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Rating: 2 votes, 5.00 average.

John 8:12

Posted 02-28-2015 at 05:55 PM by ardvark71
Updated 05-26-2023 at 02:40 AM by ardvark71

I happened to come across this Verse in a devotional a few days ago....

"Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life." John 8:12 (NLT)

But why is Jesus the light and what is darkness? Wasn't He some great teacher who taught that everyone should live in peace and harmony with one another? Yes...but there's a LOT more. There is an article here that touches on that but I thought I would also try to give you one example from my own life.

From events that started in my childhood, which included mistreatment from my father and from my classmates at a middle school I went to, I became angry, mistrustful and much, if not all, of my self-esteem had been lost. I had done fairly poorly in middle school academically but when I was a junior in high school, I discovered that I had a love of history and began to study it pretty extensively. Also, during this time, I developed an interest in the military and warfare and became known among my classmates as a "warmonger." My grades improved markedly, as I now had an interest in school, and was able to graduate the following year. I'm not sure I would have, otherwise. That was in 1989.

But I noticed that my interest in history, which was primarily American or U.S. history began to morph into European history. This trend continued when I started going to a community college two years later, when my interest in European history began morphing specifically into German history, especially the Nazi period. While I had gotten my two year degree from the community college, I had to leave the university after a year and a half because of a financial situation. However, the hurt and anger from years before was turning into a hatred for people and a desire for revenge. I never acted anything out in public but I fantasized about war and bloodshed in my mind. I wished I could become president or leader in the United States so I could, in part, get revenge and bring about the changes I wanted to see. From the late 1990's to the early 2000's, my interest in pretty much everything Nazi German intensified and I became enamored with the flags, marches and pageantry. I wasn't really interested in hearing Hitler speak but I sure was impressed with seeing row upon row of German army soldiers march down a street with rifles and flags in hand, along with tanks and other motorized equipment. Having been hurt and abused as well as authority from my father misused, for me, what I saw in the rows of German soldiers and military equipment represented power and being able to exercise it over others instead of the reverse and to punish those whom I felt were enemies and those who had hurt me. It didn't help that I have a lot of German ancestry in my background. I thought to myself, "Now here are some people who didn't let others walk all over them. These guys kicked some serious &%@ and I'm of their blood!" The fact that they killed up to six million Jewish men, women and children (as well as others,) I had read about and saw pictures of but didn't pay much attention to because it didn't allow me to picture the Nazis the way I wanted to.

Although the fantasies were only in my head and I only told about them to less than a handful of people, some things couldn't help but to be seen by others. People could plainly see I was a very angry young man. My mother mentioned a few times during that time period that I looked like I could "bite a nail in two" and looking back at some of the pictures of myself, I definitely had a hard look. When you literally wake up hating the world each day, you can't help but to have others notice and be affected by it.

There was another bad side affect: From an ideology that espoused racial superiority, I was becoming a racist myself and began to look down on hispanic (particularly Mexican) and black people. I saw myself as better than them because I was of German blood and I saw European culture as superior to any other, including our own.

There's more. Around this time I had developed an interest in computers and I had always, going back to age 10, loved to play video games. Computers provided a new avenue for this and to nurse my wounds and to act out my desire for revenge, I began to amass a video game collection that always, in some way, focused on war and usually strategy. I would literally spend four to eight hours a day, most days, usually every day playing these games.

So this was the state of affairs and the mess I was in heading into 2002-2004. Around this time, God was also using the only close friend I had, a Christian woman that I met at a job I had back in 1998, to bring me to Himself. That's a fairly long story in itself, so in the interest of keeping this shorter, perhaps I'll save that for another blog. However, during 2003 and 2004, He used her greatly, along with other folks, to reveal Himself and His love for me, in different ways.

I remember vividly the night in December, 2004 I asked Him to come into my life. Immediately after I asked Him to come on in, I felt a wave of energy (for lack of better words,) like a pebble hitting a very still body of water (the circular ripple effect from where the stone entered,) go outwards in all directions from my heart. My very first words after that were, "Thank you, Lord." I had never used the word "Lord" before in my communication with God (I prayed a couple times to Him in that general time frame as an unbeliever before receiving Him,) or about Him. This was at night.

The next morning when I woke up, I felt very different. I no longer felt hatred or anger towards people and I no longer used a swear word every other word! F-bombs and other swear words were a part of my vocabulary as much as regular words for years prior to that. It was gone! I also had a desire to get rid of the war games I played for hours on end and I threw many of them away, the few that were left were tossed later.

These were immediate changes that He brought about. In the years to come, as I began to walk with Him and obey Him (that's a key word there, you can't experience Jesus and the things He has for you unless you do what He's telling you to do,) we began to tackle other areas of my life that were sinful (see here to learn what sin is,) like lust and sexual fantasy, self-centeredness, fear, lack of trust, anger, frustration and doubt to name a few. Some of these take time to work out and we're still working on them. The goal or aim in this is to experience His life and freedom not only in this life but for all eternity. In spite of what you may have heard or understand, true freedom is not the ability to do whatever you want but have sin and the affects of sin removed from your life. I've learned this personally first hand. But what are the things or qualities of God? What things are sinful? You can find that out, in part, here in Galatians 5:19-23.

I can assure you that I didn't make this up or do this on my own. You can't just change yourself to be who I am today in Him. There's simply no way. Part of the reason why I'm sharing this with all of you is to let you know that I don't belong to an exclusive club, Who Jesus is and what He has done in my life is available to every single human being on this Earth. Whatever's going on in your life or wherever you're at or whatever pain you're going through, He IS the solution! All you have to do is receive Him, walk with Him (have a relationship with Him,) and obey Him. That's it. It won't always be easy but He will get you through where you need to go.

How is this possible? Because Jesus is the Son of God (or God the Son) who came into the world as a man to take the sins of the world upon Himself and became the sacrifice for them on the Cross. The Bible says in Hebrews 9:22 that there can be no forgiveness without the shedding of blood. In the Old Testament days, this was done by sacrificing various animals but when Jesus came, He became the sacrifice for sin for all time. Jesus could do this because He was and is God, lived a sinless life while He was here and was resurrected three days later after His death.

No other religion can offer and/or give eternal life. Jesus Himself said in John 14:6 that "....I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." (NLT) The opposite of eternal life is eternal destruction in Hell and later, the Lake of Fire. Trust me, these are places you DON'T want to go! They are places of incredible torment and suffering beyond what can be conceived here. This is where people go who have not received Jesus during their lifetime here. However, this is not what God desires but that everyone should come to and receive Him.

If you don't know Him yourself and you're wondering if my words are true, then I would highly encourage you to ask Him yourself. Ask Him for a revelation of Himself to you.

And that is my testimony and my experience. Thank you for reading this today and may God bless you!

https://ebible.org/eng-web/engweb_p_color6x9.pdf

http://www.cru.org/how-to-know-god/d...-the-dead.html

http://peacewithgod.net/

https://soulchoiceministries.org/pod...i-see-in-hell/

Some content taken from Holy Bible, New Living Translation by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
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Comments

  1. Old Comment
    I'm happy to hear your religion is bringing you peace. I found peace, too. Let me give you an example from my life...perhaps it will help you someday, or perhaps not...

    I was raised in a Christian home. Not overly strict, not some psycho cult (though incredibly conservative in beliefs). I was raised knowing that my parents loved me very much, even if they weren't always there (my Dad's job had him travelling quite a bit, quite often 75% or more per month). It was a normal childhood, I suppose...bible camp in the summers, decent schooling (albeit very religious), etc... I was teased in school because I wear coke-bottle glasses and lack social skills, and school bored me, but I somehow made it through all of that. Aside from typical teenage rebellion and a few idiotic stunts than nearly landed me in jail on more than one occasion, I had a normal childhood. My parents may disagree, but that's an entirely different discussion =)

    I had an experience in bible camp one year that I clung to for many, many years. The experience was reading a passage in the bible, and realizing that no matter how bad things get, when I'm being bullied in school, etc... I can always go to God with the problem. Much like you, I *felt* the experience...a wave of energy and warmth that covered me. It wasn't some logical conclusion, it was an emotional response. I *knew* God was talking to me.

    For 20+ years I lived knowing that God was there, always guiding me and assisting me. I never felt that wave of hope and warmth again, though. I prayed harder and harder every time I needed help, through college, marriage, parenthood (prayed a LOT due to this one), and through all of the giving of my time, church attendance, helping others, etc... I never felt that wave of energy again. I then realized that hey, this belief system, I've been taught from childhood that it is truth, and if that is true, then it should stand up to scrutiny. Perhaps I've not had enough faith for God to enter my life again...well then I'll challenge my beliefs, no matter how scary it gets, because my beliefs are true and when they are still standing on the other side of the scrutiny, I'll emerge a more faithful Christian.

    First, I need to prove that other religions are not the one true path. I spent years studying other religions, picking them apart and honing my logical skills in picking out nonsense from truth, and (in my own mind, at least) refuted religions around the globe.

    Then, once I'd realized that I spent all of this time refuting other beliefs, I turned that razor towards Christianity. Two years passed, studying, learning, considering angles I hadn't considered before. I held strong to the quote "we must follow the argument where it leads", and when something didn't add up, I researched and studied more until everything *did* add up. When I emerged from that timeframe, there was only one logical conclusion left.

    I am an atheist.

    And so are you, at least in terms of other gods. I encourage you to find the strength to question your beliefs instead of blindly accepting them. You may have already done this and come to the conclusion that Christianity is the one true path. If you have, I applaud you (and would love to hear your reasoning), but if you have not, I recommend it.

    No belief that can't stand up to scrutiny should be held as belief.
    Posted 03-01-2015 at 01:58 PM by rocket357 rocket357 is offline
  2. Old Comment
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rocket357 View Comment
    No belief that can't stand up to scrutiny should be held as belief.
    Hi rocket357...

    Thank you for taking the time to write to me and to share your experiences.

    Let me assure you first, that it's not my "religion" that brings me peace, it's our God. I don't believe in a static concept or idea, I have a relationship with the living God who hears, sees and speaks to me and I to Him. There are many ways He has spoken to me....through His Word, in my mind, through dreams, through nature, as examples. Pretty incredible really.

    You've described how you "felt" God that one time in Bible camp and that you never felt it again. If I can be bold here, from what you've written, I think you've made a couple mistakes in how you've assessed your situation. Don't get me wrong, one can feel things from God, I know I have but that's not the basis for believing in God and having a relationship with Him. We don't rely on our feelings either in terms of what He is saying to us or as the basis or foundation of our relationship with Him. We rely on what He has said in His Word. That is the foundation. Because we can feel many different things, have impressions, sensations or words come into our minds but it doesn't always mean they are from God! Satan can manipulate our emotions and introduce thoughts into our head and they may "feel" right or accurate or even from God but the're not. It takes discernment to know the difference. There is one discipline that I've learned is absolutely critical in the Christian walk and that is learning to "take thoughts captive" at all times, putting thoughts that come into your head through God's filter, which, again, is based on His Word. It's a part of putting on His Spiritual Armor. Please see here, too.

    Boy, have I learned this the hard way! I've been around this mountain myself a few times so I know what you're talking about. There have even been times I've hurt people because of this, either because I didn't question it or misinterpreted and/or misapplied it.

    The other thing I'd like to mention is that you can't understand God or His ways with human understanding, logic or reason. We come to God and walk with Him by faith. Please see Hebrews 11.

    Here are some quotes concerning this, this one in particular: Teach us to know that we cannot know, for the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Let faith support us where reason fails, and we shall think because we believe, not in order that we may believe. A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

    The evidence of God's existence and His work in peoples are all around us in you are open to seeing it, whether in nature or the lives of people whom God has restored and healed. My prayer for you is He would give you understanding of this and that He would guide you back to Himself.

    Take care...
    Posted 03-02-2015 at 10:44 AM by ardvark71 ardvark71 is offline
    Updated 06-21-2015 at 02:57 AM by ardvark71 (Added information.)
  3. Old Comment
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ardvark71 View Comment
    The other thing I'd like to mention is that you can't understand God or His ways with human understanding, logic or reason. We come to God and walk with Him by faith.
    This is the de-facto argument I run into when discussing beliefs with Christians. Granted, they're called "beliefs" and not "proofs", I'll give you that. Let's discuss that, using our God-given reasoning capabilities (afterall, why would God give us the capacity for understanding and logic, then not allow us to leverage it for gaining a deeper belief in him?). Our world is ordered, and designed, given your belief. We should be able to, within the confines of our limited "in the image of God" intellect, find patterns in the seeming chaos, even if those patterns are not a complete understanding of the operation of the universe.

    God created the heavens and the earth, and everything within the earth. Given this, it stands to reason that God created the fossil/geological record that clearly states a contradictory story. This means that either we don't have a complete understanding (science has never made such claims, but that's irrelevant), or God created an image of a contradictory story (which to me seems rather deceptive for a loving, personal God). For the sake of this discussion, I'll say "we don't completely understand", then, which I think you can agree with.

    Perhaps you aren't a literal creationist, and you believe that God leveraged evolution to bring about humanity. That's fair, given that God is, afterall, omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. Nothing is outside of God's ability if that is taken as truth (and afterall, the Bible states that to God, a day is a thousand years, and a thousand years is but a day). Again, we simply don't have enough capacity to understand what is going on.

    Each year, we learn a bit more and remove some of the "jurisdiction" that was attributed to Philosophy. Now that science is studying consciousness, philosophers have even less ground to stand on. What if science breaks the mysteries of consciousness, and it is determined that we are in fact simply chemical machines with an illusion of awareness?

    "We just don't understand Gods way! God intended it to work this way!"

    Do you see the fallacy here? No matter what we understand, no matter how far we push the boundaries of human understanding, there will always be subjects we don't fully grasp. It will always be ok to say "We don't understand Gods way!", yet, we always DO learn more and understand our environment more, and suddenly the mysteries that baffled us before are understood. At what point do we reach Gods jurisdiction and are forced to turn back?

    Why would God intentionally create us "in his image" minus the capacity to understand our world?

    You also mentioned that faith is not an emotional experience. Perhaps I overstepped my bounds a bit on that. Just because my experience was an emotional one does not mean yours necessarily was, too. That is fair.

    Why is it that a loving, personal God had to drive the obliteration of so many people? Jesus guided us to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", but where is this treatment in God in the Old Testament? Why weren't the people of Noah's time spared, given the Golden Rule? What of the sinners in Sodom and Gomorrah? Why didn't God treat them the way he wanted to be treated? We're made in Gods image, and yet the rules don't apply equally?
    Posted 03-02-2015 at 12:12 PM by rocket357 rocket357 is offline
  4. Old Comment
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rocket357 View Comment
    Why is it that a loving, personal God had to drive the obliteration of so many people? Jesus guided us to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you", but where is this treatment in God in the Old Testament? Why weren't the people of Noah's time spared, given the Golden Rule? What of the sinners in Sodom and Gomorrah? Why didn't God treat them the way he wanted to be treated? We're made in Gods image, and yet the rules don't apply equally?
    Hi...

    You can find the answers to this here and here.

    Please keep in mind that while God is love, He is also just and righteous....and perfect. He is without sin. He never said to anyone, "You can do whatever you like without consequences." Because sin is also rebellion against God and His law, He doesn't wink at it and let it go unchallenged or unpunished.

    Look at this way: I noticed on your profile that you have two children. If you saw one or both of them bullying or beating up on the neighbors children, stealing money from your wife's purse and lying to you about where they were at a given time, do you think you would just stand there and wink at it and say "boys will be boys?" You may have girls though but the point is the same. No, because not only is it wrong, it adversely affects your (and their) well being and your relation with them and their relationship with others and can result in civil or criminal proceedings.

    It's kind of the same thing with God.

    Take care...
    Posted 03-03-2015 at 05:35 PM by ardvark71 ardvark71 is offline
  5. Old Comment
    Correct, but I don't drown my children for stealing.

    On a tangent, ten generations from Adam could potentially give a population of thousands or millions (depending on how many children each generation averaged). Let's say 5,000 for ease of numbers (assuming each generation's pairs had between 4 and 6 children, which seems quite conservative of an estimate). God's magnificent creation, to that point, then, had a 99.9984% failure rate. But it's free will, right? So *our* free will drives us apart from God. A characteristic of the created disappoints the creator...how poetic.

    There is a huge difference between willingly murdering basically the entire population of the earth (something that not even Stalin or Pol Pot managed to accomplish...something *Satan* has not accomplished...think about that) and disciplining children for even a severe judgement lapse. Nothing my children could do would *ever* make me want to destroy them. Does God lack unconditional love, yet expect it of us?

    Put another way: Suppose the promise of heaven weren't part of the picture. Would you still serve God? How can you prove the selflessness of your servitude when the whole ordeal is rewards-based? How can an omniscient God, unwilling to meddle with free will, know what you will do?

    While we're at it, explain to me why Abraham was tested (Issac). Since God is omniscient, the test was for Abraham (i.e. God already knew what would happen, if you overlook the omniscient/free will part). What point was God trying to make in proving to Abraham that he could murder his own son?
    Posted 03-03-2015 at 08:34 PM by rocket357 rocket357 is offline
    Updated 03-03-2015 at 09:53 PM by rocket357 (added emphasis to a particularly poignant point.)
  6. Old Comment
    Honestly, at this point, I don't think continuing to try and answer your questions would be fruitful because you're not open to hearing them. They're not acceptable to you.

    We're going to have to agree to disagree and leave it at that.

    Best wishes...
    Posted 03-04-2015 at 12:04 AM by ardvark71 ardvark71 is offline
  7. Old Comment
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ardvark71
    you're not open to hearing them. They're not acceptable to you.
    They aren't acceptable because you haven't answered them. How could a loving, personal creator willingly destroy a single human life (let alone nearly 100 percent of the population of earth) and not be considered "conditional love"? If you can answer that, you'll get further than most.

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ardvark71
    We're going to have to agree to disagree and leave it at that.
    And there is the de-facto disengagement I run into when discussing beliefs with Christians. I sincerely thank you for taking the time to discuss this with me.

    I appreciate the fact that God gives you peace, and I wish you the best in your pursuits. I hope I haven't ruffled your feathers too badly =)
    Posted 03-04-2015 at 07:15 AM by rocket357 rocket357 is offline
    Updated 03-04-2015 at 07:21 AM by rocket357
  8. Old Comment
    Hi...

    No offense taken and I wish you the best as well.

    Take care...
    Posted 03-04-2015 at 12:28 PM by ardvark71 ardvark71 is offline
  9. Old Comment
    Hi Rocket357...

    Looking back on this thread and talking about this with a friend of mine, I think I might have come across as sounding frustrated or snippy. If I did, I apologize, that wasn't my intention. Frustration is a weak area for me.

    My intention for this blog entry was to share with others what Jesus Christ has done in my life and to let others know that the life He's given to me is available for everyone. It wasn't my intention or desire to debate God's existence or engage in a similar discussion. Perhaps I should have made that clear from the beginning.

    The transformation or rebirth (being born again) of someone who has received Jesus Christ into their lives is a spiritual event that has results or fruit that can be observed by others, some physical, some spiritual. How all of that works or how God does things can't always be understood by human reasoning or logic. He's much bigger than us.

    There are many things even Christians don't understand, hence what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13:12.

    Best wishes...
    Posted 03-05-2015 at 11:25 PM by ardvark71 ardvark71 is offline
    Updated 03-05-2015 at 11:35 PM by ardvark71 (Added information.)
  10. Old Comment
    Hi ardvark71,

    I appreciate the clarification, and I certainly understand frustration =)

    Also, I hope I didn't come across as "hijacking your blogpost".

    It is my personal belief that nothing should be sacred. Nothing should ever be safe from reconsideration. Perhaps I carried that a bit too far in an inappropriate manner. Who am I, afterall, to second-guess the experience you had? =\

    If you ever do wish to debate the meaning of life or existence of God, though, let me know =D

    -Jonathon
    Posted 03-06-2015 at 07:20 AM by rocket357 rocket357 is offline
  11. Old Comment
    Hi Ardvark,

    Thank you for the great testimony. As a former addict I can identify with how something like getting involved with something like what you experienced can affect your mind and the grip it has over you.

    The commandment Yeshua gave to Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind became a lot clearer after my experince with deliverance from addiction in my case porn.

    God bless you and keep you sir

    Darren
    Posted 07-17-2015 at 04:30 PM by darry1966 darry1966 is offline
  12. Old Comment
    Hi Darren...

    And may God bless and keep you! Thank you for your kind words and for your own testimony.

    I thinks that's something every believer can attest to: That God is always involved in the healing and restoration business and is wanting to offer this miracle to anyone who will receive Him.

    Take care...

    Aaron
    Posted 07-18-2015 at 03:04 AM by ardvark71 ardvark71 is offline
  13. Old Comment
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ardvark71 View Comment
    We rely on what He has said in His Word. That is the foundation. Because we can feel many different things, have impressions, sensations or words come into our minds but it doesn't always mean they are from God! Satan can manipulate our emotions and introduce thoughts into our head and they may "feel" right or accurate or even from God but the're not
    How do you know the Word isn't from Satan?
    Posted 07-31-2015 at 02:29 AM by ntubski ntubski is offline
  14. Old Comment
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ntubski View Comment
    How do you know the Word isn't from Satan?
    $ git clone https://github.com/inspired/bible >/dev/null 2>&1
    $ git log | grep Author | grep Satan
    $

    (sorry ardvark71, I couldn't resist =)
    Posted 07-31-2015 at 08:44 AM by rocket357 rocket357 is offline
    Updated 07-31-2015 at 08:45 AM by rocket357
  15. Old Comment
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ntubski View Comment
    How do you know the Word isn't from Satan?
    Hi...

    Thank you for your question and for reading my blog.

    If that were true, then nothing I've described that God has done in my life would have never happened. It is not God's nature to lie or deceive. This is what Satan does and continually. That's is why he is called "The father of lies" in John 8.44. If the Word was from Satan, do you think he would call himself a liar? He wants you to believe whatever deception or lie he wants you to believe or do because his goal for you (and the end result) is your spirtual and physical destruction. Period.

    Please read here as to what that destruction is.

    @rocket357: Hey, how's the rocket man? You and your family doing well?

    Take care...
    Posted 07-31-2015 at 09:29 PM by ardvark71 ardvark71 is offline
    Updated 07-31-2015 at 09:40 PM by ardvark71 (Corrections/Added question.)
  16. Old Comment
    Doing well, man...same ol' same ol'.

    I completely understand your point on Satan and the word of God, but I think what ntubski is asking is something that asks for a bit more rigor than "the Bible says...". It would be like me asking if Richard Dawkins is a liar, and ntubski saying "well, he's never called *himself* a liar, so no, he's not a liar".

    Therein lies the rub (for me, at least). In science, someone makes a claim, and 1700 other people test the claim. It either holds up, falls apart, or requires more research. With God's word, it's *really* difficult to get a second opinion on the truths claimed therein. You either believe it or you do not. I suspect that ntubski falls more along the "rigor" approach (or perhaps is simply trolling =) this is, afterall, the internet (feel free to correct me, ntubski!)).

    How do you, as a Christian, bring atheists (non-believers, in general) to a place where they can see the word of God for what it really is, according to your beliefs?

    (This is an honest question, I'm not trying to derail your blog again).
    Posted 08-01-2015 at 12:39 AM by rocket357 rocket357 is offline
    Updated 08-01-2015 at 12:42 AM by rocket357
  17. Old Comment
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rocket357 View Comment
    $ git clone https://github.com/inspired/bible >/dev/null 2>&1
    $ git log | grep Author | grep Satan
    $
    Hah The whole problem is about Satan using
    Code:
    $ git commit --amend --author=God
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by rocket357 View Comment
    With God's word, it's *really* difficult to get a second opinion on the truths claimed therein. You either believe it or you do not. I suspect that ntubski falls more along the "rigor" approach (or perhaps is simply trolling =) this is, afterall, the internet (feel free to correct me, ntubski!)).

    How do you, as a Christian, bring atheists (non-believers, in general) to a place where they can see the word of God for what it really is, according to your beliefs?
    I don't think it's realistic to make non-believers start believing in the word of God (or vice versa) based on some blog posts. I'm not looking for a fully rigorous accounting of anyone's religious beliefs. I was simply surprised to see the idea that religious feelings/revelations could come from Satan rather than God. I'm curious why the same doesn't apply to the Bible.

    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ardvark71 View Comment
    If the Word was from Satan, do you think he would call himself a liar?
    Yes: as a strategy to convince people that the Word is not from Satan it could work pretty well.
    Posted 08-01-2015 at 03:41 PM by ntubski ntubski is offline
  18. Old Comment
    The thing I find most interesting about the Judeo-Christian-Islamic God is that it chose to make itself known only to a tiny number of people in Israel 2 1/2 or 3000 years ago and left everyone else on the planet in ignorance. I am sure the argument will be that thousands of years ago everyone forgot about God except the Hebrews, but how realistic is that argument?

    I am not proselytising against Christianity. I am using the above as an example of how any religion* is a matter faith, not rationality. One either believes or does not. Pointing out inconsistencies to a believer will not convince the person to abandon his/her faith. Likewise, trying to convince a non-believer that the deities or spirits one believes in are real, will not convert that person.


    * This also includes the world's largest religion - nationalism.


    Sorry about trolling your blog, but that is the risk of putting things on an open internet.
    Posted 08-01-2015 at 11:09 PM by Randicus Draco Albus Randicus Draco Albus is offline
  19. Old Comment
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by ntubski View Comment
    Hah The whole problem is about Satan using
    Code:
    $ git commit --amend --author=God
    Well played, well played.
    Posted 08-01-2015 at 11:10 PM by rocket357 rocket357 is offline
  20. Old Comment
    Just one thing the God of Islam Allah is not the same as the God of Christianity and Judaism.

    The Christian God is a Triune God Father/Son and the Holy Spirit and the Islamic God is Singular and the Beliefs of the Koran make their God totally different from the God I follow.

    Otherwise thank you for your post.
    Posted 08-13-2015 at 04:06 PM by darry1966 darry1966 is offline
    Updated 08-13-2015 at 04:12 PM by darry1966
 

  



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