How does an Atheist becomes a Christian.

Originally posted by AdamLaw
I do not believe in God, yet I find the scriptures very comforting. I could cope better with the death of loved ones and my own death if I could force myself somehow to believe in God and become a Christian.

I wish I believed in God. I like the idea of it all.

How does one who absolutely does not believe in God can become a believer in order to appease his mind about death and the afterlife?

edit on 5-10-2012 by AdamLaw because: (no reason given)

edit on 5-10-2012 by AdamLaw because: (no reason given)

Sorry to tell you, I don't think any of us can give you the answer you seek. We can help by telling our stories that would best fit your situation, but those are just stories. A retiring pastor once said that the thing that he was disappointed about the most is not being able to change one person's mind, which the whole congregation was shocked to hear those words coming from such a respected individual in the church. I didn't think it was too shocking.

Why? Simple; God just wants a deeper personal relationship with you through His Son, Jesus Christ; the words of another man can only go so far. What I mean by having a personal relationship through His Son, I mean that once you humbly understand that loving personal relationship, you'll start naturally living, thinking, seeing, being like Jesus Christ. Your faith will be tested but that is part of the refining process, and your faith will eventually come out stronger than you come in. The learning process usually consists of baby steps in the beginning, but you'll start walking soon.

I'll be happy to tell you that the answer to your questions will be revealed by Father, just have your heart open, and your heart is because you are finally recognizing and acknowledging Him.

Ok thank you. Will watch it, but again, as interesting as it is, the main problem is I do not believe it is real. I just wish it was real.

If your mind is already made up, why have one at all?

When you start to first take math in school, how could you jump to algebra if you haven't learned arithmetic?

I hope you don't construe as my post to be harsh. I feel as if this is major problem for believers, nonbelievers, and people who are on the fence: We assume way too much. We jump to conclusions to our detriment.

Why don't you ask Father? Ask with a pure heart and I am sure He's going to respond one way or another.

Originally posted by AdamLaw
I do not believe in God, yet I find the scriptures very comforting. I could cope better with the death of loved ones and my own death if I could force myself somehow to believe in God and become a Christian.

I wish I believed in God. I like the idea of it all.

How does one who absolutely does not believe in God can become a believer in order to appease his mind about death and the afterlife?

edit on 5-10-2012 by AdamLaw because: (no reason given)

edit on 5-10-2012 by AdamLaw because: (no reason given)

You don't have to force yourself. You have accepted the words of scripture very comforting and yet you have not said anything about other religious works. If the Bible is what you are drawn to for comfort, then perhaps deeply inside you there is a belief that God does comfort?

Your head and your heart are competing and it sounds like your heart is in the lead right now.

im all for a spiritual side. but i just cant accept any "gods" and religions that exist in the world right now.
i cant accept any of their beliefs and traditions.

ironically many people would call me nonspiritual because of it...
like there can be no soul searching done unless there is a creator to look toward.

there must be that middle ground for a guy like me.

I think you’re heading in the right direction Adam. It sounds to me like the the holy spirit is drawing you to him as he did me. Unlike you, I wasn’t an atheist. I did believe in a God but wasn’t christian. I became really curious and wanted the christian God to be true because of the “hope” associated with it. I prayed all the time and wanted to become “saved” knowing in the back of my mind that it all had to be true or else how did it become so widespread? Only God could preserve his word in this world despite how much TPTB wanted to silence it in its inception. I researched a lot and came to the conclusion like many others that it is all true! When I prayed I would have answers to my prayers which blew me away! He is real my friend! NWO justifies what the Bible has warned about for so long!

“seek and you shall find” Jesus

The answer rests in the right question.

Begin asking questions. If you are seeking earnestly they will be answered in a manner that you need them to be.

That's really the simplest way to describe how I came to faith (I was an agnostic relativist).

So, for instance perhaps the greatest question I have ever asked and continue to ask which has opened so so many doors (I really can't emphasize enough how important this one question has been for me and how important the right questions are in general) was this:

If Christ did/does exist then it was/is necessary for Him to exist.

WHY then, was/is it necessary for Him to exist?

Happy seeking

Regards,

FTE

reply to post by WhisperingWinds


I am not being manipulative. I am trying to say, how can a prayer be genuine if I do not believe there is a God to hear it. And God, will he not know that I am asking for him out of fear of death and not for being in divine admiration before him?

Originally posted by AdamLaw
reply to post by WhisperingWinds

 

I am not being manipulative. I am trying to say, how can a prayer be genuine if I do not believe there is a God to hear it. And God, will he not know that I am asking for him out of fear of death and not for being in divine admiration before him?

These are good questions. Yes God knows your heart inside and out. I think the fact that you are asking these questions, which in my opinion, shows that you have curiosity in how to strengthen your faith in Him. I don't think you would be asking these questions if your mind was so set on not believing in God. All it takes is a mustard seed of faith and He'll show you. Just keep your eyes, heart, and ears open and listen.

reply to post by AdamLaw


God knows your heart and he even knows where you are right now in your search and understanding of Him. He is patient with you as well. He desires that you seek Him. Just the fact that you’re here asking this question, especially, if you find great comfort in reading scripture means the Holy Spirit is drawing you. The Holy Spirit himself is called the great comforter and counselor. Gods word is active (Hebrews 4:12)! It makes even the christian stronger in the faith when reading it!

Since you are sincerely searching for Him, He will honor that. Pray for His help especially if you are unsure. God desires a genuine heart (Psalm 51:17). Also, yes, Ask Him to help you with your unbelief (Mark 9:24).

I’ll pray for you

Every man works out his own salvation with fear and trembling. (paraphrased)

The fact that you are asking means that God is drawing you to him. Just because you don't believe in God doesn't mean that He doesn't believe in you.

Ask and you shall receive.

Seek and you shall find.

Read John 3:16 and really think about what it is saying.

Finally, God knows what it will take to make Him real to you. If you ask, whether you believe or not, He will answer.

Does it have to be Christianity?

How about something like Buddhism? Sects like Zen and Theravada don't require any belief in gods, but they still have a great philosophy.

You say death is a concern, and while Buddhism doesn't offer stories of a paradise where you meet loved ones, it would help condition you to come to terms with the reality of impermanence.

An even better question: How does a Christian become an atheist? Answer: By thoroughly studying the bible

If an "athiest" can become Christian, then he never was an Atheist. Atheists firmly disbelieve in a deity. Perhaps you could get more in touch with your consciousness levels(which is in other words, your soul/energy). Study a large amount of religions if you want, that's what I did but that pulled me more towards atheism. All I can say is study, piece together, cancel out, and then figure out what you believe. No one can do it but you. You can go anyway you want, and I'm not saying Christianity is wrong, it's just, you're not an atheist if you really believe you could ever believe in a creator god sitting on a cloud throne. In fact, I think you're joking by even suggesting it, but nonetheless. If you're serious, I can give you a lot of sources to read and study.

AdamLaw, first let me say how very sorry I am for your loss of your little brother. That must have been and no doubt is still very difficult to go through.

If I may ask, did you ever believe in God or have you always been an athiest? Was there a time when you thought God might be there? Did you believe in God before the loss of your brother, or did that have nothing to do with it?

There is a pastor named Steve Hadley in Reno, Nevada, who pastors a church called Harvest Family Fellowship. He said the only reason he "got saved" is that he didn't want to go to hell. He said there was nothing spiritual about it. He just plain didn't want to go to hell. God was there, and heard his prayer. Hell can be a great motivator for seeking God. Check him out:

www.harvestreno.org...

Jeremiah 29:13 says: You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Just do that. Seek with all your heart. God knows what you do or don't believe about Him. He loves you anyway. Just pray from your heart "God, if you're real, please show me and lead me in Your way". He'll do it. He promises.

Look back to see why you don't believe in God - especially if you used to. Hurt and loss can do much to affect how we will open our hearts to other people or to God. We protect ourselves from further hurt by not believing - in a person, or in God. Allow yourself to open up to the hurt, and let God - who really IS there - heal it.

And for the posters who said "why can't it be another religion that you believe in?" The answer is because they are not the truth. Jesus said "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life". No one comes to the Father except by Me". Whether anyone wants to believe that or not, it IS true and ALL will know someday. Might as well get a jump on that and ask God to help you believe now, while you're alive, rather than looking up from hell and realizing Jesus was right all along and it's too late.

Jesus paid the price for our sin. The ONLY sin that sends you to hell is not believing on the One that the Father sent to pay for our sins. If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:8

Blessings friend. I will pray for you and hope to see you in eternity!

Originally posted by AdamLaw
I do not believe in God, yet I find the scriptures very comforting. I could cope better with the death of loved ones and my own death if I could force myself somehow to believe in God and become a Christian.

I wish I believed in God. I like the idea of it all.

How does one who absolutely does not believe in God can become a believer in order to appease his mind about death and the afterlife?

edit on 5-10-2012 by AdamLaw because: (no reason given)

edit on 5-10-2012 by AdamLaw because: (no reason given)

All you have to do is go out into an open field and start cursing at GOD ! Being an Athiest, that should not bother you in the least. If you develop a conscience and feel that you cannot do that, then you acknowledge automatically that GOD exists. In that case, fall on your knees, thank HIM for all that you have, ask HIM for forgiveness for doubting HIS existence and then recognize you are indeed a GOD fearing Human Being.

I can relate this although this is because I have been going to church recently due to my wife wanting to christen our 6 week old baby boy. I did not believe in God, but I will be honest the times I have been at church are the most peaceful times that I have felt perhaps ever. It does feel comforting and its great that everyone is so friendly. I actually now find myself wanting to go to church. May be for me its the traditional feel and the sense of community that is so lost in Britain today that I love about church, who knows? I think it is impossible for us to truly believe in a time when we wont exist, so to believe in an afterlife is quite natural. I believe a common belief that birth is the opposite of death and that when we die we do live on but in what form who knows, energy does not just vanish.

My biggest fear is reincarnation, ive lived a life that I would never change and when I go I dont want to come back in mortal form. So yeah its an interesting topic, very subjective, but strange that I had kind of similar thoughts. It would be interesting in this day and age where people say religion is dead etc just how many have also had thoughts in the same ball park. At the end of the day these hard times and sometimes we have to find comfort where we can, may be religion wont die, may be the religion that will die is atheism or may be a new liberal religion will form incorperating the ideas of all the religions of the world that promote positivity.

Originally posted by SecretFace
I can relate this although this is because I have been going to church recently due to my wife wanting to christen our 6 week old baby boy. I did not believe in God, but I will be honest the times I have been at church are the most peaceful times that I have felt perhaps ever. It does feel comforting and its great that everyone is so friendly. I actually now find myself wanting to go to church.

Yes - - there is a euphoric energy.

Yes - - it feels good. The "belonging" feels good.

Don't be fooled.

reply to post by AdamLaw

The idea is comforting. Perhaps.

But why would you be ignorant on purpose? Delude yourself for a pseudo feeling of safety.

The problem is, you need to BELIEVE in god. Belief isn't something you choose.

My suggestions? Associate and immerse yourself in environments where people beleive in god. Church, etc.

Have fun lol

reply to post by AdamLaw


Interesting question. By your comments I can tell you are more agnostic than atheist which I totally get.
One christian I know accepted the faith when he encountered the other side(demonic activity) he did not seek it out, it was thrust open him by his crazy family. He then logically reasoned if the evil side exists then the good side must exist too.

As for you little brother, like 99.9% of all humans that have died he is only sleeping in death like Jesus said about Lazarus. The great hope of the general resurrection of mankind awaits him and all like him.

John 5:28&29

Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, 29and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.

Here is an interesting comment from Job when he was going through his terrible trials
Job 14: 13-15

“I wish you would hide me in the grave and forget me there until your anger has passed. But mark your calendar to think of me again! 14Can the dead live again? If so, this would give me hope through all my years of struggle, and I would eagerly await the release of death. 15You would call and I would answer, and you would yearn for me, your handiwork.

Originally posted by AdamLaw
I do not believe in God, yet I find the scriptures very comforting. I could cope better with the death of loved ones and my own death if I could force myself somehow to believe in God and become a Christian.

I wish I believed in God. I like the idea of it all.

How does one who absolutely does not believe in God can become a believer in order to appease his mind about death and the afterlife?

edit on 5-10-2012 by AdamLaw because: (no reason given)

edit on 5-10-2012 by AdamLaw because: (no reason given)

I was very reluctant to go back to any sort of church again. The first Sunday my husband (who was agnostic at the time) and I even turned around in the church parking lot and went out for coffee instead. However, we eventually made our way in for Divine Liturgy.

How does one explain to someone else about experiencing the presence of God? All I knew was that it wasn't simply my own emotions wreaking havoc with me- some things come from outside of ourselves- and people who know themselves well can discern this difference. (I was raised Pentecostal and I am rather immune to situations designed to manipulate emotions.) It was like being confronted with all of the answers to my questions after my long search. I knew I had to convert. God was there. Christ is in the Eucharist- which is something I had difficulty accepting as I was raised to accept a very different thing as being the truth- but have certainly experienced beyond a doubt since my Chrismation. Can I prove this to you? No. Were our personal experiences enough to prove it to me and my husband? Yes.

So, my advice is to come and see for yourself. I've known at least one staunch atheist who attended with his wife and for fellowship. Nobody ever pressured him to believe anything. He was always welcome at all church activities, he just couldn't take the sacraments.

"Before anything else one must believe in God, "that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). -St Seraphim of Sarov - Spiritual Instructions

"For behold, all our lofty doctrines, how destitute they are of reasonings, and dependent on faith alone. God is not anywhere, and is everywhere. What has less reason than this (What idea makes less logical sense)? He was not made, He did not make Himself, He never began to be. What reasoning will receive this if there is no faith?" -St. John the Chrysostom

"God is comprehensible in our contemplation of His attributes [or divine energies], but God is incomprehensible in our contemplation of His divine essence." -St. Maximus the Confessor(Cent. On Charity, IV, 7, trans. Pegon, Sources Chretiennes 9, p.153)

"Belief is a matter of dying for Christ and His commandments. It is believing that such a death is life-giving. It is to count poverty as riches, and to consider the lowest humiliation as true honor and nobility. Faith is believing that when one has nothing, one has everything. More than this, it is to possess the incomprehensible riches of the knowledge of Christ and to look upon all visible things as but clay and smoke." ~St. Symeon the New Theologian, The Practical and Theological Chapters

"The problem of our life is union with God, and sin completely prevents this; therefore flee from sin as from a terrible enemy, as from the destroyer of the soul, because to be without God is death and not life. Let us therefore understand our destination; let us always remember that our common Master calls us to union with Himself." -St. John of Kronstadt (My Life in Christ, Part 1; Holy Trinity Monastery pg. 20)

"If you wish to save your soul and win eternal life, arise from your lethargy, make the sign of the Cross and say: In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Amen. Faith comes not through pondering but through action. Not words and speculation but experience teaches us what God is. To let in fresh air we have to open a window; to get tanned we must go out into the sunshine. Achieving faith is no different; we never reach a goal by just sitting in comfort and waiting, say the Holy Fathers. Let the Prodigal Son be our example. He "arose and came" (Luke 15:20)." -Tito Colliander The Way of the Ascetics.

reply to post by AdamLaw


Through facing personal experiences with an open mind. I know that the dogma of the major religions can be comforting - it is comfortable for Christians to say you're going to hell I'm going to heaven nananapoopoo but isn't it more comforting to simply have faith that powers higher than humanity exist? Learning scripture will never save your soul, only faith and good heart can bring you where you want to be.


Good luck bro hope you find some wisdom in the scriptures nonetheless - I know I have.


If you can't see what's right in your face then think of this - the scientific data leads us to believe that aliens exist, and our DNA has been altered in a way that evolution would almost definitely not. Put the 2 pieces together and you can realize humans descend from aliens, and exoteric religions preached that they were the true gods. When you get into esoterica you realize god as the grand architect is an extremely old belief, and the math the ancients knew must have been passed down by spiritually superior and long established beings. And if humans did actually come up with these beliefs and mathematically mystifying equations without alien intervention that should be even more assuring to you that God is real.


I'll quit preaching.


Shalom.