New and already venting about something... Please bear with me, not always like this

[girlwithadog]

I just refound my faith not to long ago. I was astray for a while but I'm on my way back home and it's wonderful!

And now what I am finding is really upsetting me! It's really upsetting! So many people are SO against the church! They believe so many false things. They believe God is the reason for pain! They believe God is the reason for sin! They believe christians are hypocritical judgemental jerks! They believe it's better to believe in nothing than to believe in God!

They also believe it is OK for them to constantly bash the faith and ban the faith and hear nothing about it, but they are the first to throw their non belief around and flaunt it and act as if it is something to be proud of! The want to take away the church from everything and force the non belief!

Now of course this is not generally speaking but it's happening more and more all the time and it's frustrating. I posted on another site completely non religious site something minimal about my faith and had people jump down my throat about my "rediculous beliefs"

And what is even more worrisome is the fact that so many people are walking away from the church because they don't take the time to understand and are being told what to believe and actually believe it. Someone mentioned the woman who turned into a pillar of salt, and all the first born children in egypt being struck down by the plague, as reasoning behind their belief that God is vindictive and a murderer, without taking into account the whole story and why these things happened. They just believe what they are told and follow like a blind puppy.

It's sad and worries me about raising my child in a world like it is today. A world without faith. A world where having faith is starting to victimize you. I feel like I am less and less of a person the more the non believers try and force their non belief onto me and the world. I am starting to feel targeted, as they categorize me as a person who is corrupt evil and hypocritical, the opposite of which I really am.

Not to take it to that level but really... Are we entering into the world that damns the believers and supports the non believers? I used to think my dad was crazy thinking the world was getting to the end of times, but with the hatred so many have for the church, I wonder if maybe he is right.

Sorry for the vent, I just wanted to go a place and talk about it without the non believers flipping out on me!

 

[parsley]

throw their non belief around and flaunt it and act as if it is something to be proud of!

Good description. I find some people form their beliefs from generalizations made in media --whether it's comics, or talk show hosts, or even "journalists" ... then they just parrot it back without thinking.

It's like following whoever intimidates the loudest, which is a silly way to operate.

 

[parsley]

Welcome here, btw! Ha.

I have to admit, there are times when I speak out against certain faith-based things, but in these cases I am trying to be specific about real experiences. Groups aren't perfect, and it's good for us to learn how to stand up for truth, and discern what is right and real and godly.

 

[Peripatetic]

Welcome to the forum! I think we all have concern for the future, and wonder about the world that our children will inherit. I have to wonder though... is the world really changing that much, or is it our hearts? People were saying the same thing when I was a kid in the 1970s and 80s when "secular humanism" was all over the culture at the time.

I just notice it more now... The closer I get to God, the more I feel excluded and rejected by the world. So if you are feeling that way too, it's actually a good sign! It also makes it that much more important for us to keep learning so we can teach our children and prepare them as much as we can.

 

[Shulamite7]

They also believe it is OK for them to constantly bash the faith and ban the faith and hear nothing about it, but they are the first to throw their non belief around and flaunt it and act as if it is something to be proud of! The want to take away the church from everything and force the non belief!

Now of course this is not generally speaking but it's happening more and more all the time and it's frustrating. I posted on another site completely non religious site something minimal about my faith and had people jump down my throat about my "rediculous beliefs"

And what is even more worrisome is the fact that so many people are walking away from the church because they don't take the time to understand and are being told what to believe and actually believe it. Someone mentioned the woman who turned into a pillar of salt, and all the first born children in egypt being struck down by the plague, as reasoning behind their belief that God is vindictive and a murderer, without taking into account the whole story and why these things happened. They just believe what they are told and follow like a blind puppy.

It's sad and worries me about raising my child in a world like it is today. A world without faith. A world where having faith is starting to victimize you. I feel like I am less and less of a person the more the non believers try and force their non belief onto me and the world. I am starting to feel targeted, as they categorize me as a person who is corrupt evil and hypocritical, the opposite of which I really am.

Not to take it to that level but really... Are we entering into the world that damns the believers and supports the non believers? I used to think my dad was crazy thinking the world was getting to the end of times, but with the hatred so many have for the church, I wonder if maybe he is right.

The reason why people want to ban the faith is because of the fact that we are living in the last days and there will be a great falling away from the faith in the last days. 2 Thess 2:3
Also Godlessness will increase greatly in the last days. 2 Tim 3:1-5
So we should learn to accept the reality of the mentality of these times. Only don't let other people's opinions influence your thinking in any way. The Word is truth and not what these people say. Try to study the Word thoroughly. You need to teach your child from the Bible on a daily basis so that he will not be led astray by this corrupt world.

We are living in the time when evil is called good and good is called evil. Its all in the Word. Your dad is right. We are not entering but we have entered the end times. When we read the Bible and read and watch the news we realize that everything is coming to pass just as it was stated in the Bible.

 

[Bible2]

Peripatetic said in post 4:

The closer I get to God, the more I feel excluded and rejected by the world. So if you are feeling that way too, it's actually a good sign!

That's right.

Jesus said:

"If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause" (John 15:18-25).

Peripatetic said in post 4:

It also makes it that much more important for us to keep learning so we can teach our children and prepare them as much as we can.

Amen.

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6).

 

[Bible2]

Shulamite7 said in post 5:

You need to teach your child from the Bible on a daily basis so that he will not be led astray by this corrupt world.

Amen.

"... from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (2 Timothy 3:15 to 4:4).

 

[Bible2]

girlwithadog said in post 1:

They believe it's better to believe in nothing than to believe in God!

That is true for atheists, but they form only a small percentage of people. What Christians need to expect is not atheism taking over the world, but a false form of "Christ"-ianity, and belief in a false "Jesus". For during the Antichrist's future, literal 3.5-year worldwide reign (Rev. 13:5,7), even though the world will worship both Lucifer (the dragon, Satan) and the Antichrist (the individual-man aspect of the beast) (Rev. 13:4-8, 12:9), this won't require that the Antichrist's one-world religion will say that Jesus is evil or turn the world against Jesus. For almost the entire world reveres Jesus, at least as being a good man. The Antichrist could confirm this basic world belief, but simply (in his words) "clarify" that while Jesus is indeed a good man, Jesus himself isn't the Christ or the Son of God (1 Jn. 2:22). No doubt the Antichrist will also deny Jesus died on the Cross for our sins, as this, just as believing Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God (Jn. 20:31, 3:36), is one of the core beliefs of the gospel by which people become saved (1 Cor. 15:1-4).

So what the Antichrist could do is keep the idea of a good Jesus, but strip it of everything by which Jesus saves people from hell. And this wouldn't require the Antichrist deny Jesus' 2nd coming. Indeed, the Antichrist & his False Prophet (Rev. 19:20) could even try to employ to their own ends the Biblical prophecy of Jesus' 2nd coming, as well as the Muslim prophecy which says the miracle-working prophet Jesus will return bodily from heaven in the last days to bring the whole earth into the worship of the true God. For the False Prophet could claim that he is Jesus, returned to bring the whole earth into the worship of the true God. And he could perform amazing miracles (Rev. 13:13) as purported proof of his claim (cf. Jn. 3:2). (This is one reason it's so important to know when and how the real Jesus' 2nd coming will happen: Mt. 24:29-31, 2 Thes. 2:1-8, 1 Thes. 4:14-17, Rev. 19:7-20:6, Zech. 14:3-21.)

Once the False Prophet by his amazing miracles has brought the world under his spell (Rev. 13:13-18, 19:20), including many Muslims & Christians who may not care much for scriptural dogma but could go wild over his signs & wonders, he could begin to (in his words) "restore to the world the real message which was spoken by me (Jesus) at my first coming, and by the great prophet Mohammed, but which message became corrupted by power-hungry men when they copied and changed the early manuscripts of the Bible and the Koran". He could then gradually initiate the world into the Antichrist's Gnostic Luciferianism (1 Jn. 4:3, Rev. 13:4-6), a religion which could have existed since ancient times in some "mystery" cults, and which still exists today in the highest degree of initiation of a worldwide secret society. The False Prophet could present his miraculously calling fire down from heaven (Rev. 13:13) as purported proof that Lucifer (the dragon, Satan) and the Antichrist are the true God (Rev. 13:4-8, 12:9), in an inversion of how back in Old Testament times Elijah miraculously called fire down from heaven to prove that YHWH is the true God (1 Kin. 18:37-39).

--

girlwithadog said in post 1:

Someone mentioned the woman who turned into a pillar of salt, and all the first born children in egypt being struck down by the plague, as reasoning behind their belief that God is vindictive and a murderer, without taking into account the whole story and why these things happened.

Regarding "their belief that God is vindictive and a murderer", that is similar to how the Antichrist will also revile YHWH (Rev. 13:6, Dan. 11:36).

Some people, even some religious people, mistakenly think of YHWH as being (in their words) "the God of only the Old Testament, that cruel and hateful God who ordered people to commit genocide and kill babies (1 Sam. 15:3), while Jesus came and preached love for everyone (Mt. 5:44)". The truth is that Jesus confirmed the God of the Old Testament, YHWH (Deut. 6:4-5, Lev. 19:18), is the same as the God of the New Testament (Mk. 12:29-31). Jesus died for our sins in fulfillment of Old Testament (OT) prophecy from YHWH (Isa. 53, 1 Pet. 2:24), and rose from the dead in fulfillment of OT prophecy from YHWH (e.g. Ps. 16:10, Acts 2:31). Jesus died to establish the New Covenant (Mt. 26:28), which YHWH had foretold in the OT (Jer. 31:31-34). And Jesus died to bring about the defeat of Satan (Heb. 2:14), which YHWH had foretold from even the first book of the OT (Gen. 3:15).

Nonetheless, building on many people's misconceptions of YHWH as being (in their words) "the cruel God of the Old Testament", no doubt one of the Antichrist's chief blasphemies against YHWH (Rev. 13:6, Dan. 11:36) will be that YHWH is an evil god. This is one of the ancient blasphemies of Gnosticism, another being the antichrist lie that Christ isn't in the flesh (2 Jn. 1:7). The world will be deceived into completely rejecting YHWH and worshipping Satan and the Antichrist instead (Rev. 13:4-8, 12:9). Satan could be worshipped not as "Satan", which most everyone sees as a bad name (it means "Adversary"), but as "Lucifer" (Isa. 14:12), which means "the morning star". The Antichrist could lie and say that it's YHWH who is the true "Satan", the true "Adversary" of mankind.

Because the Antichrist & his False Prophet (possibly masquerading as Jesus) will deny that Jesus is the Christ (1 Jn. 2:22) & will deny that Christ is in the flesh (1 Jn. 4:3), & because they will bring the world into the worship of Lucifer (the dragon, Satan) instead (Rev. 13:4, 12:9), they could lie & say (the non-mortal flesh) Lucifer is the Christ, that the new name of Christ (Rev. 3:12c) is "Lucifer Christ". For just as "Lucifer" means "the morning star", so Christ is the morning star (Rev. 22:16b). Also, Christ identified himself with the serpent (Jn. 3:14), & Lucifer is the serpent (Rev. 12:9). Also, Christ said "Ye are gods" (Jn. 10:34), & it was the serpent who said "ye shall be as gods" (Gen. 3:5).

The truth is that Lucifer fell from his office of morning star (Isa. 14:12) & became Satan (cf. Lk. 10:18). Jesus Christ has taken over the office of morning star (Rev. 22:16). And Jesus Christ identified himself with only the brass serpent on the pole in Num. 21:8-9 (Jn. 3:14), which typified Jesus Christ's crucifixion for our sins (Jn. 19:16, Mt. 26:28). And in Jn. 10:34, Jesus Christ (Jn. 20:31) was quoting YHWH in Ps. 82:6-7, which shows that even though humans have knowledge of good & evil as gods do (Gen. 3:22), they will still die like humans (Ps. 82:7), contradicting the serpent's lie (Gen. 3:4). Nonetheless, the Antichrist could falsely say Lucifer is the Christ & the true and beneficent God of mankind, & that the False Prophet is the miracle-working prophet Jesus (Jn. 3:2, Acts 3:22-24), returned to point the world to the true Christ/God. The Antichrist could falsely say that he (the Antichrist) is the human/divine "Son" of Lucifer, who must be worshipped as God along with Lucifer (Rev. 13:4,8). This would be similar to how Biblical Christians now rightly worship the human/divine Jesus Christ (Jn. 1:1,14) as God (the Son) along with God the Father (Jn. 20:28, Heb. 1:8).

 

[Tnmusicman]

I just refound my faith not to long ago. I was astray for a while but I'm on my way back home and it's wonderful!

And now what I am finding is really upsetting me! It's really upsetting! So many people are SO against the church! They believe so many false things. They believe God is the reason for pain! They believe God is the reason for sin! They believe christians are hypocritical judgemental jerks! They believe it's better to believe in nothing than to believe in God!

They also believe it is OK for them to constantly bash the faith and ban the faith and hear nothing about it, but they are the first to throw their non belief around and flaunt it fnoand act as if it is something to be proud of! The want to take away the church from everything and force the non belief!

Now of course this is not generally speaking but it's happening more and more all the time and it's frustrating. I posted on another site completely non religious site something minimal about my faith and had people jump down my throat about my "rediculous beliefs"

And what is even more worrisome is the fact that so many people are walking away from the church because they don't take the time to understand and are being told what to believe and actually believe it. Someone mentioned the woman who turned into a pillar of salt, and all the first born children in egypt being struck down by the plague, as reasoning behind their belief that God is vindictive and a murderer, without taking into account the whole story and why these things happened. They just believe what they are told and follow like a blind puppy.

It's sad and worries me about raising my child in a world like it is today. A world without faith. A world where having faith is starting to victimize you. I feel like I am less and less of a person the more the non believers try and force their non belief onto me and the world. I am starting to feel targeted, as they categorize me as a person who is corrupt evil and hypocritical, the opposite of which I really am.

Not to take it to that level but really... Are we entering into the world that damns the believers and supports the non believers? I used to think my dad was crazy thinking the world was getting to the end of times, but with the hatred so many have for the church, I wonder if maybe he is right.

Sorry for the vent, I just wanted to go a place and talk about it without the non believers flipping out on me!

I just refound my faith not to long ago. I was astray for a while but I'm on my way back home and it's wonderful!

And now what I am finding is really upsetting me! It's really upsetting! So many people are SO against the church! They believe so many false things. They believe God is the reason for pain! They believe God is the reason for sin! They believe christians are hypocritical judgemental jerks! They believe it's better to believe in nothing than to believe in God!

They also believe it is OK for them to constantly bash the faith and ban the faith and hear nothing about it, but they are the first to throw their non belief around and flaunt it and act as if it is something to be proud of! The want to take away the church from everything and force the non belief!

Now of course this is not generally speaking but it's happening more and more all the time and it's frustrating. I posted on another site completely non religious site something minimal about my faith and had people jump down my throat about my "rediculous beliefs"

And what is even more worrisome is the fact that so many people are walking away from the church because they don't take the time to understand and are being told what to believe and actually believe it. Someone mentioned the woman who turned into a pillar of salt, and all the first born children in egypt being struck down by the plague, as reasoning behind their belief that God is vindictive and a murderer, without taking into account the whole story and why these things happened. They just believe what they are told and follow like a blind puppy.

It's sad and worries me about raising my child in a world like it is today. A world without faith. A world where having faith is starting to victimize you. I feel like I am less and less of a person the more the non believers try and force their non belief onto me and the world. I am starting to feel targeted, as they categorize me as a person who is corrupt evil and hypocritical, the opposite of which I really am.

Not to take it to that level but really... Are we entering into the world that damns the believers and supports the non believers? I used to think my dad was crazy thinking the world was getting to the end of times, but with the hatred so many have for the church, I wonder if maybe he is right.

Sorry for the vent, I just wanted to go a place and talk about it without the non believers flipping out on me!

Welcome to the forum! Unfortunatly, a lot of your concerns seem to be concerns everywhere. It's not just an American issue. It's becoming politically incorrect to be a Christian with "old fashioned " morals. For example, I don't agree with gay lifestyle. I have a number of gay friends and I love them dearly but I tell them all "don't ask me to put my seal of approval on your lifestyle". As long as friends respect the others wishes we're all good.

Atheism is a big concern but its more of an annoyance than anything. Kind of like the mosquito that won't go away. Our big concern,as Bible2 put it, should be the "christian" movements that are really a cover for ANTI-Christian activity. Theres nothing worse than deception cloaked in "christianity". I'll be the first to stand up to atheists for mocking Christ but atheists are obvious about their intentions (at least as far as belief in God is concerned ) but the false prophet is a bit more slick. Posing as "new" Christian "doctrines" they feed on the modern wants of 21st century individuals and wish to leave behind the "bronze age teachings" for a radical new approach. Suffice to say that there may be some genuine Christian teachings mixed in with the new age jazz ( can't be TOO obvious just in case someone is watching ) but if your church's teachings contradict the scriptures then its not a church for any real Christian to be a part of.

Girlwithadog, this goes back to what you were saying about unbelievers throwing their unbelief in your face. I don't like that but I do like the honesty. I've dealt with a few atheists that pretended to be Christians but exposed their true faces in some grand "a-ha" moment, as if to say "gotcha, you stupid Christians" but I would rather deal with this kind of person than to deal with the "christian" who is extremely adept at the art of deception.

 

[crimsonleaf]

The world today is exactly as we should expect a fallen, corrupt world to be. I find it strengthens my faith daily to realise that Christ has called us out from the rest to live for Him alone.

I have a new grandson and echo your sentiments about bringing children up. But I rejoice in the fact that both his parents are faithful Christians who will do all they can to keep him on the straight and narrow (ever thought of the origin of that phrase?) and trust the rest to God.

Keep being who you are and don't let the others get to you. You know who's right and who's wrong.

 

[Tnmusicman]

The world today is exactly as we should expect a fallen, corrupt world to be. I find it strengthens my faith daily to realise that Christ has called us out from the rest to live for Him alone.

I have a new grandson and echo your sentiments about bringing children up. But I rejoice in the fact that both his parents are faithful Christians who will do all they can to keep him on the straight and narrow (ever thought of the origin of that phrase?) and trust the rest to God.

Keep being who you are and don't let the others get to you. You know who's right and who's wrong.

Congrats on the new grandchild,Crimson.

 

[crimsonleaf]

Congrats on the new grandchild,Crimson.

Thanks buddy. 5 months old, my first, and came complete with the good Ol' Testament name of Caleb.

Love him to bits.

 

[Harry3142]

girlwithadog-

In 1964 I attended a class where the lecturer stated on the first day, "By the time this quarter is over, 1/3 of you will be agnostics, and another 1/3 of you will be atheists." He then proceeded to use almost that entire quarter lecturing us students concerning the fallacy of all religious belief.

And why did he do this? He did it because religious belief was the exact opposite of his own philosophy of amorality. His 'pet' philosophy was Hard Determinism, which teaches that we are all nothing more than automatons, with our 'programming' consisting of our own genetic makeup combined with both our familial and our societal environmental conditioning. And that 'programming' dictates not only everything we say or do, but also everything we think or feel.

Under this philosophy, which I understand is still taught today, there is no such thing as objective morality. Instead, all morality is nothing more than the dictates of those who have the power to enforce their own 'programming' on others. So those who accept this philosophy would see Mother Teresa, Albert Schweitzer, Adolph Hitler, and Heinrich Himmler as all being equally 'moral' due to their each following their own 'programming'.

This is also used as a defense of homosexuality. If people are 'programmed' to not only say and do certain things, but also have certain attitudes, then homosexuality is to be seen as equally moral with the Christian teaching of heterosexual unions within marriage only. Insofar as they are concerned, the Christian doctrine of everyone's being answerable to God for their actions during their lifetime is to be replaced by, "If it feels good, do it."

So the reason for the attacks on Christianity, as well as Judaism and Islam, is due to those whose utmost hope is that they can destroy the moral code that has been built on those religions. If they can destroy a person's faith in God, then they see it as much easier for them to destroy that same person's acceptance of a moral code which has been built on that faith.

 

[Emmy]

Dear girlwithadog. We cannot change the times, but we an make the best of them. Ignore the bad and look for the good. In Matthew 22: 35-40:
Jesus tells a Lawyer: " the first and great Commandment is: " Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it:
Love thy neighbour as thyself. Then Jesus states this great fact: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." God wants our Love, freely given and no conditions made.
Jesus will give us His Love and Joy, and the Holy Spirit will empower us with His Love, also. Then we thank God and share all Love and Joy with our neighbour. ( Matthew 7: 7-8) We keep asking God and thanking God, and sharing all Love and Joy with our neighbour. (all we know and all we meet, friend and not-friend) God will see our efforts and God will Bless us. We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us, and carry on loving and caring. God is Love, and God wants loving children/sons and daughters. A Christian`s great weapon is Love. Jesus our Saviour will help and guide us: JESUS IS THE WAY. And who knows, girlwithadog, others might well join us: Love is very catching. I say this with love. Greetings from Emmy, your sister in Christ.

 

[asiyreh]

Lots wife provides a valuable lesson, simply this. When you accept the faith don't turn back and look for-longingly over your shoulder and the life you have left behind.

I'm sure there are many in history such as are good Lord himself who suffered much more agonizing deaths than being turned into a pillar of Salt. The woman herself will not necessarily be damned or anything and she provides for us a valuable lesson.

Maybe she could have lived till she was very old died in her bed and who would know about her?
If God used my disobedience in such a positive manor I'd be most pleased. I mean as you say even the unbeliever knows about her. Perhaps some of them may turn from their path of destruction. Who knows maybe Lots wife will even play a role in their salvation.