Introducing myself

[Hishandmaiden]

Dear Gentleman Atheist,
you ask what originally makes me becomes a christian. I think it will be difficult to answer you with a short answer.
I was born in and brought up in a taoist family. But my belief in God is always that God is a most high God, unlike the gods in taoism. So, even as a child, I had believed in a God, but I just do not know which religion He comes from.
I remembered when I was on a tour as a teenager at age 13, I went to Canada for the first time in my life. However, because of my asthma, I could not visit snow mountain with my family members. I was forced to stay in a hotel. I prayed to my unknown most high God and it snowed in Canada that day, even though it was not supposed to be snowing. I saw snow for the first time in my life and believed in the power of the most high God, whom I still worship as the unknown God.
When I prayed to Him in my teenage years, I will always said this phrase, "To the most high one true God", because I do not want any God but the most high God to answer my prayers.
I prayed to the unknown God to show me which religion He is from, and somehow my search became narrowed down to Islam, Judaism and Christianity. I could have chosen to believe in any of these three religions but there was a feeling in me, a feeling that could not be explained by scientific reason, that told me that God is found in the religion of Christianity.
I chose to follow that feeling and believe in the christian God. But the funny thing was, even though I now believe in the christian God, I do not want to commit to Him or be a christian. An incident came that changed my mind, and I became a christian.
There are times as a christian when I do doubt God, but I always get back to Him in the end. It is my hope, Gentleman Atheist, that you may one day find God in your life as well.
Though I don't deny that this life is awesome and wonderful, but it is even more awesome and more wonderful when God is around. Unlike some christians, even if I only live now and never goes to the afterlife known as heaven, I will still be a christian and worship God.
The wonder of being a christian for me, is in the present while I live. It is nice to know and love God, and to receive His love in return. It is even nicer to know that there is an after-life, and that life runs in eternity.
I had witnessed many wonders of God in my life, of which perhaps, I will share with you some other times since they cannot be confined in one post.
Thank you for reading through all this, gentleman atheist, I hope it had been of some help to you.

 

[saved_for_life]

Hi, I didn't read all the responses. But I would like to offer my testimony. I was an extremely intelligent person. I had it all. But always during my life there was whispers that what I saw was not all there is.
Let's cut the crap, so to speak. You are hear because something in you tells you there is "more" than what you know.
That something is Him. Now your mind will deny it and say that you are here because of other reasons and very possibly you will "believe" that. But there is "something" working deep inside of you, "something" that your mind wants to ignore.
This is the parable of the four soils. Out of these four soils there was only one which was truly saved. Only one which took the Word of God into it's ground and produced a harvest.
The other's held to what they had and bascially thought they could produce a harvest of their own. My experience with this was in me saying that, "I am a good person and God will have deal with that."
But it isn't about being good or bad, it is about realizing that you are a sinner. And you were born in sin and therefore need a Savior. And you can only be bought to this understanding by Him, conviction of the Holy Spirit.
I was an athesist, probably more of one than you are. But the Lord tilled my soil and when He called on me, I did not lean on my understanding. I cried out to Him and called upon Him.

Ro 10:13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
And this was from the heart, not the mind. My mind told me that God doesn't exist, but my heart enabled by the Holy Spirit and the Revelation of Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit over-powered my mind and lead me to call upon the name of the Lord.
Now I know that my mind was bound, it was bound in a prison. Under the powers of this world. But Jesus is stronger than those powers.
You are just like I was, nobody could convince me of God, but He came when the deepest part of me called upon Him.
I could sit here and argue doctrine with you forever and you would not believe unless He called you.

Jn 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
Nobody can come to Jesus unless the Father draws him and the Father draws everyone.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
And the very first step in Salvation is repentance. To acknowledge that we are sinners, once we do that then He gives us to Jesus.

So basically the bottom line is this, Do you know that you are a sinner and was born in sin? In comparison to other men you may be superior. But when He calls you and you see who you are compared to Him, will you justify yourself before Him or will you repent? Will you see the "Truth". That is all it takes to be saved, to see in our heart that we are
wrong and need a Savior.
God has already provided a Savior, you just need to see that you are a sinner and are wrong. And I am still a sinner, but the difference is that I know it and I know I need a Savior and Jesus Christ is my Savior. I am just as much a sinner as you or Adoplh Hilter, but I have a Savior that I trust in.

 

[WilliamPMiller]

"What things originally brought you to the christian faith?"

Hello, my friend! I was driving past a Christmas decoration store in the middle of this year, kinda depressed, and it just kinda clicked. The real meaning of Christmas, the real meaning of life. The veil was lifted.

Will.

 

[The Gentleman Atheist]

He wanted the strong to rule the weak because that accords with nature

Chesterton, I am not certain that Herr Nietzsche wanted the strong to rule the weak; your quotes seem to confirm his understanding of his world, not his personal dictates for it. In any case, you and the reincarnation fellow seem to have had an entertaining non sequitur argument regarding this elusive mind. I am sorry that I could not participate in this. This year's Calvados is absolutely bang-up, and as a result we have been playing host here at the manor more than in recent months past.

Hoping that you have been well.

The Gentleman Atheist

 

[The Gentleman Atheist]

What did you believe my answer would be?

I have to admit, Sir Wilshire, you did surprise me a bit. I suppose that I was expecting a bit of the old, "you just have to let god in," nonsense. You instead provide some sort of reasoning, I suppose. I would rather that you had responded in your own words, rather than shill books and reference tired apologetics. You must understand that as an atheist in search of the spark that ignites christian faith, I have heard these arguments before. There is not one of these points that will aid me in my pursuit, because there is simply no consistent agreement among christians. Do you understand how frustrating this is to my undertaking?

In any case, if you wish to reconsider my question, then please do feel free.

The Gentleman Atheist

 

[The Gentleman Atheist]

Hello Alive Again, I am well please to hear that you survived your ordeal.

…if He draws you, you still have to say yes. If you find yourself drawn somehow to the experience, without any knowledge of why or how, it's a cinch that God is drawing you.

So what you are saying here is that your god chooses certain people to be on his ruggers squad; that one has no option once he makes the call; and that one has no need of knowledge before or after he makes the call. My question is, "Where does this leave The Gentleman Atheist?"

People (now ministers) who've gone to Heaven have stated these things about Heaven: … Accounts of Hell

You will also have to explain this to me. Exactly whose accounts were these — and which side of their journey did they file their field reports from?

"Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

A fantastic novelist was Gide. In fact, I reread this only about a month ago. Thank you for reminding me of it.

The Gentleman Atheist

 

[The Gentleman Atheist]

Hi, I didn't read all the responses. But I would like to offer my testimony. I was an extremely intelligent person. I had it all. But always during my life there was whispers that what I saw was not all there is.
Let's cut the crap, so to speak.

Yes. Please. Let's do just that.

I would that you would read the responses that you did not read, Saved For Life. You would have saved yourself a great deal of typing, and I would not have to be subject to your sanctimonious preaching.

Wishing you well.

The Gentleman Atheist

 

[The Gentleman Atheist]

Hello, my friend! I was driving past a Christmas decoration store in the middle of this year, kinda depressed, and it just kinda clicked. The real meaning of Christmas, the real meaning of life. The veil was lifted.

Hullo, Will. I am pleased to meet you.

What you mention here is something that I have been thinking about a great deal for the past week of so. Never before in my life has it been so apparent that the "pagan" solstice rituals that have become associated with the Western "christmas" season (die tannebaum, winter greens, &cetera) have been so separate from the christian rituals of christmas (birth and circumcision of the galilean messiah, &cetera). It is strange, don't you think, that something so prevailing as christmas can have such an opposite effect on people.

It is a strange and wonderful world, is it not?

The Gentleman Atheist

 

[saved_for_life]

Yes. Please. Let's do just that.

I would that you would read the responses that you did not read, Saved For Life. You would have saved yourself a great deal of typing, and I would not have to be subject to your sanctimonious preaching.

Wishing you well.

The Gentleman Atheist

Hi Gentleman Atheist, at least you are a Gentleman. I wasn't when I am where you are now.
Are you enjoying arguing with the Christians and pointing out their stupidity? I did.
A friend sent some Mormon Missionaries to my house, they were only 18 or 19. You see Mormons send their youth on Missionary trips for two years after gradulation from high school. At least they did then. My thinking now is totally different from what it was then.
Then I was like "Why not?, let them come over to my house." And they did and I argue and debated with them for hours for a few nights. Here were these two little kids just out of high school and I was about 27 with a wife and kids. I was a man. And I couldn't move these guys, they were firm and took all the shots I gave them and kept coming back for more.
Finally I ordered them out of my house and told them to never come back.
I am not a Mormon now, but I found what these guys had.
Therefore your little words can't move Him.

Why are you here, do you want to have a little fun with the Christians. Have at it, because I know that when things get quiet, then you will think "Are they right?"

 

[Alive_Again]

What's sad about the Mormons is that even though they "took the shots" they preach another Jesus and live under a curse. They believe everyone else is apostate. They believe God was a man. So, even though you admire their tenacity for what they believe, people (atheists included) don't want to just accept any doctrine and be deluded.

What's different about Christianity (not Mormonism!) is that in the New Covenant, you can "know God". He said that He'll circumcise your heart and enable you to fellowship with Him and to receive His Laws inwardly. You can join His Spirit and be one spirit. There is a powerful anointing to partake of that will break every yoke of oppression. The Father and Jesus will actually indwell you by the Holy Spirit. Your fruits (if you choose to abide) include peace, love, joy, patience, etc. It's the best life you could imagine and is no delusion.

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. For me to tell you the good news that God will forgive your sins and fellowship with you gives God an opportunity to strive with you and contend with your heart about His truth. If you seek truth with your heart (don't check out your brain from the equation, let your heart rule as you seek God's truth. His Word says that if you seek Him with all of your heart, He will let you find Him.

In your current place, a righteous prayer might be: "God, if you're real and I'm deceived, have mercy on me and do a work in my life that will remove any doubt. Set up circumstances that will speak to me so I can respond."

Imagine how that would be?!!

 

[Sir Wilshire]

I have to admit, Sir Wilshire, you did surprise me a bit. I suppose that I was expecting a bit of the old, "you just have to let god in," nonsense. You instead provide some sort of reasoning, I suppose. I would rather that you had responded in your own words, rather than shill books and reference tired apologetics.

I didn't have time to summarize the argument based on the evidence. It is long.

I have heard these arguments before.

The book just came out this year, and the argument is actually quite unique in terms of typical arguments for the resurrection.

You must understand that as an atheist in search of the spark that ignites christian faith.

Well you didn't quite word it that way, and the answer is that people become Christians for all myriad of reasons. I already told you mine in my first post. As you said,

because there is simply no consistent agreement among christians.

In any case, if you wish to reconsider my question, then please do feel free.

Upon answering your question, you asked what the evidence was, so I cited one line of evidence. I thought you would want to discuss it, but now you're saying it doesn't answer your question.