I gotta hand it to Pray To Jesus. I have a lot of respect for someone who can hold their ground without turning into a flaming asshole.
For a religion thread, it's going pretty well.
For a religion thread, it's going pretty well.
I can tell the difference because I know the Holy Spirit on a personal level.
I can't prove my personal relation to the Holy Spirit to you. That is true.
However, it is not my job to prove anything to you or convince you. It is a great gift from God, my knowledge and absolute certainty that Christianity is correct.
If you want proof for yourself, ask God. If it's his will, he will show you.
I don't have to prove God's existence to others, so I don't worry about it.
I used to Believe, I even thought the same as you, with 100% certainty. It is not what you think it is.
Which version of Christianity is correct?
A lot of people didn't believe Jesus was God, even his apostles doubted, all the way up until his resurrection.
If people are that way to Jesus, what hope do I have of ever convincing someone that I know the absolute truth? Only God can do so. I don't worry about it because that's not the task God assigned to me.
An answering saying you have no answer. How very religious of you.
A lot of people didn't believe Jesus was God, even his apostles doubted, all the way up until his resurrection.
If people are that way to Jesus, what hope do I have of ever convincing someone that I know the absolute truth? Only God can do so. I don't worry about it because that's not the task God assigned to me.
Can we just have TWO big versions of AT?
Religious and Non-religious...like smoking and non-smoking.
And everyone stays on their respect sides and shuts the hell up about it? The Atheists can high five each other about being smarter than the average man and the theists can talk about how dumb other religions are; each side can pray (...in some sense) that the other side naturally die out.
Fixed for ya .
I'm atheist but still celebrate Christmas.
You celebrate the birth of Christ, the Lord and savior of the human race?
Edit: I actually have shit to do so I can't wait for you to reply and hand your ass to you.
You're a hypocrite. Being an self proclaimed athiest, you don't 'celebrate' Christmas any more than Christians celebrate Darwinian evolution; you 'celebrate' the twisted materialistic rituals that the United States' have instilled upon you.
Nope, I celebrate the spirit of Christmas.
What spirit is that exactly? When you have Christmas (or Christ Mass) and you take away
1. Belief in Christ
2. The idea of mass
What is spiritually left?
What spirit is that exactly? When you have Christmas (or Christ Mass) and you take away
1. Belief in Christ
2. The idea of mass
What is spiritually left?
Gathering with family and loved ones, being appreciative of everything/everyone you have in your life, and wishing each other well into the new year.
I mean...that's what we do.
Christianity stole the entire practice of Christmas from the pagans; the original holiday was to celebrate the winter solstice. Now who's the hypocrite?
That's real sweet man, but that's got nothing to do with Christ.
And you probably should be doing that every day, shouldn't you?
I'm not trying to bust your balls for no reason; I know where you're coming from, but I hope you see where I'm coming from too.
It's probably societal pressure that you even call that "Christmas". It'll be the holidays, people will be merrier and jolly, and life will be wonderful. If that's the "spirit" of Christmas to you, then we're arguing semantics.
However, I think it's hypocritical to define what you described as to be "Christmas" in the real sense of the word.
Me, if he had said he celebrated the winter solstice. Except he said Christmas.
Me, if he had said he celebrated the winter solstice. Except he said Christmas.
No offense taken.
It's the same way as fathers day/mothers day/valentines day.
Those are things we should be doing year round but due to the fact that they have calendar "events" (Thanks Commercialism!) they fall on certain dates around the year.
Hell even thanksgiving lost it's meaning. It's just about turkey/football now :biggrin:. We also celebrate Easter.
People SUCK during the holidays, especially in Houston :|
I think we understand each other now. You seem like a stand-up guy, more so than the condescending prick I'm making myself out to be. It's not every day you can call someone a hypocrite and they can claim no offense.
But yeah, I get you. Commercialism indeed.
You don't seem to understand. The pagans which were converted to Christianity over the centuries, starting towards the end of the 4th century, traditionally celebrated Winter Solstice; these traditions were "absorbed" and converted into Christmas. It's the reason that many Christmas traditions are actually the traditions from the Winter Solstice celebration.
If you celebrate "Christ-mass" in December instead of January 6th, then what you're really celebrating is a pagan holiday that was taken over by the Christians.
It didn't hurt that you like Terminator <3 :biggrin:
An answering saying you have no answer. How very religious of you.
To me, what you're saying is that you lied to yourself about your own beliefs. You thought that you were at 100%, when you were not really at that level.
Absolute certainty, 100%, means that you won't doubt at all.
There was a time, after the happiness of conversion worn away, that I became uncertain if Christianity is the absolute truth. I had some doubt at that time.
Therefore, I studied as best as I can about my own beliefs and the use of logic. God also helped me with my doubt, such that right now I have absolute faith in Jesus and his ministry. I continue to learn, because I know that I am a sinner and no where close to being perfect.
The more I learn of the world, the more I knew God, and the more my wonder grows at his magnificence and love.
Incorrect. Time passes, things change, but at one time I was fully committed.
Time passes, things change, but 1 + 1 still equals 2. I think that's the level of certainty he is mentioning. I'm not sure you can apply the same rules to beliefs though, it is much harder to do.