Well, you are in for a surprise on that day. I hope you remember and ask for God's help. You say you were "into the church thing." What happened?
Why Is Believing In Evolution A Sin?
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Well, you are in for a surprise on that day. I hope you remember and ask for God's help. You say you were "into the church thing." What happened?
"Into the church" isn't probably a good description. When I met my wife she went to church fairly regularly and I went along a few times to see how things were. I didn't get much from it to be honest so stopped.
Yes sir, it certainly does.
O.........but there is the rub Tubby, there is something after life even if you do not believe in it.
Not believing does not make it go away.
I don't mind at all. I don't remember a time ever that I believed in god (not saying that I never did, just I don't remember it was that long ago!). My parents were not really religious and I wasn't especially exposed to religion apart from the usual RE lessons at school.
I had an illustrated childs bible story book that I remember but I don't remember thinking it was any different from the Famous Five or Enid Blyton stories.
It was a happy childhood though.
Ah, but there's the million dollar question. Neither of us can prove there is or is not something after death can we?
You remind me a bit of my father. He was not raised by very religious/spiritual people, altho they were Lutheran. While my mother was alive, he went to church every sunday and as a masters in business, he always did the church books (my mother chose the Methodists because she loved what the preacher had to say). At the end of his life, he told myself and 2 siblings (separately) that he didn't believe. My brothers were shocked. I told him, "At your funeral, I'm gonna be telling you, I told you so." We were in a car and started talking about other things. (Trying to think how to shorten this diversion from the OP). He was moving from an apartment to the summer camp. I commented that my nephew would probably love that bed that my sister in law had gushed when she got my father to sleep with "memory foam" from a garage sale. My father commented that my nephew would not like it (being a bit overweight) as there was a big spot in the center where memory was never gonna remember again. My father said "damn steroids". Which surprised me that he knew about. I asked him if he knew the whole story. Several years before, in my many investigations into all things, spiritual, I was in a chat room where they did free readings. I got picked for a free reading with a person who talked with the dead. I wasn't too happy because I wanted to hear about me and my love life and I didn't know too many people close that had died. My oldest brother came thru and the reader said I had to print out the reading. He said my nephew was fooling with drugs (I didn't think so) and could be headed down the same road he had gone. So I printed it up and gave it to my brother, who didn't speak to me for a few months (how dare I accuse his son, etc). The next time we had a family dinner - His mother had said she had gone thru his room and did like I said, looked for bottles - syringes ( I didn't tell her that) and found he was using steroids. (I had thought maybe pot or something at most) and they put a stop to it. Not soon enough, to stop his hair from falling out and his physique to go out of shape. As I told my father this story, I caught a glimpse of how God was trying to reach my father. My father asked me if my brother had kept the copy (he hadn't).
That's why I told you to ask for proof and then listen for the answer. He givcs the answer if you have eyes to see and ears to hear.
I'm at risk of sounding a bit heartless but don't take offence. It's a lovely story but I've read many similar and you can't put it forward as proof of life after death.
I'm happy for you that you take comfort in a persons vision of your father and permission from god etc..but it simply doesn't work for me sorry.
I would say some people are extremely knowledgeable in scripture and are able to convince an audience with powerful words and delivery that they actually do hear from god.
But yes, you're correct a discussion for another thread which I would be most interested in.
Exactly my friend. Both of us believe what we believe based on FAITH.
But the real question is and always has been........what if YOU are wrong?
If I am wrong what do I lose...........Nothing.
If you are wrong what do you lose? EVERYTHING!
I quite agree with you - it is personal confirmation - testimonial. I gave it, after some thought, to try to explain how to ask for "proof" of your own and how, perhaps, answers sometimes come.
If you are wrong, you've spent your entire life praying for and believing in nothing. Effectively wasting your short time on Earth beacause of what someone told you is true.
If I am wrong, I will die in the knowledge that I lived a good life and enjoyed every single living moment without fear but with a very firm set of morals and kindness to others. If your god decides that I should spend eternity in hell then so be it. I'll take that decision, take my punishment and send you all an email apologising for my stupid comments on this forum.
Christianity is a very personal religion - between the individual and his/her God. I gave you a very truncated version of the story, which was multi layered, and much fuller with meaning to the family. I do not expect my confirmations to convince anyone else because they are multi layered with significance only to me. I think you are in this forum for a reason. Ask and look for the answers that have significance to you.
If You do not believe in God..why waste your time here trying to prove what is being told is wrong etc. That to me is reduntant. Better for you to go to a website where all your thoughts are agreed or mostly.agreed upon, and let people here share The Gospel of Christ will those wanting to learn don' t you agree?
But Tubby......why do you think that I would care when I died. If you are right, then death will mean nothing to me.
The only one who will care will be those who do not believe. I have not wasted any of my time at all. I have read hundreds of books, several translations of the Bible, history and the events that took place over the past several thousand years. I have been enriched and blessed and have not been in jail or woke up with a hang over.
Here is the other problem. YOU and all atheists say "that If your god decides that I should spend eternity in hell then so be it."
The God of creation has never and will never send anyone to hell. You will do that all by yourself my friend. God offers all humanity an escape from eternal damnation but it is up to YOU to make the choice.
Now, as for your comment..........
" I'll take that decision, take my punishment and send you all an email apologising for my stupid comments on this forum."
No question asked is stupid when you do not know the answer. We all learn by asking and growing in knowledge.
But the 2nd comment about sending a post card is not going to happen. Now do not take offence because I mean no harm but I have seen and heard that same thing said by literally hundreds of men who were standing in front of their ride into battle. Cocky, self assured and full of their ability only to come out of the battle without a leg and their tears and cries being louder than their chopper.
We all talk big and sound tough until the (_ _ _ _) hits the fan. When reality sinks in, our attitude changes and I can promise you one thing, if you have the unfortunate choice of being in torments when you die, you will be crying out for mercy and help just like those young men who lost a leg or arm etc.
Problem is, no one leaves hell.
But Rick.........he will never be able to change the mind of a believer, but just like you and me, there is a real chance that we might be able to see him saved. Weren't we all pretty much like Tubby at one time.
What better place for a lost man to be than talking with Christians about Jesus, heaven and hell????