Another Theist

[Craveman]

Criticism has a way of helping us to keep our feet planted on the ground where they belong.

Have you truely used your criticism against your own faith?

[A Theist]

Where do you live???? Welcome regardless I can't make much sense of what you were fighting over... ..........

I'm from Ohio. Thanks for the welcome.

I should probably wait a little bit before going into more detail about the conflict in our community.

A previous poster was right. I shouldn't have posted something that heavy as my very first post, and in the introduction.

[Dotard]

Awwww....

No reply to my questions.

[A Theist]

Born theist? I don't know. I was too young to remember.

No. I won't claim that I was once an atheist.

I do believe strongly in the Bible. I believe that there is a God. I believe that Jesus is God's Son. I can't provide you with evidence which will convince you that God exists, and you will agree that you can't provide evidence that God doesn't exist. I accept the existence of God on faith. You'll remain a skeptic until you're provided with evidence.

Sorry, my bad. Everyone is born an atheist. Theism is a learned behavior. What I should have asked if you were a christian far as you can remember. Based on your answer "...too young to remember" tells me you were indoctrinated at a most young age.

I understand you believe. I was asking 'why?' What is it about the bible that makes you "strongly believe"? What makes you think/believe it to be the words of a God?

I'm just wondering if something in that book somehow brought you to a conclusion that a God exists and the bible is a book he wrote, or if you're just following what mommy and daddy programmed/taught you to believe is true. Have you ever read the bible? Cover to cover without one of those "Bible Study Guides" that has you jumping around the book to all the sweet, nice and purty stuffs and avoids all the inhumane, crazy, murderous and just plain bad behavior the character of God in the bible has wrought?

Do you have any reason to believe other than the warm fuzzies?

When I responded to your question that I was too young to remember, I was attempting to make a joke. Sorry.

Actually, my mother and father never attended church when I was a child. God was never mentioned in our home.
After my parents divorced, my mother remarried. My stepfather was agnostic, and my mother my identified herself as an atheist. My father converted to Catholicism.

When I was growing up I used to watch religious programing on television. I have to say that, except for a brief period, I've always believed in God. As a teen, I attended a few "tent revivals", and eventually attended Pentecostal churches, and as a young adult I made my decision to follow Christ. But, no. My parents never instilled in me a belief in God.

I avoid study guides at all costs. I would strongly advise others to do the same. I prefer to draw my own conclusions.

When I study I use only a Bible, a dictionary, a Concordinance, and a lot of books that I've collected relating to the history and cultures of the different kingdoms and people of the eras in the Bible.

---

Awwww....

No reply to my questions.

OOps!
Patience is a virtue.

I was responding to your questions when you posted.

[Craveman]

Awwww....

No reply to my questions.

Mmmm...it worked for Dotard lets see if it would work for me

Awwww....

No reply to my questions.

[A Theist]

Awwww....

No reply to my questions.

Mmmm...it worked for Dotard lets see if it would work for me

Awwww....

No reply to my questions.

I have applied critical arguments to theological approaches to interpretation. But that's not what you asked.
I can't say that I've really tried to apply those critical arguments to my faith. I don't know how else to answer your question.

[Craveman]

I can't say that I've really tried to apply those critical arguments to my faith.

I'm sure you've used your criticism to dismiss various other religions. If you don't use it on your own how would you EVER know if Christianity is true?

Christianity was an idea (little seed) that was planted in your head either because of your parents, friends or country where you were born. If you were born somewhere else you would have opted for a different religion and probably used your same criticism to dismiss Christianity.

Sorry I've just realised that I never said "welcome to the forums" Enjoy your stay!

[littlegrimlin1]

Welcome, A Theist. I got the joke in the beginning, but didn't know if intended lol. Always welcome to the AF!

[binny]

I was raised by non religious parents too. Never once was I interested in opening the bible and reading it...I take that back. I did once try to read it. I was given one when I said to a co worker "How do you know if there was a Jesus?" The next day she gave me a bible and invited me to bible study. I took the bible, but didn't go to bible study. I tried to read the book, but it didn't hold my interest. That was probably 25 years ago or so. I'm still not interested.
Welcome and enjoy your stay.

[Tails Turrosaki]

Wow. That's pretty tough. I don't know. Nothing completely fits. I am a Fundementalist, but I'm not preachy, I don't wage war on atheists, yet I don't believe in homosexual marriage. I guess I would lean more toward idiotheist, but not quite .

Mm, if you're leaning towards idiotheism, I don't think we'll get along well. I'm very protective of rights and freedom, so please don't try debating with me about homosexuality and I'll try to not debate with it with you (unless you make a thread about it, in which I'll rage onward).
But first, I hope you do know homosexuality is a natural thing and not a choice (or so I've been told), somethings about an increase of... Androgens? I'm not sure, I'll have to get the link one of these days... But basically, fighting homosexuality is pointless because it will never be gone. Ever. Seriously. Unless you become a second Hitler and kill them all...

But besides that mini-rant, I s'pose I'll welcome you, but if you're homophobic I might have to unwelcome you. T3T