today there is still a little kid in all of us; and in the sight of God we are all still children.
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If you ever get so hungry for God that you are in pursuit of Him, He will do things for you that He won't do for anybody else.
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Theo Philite
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I want to be a kid again, but I can't ever remember what is it even like.
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"Even on a cloudy day I will be your friend"
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Michael Harrison
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You think it's funny, but it snot!
When I was in the middle school years we had a guest who spoke to all of us at a meeting in the gym. He ended the story with that line, "You think it's funny, but itsnot!" It was something about a runny nose. I have long forgotten what. But the teachers almost had a fit cause he was setting a bad example. ![[Confused]](confused.gif) We all thought it was funny. The teachers didn't.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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Theo Philite
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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"Even on a cloudy day I will be your friend"
Posts: 28 | Registered: Nov 2008
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bluefrog
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When I was a little kid I used to tell my little sister that colds came from snot bubbles. Maybe I should have been a doctor.
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Theo Philite
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Yes I know, the virus got it's name because they occurred most often when it was really cold, and the olden peoples thought that was the reason. But the real reason was because when it got cold everyone would gather around the fire and the germs would spread much quicker.
But the creator of the story used poetic liscense...
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"Even on a cloudy day I will be your friend"
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bluefrog
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Playing in the rain doesn't cause colds. Colds are a virus. Just thought I would drop that in.
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Theo Philite
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A long, long, long time ago there was once a young man on his way back from his work place. He made his living by making canes for the elderly, and since this was before cars, and he was to poor to own a wagon he went home on foot. He noticed that there were storm clouds gathering over his head...so he hurried as fast as he could. But he didn't reach his home before rain began pooring down fast and hard, in sheets that soaked his hair, drenched his coat, and trickled down his face.
For one brief moment he was miserable in the rain, but then he threw up his hands, smiled, and changed his attitude. The rain was pure joy, the lightening in the background purged his soul, he never felt so alive...before he was like ash, but now he was awash in happiness. Prancing, dancing, joyously skipping through puddles he was more alive than he had ever been. He found himself in the moment, and did not want to go inside when he reached his house, and what more there was a little boy who came out and played in the rain with this grown man. Such innocence! such heartfelt companionship, the rain was beautiful, a banishment of sorrow and sadness.
But eventually the storm ended and the man and boy went back inside. The boy caught a cold, and since this was way back when, the boy died. But the man didn't. He lived on. And he thought to himself, 'was it worth it, all that joy? all that happiness? surely having that magical moment in his life was worth it, even if the magical moment itself took away that life?'. His thoughts were only for the boy...but as he thought of the storm the following weeks, during his time at work making canes, an ingenious idea occured to him. A cane turned upside down with a cloak engineered to spread out above, up high, to shield the owner from the rain. He would call it an...umbrella. Surely it was a magnificent invention, but wait!....should he actually make this? it would cost mankind the joy, the hope, the soul washing droplets of happiness that drenched him whenever he went out into the rain. But it might help, it might save some lives even...what was it that he could do?
The decision was hard, but at the same time it was easy.
The end.
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"Even on a cloudy day I will be your friend"
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bluefrog
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THEO...About your friend and the suggested missionary trip to hell...LOL...Me thinks that there are a lot of folks taking that trip right here on earth while living. It is called marriage. They broke the commandment, lusted and ended up busted. All they could think about was satisfying their horny side and didn't weigh he circumstances.
With that in mind, if hell is like a broken marriage aren't both worth thinking about ?
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Eden
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TO CONTINUE. Theo Philite wrote quote:
..,, not that it is up to me to be the mastermind ... and then that horrible question of "what if" he made me capable of being the mastermind because I am supposed to be, and that is the real purpose ... but what if I am not?
You as the soul still have to decide in each moment whether to implement what you heard from Jesus via the Holy Spirit, or whether to implement your own ideas. The resurrected Jesus will recommend what to do next by way of His excellent thoughts, but it is still up to you as to which set of thoughts you want to execute, yours, or His. After a while it becomes so obvious Which to choose that it becomes second Nature.
Theo Philite further continued quote:
And then, because my greatest attribute seems to be that I can always see the other point of view (how I became a christian in the first place) I can debate the pro's and con's of certain actions, and it always causes me to feel the weight of responsibility no matter what decision I make in the matter.
If you stop making the decisions and listen to the decisions made by the resurrected Jesus from heaven via the Holy Spirit to your spirit, then Jesus has the burden for the decisions which He recommended you use. Hey, that's what Jesus told me to do (but if ain't ever wrong like that, trust me, LOL, the advice of Jesus is impeccable).
You also said, quote:
And I am not alone ... I know a few other people exactly like me, all of them are highly intelligent, who do their best to help the others around them, and all of them all have never been quite sure of God's existence
The more I read the Bible, the more God's existence had to be true.
You continued quote:
... but when they do accept it they face the same problem as me, they simply see the other point of view so well, and question so much that they know that they are just as likely to cause more damage by their actions as fix the problems we try to solve.
Some say this is going too deep, but that annoys the hell out of me because it clearly isn't a reality for those people.
The more I ended up believing that Jesus died for me on the cross, so that I may receive the free gift of eternal life, what did it matter to me about "other realities"? Only by reading the scriptures of Israel can one become convinced that there really is a God and that this God is the God of Israel and that Jesus rose from the dead ... and is coming again ... and is Someone to be feared if He is "coming again".
John 20
30 And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book.
31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that, believing, you might have life through His name.
John 3
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Romans 5:8
But God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved".
love, Eden
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Eden
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Theo Philite wrote, probably to Eden quote:
I once said that with Jesus, my viewpoint changes with each new thought.
If the thoughts are the thoughts of the Holy Spirit, that is a good thing. But if you mean, "when it comes to Jesus, what I think of him changes with every new viewpoint", that is a good thing too, and it does take more "getting to know Him" in order to arrive at some "foundational knowledge" about Jesus which does not need to change so much anymore:
1 Corinthians 3:2
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for until now you were not able to bear it, neither are you yet now able to bear it.
Hebrews 5:12
For when by this time you ought to be teachers, you still have need that one teaches you again which are the first principles of the oracles of God; and you are become as such who have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
Hebrews 5:13
For everyone who uses milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is still a babe.
Theo Philite further said quote:
If I have had alot of practice with one thing the past few years it has been self-correcting my own beliefs over and over again.
Good, me too. The Lord keeps showing me new things about the Word that I misunderstood before (often as a result of some "mass teaching by so and so" that I had adopted too initially"). The best Christian to me is one who knows how to drop what was wrong and quickly adopt what is more correct.
Theo Philite also wrote quote:
I have gone from atheist to christian, republican to democrat, christian democrat to agnostic moderate, to reluctant christian who no longer has any particular political party for any particular issue...and my personal life tends to be guided by my beliefs and principles, and as those change so do my actions, etc.
Regarding the bolded part, the Holy Spirit is much smarter than you are; you only ignore their advice and counsel "at your peril".
You also said quote:
I also see how it would be 'peaceful' if God showed me clear paths
That is not going to happen until you get out of the way and let God show you how to safely negotiate the path that YOU ARE ON. Right now YOU are deciding which way to go on your path. But that is not how God works.
The God of Israel and the resurrected Jesus want you to realize that They can do a much better job of telling you what you should do next IN ANY GIVEN MOMENT than you EVER CAN.
God is in the business of getting you to understand that you are being foolish by continuing to run your own life without the input from the resurrected Jesus Who can tell you "what to do next" right from heaven by way of the wireless Holy Spirit directly to your spirit.
If you had a choice between taking a diamond {Jesus' instructions) or a pebble (your ideas), who in his right mind would take the pebble?
You continued, quote:
I like to think as a christian that perhaps it is not my responsibility to solve some things, that God is working his own plan and just wants me to be open to him so he can use me
TO BE CONTINUED, I posted what I have written so far.
love, Eden
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Theo Philite
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I do not know if I look like this or like this ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) . Perhaps both, because I both agree and disagree with pretty much everything said.
I once said that with Jesus, my viewpoint changes with each new thought. If I have had alot of practice with one thing the past few years it has been self-correcting my own beliefs over and over again.
I have gone from athiest to christian, republican to democrat, christian democrat to agnostic moderate, to reluctant christian who no longer has any particular political party for any particular issue...and my personal life tends to be guided by my beliefs and principles, and as those change so do my actions, etc.
I also see how it would be 'peaceful' if God showed me clear paths, whether through the bible or through other people, or anything whatsoever, and allowed me to know how to solve certain things.
I like to think as a christian that perhaps it is not my responsibility to solve some things, that God is working his own plan and just wants me to be open to him so he can use me, not that it is up to me to be the mastermind.............and then that horrible question of "what if" he made me capable of being the mastermind because I am supposed to be, and that is the real purpose.......but what if I am not? And then, because my greatest attribute seems to be that I can always see the other point of view (how I became a christian in the first place ![[Wink]](wink.gif) ) I can debate the pro's and con's of certain actions, and it always causes me to feel the weight of responsibility no matter what decision I make in the matter.
And I am not alone.......I know a few other people exactly like me, all of them are highly intelligent, who do their best to help the others around them, and all of them all have never been quite sure of God's existence, but when they do accept it they face the same problem as me, they simply see the other point of view so well, and question so much that they know that they are just as likely to cause more damage by their actions as fix the problems we try to solve.
Some say this is going too deep, but that annoys the hell out of me because it clearly isn't a reality for those people.
And Bluefrog, one of those friends used to talk about how me and him would have to be taking missionary trips into hell when we died because we could never live (ha) with ourselves if we didn't. Just thought that would amuse you.
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"Even on a cloudy day I will be your friend"
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Eden
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Dear Theo Philite quote:
About my pessimistic attitude: Yes, I have that. I can and do overcome it, perhaps it is the devil whispering in my ear, perhaps it is just plain common sense, but either way I maintain my belief in God in spite of the fact that I also seem to see that that belief in God hinders me from truly being the person I want to be and from accomplishing some of the things I would like to accomplish.
Dear Theo Philite, regarding the part I bolded, the God I serve and love does not hinder me from accomplishing what I want to accomplish.
Rather, my God HELPS me accomplish the goals that I want to accomplish, and not just in MY way, but with HIS WISDOM ADDED.
When I let the Holy Spirit look at my circumstances on my behalf, the Holy Spirit has FAR BETTER ANSWERS, and often UNEXPECTED answers, to what I should do next to deal with what is going on outside of me, and how to beatify and perfect that the projects that I have been working on ... especially if they are at least partially a Christian project, then God "really gonna make it look very beautiful" for you.
God does not hinder your projects, God beautifies your projects... although he may cancel altogether or modify some of your projects, depending on how righteous your projects are currently.
If it's making porno films, then you are probably on your own. But if it is a harmless invention, then God is with you:
Proverbs 8
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
Father knows best. God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit are a lot smarter than you and I are. What if They are willing to guide all your next steps and lead you into all the paths of righteousness:
Psalm 23:3
He restores my soul: He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Psalm 25:10
All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.
Do not hesitate to let the Holy Spirit whom the Lord has sent "look over your projects and your daily life and counsel you on ALL your next steps". God's answers are ALWAYS SMARTER and MORE PERFECT than mine.
To repeat what you said, Theo Philite quote:
About my pessimistic attitude: Yes, I have that. I can and do overcome it, perhaps it is the devil whispering in my ear, perhaps it is just plain common sense, but either way I maintain my belief in God in spite of the fact that I also seem to see that that belief in God hinders me from truly being the person I want to be and from accomplishing some of the things I would like to accomplish.
Father knows best. Your own ideas stink compared to His, seriously.
Be blessed in Jesus,
Eden
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bluefrog
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THEO...LIKE ONEINCHRIST SAID.... Just believing don't get it.
For example: I believe that you are a guy who calls himself Theo and I believe you are doing scripts on this board, etc. I also believe that my pick-up is sitting outside waiting for me. I believe that I need to brush my teeth at least once a day. There are gobs of things I believe. With God, he expects you to believe in Him but you need to prove it and do something about it. Satan believes in God too.
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oneinchrist
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Hi Theo,
Belief in God is not enough. The difference between a Christian and an atheist is not just a belief in God. Many non-Christians believe in God. A Christian has repented of his sin, turned from a position of rebellion to God, and turned to God and His will for their life. A Christian has submitted his life into the hands of the Savior accepting His authority over their life.
Are you ready to be a disciple of Jesus? Then answer to Jesus' call to be baptized in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. Enter into discipleship my friend, confessing your faith and sharing your testimony at your friends church.
With love in Christ, Daniel
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Michael Harrison
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Theo: Concerning atheism, something that is never taken into consideration concerning the argument is that, though no man can 'prove' God (this is aside from the fact that HE can prove Himself), no atheist can disprove God. And that is their foundation for challenging Christians. They think that the evidence is, according to science, that there is no God. But based on their own highly regarded system of qualification of theory, which demands evidence before drawing a conclusion, they would have to admit that, in their case, all of the evidence is not yet in. Therefore they 'jump to a conclusion', when they say there is no God. But that is not what they want to hear. Who knows why. And one easily 'chooses' not to believe, because he can. It is really more odd than when a believer chooses to believe, though it doesn't seem that way from over there.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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bluefrog
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THEO..I think we both posted at the same time. You may have missed my last.
As a baby Christian I would like to suggest that there are growing pains. You just want to grow faster than the lack of experience allows. It is exciting to be anxious about things but like Paul said, Do Not be Anxious. Your ability to accomplish things will even surprise you if you allow God to be involved. Surely you know that you are not wiser than God. Youth ! I wish I knew then what I know now.
Start talking to Him, not talking at Him. There is a thing called righteousness that you need to learn about in depth. Try it you'll like it.
Many folks want to serve God, but only as advisors.
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Theo Philite
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First of all, Eden, I think you are overestimating the common man. That is a mistake that I encourage you to commit often, and as deeply as you can. Having faith in people to be something more, and better, than they are is nothing to try to repress.
Second of all, Oneinchrist, Yes, I do still know the girl. She invited me to her church, and I still go there when I can.
About my pessimistic attitude: Yes, I have that. I can and do overcome it, perhaps it is the devil whispering in my ear, perhaps it is just plain common sense, but either way I maintain my belief in God in spite of the fact that I also seem to see that that belief in God hinders me from truly being the person I want to be and from accomplishing some of the things I would like to accomplish.
So I cannot help but be a little resentful, not towards God though, but towards my own lack of ability to be both christian and the person I aspire to be...and my ability to find a way to both solve problems and reconcile what I have to do to solve those problems with being a christian...being a christian makes me dumber in laymens terms...and that gets on my nerves, because it interferes with what I want to do and who I want to be.
So, I am always tempted to be an athiest again, just for the sake of my own peace of mind...I believe it is the opposite for most believers, you find peace of mind when you have faith and not vice versa.
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"Even on a cloudy day I will be your friend"
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bluefrog
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posted
When I mentioned statistics about those concerned about Hell turning out to be a keeper, I also said that it surprised me. The information came from Kirby on Point of View, a Christian Radio Show and he is not the type to pass on false information. Up until the day I heard that I would have never assumed such a thing. Like you, the threat of hell was never much of an issue.
The fact that some of you do not believe such a thing makes little difference though, other than it might be worth mentioning, as we usually do, when witnessing. I just thought it fit into our conversation.
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Eden
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posted
brother bluefrog wrote quote:
Statistics have proven that those who believed in the penalty [of hell] grew in their relationship with God much more than those who did not.
Maybe so, but if it is true, it is such a shame. For my relationship with God grew much more when I saw His love for me:
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
1 John 4:11
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.
When I saw God's love to me, I grew so much closer to God than I had ever been.
So to repeat what you said, brother bluefrog, quote:
Statistics have proven that those who believed in the penalty [of hell] grew in their relationship with God much more than those who did not.
I doubt it. I think that those who realize the love of God grow more in their relationship with God...don't you think?
love, Eden
"the Real Thing"
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oneinchrist
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posted
Hi Theo,
In one of your above posts you stated that you were converted.......but throughout your posts you seem to be expressing a sort of a regretful and/or pessimistic attitude about it all.
On what basis do you see yourself as converted to a Christian?
Do you still have contact with that Christian girl?
With love in Christ, Daniel
Posts: 1389 | From: Wind Lake, WI | Registered: May 2007
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Theo Philite
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posted
I would be very much interested in how they measured the depth of relationships with God? Not out of disbelief (although I am wary of accepting any statistics at all) but out of just blatant curiosity.
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"Even on a cloudy day I will be your friend"
Posts: 28 | Registered: Nov 2008
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bluefrog
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posted
Well said !!
This old dumb rock clung to most of what ya said.
One issue. The penalty of Hell. It may surprise you, it did me, that the penalty of Hell is a Keeper Issue. Statistics have proven that those who believed in the penalty grew in their relationship with God much more than those who did not. I did not say all, but many more prospered in their walk with God. So, that is why I always bring it up....who knows ?
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Theo Philite
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posted
You know those angry christians? The ones who believe in God, accept Jesus, but are always wondering when God and Jesus are going to do something for THEM?
Most of the experience most christians have with athiests are more or less the athiest version of those christians. What I mean is, the angry christians are not very representative of all christians, now are they? Well neither is the typical idea of the athiest who persecutes christians, argues against it all the time, is hedonistic and immoral, wants everyone to share their viewpoint, etc.
I remember that as an athiest I used to refuse to share my reasons for being one with believers, because I thought that it might hurt their faith if I did...and I would often encourage believers to learn more about their own faith, and to keep establishing a personal relationship with God.
Now it might be very difficult for most christians to accept that the majority of athiests are like I was, but keep in mind that the majority of athiests tend not to reveal their own personal beliefs to believers for just that reason...any encouragement I gave would certainly have been seriously undermined if they knew that I had been an athiest, or the times that I prayed with and comforted believers would not have been nearly as meaningful if they thought I didn't share their beliefs.
While you might be concerned with where athiest's souls are going to end up, you will best be able to learn how to reach them if you realize who they really are, and their motivations for doing what they do. My belief had nothing to do with a fear of hell, or of a desire for salvation. Neither will the majority of athiest's salvations be reached through a fear or a desire, but through the decision to align their "practices" with a "belief system" because it helps with the "practices" and might be worthier than their current "practices".
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"Even on a cloudy day I will be your friend"
Posts: 28 | Registered: Nov 2008
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bluefrog
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posted
THEO PHILITE...I would also like to welcome you to this board. Thank you for telling us your story. Sounds like you are still a very young man and have a good head on your shoulders.
I am a very old man and sometimes feel as dumb as a rock, and the rock is gaining.
Sounds like your young lady is a gift from God. I will make a couple of comments but I want you to take them as complimentary in case you don't read them that way.
Many times, or most of the time that I have spoken to athiests they were not Christians.
There is some sort of a division between proof and faith that is difficult to cross. I call it being too smart for their own good.
I see nothing wrong with being open minded because once you discover Jesus it helps learn.
If gifted with superior intelligence be Thankful. Morons with a cause have a place also.
Knowing what a Christian believes is not for you to judge. God will take care of that for you.
When speaking of Causes, I'm not real sure what you mean. We have several purposes. Again, that is between you and God. The Best Believers are the ones who have given themselves to God, not a cause.
I am so glad to hear that you have become a Christian. Figuring out what will come of you if you do not sort of helps too doesn't it?
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Michael Harrison
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posted
quote:
"I don't know if it is, or if it isn't. So why am I choosing to believe it isn't? Why can I not just blindly trust in Paul's account, and in history to have accurately preserved his account? I want to, so why don't I?" And after that sequence of thinking, I chose to believe and literally went from athiest to very knowledgeable, living in the midst of grace, Christian.
Wonderfully stated! The key to this statement is the part where you say that you were 'choosing' to believe it isn't. The diametric opposite to that is that you 'chose' to believe. It was an act of the will, and a wise choice.
And that is what gets me. People extensively are in denial about the fact that they 'choose' not to believe. It really boils down to that. It isn't entirely automatic that they chose 'not' to, necessarily. But God doesn't meet those who choose 'not' to believe. That is the way it works.
Believing, of course, implies surrendering to His will, and that on the basis that HE knows exactly what is best. And it is nice to have the comfort of the knowledge that HE is the Good Shepard, and upon believing, we are HIS sheep.
Posts: 3273 | From: Charlotte N.C. | Registered: Sep 2007
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Theo Philite
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posted
I think quite alot about Jesus, and with each new thought my viewpoint changes.
My reason for conversion was more of the reading of Paul's epistles than any particular attraction to a girl. And directly after reading those I thought to myself in the lines of something like "I don't know if it is, or if it isn't. So why am I choosing to believe it isn't? Why can I not just blindly trust in Paul's account, and in history to have accurately preserved his account? I want to, so why don't I?" And after that sequence of thinking, I chose to believe and literally went from athiest to very knowledgeable, living in the midst of grace, Christian.
And I thought the highest of Jesus, that he died and rose again, that he was the word made flesh, that he was love incarnate....but since then my attitude towards Jesus has turned into something like "I am not so bothered by whether or not any of it is true anymore".
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"Even on a cloudy day I will be your friend"
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Caretaker
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posted
Hello and welcome to the forum.
What think ye of Jesus Christ?
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A Servant of Christ,
Drew
1 Tim. 3:
16: And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh..
Posts: 3978 | From: Council Grove, KS USA | Registered: Jun 2002
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Theo Philite
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posted
I was wondering how to say this, as my first post, without being kicked off the site or having the post deleted. I thought perhaps by explaining my track history as a christian might help explain my views on people in general.
So this is my story, my testimonial if you wish to call it that, my eternal joke that I keep in my heart and mind at all times. This is how I spent my 12th grade year, and how I became a christian.
I am, first and foremost, an intellectual. And I used to be an athiest, my lack of belief starting out with the belief that I did not know anything for sure and so would accept nothing for sure...and as my christian friends tried to convert me I played devil's advocate until I had convinced even myself that the existence of any God was just absurd.
Then, as fate would have it (or perhaps god) I became seriously attracted to this girl in one of my classes. She is without a doubt the most "christian" girl I have ever met, and the serious seeming problem I was having with her was that we seemed to have absolutely nothing in common. So here is what I did (and I still think it is very funny); I read the entire bible (in a single month, too ) just so I would have something to talk to her about. And, naturally, while we spent time talking about the bible and religion she asked me what it was that I believed.
Naturally I didn't want to tell her I was an athiest, so I lied and told her I was a christian. And, of course, since it was high-school and all my friends knew I was an athiest and it might have gotten around to her my disbelieving views I had to tell them also that I had suddenly become a christian.
Well to make a long story short (because this is already too long) I eventually became what I pretended to be simply by pretending to be it. Of course it is a bit more complicated than that, but in the spirit of being humble I have attempted to phrase it in such a way that makes me look in no way like an open-minded thinker who seriously grappled with disbelief and managed to have a kind of faith that overcame all doubt.
My current views though are this:
1) Most people are morons and people who believe in a cause tend to be exceptionally moronic, even if the cause is not.
2) Most christians do not fall in the category of people who believe in a cause because they do not try to be better than they currently are.
3) The christians who do not believe in a cause are worse than the ones who do because they are not even trying.
4) Those christians who do fall into the category of believing in a cause are no exception to the moronic rule, and are even more moronic because so many of them believe they are right without a willingness to question ones own beliefs.
5) The best believers tend to be the ones who have once believed the exact opposite of what they claim to believe.
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"Even on a cloudy day I will be your friend"
Posts: 28 | Registered: Nov 2008
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