Influence

[Sarah991]

If you were alive in the time of the Vikings you wouldn't have even heard of the mass majority of religions today, because they hadn't been invented yet, and Im sorry, theres no nicer way of putting that. It's likely you would have believed in Thor and Odin. But if you were to turn around today and say, that I believe in Thor you would be ridiculed. Why is that? Am I being cynical in suggesting that the religion you follow is not down to personal experience but simply influence from the people around you|? Correct me if I'm wrong, thats just something I was thinking about last night, and I'm curious what any religious people might think to that.

 

[AllTalkNoAction]

Hi Sarah,
yes many people follow the religion they grew up with, that would include atheism & materialism!

I was brought up "church of England" but was little influenced by that religion so I was "open minded" and eventually met people who had confidence and contentment about God that I had never found before. They didn't just quote the bible, they had the special things it speaks about, healings, prophecies, speaking in tongues etc.

I tried to get the same through reading books about it and going to meetings to get involved in the worship. But it didn't happen until one evening alone I whole-heartedly called upon God to give me what they had - His Spirit . . . IU too spoke in tonguea and began a daily 2-way relationship with God!
I had another life, another nature coming from me.

We are all influenced, and we all end up serving someone!

 

[Criada]

Actually, a lot of Vikings became Christians.
But I know that is not what you are asking about.
Yes - we are all influenced by what we grow up with. But this isn't always positive - many of us rebel against the values of our parents, and try hard to do the opposite!
I was brought up in the anglican church... but by the age of 18 I was a convinced atheist. And no-one could have persuaded me that God was real. Except God - and He did.
It wasn't due to the influences of my childhood... if anything, they held me back, because i didn't want to be like the people I grew up amongst.
But God broke through that, and showed me what he is really like.

And He can do that with anyone, whatever they know or don't know. Because He is God - and He is bigger than our ideas!

God bless you.

 

[tapero]

If you were alive in the time of the Vikings you wouldn't have even heard of the mass majority of religions today, because they hadn't been invented yet, and Im sorry, theres no nicer way of putting that. It's likely you would have believed in Thor and Odin. But if you were to turn around today and say, that I believe in Thor you would be ridiculed. Why is that? Am I being cynical in suggesting that the religion you follow is not down to personal experience but simply influence from the people around you|? Correct me if I'm wrong, thats just something I was thinking about last night, and I'm curious what any religious people might think to that.

Hi Sarah!

Welcome to CF!

Hi, people come to Christ in many different ways. It may have nothing at all to do with any Christians at all.

God calls all people to himself, and for whatever particular reason I heard (believed) when I did, such occurred.

I was 33.

Never thought of God, knew of God, never was taught of God, etc. No thoughts on eternal life. Boom, something occurred and within about 30 days I was a new creation in Christ. I believed, and my whole life changed, and again, nothing at all to do with man, as no one said do this or that.. God who resides in all believers, the Holy Spirit, worked in me, and immediately I no longer desired the things I did and such prior to Christ.

Then I began to read the bible and what occurs is our mind is renewed. As what we have before knowing God is worldly knowledge, that is how we understand things prior to knowing God.

After Christ, we learn so much from the bible, the word, and now and is a continuous and lifetime experience, we change from worldly knowledge, to godly knowledge.

So, everything fairly much that I knew as to many things, changed.

For example: not all non Christians are like this as every human being is different, but for example one worldly wisdom or knowledge I had prior to Christ was as long as I don't hurt anyone, anything is okay for me to do.

Well, after Christ, and reading the bible, that's not so. What I did previously not only hurt me, but also others, and I didn't know such, and now Jesus is saying, love the other, so what I didn't think was so wrong before, I was really not very loving as I was not only hurting others but also whatever I was doing wrong with the one I was with, it was unloving because if I cared for that person, I would not have done with whoever, if I cared about that person.

So, these are truths we learn, and everyone has different things, as all are different.

I know nothing of Thor, but one thing we do know as Christians, is there is One God, (Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit) and that's never ever been different.

But 2 days or a day before I came to Christ, I had no such knowledge or understanding of such and until I opened the bible and read, knew very little and of course reading the bible is a lifetime process as well.

I mean, I've read it thru several times, but it's not like a book one reads and says I get it.

We are constantly learning and growing as differnent scripture becomes prominent at different times in our lives, we don't take it all in at once, it's a lifetime.

And in heaven we will continue learning as God is much more than we can ever imagine, and in heaven we will be eternally, forever getting to know Him more and more.

All Christians come from somewhere. And can come from any background regardless what culture they grow up in or what religion they grow up in.

So, for instance, those who are muslim, if in there particular country they are raised muslim, they don't know different until they are old enough to wonder about things.

And they may not do so, and is no different than me, as I never wondered.

They may well live their life with what they grew up in.

But people do come to Christ, even though they live in a country where if do so can be executed. Of course Christianity is not big in Muslim countries because it is dangerous or even unlawful for Christ to be preached, so all would be done underground. So, of course one wouldn't hear of a lot of Christians in Muslim countries which outlaw such, etc.

Such as is occuring in China, it's illegal to have a bible, last I knew, and to believe in Christ, is going against the government. And is a crime, and people who come to Christ, if caught, are tortured, imprisoned etc, yet many in China are coming to Christ.

So people come to Christ from all different walks.

There are many who are raised in a Christian family, and believe they are Christians and are not.

No different from other religions as well.

Many are raised and think no more than go to church or whatever is given them, and in no wise consider what it's all about.

But God calls us, and often those raised in Christian homes, one often hears, even though I was raised this way, I didn't come to Christ, believe in Christ, till my late 20s, 30s, or 17 years old, or 14..

So again, I was not raised or exposed to any religion or false gods, yet came to Christ.

And had I been raised to believe in thor whatever that is, God still would have called me, and I still would have the opportunity to come to him.

Many however, will be decieved. That is there are many who believe they are Christians and are not.

So that's another situation as well.

And many of these are sitting in church on Sunday.

God bless,
tapero

 

[whatfor]

Like tapero , I had no religious background or knowledge.
When I was saved I had no idea what to expect, I hadn't read the bible, had not been told about changes that would happen.
It just happened , desires, attitudes, feelings, emotions etc. all changed.
The only explanation is God.

If I pre-knew of what to expect I would not have been as surprized .

 

[Sarah991]

Actually, a lot of Vikings became Christians.
But I know that is not what you are asking about.
Yes - we are all influenced by what we grow up with. But this isn't always positive - many of us rebel against the values of our parents, and try hard to do the opposite!
I was brought up in the anglican church... but by the age of 18 I was a convinced atheist. And no-one could have persuaded me that God was real. Except God - and He did.
It wasn't due to the influences of my childhood... if anything, they held me back, because i didn't want to be like the people I grew up amongst.
But God broke through that, and showed me what he is really like.

And He can do that with anyone, whatever they know or don't know. Because He is God - and He is bigger than our ideas!

God bless you.

Wow, that's really intrigued me - Ive heard stories where people have experienced God speaking to them, or connecting to them and Im curious what it was like?

 

[Criada]

Hard to explain.. because He is God, and I don't understand.
But - I went to a church, because I was alone in a strange town, and I thought people there would be friendly (and might even give me a meal!)
Instead, I heard someone preaching about Jesus, and how He died for me.
And - I'd heard it all before, so I just settled back to wait until he had finished.
But I couldn't ignore what he was saying... it was as though God was talking to me, directly. And I wanted to leave, to ignore Him, but I couldn't.
And for the next week I couldn't get what he had said out of my head.
Eventually, I gave in, and said to God, basically, if You are real, I want to know. And I was filled with an incredible peace, again, I can't describe it. And I have only felt it a few times since then. But I *knew* that it was God.
And, as I got to know Him more, I loved Him, and I gave Him my life.

But Christianity isn't based on feelings... since then there have been many times That I have struggled, and not been able to see what God was doing! But He has always been there, He has changed me, He has changed situations, and above all, He has loved me - unconditionally and unfailingly.

I could no more doubt Him now than i could doubt the existence of my husband...
But I can remember what it was like to not want to know Him!
I am praying that you will come too know Him too - because He really is worth knowing, and worth giving your all to!
God bless you.

 

[orthros]

If you were alive in the time of the Vikings you wouldn't have even heard of the mass majority of religions today, because they hadn't been invented yet, and Im sorry, theres no nicer way of putting that. It's likely you would have believed in Thor and Odin. But if you were to turn around today and say, that I believe in Thor you would be ridiculed. Why is that? Am I being cynical in suggesting that the religion you follow is not down to personal experience but simply influence from the people around you|? Correct me if I'm wrong, thats just something I was thinking about last night, and I'm curious what any religious people might think to that.

PEACE.....MY RELIGION IS CONFIRMED BY MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCES AND GRACED BY GOD. BLESSINGS, "orthros"

 

[salida]

Christianity has been around for 2000 years and before then I would have been a Jew. Thus, its older than any religion at any point in history in time. Man didn't "invent" true religion. Most religions are salvation by works alone - man thinks he is good enough to earn it. Man will never be good enough because he has a fallen nature. Christianity is the only religion where God's grace comes in and its a gift. Then the works become of byproduct of ones faith.

Have heard of God? Hmm, Acts 17:26-27: "From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us". Thus, God put us in a specific place and time so that we may know him and reach out to him.

In addition, the evidence of the Bible is so overwhelming that is like rejecting the law of gravity or the sun that exists. Its the only book that has hundreds of detailed prophesies that has come true and more to come and could only be written by God.

Biblical Evidence – This is a very small amount of information
out of large amounts of information out there.

Internal Evidences-Prophesies that are confirmed with Bible;

mentioning only a few – but there are hundreds.

Life of Christ
The Tribe of Judah, Gen. 49:10, Luke 3:23-28
(Genesis was written 4004 BC to 1689 BC)
(Luke’s time period is 60-70 AD)

Royal Line of David, Jer 23:5, Matt 1:1
(Jeremiah 760 to 698 BC)/(Matthew 60-70 AD)

Born of a Virgin, Isaiah 7:14/Matt 1:18-23
(Isaiah 760 to 698 BC)/(60-70 AD)

Rise of Empires
In the book of Daniel, Chapter 2 – four kingdoms are described in the interpretation
of the dream of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greek – Daniel 8:21, 10:20/ and a fourth great kingdom to follow which was part iron and clay – which is the
Roman Empire – during this empire, Christ came and the church was established – Daniel 2:44.

Historical Accuracy

The Bible is loaded with historical statements concerning events of hundreds of years ago, yet
none of them has been proven to be incorrect.
(Bible compared to other ancient documents)
New Testament – starts at 25 years – between the original and surviving copies
Homer- starts at 500 years/Demosthenes – at 1400 years/Plato – at 1200 years/
Caesar – at 1000 years

Number of Manuscript Copies

New Testament – 5,686/Homer – 643/Demosthenes – 200/Plato – 7/Caesar – 10

Consistency – Written by 40 men over a period of time exceeding 1400 years, and has no
Internal inconsistencies.

Claim of Inspiration- It claims to be spoken by God, 2 Tim 3:16-17). No other religious book makes such claims.


External Evidences

(Prophesies Outside the Bible)
These cities were prophesied to be destroyed and never to be built again- and they haven’t.
Niveveh – Nahum 1:10, 3:7, 15, Zephaniah 2:13-14
Babylon – Isaiah 13:1-22
Tyre -Ezekiel 26:1-28

Bible before Science

He hangs the earth on nothing – Job 26:7
(Job was written at least 1000 years ago – some scholars think it could have been even 3000
years ago)
Note: Man only knew the above for 350 years.
Earth is a sphere – Isaiah 40:22/Air has weight – Job 28:25/
Gravity – Job 26:7, Job 38: 31-33/Winds blow in cyclones, Eccl 1:6

Documents that Prove Bible is True

Gilgamesh Epic, The Sumerian King List, Mari Tablets, Babylonian Chronicles

Archealogical Evidence (Still adding to this list today- it hasn’t stopped)
Excavations of Ur, Location of Zoar, Ziggurats and the foundation of Tower of Babel

 

[salida]

Also, you may want to read, Evidence that Demands A Verdict by Josh McDowell ( it would stand up in court concerning Bible) and Examine the Evidence by Muncaster (a former athiest) and The Real Jesus by Lee Strobel (a former athiest).

 

[orthros]

Peace.....For me it has been my own personal
experiences that brought me to religion and faith.....this would include those around me as they were involved in my personal life.....
blessings, "orthros"

 

[hlaltimus]

If you were alive in the time of the Vikings you wouldn't have even heard of the mass majority of religions today, because they hadn't been invented yet, and Im sorry, theres no nicer way of putting that. It's likely you would have believed in Thor and Odin. But if you were to turn around today and say, that I believe in Thor you would be ridiculed. Why is that? Am I being cynical in suggesting that the religion you follow is not down to personal experience but simply influence from the people around you|? Correct me if I'm wrong, thats just something I was thinking about last night, and I'm curious what any religious people might think to that.

Yes, you probably would catch some criticsm today if you openly confessed yourself to be a "Thor" worshipper, but they'd really give you a funny look if you added on top of it that you still believed that the world was flat! That will never happen since you, I and every other person possessing rational judgment who has seen photos taken from satellites in orbit of our spherical earth has abandoned such an absurd belief to further sound evidence. I guess if you did succeed in tracking down some native hiding in the jungle who honestly thought the world was flat, you just might swerve him from his father's faith to your new enlightenment if you presented him with enough, suitable evidence and when you did that, he the native, would be abandoning his own "personal experience" for the "influence" of people like you. Does this come close to the case of a modern day Thor worshipper being frowned upon in a dominately Christianized country such as our own? Inferior evidence must always give place to superior evidence and the Christian community has always felt that the Holy Bible is that superior evidence to which all other opinions are either allowed for or abandoned as they may agree or disagree with it's eternally binding declarations.

"That's great, but how do you know that the Bible is a 'superior' testimony to that of contrary religions?"

A number of ways too numerous to mention here and now...But only to touch on a few:
1- By fulfilled prophesy. How on Earth could an ancient book, (the Holy Bible,) accurately depict right down to particular details events centuries before those events actually occurred and with invariable accuracy? If you allowed that this book, the Bible, was of Divine origin, that would quickly answer such a query and put the "amen" of a period to the end of that question forever.
2- By it's testimonial miracles. Even Jesus used the argument of miracles to attest to His divine mission of revelation to fallen man.
"...The works that I do in My Father's name, they bear witness of Me." John 10:25b
"Yes, but other religions also lay claim to miracles!"
True, they do, and I'll agree that those miracles have been wrought by the almighty power of God and not by satan when I see the associate miracles of a new godly nature replacing an old ungodly nature, a personal relationship with the Creator, and an unconditional love filling one's heart that can truly love even one's very worst enemies.

Josh McDowell has spent alot of time and labor in his great, "Evidence that demands a verdict" series of two books that will pile up mountains of sensible, rational evidence why the Holy Bible is truly the supreme revelation of God to man, and this holy book, this "body of divinity" must be allowed to speak louder than any and all other competitors, be they ancient Vikings or modern day humanists...It doesn't change a thing.

 

[Faith In God]

If you were alive in the time of the Vikings you wouldn't have even heard of the mass majority of religions today, because they hadn't been invented yet, and Im sorry, theres no nicer way of putting that. It's likely you would have believed in Thor and Odin. But if you were to turn around today and say, that I believe in Thor you would be ridiculed. Why is that? Am I being cynical in suggesting that the religion you follow is not down to personal experience but simply influence from the people around you|? Correct me if I'm wrong, thats just something I was thinking about last night, and I'm curious what any religious people might think to that.

Just because no one was aware of the existance of electrity does not mean it was not a very real force.
Truth is not subjective: that is the first realization every man seeking it must accept.