Religion and Other Things

[1ight]

Just for a note, this will be a long post, and mostly its for spidermage, but feel free to read all of it, if you are into reading what I have to say.

Dear Brother, I'm excited and very happy that you have choosen to follow Yeshua our Lord, the salvation.

I want to talk out of own experience as a Christian, walking on the road of Jesus Christ. Its not really a dance on roses, that I can tell you.

I don't know what kind of church you've decided to join, or how you decition was made. But that shouldn't really matter, if you have decided to live your life to Jesus, give up your old life, listen to what He has to say, let Him guide you in your life and accept Him as the Lord. If you would ever be uncertain if you really are in faith, read rom. chapter 10, the whole chapter itself is good to read, but I want to point out verse 9 to 13.

I remember myself as small boy, that I believed in God/Jesus, since my parents was Christians. But I did not know Jesus. I was several of times filled by the Holy Spirit. After I was 16-17, first then did I get to learn who Yeshua/Jesus really was. And 25.08.02 / 08.25.05 I decided to get babtised, and follow Him for real.

Even tho I made this decidition, I still sinned. The fact is that a person makes sins without know it. But there are sins that you know of, those are the ones you should repent for the time being. And by the time, God will show you what other sins that are in your life, by the Holy Spirit.

Just imagine to know all sins that you do, and what sins you are to do in one day, that would be more then a heavy burdon.

About going to Church, the church itself is nothing special, it is just a place where you gather with other Christians. God is the same where ever you go and where ever you are. Well, to be honest, you don't need to come in and say how you doin or something like that. Just be yourself, no need to say anything special, no need to put on a mask when coming to church. Just be yourself.

The people in the Church, is your brothers and sisters in Christ. No-one is higher then the other one in faith, keep this in mind. I'd think that your brothers and sisters in Christ should be in joy that someone new comes to the Chruch. And I'm sure that they will welcome you, come and talk to you, etc.

Don't let it to be an excause to say that you don't have faith nor strenght to go to the Church forever. Of course you can live without going to Church. But, it is good to have other Christians that you can share you feelings too, other Christians to share thoughts and questions with, to praise the Lord with. What I want to say is, that take your time, to gain this faith and strenght you need, to feel comfortable to go to the Church. Read Luke 15:1-10.

About reading the bible, it is good that you do, since most answers comes from the bible. That is the source of knowledge, and by the bible God can talk to you, personally. I recommend that you pray before reading the bible. Pray that the Holy Spirit would open your eyes and show what is written in the bible. Pray for understanding, and guidance when reading the bible. That it just wouldn't be reading, but that the word would come alive in your life, that you would really see the knowledge and so.

The bible is very important to know, as I said, God can use the words to talk to you personally, also answer prayers, you name it. And if you know the bible, you can test others that preach, and compare their speech with the bible. If they preach something that goes agains the bible, they are either a false prophet, someone that wants to missguide you or someone with a twisted view of the bible. If hear someone preach agains the bible, I don't listen to him, since its not right compared to the bible.

I recommend that you start reading the new testament, from luke, but skip john for now. And after john, continue reading. I'm sure that in time, most of your questions will be answered, also new ones will come. But all has it's own time.

All I have to say is, that walking on the path of Jesus has it's own time. Seek Him, and He will come. Try to get closer to Him, and He will come closer to you.

After this summer, in about 1 week, I will go to a Christian "univeristy" and study the bible and etc. I feel that it will make a big change in my life, since I haven't been to close to God as I was 3-4 years ago, after a certain insident, with kinda made me so deppressed that I could not get a grip of myself, and I didn't let God help.. But all will change in the near future, that I hope. Because for me, I'm kinda over the little insident...

I'm not sure I can comment on any of the replies to my post, since I don't visit too often.




Edit: For all of you non-christians, all I can say is that start seeking Him, find out for yourself if He is real. Why say He is dead or He don't exist if you haven't even tried to seek Him. If you really want to know who Jesus is, you know what to do, seek Him. Saying that HE don't exist, and that you haven't even seeked Him and try to find out if He is real, that is just wrong. Denying and missleading others won't help you find out the real deal.

And if you take out verses from the old testament, I suggest you should try to compare them to the new testament. And think out why it is called the old testament, and the new testament. Just by seeing persons paste about parts in the old testament about stoning people and etc, is just a sign of a person that does not understand or know the word of the bible.

There is so much to say and disscuss about the bible, that it would take a life time to understand the whole picture.

I hope that my words has not been offending, and I apologize if so.

[Pressure Drop]

who the fuck is Yeshua

There are many points on why written religion is wrong but ultimatly they rely on blind faith and therefore those who have chosen the religious path are almost like a blinkered horse being led down the road to the glue factory. They cannot see or chose to ignore the obvious faluts with there religion and instead ask unaswerable questions, and state unprovable facts. Like i've found jesus or i talked with god ... sounds crazy to me and i'd be for putting ppl like that who are "hearing voices" in an aslym.

Anyways if you want to be religious fair enough, be happy but stop whining on about it or trying to convert others. Its just like brianwashing and some of the religous ppl talk scares me as it does fit into a cult like brainwashing the way they talk and believe utter nonsense like the universe was created in 7 days etc..

i cant be bothered to be articulate if needed i could be and put my views in better words but without rereading what i've wrote i reckon my point comes across

sum up religion = blind faith

[1ight]

Yeshua, who is Yeshua? What is the subject in this thread? I have no clue actually what the subject really is, but from my point of view, Christianity and some glimts of spidermage's life.

If it is releated to Christianity, who is Yeshua? When I googled Yeshua Ha'mashiach, or just plainly Yeshua. -> Yeshua is the original Hebrew proper name for Jesus of Nazareth The hebrews/israeli people are the choosen ones. It is from that people that the path to salvation came from. It is to them God has promised the land, and the salvation comes from them. Without Yeshua, we who don't belong to the Israeli people, could not come to the Father. Before Yeshua, the people of Israel had to obey the 10 commandments. But as you know and can read, to keep those is impossible. Therefore Yeshua came to to us, through the Israeli people, God's word became flesh, and furfilled the 10 commandments etc, and died for our sins, so that we could have a life, so that we could come to the Father, as Jesus/Yeshua said, "No-on comes to the Father except through me... I'm the truth, the way and the life".

Pressure drop, it is your choice to live your life how you please, believe in what you believe, but there is still people out there who needs to hear the gospel of Yeshua/Jesus. Those you open their eyes and open their ears to listen. Those who hear that God is calling them. Yeah, it sounds crazy, I think its crazy too. But I know what is the truth, because the truth have become real in my life. You can call it brainwashing or whatever you want, but this is something I've choosen for myself, to follow Yeshua. No-one has ever tried to force me into anything.

Spidermage, about pornography and nudity. I strongly recommend that you should toss such things away from your mind. Since it belongs to the marrige. Let me give you are bible verse: "But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart." matt. 5:28 And this is a sin..

Spidermage, your body, you, you are temple, God's temple, and His spirit lives within you. Read 1. Cor. 3:1-23. You need to keep it clean, and if you know that looking at pornography makes you feel sad, or it makes you feel that you've done something wrong. You should repent your ways, and try to not sin anymore. It is not easy on your own, but asking for strenght from God, you can overcome your sins. If you are willing.. It is so easy to sin, but so hard to stop.

I haven't come over this sin yet, and many times, when I've done this sin, look pornogrpahy and spanking my monkey, I've actually come in tears when the job is done. I know that the Holy Spirit cries, when we make sin, because our temple gets tainted. Of course God forgives us, because of His mercy and love, be we should not use His kindness.. God wants us repent from our sins, since God hates the sin. But even so, God loves us, Christians as non-Christians.

I also want to share some more to you, "
16 So I advise you to live according to your new life in the Holy Spirit. Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves.

17 The old sinful nature loves to do evil, which is just opposite from what the Holy Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are opposite from what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, and your choices are never free from this conflict.

18 But when you are directed by the Holy Spirit, you are no longer subject to the law.

19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure,

20 idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group,

21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Galatians 5:16-25.

I'm sure everything will go alright spidermage, by time you will grow in faith, and you will start to understand as the Holy Spirit reveals the knowledge of the bible. And I'm sure that you will come close to God, if you really search for a deeper relationship with God, actions like these does not go in vain.

And I want to say it again, I'm truly happy that you have found the Lord of all, Yeshua/Jesus Christ. And want to tell you the He truly loves you, and will always love you as you are! God, He made you as you are, He is the one that created you.

This is what I wanned to say.. I hope this has somehow given you some answeres, and perhaps encourgued you on the path of Truth, and I hope we will someday meet, if not here, then in the world, or our final destination, Heaven.

May God bless you very much, my dear brother in Christ and may He give you the strenght the wisdom to walk on the path of Jesus Christ, until the end.

[Superted]

a) I'm sure you have blind faith in something, for example, big bang theory.
b) When a christian tries to convert you they believe they're doing it for your benefit, to save you from hell. They only want to help.
c) as for 7 days creation refer to my previous post in thread on taking bible word for word, it wasn't written in English, so youcan't take it word for word.

[DoTheFandango]

I don't have a problem with people having a religion, as long as they don't force it on me, or try to say they are better than me because they practice it.

None of us have answers, no book in the world has all the answers, and there is no definitive answer to the essence of being.

If we live our lives happily, and die knowing that you lead a happy life, that is the best thing that you could ask for.

BTW:

http://www.datejesus.com/

[Theif of Time]

a) I'm sure you have blind faith in something, for example, big bang theory.

Exactly. Big Bang theory is unprovable, the only evidence we have for it is extrapolated data based upon assumptions (Assumptions that the speed of light is constant, etc.) Of course there are assumptions on the religious side as well, so the point is moot.
As for blind faith in the existance of god, it is just as blind as faith in the non-existance of god. Conclusion: People in general are just plain blind.

[Stylez]

Christians: I'm not pushing my views onto anyone, you are...

Others: No we aren't, you are...

*Sissy fight commences*

[Saturn V]

a) I'm sure you have blind faith in something, for example, big bang theory.

I'm sorry, what? I support the Big Bang theory because there is strong evidence for it.

[Stylez]

I'm sorry, what? I support the Big Bang theory because there is strong evidence for it.

Like what?

[Saturn V]

Like what?

Link.

These people don't just sit around and make shit up all day. They actually know what they're talking about.

And when you're sitting at home calling some random scientist stupid because you think you've found this huge hole in $theory, trust me, they've already thought about it and you have no clue what you're talking about.

[Stylez]

Link.

These people don't just sit around and make shit up all day.

Ok, so, the scholars who decoded the bible make shit up also?

You can say, but the bible is just some farse literature, well wouldn't a bunch of thesis's based on theories (keyword) be as well?

You can also ask, well isn't the bible like really old? Isn't the big bang also?

None of which can be proven for fact, only speculated upon...

[Saturn V]

Ok, so, the scholars who decoded the bible make shit up also?

You can say, but the bible is just some farse literature, well wouldn't a bunch of thesis's based on theories (keyword) be as well?

You can also ask, well isn't the bible like really old? Isn't the big bang also?

None of which can be proven for fact, only speculated upon...

Decoded meaning what? Translated it to another language? Or found hidden codes in it? Either way it doesn't matter.

And you seem to have the general misunderstanding of the word "theory" like most people. Quantum mechanics, theory right? Also the most tested, proven, and successful branch of physics.

A theory explains the why. Laws just state the way things are without the why.

[Saturn V]

I'm glad you haven't given up on your answers, and at least you found some sense of accomplishment from your search- I was just wondering what said questions were?

I just saw this, sorry.

But basically any question you can think of (why things happen the way they do, where we came from, why is poop brown, why are there so many idiots in this country, etc). :P

[Liquid Blue]

np

[Stylez]

Decoded meaning what? Translated it to another language? Or found hidden codes in it? Either way it doesn't matter.

And you seem to have the general misunderstanding of the word "theory" like most people. Quantum mechanics, theory right? Also the most tested, proven, and successful branch of physics.

A theory explains the why. Laws just state the way things are without the why.

It does matter, translating is just transcribing one language to another, decoding has to be done with ancient languages, such as ancient Hebraic and hieroglyphics... All in which takes "professionals" to adapt these findings into something we can comprehend...

Don't think for me, I may have my own opinion of a word, doesn't mean it's wrong... I believe a theory is nothing more than a well educated opinion... Doesn't mean it can't be proven false... But what I'm getting at isn't the formulated mathematical equation's that make the theoretical problem(s), but the answers it gives for them, such as the Big Bang... No matter what gets proven for fact, doesn't mean we know for certain, which in reality doesn't make it fact, but a well deliberated assumption... Be it on religion or science...