How do I deal with you guys?

[blu3star]

here's the idea... being a part of a denomination or not... it doesn't matter, why because the Bible tells us the God is not about religion, that's why Christ came down on earth to intorduce the concept or relationship and love through Him and Him alone. Second, debates... they happen whether we like it or not. The deal is, how do we control the situation instead of the situation controlling us, how do we respond to criticism and arguments when either we do have an answer or not. Debates happen, they aren't easy... they're not supposed to be easy, nothing said that when we start walking with the Lord, nobody said it would be easy.. remember that we are carrying our cross daily, and that is hard. THe idea of a debate is this, when there's a debate about beliefs... i believe the best way to remind ourselves is that we are no better than the other person who is arguing or at the other side speaking to us. We are not to promote that we know more, that we are better of, that we are more blessed, that we are holier and they are not... often times debates happen because we try to impose one's idea to be right and the other's to be wrong. We don't do that when we talk about Christ and His promise of Salvation and Love... We share, we don't impose... remember that the "word" of God is a double edged sword. It's powerful by itself and can pierce through the very skin and marrows of our bones... and God said that when His Word, His Truth is shared to others, His WORDS does not come back VOID... they fulfill its purpose. So best to say that, go back to the scripture... see how Jesus dealt with matters of arguements and debates. See how He kept His composure.. be Christ like..nothing else matters when you ask Christ to help you face through this trial.

If you worry about the marks it'll leave... whether you like it or not... speaking the "truth" leaves a mark, and yes they hurt... don't let the idea of rejection take over your mind... be Christ like, and go back to the scripture... you won't regret it!

Be blessed
-Jo

 

[Impossible]

Wow, this thread wasnt ruined at all by people that wanted to convert me rather than answering my question. If you guys cant read a simple thread and realize that Im asking a question and not asking to get converted, Im scared of what incorrect conclusions you guys draw up when you read the bible.

If you think that you are ever going to get somewhere converting someone that doesnt want to get converted, read Things Fall Apart.

Im done with these forums. You guys cant even answer a simple question without trying to in some way try to disprove my beliefs and convert me.

 

[blu3star]

im sorry i hurt your feelings... i didn't try to convert you... and as far as i know i think my goal of replying was to encourage you to keep on pressing on your goal of talking to those people you say you have problems with. Converting you will not make a difference if your have hardened heart...WE CAN NOT CONVERT YOU... religion is religion... it's different from a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. remember.. only God can do those things u say we are doing... but im sorry i stepped on your toes.

i just hope next time u can be encouraged.

 

[dhiannian]

This is going to be a strange question, I know. Let me give you a little backround information, then Ill lay out my problem.

First, Im am not really non christian, however I do not fall into any denomination or really any organized church. I was raised Lutheran (yeah, I know, a rebel from the start), got confirmed, but after that I just stopped going to church. I know its a conflicting view between me and you, but it hit me that nothing you do at church is ever going to help you. Dont get me wrong, if you want to go around for an hour and a half celebrating your joy of religion that is perfectly fine with me, I just dont believe it will in any way make you a better person, so I stopped going. I see no point in singing songs, listening to bible verses/sermons that relay incredibly simple lessons that are supposed to teach morals that I already live by, all that good stuff. My personal belief system consists of this- I believe in God, and my big plan is just to help people and dont do anything I consider wrong. To me, people that think that they are somehow pardoned from what they do during the day by memorizing bible verses at night are completely wrong, as are people that do things just to score brownie points with God.I dont see why knowing Biblical history has any use to man other than giving him morals, which I really have no use for because they were passed down to me by my parents in the first place. God isnt going to ask me to recite verses from the bible, nor is he going to ask me about Jesuses life. All that matters in the end is how good of a person you were and the good deeds you did, and I think thats something that nobody tends to see.

Now to my problem- I know a good amount of people that are very strict into mainstream christianity and log lots of hours at their church (Im going to leave out the specific denomination, it really doesnt matter). They have a pretty involved youth group going, and I have been spending time with them both at non church related events and a couple mild church meetings. Religion was never a huge discussion topic in the beginning and we have never just sat down and said, "Here is where you stand, and here is where I stand", but as we spend more time togeather and I get thrown into these religious debates, it becomes more and more apparent that we have some fundamental differences in belief and I really dont want things to get out of hand. They are trying to convert me by trying to somehow disprove my beliefs, and the only thing that worries me about that is that its going to get more and more intense until it becomes out of hand.

So my question to you is, How do I calm this whole thing down and be able to cool off the flames without compromising my position? How can I present my beliefs to them in a way that wont make things get incredibly intense?

They probably wont stop because they are concerned with your eternity, and how you will spend it.
The bible was given for our learning, to strengthen us in our walk with God, And lead others to Christ.
We are told to study the Holy scriptures.
And what good is it to try to be good and say you believe in something, when your lifestyle says otherwise?
Sunday is the Lord's day, a day to worship our creator.
God is a jealous God and if we cannot take time out of our "busy" lives to glorify him, I hardly think he'll be showering you with blessings if you are a child of God.
The main reason people choose "their own way to Heaven" is because they don't want to hear the truth, they don't want some "Person" A minister to condemn their lifestyle, and sinful pleasures.
So they go to churches where you never hear that your a sinner saved by grace, wicked, and in danger of eternal punishment.
They would rather have a sugar coated fairytale where we all live happily ever after.
Sounds nice, but false.
The bible is what is preached at church,