What led you to God?

Hey Brian, I was reading your responses to the origional question, and I had to respond because many of your questions I believe I have answers to. Whether you prefer to take them with salt and an open mind is up to you. It sounds like you're pretty bored and agitated with the whole "Christian" thing, but it is a very relevant suggestion for truth, and why we are the way we are, and how we got here. I myself was born and raised in a Christian home, and I did go through a time when I questioned everything I believed in, and looked to science for facts, and I questioned that perhaps God didn't exist and we are all alone.But through my questions, and the books I read, the people I talked to and the experiences I had personally with God Himself, have been so amazing that never have I felt a beauty so wonderful before in my life, and it gets better everyday.I just have one question for the above quote. You say "self-fulfilling prophecy" but isn't your prophecy "self-fulfilling" also? Your opinion in saying that Jesus is false and that God isn't real is built on your own preassumptions and is therefore also a self-fulfilling prophecy. ("Do not judge or you too will be judged" -Matthew 7:2NIV)Christians as a whole did not invent reasons to believe in God. We have a Bible that has never been proven true and has also never been scientifically proven false. If I may presume to say, you yourself are also inventing reasons to believe there is not a God, so you are caught in the same trap.It always makes me wonder as well, (if I may generalize) why Christianty has been the one "religion" or belief that has been the most persecuted. ("...and you will suffer persecution...Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life" -Revelation 2:10NIV) Is it that man has deliberatly put an emnity between himself in God? Why is that? Life never is simple, if you think about it (or if you think at all), but if you know God in a personal relationship and as your Lord and Savior, the simplicity in your life becomes so real. You'd have to believe in God to have that kind of simplicity and peace (far be it for me to make you understand - only God could do that) ("The fruit of the spirit is Love, joy, peace (ie., simplcity)..." - Galations 5:22NIV) Well, if he is a Christian, which he has clearly indicated, then he would base his beliefs on the Bible, and the combined reality of the change in his heart and soul which he has so beautifully experienced. Can you claim to understand what he is talking about? Can you claim to shove his beliefs down as false, when you yourself have not looked at every aspect and every detail of what he believes in?Read the Bible the entire way through (with an open mind; without preconceived assumptions and opinions), disregard the relious fanatics and then you can have the authority to fully grasp what he's talking about and dispute for or against it. For one thing, the Bible is the most historically accurate in terms of history and events, and it has been made from some of the oldest manuscripts.Scientists even use it to find out historical data. It has never been proven wrong. If the Old Testiment has never been proven wrong, and the teachings in it are so true to life, why not hold some faith to the accrucy of the New Testiment? What I see in you by your response here is ignorance, and bitterness. Neither of which will get you anywhere. Yes, there is pain in the world, and yes there is suffering, and children dying, but that is the world in which humans have commited themselves to living.When the first sin was committed, the world then fell and became subject to destruction, evil, horrors of a dark life, and ultimiatly death. The reason that things are so horribe in this world is becuase of man seperating himslf from God by the sin that he commits. ("...but it(world)hates me because I testify that what it does is evil." John 7:7NIV)Therefore, the world is going to be a place of suffering. It's out own fault. God doesn't like it either, in fact if you read the Bible, and read parts of the Old Testiment you would undertand a little of God's character and know that He is a compassionate God and hates to see his people suffer.He didn't like to punish the people of the Old Testiment. But it has to be that way, b/c of man's sin. For example, how best do you learn a lesson? By it being told to you, or by reaping the consequences? Most of the time, the latter is the best method used. God is purely Holy and righteous, and for us to be with Him in prefection and health, we have to be like him in Perfection. But it is impossible by our own ability. God is compassionate b/c He sent His only son, and ultimately Himself, to die a horrible death and rise again, as a sacrifice for all sins. ( For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. John 3:17NIV)What greater love is there? These poor children who die everyday at least have the reasurance that they will have new bodies once in heaven. After all we are not supposed to be people of the world, b/c as children of God we are not of the world. The world is something that we have to overcome. ("...As it is, you do not belong to the world..." John 15:19NIV)If what you ask for is for God to right the world of suffering then the world should right itself of sin. There should be more Chrstians to go out onto the mission feilds and help those that they can, b/c evidently from what you have said there aren't enough of us. What are you yourself doing to help these poor people of the world who suffer? Faith also comes with action, so does love come with obedience. God cannot make us help the world. but He does need us. The reason for the downfalls of society and corruption of life has been our own fault. You can't blame God for everything.If anything, blame Him for giving you life. If the world were a perfect place and God kept the word from pain and suffering, we would not have free will. ("'I do. I am angry enough to die.' But the lord said, 'You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it, or make it grow.'" Jonah 4:10NIV) If this man's belief is a waste of time and is so false, why are you so concerned about wasting your time and responding to him in such a destructive fashion? He could be right. If Christ was the only way to eternal life, I think I would at least be wise and choose that path and get to death and find out it's false than to take it as Truth and die, then realize there is a God and then have to go to Hell b/c of unbelief. I don't think he's wasting his time. He's making a wise choice, if he values his life at all. Frankly, I believe that every person on this earth has seen the prescense of God and of His existence. One, by the moral code that was placed on ever person's heart. Two, by the creation that surrounds us all as testimony to His ausome creation and beauty. ( "The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations." -psalm 98:2NIV)God will judge every man acording to what he has seen and heard. If someone was raised in an African Tribal village, and never even heard the word Jesus, then God as the most fair of all judges will take that into account. Therefore, it is safe to say that Chrisians will be judged more hashly, b/c of what they already know, and what they do with the information they have receievd.God will not condemen a man simply b/c he has never had the chance to hear of the gospel, or of how to obtain salvation. ("Forgive and act; deal with each man according to all he does, since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men..." - 1 Kings 8:39NIV)Also, not to argue, but why is the God of the bible the only "stupid" one? It seems as though your comment was a little predjudiced and immature. In what way is the God of the Bible "stupid?" What do you mean by "supid?" I just don't see how you can argue against Christians when you don't know God personally, you don't have all of the information, and you fail to even have some sort of courtesy to christian beliefs. For one thing, I believe that the TV show you speak of is irrelivant simply b/c it is fiction, and has not actually occured in real life. It's made up, therefore irrelivent. Can we deal with reality here? How? What do you mean by beautiful? How can life be beautiful when you have no hope for an eternal life? How can it be beautfil when you have no purpose but to fullfill you're own meaningless goals? For, since you say you don't believe in this God, then afterlife for you is nothing and therefore life itself for you is meaningless. Man has never settled for that from my experiece and observations. How do you? Wonderful question. The answer is amazing. Incredibly good. A life so full of peace and love, and is unlike anything. When I let God in my heart as a personal decision a peace washed over me; life become so simple and I saw life for what it really is. I saw the workings of Satan and it truly felt like my eyes were opened. Now, I have dedicated my life to getting closer to this Love of God and becoming one with Him in perfect communion, to serve and obey Him.On the mission feild I hope to do God's work in helping those poor, and oppressed and revealing to others this beauty of salvation in God that I have found. I have never known anything so beautful. I can understand why you don't understand becase you are blind. Blind to the beauty of the Truth, b/c you are unwilling to accept it.You want harsh reality. You want somthing to feel, to see, and to touch to beleive. That is why it says, "blessed are those who believe and have not seen." ( "Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy." 1 Peter 1:8) Death. Destruction. Hell. Pain. Darkness. Confusion. I want to be saved from this world. And I have been. Through the Cross of Christ. I was born and raised as a Christan. And I did enter the "abstract" thinking stage. I think every child does, but some more visibly than others. I questioned everything. And I came to realize that Christianity and God is the only thing that makes any sense.The bible is the only thing that has the answers to everything. I don't believe in God and Chrisianity b/c it sounds good and b/c it is akin to what I feel is easiest to belive in, or "coolest" or what fits to my personal preferences. I believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior and God as the Creator of the world b/c it makes sense. And ultimatly b/c of the Love and patience God has shown me personally. Are people really truly fulfilled? They go through life trying to find more highs moving through homes and jobs, and hobbies, and friends, drugs, and other highs. Always looking for something to do, alwasy looking for someone to share life with, b/c no none wants to die alone. People everywhere are constantly going from high to high, yet none of it ever lasts very long. People just keep going from one thing to another, never really fully satisfied - never really fully fulfilled.I have found that fulfillment. And I cry the tears of God when I see children starving in third world countries, people who are oppressed by their government, people who haven't found the Truth, who are blind to what could bring them eternal life. And a hope.Whatever it is that you are looking for, I pray that you find it. edited for punctuationThis message has been edited by AdminPhat, 12-20-2005 08:36 AM

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"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." -Ephesians 6:12