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Fantastical conversion stories

Cormack

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Based upon your own personal experience with Christians, how do you feel about sensational coming to faith stories, are they an absolute inspiration that shows the whole world Gods power in the here and now, or are they a bit of silly, self important fun people are having?

NOTE: I’m not asking about the reality or the nature of conversion, this is more like a survey, by your own experience, how have modern day in person testimonies appeared to you? How have they informed, encouraged or even undermined your faith?
 

Dave L

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Based upon your own personal experience with Christians, how do you feel about sensational coming to faith stories, are they an absolute inspiration that shows the whole world Gods power in the here and now, or are they a bit of silly, self important fun people are having?

NOTE: I’m not asking about the reality or the nature of conversion, this is more like a survey, by your own experience, how have modern day in person testimonies appeared to you? How have they informed, encouraged or even undermined your faith?
It comes down to experience. If you experienced a supernatural conversion to Christ that many have not, it could be seen as false. But if it checks out with scripture and remains through the test of time, it's hard to doubt its integrity.
 
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disciple Clint

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It comes down to experience. If you experienced a supernatural conversion to Christ that many have not, it could be seen as false. But if it checks out with scripture and remains through the test of time, it's hard to doubt its integrity.
Sorry Dave I intended to respond to the OP not your post.
 
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Dave L

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It would seem to me that it is of little to no importance what I think about the validity of a person's conversion, however it absolutely significant what they think about the validity of their conversion experience. Why would I look at someone and presume to evaluate their experience with God. What gives me the right to judge?
It's all about the experience and the evidence it produces.
 
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disciple Clint

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Based upon your own personal experience with Christians, how do you feel about sensational coming to faith stories, are they an absolute inspiration that shows the whole world Gods power in the here and now, or are they a bit of silly, self important fun people are having?

NOTE: I’m not asking about the reality or the nature of conversion, this is more like a survey, by your own experience, how have modern day in person testimonies appeared to you? How have they informed, encouraged or even undermined your faith?
It would seem to me that it is of little to no importance what I think about the validity of a person's conversion, however it absolutely significant what they think about the validity of their conversion experience. Why would I look at someone and presume to evaluate their experience with God. What gives me the right to judge?
 
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dqhall

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Based upon your own personal experience with Christians, how do you feel about sensational coming to faith stories, are they an absolute inspiration that shows the whole world Gods power in the here and now, or are they a bit of silly, self important fun people are having?

NOTE: I’m not asking about the reality or the nature of conversion, this is more like a survey, by your own experience, how have modern day in person testimonies appeared to you? How have they informed, encouraged or even undermined your faith?
I liked to read stories about miraculous healings and conversion. My mother used to pay for a Guideposts subscription for me. Some of the articles seemed true and useful for consideration.

I remember a video I found on the Internet that has since disappeared from the search indexes. A Jewish man living in a kibbutz in the Golan Heights had a bad back. He went for surgery and went home paralyzed from the waist down. He spent his days in bed watching TV. He knew some Arabic and started watching the evangelical show, “The 700 Club.” It was transmitted from Damascus or somewhere near there in Arabic. One day the man on TV said, “You will be healed (of paralysis?) I can not remember the exact words attached to this phrase. The paralyzed man got out of his bed. He started to tell people about Jesus. They made he and his wife move out of the kibbutz. They eventually immigrated to the United States and he became a pastor.
 
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Cormack

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It comes down to experience. If you experienced a supernatural conversion to Christ that many have not, it could be seen as false. But if it checks out with scripture and remains through the test of time, it's hard to doubt its integrity.

mmhmm, but I’m meaning along the lines of things you have to hear in the community. Not epistemological type things we know by experience, they’re things that we know we know.

I’m thinking more along the lines of videos titled “PASTOR GOES TO HELL AND RETURNS” or a tall tale of conversion you’ll hear at church.

Are stories like those a net benefit, are they helping or hurting the church. Are they friend or just friendly fire? :tearsofjoy:
 
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Cormack

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Why would I look at someone and presume to evaluate their experience with God. What gives me the right to judge?

Well in the case of many people telling a conversion story, they give you the right to judge. They produce their story as an encouraging testimony, or something to marvel at. They’re asking the audience to judge where you stand in light of their story.

So my question is how have you felt about those stories in general? Are they incredible tales you assume the truth of and feel empowered by, or not so much.

I’m asking about the fantastical stories, the larger than life stories.
 
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Dave L

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mmhmm, but I’m meaning along the lines of things you have to hear in the community. Not epistemological type things we know by experience, they’re things that we know we know.

I’m thinking more along the lines of videos titled “PASTOR GOES TO HELL AND RETURNS” or a tall tale of conversion you’ll hear at church.

Are stories like those a net benefit, are they helping or hurting the church. Are they friend or just friendly fire? :tearsofjoy:
It comes down to experience aligning with scripture.
 
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Ophiolite

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Well in the case of many people telling a conversion story, they give you the right to judge. They produce their story as an encouraging testimony, or something to marvel at. They’re asking the audience to judge where you stand in light of their story.

So my question is how have you felt about those stories in general? Are they incredible tales you assume the truth of and feel empowered by, or not so much.

I’m asking about the fantastical stories, the larger than life stories.
I find them sad. I cannot help but be impressed by the sincerity and depth of belief of the converted. Unfortunately, the tales and their manner of telling scream gullibility at 120 decibels. The complete lack of critical analysis may be fine for those seeking comfort in their beliefs, but it is an active discouragement to belief for agnostics seeking 'truth'.
 
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Joyous Song

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I have several but I think I give this one about a friend who lost faith because of her families hypocrisy, her former husband cultic allegiance, and her hard life. To make this short, my husband and I assisted her whenever she needed this so in time she began to ask is questions on Christ. The first I remember was that her husband said some passage in the Gospel (I forget which) said with faith we can have everything. Not faith in G-d but faith in self.

So she asked me if this was true, I opened my Bible and read that passage in context that clearly had faith in G-d not just faith however we plan to define it. That was a start and after she would ask more questions and I always answered her because she was my friend. The I caught Phenomena, I was so sick I could not talk and it was then she faced a crisis and needed help.

Her husband was really scaring her so she called our home, and because I was sick My husband answered. Once she knew I could not talk to me she poured out her fears and hopelessness, Corey replied she should pray. she asked, "pray to whom" and Corey said, "Pray to the G-d of Abraham, Isaak and Jacob."

She did and felt at peace afterward so when her husband was having soon after terrible troubles she mentioned only that he should pray to the G-d of Abraham, Isaak and Jacob, but not whom said that. He growled, "who you been speaking to Corey?"

This sunned and terrified her because she had never spoken to Corey before that time, only me, so how did he know?

Well he divorced her and soon she found herself in extreme poverty. She could get food from food bank but not toiletries, and she was running out and had no money coming in. So she packed both crying babies into her car and drove around in the rain to put them asleep so she could pray. She drove around aimlessly when suddenly she heard in her head: "stop, and pull to the side."

So she did, A large heavily illuminated house stood there and in front of this were several bags of garbage. She sat thee wondering if she was going crazy and heard, "Get out." It was so clear she did into the pouring rain. Both girls miraculously slept through all of this. So once she was getting soaked and was outside her car she heard, "open a big", so she did, it was full of toiletries: shampoo, conditioner, toilet paper, soap, everything she needed!

she closed that bag quickly then made her way to the house and knocked. When they answered she asked about the bags and they said, "Those belonged to my father, we don't want them, all those bags are free for the taking."
So she went back and piled those bags into her car and that stuff lasted up to when she got a good paying job.

Needless to say she found a church for fellowship soon after this miracle.
 
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bèlla

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It would seem to me that it is of little to no importance what I think about the validity of a person's conversion, however it absolutely significant what they think about the validity of their conversion experience. Why would I look at someone and presume to evaluate their experience with God. What gives me the right to judge?

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. —Isaiah 55:8

Many desire to place God in a box. But He isn’t hindered by our limited thinking. My homecoming was very unorthodox. The hardships made me stronger. I’m better because I suffered. I don’t believe in God. I know Him. He delivered me.

I have never doubted His existence. Never questioned His love. Never felt He’d leave me hanging.

Because I know better. I’ve lived it. I wouldn’t trade that knowing for ‘acceptable’ experiences to appease the masses.

Pretty is rarely powerful.

David said, Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle.

He suffered much and was a man after God’s own heart. No one else can say the same. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart.

Yours in His Service,

~bella
 
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essentialsaltes

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Based upon your own personal experience with Christians, ... how have modern day in person testimonies appeared to you?

I don't know that anyone has ever done such a strange thing in my presence. Even when I lived in the Midwest and the first question people asked of new people in town was 'What church do you go to?' I don't think anyone ever told a 'coming to faith' story.

For the larger than life, too fantastic to be true stories. Well... if it's too fantastic to be true, it isn't. People like Mike Warnke were obviously liars, and so he turned out to be. But he made a good career out of fleecing the gullible, and I'm sure he's not alone.
 
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Sketcher

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Define "sensational." Former alcoholics and/or drug addicts getting their lives on the straight and narrow after finding life in Christ? Former occultists leaving it all and following Christ? Convicts who encountered Christ while they were doing their time, and who have educated people so that they do not themselves become victims of similar crimes? I personally know Christians who came from these backgrounds. Yes, I've also read some fantastical-sounding testimonies on the Internet from people who claim this and more, but the Christians I know whom I have called friends whom I have no reason to disbelieve that they came from some bad places: They're not writing books, they're not highly paid guest speakers, you will not find them on the news. I praise the Lord for redeeming them.
 
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