(May 16, 2016 at 9:18 pm)Polaris Wrote: I was not raised as a Christian nor did I attend Church, but I always had some inclination to the spiritual. I believe spirituality is hard-wired in our being; some people are more open to exploring their spirituality, but we all have the urge to explore our beliefs.
When I was in college, examining who I really was for the first time, I looked towards Islam because I was studying it and became intrigued by it's more strict lifestyle because I had very rarely encountered Christians who seemed as intense. I can say this about Moslems....they are really friendly and open to you when you are pursuing Islam; brick wall develops when you decide it's not for you.
But at the same time, I found a group of Christian young adults that I would pray with on Thursday nights (I was still not willing to go to Church with them because I would party the night before and sleep in until the afternoon), but one November night during prayer, I encountered the Holy Spirit and I have been a Christian ever since. It just happened like that, which surprised me since I had been very much against the belief in the Holy Spirit before that (I may have even argued with a pastor's son in high school about Him).
I guess to sum it up is I was looking to find out who I was and that's how I became a Christian. Many of my friends likewise were in the same boat...we did not grow up as Christians, but found a community that was worth being a part of...
With respect, I'm not sure you can count your Muslim experiences as definitive of the whole. They may have become "closed" to you because they felt you were playing them. You wouldn't be the first to do so... not even counting the FBI attempts to slip informants in among them. I have several Muslim friends, and have a cordial relationship with them (and have had enjoyable theology discussions with them, on occasion) even though they all know I am an atheist. Of course, my friends do not speak for Muslims either.
Your little story there is... nice? Um, congratulations?
A Christian told me: if you were saved you cant lose your salvation. you're sealed with the Holy Ghost
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
I replied: Can I refuse? Because I find the entire concept of vicarious blood sacrifice atonement to be morally abhorrent, the concept of holding flawed creatures permanently accountable for social misbehaviors and thought crimes to be morally abhorrent, and the concept of calling something "free" when it comes with the strings of subjugation and obedience perhaps the most morally abhorrent of all... and that's without even going into the history of justifying genocide, slavery, rape, misogyny, religious intolerance, and suppression of free speech which has been attributed by your own scriptures to your deity. I want a refund. I would burn happily rather than serve the monster you profess to love.
