What makes Christianity convincing for you personally?

ajcarey

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I’m not convinced the prophecies that allegedly came true are set in stone and the ones that didn’t are “conditional.” Prophecies are only relevant if they are falsifiable. How could they be falsified if we just say they don’t apply anymore? I don’t see where Isaiah says these only apply if Israel meets certain conditions of righteousness. This seems like your jumping through hoops but please enlighten me if you think I misunderstood.

No I will not admit that I’m bias against the Bible lol. I have no objection to the way Christians live and think. I live and think the same way. I don’t want to sound silly but I’ve never even said one curse word or had a single drop of alcohol my whole life. I don’t even think those things are necessarily sins but I took my religion so seriously that I avoided them to be sure. Even after considering myself an atheist for the past several months I haven’t done anything that a Christian could legitimately consider a sin. In fact it would’ve been in my financial and relational interest to stay, but I just don’t find the evidence convincing.

Look at how God said in the closing verse of Malachi that He would come and smite the earth with a curse if they heeded not Elijah the Prophet whom He would send. Look at what the Messiah's purpose in the previous chapter in Malachi 3:1-6 was. "
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. 2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap: 3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. 4 Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. 5 And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. 6 For I am the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."

Obviously there would be coming judgment for those who heeded not the Messiah and the messenger sent before Him. God never makes a promise to relieve people from future obedience and continued obedience. That would be essentially Satanism, though many churches teach consistent with that.

Did I not see that you said somewhere in this thread that you said you have a conflict with the morality taught in the Old Testament? (honest question, I thought I saw you say that but there's too much here to re-read the entire thread to check for myself so I'm just asking you directly). If so, the morality of the Old Testament IS the morality of Christianity since Jesus said that He came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it; and He taught the proper application of the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17-18, Matthew 7:12, etc). Judeo-Christian morality goes far beyond not cursing and being honest with your finances; it calls for laying down your life to uphold and stand for the judgments of the Word of God. You can be moral before men and be utterly unrighteous before God by thinking you know better than His law and/or refusing to not love your life to the death to stand for His truth.
 
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eleos1954

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I went to church 3 times a week for the first 22 years of my life. Now at 23, I consider myself an atheist. However, I like to think I’m still open minded. I’d like to know what makes Christianity convincing to you?

About 40 people wrote the Bible.” The individual books were written by many authors over many years in many places to many different people groups.

This being the case and the bible being so cohesive is beyond remarkable and not coincidental.

Also many prophecies are validated by history and/or archeological findings.

There is a lot of wisdom in the bible, the principles of how it is best to treat one another are good principles, whether people believe in God or not.

Looking at the apostles who state what they saw and heard (eye witnesses so to speak) being the truth and gave their lives attesting to Jesus. Most of them died tortuous deaths.

I think it was C.S. Lewis who said this ...

Either Jesus was a liar, a lunatic or He was the Son of God.

Have also experienced some personal things in my life that has no other explanations. Specific prayers answered.

Christianity - Followers of Christ and His teachings as put forth in His Holy Word.

Just a few reasons, why I believe in Jesus and not open for debate.

I pray you will return to your first love, Jesus. Amen
 
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ChristopherHays

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@Albion One good example of a scripture variant sparking a new denomination would be the Appalachian snake handlers. They take the last 10 verses of Mark KJV literally and handle snakes or drink poison during worship. Those verses are omitted in many translations and even reworded in others. Many Christians have actually died as a result of these practices and interpretations.
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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@Albion One good example of a scripture variant sparking a new denomination would be the Appalachian snake handlers. They take the last 10 verses of Mark KJV literally and handle snakes or drink poison during worship. Those verses are omitted in many translations and even reworded in others. Many Christians have actually died as a result of these practices and interpretations.
More Christians have been executed as martyrs for their trust and testimony in Jesus,
and more have died as a result of trusting in error an incorrect diagnosis ....
regardless of 'interpretations' .... just the facts.
 
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Albion

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@Albion One good example of a scripture variant sparking a new denomination would be the Appalachian snake handlers. They take the last 10 verses of Mark KJV literally and handle snakes or drink poison during worship. Those verses are omitted in many translations and even reworded in others. Many Christians have actually died as a result of these practices and interpretations.
But taking something as literal in the Bible when it is actually figurative is not actually a matter of changing the Bible.

Nor is snake handling peculiar to any denomination. Although there are a few that are usually identified when the topic arises, the practice occurs in a variety of churches, much like tongues-speaking or abstinence from alcohol.
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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I went to church 3 times a week for the first 22 years of my life. Now at 23, I consider myself an atheist. However, I like to think I’m still open minded. I’d like to know what makes Christianity convincing to you?
Is there a difference in the label 'agnostic', vs 'atheist' ? Or how are they related as far as you know ? (your own view)

As whatever you are, are you searching for truth ? (is that what you mean by "open minded" ? )
 
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Not David

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@Albion One good example of a scripture variant sparking a new denomination would be the Appalachian snake handlers. They take the last 10 verses of Mark KJV literally and handle snakes or drink poison during worship. Those verses are omitted in many translations and even reworded in others. Many Christians have actually died as a result of these practices and interpretations.
It may be only for them or a symbolism. There is the "don't tempt the Lord your God" though.
 
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Anthony2019

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When I was a youngster, I used to attend Sunday School and Church. Nothing really made a lot of sense to me at that age, but I was taught about Jesus and the things He did. I was also taught that the Lord answers our prayers.
I had no family to look after me, and I grew up in a children's home. In such a large house, I was very clumsy and often lost my toys. I used to get very upset when they were lost and I believed that if I prayed to God, He would help me to find them.
I would be hunting high and low for the toys, but everytime I prayed and asked God for help, they turned up almost straightaway. Not once, not twice, but many times. That prayer was answered every time - without exception.
I cannot simply put it down to coincidence. I believed then, and believe now, that there is a loving God that cares for us. If I ever start to forget that, then I will just remind myself about all the lost toys He helped me find.
 
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comana

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When I was a youngster, I used to attend Sunday School and Church. Nothing really made a lot of sense to me at that age, but I was taught about Jesus and the things He did. I was also taught that the Lord answers our prayers.
I had no family to look after me, and I grew up in a children's home. In such a large house, I was very clumsy and often lost my toys. I used to get very upset when they were lost and I believed that if I prayed to God, He would help me to find them.
I would be hunting high and low for the toys, but everytime I prayed and asked God for help, they turned up almost straightaway. Not once, not twice, but many times. That prayer was answered every time - without exception.
I cannot simply put it down to coincidence. I believed then, and believe now, that there is a loving God that cares for us. If I ever start to forget that, then I will just remind myself about all the lost toys He helped me find.
Interesting anecdote. I as a child grew up in Christianity and prayed fervently that God would protect me from my abuser and yet the abuse continued. I guess a child finding their lost toys had a higher priority on God’s to do list.
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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Interesting anecdote. I as a child grew up in Christianity and prayed fervently that God would protect me from my abuser and yet the abuse continued. I guess a child finding their lost toys had a higher priority on God’s to do list.
"Anecdotally", with absolutely no justification for abuse by the way,
when you prayed fervently that God would protect you,
who did you pray to ?
Did you know, or want to know, what Scripture says about prayers that Yahuweh does not even hear, nor answer , and why ? (if that would be any comfort, or at least an answer as to why after so many years)
 
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Anthony2019

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Interesting anecdote. I as a child grew up in Christianity and prayed fervently that God would protect me from my abuser and yet the abuse continued. I guess a child finding their lost toys had a higher priority on God’s to do list.
I'm sorry to hear about your experience. I was put into care myself because I had my face kicked in by a violent and abusive man who was living with my mother. I was thrown against the wall and then suffocated with jelly to try and keep me quiet. It's a miracle the neighbours heard the commotion otherwise I would perhaps not be here today to tell the tale. So the smallest of comforts I had during my time in care meant an incredible lot to me.
 
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ChristopherHays

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But taking something as literal in the Bible when it is actually figurative is not actually a matter of changing the Bible.

Nor is snake handling peculiar to any denomination. Although there are a few that are usually identified when the topic arises, the practice occurs in a variety of churches, much like tongues-speaking or abstinence from alcohol.


The verse is literal. There’s nothing figurative about it. You may interpret it to be figurative because of your presuppositions about the world but nothing in the text would give you that idea. I don’t know the official definition of denomination, but it doesn’t really matter. They're uniquely separate from other Pentecostals or Baptists.
 
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caring 2018

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I know God is my Lord and Savior. He has shown me time and time again how the Holy Spirit works in my life. He is my Heavenly Father. Faith is how you know. There are so many things in this world we can't explain that can only come from God. However too often we drive ourselves crazy about is God real when he clearly shows us every day when he wakes us up with beautiful sunrises and ends our days with beautiful sunsets. Here is a great article that may help you on your journey - https://bit.ly/2msIedL. Just know God is real, He loves you, His son gave His life up for us so we could be free from sin and death. He is waiting for you to ask Him into your heart. I am praying for you and would be happy to share the struggles I went through in my life that help me know without a shadow of a doubt that God is real, He loves us, and we aren't here on this earth alone. He is always with us. God Bless.
 
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ChristopherHays

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It may be only for them or a symbolism. There is the "don't tempt the Lord your God" though.

God also commands the people to test him in Malachi 3:10. There are dozens of verses that say to rely and trust the promises of God. These snake handlers think they’re showing their faith by trusting in Jesus’ promise that “poison will by no means harm them”
 
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ChristopherHays

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More Christians have been executed as martyrs for their trust and testimony in Jesus,
and more have died as a result of trusting in error an incorrect diagnosis ....
regardless of 'interpretations' .... just the facts.

And more children die every day from birth defects, famine, and natural disasters than the last 1000 years of martyrs combined... it’s not a [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]ing contest but if we’re tallying up numbers than more people die from God’s design than anything else.
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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And more children die every day from birth defects, famine, and natural disasters than the last 1000 years of martyrs combined... it’s not a [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse]ing contest but if we’re tallying up numbers than more people die from God’s design than anything else.
I think you follow the wrong god.

Yahweh's Design is the Way to Eternal Life.

Men are corrupt, and reject Him, and thus die without hope.
 
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ChristopherHays

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Is there a difference in the label 'agnostic', vs 'atheist' ? Or how are they related as far as you know ? (your own view)

As whatever you are, are you searching for truth ? (is that what you mean by "open minded" ? )

I’m Ashiest because I don’t believe in any Gods. I’m Agnostic because I don’t know if there are any Gods. I don’t know for sure but I don’t believe anymore.

I’ll always seek truth. Even if that truth is unpopular and unpleasant. It matters what’s true and it matters why we form our beliefs. I’ve never been afraid to admit when I’m wrong, but Christianity hasn’t given me any reason to believe.
 
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yeshuaslavejeff

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I’m Ashiest because I don’t believe in any Gods. I’m Agnostic because I don’t know if there are any Gods. I don’t know for sure but I don’t believe anymore.

I’ll always seek truth. Even if that truth is unpopular and unpleasant. It matters what’s true and it matters why we form our beliefs. I’ve never been afraid to admit when I’m wrong, but Christianity hasn’t given me any reason to believe.
Likewise a Jewish author who survived the holocaust.... he wrote that he rejected the Jesus of the Christians/Christendom because they had so much wrong and contrary to known Scripture (that the Jews were given by Yahuweh). When someone , an old man in the mountains, told him the truth finally, with and from all Scripture, about the TRUE JESUS, the Scriptural Jesus , and Wurmbrand saw that the old man was living the same truth, and telling the truth, Wurmbrand believed and was immersed in Jesus and was saved.
 
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ChristopherHays

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I think you follow the wrong god.

Yahweh's Design is the Way to Eternal Life.

Men are corrupt, and reject Him, and thus die without hope.


God’s design is for people to live and suffer for a miserably short time and then die. Adam ate a forbidden fruit so God “justly” made my 3 brothers suffer and die from birth defects and genetic disorders as punishment? My sister was born with Down syndrome and a hole in her heart. She needs open heart surgery every few years and suffers pain the rest of us can’t imagine. My mom loves her
children more than anything in the world. Three times she decorated her baby’s room, built a crib and painted murals of teddy bears and zoo animals, three times she knitted quilts with their little names, three times she read bible stories to the precious soul in her womb, and three times she cried out to God as she helplessly stood by their beds and watched their little bodies stop breathing. That’s God’s perfect design? God in all his glory inspired 66 books and NEVER ONCE DOES IT GUARANTEE HEAVEN FOR DEAD CHILDREN. Never once does it make it clear that a child that dies will make it to heaven. We’re left guessing and hoping because that’s all we have left... but no comfort ever comes from God.
 
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