How do I know?

[LOCO]

Thanks all for the comments, I have another more specific question about christianity, is it appropriate to ask it here, or should I make another thread?

Hello j4c3,


Here is fine. this is the Exploring Christianity forum.

 

[LOCO]

That any church is true? I hve prayed and consistently felt no higher power, but I'd be open to trying more. Does anyone have any real evidence for truth in a christian god?

Thanks for your thoughts,
Jace

I'm not sure what evidence would convince you.

It really comes down to a matter of faith. You need to balance that faith with reason, studying the Early Church and Church history and Scripture.

Jesus did exist, religious and secular records support that.

Whether he was the Messiah is the main question.

You say you don't want any Biblical support or personal experience to support our belief in the Christian God or miracles.

Let me provide you with some names of people who performed miracles, namely that of raising the dead by the power Christ. These are documented.

The scientific aspect must be distinguished from the spiritual. The cure must exceed the known laws of the illness' evolution, and the person who has experienced the miracle must also recognise the spiritual meaning of the event.

Let me just clarify for the Catholic Church to consider an event a 'miracle' several criteria must be met and there is a formal process:

1. It is necessary to verify the existences of the condition
2. With an irrevocable prognosis. ( all treatments failed)
3. The illness must be organic or caused by injuries.
4. It is incurable
   
5. The healing must be sudden and instantaneous.
6. Finally, the renewal of functions must be total and lasting, without convalescence.

For this reason, the recognition of a miracle takes several years. The process includes examination by secular doctors/psychologists and/or psychiatrists. All medical documentation and eyewitness reports etc are kept at the Vatican.



SOME SAINTS WHO RAISED THE DEAD (there are many more)

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]St. Francis Xavier,
St. Patrick, Apostle of Ireland
St. John Bosco,
St. Catherine of Siena,
St. Teresa of Avila,
St. Elizabeth of Hungary,[/FONT]

 

[CryptoLutheran]

That any church is true? I hve prayed and consistently felt no higher power, but I'd be open to trying more. Does anyone have any real evidence for truth in a christian god?

Thanks for your thoughts,
Jace

As a Lutheran I'd define a "true church" as a church where the Word is rightly preached and the Sacraments are rightly administered. But, of course, that probably doesn't answer the question like it should.

Honestly, at times I think the whole idea of trying to find the "true church" can get in the way of trying to find a good church. Which by no means do I mean that theology isn't important, only that I think in a lot of ways a good community of people is more important than ensuring every t is crossed properly and every i dotted perfectly. As someone who shopped around for churches for most of my 20's until only finding one last year, I did realize how important theology was, but even more than that I found that what's truly important is a true community of people who are accepting, loving, kind and where one doesn't feel like a total outsider all the time. I believe this because I truly believe Jesus calls His Church, His people, to be a loving, accepting, kind and welcoming community--not imposing themselves on people, but accepting and embracing them for who they and wherever they are.

Now I still do believe that it's important that a church rightly preach the Word and rightly administer the Sacraments, but that's because I believe these are means by which God heals us. And if the Word is not rightly preached then people aren't being healed, aren't being accepted, aren't being given what they need to hear--that God truly, really, absolutely and unconditionally loves them and wants them to live rightly in the world for the sake of their fellow man--but in many ways it's not for me to tell you where that is.

There are different churches I would recommend, perhaps, but that's about it.

A good church ultimately is a church where one can receive the Word and the Sacraments, this I do believe, but it's fundamentally a place and a space where people can and do honestly care for one another and support one another and where they do not judge one another. I've been a part of churches like the latter, they aren't healthy, and I believe they ultimately drive people away; because instead of hearing the gospel about a God who has perfect compassion, kindness and love for them they ultimately hear about a God who is just itching to smite them at the next turn.

And I don't know about other people, but I'm really tired about hearing bad news portrayed as good news, because as Tony Campolo says, when we come condemning our neighbor we aren't bringing the good news of Jesus to them, but laying bad news upon them. And bad news doesn't help anyone.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[bling]

Thanks all for the comments, I have another more specific question about christianity, is it appropriate to ask it here, or should I make another thread?

This is your thread you can change it or add to it.

You are not going to find “hard evidence” for the Christian God (benevolent Creator), since that would mean “you would not need faith and could rely on knowledge”. Your need for faith is a huge subject I would be happy to discuss if you would like.

Knowledge (evidence) can actually work against your fulfilling your earthly object.

The Christian God remains hidden to those that do not want to know the Christian God exists, since it would negatively upset them and not change them positively.

Why do you really want or have a burning need to know the Christian does exist? Would it make a positive change in you?