Christianity

[RyanJustus]

How can you be certain that Christianity is the correct version of god/gods? People have other religions claim that their version is just as correct as yours, so how do you prove one is right and one is wrong? Please do not quote the Bible as proof, because then someone of another faith will qutoe their holy text and we come full circle. I used to be chrisitan, but this was one of the questions that started changing my mind.

[ServantofTruth]

When you 'use to be a Christian' may i ask what this involved? Did you study the bible? Did you pray daily? Did you consider yourself a sinner, who's only hope was the cross of Jesus Christ?

I've made the offer - lets read a gospel together between now and Christmas day. Love SofTy.

[RyanJustus]

When you 'use to be a Christian' may i ask what this involved? Did you study the bible? Did you pray daily? Did you consider yourself a sinner, who's only hope was the cross of Jesus Christ?

I've made the offer - lets read a gospel together between now and Christmas day. Love SofTy.

Yes, I used to read the bible, I went to a christian school where we studied the bible, and went on Sundays to Church.

[markdrums]

How can you be certain that Christianity is the correct version of god/gods? People have other religions claim that their version is just as correct as yours, so how do you prove one is right and one is wrong? Please do not quote the Bible as proof, because then someone of another faith will qutoe their holy text and we come full circle. I used to be chrisitan, but this was one of the questions that started changing my mind.

If you pay attention to the claims of other "religions", they ALL contradict each other. Some contradict themselves.
Some leave the option open for other religions to also be correct... but there can only be ONE TRUTH.

The Bible makes it clear that any other "religion" is false, and that JESUS is the only means of salvation & entrance to Heaven.

The GOD of the Bible is also the only example of God himself coming to US, so that we can know him on a personal basis.
There's no mystical, impersonal atributes.
There's no special training or ritualistic processes to go through, in order to graduate to some "higher level".

It's very simple, & explicitly laid out for us.

This is totally different than any other religion.

And again, The Bible says JESUS is the only way, and there IS NO other way. Which is in stark contradiction with ALL other religions.

That being said, by looking at every religion for what they are, there really can only be ONE TRUTH, & ONE TRUE GOD.

You can't have multiple truths.... especially when they all differ.

[thepenitent]

How many other religions have a savior whom eyewitnesses testifiy raised from the dead? Who had a empty tomb which even enemies acknowledged? Who performed countless miracles which were witnesses by hundreds and, again, even enemies acknowledged? Who made startling predictions which came true?

Answer: none. Only Christianity. Jesus loves you and wants you to come to him - but it's your choice. Choose carefully.

[tt1106]

How can you be certain that Christianity is the correct version of god/gods? People have other religions claim that their version is just as correct as yours, so how do you prove one is right and one is wrong? Please do not quote the Bible as proof, because then someone of another faith will qutoe their holy text and we come full circle. I used to be chrisitan, but this was one of the questions that started changing my mind.

Your statement is self-rufuting. You cannot be a Christian, and then not be a Christian. Christianity is about following the teachings of Jesus Christ. Not following the teachings of Jesus Christ is not one of his teachings.

Most people that say they are Christian or used to be point towards their childhood and speak of going to church, reading the Bible and being baptized.
If we were in a room together, I would ask, how much did you read the Bible?
If you know anything about Christianity, you know that Christians believe that the Bible is the Holy Word of God. You would also know that
Christians believe it to be inspired by God, written down by man in either Greek or Hebrew and then translated with surprising accuracy to many different translations.
We could tell you that there is a huge library of manuscripts that have been discovered that support Christianity. More than Caesar and more than ancient philosophers.
The Bible is full of prophesy and eye witness accounts as stated.
There is historical proof, pointing towards the liklihood that the Bible is true.
I am a Christian because I am convinced based upon the evidence that Christ lived 2000 years ago, was crucified and was resurrected.
Believing that, I embrace all his teachings and see the work of Christ through me in my home, Church and work place. I see evidenc eof Christ in my marriage, children and even my parents.

[tango]

Yes, I used to read the bible, I went to a christian school where we studied the bible, and went on Sundays to Church.

But were you actually a Christian? Did you ever make a personal commitment to Jesus, and accept him as your personal saviour?

If not, going to a Christian school and attending church doesn't make you a Christian any more than eating hay and sitting in a stable makes you a horse.

[RyanJustus]

But were you actually a Christian? Did you ever make a personal commitment to Jesus, and accept him as your personal saviour?

If not, going to a Christian school and attending church doesn't make you a Christian any more than eating hay and sitting in a stable makes you a horse.

I did, but then I changed my mind.

[tango]

I did, but then I changed my mind.

Do you mind me asking why you changed your mind? What was it about Christianity that was once so appealing, and then ceased to be appealing to you?

[RyanJustus]

Do you mind me asking why you changed your mind? What was it about Christianity that was once so appealing, and then ceased to be appealing to you?

It just stopped adding up for me. Christians constantly contradicting other Christians about who was right, and then Christians preaching tolerance, but bashing Islam (which I think is just as false as any other religion). Bible-based stories did not seem to follow the facts as I saw them like Noah's flood and Adam and Eve, it just seems very implausible to me. Then I got to wondering, who's to say our particular branch of faith is correct, when other culture's have their own versions of religion? Then I read "Cosmo's" by Dr. Carl Sagan and watched the show of the same name and I got interested in astronomy and physic's, and I started thinking that maybe instead of having faith in something I could not observe or test, I should use sceptical inquery to guide my thinking. So, to that end, I also don't believe in spirits, ghosts, or alien intelligence, because there is no supporting evidence for such claims. But unlike other athiests I know, I believe everyone is free and independent to follow any course they may choose to accept. Some look at things one way, and some look at it another.

[tango]

We might not be able to observe or test the existence of God, but looking around us it seems to me that it's far more likely that God does exist than not.

I'll expand on that if it would be of interest.

[RyanJustus]

yes, please do.

[Athanasius]

Christians constantly contradicting other Christians about who was right, and then Christians preaching tolerance, but bashing Islam (which I think is just as false as any other religion).

To ask you a question, then. How is the above any different than what follows:

[quote=RyanJustus;1899226]But unlike other athiests I know, I believe everyone is free and independent to follow any course they may choose to accept. Some look at things one way, and some look at it another.[/quote]

Why do you believe atheists contradicting other atheists is any more acceptable than Christians contradicting Christians? Contradiction by the way is neither here nor there in and of itself. I might contradict your claim that the earth is round with my claim that the earth is flat but as we readily know this does not mean we're both wrong, in fact we know that I'm wrong. Had we stopped at the contradiction, however, we would have never known...

I believe it was Brennan Manning who said the single greatest cause of atheism in our world is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips but deny Him with their actions. This begs the question; barring how Christians act, what does scripture teach? You see, you can't reject Christianity as a world view on the basis of Christians - how do you know they're acting in accordance with their scriptures? You must reject Christianity on the basis of its scripture (which you did mention Adam and Eve which, considering even naturalist explanations of the rise of man, what's the problem?... And Noah's ark).

Bible-based stories did not seem to follow the facts as I saw them like Noah's flood and Adam and Eve, it just seems very implausible to me.

Would you care to elaborate more on this?

Then I got to wondering, who's to say our particular branch of faith is correct, when other culture's have their own versions of religion? Then I read "Cosmo's" by Dr. Carl Sagan and watched the show of the same name and I got interested in astronomy and physic's, and I started thinking that maybe instead of having faith in something I could not observe or test, I should use sceptical inquery to guide my thinking. So, to that end, I also don't believe in spirits, ghosts, or alien intelligence, because there is no supporting evidence for such claims. But unlike other athiests I know, I believe everyone is free and independent to follow any course they may choose to accept. Some look at things one way, and some look at it another.

Actually if you believe in a closed universe then you don't really have any freedom of choice for anything. Sorry.

[tt1106]

yes, please do.

Question for you? How do you think the Universe was formed?

[RyanJustus]

Question for you? How do you think the Universe was formed?

I believe in the big bang theory.