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Dear Aman,Dear Davian, Yes, but I don't agree that the Spirit of Love is to be feared. Respected, yes, but Satan is the god of fear, and not Jesus. Also, the soul is NOT tortured forever since the soul is the living breath from God. When the sinner is righteously convicted of being evil and cast into the Lake of Fire, he is in the Hands of God. Jesus said:
Mat 10:28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear Him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
God, being merciful, will withdraw His breath and allow the sinner to die, and be left in the burned out Cosmos we know today. Those who respect Him will pray for Him to cut short their terrible misery, which they deserve, and He will. How long they suffer is their own decision. God Bless you.
In Love,
Aman
This doesn't quite match your original story that you had been studying religion seriously since you were 8 and rejected it based on solid analysis ever since. You are 18 so your church experience is recent. And that isn't abuse btw. That is just you disagreeing with their style or content.
This has happened 4 times, different sects of Christianity each time.
Only 4?
Almost every sect will be living in destructive error... Jesus said that the vast majority will.
Matthew 7:13-14
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate
and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and
many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow
the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
Jesus was saying that as a warning to believers. Not unbelievers. He knew what was coming down the road for them. Most believers who will be in heaven someday are not living the Christian way of life. Only a few are.
2 Timothy 4:3
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they
will gather around them a great number of teachers
to say what their itching ears want to hear.
We can see that manifested everywhere today.
There will always be a few independent autonomous churches that have pastors who are educated in the original languages and have developed skills in study that reveal integrity of thought. Most other pastors simply are looking to preach to the choir and will have something to say that will appeal to the natural inclinations of the type of person they attract to their church.
Only 4 was just scratching the surface. Most churches believe Jesus died on the Cross for their sins. Then, after that? Its a free for all. Few find it.
I live in an area with a lot of churches, so again I will mention that I was essentially driven out of 4 of them.
They weren't all the same year, I get a scared period after each incident.
Timeline: age 13 baptist church, went to the church of my late grandmother to cope with the loss of two relatives in the same month (both a great grandmother and my grandmother on my dad's side). I respected both women greatly, and I have many strong female figures in my life. I stayed a member for about 2 months I think before the sexism upset me so greatly I could no longer take it.
The closest I got to that was playing in a band for CYO dances. They did not kick us out. But, they did kick out one band that was singing dirty words to a song.Age 15, you already know that one.
Methodists can be very sweet, as long as you think the answer is doing good works as the means to be a Christian. The originators of the social gospel.Age 16, Methodist, this is the church I stayed in the longest, a bit over half a year. A new extremist member joined the church and began to harass the more moderate people, myself included. I wasn't the only one to leave.
So did you leave any other place when some guy hit on you? At work? School?Age 16-17, sought out a new church after leaving the Methodist one, decided on Nondenominational. Can't remember how long I was there, not too long, a creepy guy kept hitting on me and tried to follow me home.
Thankfully, my step-dad was picking me up and was able to get that guy to stay away. I never went back. Interestingly, the people there were pretty ok with me being undecided, that creeper just ruined it.
You can choose to believe what I said of not, but I honestly gave religion all I could. Atheism is really depressing to me.
If you do not have a certain mind set, the Baptist will make you want to leave in a hurry.
The closest I got to that was playing in a band for CYO dances. They did not kick us out. But, they did kick out one band that was singing dirty words to a song.
Methodists can be very sweet, as long as you think the answer is doing good works as the means to be a Christian. The originators of the social gospel.
So did you leave any other place when some guy hit on you? At work? School?
If I gave up that soon, I would now be posting as an atheist, too. Many things in mainstream churches are simply for people looking for a place where they can feel at home and unchallenged with their own convictions. Any pastor worth his salt will challenge your natural way of seeing things. The Spirit opposes the flesh. In most churches their human viewpoint wants to pamper the flesh of those so inclined religiously so they can have a nice collection.
Curious..Are you a very shy person by nature when around people? Obviously, you are not while sitting in front of your monitor.
I have a social disorder, being able to communicate with people indirectly helps a lot.
Yes, I have had stalkers in other contexts, I no longer even use my real picture in forums because of stalking. I guess I am attractive
Are you sure it wasn't your social disorder contributing to your experience?
She has been honest with us. I think you should drop it now..
I would rarely speak unless directly addressed, and it isn't as if I can ignore people when they ask me direct questions, nor do I feel it is right to lie.
Perhaps my social disorder didn't help, but I always tried to be respectful. To be honest I don't know if that was the root of the issue or not.
It might have contributed. I have a mental illness, and it makes church life hell.
You've read more into my post than what was there.
It might have contributed. I have a mental illness, and it makes church life hell.
Then how is it a conversation?
I asked, can you get an answer that might demonstrate that it is not simply a product of your imagination? No?
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