erickdan

-I'll start with Why Not.

What's YOUR excuse?

Is it that you think you have no need for God?
When you say this, you are thinking you are quite happy without God. What you fail to realize is that our greatest need is not "happiness" but "forgiveness". It takes a very proud, or very foolish person to say they have no need for forgiveness. Without it we are in trouble.

Do you think there must be some catch?
Sometimes, people find it hard to accept that there is anything free in this life. They think it all sounds to easy. Although it is free for us, it was not free for Jesus. He paid dearly for it with His own blood.

Do you have to much to give up?
We need to remember, God loves us. He only asks us to give up things that do us harm. What we give up is nothing compared to what we recieve. The cost of not becoming a Christian is far greater than the cost of becoming one.

Do you think that you are not good enough?
None of us is good enough for God. Nor we can we ever make ourselves good enough. But that is why Jesus came. he made it possible for god to accept us just as we are, whatever we have done, and however much of a mess we have made of our lives.

Or do you tell yourself that you'll do it later?
Sometimes people say, "I know its true, I'm just not ready yet". The longer we put it off, the harder it becomes and the more we miss out. We never know whether or not we will get another opportunity.


-Speaking for myself, my only regret is that I did not accept his gift earlier. I was one of the heaviest users of DXM among others drugs but on jan 24th in the depths of despair and on the brink of suicide I knew it was time to give it all up and give it to God. I tell you the truth, He was there waiting for my return, he took away ALL my addictions in an instant. I experienced no withdrawals or cravings any longer for dxm, weed, alcohol, speed or cigarettes. He has never let me down and he is blessing me now more than ever. I now know him, i know true happiness and forgiveness, and the high that he has given me is better than any the world ever gave me. I found out how to fill that empty spot inside me and where I fit in.

He says if we cling to our lives we will lose it. But if we give it up to serve Him we shall find it.

God keeps his promises.

"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking and you will find. Keep on knocking and the door shall be opened. For everyone who asks, recieves. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks." -Luke 11:9-10 (NLT)

The things of this world are so temporary and mean nothing once you enter eternity.

God bless you all. Please go see The Passion of the Christ movie next wednesday also. He loves you! =)

Logos

I have been reading a plain english version of the bible lately, and what you have said here is right on my brother...

Give and ye shall recieve.

Looking forward to seeing that movie. My father sent me an e-mail about it. The night the movie opens a local tv station is airing a making of special. If I'm not mistaken, it's the 22nd.

Here is what my father sent me.

I have another one around here somewhere that disses the Mel Gibson movie, and promotes a Canadian movie along the same lines.

Expect controversy to surround this one...

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The more I learn, the less I know. | Truth doesn't change, only our perception of it does.
THC Ministry | The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ | The Reluctant Messenger of Science and Religion
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Roy

"We need to remember, God loves us. He only asks us to give up things that do us harm."

I never heard God say that. I think it's harmful to worship paper gods. It's also harmful to presume you know the will of God. I suggest you put down that bible for it deceives from the beginning. For example: Day one: God creates day and night. Day four: God creates the sun.
If you don't see a problem with that then you have been blinded. Confess the truth... it will set you free.
I do agree with your opinion that God loves us.

bske420

smoking that skanky buddha once again and lovn it!!

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WNB

ErickDan: Your entire arguement is based on a false premise; you assume that everyone shares the same core beliefs that you do, which is a stretch at best. This is what really pisses me off about alot of xtians. You think that everyone accepts your beliefs as fact, and that no alternative beliefs exist.

Here's my reasons for being agnostic.

1) Organized religion forces believers to accept a belief system and moral code not their own. They never think through alot of what their religion tells them, instead just accepting it as right.

2) Organized religion tells believers that their perspective is the only correct way to look at spirituality and morality. It tells believers that god wants them to think and act a certain way, and that anyone who does not think and act in this way is inferior.

3) Xtians really do not follow the teachings of Jesus. Jesus taught acceptance of others and questioning authority. He believed in showing your piety with actions, not words. I don't see any of this in modern xtianity. It supports forcing others to accept certain beliefs, blind acceptance of church doctrine, and preaching instead of leading by example.

Here's my opinion on spirituality.

If there is a God, he judges us by our actions, not by our beliefs. As long as we do what's right, why would he care what we call ourselves? Also, I've got to believe that god would rather we use our own minds to come up with our own beliefs, rather than blindly accepting someone else's.

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S2

My decision for my agnosticism is based on over 30 years of actively seeking and reading and learning and meditation/prayer.

I have researched the writing of the bible in the various currently accepted forms and have concluded that if indeed some of those books were the word of God they were highly modified by the hand of man.

I have researched many of the worlds religions and both major and monor and those that predate chritianity and those that came after and I find far too many similarieties to conclude that christianity has nailed down the one true word-

I am a fan of the mystic tradition for they seem to try to attain that which all the worlds religions seem to be pointing to rather than focusing on the pointing instrument itself.

Larmer

Ooh! Been a while, but I was a regular on infidels.org, I love it when Christians attempt to convert!

If I do something that requires forgiveness, I'll ask the living breathing individual whom I may have wronged for it. I see no need to beg forgiveness for "original sin", or any other supposed wrongs that have been foisted upon me by others with different beliefs.

I never really understand this one. Many people were crucified, not just a figure supposedly known as Jesus. Many other people were wrongly accused, and died more gruesome and painful deaths. Should I assume that their sacrifice is as equal, their beliefs on par with Jesus?

In turn I give you Pascal's Sucker Bet, a sight variation on your Pascal and his Wager there. Have a look at that, he pretty much sums up everything I have to say on this one.

To be honest, that's one of the things that turns me away from Christianity. A serial killer who raped and murdered small children could be granted "salvation", or whatever it is you subscribe to, if he finds Jesus on his deathbed. I could lead a good life, helping others, and not believe, yet I'm sent to your hell. Why would I want to be associated with a god as illogical as this? I don't want to be with murderous converts, I'd rather stay with the generous heathens thank you very much.

The things in this world are very important to me, given that I'm expected to live the next 55 years or so in it. I'm not going to casually dismiss everything as insignificant based on the off chance that I'll live in eternal bliss once I die.

And some food for thought, from Ghandi:

"Oh, I don't reject your Christ. I love your Christ. It's just that so many of you Christians are so unlike your Christ."

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rfarries

You are right there!

Yes, I am going to see "The Passion and the Christ", it promises to be a blockbuster.

Find your God
Find your self
Legalize

Rob