Exploring christianity

[SamTP77]

Dear believers,

I am trying to not worry about the theory of religion but let it grow on me in a spiritual sense. I consider myself a double agnostic who leans towards a belief in a higher power. I go to a couple twelve step groups and they definitely recommend trying to develop a faith with a higher power as a part of it. Also I feel that there is too much a person can't explain without some higher power to help us. Also I feel that life is too hard to get through without some invisible means of support. So there are some reasons why I am trying to be more spiritual. I am going to a catholic church now on the weekend, and feel that in the future I would like to read some material by Kirkegard, but try not to let the theory distract me from growing a faith that makes a little more sense to me this time around. It doesn't have to make perfect sense but a little more than before. One thing is for sure atheism doesn't make perfect sense to me, because things have a way of working out in good time, sometimes I like to believe that God's time is perfect time, in a spiritual sense.

Talk to you soon, I just felt like sharing really,

Sam

 

[bling]

Thank you for sharing.

You are right and that is what I have experienced in my life.

 

[salida]

Great! Feel free to email me if have any questions.

 

[SamTP77]

I appreciate you responding and I feel the best way my faith in Jesus Christ or a higher power will grow is by going to church, praying and going to the support groups.

Take care,

Sam

 

[razeontherock]

Actually, the BEST way your Faith will grow is by reading the Bible and being careful "how you hear it." IOW, prepare your heart by asking G-d Himself to speak to you through it.

It will literally come alive!!

 

[oi_antz]

Dear believers,

I am trying to not worry about the theory of religion but let it grow on me in a spiritual sense. I consider myself a double agnostic who leans towards a belief in a higher power. I go to a couple twelve step groups and they definitely recommend trying to develop a faith with a higher power as a part of it. Also I feel that there is too much a person can't explain without some higher power to help us. Also I feel that life is too hard to get through without some invisible means of support. So there are some reasons why I am trying to be more spiritual. I am going to a catholic church now on the weekend, and feel that in the future I would like to read some material by Kirkegard, but try not to let the theory distract me from growing a faith that makes a little more sense to me this time around. It doesn't have to make perfect sense but a little more than before. One thing is for sure atheism doesn't make perfect sense to me, because things have a way of working out in good time, sometimes I like to believe that God's time is perfect time, in a spiritual sense.

Talk to you soon, I just felt like sharing really,

Sam

Sounds like you're going to have fun, the only thing that will make 100% sense is the truth regardless if we like it or not

 

[Emmy]

Dear SamTP77. May I wish you God`s guidance in your quest. This may also help. Matthew, chapter 22, verses 35-40. Jesus was asked by a Lawyer: " Master, which is the great Commandment in the Law?" Jesus answered him: " Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great Commandment. The second is like unto it: Love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." To love is what God wants from us, selflessly and unconditional. Jesus told us straightforward, easy to understand, and easy to remember. To love like that does not come easy to us, we are capable of love, but more often than not, our love has strings attached, " do this for me, and I gladly reward/repay you." But that is not the love God wants from us, God wants our love freely given, with heart and helping hands. Love God with all our being, and love/treat all we know and meet, as we would like to be loved/treated. Jesus will give us His Love and Joy to share with each other. God will notice our love and bless us richly. Any deed or word, done or said without love, is NOT Christian, and will not have God`s approval. We will stumble and fail often, but God will forgive us as we forgive each other. " Ask and you will receive," that is God`s promise to us. We ask for our Lord`s guidance, in thoughtful prayer, and God will give us His Blessings. I say this humbly and with love, Sam. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[Hiroyuki]

Dear believers,

I am trying to not worry about the theory of religion but let it grow on me in a spiritual sense. I consider myself a double agnostic who leans towards a belief in a higher power. I go to a couple twelve step groups and they definitely recommend trying to develop a faith with a higher power as a part of it. Also I feel that there is too much a person can't explain without some higher power to help us. Also I feel that life is too hard to get through without some invisible means of support. So there are some reasons why I am trying to be more spiritual. I am going to a catholic church now on the weekend, and feel that in the future I would like to read some material by Kirkegard, but try not to let the theory distract me from growing a faith that makes a little more sense to me this time around. It doesn't have to make perfect sense but a little more than before. One thing is for sure atheism doesn't make perfect sense to me, because things have a way of working out in good time, sometimes I like to believe that God's time is perfect time, in a spiritual sense.

Talk to you soon, I just felt like sharing really,

Sam

I was watching "the informant" today and the guy actually had a great thing in there which I think applies to spirituality...

... looking for the quote ...


" When polar bears hunt, they crouch down by a hole in the ice and wait for a seal to pop up. They keep one paw over their nose so that they blend in, because they've got those black noses. They'd blend in perfectly if not for the nose. So the question is, how do they know their noses are black? From looking at other polar bears? Do they see their reflections in the water and think, "I'd be invisible if not for that." That seems like a lot of thinking for a bear. "


I think spirituality is like that, or like my fav love & rockets song, you can't fight against nature because it is your nature still. Something like that.


The gospel is all around...

 

[SamTP77]

Hello everyone,

Thanks for the encouragement. I get what the last poster was saying about the polar bear. It is better to not do all that thinking about ontological arguments, but more or less just trust God on instinct. I mean I think things have a way of working out for the best and God must someway help people and guide humans through prayer. I believe a higher power will help me to do what I must do in the face of my problems.

Sincerely,

Sam

 

[Auburn88]

Dear believers,

I am trying to not worry about the theory of religion but let it grow on me in a spiritual sense. I consider myself a double agnostic who leans towards a belief in a higher power. I go to a couple twelve step groups and they definitely recommend trying to develop a faith with a higher power as a part of it. Also I feel that there is too much a person can't explain without some higher power to help us. Also I feel that life is too hard to get through without some invisible means of support. So there are some reasons why I am trying to be more spiritual. I am going to a catholic church now on the weekend, and feel that in the future I would like to read some material by Kirkegard, but try not to let the theory distract me from growing a faith that makes a little more sense to me this time around. It doesn't have to make perfect sense but a little more than before. One thing is for sure atheism doesn't make perfect sense to me, because things have a way of working out in good time, sometimes I like to believe that God's time is perfect time, in a spiritual sense.

Talk to you soon, I just felt like sharing really,

Sam

The problem with Twelve Step programs is that they see God only as a means to an end. That is, as just a tool to help you kick your addiction. Jesus compared it to cleaning the outside of a cup, as opposed to cleaning the inside of the cup.

You can make the outside look all nice and shiny, but if you don't clean the inside, you're still drinking out of a dirty cup.

The Catholic Church teaches a very similar view of God. In Catholicism, God assigns you a given amount of righteousness (also called infused righteousness) upon completeing a series of rituals (baptism, communion, confession, aboslution, etc) and it's up to you to keep that righteousness by not sinning. If you should happen to sin, which is a given, er...given that you're a sinner, you lose that righteousness and you have to start all over. If you've ever studied Greek mythology, it's a lot like Sisyphus being forced to roll the bolder up the hill, only to have it roll back down to the bottom, every time he approaches the crest of the hill.

The Bible, on the other hand, teaches that we are hopelessly and irrepairably sinful, that there are no rituals and no good works that can save us or make us righteous. In fact, we're told in the Bible that when we try to achieve righteousness by our own efforts, that it is an affront to God. Christ calls us to be born again and to see our old nature crucified and killed through repentence and faith, and to receive a brand new nature through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.

It's only through this that we can ever hope to overcome our sin, to be forgive, reconciled to God and made children of His, and to overcome addictions.

 

[andreha]

Dear believers,

I am trying to not worry about the theory of religion but let it grow on me in a spiritual sense. I consider myself a double agnostic who leans towards a belief in a higher power. I go to a couple twelve step groups and they definitely recommend trying to develop a faith with a higher power as a part of it. Also I feel that there is too much a person can't explain without some higher power to help us. Also I feel that life is too hard to get through without some invisible means of support. So there are some reasons why I am trying to be more spiritual. I am going to a catholic church now on the weekend, and feel that in the future I would like to read some material by Kirkegard, but try not to let the theory distract me from growing a faith that makes a little more sense to me this time around. It doesn't have to make perfect sense but a little more than before. One thing is for sure atheism doesn't make perfect sense to me, because things have a way of working out in good time, sometimes I like to believe that God's time is perfect time, in a spiritual sense.

Talk to you soon, I just felt like sharing really,

Sam

Hi Sam

Thanks for sharing. You can't go wrong with Christianity - that I know for sure. I would have been dead many times were it not for divine intervention. PM me if you'd like me to share.

Andre