Quote (tagged4nothing @ Jun 21 2010 08:53am)
hehe. I am not driving. Light has reached the horizon though and I can focus slightly better. Anyways, I don't want to make my words cheap by drawing too much into them. But, back to subject, it is my belief that we should not accept something so important as the belief of Christianity without being agnostic about the subject as if you were never taught it. A lot of people believe what they are taught at an early age because this is what we know. To say you "know" Christianity is true in it's entirety is a very bold statement and I would like to know what would cause you to come to this decision.
I am no great philosopher. I am no great orator. I can only offer this:
I agree that people often believe what they are taught at an early age. However, there are many people in many countries that have left behind everything they were taught as a child and chose to follow Christ, Budda, Allah, or perhaps Santa Claus, I dont know.
In my four years of college, I heard so much on evolution. The big bang theory, the pulsating theory, and what ever the other one was. There were dozens of people I met, all of whom came from different backgrounds, religions, religious intolerance, schools of thought, etc. I felt confused for quite some time about what I really believed. There were so many outside factors that actually challenged what I was taught as a child. I read, listened, and done a lot of soul searching. The one item that caused my faith to be tested the most was a zoology class I had my first semester. Everything they taught seemed logical from a scientific perspective.
I spoke with a pastor friend about my inner confusion. He said the following and it hit my like a ton of bricks, "If you can't believe the first five words of the Bible, you can't believe any of it". Of course the first five words are In the beginning God created.
I do believe the Bible, so by faith, I put the whole evolution thing behind me and decided to move on.
[B]To say you "know" Christianity is true in it's entirety is a very bold statement and I would like to know what would cause you to come to this decision./B]
This is hard to answer in a way that a non believer would understand. It is what makes me a believer and others a non believer. It is the difference in me and you. It all comes down to faith.
Answered prayer to me is an answered prayer. To others, it is coincidence.
To be a drunk for fifteen years and beg God to take away the craving so I could better serve Him and be a better husband, father, co worker, etc is the best example I can give. I was able to stop cold turkey, from that very moment. No more cravings, no more temptations, no urge to drink. The prayer was answered immediately. No waiting. I drank every day for years. No more. God is that powerful. There was no way human assistance would have worked. I could not do it on my own.
The power of the Holy Spirit can not be described in words. Words cant do it justice.
I think a person has to have a relationship with God to fully understand how one could say that Christianity is the real deal. I can't justify it to where someone that needed a physical sign to believe, would ever believe. Jesus performed many miracles while on earth. People saw them and still didnt believe.
I really dont know how I can further elaborate on this matter. hopefully somone else can chime in and expound.