To Christian converts: what was your former religion, if you had one?

[Hestha]

I know there are a couple of Christians here who have converted to Christianity from atheism; I know that the reverse also happens, where an individual would be "deconverted" from Christianity to atheism. Are there any former Muslims here who have converted to Christianity from Islam? Are there any former Jews here who have converted to Christianity from Judaism? If you are such a person, I would like to ask you what compelled you to convert to Christianity? When you became a Christian, did you attempt to proselytize your children to convert to Christianity as well? When you became a Christian and then later had children, did you allow a priest to baptize the children as infants and have them attend their confirmation ceremony as teenagers, like a Jewish bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah? I think I have read somewhere that one can only become a Christian, not born a Christian; however, a person with Christian parents may have an easier time converting to Christianity because he or she is more familiar with the Christian faith, culture, and lifestyle. Likewise, perhaps, a person with no faith would have a harder time converting to Christianity because he or she is less familiar with the ready acceptance of a god and the Christian culture and lifestyle, unless he or she spends ample amounts of time reading and studying and genuinely, sincerely wants to convert to Christianity or become a member of the organized religion. What was your motivation to convert? As a Christian, did you actively seek out new converts by evangelizing? Or did you maintain your old religious habits such as going to a synagogue with family, or praying five times a day toward Mecca and you just pretended to whom you are praying is Jesus? Did you talk with your family about your deliberate plan to convert to Christianity, and how did they react?

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

I know there are a couple of Christians here who have converted to Christianity from atheism; I know that the reverse also happens, where an individual would be "deconverted" from Christianity to atheism. Are there any former Muslims here who have converted to Christianity from Islam? Are there any former Jews here who have converted to Christianity from Judaism? If you are such a person, I would like to ask you what compelled you to convert to Christianity? When you became a Christian, did you attempt to proselytize your children to convert to Christianity as well? When you became a Christian and then later had children, did you allow a priest to baptize the children as infants and have them attend their confirmation ceremony as teenagers, like a Jewish bar mitzvah or bat mitzvah? I think I have read somewhere that one can only become a Christian, not born a Christian; however, a person with Christian parents may have an easier time converting to Christianity because he or she is more familiar with the Christian faith, culture, and lifestyle. Likewise, perhaps, a person with no faith would have a harder time converting to Christianity because he or she is less familiar with the ready acceptance of a god and the Christian culture and lifestyle, unless he or she spends ample amounts of time reading and studying and genuinely, sincerely wants to convert to Christianity or become a member of the organized religion. What was your motivation to convert? As a Christian, did you actively seek out new converts by evangelizing? Or did you maintain your old religious habits such as going to a synagogue with family, or praying five times a day toward Mecca and you just pretended to whom you are praying is Jesus? Did you talk with your family about your deliberate plan to convert to Christianity, and how did they react?

I used to be a full fledged Atheist for about 10 adult years , and desired it not based on any scientific reasoning or logic, but because I needed something that philosophically fit in with my pleasure filled lifestyle -- namely routine sexual hedonism.

 

[Hestha]

I used to be a full fledged Atheist for about 10 adult years , and desired it not based on any scientific reasoning or logic, but because I needed something that philosophically fit in with my pleasure filled lifestyle -- namely routine sexual hedonism.

Adult years? That would imply that you might have had a religious upbringing, did you not? If that's the case, then I suppose you are much like the prodigal son.

 

[food4thought]

Hello again Hestha. I was basically nonreligious with no set beliefs about God. I converted because after several years of study and contemplation I came to believe it to be true.

Some of the things I thought to be strong evidences have since been shown to be insufficient, but I continue to believe because I have experienced the life of Jesus Christ indwelling me... I cannot conceive of ever disbelieving again.

I am single and unmarried, but I did reach out with the gospel to all my friends and familly.

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

...

Some of the things I thought to be strong evidences have since been shown to be insufficient, .....

Hello. Id be interested in hearing what some of these are. Thanks.

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

Adult years? That would imply that you might have had a religious upbringing, did you not? If that's the case, then I suppose you are much like the prodigal son.

No, I had no religious upbringing except for going to Sunday School, twice, with the kids across the street when i was about 12 . I said '10 adult years' because it was this time period that I determined i wanted to be an Atheist as a young adult .

Yes, i was just like the Prodigal Son in how i lived during this time period ; I was led away by the lies that an atheistic Worldview/Origins was somehow scientific and logical , but the real benefit of embracing atheism was No God meant no ultimate moral accountability to be concerned about so this was like a credit card to all kinds of lifestyles as I desired., sexual hedonism in particular . It wasnt until I came to see that i was heading down a road to destruction in combination with giving God a chance with my life by going to church with a g/f at the time, that God had a much better plan for my life ...one that has great purpose, meaning, and whos road ends at a very very nice place for eternity.

 

[Hestha]

No, I had no religious upbringing except for going to Sunday School, twice, with the kids across the street when i was about 12 . I said '10 adult years' because it was this time period that I determined i wanted to be an Atheist as a young adult.

You only went to Sunday School twice in your entire lifetime instead of weekly? What did you do at Sunday School? Did you enjoy Sunday School, or did you not really care about it? What did you think of Christianity and the Bible before you became a Christian?

So, becoming an atheist was a deliberate decision for you? Why did you choose to become an atheist? What thought in your head that led you deny the existence of gods or live as if there were no gods? What was your atheism like?

Examples of atheism:

"Gods and goddesses do not exist."

"I do not believe in gods and goddesses."

"I do not care about gods and goddesses."

"Who me? I just do not think about gods and goddesses. Other people may worship them, not me."

"I am antitheistic. I hate God, the gods, the goddesses, and anything in the supernatural universe."

"I do not believe in the supernatural or the paranormal or magic or miracles. So, what makes you think I would believe in deities, let alone God in the Bible?"

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

You only went to Sunday School twice in your entire lifetime instead of weekly? What did you do at Sunday School? Did you enjoy Sunday School, or did you not really care about it? What did you think of Christianity and the Bible before you became a Christian?

So, becoming an atheist was a deliberate decision for you? Why did you choose to become an atheist? What thought in your head that led you deny the existence of gods or live as if there were no gods? What was your atheism like?

Examples of atheism:

"Gods and goddesses do not exist."

"I do not believe in gods and goddesses."

"I do not care about gods and goddesses."

"Who me? I just do not think about gods and goddesses. Other people may worship them, not me."

"I am antitheistic. I hate God, the gods, the goddesses, and anything in the supernatural universe."

"I do not believe in the supernatural or the paranormal or magic or miracles. So, what makes you think I would believe in deities, let alone God in the Bible?"

In order ---

Nope, i didnt go weekly to church as a kid....only two sundays in a row mainly because i liked hanging with the kids across the street. Sunday School was sort of fun and i believed in God as all people do, but i didnt know what it meant to KNOW God and desire to live for him. It was not explained to me , so, as i got older i naturally went the way of our culture and psuedo science that my great great ancestor was nothing but an undignified, unpurposed, accidental, Pond Protozoa which came from a sea of dead chemicals . Besides, who was I to disgree with 'the experts' (?)

Before i became a Christian, I operated in ignorance like people do who have an axe to grind about Christianity and the BIble ; I mocked it and people who followed it. It wasnt for me because I didnt want to be owned even if God were real, plus, i was having too much fun and i didnt want that to end cause it was making me feel good and giving me self esteem.

As most people do, i took the natural course of becoming 'atheist' ; with the constant barrage of school teachers force feeding atheistic ideologies to us, books with nice airbrushed pictures of apes turning into humans , and peers who didnt want God to exist either....all led to a relatively satisfying independent SELF absorbed life . I became my own god calling the shots and the power i weilded was very addicting.

Id say my mantra was more like :

" Nobodys going to tell me how to live my life"
" ITS MY LIFE and ill decide how to live it and what to get involved in"
" I can do whatever i feel like just so long as nobody gets hurt "
" I deserve all the gusto i can get out of life (regardless of right or wrong actions) "

How come youre an atheist ? Because 'you dont see any evidence that a personal intelligent Creator/Designer has been around and Natural Causes did it all ' ? Please share.

 

[Hestha]

In order ---

Nope, i didnt go weekly to church as a kid....only two sundays in a row mainly because i liked hanging with the kids across the street. Sunday School was sort of fun and i believed in God as all people do, but i didnt know what it meant to KNOW God and desire to live for him. It was not explained to me , so, as i got older i naturally went the way of our culture and psuedo science that my great great ancestor was nothing but an undignified, unpurposed, accidental, Pond Protozoa which came from a sea of dead chemicals . Besides, who was I to disgree with 'the experts'

Wow. Your reflection of your personal history is pretty negative.

Before i became a Christian, I operated in ignorance like people do who have an axe to grind about Christianity and the BIble ; I mocked it and people who followed it. It wasnt for me because I didnt want to be owned even if God were real, plus, i was having too much fun and i didnt want that to end cause it was making me feel good and giving me self esteem.

Have you ever considered of becoming a respectful atheist? You know, someone who is atheist but respects other people's religious beliefs as long as those religious beliefs are kept away from the political arena?

As most people do, i took the natural course of becoming 'atheist' ; with the constant barrage of school teachers force feeding atheistic ideologies to us, books with nice airbrushed pictures of apes turning into humans , and peers who didnt want God to exist either....all led to a relatively satisfying independent SELF absorbed life . I became my own god calling the shots and the power i weilded was very addicting.

Again with the Darwinian evolution? You must really hate that theory.

Uh-huh. So, you are saying that, as you became a Christian, you gave up all your powers that you once enjoyed to God?

Id say my mantra was more like :

" Nobodys going to tell me how to live my life"
" ITS MY LIFE and ill decide how to live it and what to get involved in"
" I can do whatever i feel like just so long as nobody gets hurt "
" I deserve all the gusto i can get out of life (regardless of right or wrong actions) "

How come youre an atheist ? Because 'you dont see any evidence that a personal intelligent Creator/Designer has been around and Natural Causes did it all ' ? Please share.

True. No one can tell you how to live your life, except your mother and father who loves you and cares about you... unless your parents don't care either. Then, you would be doomed.

True. It's your life. You are allowed to decide how to live it and what to get involved in. So, don't take life-threatening risks and endanger yourself.

True. You can do whatever you feel like just as long as nobody gets hurt, including you.

True. You deserve all the gusto - whatever that means - that you can get out of life. Life is meant to live to the fullest. When you die, your life is over. Life is precious. Use the time wisely. There are so many ways to die.

I am not an atheist. I am more agnostic.

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

Wow. Your reflection of your personal history is pretty negative.



Have you ever considered of becoming a respectful atheist? You know, someone who is atheist but respects other people's religious beliefs as long as those religious beliefs are kept away from the political arena?



Again with the Darwinian evolution? You must really hate that theory.

Uh-huh. So, you are saying that, as you became a Christian, you gave up all your powers that you once enjoyed to God?



True. No one can tell you how to live your life, except your mother and father who loves you and cares about you... unless your parents don't care either. Then, you would be doomed.

True. It's your life. You are allowed to decide how to live it and what to get involved in. So, don't take life-threatening risks and endanger yourself.

True. You can do whatever you feel like just as long as nobody gets hurt, including you.

True. You deserve all the gusto - whatever that means - that you can get out of life. Life is meant to live to the fullest. When you die, your life is over. Life is precious. Use the time wisely. There are so many ways to die.

I am not an atheist. I am more agnostic.

1. My childhood memory of what Sunday School was like, is how it was. Im sure if i had continued longer, it may have been totally different for me. Alot depends on a persons mindset and at the age of 12 all i could think about was playing baseball with my friends and horsing around with them. I did get a job at the church to cut their grass weekly so it had a financial benefit for a youngster at that age. While ALL kids know inherently that there is a personal theistic Creator for what they can observe and test with their sense....not all commit at that time to pursuing greater knowledge of God. That comes later for most kids if it comes at all.

2. Back when i fancied myself as an atheist, i was not respectful toward others beliefs because i was so consumed with needing my own to be true based on desired lifestyle choices --- nothing could interfere with that MO. Today, having come out of atheism and now a devouted lover of Christ, I try to be respectful of Others faith-walk when they differ from my own, but, when they involve ideologies that support immorality with bad consequences for individuals and a nation at large, I find it imperative to expose them for what they are yet not hating the individual who has been swept away by them. Does this make sense ? I know people who like the label of Atheist and i can go karaoking with them or pal around with them, but, I can disagree with their lifestyle agendas .

3. I hate any theory or ideology that is foisted upon the populace as 'truth' when it is unproven, speculative, defies established scientific laws, are outright lies for good reasons, and is harmful from a sociological standpoint for society. I think everyone should take a proactive stand for the truth of something but it seems truth has become secondary as have objective standards for morality. We live in a dangerous era when truth becomes relative as do morals. Thats the recipe for widespread lawlessness called willful anarchy.

4. I gave up my self centered power which i used on Others when i departed from lifestyle immorality . Now i am led by the power of God since im not at the center of the Universe as i had once thought i was.

5. Wrong. You cannot live as you like without ultimate moral accountability . You may think you can , but , everyone must give an account of their life lived . God is the Person who is in that meeting besides yourself. What could be more fairer and just ?

6. Did you go from atheist to agnostic and what was the process ?

 

[Hestha]

1. My childhood memory of what Sunday School was like, is how it was. Im sure if i had continued longer, it may have been totally different for me. Alot depends on a persons mindset and at the age of 12 all i could think about was playing baseball with my friends and horsing around with them. I did get a job at the church to cut their grass weekly so it had a financial benefit for a youngster at that age. While ALL kids know inherently that there is a personal theistic Creator for what they can observe and test with their sense....not all commit at that time to pursuing greater knowledge of God. That comes later for most kids if it comes at all.

2. Back when i fancied myself as an atheist, i was not respectful toward others beliefs because i was so consumed with needing my own to be true based on desired lifestyle choices --- nothing could interfere with that MO. Today, having come out of atheism and now a devouted lover of Christ, I try to be respectful of Others faith-walk when they differ from my own, but, when they involve ideologies that support immorality with bad consequences for individuals and a nation at large, I find it imperative to expose them for what they are yet not hating the individual who has been swept away by them. Does this make sense ? I know people who like the label of Atheist and i can go karaoking with them or pal around with them, but, I can disagree with their lifestyle agendas .

3. I hate any theory or ideology that is foisted upon the populace as 'truth' when it is unproven, speculative, defies established scientific laws, are outright lies for good reasons, and is harmful from a sociological standpoint for society. I think everyone should take a proactive stand for the truth of something but it seems truth has become secondary as have objective standards for morality. We live in a dangerous era when truth becomes relative as do morals. Thats the recipe for widespread lawlessness called willful anarchy.

4. I gave up my self centered power which i used on Others when i departed from lifestyle immorality . Now i am led by the power of God since im not at the center of the Universe as i had once thought i was.

5. Wrong. You cannot live as you like without ultimate moral accountability . You may think you can , but , everyone must give an account of their life lived . God is the Person who is in that meeting besides yourself. What could be more fairer and just ?

Are you a Fundamentalist Christian?

Did you go from atheist to agnostic and what was the process ?

I was raised agnostic atheist. There was no process. I am still agnostic atheist.

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

Are you a Fundamentalist Christian?



I was raised agnostic atheist. There was no process. I am still agnostic atheist.

1. Fundamentally.....yes !

2. Can u describe what an agnostic-atheist is so i can better understand your position better ?

 

[Hestha]

2. Can u describe what an agnostic-atheist is so i can better understand your position better ?

Agnostic atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

Agnostic atheism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

From the site above : "Agnostic atheism, also called atheistic agnosticism, is a philosophical position that encompasses both atheism and agnosticism. Agnostic atheists are atheistic because they do not hold a belief in the existence of any deity and agnostic because they claim that the existence of a deity is either unknowable in principle "

1. Would this mean , by default, that you DO believe that everything resulted from Natural Causes only ?

2. That when you examine the creation around you, you see absolutely no indicators that intelligence was used ?

3. That you are content staying in this mindset (as the site says...) for 'philosophical' reasons and not based on scientific objectivity ?

3.a. What would these philosophical reasons be for you personally ?

 

[Hestha]

1. Would this mean , by default, that you DO believe that everything resulted from Natural Causes only ?

2. That when you examine the creation around you, you see absolutely no indicators that intelligence was used ?

3. That you are content staying in this mindset (as the site says...) for 'philosophical' reasons and not based on scientific objectivity ?

3.a. What would these philosophical reasons be for you personally ?

1. Yes.

2. Humans are intelligent.

3. For philosophical reasons and based on scientific objectivity.

4. Uh. Everything is made of energy and matter?

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

1. Yes.

2. Humans are intelligent.

3. For philosophical reasons and based on scientific objectivity.

4. Uh. Everything is made of energy and matter?

1. Would you like to test this , and what would you conclude IF natural causes could never account for everything we have ? Would you still WANT to hold to your position ?

2. Yes.

3. What kind of philosophical reasons (not energy and matter) do you find agnostic-atheist appealing for yourself personally ? Do any of these relate to your lifestyle desires ?

3.a. Can u list some scientific emphirical evidences for the agnostic-atheist position of worldview/origins since agnostic/atheism is based on scientific objectivity ? (Not unproven theories or speculation...but emphirical evidences)

4. Do you hold to a Naturalism/Materialism (only) Universe which is void of any intelligent input or interaction whatsoever ?

 

[Hestha]

1. Would you like to test this , and what would you conclude IF natural causes could never account for everything we have ? Would you still WANT to hold to your position ?

Yes, I do believe that everything is resulted from natural causes. If natural causes could never account for everything we have, then I would hold to the position that there is the physical aspect and metaphysical aspect of life.

3. What kind of philosophical reasons (not energy and matter) do you find agnostic-atheist appealing for yourself personally ? Do any of these relate to your lifestyle desires ?

As an agnostic atheist, I find that everything in the universe is interconnected, and I find that very appealing. All life on earth share a common origin, and they diversify into many different shapes and sizes. It shows that life on earth is not only unified but also very diversified at the same time.

Well, since I share a common ancestor with other organisms on this planet and other humans on this planet, I guess my lifestyle desire is to protect the planet as my foremost goal.

3.a. Can u list some scientific emphirical evidences for the agnostic-atheist position of worldview/origins since agnostic/atheism is based on scientific objectivity ? (Not unproven theories or speculation...but emphirical evidences)

See above.

4. Do you hold to a Naturalism/Materialism (only) Universe which is void of any intelligent input or interaction whatsoever ?

Naturalism and Materialism are not the same things. Naturalism holds that only natural laws (as opposed to supernatural ones) operate in the universe. Materialism holds that everything in the universe constitutes only matter and energy. I will say that I support naturalism and physicalism to account for things other than just matter and energy by obeying natural laws. Not sure what you mean by "intelligent input" there, but I think the universe is "intelligent enough" in its own way.

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

Yes, I do believe that everything is resulted from natural causes. If natural causes could never account for everything we have, then I would hold to the position that there is the physical aspect and metaphysical aspect of life.



As an agnostic atheist, I find that everything in the universe is interconnected, and I find that very appealing. All life on earth share a common origin, and they diversify into many different shapes and sizes. It shows that life on earth is not only unified but also very diversified at the same time.

Well, since I share a common ancestor with other organisms on this planet and other humans on this planet, I guess my lifestyle desire is to protect the planet as my foremost goal.



See above.



Naturalism and Materialism are not the same things. Naturalism holds that only natural laws (as opposed to supernatural ones) operate in the universe. Materialism holds that everything in the universe constitutes only matter and energy. I will say that I support naturalism and physicalism to account for things other than just matter and energy by obeying natural laws. Not sure what you mean by "intelligent input" there, but I think the universe is "intelligent enough" in its own way.

Would you be interested in seeing the illogic behind an agnostic-atheistic worldview/origins as you have indicated above ? How committed are you to your View :

a. Would you maintain the View even if it were demonstrated to be utterly false and impossible ? b. Would you be absolutely willing to go where the truth does lead..that being , Theism , backed up with a total embrace of it if its the real truth ? c. You mentioned a few weeks ago that 'you are chatting about Theism/Christianity for purely entertainment purposes' in this Forum ; would this supercede Truth even ? d. What specifically , if anything, would it take for you to abandon your View and surrender your entire life to a personal theistic Creator if He were shown to exist from established works based on scientific objectivity / and would this ever be enough for you to bend your knee in humility toward him and want to know him better on a scientific basis as well as personal ? If no, what would be holding you back specifically ?

 

[Hestha]

Would you be interested in seeing the illogic behind an agnostic-atheistic worldview/origins as you have indicated above?

I am interested in seeing whatever you perceive to be "illogical" or unreasonable traits of an agnostic atheist's worldview. It's good to hear a different perspective.

How committed are you to your View :

Would you maintain the View even if it were demonstrated to be utterly false and impossible?

If the view were to be demonstrated to be utterly false and impossible, then I would not maintain the view.

Would you be absolutely willing to go where the truth does lead..that being , Theism , backed up with a total embrace of it if its the real truth?

That's the only option? What about deism?

What specifically , if anything, would it take for you to abandon your View and surrender your entire life to a personal theistic Creator if He were shown to exist from established works based on scientific objectivity / and would this ever be enough for you to bend your knee in humility toward him and want to know him better on a scientific basis as well as personal ? If no, what would be holding you back specifically?

If the belief of a personal theistic creator leads a life that is no different from a disbelief of a personal theistic creator, then I would not abandon my original worldview.

 

[TheyCallMeDave]

I am interested in seeing whatever you perceive to be "illogical" or unreasonable traits of an agnostic atheist's worldview. It's good to hear a different perspective.



If the view were to be demonstrated to be utterly false and impossible, then I would not maintain the view.



That's the only option? What about deism?



If the belief of a personal theistic creator leads a life that is no different from a disbelief of a personal theistic creator, then I would not abandon my original worldview.

The firm belief in a personal theistic Creator, the Biblical God, requires of a Person a drastic change from the typical secular position of many lifestyle choices / ideologies as popularized by our secular Culture . In short, it rightfully demands One turn his back on the sins he has committed in the past (and currently) by way of immoral lifestyles or unethical behavior as examples , and to allow the very real purity power of God to work in ones life producing ongoing tangible evidence of righteousness, morality, selflessness, compassion, love, servanthood, including a celibate life until the wedding night. It often results in ridicule from family and peers and it is totally incompatible with the standards of our Culture . These are but a few of the costs associated with becoming a genuine Christian. In return for wanting this kind of a personal relationship with God, you get eternal security in an unimagnible surrounding in the very presence of God.

Would any of these costs pose a problem for you if the biblical Creator were shown to be real (apart from seeing him ,yet, which is what 'faith based on good reason' means) according to the scientific evidences ??? Would it be enough for you to turn from your current position of finding Christianity entertaining , to taking it very seriously due to it being the absolute truth ? I ask you this, because there are most definitly costs associated with becoming a real CHristian and i have only outlined but a few here. How do you feel about this kind of lifelong commitment to God ? Would he be worthy of it ? And would you be willing to experience a complete revamping of your life by surrending your mind, will, and intellect to his leading and teaching ?