What has GOD done for you lately?

Originally posted by cobrala

Originally posted by autowrench

Originally posted by cobrala
I have a question... HAVE YOU READ THE BIBLE?

Yes, I have, several times. Not just the KJ version either, but the "other" Bibles. Reading it is what made me leave Christianity for good. I agree with you, every Christian should read it, and realize that not one thing was written about Jesus until 60 years after he died! The Bible is nothing more that a collection of stories and myths from many times, and many cultures. There is some truth, some lies, and some plagiarism, and most of all, God nor Jesus did not write it, MEN did. Men with an agenda. Christians also need to read the Torah, then they would know what the Jewish people think of them.

Autowrench, Thank you sir for answering my question. I respect your educated decision and have the utmost respect for you although we have different viewpoints and beliefs. You have exercised the greatest git God has given us..freedom of choice and free will.

Naughty B0B on the other hand did not answer my question and then went on to belittle me and make ridiculous statements. You also use fear mentioning blood and head being bashed and all that fear mongering. Naughty B0B has proven my point exactly, who told you I believe in a superhero? Where did I ever say there is a superhero in the Bible? Who told you not to question your faith or prove the word? Also you obviously didnt find the answer to my question of why bad things happen to good people because you made another stupid assumption talking about the cruel world. Your assuming that I dont think God capable of wrath and destruction and punishment and judgement. I know the world is cruel, but God did not choose this for us, we choose it for ourselves. He gave us the free choice to choose sin and rebellion or peace love and obediance, Adam and Eve choose rebellion and sin and that is why the world is cruel sir because God loved us so much that he allowed us to accept him or deny him. The wages of sin is death, and the punishment most severe so I dont know who told God was all roses and flowers and sunshine and hippie peace and love ALL the time. God is not to be tested or played with or told how he should run things. During Noahs time God said he regretted creating Man because of the sin and evil man was capable of when MAN rebelled and choose sin. So God flooded the ENTIRE WORLD and killed many. God cannot associate with sin. But he saved Noah because of his faith. God said he was pleased with Noah and that he will never again send water upon the earth to destroy human kind.....the next time he will send FIRE. God is not an imaginary superhero like you say and God is not a child to be belittled. Man can choose what they want, but you will reap what you sow.
All Im saying dont belittle people and speak false things without actually reading the word. its your right to believe or not but dont lie to people, and at least know what your talking about. Its like passengers telling me how to Captain my aircraft when they have no idea what they are talking about. Please read a book on flying before you tell me when to flare

That's not fear mongering. It's reality. I've read man's word. I'm not surprised that people believe in it because it's made for man by man. God regretted creating us? So God makes mistakes? This means you have to believe that this man-made god isn't perfect. God is supposed to be all loving and perfect. That is what your man-made bible tells you, yet we see that the bible contradicts itself. Yes, your man-made God did create the evil and suffering in this world. He created the possibility of the worst things imaginable that goes on in this world. Stop deluding yourself and realize how illogical the man-made bible and its God is. You are being controlled whether you want to admit it or not and you will probably continue to be controlled.

[edit on 22-6-2010 by Naughty B0B]

reply to post by Naughty B0B

You're talking about a human father and I'm talking about an omniscient and omnipotent god. Apples and oranges.

God is talked about as our Father in heaven.

God could simply get rid of it all whenever he wanted but chooses not to

We are supposed to serve God. God does not serve us.

Satan, Adam and Eve, create a whole new world, based on a foundation of disobedience to God.

Now you want God to run behind humankind and clean up every individual mess?

Is He supposed to not let you get drunk and get into trouble? Where should He drew the line?

He has allowed things to continue, so there would be an everlasting record of the consequences of disobedience.

And it will not be allowed to happen again.


This whole world is built on a rotten foundation. It has to be torn down and rebuilt.

A child suffers and dies at the hands of an evil man. That is tragic. But what if everyone in her life wanted to use or abuse her in some way, would God really be doing her a favor if he spared life?

That child cannot be harmed anymore. She exists in God's memory, and he will bring her back to a peaceful world where she will be loved and cherished. Luke 8:54,55 John 5:28,29

She will not be forgotten. Isaiah 49:14,15

Originally posted by Shine71
reply to post by empireofpain

 

I was a VERY devote (nearly fanatic) Christian since a child. I too thought that I was feeling all these "warm fuzzy feelings" from "above".

Luckily my addiction to reading and researching resulted in my current position of near Atheist. I have a single cell in my brain that MAY just beleive that POSSIBLY there is a higher power, but as for religion, I am convinced that they are nonsense 100%.

So yea, I felt that feeling too, but sadly its just our chemicals in our brains doing it and NOTHING else.

Sorry, but true!!

I come from both a hard science and history background and want to mention there are real things all around us that we can detect only by the consequences of their activity. Among many others we have radioactivity, radio frequencies, also our senses are limited but sometimes being less acute has nothing to do with it. Take smell, ours is not very acute only because we have less receptors then a dog who understands his world largely by smell, which is true by the way. But many molecules small enough to be suspended and inhaled are structural incapable of fitting into our scent receptors. How many we had wouldn't matter, they can't fit anyway. Unless you know otherwise it's always a good idea to avoid anything labeled or known as "Orderless and Colorless" Just saying we see nothing unaided about the vast amount of not just things but physical states, information, and much more all around us. But discovering we can recognize some of it we manipulate it, and this is just stuff we know now. And I'm not touching dark energy and matter.

Maybe when a species reaches a point of self reflection, that process is part of the manifestation of what we call an afterlife. If there's a God I never thought consciousness was an afterthought. I think its the point. If I die and there is no "after life" and still thinking, "self aware" but no heaven, I would want to buy one but couldn't being for sale is not the issue. So I'll make one. In my idealized self image. I'm new at this, so I'm sure it would be tacky. Heaven, where you pay by the hour. Don't laugh. Thats not odd or even close to original. You ever wonder why the Egyptians mummified cats to take with them to afterlife? Cats, aside from being gods, were viewed another way. Then as now the Egyptians were a very practical people. They might have mice.

God gave me Multiple Sclerosis. I am very thankful to carry this burden.

M.S. has taught me patience, humility, empathy, compassion for others, and shown me how strong I can be.

M.S. has taught me to be a better person. I'm very thankful. Without MS I have no doubt I'd probably be a real s**t. (can I say s***?)





[edit on 24-6-2010 by Bachrk]

reply to post by InfaRedMan


GOD as the creation of man, can be improved if we try to improve ourselves. The process is the goal, the concept of a "goal", a point where you are God, is a self-reinforcing delusion. The process reassures. If your God and you must be at least of its essence to have to created God, and your not happy with God, you can't fire/resign, so change your emotional focus. Buy something nice, raise your own salary, and go get laid.

[edit on 24/6/10 by arbiture]

Reply to post by Solidus Green eye

Kept the enemy from taking my life.

Good enough for me. Every day He allows me to breathe is better than one I do not.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

What had God done for me? He saved me and He has taken care of me since I was born until now - quite a while. Just this evening He helped me start the lawnmower. I haven't been able to get it started for a couple of weeks, but it started tonight. He also brought me a summer job that will pay off a bill and let me travel out of the country in July.

I read serveral things that I want to respond to. I copied this one:

"OK, Christ died for my sins, correct? Then why must I ask again and again for forgiveness? "

Here are some things that you need to know:
You are a sinner - Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; - you are not perfect - no one is.
The wages or payment for your sin is death (hell) -
Romans 6:23a For the wages of sin is death;
Jesus suffering and death paid the debt you own for your sins. It was substitutionary. You have to agree to that and accept it - Romans 6:23b but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

One more thing I noticed
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose

It does NOT say all things are good, only that things handled Gods way by people who love Him can become beneficial to the person and those around them. My friend died of cancer - that is not good. Her faith and joy was so evident that many were impressed and came to know the Lord through her testimony. She also wrote a book that is still comforting and helping people.

reply to post by Bachrk


I am not trying to put you down here, just giving arguments for a good discussion . I respect your opinion and insight.
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God gave you mutliple scleroris?
And you are glad to carry that burden?

Sorry, but my brain isn't connecting the dots there.

The way I see it... Your current situation has forced you to embrace characteristics like patience, humility, empathy, compassion.

Of course I believe that something higher can influence us... But can you give you opinion on the above?

[edit on 25-6-2010 by Solidus Green eye]

The way I see it... Your current situation has forced you to embrace characteristics like patience, humility, empathy, compassion.

I can't answer for him, but MS doesn't make everyone patient, humble, empathetic and compassionate.
I makes some people impatient, sorry for themselves, uncaring of others because they have it so bad, and only passionate about what is good for them.
I's a choice as to how you face any problem. But if you don't have Jesus to carry the burden with you, your choices are limited.

[edit on 6/25/2010 by zachi]

Originally posted by zachi

The way I see it... Your current situation has forced you to embrace characteristics like patience, humility, empathy, compassion.

I can't answer for him, but MS doesn't make everyone patient, humble, empathetic and compassionate.
I makes some people impatient, sorry for themselves, uncaring of others because they have it so bad, and only passionate about what is good for them.
I's a choice as to how you face any problem. But if you don't have Jesus to carry the burden with you, your choices are limited.

[edit on 6/25/2010 by zachi]

I agree. It's a choice how you face a problem. I think some people have an easier time because they're able to deny that they have a problem.

I don't think that your choices are limited without Jesus though. There are plenty of people with problems that don't believe in God and get through their problems. What about the children in the world who are starving to death? Are they able to ask Jesus for help? If so, why are so many dieing of starvation?

[edit on 25-6-2010 by Naughty B0B]

[edit on 25-6-2010 by Naughty B0B]

reply to post by Naughty B0B

Paul was a mature Christian. He wrote this:
Philippians 4:11b for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
12I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

God doesn't say being a Christian means nothing bad would ever happen. If that were true, everyone would want to get on His bandwagon. The benefits are in the soul. Why else could Paul and Silas sing after being beaten and chained in an inner prison for doing a good work?

reply to post by zachi


Why else? I can name a lot of reasons why. One of them is called delusion. They had nothing else to turn to but their belief. I think it's a sign of weakness when someone has to rely on an invisible superhero. This is what the bible trains Christians to do. Don't tell me that the bible doesn't control either. It should be renamed to Scare Tactics 101.



[edit on 25-6-2010 by Naughty B0B]

Just wanted to toss in some thoughts around the perception that faith is a sign of a persons *weakness*.

Firstly - I find it rather precarious to judge someone as *weak* without actually knowing the person directly. Without knowing the persons context, their life history, who they are or what they are like.
Seems rather presumptuous at least to just make such a unilateral judgement call such as that.

For me personally - I openly admit I have a strong faith in 'what which I term God', a pretty deep spirituality as well according to those who know me. I class those two as being in some way separate - faith and spirituality.

Does my faith in God by default indicate a *weakness* within me?
I personally don't believe so. Not at all. And to gain a better understanding of why you'd have to gain a better understanding of me on a more personal level.

Weakness is not something that those who actually know me associate with me. Sure - I have my faults and failings, just as we all do. No man is an island...and so we all possess strengths and also possess areas of possible improvement.

That said - and if I may be so bold as to say it - inner-strength, strong will-power and robust resilience are not qualities I'm greatly lacking in at all.
The life I have led, that I have also left, required such.


Coming from an upbringing of extreme lower-socioeconomic background, gangs, drugs, violence, crime.
All those things that for so many almost relegate them to a future of little hope - to a future of either replaying their childhood, becoming another abuser, achieving little more than a gang title - a prison sentence - or a grave site.

To live through such horrendous unspeakable experiences...to become educated, qualified in my chosen Health Field, to work helping others, to earn an income which apparently places me in the upper-income brackets in my country are things - when you consider where I've come from, and consider where the greater majority of those who came from similar are today - most definitely requires *strength*.
Far too many people from similar backgrounds are either still locked in them, locked up, buried, dangling from the end of a rope or checking out with a handful of pills or by the barrel of a gun.
So many who have walked mere metres in my shoes have chosen death as their way out.

So again - *weakness* is not a word that sits overly comfortably with me.



For me my faith is NOT at all about replacement.
Its NOT at all about compensating for any inherent lack.

For me its about 'Value Added'.
My faith is not a band-aid for any weakness - rather it is an addition to my own strength.

It ADDS to my strength - it does not ALLEVIATE my weakness.


I think thats what some people may need to realise.
Certainly there may well be those who utilise their faith or otherwise as a 'crutch' as it were.
Just as so many utilise other things to compensate or deflect self-responsibiliity.
That again is a simple trait of humanity rather than of faith-holding.


...but I would encourage people to firstly KNOW people before pigeon-holing them.



Peace.

First, I think alien's comments were excellent. Thank you.

Scare Tactic...hummm. So, scare tactis cause peace?
Paul wrote that his knoweldge of Christ gave him the confidence to annouce:
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. "
Phillipians 4:13
I have found that to be true in my life.
I also have found this scripture to be true:
"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. "
And as for limiting me, NO! it frees me. If all you have is what you can see and do in your own strength, you are limited. What is it you trust? a gun, a car, a bank account, a friend, your wits?? All those can be gone in an instant, then what would you have?
Matthew 16:26
For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
If you died tonight, are you 100% sure about where you would go?

I talk to the creator or Great Spirit as I call him/her. I do not believe that the word of God comes from a book called the bible because the bible was written by man. Did man not have faith before words were written and preachers went to college to learn how to lure you into their churches for profit. Oraganized religion is a business (tax free at that). When I sit around with my family and to discuss spirtuality we do not pass a collection plate but discuss love and peace for all people and all of creation. Follow your heart - not the mind of others and you will be fine. Blessings on your path!

reply to post by Solidus Green eye


I wanted to take the time to reply to your post first then i will go back and read everyones replys to you. Its funny this is like the first thread i found today when i logged on and it is very relevant to a deep conversation me and my girl had last night.

First i will start off by saying that I, like you, have my doubts about christianity and yet i still have some beliefs. I believe in a creator. I believe none of this was by accident and there is design and purpose in the universe. I do not believe that mankind has ever gotten anything right when it comes to trying to define what that creative force is or how to express it here on this planet or in this existence. I do not consider myself a newager using crystals and talking about extra dimensions and tuning into the universal mind and karma and all that jazz. I have varied beliefs but the one thing i truly believe in is that whatever spirit or mind or force or whatever it is that i have felt, i do not believe that christianity is the proper or correct expression of this mindforce or spirit. The religion is seriously flawed.

That being said, as i told my girlfriend last night, mankind is flawed so mankinds religion is going to be flawed as well. We seek to try to define that which we do not understand or may even be capable of understanding. Ever since the dawn of time each individual has sought the reason to why. Why am i here. IS there something beyond all this or is this all i am or ever wil be. People will tell you religion is the answer to mans fear of dying and while that may be part of it, i think it mostly is trying to be the answer to the question. Mankind has tried to employ religion, pyschology,mysticism, alchemy, magic and even science to try and explain all those unasnwered and unaswerable questions. In the end my friend it is what gives a person purpose in life and contentment to live that life that is important.

I am 41 years old now and when i was younger i had a very wild, active and energetic mind. I was willing to grasp quickly to anything mystical or had a magical feel to it. Christianity offers many mystical and magical and wonderful supernatural stories and events to connect with. Anything from visions to ressurections and miracles performed as well as burning bushes, the hand of god parting the waters and seemingly spaceship type visions of ezekiel to astound the mind of a young person. Mostly i was just young and impressionable. I didnt use alot of reasoning and mostly (and this is the most important part) i didnt know alot early on.
This is what happens alot in churches. People do not KNOW their bible. Oh they claim they do and will defend that to the end trust me i know. Even those people whom you pointed out were well educated and should know better. Even those people fall for the christian teachings because of several reasons.
1. They only know what they are taught and conflicting theologies arent ever taught in churches. This would be counterproductive in any church. Usually a person has to break outside of their denomination or even the very church they attend to learn things that others believe that may be in conflict with their specific church or denominations belief. I will use baptism as an example. Baptism is a hotly debated thing from differeing churches. Some think it is required to be done by water full submersion, some thing only a sprinkle on the head. Some say babies have to be baptised or they go to hell and others tink this is ridiculous. The arguments never cease and this is just one subject. Reason for these differences is in how people of the past have practiced their faith in god and used scripture to back up their belief. Problem with that is that its very easy to piecemeal the bible and get any interpretation you want. Besides we all see things just a tad bit different dont we. In religion those small little differences add up over time to create huge rifts in belief.
2.Faith moves mountains!! It also blinds people. I refer to the human heart or more specifically the human brain where our emotional centers are. People can be "moved" to do almost anything when they have faith in what they are doing. All you need to do is arouse an emotional response in them and they are capable of great things. So you cannot wage a war in the mind with reason when the battleground is in the heart. In other words people who are emotional overcome and are emotional connected with god and "feel" him and the holy spirit will never ever listen to reason no matter how much you show them that the very words of the bible are contradictory and conflicting in nature.

I know because i was once born again. I did have an emotional reaction to something to this day i cannot explain. i wont go into that here because it is way to long to explain but i did have a mountain top experience and one i wasnt looking for either. It just happened to me sitting in my living room alone watching tv. I felt something so powerful and so pure that i could only assume it was god. I was on my knees crying for forgiveness not because it houghti had to but because i felt shame. Deep shame in the presence of something so good that i was aware of how dirty i was inside. Now i immediately went to the christian side of things after this because its what i knew and how i was raised and educated to believe. If say i was living in india and raised to believe in krishna or some other deity i would have assumed that force i felt was that god. So this is why i chose to do the christian thing. That was 15 years ago.

Over time i went through alot of negative crap in my life yes and i did turn away from my faith but mostly because it failed. It failed to measure up by the people i encountered in my journey. They were mostly hippocrites and liars. The worst sort of people i have ever met were the ones touting to be the best inside. I educated myself. really learned alot about christianity and religion in general. I love the topic. To me its like a window into the soul of mankind. It really shows the exact nature of man. The duality that exists in us all. So now my faith in christianity is blown. I am not atheist as i told my girlfriend last night. I honestly dont know what is out there.

(Contuinued in next post)

So here we are talking and she lets me know that because of me over the past 4 years, she has started really doubting the existence of god. Because of my own beliefs she has started to doubt hers. Not because i have force fed her any of my ideas but as she put it, because what i say has made alot of sense to her. She is sad about this though because she truly wants to believe in god and believe that her grandfather is out there somewhere and waiting for her. She recently lost him a year and a half ago.

My response to her was that i was not the one to give her spiritual guidance. I am lost myself right not but i am not afraid of the darkness. Christians would have me believe i am just a lost sheep and need to find my way back. I am not afraid of the darkness. As a matter of fact i really dont feel all that dark and alone. What i have experience through this so called spiritual journey of mine in my lifetime is more like an awakening for me. But what i had to admit to her was that we are each on a journey. I dont propose to tell you the truth i told her. I just tell you A truth. My truth. The truth that allows me to sleep comfortably at night and allows me to function with purpose in life.
To me there is nothing wrong with believing what you will so long as it gives you peace in your life and purpose. There is nothing worse than taking away someones hope. Hope is the most important thing we humans need to keep going. Take away a mans hope and reason to live and he will die.
So as i told her i will tell you. People need to believe in something even if its to believe in nothing. Since noone has yet fully or accurately explained what is the true nature or purpose for this universe if it indeed has one or what created it or who then i am inclined to allow even the smartest of people to bend knee and pray to a god they "FEEL" inside themselves even if the human mind cannot understand what it is or make sense of it.
Those people you witnessed my friend werent all being forced into worshipping a god that doesnt exist by a organization bent on fear mongering to control them like sheep. Most if not all of those people you witnessed on their knees were worshipping a god they truly believe in because they feel something they cannot explain and they wanted to because that feeling they have is love. People are moved by love and need to exress it. The problem i have is that the christian religion breaks down past that initial point of love and need to help others and have fellowship and brotherhood. It breaks down into rules that have its members being overly judgemental towards their fellow brothers and sisters. That christian love can quickly turn to anger and hate and in my experience has done so. All this in the need to serve their one true god. Once i was able to cast off the fear of not believing and going to hell for it, i was able to sit down with a rational mind free of emotion and "SEE" the truth behind the lies.
I dont believe its all lies. I love Jesus and his ways. Problem is that noone really follows his ways and they use his words as a rod to strike with and not as a way to show love and friendship as he did. If this man truly existed then i would have loved to have met him. MAybe i would have a different outlook right now. Until the day comes that i and everyone else knows the truth of existence and this life then i will just say i dont know what to believe but i am content with that.

Are you content with what you know or believe? Those people in that church for the most part seemed to be but even so remember looks can be decieving. Good luck to you my friend on your spiritual journey. May you find peace and happiness in your walk on this planet.

Fizzy1