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Hokomai
Guest
Whatever happened to “To know love and serve God in this world, and so be happy with him in the next”?
Don’t you guys read your own stuff?
Don’t you guys read your own stuff?
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minkymurph
Guest
Yes.
The reason I would not say “To know love and serve God in this world, and so be happy with him in the next” is not because I don’t I read my own stuff, it’s because I know how many an atheist would reply to that statement.
The response I suggested was ‘why do want to know?’ I would ask this to ascertain if they are genuinely interested, or if they just want to discredit you, your faith or argue. I have certain ‘rules for living’ and one is, you can’t talk to a closed mind. Therefore, by and large I don’t engage in discussion with someone who’s mind is closed.
My other ‘rules for living’ include:
Never offer advice or opinions unless your asked.
Never offer advice or opinions concerning other peoples relationships even when you are asked - remain non-committal.
Never assume the right thing to do in your eyes is right for everyone.
And my golden rule is - mind your own business.
However, if I encountered an atheist who was genuinely interested in why I Christian
(not just why do you believe in God) my response would be because I believe Jesus was the Incarnate God.
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Hokomai
Guest
You must have many good friends!
I was only posting partly in jest - I think many unbelievers miss out because religious people do not give full answers when they are asked about their faith; most of my friends and family are not believers and they know little of religious belief, to the extent that they do not think people really believe, but that they are ‘going through the motions’ or ‘just saying it’. I’m fascinated by belief in all its forms, but find that most religious people think I am trying to unconvert them when I question or challenge. Hence my disclaimer. I am not sure if you would classify my mind as closed or not.
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InJesusItrust
Guest
I prayed for a undeniable personal experience and said I would believe if God gave it. God gave it.
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Hokomai
Guest
And was this thing something that could not possibly have happened without divine intervention? Or was it a less-than-likely possibility? And have you ever prayed for something that did not happen? And did you give this the same weight in deciding if God answers prayers as your positive experience? How is the balance overall for you? And do you accept that it is in the nature of coincidences that they happen?
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Drinkgasoline
Guest
Aquinas, Reason, Logic, Science
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InJesusItrust
Guest
I experienced the passion wounds of Christ, though it felt physical it was and is spiritual. It’s simply like this. If it turns out to all be delusions I will have lost nothing when I died. If my prayers were answered and I broke my promise to God, I will have lost everything
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Hokomai
Guest
I would not dispute with anyone over a personal ‘spiritual’ experience. I accept that this is what you experienced and that discussion of it would not alter that experience. Sometimes people come to understand such experiences in different ways, but like all thoughts, they are real and you are entitled to your view of them. I engage in argument only about miracles which are testable by science, or claims about the material world, although I am always interested in the process by which people come to believe in ‘spiritual’ experiences. I hope yours bring you peace.
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M-Dent
Guest
Because God has allowed me to believe.
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Michael_Francis
Guest
Sticky: Temporary Ban on Evolution/Atheism Threads
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minkymurph
Guest
Not sure about that one.You must have many good friends!
The reality is that is exactly why some people do question or challenge - because they are trying to ‘unconvert’ you, even if they don’t admit it. Or, because they don’t believe it’s true and simply want to ‘win’ the argument that it’s not true. There are those who are genuinely interested. It depends who’s asking the questions and how well you know them.
Another rule for living - never presume to know what someone else thinks.
And - never make assumptions about people you encounter on the internet. It’s a virtual world and you don’t actually know the person you have encountered, or anything about them.
I have no idea if you have a closed mind or not. It often becomes apparent in discussion whether or not someone has a closed mind. Sometimes it can be harder to tell on the internet whether or not someone is genuine because the internet gives us a degree of anonymity.
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