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ViaCrucis

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Hi, I'm new here and I'm always been athiest. I don't know anything about religion so I hope I don't offend anyone with my questions or ignorance. I want to believe in god and I do in a way but there's things that I can't not believe in order to believe god exists.

1. Why are gay people not accepted in most religions? I'm not gay but I have a lot of friends that are. Why are they told that they are sinners and horrible people and unworthy because they love someone who is the same sex. If god created man in the image of himself then surely he made gay people too.

It's worth pointing out that in Christianity everyone is understood to be a sinner. It's not a derogatory term, it's really just a simple acknowledgment of the fact that we fail to do what we ought do and often do what we ought not do. I'm a sinner as much as anyone else. Being a sinner doesn't mean being a terrible person, it just means being a fallible human being that often screws up.

To address your main point. The reason why gay people are often vilified by many Christians is because these Christians are failing at their calling to love everyone. Because Christians are likewise sinners.

There are sectors of the Christian Church that represent a highly vocal, vociferous, and often toxic minority. Often having far less to do with the teachings of Jesus or the historic teaching of the Christian faith and more to do with a highly culturalized Christianity that serves to maintain the social status quo.

Regardless of how a Christian comes down on the question of homosexuality, the Christian only has one appropriate path to take when engaging homosexual people: Love them completely and utterly without prejudice or pretense.

St. Augustine of Hippo referred to the Church as a hospital for sinners, in modern parlance this is often contrasted by speaking tongue-in-cheek of the Church as a social club for saints. Everyone in the Church is a sinner, the Church is to be a place of healing and acceptance for everyone. The Church is never to be a social club for the self-righteous, doing so destroys the mission and integrity of the Church at its heart.

Because at the heart, at the center of the Church is Jesus Christ. If we deny Christ, whether by word or action, then we are not acting as members of His Church. If we are not loving others, as He loved others, then we are not acting as the Church, but as a self-righteous social club. And the way we can ask ourselves if we are really acting as Christ's Church is by looking and examining our own lives and seeing how we treat other people, in particularly, how we treat those people who are often despised, rejected, ignored or mistreated in our society.

Because the Heart of Christ is always with the the marginalized.

2. Why do new born babies and innocent children die when they haven't even had chance to sin?

In Christianity we believe that each and every person is born subject to Death. The problem of Death is, arguably, one of the chief problems which Christianity tackles. It is addressed by our confession that Jesus died and rose from the dead and in Him and by Him is victory over death; inaugurated here and now by our union with Him in our Baptism and made perfect and complete at His return at the end of history when the dead rise, death is extinguished forever, and God renews the universe and there is World without end.

3. Why if god created the world did he create Africa and Ethiopia the way it is? Why is that part of the world so badly designed that it can't sustain life and so many people and children are dying from starvation! No child deserves that!

A big problem in many African nations has a lot to do with corruption. In the case of Ethiopia, it was in fact at one point in its history a very powerful kingdom; it hasn't always been the way it is now.

Changes in climate, greed among the powerful, an unwillingness among more well-to-do nations to offer more support for those suffering in other nations. Pick which ever you want really; I'd say all the above.

4. I believe in evolution and that is one thing that I can't not believe and I guess that's the one thing that is stopping me believing in god. I can believe that god created everything but I can't ignore that there were dinosaurs roaming the earth before Adam and eve and of course the prehistoric people that evolved from apes. They have skeletons of dinosaurs and of homoerrectus and so on. How can I fit that in with believing in god? Is there a way I can believe both?

There's nothing about evolution that is inherently contradictory with the Christian faith. There are hundreds of millions of Christians all over the world that don't struggle between accepting science as well as their Christian faith.

Indeed, notable scientists in various scientific fields are themselves ardent Christians. Here are some notable Christians who embrace evolutionary theory:

Francis Collins, former head of the Human Genome Project, established the BioLogos Foundation, and Evangelical Protestant Christian.

Paleontologist Robert T. Bakker, Pentecostal preacher and one of the first to propose that dinosaurs may have been endothermic.

Physicist, theologian and Anglican priest, Rev. John Polkinghorne.

Geneticist and Eastern Orthodox Christian Theodosius Dobzhansky, pioneer in the work of modern evolutionary synthesis.

Theologian and Anglican priest Alister McGrath, who holds a doctorate in molecular biophysics.

These are only some of the most famous.

There are plenty of Christians who don't hold scientific degrees who embrace it; and they are found thoroughly across denominational and theological lines: Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Protestants (including Mainline as well Evangelical).

It is, in fact, again, a rather vocal minority of Christians in the world who are violently antagonistic toward science.

A strict, wooden, literalist reading of, for example, the creation narrative in Genesis 1 is not a prerequisite of Christianity and is no where demanded. Indeed, Christians have been reading and understanding the creation narrative in other ways since antiquity. Christian theologians such as Origen of Alexandria (3rd century) and St. Augustine of Hippo (5th century) argued for an allegorical approach. Many Christians today likewise embrace a non-literal reading as the more sensible understanding of the creation narrative in Genesis 1 given the employment of poetic language and the use of parallels as it pertains to the six days of creation. For example, check out the Framework Hypothesis. This is not a rejection of the Creation Narrative, it is an interpretive exegesis which seeks to understand the underlying textual and theological aspects going on in the text without butchering it through unjustly imposing ourselves onto the text.

There's lots more I have to ask about the bible as I am reading it and intend to read every word of it.[bless and do not curse]

Thanks for your time!

-CryptoLutheran
 
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oi_antz

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Yes I do. I want to feel that love that people describe when they let Jesus in.

How do you repent? Honestly I know nothing of religion and religious lingo.

To repent, you first need to understand what your sins are. If you don't know, then it is worthwhile reading the bible until you do, because the standard of perfection is well above anyone's attainment. It is not possible to be perfect in this world because we face temptation and the flesh is weak. When you know just how harmful sin is then you will understand why there is justice awaiting us, and why it is said that no-one is deserving of eternal life. Do you know what a scapegoat is?

Leviticus 16
20 “When Aaron has finished purifying the Most Holy Place and the Tabernacle and the altar, he must present the live goat. 21 He will lay both of his hands on the goat’s head and confess over it all the wickedness, rebellion, and sins of the people of Israel. In this way, he will transfer the people’s sins to the head of the goat. Then a man specially chosen for the task will drive the goat into the wilderness. 22 As the goat goes into the wilderness, it will carry all the people’s sins upon itself into a desolate land.

That is what Jesus has done for us, He has had all our sins laid upon Him and been driven into the desolate land which is separation from God, hell. This is why He said these famous words:

Matthew 27:46
And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

So to repent means to appreciate what it means to sin, that Gods very own son has become our scapegoat, that when we sin we are in fact sinning against God. To be fully aware of that and to make a resolution to obey Jesus is what repentance means. And repentance is all about obeying our conscience. Read these verses to get an idea of what sin means:

1 Corinthians 8
8 It’s true that we can’t win God’s approval by what we eat. We don’t lose anything if we don’t eat it, and we don’t gain anything if we do. 9 But you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble. 10 For if others see you—with your “superior knowledge”—eating in the temple of an idol, won’t they be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been offered to an idol? 11 So because of your superior knowledge, a weak believer for whom Christ died will be destroyed.

Romans 14
23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.

Very clear messages that not obeying our conscience is sin. I'm sure there'll be a ton of thoughts going through your mind right now, "does it mean this is bad?", "am I wrong to do that?", it's quite normal you know. You need to make that decision that you will obey Jesus. Remember that verse that says we are to be shrewd as a serpent and innocent as a dove? Jesus said we are to be innocent. Children are innocent, even when they do wrong. Jesus said this:

Matthew 18:3
Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.

This is another famous quote:

Matthew 7:21
[ True Disciples ] “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.

Does that help you to understand repentance? Repentance isn't easy and it's never finished. Every Christian faces it every time they make a mistake.
 
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oi_antz

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I have let go of my athiest beliefs. I no longer have doubts after talking to you that god exists. Last night I prayed and asked Jesus to come into my life and heart and for his love, acceptance and forgiveness and also for strength and guidance. I was expecting a sign or a feeling but there was nothing.
The fact that your heart is accepting God is a sign. Keep working on it, remember that God speaks through the bible. When you trust that God will speak to you when you read the bible, then God will speak to you. You might not like what He says, but you can be sure it is for your best interests. You just need to elevate your faith to that level that you can trust what He says when He does speak to you. Don't suppress it, the scriptures are holy and divine, and you just need to worship Him when you read them. Practice getting your head into that zone before you read, pray and meditate and just trust your conscience. Sometimes The Holy Spirit tells me to read a specific verse, that happens a lot when I am speaking to people. Other times I just open the bible randomly and read and soon enough something jumps out and say "God here, you should know this". That is never ending. No matter how many times you read the word, there is always a lesson to learn. How does your partner feel about Christianity? It can help to have a study companion, you know it is said that two heads are better than one :)
 
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InThePinc

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Wow thank you very much!! Yes I am worrying now that I'm sinning without even knowing that what I'm doing is a sin lol.

You know that you said that you just open the bible and it's a page on which you find something that lets you know god is there? That's happened to me! I gave always been worried about not having children as I have fertility provlems and was worried that my age would make it harder. A couple of years ago I asked god if I will ever have children and explained what I was worrying about and I opened up the bible and read the first words and was amazed because it said (I can't remember the exact words and would apreciate it if anyone else does!) something along the lines of e"even the oldest tree? bares fruit" the words were perfect for my question!!

My oh doesnt believe in god. He thinks that if there was such a person as god the world would be a good place and not a war zone.

I will have another read through what you said a bit later and message you back. I have to run right now. Thank you very much! As soon as I figure out which button to press for giving 'reps' I will be giving them!!

Chrissy xxx
 
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drich0150

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GrayAngel

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Hi GrayAngel, would you mind quoting that verse, I can't remember having read it. Thanks :wave:

Luke 16:18 - “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.”

Mark 10:11-12 - He answered, “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her. And if she divorces her husband and marries another man, she commits adultery.”
 
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GrayAngel

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I have let go of my athiest beliefs. I no longer have doubts after talking to you that god exists. Last night I prayed and asked Jesus to come into my life and heart and for his love, acceptance and forgiveness and also for strength and guidance. I was expecting a sign or a feeling but there was nothing.

Awesome! I'm happy for you!

Yes I do. I want to feel that love that people describe when they let Jesus in.

That kind of feeling is something commonly referred to as a "spiritual high." It feels awesome, but it's short-lived. It can be felt at the moment of conversion, but it shows up in other times too, such as when you go on a mission trip or a Christian retreat. For me, the latter has consistently caused it.

The important thing to remember is that God is with us at all times, even when we're not feeling it. Our emotions will always fluctuate, but God never changes.

How do you repent? Honestly I know nothing of religion and religious lingo.

To repent literally means to turn away, to walk in the other direction. First, you have to recognize that you're a sinner and that Jesus is the only one who can save you. Then you turn away from your sin, replacing bad habits with incompatible good habits.

Repentance is more than just feeling sorry. It's living out your faith.

PS: The rep button is the light bulb icon in the upper right of each post.
 
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oi_antz

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@GrayAngel: thanks!
Wow thank you very much!! Yes I am worrying now that I'm sinning without even knowing that what I'm doing is a sin lol.
If you give your life to Jesus then He will train your conscience. Read this verse again:

Romans 14
23 But if you have doubts about whether or not you should eat something, you are sinning if you go ahead and do it. For you are not following your convictions. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.

You know that you said that you just open the bible and it's a page on which you find something that lets you know god is there? That's happened to me! I gave always been worried about not having children as I have fertility provlems and was worried that my age would make it harder. A couple of years ago I asked god if I will ever have children and explained what I was worrying about and I opened up the bible and read the first words and was amazed because it said (I can't remember the exact words and would apreciate it if anyone else does!) something along the lines of e"even the oldest tree? bares fruit" the words were perfect for my question!!
Yes, the bible is special that if you apply it to your personal situation it tends to convey very personal meanings. I sometimes believe in co-incidence, and I sometimes believe it is God. And the bible is not the only way God can speak to us. That discernment will come to you as you practice listening to God. Keep worshipping God as you read the word. What you did by praying to Him and trusting on the bible for the answer is exactly how you can learn to hear His voice. :thumbsup:
My oh doesnt believe in god. He thinks that if there was such a person as god the world would be a good place and not a war zone.
It will be a good place when Jesus returns, but your partner has failed to account for the time between alpha and omega when the crop is being cultivated. Jesus spoke parables quite often that heaven is like a crop field. He said "look around, the harvest is ripe" meaning "get busy making disciples". And He told this parable, which you might like to think about in context of your partners belief:

Parable of the Wheat and Weeds

24 Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field. 25 But that night as the workers slept, his enemy came and planted weeds among the wheat, then slipped away. 26 When the crop began to grow and produce grain, the weeds also grew.

27 “The farmer’s workers went to him and said, ‘Sir, the field where you planted that good seed is full of weeds! Where did they come from?’

28 “‘An enemy has done this!’ the farmer exclaimed.

“‘Should we pull out the weeds?’ they asked.

29 “‘No,’ he replied, ‘you’ll uproot the wheat if you do. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. Then I will tell the harvesters to sort out the weeds, tie them into bundles, and burn them, and to put the wheat in the barn.’”

I will have another read through what you said a bit later and message you back. I have to run right now. Thank you very much! As soon as I figure out which button to press for giving 'reps' I will be giving them!!

Chrissy xxx
Is your wedding today? I hope it is a dream come true :amen:
 
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InThePinc

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I feel like I've had my first sign!! My grans neighbour who I've only met once bought us a wedding gift and it is a picture frame and it's in the shape of a church with a little diamanté cross on top! Nobody buys me anything religious and then the day after I accept jesus and ask him for a sign I get this picture frame!

Thank you so much for all your replies! We are getting married at 1pm today. Could you please pray for us at 1pm do it could bless our marriage. We are getting married in town hall and not allowed any religious blessings or anything like that!

Chrissy x
 
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oi_antz

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I feel like I've had my first sign!! My grans neighbour who I've only met once bought us a wedding gift and it is a picture frame and it's in the shape of a church with a little diamanté cross on top! Nobody buys me anything religious and then the day after I accept jesus and ask him for a sign I get this picture frame!

Thank you so much for all your replies! We are getting married at 1pm today. Could you please pray for us at 1pm do it could bless our marriage. We are getting married in town hall and not allowed any religious blessings or anything like that!

Chrissy x
Oh how lovely! Yes, He does love us and He loves us to love Him back. I am glad for you :clap::clap::clap:
 
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