RE: How can a Christian reject part of the Bible and still call themselves a Christian?
October 24, 2016 at 10:10 pm
(October 24, 2016 at 9:10 pm)FallentoReason Wrote:(October 24, 2016 at 4:52 pm)Lek Wrote: It just comes from his presence within me. I admit that I didn't just read the bible one day and decide that I believed, but rather that I was raised in the faith. I've been involved in this forum for almost three years and have been hit with every argument imaginable against my beliefs. Though I never seriously considered becoming and atheist, I did have thoughts of abandoning christianity in favor of just "general" theism, but I find that I believe the witness of biblical writers, like Paul, who were changed suddenly by their encounter with Christ. I would go to bed at night convinced that the bible was wrong and wake up the next morning filled with enthusiasm for Christ. I gave an example in another thread the other day about a stretching routine I've been doing for a long time that alleviates chronic pain from a mountain biking accident. I recently read that static stretching does little to no good and can even lead to muscle injury. Well, I know that it helps me, so it's hard to convince me not to stretch. The same here. If I experience God's Spirit within me, it validates what the bible is teaching. I guess I won't "know" for sure until I come face to face with him.
You've been here three years?! Have I been gone for that long haha. Sorry, where are my manners. I'll give you my background briefly:
I can relate to what you're saying. I was raised a non-practising catholic (Catholicism... let'a be honest) and then in my late teens had a lightbulb moment with the faith and that in turn made me become a Born Again Christian. And I know what you mean about these feelings we get in the pit of our stomach, and the goosebumps we feel when it really hits us how good He is. But what is the root of all that? I mean, so far we've only accounted for our own psyche, and that's not saying a lot. We get people saying a lot of things right? So what I'm asking is, how do you know your feelings are causally connected to the Creator and not just a "feel good" mentality? I know you mentioned Paul, but him seeing a light in the sky isn't exactly an encounter. It's only just a notch higher than feeling warm inside.
Truth is I don't know 100% for sure. I'm making my choice based on where I'm being led. Like I said, I've strongly considered letting it go, but there's nothing else for me to go to. I think God has led me to where I am. By the way I was a practicing catholic most of my life and I let that go, so it's not a matter of me not being able to take that step to move on if I believe it's warranted.