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11-22-2008, 05:58 PM
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Re: Do you choose what you believe in?
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Originally Posted by cneasttx
To not believe is a choice.
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I'm running out to be "social"... so only have a moment... but would it be better to pretend to believe and maybe belief would eventually come (or return)? I just have a hard time trying to be something that I'm not...
by "choosing" to believe, then I am pretending to believe... does that make sense?
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11-22-2008, 06:10 PM
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Location: Wisconsin
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Re: Do you choose what you believe in?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Questioner
I'm running out to be "social"... so only have a moment... but would it be better to pretend to believe and maybe belief would eventually come (or return)? I just have a hard time trying to be something that I'm not...
by "choosing" to believe, then I am pretending to believe... does that make sense?
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I don't think pretending to believe does any good. I think it causes an aggravation of the spirit. I think studying and searching is the best thing to do. But, I don't think advertising your questioning is good. Keeping it under your hat until you are more sure seems reasonable.
__________________
Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
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11-22-2008, 06:18 PM
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Forever Loved Admin
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Location: Texas
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Re: Do you choose what you believe in?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Questioner
I'm running out to be "social"... so only have a moment... but would it be better to pretend to believe and maybe belief would eventually come (or return)? I just have a hard time trying to be something that I'm not...
by "choosing" to believe, then I am pretending to believe... does that make sense?
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Yes it does, I do really understand. I have been there myself.
__________________
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV
He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Micah 6:8 KJV
Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 KJV
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11-22-2008, 06:23 PM
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Registered Member
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,749
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Re: Do you choose what you believe in?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Questioner
I'm running out to be "social"... so only have a moment... but would it be better to pretend to believe and maybe belief would eventually come (or return)? I just have a hard time trying to be something that I'm not...
by "choosing" to believe, then I am pretending to believe... does that make sense?
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Do you want to believe there is a God who created all things?
__________________
His banner over me is LOVE....  My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
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11-22-2008, 06:24 PM
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Registered Member
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Wisconsin
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Re: Do you choose what you believe in?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mizpeh
Do you want to believe there is a God who created all things?
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Maybe he just wants the truth, no matter what it is....
__________________
Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
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11-22-2008, 06:27 PM
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Join Date: Feb 2007
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Re: Do you choose what you believe in?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ILG
Maybe he just wants the truth, no matter what it is....
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Then he has/had the truth and is being led into gross error. IMHO
__________________
His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
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11-22-2008, 06:29 PM
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Registered Member
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 11,467
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Re: Do you choose what you believe in?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mizpeh
Then he has/had the truth and is being led into gross error. IMHO
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Nothing wrong with searching. Sometimes it opens your eyes to things you otherwise wouldn't know. Do you think this is just some sort of test and he should shut his mind off?
__________________
Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the people doing it. ~Chinese Proverb
When I was young and clever, I wanted to change the world. Now that I am older and wiser, I strive to change myself. ~
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11-22-2008, 07:08 PM
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Registered Member
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 10,749
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Re: Do you choose what you believe in?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ILG
Nothing wrong with searching. Sometimes it opens your eyes to things you otherwise wouldn't know. Do you think this is just some sort of test and he should shut his mind off?
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I'm not sure what you mean by "shut his mind off".
I've been an atheist, been there, done that. Finding out that God existed was a true revelation to me and by the grace of God something I will never give up.
For someone to have tasted of the heavenly gift and then to turn away from it is to walk on dangerous ground. I don't know all that led to the state of mind he is in today but he is being led into a strong delusion. As for a test, our faith is always being tested. He shouldn't turn his mind off but resist all of the ideas that are contrary to Christ.
My question is...does he want to? Does he really want to hold onto his faith or push it aside and walk in unbelief? How can he deny the experiences that he had with God up to this point? Emotionalism?
As you can see, I've been convinced that what I believe is true and not by man but by God and His word. The truth that God exists and that He has been revealed to us through Jesus Christ is as real to me as this keyboard that I'm typing on. The journey which he is embarking on is doomed. There is no hope, no reason for morals, no purpose for existence, and if followed to its logical conclusion will lead to despair.
__________________
His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
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11-22-2008, 07:17 PM
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Mama to four little angels.
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,053
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Re: Do you choose what you believe in?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mizpeh
I'm not sure what you mean by "shut his mind off".
I've been an atheist, been there, done that. Finding out that God existed was a true revelation to me and by the grace of God something I will never give up.
For someone to have tasted of the heavenly gift and then to turn away from it is to walk on dangerous ground. I don't know all that led to the state of mind he is in today but he is being led into a strong delusion. As for a test, our faith is always being tested. He shouldn't turn his mind off but resist all of the ideas that are contrary to Christ.
My question is...does he want to? Does he really want to hold onto his faith or push it aside and walk in unbelief? How can he deny the experiences that he had with God up to this point? Emotionalism?
As you can see, I've been convinced that what I believe is true and not by man but by God and His word. The truth that God exists and that He has been revealed to us through Jesus Christ is as real to me as this keyboard that I'm typing on. The journey which he is embarking on is doomed. There is no hope, no reason for morals, no purpose for existence, and if followed to its logical conclusion will lead to despair.
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Mizpeh...I won't disagree with you on much here.
But, until a person has that experience. Their own experience, it's all just words.
I grew up in the church. For a lot of reasons, even after experiencing God for myself, I walked away. I don't regret my time away. I really don't. I learned so much about myself, about God, about humanity. I don't suggest people go wandering off just for some experience.
How do you know he's tasted of the heavenly gift? Growing up in church is no promise of that. And even if he has, maybe more so if he has, don't you trust God to keep him (assuming Q is a he...)?
I think the logical conclusion of questioning is to find answers. Not despair..but hope and peace and contentment. It's what I've finally found.
__________________
You become free from who you have become, by becoming who you were meant to be. ~Mark from another forum I post on
God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. ~Romans 3:24 from The Message
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11-22-2008, 07:19 PM
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Mama to four little angels.
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,053
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Re: Do you choose what you believe in?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mizpeh
My question is...does he want to? Does he really want to hold onto his faith or push it aside and walk in unbelief? How can he deny the experiences that he had with God up to this point? Emotionalism?
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Emotionalism works. So does brain washing. So does "I don't know what it was but it's not for me." So does finding another frame of reference for those experiences.
All for awhile at least.
__________________
You become free from who you have become, by becoming who you were meant to be. ~Mark from another forum I post on
God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. ~Romans 3:24 from The Message
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