Believing Vs Claiming to Believe

[Godscreated]

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You are lying either about your age or being a Christian for 20 years. Sorry you have no control over your mind, that must be very disturbing. It's terrible you did not have a personal relationship with Christ, I'm sorry you wasted so much time with such a troubled mind. Now I know why you have trouble with the truth, I want over look it though, tough luck.

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No, I have complete control over my mind. The "experiences" I was having amount to no more than a reflection of how I wanted to feel. No more, no less. It took a long time for me to reconcile that I had wasted all those years of my life, as for my age and the amount of time I had been a Christian they are consistent with what I have said, I was baptized at a young age yes I do remember it, and have always "known" Jesus for as long as I can recall.

Being baptized saves no one, it no more makes you a Christian than throwing a rock at an atheist, sorry you were mislead. You know if you had studied scripture you would have come to understand this.
You said that the mind could make people believe things that's not true, now you're saying you wanted to feel that way, you need to choose which it is. If you choose "you wanted to feel" then you are saying free will is the right of man, a very different thing than most atheist proclaim here.

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Oh, I guess I can go read through a general science book and claim I have a scientific foundation, good to know, I'll remember what you said here for future use. Just because you read it as ridiculous doesn't qualify it as such, sorry it takes an understanding of scriptures.

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How dishonest of you. Biblical stories and scientific knowledge are not one in the same, now that aside if you read through a few science books and understood it then yes you would have a foundation of science to work with instead of going in blind. You know nothing of the extent of my knowledge and therefore your assertions about it are unfounded and irrelevant. As I've stated before I have been around it for the entirety of my life, my grandfather whom I have lived with off and on is a pastor, I can't even begin to tell you how many sermons and bible studies I took part in.

So yes, I have a very well established foundation of knowledge pertaining to biblical text, but by no means am I an expert.

Dishonest, hows that, atheist here are always comparing the scientific with the spiritual, yet when I do it you call it dishonest, par for the atheist coarse.
Being around believers and study groups doesn't qualify anyone to have the knowledge of scriptures, I know people that have made quotes and say they came from scripture and they are nowhere to be found in scripture. These I speak of have been in the church for decades.
If you have a well founded knowledge of scriptures why don't you use it here. I would have a better idea of what to believe about you. Until I see you do this I will continue to believe you are a "want-to- be."

You ain't lived long enough to know what life is about young'in. Your general attitude tells me much about you.

Yet again with the assertions of what you "know" of me. You know what I'll just leave you to it.

Son, listen closely, what I'm saying here is life teaches lessons that do not come any other way than through years of living, years you have not even seen. Be patient life's lessons are on their way, there will be many you are not going to like but, those are the ones to remember. There will be many pleasant lessons too, but generally we have no trouble remembering them. Life's on the way hang on.

I knew you did not understand the Bible and what God was doing down through history, you're like most, just believing you know things about the scriptures because you own a Bible.

See the above posts about biblical knowledge.

Like I said above you have yet to demonstrate that knowledge.

I have my fun here, just like everyone else, and yes I make snide remarks at times, I've never denied it.

Glad to see the admission.

Can't hide the written.

It's your right to believe what you want but when you, make assertions about scriptures or God with out understanding what you are saying, I'm going to tell you that you're wrong. I'm not going to beat around the bush, not for you or anyone else. You believe I set myself up above you, I find that quite curious. When I pray for you or anyone else on this forum I'm being a servant, I set myself below you to lift you up before God, prayer is service work and those who use it as something else have mistaken what prayer in a Christians life is about. Biblically I am your superior, I've allowed God to teach me not only directly but through many very intelligent people. There are many many who are superior to me in bible knowledge, these I listen to and learn from. There are many here who are superior to me in many subjects and generally I stay away from those discussions.

GC, I'll be honest, that was a semi-respectable post that showed you are in fact capable of humility.

As far as being "biblically superior" that's your religions opinion on superiority over the unsaved and like all other things that come from the bible I throw it to the wind.

Thanks, I have no human superiority over others, I believe all are created equal and to discard all that is in the Bible could been seen as dishonest, there are great teachings in scripture about being a respectable person.
Being biblically superior only means I would have more knowledge of scripture and what it teaches.

That's a good thing your doing and I wasn't referring to any part of your life but the spiritual, you gave it up and all the responsibilities that go with it. Serving God is no easy task at times but it is extremely rewarding, even when immature little boys call you names.

Then please make it clear as to what you are referring to in the future. Some people give their all for those that depend on them and for others to call them selfish, or in this case to cause a misunderstanding, is very offensive.

Sorry you mistook what I meant, on here I usually speak of the spiritual life, I know those who do not believe do good in their lives. Your ideas of morally correct and mine differ since you have left church not all but some.

My apologies at calling you names that was unkind of me regardless of my reasoning.

We all will retaliate when we feel we are wronged, I've done so many times here and in the world. I take my Christian life seriously and anyone who thinks I will set back and let others try to trash what I believe will hear from me and sometimes in no uncertain terms. I also apologies for anything I said that was hurtful to you.

So yes, I'm gladly selfish in a spiritual respect because I don't believe in your god and I don't believe in a soul.

I'm wondering what your grandfather feels, just a thought no need to explain.

My house is built on the truth of God, something you some how missed and now because I stand on that truth you call me arrogant, you speak as a child and show you have little regard for those who want live as you do, what a waste of life.

I do not speak from a child's perspective, I speak from the stance of one who's mind resides outside of your faith and it would do you well to remember that. What I mean to say is that from the outside looking in, your "truth" is arrogant/bigoted/ignorant in other words it is uncouth.

That's where I see the problem on this site, atheist, even if some use to be part of a church, are on the outside looking in. I sure some Christians are that way, I've seen it within the church and let it drive me away at one time. Not now though I understand that some will be that way no matter what and I shouldn't and want allow it to do anything but strengthen my beliefs. The weakness of those who percieve to be strong can be a great teacher.

Perhaps you are correct in one regard, I may be disregarding and disrespecting those who choose to live under the thumb of an imaginary being because I don't agree with it. As I look more and more at my actions and my words in regards to religion and those who evangelize it, I'm realizing that I'm far more angry at myself for taking so long to cast off that belief system and take responsibility for myself, and not so angry at others.

I really do not think I had much if anything to do with you realizing your anger and that it may be miss placed but, I'm happy to see you realize that you need to deal with your anger. I want say good luck, I don't believe in luck in matters such as this. I have already done what I believe will help.

That doesn't mean I don't and won't think certain aspects about religion are awful and worthy of being angry at, or that I'm not of the opinion that the world would be a much better place without religion at all. Although perhaps I won't be so quick to be an ass about it in the future.

I can agree with you, people who practice Christianity as a religion and all other religions can bring ill feelings and harm, I get angry with Christians and others, and you can bet Christians do not escape my discussed with them. Please do not take this wrong I do not set myself above others, but I will always try and defend what I know as truth from God.

GC