• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

I promise to be polite.

Nevalti

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As a Catholic I was taught that ‘Faith is a supernatural gift of God’. Unfortunately I lost that faith over the years as I studied theology and learnt more and more about the gross assumptions and errors in what I was taught. I also became painfully aware of the wicked abuses practiced by many of those Christians in authority. The abuse of me personally by nuns and monks was pretty mild compared with that suffered by others and I do not think that it has influenced my logical thought processes on the subject of religion. It has however removed the rose coloured spectacles.

For many years I have continued my studies in the hope of finding God again and this kind of forum may be of help to me. A problem that I (and many others) need to overcome is the downright unpleasant attitude of some of the posters - be they atheist, Christian or other. As soon as a doubt or a difference of opinion is expressed someone immediately starts issuing insults and spouting doctrine – be that Christian doctrine or atheist doctrine etc. Christians and atheists seem to be just as bad as one another in that regard and no one ever seems to recognise that their fundamental beliefs are so different that the arguments presented are often quite meaningless to the ‘other side’.

The arguers are often incredibly ignorant about their own faith – such as the true origins of the bible and the influence of other religions on Christianity. Sadly, very few Christians seem willing to admit (or perhaps they really do not know) that Christianity has been responsible for more slaughter than any other religion. I will list them if you wish but for starters, just consider the Crusades, the Cathars, the ‘witches’ (still going on) and the Inquisition. Instead of feeling apologetic for their forefathers sins, most Christians try to portray their religion and ‘love and peace on earth to all men’; which sadly it is not and never has been.

A major stumbling block with these forums (fora?) seems to be atheists teasing Christians for posting on atheist forums and visa versa. Each side don’t seem to understand why the other has visited ‘their’ territory. To me, the answer to that is obvious….. religion is just about the most important subject that we human beings have ever discussed. It has had more influence on our history that anything else and it is still a major factor in world peace – or lack of it. Christians understanding atheists or muslins etc. (and visa versa) is therefore an incredibly important thing but sadly I see little effort being made. Instead, we see people ‘digging in’ for the old trench warfare and not being able or willing to follow a rational line of debate. Interestingly, Muslims generally seem to know a lot about Christianity but few Christians seem to know anything genuine about Islam.

I have come here to see if my faith can be resurrected. That is unlikely to be an overnight conversion but maybe someone can point me in the right direction. I am pretty familiar with the bible so, before anyone quotes it to me, I would firstly like to know why they think that it is a reliable document and why they MAY think it is the word of God despite the influence of Constantine etc and why certain apparently equally valid texts were considered gnostic. Why, for example was, ‘the gospel according to St Peter’ rejected? I can understand them rejecting the ‘gospel according to Mary Magdalene’ and the, ‘gospel according to Judas’ but why St Peter?

Sorry this has turned into a ramble but it may help you understand better who I am.

Nevalti
 

Vyvyan

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A very interesting perspective, and I can fully understand your reasoning for feeling the way you do (I left my old church for similar reasons, although thankfully not abuse... I'm sorry that happened to you).

I hope that you find the answers you seek here and I would just like to add that I am disgusted by all of the atrocities that have been perpetrated in the name of God..... and I pray for the innocents that suffered because of it.

Blessings to you, Vyvyan.
 
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Hog Red

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welcome, and yes Christians are some of the meanest people I know and also the most loving. problem is weeding out those false Christians. the true litmus test of any faith, religion, denomination, fill in the blank is what do you do with Jesus. everythin hinges on that one question alone.
 
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visionary

Your God is my God... Ruth said, so say I.
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I think that you will find the diversity of this forum will give you people that remind you of what you left, intrigue you of what scripture can be used to say, how the Lord moves upon your heart with some of the things people write, and most of all help you grow closer to holding on to Yeshua with all your heart, mind, and soul.. because it can get mighty windy in some areas of the forum. So Welcome.
 
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alexier

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Hi there and a BIG WELCOME to CF!
Thank you for your honest and open intro -As you are thinking in a Theological sense I think you may find the board below one to interest you...

Theology (Christian Only) - Christian Forums

If you need any help, please don't hesitate to ask!
Many Blessings Lexie :0)
 
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Nonni

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Nevalti, welcome to CF!
I can relate to many of your observations and concerns. Many times written messages can be misunderstood and things do tend to snowball. Whether written or spoken, words do not always communicate the true intent or motive of the writer/speaker.
The best hope is knowing:
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 1 Corinthians 13:12
 
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