Going from atheist to christian

[Oraia]

Out of curiousity. Anyone, or anyone know someone, who was atheist and became christian?

I just don't see how this could happen unless something really epic happened that's quite convincing and like... obviously otherworldly...

I don't believe there's a god, and I can't really see what could change my belief... or lack of belief...

scenario 1: Atheist... that's it

scenario 2: atheist who wants to be christian, wants to believe there is a god, but deep down.. "knows" there isn't a god ("knows" as in.. truly believes there isn't one... can't convince him/her self into believing)


so from a christian standpoint... is the person in both these scenarios screwed? doomed to spend eternity in hell after death?

.....

I want to add a 1B and a 2B .... in the 'B' Scenarios, they both go through life being very generous and helping others... just a down right good person...


thought of a 2C.... this person goes through all the things like going to church, praying, doing whatever christians do to express faith and praise god, but still thinks/believes that nothing will really come of it because this person doesn't believe there's a god...

so yeah. I'm just very curious how this is....

 

[freeport]

Out of curiousity. Anyone, or anyone know someone, who was atheist and became christian?

I just don't see how this could happen unless something really epic happened that's quite convincing and like... obviously otherworldly...

I don't believe there's a god, and I can't really see what could change my belief... or lack of belief...

scenario 1: Atheist... that's it

scenario 2: atheist who wants to be christian, wants to believe there is a god, but deep down.. "knows" there isn't a god ("knows" as in.. truly believes there isn't one... can't convince him/her self into believing)


so from a christian standpoint... is the person in both these scenarios screwed? doomed to spend eternity in hell after death?

.....

I want to add a 1B and a 2B .... in the 'B' Scenarios, they both go through life being very generous and helping others... just a down right good person...


thought of a 2C.... this person goes through all the things like going to church, praying, doing whatever christians do to express faith and praise god, but still thinks/believes that nothing will really come of it because this person doesn't believe there's a god...

so yeah. I'm just very curious how this is....

I have actually been thinking on how likely it is the message of Jesus succeeded in becoming the dominant religion of the most modern, powerful nations on the planet.

The Pharisees actually hoped to completely extinguish his message when they killed him. And a countless throng of Christians continued in that vein over the millenia, being put to death.

Some today, say, "Well, people believe because it makes them have hope in an evil world". But, these people are ignorant of the work of the Christians who bravely went to their death for the message. They met resistance everyday and expected persecution of every manner, which they did receive.

Regardless, as for atheists turning their hearts: you have an outsider's view of Christianity, seeing it in some dim and distant words people say, and thinking of it as a sequence of deeds. That is not the Christian faith at all.

The Christian faith is a spiritual experience, one is literally born again inwardly and given the Spirit of God which testifies to the truthfulness of the message. This is not seen by the outsider world. This is why Jesus said, "Do not think the Kingdom of Heaven comes by careful observation".

It does not.

By all appearances, Jesus was just a simple carpenter his first thirty years. Even his mother and brothers did not believe him at the time, though his mother witnessed so many signs and miracles and was the one who triggered his ministry by saying at the wedding, "Do whatever he says".

What is our state of existence? It is a heart of quietness, of peace, of abounding joy: it is awesomeness which is not found in any material things. It is knowledge of the Eternal God.

The Spirit of God in our hearts testifies of eternal life. Eternal life we already know.

So, yes, I have seen atheists change their heart by the grace of God and be born again as new creatures.

But that is not something of earth that people can accept it: unless God has led them to it and enabled their heart to believe. It is of Heaven.

It is a hidden city, completely hidden from the world, of which we are citizens.

 

[drich0150]

so from a christian standpoint... is the person in both these scenarios screwed?

The issue lies in the acceptance of one type of "faith" and meticulous dissection of another, especially when one's own faith can not hold up to the same type of scrutiny based the "other" faith.

Meaning a person from a strong faith in science and history will take their academic weights and measures, and attempt to use them to measure God. and yet will fail to acknowledge the fact that these weights and measures weren't ever designed to measure God.. In fact, one could argue they were designed to exclude God.

It's like trying to use a bathroom scale to measure a gas. The scale was never designed to measure a gas. That being the case, just because the scale can't measure a gas doesn't mean Gases don't exist. So why would you look for "proof" in a academic system designed to exclude or to brush aside any evidence that can be presented? That is unless your looking for God to bend Himself in a manor to be measured or limited in such away that we could catalog Him.. At which point he ceases to be God...

If you truly seek God then go to Him in Prayer. Tell Him you know that your a sinner and tell him you know that it is through Jesus's blood that sinners are saved.. Then ask him to show you what that means. Ask him to open your eyes so that you may see, open your ears that you may hear, and ask him to clear out your heart that you may except these new revelations, and keep asking till you get what you want.. From there you will be able to find your own way.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Here is a story of a man who was an athiest who had an encounter with God and became a born again Christian, so it does happen.

http://www.aglimpseofeternity.org/content/pages/documents/1206980519.pdf

He had God talk directly to him, as he was dying. This is why I think your arguments about the good athiest, and the good doubter are not valid; because God always provides enough proof for a person to believe, even if at the moment there is not enough proof. I have plenty of proof that God exists but it takes a mind that is open to recieve it. I have had a lot of people mock me when I share my stories, but I know it is not because the stories have no foundation, many believers have praised God when they have heard them. You as an athiest need to open up your thinking to allow the truth to impact you. Read that link as a starter, it willl reveal what death is like. If you want to I will share my stories with you, but if I do I want you too aproach it with a serious mind.

 

[Van]

Hi Oraia, yes it appears if a person is an "athiest" they will not seek God. To be clear, the "athiest" I am talking about is one who has heard the gospel of Christ and rejected it.

In Matthew 13, Jesus talks about how people with different backgrounds respond to the gospel. The first type of person has so hardened his or her heart so as to not allow the message to be understood. Thus Matthew 13:19 says they do not get it, with the it being mercy. But that does not mean they are screwed, meaning they receive unjust treatment in hell. They get perfect justice in the afterlife, no more and no less. And as you pointed out, they lived their life, being the best they could be and therefore minimized the wrath they stored up for themselves.

Now in Scenario #2, there is hope. With cultivation, planting and watering, perhaps of a long period of time, the person could come to believe in God. But one thing is for certain, if you do not believe in the One who sent Jesus, you will not be able to believe in Jesus.

 

[Hentenza]

Out of curiousity. Anyone, or anyone know someone, who was atheist and became christian?

I just don't see how this could happen unless something really epic happened that's quite convincing and like... obviously otherworldly...

I don't believe there's a god, and I can't really see what could change my belief... or lack of belief...

scenario 1: Atheist... that's it

scenario 2: atheist who wants to be christian, wants to believe there is a god, but deep down.. "knows" there isn't a god ("knows" as in.. truly believes there isn't one... can't convince him/her self into believing)


so from a christian standpoint... is the person in both these scenarios screwed? doomed to spend eternity in hell after death?

.....

I want to add a 1B and a 2B .... in the 'B' Scenarios, they both go through life being very generous and helping others... just a down right good person...


thought of a 2C.... this person goes through all the things like going to church, praying, doing whatever christians do to express faith and praise god, but still thinks/believes that nothing will really come of it because this person doesn't believe there's a god...

so yeah. I'm just very curious how this is....

CS. Lewis, Lee Stroebel, and me. God calls all. You'll get your call. What you do then is up to you.

 

[Oraia]

I've said this somewhere..not in this thread... don't remember where, but I believe that doing isn't believing... it may be trying, but I don't think someone can believe something unless theyre ... ya know... convinced...... Can't think of a good example, but first thing I can think of is....

say a friend has a brand new ps3. you ask 'em when he got it. he says he built it out of random stuff lying around the house in about 3 hours... (like I said not a good example) but the point is.. you wouldn't believe him right? so you don't believe him......then he shows you a video of this 3-hour project as well as the insides of this ps3, now you're convinced and believe him yeah?

I don't think what one believes is really something humans have control over(well they do sorta to some extent), don't beliefs rely largely on external stimuli that one is exposed to?

Anyway my thoughts are leading myself to answering my own question, which is that my researching this stuff, I'll be lead to realizing that god does exist(if in my mind that is true)

I've been atheist for several years... and from reading just a bit and ... doing drugs... hah.. nothing too bad...salvia divinorum(not advocating it, but not puting it down either) Anyway, After some thinking... well I'm agnostic for the time being...

I've read that time and space is a creation of god and god is therefore separate and not limited by it. I've always thought of the universe and reality to be nearly the same thing, and figured that something cannot exist outside the universe/reality, unless its... well .. fake

I had about a 4minute trip on 20X Salvia and I thought I was ejected from the universe(I've actually had like 5 trips where I was removed form the universe) and on this specific trip, I saw an infinite number of books and one book opened to a page, this page turned out to be our universe and i apparently was in charge of turning this page (starting and ending the universe) Some female voice was very angry at me wondering why I was taking so long... I then noticed other open books the pages flipping constantly....

(forgot to mention there didn't seem to be any physical forms except these books, I was I guess just a conscience...)

Anyway the page I was supposed to be flipping was turning very very very slowly as I was thinking... wow.. my 18 years of life was ... practically meaningless... basically not real as far as I'm concerned now...

Point of the story: I saw an example of how there can be 'being' outside the universe...(lol it's probably stupid to mention how drugs inspired me)

Even then, I wonder, where would god have come from.... he always is always was and always will be, cannot be created, nor destroyed...

The same can be said about energy in the universe, always is always was and always will be, cannot be created, nor destroyed...


I can see three ... rationalizations...lack of a better word...
god created the universe
god is the universe
the universe(or rather humans in the universe) created god...

either way an absolute origin is unknown, except the concept of 'always was'


Wow sorry for the wall of text... I like your sig btw hentenza

 

[2 King]

Unkern is right. BTW, who is that in the picture?

 

[Sketcher]

Famous people?

List of people who converted to Christianity - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I don't know all those names, but I wouldn't count Larry Flynt.

As for non-famous people, there are some on CF.

 

[Oraia]

I'm not looking for a list of people or a number of people that have converted to christianity... It doesn't even necessarily need to be christianity now that I think about it.

I'm curious about reason behind people who believed themselves to be adamant in thinking there is no god into thinking otherwise.

 

[andreha]

I'm not looking for a list of people or a number of people that have converted to christianity... It doesn't even necessarily need to be christianity now that I think about it.

I'm curious about reason behind people who believed themselves to be adamant in thinking there is no god into thinking otherwise.

Well, when I was 5 years old, I had no idea about the existense of God, Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit. All that changed dramatically when forces of evil started tormenting me in my bed at night and I called for Jesus to help me - after my first grade teached told me about Him. I received insight into the spiritual realms, in a way that I'll never forget as long as I live. I started talking to the Spirit of God at that age. He still is my best friend on earth.

 

[freeport]

I'm not looking for a list of people or a number of people that have converted to christianity... It doesn't even necessarily need to be christianity now that I think about it.

I'm curious about reason behind people who believed themselves to be adamant in thinking there is no god into thinking otherwise.

Atheists are all sorts, I find it hard to believe anyone is hard core not believing there is a God. A lot of atheists I talk to are simply angry at God, "if there is a God of love, how come the world is so evil".

Frankly, I can't imagine ever "not existing". I find that bizarre and impossible.

Maybe there is some wall.

But, again, conversion is spiritual. One becomes a new creature.

Atheists are not special, actually Pharisee sorts are the hardest change converts: guys like who Saul was who have a ton of wrong ideas about God.

God is philosophy neutral. Some came from all sorts of beliefs. The Spiritual change is literal, it is not some hand waving. It must appear that way to those who have not been born again.

 

[Sketcher]

I'm not looking for a list of people or a number of people that have converted to christianity... It doesn't even necessarily need to be christianity now that I think about it.

I'm curious about reason behind people who believed themselves to be adamant in thinking there is no god into thinking otherwise.

People like CS Lewis, Lee Strobel, and Josh McDowell have talked about it in their books. I'm sure there are others on that list who have publicly talked about it.

 

[mg0086]

I was an atheist....one of the most reluctant converts ever. (Thank you C.S. Lewis)

Those who don't give God a fighting chance never find proof he's there. Those who do (give faith a fighting chance), find all the increminating evidence they need to hold that he is there....and wouldn't dream of calling themselves atheist...

I gave faith a fighting chance because the overwhelming lonelyness was killing me (literally). I also have 10 million other reasons to believe (I've had many prayers answered, seen miracles performed, etc., etc., etc.). I'm far happier being a christian than I ever was an atheist......hm....i wonder why....

 

[sk8Joyful]

I'm curious about the reason,
behind people who believed themselves to be adamant in thinking there is no god, into thinking otherwise.

Well, in this thread > Exploring Christianity
Who or what is Jesus, how do I find Him? -

in post#9, I gave the "reason" as you call it. That being that
GOD, as Jesus Christ, imprinted our Individual soul, prior to our mortal conception, such that when we are searching eanestly... we REcognize His Signature inside our soul, inside our Learning-mind, & verily inside each of our stemcells... - You see, GOD is always nearby, such that all you need do, is simply INVITE God to stay, Accept Him as your personal Creator~Father~Teacher~Savior~mentor~Best-friend~&~Resurrector; and following in GOD's footsteps, you are home Free...

In this eternally blissful journey, I do wish you Oraia well

 

[98cwitr]

Out of curiousity. Anyone, or anyone know someone, who was atheist and became christian?

yeah...me

 

[traditionalist]

Hi Oraia!

I was an adamant Athiest for most my life. I remember when my little brothers school started having a compulsory religious studies class once a week (my brother is quite younger than me) I was one of the ones standing infront of the school protesting.

I come from a large family of athiests, Im the only christian.

There was no real defining moment in my life when I changed my mind. I didnt go through a life changing situation, I had a good job, a wonderful relationship. I was very happy. Most born again christians have a specific date that they can tell you when they converted, I cant. I can just remember realising that God was already in my life, I was just to stubborn to admit it.

Thinking back I started changing my mind when I started visiting new places. My job was as an outdoor instructor so I was visiting remote and beautiful places regulalry. I was amazed at how breathtaking creation can be. I couldnt work out why this would be the case, how I could feel such wonder. Evolution or Athiesm cant account for the beauty in this world.

I was also pretty heavily debating the christians that I knew at work. For a debate to work properly you need to research the other point of view as well, otherwise its just a shouting match with your fingers in your ears. To debate efficiently you need to also listen.

I found that slowly I was starting to agree with what they had to say. By reading parts of the bible I came to understand that most concepts I had about christianity was misconceptions. Now I am a christian I look back at the arguments I used and the arguments that are now used against me and can see that most of the time they are baseless.

For example Athiestic scientist argue that religion has no place in science, that as religion is based on faith it can not be defined by scientific methods. This is used to contradict any scientific explanation that apologetics make.

Yet on the next moment the same scientists turn around and proclaim that science can prove that God doesnt exist.

when you take a step back you can see the hypocritical nature of these statements. A lot of the time athiests use there own rules to a game that they dont let religious people play.

 

[ephraimanesti]

Out of curiousity. Anyone, or anyone know someone, who was atheist and became christian?

I just don't see how this could happen unless something really epic happened that's quite convincing and like... obviously otherworldly...

MY FRIEND,

Actually, the majority of Christianity's greatest Saints were once atheists. A good example is St. Augustine. i would strongly suggest you read his most famous book--THE CONFESSIONS OF ST. AUGUSTINE--to see how the process of conversion worked in his case.

A BOND-SLAVE/FRIEND/BROTHER OF OUR LORD/GOD/SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST,
ephraim

 

[FranJ]

From someone who considered themself a solid aethiest to someone who isn't so sure, this is how it goes... it's a personal thing, I'm sure it must be different for everyone.

I recently remarried, we're both huge musos and I have a mix of christian and v non-christian friends who all came. People knew we were having a live band. Somewhere along the way (I think my husband telling people enthusastically that there was an underlying rock theme), people got the impression that there was a dress code. I was completely shocked (huge understatement) to be met by a sea of people in black and my soon-to-be husband sporting rock boots with satanic imigary. Even my Christian friends were all in black. I had no issue at all with a civil wedding (I dont think you should marry in church unless you are Christian), but this was something entirely different.

So why was I bothered? I realised that if I was an aethiest it shouldn't matter in the slightest, but this actually frightened me, and in that I recognised that I believe there is a force for evil, so why not God?

Not exactly emphatic, no bolt of lightening or wierd experience - just a true example of how an aethiest (and having been for 20yrs) had a bit of a wake up call.