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What should I say to Those who want to Challenge My faith?
The bliblical definitions of Faith, is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are believed to be true and it carries an assurance of the fulfillment of the things hoped for. Faith comes by hearing and hearing from the word of God. Those who would challenge your faith do so because they have not heard the word of God or they refuse to believe it.
Faith, as Pascal said, has its reasons that reason doesn't know. "Pascal's Wager" is a good place for you to tell an "Atheist" to look when they challenge your beliefs. Basically but simplified it goes like this:
* You live as though God exists.
o If God exists, you go to heaven: your gain is infinite.
o If God does not exist, you gain nothing & lose nothing.
* You live as though God does not exist.
o If God exists, you go to hell: your loss is infinite.
o If God does not exist, you gain nothing & lose nothing.
God is not a category for science, but there's room for faith in divine creation, says liberal theologian Hans Küng. For science, God is not a category because God by definition is a reality beyond time and space, and therefore does not belong in the world of our scientific experience. But there are questions that science cannot answer. The fundamental question of philosophy, according to Leibnitz, is; "why is there anything at all and not simply nothing?" Science can't answer that. Creation is a concept that explains the beginning of things but is also the continuing process of life. So we can interpret evolution as creation, but I do that as a believer, not as a scientist, says Hans Kung. I prefer to speak about the constants in nature. Take the speed of light. Why has it been there from the start? You have to ask: where did it come from? How did matter develop and not just stay as gas? Astrophysicists can only go back to just after the Big Bang. I have to go beyond time and space, and there we can say, “I don't know.” We should not speak too quickly of God in an anthropomorphic sense. Matter needs constants in the beginning. It needs some mass and an initial energy. Where does it get that from? This initial energy works according to certain cosmic natural constants and they are givens. They were not newly invented or introduced at any time. No biologist would say there is a need of an intervention or organizer so that life emerges from non-life. But what holds it all together and makes it work? Where does it all come from? Why doesn't it all fall apart? Those are the big questions that a scientist can't answer. As soon as one tries to intellectually force scientists to recognize God, one is on the wrong track. "Let's Not Preach to the Scientists", God is not a category for science, but there's room for faith in divine creation, says liberal theologian Hans Küng. Don't even try to argue with them, we can't prove that God exists anymore than they can prove God doesn't exist. It's impossible to prove a negative. Just hold on to your faith and don't let it be shaken. In the end Pascal will be proven right but we don't believe simply because it's a good bet, we believe because Jesus is our only hope for salvation.
In repsonse my religion is Christian, Methodist has been the longest church i've gone to. But i've gone out in search of reason for things being seperated from others. Why so many churches that are christian fued with othre christians. Tearing at each othes throat. But i must say, many have taken the word in a way it was not meant to go. What i take from it is this. Love, Forgiveness, and Peace. God wanted to express a way for us to get a long and yet look at the result. Others have gone past the point of peace and have gone to attakcing those diferent from them ( IM talking about christains here ), in what they seem to be a act of faith. Even i have found myself doing this before. But i realized something. Free Will. God says man was given this and so why shouldn't a man claim it? If you dont want to be christian then dont be and if you want to be then be so. But never hinder another person for their choice. Do not cast judgement on others for it. I've needed a good example to show me how wrong i was. If you hate god then i say to you come and be my friend, but i will also turn and say to the man that loves god and i will say to him you can come and be my friend also. Thats how it should be. Yet we have come a long way from this any more. But the reason for my name is when i went to a catholic church, they have you choose a saint to pray to. Mine was St. Benedict. He was known to be the patron of death, and many other things. But shouldn't Peace some before pride? Many christians run off and say your a bad person, while many people who do not believe say how foolish are you to believe. The time spent on this fued could be used to build a friendship or a trust to many. Guess thats what i've come up with after reading most of your responese. Bad on both and good on both. Neutral keeps both in tack.
Patron,
What I meant was don't lose your vision that first, yes, God loves you, and He does want all people to come to know Him in an intimate way personally. And, no you can't and shouldn't force your beliefs or views on anyone. We'd both agree that that would be counter productive to the cause of Christ. Yet, the bible does say to admonish, encourage, exhort and persuade man of their need for Christ as Savior and Lord. Also, Scripture says, "Judge not least you be judged. That with the measure you judge so then you will be judged." Hard words but oh so true. Even if someone who doesn't believe or aren't Christian will agree that what goes around comes around. It may take a while but it does happen. Many times I have seen people who go out of their way to take short cuts, lie, cheat and steal or do other things only to have something worse happen to them. We as Christians are to make friends with people in the world but not with the things of the world. The way we do this is by discussing in formats like this for example. Having seen and done quite a lot of stupid and actually evil things in my own life my testimony of God's love and grace boggles my mind and I'm willing to share it with others who'll listen but I will not under any circumstances force it or ram it or stuff it into people's faces because otherwise they become defensive and turned off by it. Some people at points in their lives do require a more bold approach but most don't. Scripture is very specific that we let our light shine before men so that they will glorify our Father in heaven. Our actions speak and resonate so much louder than any spoken word. The outward actions of one's life are a direct reflection of what's going on inside the heart. Stay in the Word. Blessings to you.
Patron...,
Yes, it's true that people get hung up on what they profess to be the truth and yet while doing so totally ignore a fundamental truth. That is, that we must uphold the values and obey the words outlined in scripture. The problem lies when people try and interpret or manipulate scripture to say what they want. In order to get an understanding of scripture you must in all cases read the whole context not just a verse or two to get a clear meaning of what was being said. God said it best," Seek me first". Peoples views are so askew with horizontal thinking that they are doing a great disservice to the God they are professing their obedience to. It's a shame when people try to debunk the Christ of the universe to suit their own selfish desires, but they, like everyone else must at some point get their spiritual eyes opened. Hopefully before it's too late. You mentioned free will as well. I agree, that we as humans have been given the ability to choose or not the love God offers us. Everytime you make a choice no matter how small you are exercising your free will. God never intended for us to robots. He wants us to love Him because we choose to because of what He did for us and does for us. God will not force us to love Him anymore than you can force the sun to rise and set. You spoke of having friends on both sides of the issue and that is important to not shut out those who don't believe, but Christ said it," No man has a greater love than this, but to lay down one's life for His friends". That is what Christ did and please don't lose sight of that.
I must say your comment is true and we all have may things to learn in life and yet we never stop learning. But wouldn't God want us to love each other as well as Him? How can you start to teach about God if you do not apporach them as Friends in stead of enemies? If they do not listen then don press it on them. But faith is done in works. If you show them what a christain should be then you are still showing them the way, just that you are not pressing it on them. When the time comes they will be ready to either want to come with Jesus or be left behind. We can only save those who wish it. The more you try to press it, the more they will back away. If they do not want to Believe it is sad, but it is there choice and maybe one day they will want to. But Jesus gave up many things for us, he has done much to save us all. Jesus is our only way for salvation. Did He not want us to be makers of peace? To forgive? To show love? To accept others? Never to judge? To make examples of his word, and for it to come to life? You said i lost sight. Please explain to me where i have gone wrong. Not trying to be mean, but if i have then i will not see it unless it is explained or pointed out to me. If i have done wrong in my words then i must know or i'll continue on not knowing any different and nothing is changed. But thank you again for your comment.
So you are saying to convince and persuade man even exort them if needed to be? I know that judgement is only God's doing. I mus t say i havent read all the books of the Bible, but i would like to knwo the passage of the Qoute about Admonish, Encourage and So on. Just that i may be able to relfect or even if i have to go back on that scripture. I am glade for your help truelly, just that I wouldn't mind adding it to my collection of scriptures. But basically the most part it would seem we are saying the same words though. Just in a diferent way. Or perhaps my words and thought didnt come together like i wanted to express it. Im not so good with putting my thought into words all the time. But what im trying to ge tat is exactly like you just said. But i am unfamilar with your versus on persauding and exorting man to God though. Well thank you for all your information and Advice. May God Bless you for your loyalty to His cause.
Stand up for what you believe in.
I stand up for God all the time. Remember, he's always watching. There are some feuding of the churches up where I live, and the reason for that, is that there are different beliefs. I pray every night, and I say it. When I do surveys on my email, and there's a question asking about my faith, I tell them straight up.
I'm not a big hard-core studying christian, but i;d like to be. I'd like to be as close to God as anyone can ever get. And by getting embarrassed, doesn't help at all. I want to get closer to God by showing my faith, and trusting God. There's no reason for worries when you trust in God.
OVERALL, I think that you should stick up for what you believe in, and always know that God is watching wherever you go. Defend God, like He defends you.
Patron of Death? I must say, that's an interesting name for a Christian. What exactly is your religion? I'm happily an Atheist, and when someone asks my why I believe what I believe, I tell them that there's no proof to suggest a higher power. When someone asks you why you believe in God, you simply say because there's no proof that one doesn't exist. How simple is that? I think the thing the separates you, the Christian, from me, the Atheist, is that you have faith in what you believe in, and I cannot. I also really enjoy what the underwater person said about it being what you believe, and that you should not need to defend it. However, I do understand the need to make others understand your feelings on the subject.
I view every person who tries to "save" me as someone who can teach me something about a different worldview and someone who's eyes I can open to my worldview. For most of the people I talk to I'm the only atheist they know. I try to be a goodwill ambassador for atheism.
I used to hate debating with missionaries. They seemed to have an answer for every point I brought up. it turned out that this is an illusion. They have a few pat answers that they try to use for everything, as soon as you can counter these there is little substance. Ask deeper questions, once you get them off their script they quickly flounder.
You guys have so many good answers for me and thank you for you time, right, wrong we must all agree with something. God exists yes, i believe he does. But others may not and only focus on the desturction of this for their own freedom from it. But we must over look this i guess and just try to agree on something. Divided we cannot go forward we just keep going backwards. Hopefully one day we can get past this and learn how to a world of one people and not tribes of many. One day
im a christian... and i believe that there is a GOD. all i can say...is that if u believe in GOD...then study the BIBLE. and if someone wants to act as if they know it all...then tell them about da BIBLE. and prove that they are wrong...say if they are catholic..and u become a christian..then tell them about GOD...i really think that you should believe that there is a GOD.
GOD BLESS...
I'm a Free-thinker, a Humanist, an Athiest.
if someone challenges that, I challenge them right back.
I'm person who forms opinions about religion on the basis of reason, independently of tradition, authority or established belief. No one can be a freethinker who demands conformity to a bible, creed, or messiah. Revelation and faith are invalid, and orthodoxy is no guarantee of truth.
WE need to know and understand Gods word, so that we will have an answer when asked, and we will be asked... or we will want to share, what we believe, and we have to know what that is... it takes time, and perserverance, but, it is very worth it, you will never be sorry, for the time that you spend in the bible, and in Gods presence.
God Bless...
I believe the Bible to be the Holy-inspired/Infallable Word of God - He said it...I believe it...that settles it - 'Faith cometh by hearing, Hearing by the Word of God'.
Each person must decide to either accept or reject, Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savour - no in-between, no riding the fence - the choice one makes, has eternal consequences.
Dont say anything ... I grew up as a Jehovahs Witness we had a lot of resistance. Stand your ground but never get aggressive I know sometimes the things that people say are upsetting but faith will see you thru
Research your faith in depth, also research others so you have a basic understanding of then as well. You'll be amazed at how many similarities you'll find...
I don't think you should say anything. It's your faith, don't feel like you need to defend it unless you want to.
You're welcome patron.
Any other private questions, fun mail me! I know what I am talking about.
talk to me, you need to add me as a friend and tell me what they say and I'll give you answers
Faith is a belief not based on outward proof - the Evidence of things not seen.