[MOVED] Hello. I need answers.

[Donkky12]

https://www.christianforums.com/forums/christian-apologetics-center.237/

Unfortunately, I do not have permission to view this forum

 

[Job3315]

An immense thank you to you, job3315. I have read every word of yours and i will re-read to try to digest everything. See you around the forums as i continue to learn!

My pleasure! Let me know if you have any questions! =D

 

[Donkky12]

Welcome. Here is the forum you need amongst the many others.
Christian Advice

Is this where I can ask questions about "Why is there evil", "Why does evil people triumph (Like murderers getting away with murders etc.?"

 

[coffee4u]

Hi all,

I'm going to be as honest as possible. I joined this forum as I came across Hillsong United on Youtube. I love their songs, I'm not sure why but it always keeps me calm/relax and sort of motivational. However, I'm not sure about Christianity. I hope I don't offend anyone here, I just want to ask some questions so i can learn more. Maybe these are common questions, I've searched online but doesn't seem to find the answer I want.

There are so many gods in this world. I used to go to church a few years back, believed in Jesus and then, somehow, this faith sort of depleted. Although, when i was worshipping (I guess?) during service, i felt a sense of peacefulness. On the other hand, I met my wife, who is a Buddhist. I went to the temple, and I felt calm and relaxed there too. I met a monk through this journey, he could actually somehow, fortune tell in a sense. (For instance, he knew how my mother look like as he described some distinctive features and also the number of siblings I had. I had a friend with me and the monk knew that my friend's wife has skin disease too). We have never met this monk and it was an impromptu decision to meet him. There is no way he could have known these information. He got me shocked, scared and somehow inclined to believe in Buddhism. And then i started thinking, each religion has so many believable information. Hence, the big question is - Why is Christianity the one?

I really want to believe, feel calm, feel cleansed etc., in a sense, to clean my soul to find inner peace with everything happening around me. Yes, if i read about religion, join service, listen to worship songs etc. i will feel calm. But how do i know it's not just the words that are getting to me just like how motivational music or meditation sounds makes me calm and it's actually Jesus or the holy spirit doing their work? Additionally, there are verses in the bible such as "Fathers, do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged." to guide us to how we act around others/loved ones. What if Jesus is just a very good philosopher or thinker that wrote a guide (the bible) to influence us. How do I know God actually exists and not someone Jesus created to bind us to his philosophy?

Again, I hope i didn't offend anyone with the words, if i did, it's unintentionally and I am sorry but I just want to learn more and hopefully stick around for a long time. Thank you!

Welcome to CF.

Intros probably isn't the best place to ask questions like this since a lot of people wouldn't be looking here for it, if you know what I mean, it's more for saying Hi.

But since I am a Christian and I have seen your question I will try and answer.
Since you have had a few experiences I want to put those into context.

I think the first thing to know is that there is a spiritual realm. God says that there is of course himself but that he also made angels. Angels are helpers doing Gods work. One wanted to be God, called Satan and he and those with him fell. We call the fallen angels demons.
Man is body, soul and spirit. The spirit knows that there is a spiritual realm but it's corrupted. Our spirit wants to commune with God but it can be confusing.
God tells us that because of the corruption of our spirit that the only way to be cleaned is by Jesus. When we ask Jesus to take our sins and turn to him as God, in that moment our sins are lifted and we are saved through his blood.
The trouble is the spirit world containing Satan and demons does not want you to discover this, they want to mislead you down as many paths as possible so they try and stir your mind and spirit into believing in the wrong things and one way they do this is with lying signs and wonders.

I met a monk through this journey, he could actually somehow, fortune tell in a sense. (For instance, he knew how my mother look like as he described some distinctive features and also the number of siblings I had. I had a friend with me and the monk knew that my friend's wife has skin disease too). We have never met this monk and it was an impromptu decision to meet him. There is no way he could have known these information. He got me shocked, scared and somehow inclined to believe in Buddhism.

Here both your mind and spirit got stirred by the spiritual realm. So yes I do believe this man could see things that he should not be able to and he did so (unknowingly would be my guess) through the power of a demon. We know that regular people have no powers like this, which means it comes from the spiritual realm. God strictly forbids us contacting the spiritual realm through other religions or things like Ouija board boards because he knows the spirit realm will answer- the demonic side. Not that you will know that because God tells us that Satan will disguise himself as an angel of light.

When you went to that church some years back and felt at peace your mind and spirit were touched then as well.

Only God came down as Jesus to lay down his life for you. No other religion offers you complete, undeserved forgiveness. But just know there is a counterfit side with many shades to it and it will try to appeal to your mind and spirit.

This passage is about Elijah one of God's Old testament profits.
1 Kings 19:11-13
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.
God was teaching him to pay attention to the small and the quiet because most times this is how you meet God.

Jesus claimed to God so this either means he was mad, evil or telling the truth. There is no room in that claim to say that he was only a great teacher because a great teacher would not claim to be God.

Some things to think about.

 

[Donkky12]

Welcome to CF.

Intros probably isn't the best place to ask questions like this since a lot of people wouldn't be looking here for it, if you know what I mean, it's more for saying Hi.

But since I am a Christian and I have seen your question I will try and answer.
Since you have had a few experiences I want to put those into context.

I think the first thing to know is that there is a spiritual realm. God says that there is of course himself but that he also made angels. Angels are helpers doing Gods work. One wanted to be God, called Satan and he and those with him fell. We call the fallen angels demons.
Man is body, soul and spirit. The spirit knows that there is a spiritual realm but it's corrupted. Our spirit wants to commune with God but it can be confusing.
God tells us that because of the corruption of our spirit that the only way to be cleaned is by Jesus. When we ask Jesus to take our sins and turn to him as God, in that moment our sins are lifted and we are saved through his blood.
The trouble is the spirit world containing Satan and demons does not want you to discover this, they want to mislead you down as many paths as possible so they try and stir your mind and spirit into believing in the wrong things and one way they do this is with lying signs and wonders.



Here both your mind and spirit got stirred by the spiritual realm. So yes I do believe this man could see things that he should not be able to and he did so (unknowingly would be my guess) through the power of a demon. We know that regular people have no powers like this, which means it comes from the spiritual realm. God strictly forbids us contacting the spiritual realm through other religions or things like Ouija board boards because he knows the spirit realm will answer- the demonic side. Not that you will know that because God tells us that Satan will disguise himself as an angel of light.

When you went to that church some years back and felt at peace your mind and spirit were touched then as well.

Only God came down as Jesus to lay down his life for you. No other religion offers you complete, undeserved forgiveness. But just know there is a counterfit side with many shades to it and it will try to appeal to your mind and spirit.

This passage is about Elijah one of God's Old testament profits.
1 Kings 19:11-13
11 Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

13 So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle and went out and stood in the entrance of the cave.
God was teaching him to pay attention to the small and the quiet because most times this is how you meet God.

Jesus claimed to God so this either means he was mad, evil or telling the truth. There is no room in that claim to say that he was only a great teacher because a great teacher would not claim to be God.

Some things to think about.

Definitely got me thinking. Putting it into my personal experiences definitely helps me to comprehend my experiences better. Appreciate it.

Agree that intro should be a place of discussion/debate, I got what you mean. My curiosity got the better of me and I couldn't help but to keep asking. Which forum should I direct my future questions to? This forum is huge

 

[coffee4u]

Definitely got me thinking. Putting it into my personal experiences definitely helps me to comprehend my experiences better. Appreciate it.

Agree that intro should be a place of discussion/debate, I got what you mean. My curiosity got the better of me and I couldn't help but to keep asking. Which forum should I direct my future questions to? This forum is huge

Most areas are closed to non-Christians posting but there is the outreach section
Outreach | Christian Forums
In there are the child board
Exploring Christianity

 

[coffee4u]

Definitely got me thinking. Putting it into my personal experiences definitely helps me to comprehend my experiences better. Appreciate it.

Agree that intro should be a place of discussion/debate, I got what you mean. My curiosity got the better of me and I couldn't help but to keep asking. Which forum should I direct my future questions to? This forum is huge

Just be aware it is open to everyone of any faith or non-faith.

feel free to pm me with questions if you feel a need.

 

[Donkky12]

Most areas are closed to non-Christians posting but there is the outreach section
Outreach | Christian Forums
In there are the child board
Exploring Christianity

Can I change my info to Christian in the future on the forum so i can have access? Or do i actually have to be baptised to convert myself before I submit a ticket to change my account info?

 

[Anhelyna]

Raise a ticket and talk about that with the Senior Staff - I'm sure they will be able to assist you

 

[ewq1938]

 

[Deade]

Hello Donkky12,
welcome to CF.

I hope you'll enjoy your stay here.

 

[SirHash]

Hey Donky, I'm way late to this party, but I can be concise.
I encourage you to check out the book Mere Christianity by CS Lewis. Also, anything by Michael Franzese--the condensed version I heard from him speaking was that he came to Christ through logic while in prison. Your questions remind me of his sermon I heard.
As to why there's evil. This is my own opinion...God created us because he wanted fellowship. Being the only perfect and good thing, what good would replicating that do? So he gave us free will; which of course, we've taken and abused. But he loves us too much to just take us over without our permission. It doesn't make sense that we have to submit to be free, but it's true and it underscores our limitations to see what's real.

 

[John Helpher]

What if Jesus is just a very good philosopher or thinker that wrote a guide (the bible) to influence us. How do I know God actually exists and not someone Jesus created to bind us to his philosophy?

John 7:17 "If anyone wants to know if my teachings come from God, he should try them".

Of course, in order to try the teachings of Jesus you have to know what he taught, which means reading the things he's recorded as teaching and thinking deeply about what they mean. A good place to start is the sermon on the mount, which includes chapters 5, 6, and 7 of Matthew. In particular, pay close attention to what he says about our relationship to money in chapter 6; that's the one that turns most people off.