I've debated all day about whether or not I should do this. I promised the person that got me thinking about all this that I would no longer respond to his comments. However, I have to state a few things about what I believe, and why some people will never be able to understand what I believe.
See, it's not just that I believe in God, I have a relationship with God. He's not just some foggy, sketchy, outer space phenomenon to me. We've met. We've talked--me to Him and Him to me. He's not my imaginary friend and there are enough people in the world today that also have this kind of relationship for me to know that I'm not crazy for thinking this. Someone who has never had this kind of relationship with God cannot possibly understand and those who do have this kind of relationship know exactly what I'm talking about.
I'm stating this because recently it has become clear to me that some who don't believe in God seem to think that those of us that do are weak, mindless sheep. They hold that Christians simply do what they are told, and are therefore controlled by those in positions of power. They think that our pastors feed us lies and propaganda to keep us from upsetting the balance of power or noticing the REAL problems in our country.
I will never be able to convince the person that made this clear to me that I'm anything more than a mindless sheep, because they don't understand the relationship. What they will never quite grasp is that I'm not just going on what someone told me to believe. God has revealed these things to me through my life's journey. They were not handed down to me on a scroll. Even though I was raised in a Christian home (Pastor's family), I didn't inherit my faith. I developed it through pursuing God on my own.
God is more real every day. He was there the day I walked the aisle in my father's church when I was six years old. He was at the party where I met my husband. He was certainly with us the day we got married. He is with me every time one of my children cries out in the night and He will be with me the day that I die. That's God's promise to those who believe. He's with us all the way. He's especially with us when people don't understand us, or call us weak.
So, if atheists think I'm crazy for being a Christian, let them. I don't understand where they are coming from either. I'm just glad that I don't have to be on my own when I make a mistake, or need comfort. I've always got a friend there--just a prayer away.
May everyone that reads this have a great week next week. I'll be on vacation.
posted by Daffy76 @ 9:31 AM
6 Comments:
The real advantage that we, as christians, have over the self-proclaimed athiests and agnostics is that we have hope. Hope keeps us going whem life doesn't go the way we want it to. It gives us a shoulder to cry on, so to speak, and with hope, we know that whatever happens, God will be there to walk with us, or for us, as the case may be. I seriously do not know how non-believers can go through life with no hope of a better life to come. Usually, people with no hope end up committing suicide, either literally or figuratively.
Don't be so sure you can't convince me, for starters. If you're doing the work of God, at least part of it is carrying the message, and carrying it well, right?
The other thing is, and I know I keep doing a bad job of describing this, but-I have plenty of hope. It's not anything in the way of faith in the human race (people who have that one going on are the ones who really end up committing suicide), but I...
How to put it? I see a day somewhere in the future where I am dead, and everybody who ever knew me or even heard of me is dead, and it being just fine. It'll all work out.
At the Chinese Baptist church here in my neighborhood (like I said, Portland's a weird place), they have a hearse. On the back of it, it says, "Don't go to your grave with your song unsung." I mean to tell you, I'm singing it on my own, each and every day, feeling proud,unafraid and happy.
I just don't want you to be misled by a bunch of politicians who want you to turn God's love into hate, they way they always do. Believe what you want to believe, as of course you will. Just leave the rest of us alone: we're fine.
Bachelor, no one is trying to convince you of anything. If you choose to reject God and his love, that's your perogative. I personally am content to leave you alone. You seem to me to be the one who thinks he has some point to prove. You have no more right to force your Atheism down my throat than I have to force Christianity down yours. Why do you feel the need to attack everyone who professes a belief in God?
And Cap'n, why do you feel the need to say such silly things as, "...feel the need to attack everyone who professes a belief in God"? It seems that I made myself pretty clear. That wasn't an attack.
But since you bring it up, that's exactly what your friends in the corporate media often do: if someone raises a question, however pertinent or needed, they "hate America", which is also not true.
And I was just responding to someone who was writing something about something I'd written. Are you all so insecure?
Your story has become tiresome...
Now is the time on Shproketts when we dance!!
Bachelor,
Because you are on my forum this time, I will respond to you this once. However, my plan remains to leave you alone for the sake of keeping peace.
First off, I want to thank you for causing me to stop and think about this subject again. It always is good to stop every now and then and analyze why you believe what you believe.
As far as Tug's comments about attacking people, you, yourself, have been a little harsh to those who don't believe the same way as you (or spell as well). You search us out and then when we don't agree with you (Surprise!) tell us to leave you alone. Up until just a few days ago I never even went to one of the more liberal sites, and I'm certainly not over there making comments just to stir things up. I'm fine with what you believe. So you can quit telling me to leave you alone. I am trying to.
You seem to think that the conservatives you criticize are a minority. We are not and don't believe that we are. Don't fool yourself into thinking that we are just because the majority of people you know personally agree with you.
I don't want to be misled by politicians either, but the basic problem we're having here is a disagreement on which ones to trust. You'll never trust the ones that I might be inclined to because our belief systems are so different.
I know you're not asking for it, but I'm going to give my advice anyway. It's time for you to agree to disagree with us and let it be. Who cares if we echo each other? If I agree with someone, that just means I agree and you don't.
Since you like the phrase I'll end this by telling you to have a nice day and God Bless!
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