Why would faith be determined by geography or culture? I'm British, so my natural inclination is toward Christianity. But if I were Algerian, I would be naturally drawn toward Islam. Or if I were Bhutanese, I would likely be Buddhist. What is the value of faith if it is determined by where I was born?
True faith is not determined by where you were born. Only religious expression is. My mother was born a Buddhist my father is an atheist. Christianity was far from my birth right. I chose Christianity because i sought God, and not a religious expression. This is true for all who seek God and not just religion.
I understand that. It just seems as if this 'identification of sin' moulds the values of religious society. But secular society is changing, and homosexuality is becoming more accepted. I have been raised with this secular attitude, and I can't see myself ever agreeing that homosexuality is a sin. Recent discoveries have revealed that homosexuality is genetic. Sin is meant to be a choice that imperfect beings make, but if someone is born with that sort of sexual orientation ingrained in their DNA, how can the sin be their choice?
We are all born into sin, your argument suggests that you still equate your righteousness or the righteousness of a "Christian" on works or adherence to the law. This is demonstrated by your judgment of Homosexuality and it's status as a sin.
In truth, We all sin. We are all born into sin. why would the homosexual be any different? This is why Christ died on the cross, this is why we have Christianity. Because in Christianity we find redemption for sin, not a set of rules to live by in order that we may appear "sin free."
but actual forgiveness for our short comings so that we may establish and maintain a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit.
Isn't 'purging' what I feel I know just blind acceptance?
If what you "feel you know" is wrong? wouldn't it be foolish pride that has you holding on to your precepts? It appears that you have blindly accepted that all you have been taught is true.
It wouldn't be sincere, and it would be fighting what my intellectual side knows to be true.
How do you "know" these things to be true? I have shown you in several places where what you have represented to be as truth, to be inaccurate. If you still know them to be "true" then are you not simply relying on faith?
I am here because I feel something that keeps my mind open to the possibility of God, but I am struggling with keeping my mind open in spite of the empirical evidence that seems to condemn it as fiction. I don't know what help I need, but here I am.
It has been wisely suggested before that you simply seek what you need from God.
My mother had a white rose bush that never used to flower. When her father died, she went to Scotland to attend his funeral. When she returned, the white rose bush was completely covered in red roses - her father's favorite. Is that a miracle? I don't know. I might try to read my Bible again. Just a bit at a time.
God often times uses instances in our lives to speak to us when these things will mean little to nothing to anyone else. I am sure for your mother this is all she needed to verify her faith, but to anyone else these events could be explained away. God often works this way, as a way not to force belief among others, but to verify the belief of the believer. Many will say this is all coincidence. It may be if it happened one or two of us, but to all who need it? I believe it to be foolish to try and explain away billions of testimonies.
If you are serious about reading then may I suggest you start with luke11:5-13
we ask through prayer, we seek in the bible and in places like this, we knock by repeating this process till we get what our hearts want.
