A common misconception about Christians.

[EpsiIon]

Hey all.

I just wanted to bring this up really quick, because it's a re-curring theme that most people ignore:

It is HARD to give your life to God. To truly give up all the control you're used to and say, "Ok God, no matter what it is, I'll do it. I don't care how uncomfortable it is, but if it's your will, I'm willing to do it" requires more faith than you'll ever know (unless you try it). I'm still wrestling with giving everything to God, but it's what I WANT to do. Not because my parents told me I do, and not because it's what the church says is the right thing, but because I feel indebted to the living God who gave his life for ME. I'm DEVELOPING a personal relationship with God. Because it's what He asks of me. And if you can give your life for your family, surely you can give your life to the creator of the universe who loves you unconditionally and knows you better than you know yourself.

Now, before you jump on me as a brainwashed moron who's never seen anything but Christianity, I need to tell you that I come from a very liberal background and came to God of my own accord. When I told my mom that I wanted to accept Christ, she asked me, "Are you sure? Because this is serious." I was in ninth grade, and I told her that I was.


At this point, I'm a little late for an appointment, but I just wanted to bring this up. Because, like I said, it seems to be over-looked quite a bit. If you have any thoughts or feelings, feel free to post them (as if you wouldn't anyway ).

See you around,
Epsilon

 

[zippy]

Ummm...huh? That's nice and all, but what is the misconception that you are referring to?

 

[Elita1]

Hi, Epsilon! Long time no see!

 

[EpsiIon]

Sorry. I thought it would be clear. The common misconception is that giving your life to God and living the way He wants you to is EASY. It isn't. God is anything but a crutch.

Epsilon

 

[SirFshAlot]

whether your belief is founded or not, your devotion is admirable

kudos to you

 

[EpsiIon]

Hey Elita!

Yeah, I don't find a whole lot that motivates me to post, but God is definitely one of them. Hope to see you around.

Epsilon

 

[DannyLove]

amen, i totally agree with you on it ep. (i too am going through struggles)

 

[SuperTool]

<< It is HARD to give your life to God. To truly give up all the control you're used to and say, &quot;Ok God, no matter what it is, I'll do it. >>


It sure seems easier then having to figure things out on your own, and living your life without an instruction guide. But that's just me.

 

[palad]

What's wrong with instructions? Would you try to repair a car without reading the repair manual first? Or put together a kid's bike? How about putting a set of shelves together? You're saying that these things are more difficult than life? You're saying that these things are more important than life?

The difficult part comes in saying 'OK, I don't know it all. I need help.'

 

[Svperstarr]

speaking of crutch... &quot;christ on crutches&quot; one hell of a chorus line. thanks Underworld.

 

[EmperorNero]

<< a re-curring theme that most people ignore: It is HARD to give your life to God. To truly give up all the control you're used to and say, &quot;Ok God, no matter what it is, I'll do it. I don't care how uncomfortable it is, but if it's your will, I'm willing to do it&quot; requires more faith than you'll ever know (unless you try it). >>



and who is to stay all christians devote their life to god? in fact, I don't think even 1/4 do devote their life entirely to god. allow me to elaborate: whenever I go to church, I see familiar faces, most being students at my school. in church, they all look so holy and touched by god, at school, they are the biggest assholes...ignoring all christian teachings from the minute they step out of the church. then later on, they preach. I have seen too much hypocrisy that it has become too disgusting. most people claiming to be true followers of christ are hypocrites...some truly try and some are successful; most give a half-assed job of trying to be like christ and think it's good enough. I bet many of you are offended right now because you're doing a quick self-assessment and came to the conclusion that you really do try to follow in god's footsteps. here's a very interesting statistics my psychology teacher told me about for those who are offended: 60% believe bill clinton is going to heaven; 95% believe mother theresa is in heaven, and 99% believe they are going to heaven. do you really believe those 99% have a better chance in getting into heaven than mother theresa? people who are ignorant or intentionally ignoring their own flaws really get to me. they think they are god's gift to the world and they think they're very close perfect so they sneer and judge their neighbors. I realize many of my own faults so that is why I do not claim I devote my life to god, nor do I claim to be a true christian. sadly, there are people out there who do claim such things while there are absolute scums.

there's this guy in my history class who thinks he is religious and devoted to god. he believes in the absolute strict interpretation of the bible so he preaches like crazy, not to mention has very little respect for other religions and think all non-christians are immoral. he even specifically told some of my hindu friends their religion is &quot;laughable&quot; and they are &quot;heathens.&quot; he had done other things which I do not care to talk about (since it involves person details about people I love), but just know that those actions are prohibited in the bible, which he claims to abide by.

IMO, there two real misconceptions:
1) christians are moral people who devote their life to god. granted, there are some people who absolutely love god and try their best to abide by his teachings, but sadly, they are in the extreme minority. most THINK and CLAIM they are religious but they are either ignorant to or purposely ignore their own faults, and these people are in the majority. for those of you who are offended at the latter statement, be reminded of the statistics - there are more people who think they are going to heaven than people who think mother theresa, who I believe to be a true christian, is in heaven. I'm sorry to say I don't have actual first hand sources of that statistic besides from what my teacher told me, but if you poll an unsuspecting crowd, you will come up with similiar results...and the larger the crowd, the more accurate the results (ex. asking 2 people if they think they're going to heaven won't be very accurate since one could say yes, anoter could say no - the results would be 50%). my point? people are ignorant to their own faults so it's rather hard to trust somebody who claims to be an adament christ follower.

misconception number 2: non-christians are immoral. take the guy I was mentioning ealier for example. although many may not be as bad as him, I still believe many christians have slight prejudices in thinking at least non christians are not as moral as themselves.


from my experiences, I am wary of anybody who claims to devote their life to god - this isn't a personal attack on you epsilon, but a general statement of christians...I don't know you and you could be the nicest, most loving person in the world or you could be the biggest asshole who claims to love god dearly. my priest said that if you tell a truly humble person he's a bigot, he will not deny that or he will ask why do you think that. but if you accuse a bigot of being a bigot, he will viciously lash out at you. apply that in this situation: true christians will rarely ever claim to be one since they realize they are not perfect and that they still have room for self improvement while people who put on the facade of true christians will get intensely offended when you point out they are not following christ's teachings.

 

[NovaTerra]

<< Now, before you jump on me as a brainwashed moron who's never seen anything but Christianity, I need to tell you that I come from a very liberal background and came to God of my own accord. >>



So, in your own Christian way, are you equating liberals with Devil Worshipers or Atheists?

 

[DAM]

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[hzl eyed grl]

<< << Now, before you jump on me as a brainwashed moron who's never seen anything but Christianity, I need to tell you that I come from a very liberal background and came to God of my own accord. >> >>




<< So, in your own Christian way, are you equating liberals with Devil Worshipers or Atheists? >>


Huh? Where did you get that?

 

[syzygy]

emp.n., i agree with you in spirit. i tend to think western
religious belief is sheer self-delusion. there are few adherents
and sects of islam, chrisitanity, and judaism that i personally
respect. i marvel at how these truly devoted types claim to have
'surrendered' their lives over to some invisible moving force to
'guide' them through this corrupt earth. what spew and moral
arrogance. i especially loathe the hypocrisy.

 

[jsm]

EpsiIon said:

&quot;Sorry. I thought it would be clear. The common misconception is that giving your life to God and living the way He wants you to is EASY. It isn't. God is anything but a crutch.&quot;

I completely disagree. If something or someone has given you answers and they are stated as abolute and compeltely correct and you adopt them as Your Way, then you have constructed nothing of your own. You have found answers through someone else and have in no way gone out and thought on your own about what is right and wrong - someone has predetermined that for you. What does this all boil down to? A CRUTCH.

Just because it is hard work to STAY on the crutch does not mean it is not one.


SirFshAlot said:

&quot;whether your belief is founded or not, your devotion is admirable&quot;

Does you sentiment also apply to Nazis and Black Panthers as well? The Christians are elitists as just like Nazis and Black Panthers and both follow a doctrine that discriminates (for instance, we die if we do not believe the &quot;truths&quot; their god has set forth).

I do not admire someone who would follow such a flawed religion - a religion that believes in killing and endless punishment as justice is no perfect religion to me. The Christian ideology needs to progress past cro-magnon reasoning.

 

[SuperTool]

Palad, I didn't say that there is anything wrong with following instructions. But I think it's fair to say that following instructions is easier then figuring things out on your own, and not the other way around, like Epsilon suggests. So I pointed that out.
Now if you chose to follow 2000 year old instrucions without questioning them, you are certainly entitled to do that. I think a lot of things in the Bible are things that make sense, but I dont see it as all or nothing.

 

[Pyro]

I tend to heavily agree with EmperorNero. There IS too much hypocrisy, delusion and arrogance. Not to mention the fact that organized religion is an evil scam that the world would be better off without.


EpsiIon, you are free to belive what you want to belive, just dont be arrogant towards other people or ignorant of the world around me.

Me personally. I dont see why Mother Teresa shouldnt go to heaven. Me? I am not worried about me. I dont belive in heaven and hell and even if I did, I was never baptized (or christened or whatever you call ie) so I am sage from god's persecution. BTW, according to you, where would people like me go? I'm not a bad person and I have my flaws, but I am not evil. Would I go to hell or heaven? what do you think?

 

[shadowfaX]

EpsiIon, I understand exactly what you're saying. Being a Christian is a very hard thing to do. In my opinion, it's harder than NOT being a Christian. But I don't regret being a Christian at all. Not one bit. Your thread is an encouragement to me. Thanks.

 

[Zucchini]

<< << Now, before you jump on me as a brainwashed moron who's never seen anything but Christianity, I need to tell you that I come from a very liberal background and came to God of my own accord. >> >>

I'm sorry, but this DOES imply that liberals are godless.

well that and the way you explain your faith it seems like your giving up all critical thought. Thats just laziness, not devotion.

 

[palad]

Pyro -

I know the question was not directed to me, but I would like the opportunity to answer. God is a God of justice and mercy, both in perfection. He has declared that there is only one Truth - His, and only one path - His. But being a God of mercy, he will provide us with every opportunity to come to him. For those who have not even had the opportunity to hear the truth, they will be provided with the chance. For those who have been offered the truth and have refused it, they will be assigned to a place in the eternities which is fit for them (as will we all). As for exactly where a person will end up, I am not the judge. There is only One capable of making that decision.

For reference, try 1 Corinthians 15:40-42:
40 There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another.

41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory.

42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:

 

[olman]

Sorry pyro it is not for a christian or another person to judge you. It is only between you and god where you are headed after you give up your ghost.

 

[palad]

Oh, and this is just something for folks to think about:

Do you go to a doctor when you are sick or injured? What? You do? You hypocrite! You need to learn to think for yourself! Those doctors are all just following a dogma that has been handed down to them thru the ages. You need to forget every piece of medical advice you have ever learned. Do you understand everything doctors do? If not, it must mean they're wrong. Have you started at the basics of medical philosphy and proven every point along the way until you are completely familiar with modern neurosurgery or pharmaceutical treatment? Then how do you know that your doctor knows what he's doing?

/edit for grammar

 

[noproblems]

So this is <<FISH``?<<

 

[syzygy]

<< God is a God of justice and mercy, both in perfection. He has declared that there is only one Truth - His, and only one path - His >>



do you read anything other than the good book ? any history ? a newspaper ?
the daily police blotter ? are you capable of looking beyond the tip of
your beaky nose ?